Category Archives: 2019 A to Z Challenge

Looking into the future is extremely difficult for me—almost impossible, in fact. How do I do that when my husband has a terminal illness? Do I imagine a life without him and plan accordingly? Do I dream the dreams we’ve had for our lives, the ones that cancer threatens to steal? Although they are unlikely, they are preferable. It might seem obvious that someone whose spouse has cancer, would have trouble looking into the future. But it can be hard to imagine for people who haven’t experienced it firsthand. To have and to hold… Our lives are so intricately connected. Read more…

I’m still stuck on the last post about disrupting the rules. These prompts are really hard for someone who doesn’t like to rock the boat and has no desire to invent anything. But, I recently was able to witness something awesome: 2 young people learning the joy of knitting.00 This past December My daughter’s boyfriend, Ray came to visit for a couple of weeks. After seeing some YouTubers learn how to knit over a weekend, they decided that they would take up knitting. Ray used chopsticks and Summer used bamboo skewers. Summer warns that this is a bad way to Read more…

This is definitely the toughest A to Z post I’ve written this year. I’ve written several different drafts, only to have my kids scoff at me because they didn’t disrupt the rules enough. I guess I haven’t hit my rebellious stage yet. But, I think I finally landed on an idea that works. It has to do with a group that I facilitate called the “Caregiver Klatch.” Men are Caregivers, Too. In the past 15 years, nearly twice as many men are assuming a caregiver role. While they face the same emotional and physical challenges as women caregivers, they are Read more…

Today’s prompt encourages us to discover new connections in order to increase creativity. By looking at things outside of your field, you can be inspired to think in a new way. This is why TED Talks are so inspiring to so many people. In fact, if you go to the TED Talks website, you will see the slogan, “2900+ talks to stir your curiosity.” Cloudy with a Chance of Bias Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd is a meteorologist. His field is the science of weather. His TED talk was born out of the question, “Dr. Shepherd, do you believe in climate Read more…

A child’s favorite question is invariably, “why?” They will also throw in a “who, what, when, where, and how”, as well. They want to know more. Having a beginner’s mindset allows them to see the world with new eyes. You can use that same beginner’s mindset to take a fresh look at any hurdles that are in your way. Children are learning machines. They are born with the innate desire to create and to experience the cause and effect of the world around them. I remember when my first child was about two years old. She discovered the stereo and Read more…

I remember the week before I started art school. At age 16, I had just moved into the dormitory where I would live Monday through Friday, and then go home for the weekends. I soon made a few friends. The art school was no different than other schools in the way that students quickly clustered into cliques. There were also some outcasts, about whom, assumptions were made. One of them was a guy named Rikk. Alright, that was the first problem. He spelled his name with 2 Ks which came off as trying too hard to be cool or unique. Read more…