To Whine, or Not To Whine

My tree this year is an 18" decoration I picked up at Target close to 30 years ago. I couldn't be bothered setting up the big tree. So, is it time for my annual self-indulgent Christmas whine? You bet it is! This time of year always causes those feelings to resurface, and it's not as …

I’ve Lost That Christmas Spirit

Or maybe I found it. Most folks probably know I've been out of work for the majority of this year, and that hasn't changed. I had some promising interviews with Large Company that will not be named, but has so far come to nothing, so I'm still looking. Not sure if they're ghosting me, or …

Christmas Sweet and Bitter

One of my favorite memories is my whole family together on Christmas Eve, trimming the tree together. My mother was born in Norway, and the tradition (at least in those days) was to put the tree up on Christmas Eve, so somehow she convinced Dad to go along with it). To help set the mood, …

Welcoming the Doldrums

Now that the holidays are over, we coast into the doldrums of January, February, and March, that long stretch with no holidays or long weekends (well, some of you get Presidents Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) that feel like they go on for six months, rather than three. Spring break looms for those …

New Year, New Focus

So the new year is approaching and while I don’t make New Year’s resolutions anymore, the timing coincides with a resolve to stop wasting time and get more writing done and submissions sent out, as well as work on the sequel to Revenants Abroad, and finish the romance I started and have been posting at …

Revenants Abroad Free through December 31

I decided to make Revenants Abroad free through the end of the year on Smashwords. Amazon doesn't allow a price below .99 unless I put it into the KDP Select program, which I can't do right now. I'm still hoping the Multnomah County Library will pick it up, and it has to be available on …

2016, We’re Counting on You

I gave up making New Year's resolutions years ago. Generally, it seems a week into the new year most are already forgotten. It's not that I don't have goals, but sometimes the resolutions I've made were not all that intrinsic to my interests or that important in the long term. Lose weight? Sure. Exercise more? …

Survive the Holidays

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer on Christmas Eve when everyone just wants to party and have a good time, but I hope everyone can spare a thought for those who may be alone. I've spent more than one Christmas Eve alone (and other holidays, but we'll skip that for now) and let me tell …

Some Consolation

This is what I get for going to work when most people are on vacation/holiday. It's a driveway at one of the farms I pass, with their own streetlight, but we'll just pretend it's the moon, 'k? And these trees on the hill. I like silhouettes. I did not set the camera to black and …

Happy Halloween! Blessed Samhain!

Please click the card for a Halloween greeting! Thank you to everyone who reads my little blog.