6 days agoMember-onlyGreen Flags, for a ChangeI recently saw a meme that pointed out the red flags in a relationship, such as getting rid of friends and family; financial control; insisting on knowing whereabouts; gaslighting; intermittent reinforcement; and, of course, physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse. But the meme went on to say that, just as…Mental Illness3 min readMental Illness3 min read
6 days agoMember-onlyWinter: A RevelationI’ve never been that fond of winter. For one thing, it’s cold. For another, I once lived where it occasionally got down to -30. I lived through the winter storms of 1978. One winter there was so much snow that my car was in the shop for five extra days…Travel3 min readTravel3 min read
Jan 22Member-onlyWhat Should I Write Next?One of the writing groups I belong to just posted a question: Where do you want to be this time next year? Honestly, I had to answer that I wanted to be exactly where I am today. Then I started thinking. Does this mean I am complacent? Don’t I have…Bipolar4 min readBipolar4 min read
Jan 22Member-onlyDr. Demento and MeThere was a radio host back in the day (he now streams his program on the internet) who went by the name Dr. Demento (real name Barry Hansen). He played demented music — novelty songs and comedy riffs, the screwier the better. (The photo here references one of the most…Music3 min readMusic3 min read
Jan 15Member-onlyAm I Accountable for My Actions?I see a lot of comments on mental health sites that are filled with resentment and want accountability from those with serious mental illness (SMI). These come from, I assume, family members or loved ones of the afflicted person. (Maybe therapists, too.) The comments I’ve seen concerned issues from bipolar…Psychology4 min readPsychology4 min read
Jan 15Member-onlyHe? She? They?Of all the things that are controversial these days, pronouns seem like the least likely. But we’ll get back to that in a minute. What I want to talk about right now is the “singular they.” After a long time, I have finally given in to the singular they…Linguistics4 min readLinguistics4 min read
Jan 8Member-onlyChillin’ at the Waffle HoThe Waffle House restaurant chain doesn’t get a lot of love from many people, particularly foodies. I beg to differ. There are lots of reasons to like Waffle Ho. (We call it that because of a sign with three letters that weren’t illuminated. But I digress.) First is the so-called…Waffle House3 min readWaffle House3 min read
Jan 8Member-onlyComfort Is Where You Find ItWhen people talk about your comfort zone, mostly what they say is to break out of it. All things considered, I’d rather stay in mine. The reason that it’s called a comfort zone is that I’m comfortable there. And I like feeling comfortable. It’s comforting. …Comfort Zone3 min readComfort Zone3 min read
Jan 1Member-onlyThe Year Past, The Year to ComeThere are two things associated with the new year — looking backward and looking forward. Looking backward is easier for me, so I’ll start there. The year 2022 has presented both challenges and joys for me. There was our trip to Ireland, which was a joy but provoked overthinking and…New Year4 min readNew Year4 min read
Jan 1Member-onlyMonthly, ForeverIt’s not that I’m a stranger to subscriptions. I started getting magazine subscriptions when I was a teen and began receiving them for Christmas presents when our family finances were impacted by my father’s illness. I chose astronomy and science fiction magazines. …Subscription4 min readSubscription4 min read
