I’ve been setting goals since before I could write. I know this because I have a small red journal that my parents started for me when I was just four years old, and an early entry is about my goals. …
Planning to die
If you know me well, you know I’m a planner. I like to organize my life as much as possible. So, it should come as no surprise that I also like planning for my death. It’s not that I’m planning…
Pottery is harder than you think
“She is a beautiful piece of broken pottery, put back together by her own hands. And a critical world judges her cracks while missing the beauty of how she made herself whole again.” — ― J.M. Storm Ever…
I grew up with five brothers
I grew up with five brothers. As the only girl in the family for 11 years, I had to deal with toilet seats left up, incessant teasing (I never had good comebacks), and sharing my bedroom with each of them…
Planning for retirement
I never thought about planning for retirement until I got divorced and learned that my financial situation was a lot worse than I thought. It occurred to me then, that I had no idea what it meant to plan for…
I stayed out all night
I haven’t stayed out all night in forever. In fact, I can’t recall the last time I stayed out all night. This says a lot about my social life. I like to have fun, but I get really tired by…
Reading To Kill a Mockingbird
My least favorite book is probably Lord of the Flies. An English schoolmaster wrote it in 1951. Since its publication, it has sold tens of millions of copies and been translated into more than 30 languages. Many call it a…
Cancer runs in my family
Cancer runs in my family. My mother’s great grandmother died of stomach cancer, my mother’s mother died of multiple myeloma, my father’s mother died from colon cancer, my father’s grandmother died of colon and liver cancer, my father’s sister had…
My parents are getting older and it’s hard
My parents are getting older. It’s hard to watch them walk more slowly, close their eyes when they try to think, or forget things I told them just minutes ago. Aging. We all do it. However, I’ve never been able…
I love bears and Yellowstone National Park
I love bears. I’m not sure why, but I just do. Years ago, the summer after I was married, my then husband and I drove the Alaskan Highway to work for his fishing guide business in Alaska. Although I knew…
