A Year of Firsts

Rediscovering magic in the everyday.

life

  • Seasonal discomfort

    This fall has felt so thick and syrupy to me for some reason, and I just haven’t felt much like doing anything. There are the regular things that need to get done, like feeding my people and cleaning the house, and doing the work I get paid to do, but otherwise, meh, just not interested Read more

  • Grief over Missing Out

    Ever since I got COVID for the first time, I have noticed that all of my colds kind of play out the same way. I start getting lethargic, with a sore throat that I can kind of ignore. Then a fever, chills, and three days of searingly painful congestion set in. Every part of my Read more

  • Wrapped

    Over the past week, my Instagram was flooded with my friends’ Spotify Wrapped images and videos. Do you get those?  Up until recently, I haven’t been a Spotify user, so I don’t get a “wrapped.” There certainly is something about December that makes you want to count up all of your goods and bads, successes Read more

  • Seis Siete

    I started this draft about a week before “6-7” was named word of the year by Dictionary.com. It’s not technically a word, but dictionary.com says it can mean “so-so” or “it’s complicated” but is basically one brain-rotty, meaningless inside joke.  So, given the recent newsworthiness, I am going to assume you have heard about this kind Read more

  • With Autumn Comes the Fall

    Hey there! It’s been a minute. I hope you are doing ok.  The fall and start of school completely kicked me in the behind. We spent several weeks with someone in the household sick at all times. My daughter is dealing with some acid reflux that is (according to the doctor) probably the aftermath of Read more

  • Apathy is (not) hot

    I have not been able to help myself from looking at the endless internet discourse on Taylor Swift since the release of her new album. My Lord. People have some VERY serious opinions about these 12 pop songs. Some people think it is her worst album ever. Others are scanning her yearbook to figure out Read more

  • Thanks for Trying

    A few times in my life people have told me I was “really brave” for doing something that I didn’t find particularly brave at all. It was just….what I did.  My brave actions have included:  I’m sure there are more – these are just specific conversations I remember where the brave word came up, where Read more

  • Summer Check In: 8 months

    If getting through January is like watching concrete dry, then August is like pouring honey into a cup of tea; it’s golden and sticky and sweet, and while it looks slow and lazy, it disappears way too fast.  I can’t believe school is starting here in just a few days (I know it’s already started Read more

  • Death on Vacation

    It’s been challenging to write weekly over the summer. Partially because my daughter is home with me everyday and alone time is more scarce, and also because my brain is constantly boiling and after using it for the non-optional tasks, there is not much left. And yes, I do have AC, but somehow while that Read more

  • Tangibles and Intangibles

    This week, my husband pointed out that our kousa dogwood had its first ever blossoms. Several years ago my mother-in-law, knowing that I really wanted one, came to visit and presented me with a long stick with a root ball that she had placed in her trunk. When I asked her what it was, she Read more