I’m thinking about getting a bowling night started with my co-workers. I’d love to start a league, because I’ve never played group sports and in my head I imagine it would be a good way to socialize. I don’t have a ton of what I would call good friends. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no…

Happy Sunday to All! Two things are on my mind today. Both are connected in their ability to help one survive: back-to-school supplies and the fascinating tools contestants use on The History Channel’s show Alone. I’ll explain. Today, I went to two retailers to find a few missing school supplies for my lady’s first grade…

As a little girl, one of the coolest rites of passage is participating in the age-old tradition of the sleepover. In the 1980s version (probably not too far off base from today’s version), they involved sleeping bags on living room or bedroom floors, an introduction to the scary slasher movies, the occasional seance, junk food,…

Just like everyone else — or mostly everyone else — I haven’t traveled in a long time. I’m too scared to air travel, but I am debating about a road trip somewhere. When I was growing up in Pasadena (Maryland, not California) summer road trips were my family’s jam. We’d drive in our van (with…

No, I’m not going to review the 2000 blockbuster featuring Nic Cage and Angelina Jolie, although I would have given it a thumbs up for sure. I wanted to slow rant about an encounter I experienced. Basically, I’m wondering if I’m petty or not petty. You, dear reader, be the judge. It was 7:59 at…

In the spirit of the holiday weekend (and in many ways not connected to the holiday at all), I wanted to hash out three things from this past week: my work bestie’s retirement, Bill Cosby’s release, and Britney Spears’ on-going conservatorship. Here goes… Work is so much more fun when you have one (and in…

So, today is my niece’s 9th birthday. The years have passed like a giver of memories and stealer of time in the best way I can describe. She’s celebrating today at one of those germ-infested and extremely enjoyable jump places that tend to be employed by all teenagers. Days before the event, my sister and…

You would think that a dog named Pickles would be full of just humor and whimsy. And you would be wrong about my pug, Pickles, named after my daughter’s favorite food. He’s a menace and a destroyer of dreams, too. Pickles joined our family back in October. He’s less of a quarantine puppy and more…

Father’s Day is always bitter sweet in my household. My father, Marcelino, died far too soon at age 60, and when I was just 12 years old. I often wonder what would have become of our relationship had he lived to see his six children grow up and become self-sufficient human beings. He would have…

Today marks the first official summer day after a school year like no other. Yours truly served as official time keeper, homework poster, and tech troubleshooter for the year. Here are my main takeaways from conducting a mostly virtual kindergarten school year. Kindergarten has changed so much from the kindergartens of yesteryear. I remember finger…