Why Am I Here?
Sometimes “Why am I here?” isn’t an existential crisis. Sometimes it’s just the question that interrupts an automatic reach for the phone—and gives us a chance to choose what happens next.
The Story of Keys: What Opens, What Doesn’t, and What We Carry
A desk, a single skeleton key, and a collection gathered over a lifetime. A story about what opens, what doesn’t—and what we carry with us along the way.
Wiggling Sticks
My son flies Blackhawks for the Hawaii Army National Guard. He once told me flying a helicopter is basically just “wiggling sticks” — tiny constant adjustments that keep the aircraft moving smoothly. The more I thought about it (with LMFAO’s “wiggle wiggle wiggle…” looping in my head), the more I realized the same principle applies to midlife health.
Honestly, I did not cheat.
In middle school I created an entire imaginary world for a writing assignment. Maps, languages, governments, and—of course—horses. My teacher thought I cheated. Years later, I realized I was simply doing something I still love: building worlds.
That Time I Dated Alaska
A story of saying yes in Fairbanks, Alaska — and the rhythms of light, tundra, and belonging.
HRV, Cortisol & Belly Fat — A Midlife Stress Spiral (and the Way Out)
Three urgent ads about HRV, cortisol, and belly fat spiked my nervous system — which felt ironic. Here’s the real connection between stress hormones, heart rate variability, and visceral fat in midlife — and how to reverse the spiral.
The Lemon Tree: Limoncello, Lemon Blossoms & Everyday Magic
A Meyer lemon tree. A half wine barrel. Limoncello in Christmas stockings. Lemon bars, neighborhood magic, and the scent of blossoms drifting through open windows on warm evenings. A story about love, memory, and the everyday kind of joy that grows right outside the front door.
