#nofilter I’m sure you’ve seen this hashtag, right? It’s commonly used on social media, accompanying what the poster is claiming to be an untouched, unedited photograph. Sometimes the photo is of a beautiful sunset, or of someone being him/herself. I don’t know for sure – and didn’t even try to look this up – but […]
Tag: random
Down But Not Out
Let’s say life is like a boxing match, and last week nearly TKO’ed me. Actually, it felt more like a cage match from which I couldn’t escape – so I clung to the sides like Spider-Man and waited for the bell. Things started out just fine, albeit a little more hectic than usual. On Friday […]
Exploded Eggs
Have you ever exploded an egg? I have. More than once. Yeah, I didn’t learn from my mistake the first time. In case you didn’t already know this, if you boil eggs too long – like so long all the water is gone, then they’ll explode. Seriously, the egg gets so hot on the inside […]
If Cars Could Talk
I think we’re all feeling a little nostalgic about Aunt Bee. Not the original Aunt Bee. See, that’s what we call the van. She’s getting on up there in years and, with her dents and dings and moans and groans, she always seems frazzled and on the verge of breaking down. But, nevertheless, she always […]
Distractions
I am an old-school writer. Or I just have ADD. … Or maybe it’s both. Okay, focus. I love notebooks. Spiral-bound. About half the size of a normal sheet of paper. Like this one: I especially like the cover of that one. These notebooks are among my favorite things. I have too many to count, […]
Awe
Have you ever put your forehead on an airplane window and dropped your gaze straight to the ground? I’m not sure I had until the trip home yesterday. It was a beautiful sight. One that would, I believe, make even the most cynical person in the world fill with awe. The first few shots are […]
No Air
I don’t travel well. I like the idea of going places, but nothing ever goes exactly as planned and that sends my anxiety into overdrive. I used to say it was because traveling with small children was hard. Well, the kids aren’t small anymore, and I stress even when they’re not with me. Take this […]
It [was] my party
Today, my first thought of the morning — well other than the standard “man, I’m tired” — was of Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. There is a scene where she’s sobbing to Billy Crystal’s character, “And I’m gonna be 40!” He asks her when and she replies, “Someday,” to which he responds, “in […]
This is my brain, not even on drugs
Well, only legal ones, I swear. I’ve been joking a lot lately that I’ve developed ADD, that I can’t seem to focus on any one thing. I’ve even taken to counting backwards from 100 at night to force my brain to shut down. I usually make it to about 85 before my mind starts wandering […]
I Love Fanfiction
Call me a nerd, but I love it. I love to read fanfiction, and, on occasion, I write it. So, what the heck is fanfiction? Just what it sounds like: it’s fans borrowing characters from TV shows, movies, and books, and playing with them for a little while. The characters’ “real” stories spark creativity in […]
It’s Good To Have Goals
It’s good to have goals, right? The Girl (11yo) recently decided to become a vegetarian. Now for someone like me, who believes the definition of a “good meal” is a medium rare filet mignon (“Give it to us raw – and wriggling!”), this whole thing is odd to me. But I’m trying to be supportive. She and […]
Crazy Vacation Utterances
Last week we vacationed at Gulf Shores for the week with Pepa. It was a long, fun week filled with pool trips, beach outings and LOTS of seafood. Over the course of the week, in my state of sheer exhaustion from chasing kids in the sun, I may have said a few crazy things like: […]
Would you like some whine with that?
We’ll be leaving for “vacation” shortly. If I’d said that aloud, I would have absolutely wiggled my fingers to indicate air quotes. That’s because I keep arguing with Bryan about this not being a real vacation for me. Don’t get me wrong. It should be fun. We’re going to his 20-year high school reunion (yeah, […]
Out of the Mouths of Babes
Remember that show Kids Say the Darndest Things? Ok, me either. That is, I remember it existed but am not so sure I ever watched it. But that’s not my point. My point is that it’s true, the title of the show, at least. Kids really do say some wacky but often brutally honest things […]
My Didn’t To-Do List
I stepped out of the shower tonight to see a full-on illustration of what the phrase “farmer’s tan” really means. Let me tell you: it ain’t all that pretty. Of course, I should have expected no less as we spent the majority of this weekend out in the sun building a chicken coop (more on […]