Discovering the roots of Yankee Swap while indulging in The Office’s festive humor — So how do you celebrate Christmas for 25 days straight? It’s all about the small stuff and making memories. Some days we do big events like seeing the Trans Siberian Orchestra or Christmastown at Busch Gardens. Then other days we do smaller things like decorate the tree, or re-watch some…

Our 9ft Tall Snowman Adventure! — So how do you celebrate Christmas for twenty-five days straight? It’s all about the small stuff and making memories. Some days we do big events like seeing the Trans Siberian Orchestra or Christmastown at Busch Gardens. Then other days we do smaller things like decorate the tree, or re-watch some…

Our yearly Christmas tradition countdown to Christmas begins — “I sent you a spreadsheet”. My husband said out of the blue. “A spreadsheet. Why”? I asked him, confused by his sudden turn in topic. “Yep, we're going to do a new thing this year, 25 days of Christmas. Instead of celebrating just with gifts, I want to celebrate the…

How I fell in love with bird watching and AI design in Midjourney. — I must confess, I’m obsessed with birds these days. It started with putting us putting up a birdfeeder in our backyard. We had gotten a gift card for our anniversary and thought it would be a fun addition to our new home. Before we knew it, we would stand by…

My attempt at a NaNo ish update… Yep, you read that right. In 2021, I published my poetry book “Through My Eyes.” I started writing poetry when I was 15. I had experienced my first relationship and my first heartbreak. Trying to find a way to put my emotions into…

I attended a retreat at an old farmhouse in New York. After days of activities, exhaustion enveloped me, so I retired early. At 3 am I awoke wide awake. I decided to prepare for my trip home trying not to disturb the others slumbering downstairs. As I packed, a large…

As mobility became a struggle, we placed Google Minis throughout our home. If I ever fell or needed assistance, I could send a message throughout the house for help. One night, while preparing for bed, I realized I needed something from the kitchen. Clutching my panda, my loyal body pillow…

I found myself in the front of a minivan, with my friend Becky and her son Logan. Our destination was our beloved morning ritual of Chick-fil-A and watching Logan play at the playground. As we approached a flickering yellow light, my world turned dark. A minuscule terror emerged, crawling across…

What is Medium's take on AI? — Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard all the recent headlines about the use of AI. The entire world is having a collective world-wide panic attack about rights, usage and credits and AI. So when I stumbled across this recent article by Tony Stubblebine about Medium…