Sep 30, 2019Firing a Client is the Best Part of FreelancingThe freedom to control one’s work is absolute gold. I’ve been a freelance writer for 13 years now. I’ve worked on a number of gig platforms and sold writing services directly through my own website. Occasionally, I need to part ways with a client. I’ve learned to recognize some warning…Freelancing6 min read
May 14, 2019How About a Positive Breastfeeding Story?Articles at Medium make women think it’ll be impossible. I successfully breastfed two children for approximately a year and half each. It was an empowering experience that saved the family a lot of money and made my life as a new mother easier. Except for a few bottles during the first weeks of life, my children were exclusively breastfed…Breastfeeding4 min read
Mar 25, 2019The Joys and Realities of Estate SalesBargains with glimpses into the lives of others The estate sale season is off to a strong start in my neighborhood. Spring is officially here, and the leftover personal property of the recently deceased is up for sale. I’ve shopped estate sales on and off for years. They can be…Frugal Shopping5 min read
Feb 9, 2019What Is an Empath?And how this identity motivates my writing Empathy is a state of perception that allows you to actually feel the emotions of others (people, animals, plants, the Earth). An empath describes an individual who has a natural ability to detect and absorb the emotional energies of others. Neurologists have identified mirror neurons within the brain that give…Empath5 min read
Jan 29, 2019What It’s Like to Drive an Old Truck in a Polar VortexOld Truck Chronicles Part 1 This is my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. It seats six, has four-wheel drive, and a 5.9-liter 8 cylinder hemi engine. Driving it around makes me feel personally responsible for global warming. But it’s what I have. And with a splendid polar vortex hitting the Midwest…Driving3 min read
Dec 24, 2018A Brief Rant About Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing ImpairedOr how you should think before slapping a label on something. I almost always use subtitles when I watch videos. Menus within DVDs and Blurays for turning on subtitles fall into two categories. They either say “Subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired” or simply “Subtitles.” Every time I see…Writing Tips3 min read
Dec 2, 201826 Days Without Heat in NovemberInsights about poverty and modern living while waiting for a new furnace. On November 3, my elderly furnace kicked the bucket. The repair man declared that the heat exchanger had cracked and the furnace was no longer safe to operate. …Heating4 min read
Sep 21, 2018I Was a Young Voter and You Can TooIt’s easy and your vote just might matter. Young people vote the least of any age demographic. Young people, however, will live the most years with the outcomes of political activities, which should motivate them to participate. When I was 18, I was eager and excited to vote after 18…Politics4 min read
Aug 21, 2018The Life and Death of a Writer’s CatRescued from kitty jail, he enjoyed 14 years of freedom and grudgingly shared his home with dogs. On August 23, 2017, Leto died of old age. I removed his stiffening body from behind the washing machine. That was one of his safe places in the house, and he had gone…Dogs5 min read
Jul 8, 2018What It Feels Like to Finish Writing a NovelEvery novelist or aspiring novelist longs for that moment when the last line of the story is written. Whether it takes weeks, months, or years to compose that final sentence, the achievement could startle the author. It startles me every time. On July 3rd, I finished composing my next novel…Writing3 min read
