Dominos and Art Cars

In my mind, a domino falls, and another, and another, until the effect creates something beautiful and heartfelt.

Domino #1

It was June of last year when I resigned from my job without any sort of plan. People are curious how I spend my time, and it’s a great question. Somehow, I never have a great answer. I suppose I could say, “I’m a housewife.” That doesn’t seem to need much explanation. In truth, housewifing is not my strength. However, I’m good at enjoying my downtime. Travel opportunities have manifested. I don’t have to drop much to go. I read and write and exercise. I’m keeping my mind right, staying connected with friends and family, and of course, watching my share of TV.

Domino #2

I can’t remember exactly when I caught a series on Netflix called Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. In four episodes, the documentary focuses on centenarians living and thriving in Okinawa, Japan and the mountain villages of Sardinia, people on the Greek island of Ikaria and Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, and a pocket of Seventh-Day Adventists in a Californian suburb. Common elements and healthy habits contribute to longevity, including plant-based diets, natural movement (like walking and gardening), serene lifestyles, faith and hope, strong family bonds, like-minded communities, and a sense of purpose.

The Loma Linda episode made me think, specifically about volunteering. The show’s host says,

“People who volunteer have better memories, better social connections. They even report higher levels of happiness. If you think, it always involves some physical activity, involves some sense of meaning because you’re focusing on someone else other than just yourself.”

Domino #3

On February 8, my friend Georgia posted a volunteer opportunity on Facebook:

I typed, “I’m looking into it!”

Georgia responded, “It’s so fun. I think you’ll love it. Sign up to be my assistant.”

And that’s how I became Assistant to the Volunteer Coordinator of the 37^th Annual Houston Art Car Parade.

Domino #4

On the crisp April morning of the parade, I donned my bright orange volunteer t-shirt and drove nine miles from my house to a high school parking lot just west of downtown. I parked and then walked to the parade route on Allen Parkway in search of the volunteer tent and my friend Georgia.

The Katz Coffee van delivered coffee just after 8 AM, around the time I arrived along with another volunteer named Hal. Georgia gave us the breeziest jobs at the pre-parade. We would drive golf carts and shuttle other volunteers to their locations, so Hal and I hitched a ride with the coffee guy to City Hall, close to the golf cart pick up location. For all I know the coffee guy could’ve owned Katz Coffee. Everything happened so fast.

That’s how I came to drive a golf cart down Allen Parkway, wind in my face, as the sun rose over the skyscrapers at my back. The art cars were beginning to line up, and I snapped photo upon photo. Art was everywhere, alive and thriving. The energy was tangible.

By the time I returned to the volunteer tent, more volunteers were showing up, and my official job began. I shuttled the mother of a former student and caught up on his life. I shuttled my friend who substituted for me last year when I took some time off for my radiation treatments. I shuttled some high school kids who were volunteering because their moms said so. And then Georgia and Hal’s son showed up. He happens to be one of my favorite former students, and he said, “Good morning!” and gave me a big hug. The energy was heartfelt.

Brock Wagner, Founder/Brewer of Saint Arnold’s Brewery and the 2024 Houston Art Car Parade Grand Marshal.

Artists gather in Houston from around the nation, no other explanation.

Snapped pre-parade, later the mayor’s ride.

A water buffalo and an abundance of bling.

HEB grocery stores. A reason of its own to visit Texas.

A favorite from last year. Every first period he said, “Good Morning!” and asked, “How are you?” and told me, “Have a great day!”

Daily writing prompt

Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.

View all responses

The city of Houston has provided me so many opportunities for adventure. The decisions have been up to me. It’s where I made the decision to blog and to pursue my MFA, where I decided to dance again and to take care of myself. You learn and grow either way, despite the outcomes, but you never know until that first domino falls.

Let It Go

I don’t care to tell people I’m reading Self Help. The term carries a stigma as if I’m sitting here, crying, “Help me!” I’m not. Not that I never have. 54-year-old Crystal has learned to be so much kinder to herself than many of her earlier selves—maybe because of these recent books. If I had read any of them, let’s say ten years ago while experiencing a schizophrenia-low with my son, or back in 2017 when a hurricane flooded me, my family, and lots of things out of our home and we lived in a hotel ten months while rebuilding, or in 2020 when my mother died followed by my dog, or even last year when I experienced a cancer low, the timing might not have connected to an open mind. In my personal experience, if I believe something will work, it will. If I say, “There’s no way,” then I’m also right. This is why words have power—especially the words we reserve for ourselves. So—I would say these books fall into the genre of Self Kindness.

In November, I read The Emotion Code.

An entire post @ this link.
A one-sentence synopsis: If you hold onto negative emotions, they will become trapped in your body and make you sick, so let them go.
My take-away: With God’s help, I started letting go of the emotions that do not serve me, and voila! Life looks brighter.

In December and January, I read Atlas of the Heart.

Another post @ the link.
Another synopsis: Brené Brown and her team of researchers explore eighty-seven emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human.
My take-away: We’re all human. That means we all make mistakes. That means we must forgive both ourselves and others. So (see The Emotion Code synopsis)—LET IT GO. The research explains our emotions in detail, so we can better understand exactly what to release. A must read.

In January and February, I read The Untethered Soul.

I didn’t write a post.
Synopsis: LET IT GO, and your soul will be free.
My take-away: The more we judge others as well as situations, the more we judge ourselves. Life will have challenges. Release judgement of the challenges and challenging people and self. Pain and suffering are just things. Temporary things. Perhaps God will help if we ask. In my experience, He does.

There were times when reading a couple of these books that I became a little annoyed at the repetitive nature. I could’ve thought, “This is stupid,” and reshelved the book or left it on the porch for Goodwill. Instead, I kept an open mind, persevered to the end, found pieces worth appreciating, and started the next book on the list.

Now I’m reading The Four Agreements. It’s subtitled A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom and A Toltec Wisdom Book. Another must-read in my humble opinion.

The 1^st Agreement: Be Impeccable with Your Word

“We must understand what power comes out of our mouths…Your opinion comes from your beliefs, your own ego…When you are impeccable (literal translation “without sin”), you take responsibility for your actions, but you do not judge or blame yourself [or others]…If I love myself I will express that love in my interactions with you, and then I am being impeccable with the word, because that action will produce a like reaction.”
Don Miguel Ruiz

The agreements that follow are all based on the first one, and I’m seeing more LET IT GO:

The 2^nd Agreement: Don’t Take Anything Personally
The 3^rd Agreement: Don’t Make Assumptions
The 4^th Agreement: Always Do Your Best

I’ve noticed that the more I surround myself with good thoughts and energy, uplifting words and people, the more vibrant and healthy and at peace I feel. Of course, there’s always that tiny voice in my head that says, “Let’s see how you’ll handle the next (fill-in-the-blank).” Cue the evil laughter. I’m learning to let that go.

Well, recently I had a biopsy to confirm my clean bill of health. One week later, I received a call that included the words “cancer” and “surgery.” I wrote everything down. On Friday, March 15, I will have a little lumpectomy to scoop out those cells. I’ve known for over a year this would be a possibility, and I feel as if I’ve been training for this moment. I still feel vibrant and healthy and at peace. And to maintain the good, I’m talking with God, letting go of certain emotions, and turning off today’s comments. These are the last things I’ve learned.

Daily writing prompt

What is the last thing you learned?

View all responses

All You Can Do

I gave birth at age 19. I thought I had grown up. My son, my baby, was the love of my life. I would have done anything for him.

When he turned 19, suddenly I realized something was wrong. Maybe I knew before then, but for so many years, he was smart and kind, good to animals and good looking, loving to his sister and a cellist. Then, suddenly, he believed things that weren’t true. I was a witch, so was my mother. Cocaine was streaming through the air ducts of his bedroom. God bless him.

It was a journey…that discovery of schizophrenia. He had just turned 20. I cried many tears before learning the truth. And since then, since 2010, I’ve learned more. His reality is different than mine, and he doesn’t see a reason for help. You can’t help a person who can’t or won’t help themselves. All you can do is help your own self.

What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
daily prompt

Be Someone II

There’s an iconic sign on a railroad overpass just north of downtown Houston. It says…

*Courtesy of* https://www.besomeoneco.com/store/

I often think about what that means.

There’s an iconic Xeroxed copy of my 10-year-old face tucked away in a long-forgotten cardboard box. Lucky for 54-year-old me, I have the digital image. I often think about that little girl. Clearly, she has always wished for me to be unapologetically me…

That little girl inside me long ago learned the power of visualization. Inside our head, we saw the roundoff back handsprings and the back flips before we made it happen. That little girl is alive and well. She reminds me of the magic of vision and dreams. She wishes me a life lived to the fullest and says, “Let go of the past and step into who we’re becoming—wiser and kinder and stronger.” She nudges me to forgive those who hurt me and wish them well. She roots for me to be an example of what is possible and cherish every moment.

Perhaps being someone is about embracing, trusting, and standing up for our authentic self, speaking our truth, aging gracefully, walking our unique path, sharing our gifts, taking care of our needs—body, mind, and spirit—believing and dreaming, learning and growing, carrying an abundance of love, seeking the good in others, understanding that humans have faults. These are the things I’m learning at age 54 and somehow the things I’ve always known.

Be Someone


I count on one hand
my visits to Houston
before making the move
before my entire life changed. 

On a Union Pacific bridge
while driving south on 45, 
there’s a sign.

Some call it graffiti. 
I call it gritty.

Be Someone, it says.

It’s more than a sign,
The skyline stands stong behind.
A gateway for opportunity. 
A beacon for possibility. 
A call to action visible only
on the way in,
again and again 
like a mantra.

Be someone.

Be someone.

Be Someone.

Inspired by poets Gail Mazur, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Zepeda, Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton and their poems about Houston, along with my good friend Dr. Doni Wilson who taught an outstanding Writespace workshop last weekend. I left buoyed by my possibilities.

Bring it, H-town.

Atlas of the Heart

A Book Review

While traveling for the holidays, I downloaded the audio of Brené Brown’s latest book Atlas of the Heart, Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. I drove and listened and clicked the button that flags the important stuff. Upon finishing, I counted my bookmarks, 113, and laughed out loud. Throughout January, I relistened to those parts, bought more hard copies for friends, and flipped pages before parting with these gifts. I took notes as if I were in school and ended up with close to 6000 words in a Word document. I reread my notes, highlighted my best takeaways, and can’t stop having conversations about this book. Brown and her team of researchers explore eighty-seven emotions and experiences (87!) that define what it means to be human. Writers need this, right? Doesn’t everyone?

I grew up in a family that didn’t talk about feelings. Maybe this is normal. I remember crying (quite often) to my mother. She would hug me and say, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” I said time and again. Call it a childish lack of self-awareness. Maybe it’s normal not to understand how we’re feeling. I’m curious how often we deny the truth. At some point, shouldn’t we be able to name our emotions in connection to our experience? How else can we let go of the baggage we carry?

“Our hurt feelings are typically experienced simultaneously with other emotions, such as sadness, anger, anxiety, jealousy, or loneliness. As a result, they don’t always feel the same way, as most other emotions do…Our reactions to hurt feelings can be self-blaming, or we might cry, lash out, or retaliate by trying to hurt the other person, and/or seek out other relationships to find comfort. When reparation doesn’t seem possible, hurt feelings can turn into anger or sadness.”
Brené Brown p. 200

Brené explains my tears as normal along with other common reactions. I find this helpful in understanding not only myself but also others. We’re all prone to hurt feelings (that carry a range of emotions), but a brave, honest, simple, vulnerable way to deal with them is to say, “My feelings are hurt.” I could have used this information earlier in my life, but it’s never too late to practice.

Brown’s work defines the nuance between awe and wonder, joy and happiness, guilt and shame, jealousy and envy. All topics are easily located through the table of contents. Before writing this book, Brown believed resentment was part of the anger family. Research revealed that resentment is part of envy.

“Resentment is the feeling of frustration, judgment, anger, “better than,” and/or hidden envy related to perceived unfairness or injustice. It’s an emotion that we often experience when we fail to set boundaries or ask for what we need, or when expectations let us down because they were based on things we can’t control, like what other people think, what they feel, or how they’re going to react.”
Brené Brown p. 33

Brown taught me when I start to feel resentful, instead of thinking about what the other person is doing “wrong” or what they “should” be doing, I should think, What do I need but am afraid to ask for?

There’s so much good psychology here. It proved an impossible feat to choose my top ten takeaways. So here are just fifteen more:

15.

“Researchers believe that rumination is a strong predictor of depression, makes us more likely to pay attention to negative things, and zaps our motivation to do the things that would improve how we feel” (79).

14.

“Anger is a catalyst. Holding on to it will make us exhausted and sick. Internalizing anger will take away our joy and spirit; externalizing anger will make us less effective in our attempts to create change and forge connection. It’s an emotion that we need to transform into something life-giving: courage, love, change, compassion, justice” (224).

13.

“While some people disagree with me, I firmly believe that regret is one of our most powerful emotional reminders that reflection, change, and growth are necessary. In our research, regret emerged as a function of empathy. And, when used constructively, it’s a call to courage and a path toward wisdom” (53).

12.

“Shame is the birthplace of perfectionism. Perfectionism is not striving to be our best or working toward excellence. Healthy striving is internally driven. Perfectionism is externally driven by a simple but potentially all-consuming question: What will people think?” (142)…

“Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it often sets you on the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis” (144-145).

11.

“The heart of compassion is really acceptance. The better we are at accepting ourselves and others, the more compassionate we become. It’s difficult to accept people when they are hurting us or taking advantage of us or walking all over us. This research has taught me that if we really want to practice compassion, we have to start by setting boundaries and holding people accountable for their behavior” (128).

10.

“Empathy is an other-focused emotion. It draws our attention outward, toward the other person’s experience. When we are truly practicing empathy, our attention is fully focused on the other person and trying to understand their experience. We only have thoughts of self in order to draw on how our experience can help us understand what the other person is going through.

Shame is an egocentric, self-involved emotion. It draws our focus inward. Our only concern with others when we are feeling shame is to wonder how others are judging us. Shame and empathy are incompatible. When feeling shame, our inward focus overrides our ability to think about another person’s experience. We become unable to offer empathy. We are incapable of processing information about the other person, unless that information specifically pertains to us” (141).

9.

“Contempt is one of the most damaging of the four negative communication patterns that predict divorce. The other three are criticism, defensiveness, and stonewalling….

Contempt, simply put, says, ‘I’m better than you. And you are lesser than me’” (226-228).

8.

“Researcher Frank Fujita writes, ‘Social comparisons can make us happy or unhappy. Upward comparisons can inspire or demoralize us, whereas downward comparisons can make us feel superior or depress us. In general, however, frequent social comparisons are not associated with life satisfaction or the positive emotions of love and joy but are associated with the negative emotions of fear, anger, shame, and sadness’” (21).

7.

“Across my research, I define connection as the energy that exists between two people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship…

The RTC (Relational-Cultural Theory from the Stone Center at Wellesley) sees disconnections as normative and inevitable in relationships; they occur when one person misunderstands, invalidates, excludes, humiliates, or injures the other person in some way. Acute disconnections occur frequently in all relationships. If they can be addressed and reworked, they are not problematic; in fact, they become places of enormous growth” (169).

6.

“Belonging is being accepted for you. Fitting in is being accepted for being like everyone else…True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are” (162).

5.

Researchers Alice Huang and Howard Berenbaum “found that people who are more secure are more willing to be vulnerable with others. If we are comfortable with our own weaknesses (self-secure), we are more successful at being emotionally close to others and more likely to have healthy relationships” (174).

4.

“Connection, along with love and belonging, is why we are here, and it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Shame is the fear of disconnection—it’s the fear that something we’ve done or failed to do, an ideal that we’ve not lived up to, or a goal that we’ve not accomplished makes us unworthy of connection” (137).

3.

“On one of the instruments that measures contentment, 71 percent of the variance in life satisfaction is measured by a single item: “All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?”

This leads to the age-old question: If we’re not satisfied with our life as a whole, does this mean we need to go get and do the stuff that will make us satisfied so we can be content, or does this mean we stop taking for granted what we have so we can experience real contentment and enoughness?” (211).

2.

“It appears that many of the emotions that are good for us—joy, contentment, and gratitude, to name a few—have appreciation in common…

There is overwhelming evidence that gratitude is good for us physically, emotionally, and mentally. There’s research that shows that gratitude is correlated with better sleep, increased creativity, decreased entitlement, decreased hostility and aggression, increased decision-making skills, decreased blood pressure—the list goes on…

Gratitude is an emotion that reflects our deep appreciation for what we value, what brings meaning to our lives, and what makes us feel connected to ourselves and others” (214).

1.

“Our connection with others can only be as deep as our connection with ourselves. If I don’t know and understand who I am and what I need, want, and believe, I can’t share myself with you. I need to be connected to myself, in my own body, and learning what makes me work” (272).

The Intention

For years I’ve gone back and forth on New Year’s Resolutions—to make them or not. According to Ohio State University, research suggests that only 9% of Americans who make resolutions complete them, 23% of people quit their resolution by the end of the first week, and 43% quit by the end of January.

I’ve jumped on the Word-of-the-Year train—and off again. I have no problem in changing my mind. Change shows flexibility and growth. I like growth.

For 2024?

I believe in—

the power of intention
do-overs
progress over perfection
kindness and compassion for self and others
one day at a time
asking God for help with all of the above

I like the idea of the SMART goal. Is it—

Specific?
Measurable?
Achievable?
Realistic/Relevant?
Timely/Time-Bound?

To kick off this year, I’m taking on the 30-Day AB Challenge and Dry January. Week One. Check. Before February One, I’ll re-assess. The specificity. The measurability. The achievability. The realism and relevance. The timeliness.

Back in November, I downloaded an app called Reframe: Drink Less and Thrive. It provides daily science-backed reading about the psychology of drinking habits and effects of alcohol on the body. During the first week, this daily drinker (that’s me) had two alcohol-free days. The next week two more.

Progress.

Then I gave up. I made an excuse to stop tracking my drinks for my anniversar[ies], the holiday season, and my birthday month without guilt. I postponed my cut-back journey and set my intention on being alcohol free in January.

I’m 54. Since age 18, outside of two pregnancies, I’ve had three other sober months, maybe four. After my breast cancer diagnosis in August 2022, I became aware of the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines for alcohol. One drink or less in a day for women. Two for men. I may have abstained another month before the next glass of wine. But—I thought, “How ridiculous!” I had no desire to quit.

After trying to cut back a few times, I said to myself, “Crystal, you are the ridiculous one. You only have one body. Why not treat it with tender-loving care?” It took me 54 years to realize none is easier than one (at least for me), and I became sober curious. Suddenly, I found myself asking God for help. And lo and behold, I feel the divine help. I’m not ready to resolve that I will never have another drink, but I intend to keep praying for myself. So far. So good. I believe in one day at a time.

May you experience health, hope, peace, joy, and love in 2024!

A friend texted me the following, and I am forwarding to you:

Hey! I’ve been using Reframe App. It is helping me cutback on drinking, using neuroscience 🧠. All you need is 15 minutes a day!

Sign up and get 1-Month Free Trial for your subscription by going to this link:

https://tryreframeapp.com/referral?code=YS87FJ

Flawed But Trying: A Repost

It was six years ago—my sixth post, in fact. I sought it out, and suddenly, I was tweaking words and sentences and details. And then—re-posting.

Flawed But Trying

You are a Bada**

Last Thursday after my first period class, a kid I’ll call J stayed behind and handed me a new yellow paperback.

He hesitated and said, “I’m sorry that I missed your tutorial yesterday. I know you’re here to help us and that people take advantage of you….”

Oof! Gut punch. Kids say the darnedest things.

The day before I had hosted a lunchtime tutorial, pizza provided by the school, for students who haven’t taken the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and need to pass another government-mandated standardized test (TSI—the Texas Success Initiative) created by College Board (the entity that makes beaucoups of cash by selling both tests plus Advanced Placement). These kids have taken the test before and failed and must retest. The test deems the students college-ready, and if our school has a certain percentage of students who don’t pass this test, then we look bad. We lose some prestige. Therefore, the intervening tutorial. We discussed grammar and multiple-choice test-taking tips. Some of the kids were one question away from passing on their last attempt. Meanwhile, J, who had a lead in our all-school musical Mamma Mia last semester was giving me a book about how to stop doubting my greatness and start living an awesome life. Somehow, I know he is college ready, and I don’t need test results to tell me. If he doesn’t go to college, who the F cares? J is already living an awesome life and sharing his secret with me.

“…but I think you’re amazing,” he said, “and I hope you’ll read this book.”

I may or may not have had tears in my eyes when I gave him a speechless fist bump. I was touched by the gift. “I will absolutely read this book,” I said. Students filed through the door for my next class, J left, and I composed myself.

Yesterday, I left work at lunch. This morning, I stayed home. The struggle is real. I was supposed to tutor during my lunch again today—and I just can’t. The test is March 22. There is time to postpone. I picked up the book from J and read. Chapter 4 resonated.

“In the self-help/spiritual community, ‘Ego’ is used to refer to the shadow self, or the false self, or the self that’s acting like a weenie. It’s the part of us that’s driving the bus when we do things like sabotage our happiness by cheating on our husbands or wives because deep down we don’t feel worthy of being loved, or that refuses to follow our hearts and pursue an acting career because we are terrified to be seen for who we really are, or that goes on and on and on and on about how great we are and shows off our muscles because we’re insecure and need lots of outside validation that we’re good enough.”
Jen Sincero

Ego—the self that’s acting like a weenie. That’s funny. How many of us are driven by our insecurities and the need for validation that we’re good enough…smart enough…sexy enough…rich enough…skinny enough…badass enough…just simply enough? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

“The leading cause of sucking (staying broke, dating morons, uncontrollably crying in public because we hate our lives) is that we haven’t yet woken up to how truly powerful we are or to how massively abundant our Universe is.”
Jen Sincero

Speaking of the Universe, I’ve heard the part about its massive abundance before. Seeing these words again seems like a message tailored for me.

“The [ego] operates according to your limiting false beliefs. This is the garbage that was stuffed into your subconscious as a kid that doesn’t ring true for you, as well as the decisions you’ve made about yourself that are less-than flattering or empowering. It gets validation from outside sources (I’m doing this to win your love, your opinion of me is more important than my opinion of me), it’s reactive (My circumstances control my life, I am a victim), fear-based, and extremely committed to keeping you safely confined within the reality you’ve created based on those false limiting beliefs (otherwise known as your comfort zone). The [ego] lives in the past and in the future and believes you are separate from everything around you.

Your true self or your higher self or your superhero self (your non-BS self)…is the part of you that operates according to your connection to Source Energy. It gets validation from within (I love and trust myself, this feels right to me, I have a purpose, I am loved), it’s proactive (I’m in control of my life, I think I’ll head on out and kick me some ass), love based, and is committed to creating a reality based on your limitless potential…Your true self lives in the present (not stuck in your head), totally believes in miracles and is one with the Universe.
Jen Sincero

The false self (based on your subconscious and limiting false beliefs) vs. the true self (connected to a higher power AKA Source Energy). The true self validates from within, takes action, seeks limitless potential, stays out of head, believes in miracles, and loves their fellow human. Suddenly, I find myself thinking of 1 Corinthians 4-8. What a lovely truth!

My All-Time Top 10 Blogs

Bloggers will tell you they don’t care about the numbers. Perhaps this is true for some. I, for one, like to see how my posts and years fare against each other. I’m always rooting for the underdog.

What I’ve Learned Through 5 Years of Writing Blogs

My most popular posts are more vulnerable.
The more I post, the more views appear.
As for categories and tags, use them. I can’t explain it, but more people will find your blog.
WordPress Bloggers are the best! Thanks for taking time to read today!
The blue links below are clickable.

10. Butterfly, Butterfly (2020)

A love note from my second-grade self to my mother.

Blogging Categories: Alzheimer’s, Family, Love
Tags: None

9. My Beautiful Miracle Baby (2022)

Just one of the reasons I believe in miracles.

Categories: faith, family, miracles
Tags: None

8. Tale of the Unwanted Letter Jacket (2020)

The time my letter jacket met its demise.

Categories: introverts, writing
Tags: None

7. Rejection Is God’s Protection (2018)

The time I crashed and burned at an interview and didn’t get the job I thought I wanted.

Categories: Faith, God, gratitude, peace, hope, strength
Tags: #teaching, #learningneverstops, feeling good, Life Lessons, my grandmother’s pearls, Nina Simone, rejection

6. I Am Fearless and Therefore Powerful (2022)

A 2022 newcomer to the all-time top ten list and a little lesson from Anne of Green Gables.

Categories: Books, Gratitude, Inspiration, Literature
Tags: Anne of Green Gables, Anne with an “E,” coming of age

5. I’ll Be Okay (2022) and When God Speaks (2022)

Two 2022 posts took a flying leap into the top ten and tied for #5. “I’ll Be Okay” details my recent breast cancer diagnosis.

Categories: Faith, Gratitude, Health, Hope, Peace
Tags: Breast Cancer

“When God Speaks” contains a confession.

Categories: Believe, Breast Cancer, God, Peace, Prayer, Progress, Walking
Tags: Mom, Philippians 4:6-7

4. Five Years Before I Said, I Do (2017)

The prequel to my marriage.

Categories: Faith, God, Gratitude, Hope, Inspiration, Love, Peace
Tags: None

3. That Time When I Met Harvey (2017)

The time when a hurricane flooded our home and the piece that compelled me to start a blog.

Categories: Faith, Gratitude, Hope, Inspiration, Peace
Tags: None

2. Writing Better (2022)

The top post of last year was just 16 views short of usurping the all-time #1 spot, and I don’t know why. A short piece about the steps to writing better: reading, writing, and revising.

Categories: Blogging, memoir, writing
Tags: None

1. Making Macbeth Memorable (2019)

The first time I taught Macbeth I posted this on a Facebook English teacher page where it continues to bring viewers.

Categories: High School English, Learning, Life Lessons, school
Tags: Shakespeare

Happy Blogging in 2023 everybody!