Be Thankful for the Scary Stuff

I read many blogs and heartfelt sentiments right before Thanksgiving noting all the things people were thankful for. I didn’t write about mine because I figured they were much the same. I was wrong. When I look back over the past year—the past three years to be exact—I am thankful for a whole set of … Read more

Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful…

I get reminders from friends on Facebook that there are only five Fridays until Christmas. Gulp. I haven’t started my shopping yet, even though I am usually super organized, my list made, and catalogue pages earmarked long before December. By now I have my wrapping paper sorted, my decorations cleaned and ready to put up, … Read more

Ready, Set, Ka-ching!

Ringing bells, shouts, clinking glasses—all these provided a backdrop to my latest writing effort. Was I in a church, a sporting event, a bar? Maybe all of the above, depending on who’s being asked. I was in a Casino. It’s Nanowrimo time…that’s National Novel Writing Month. The yearly event, which engages thousands, is a huge … Read more

Living Quietly in Sin City

Despite the provocative slogans and the recent tragedy, it is possible to live quietly in a place where you can gamble in a grocery store. Oddly, I’ve never seen anyone in that little room full of slot machines tucked next to the produce except for a security guard who probably checks IDs. Las Vegas has … Read more