Blog Posts

A week in which staying in the moment transformed each ordinary day into a peaceful, satisfying tile in the mosaic of a happy life. Finally, slowly, I’m truly absorbing the knowledge that I don’t have to be producing, or doing, to be worthy. Also, a week in which the temperatures dropped precipitously again, providing plenty of opportunity for fresh air and outdoor exercise (as well as gratitude that I no longer live in a blizzard zone).   Ways I Found Joy This Week Having a

A week in which I got intentional about metaphorically and literally shedding all that no longer serves me as the Year of the Snake drew to a close. Leaving me poised to gallop into the Year of the Fire Horse, which began Tuesday. It may just be the power of suggestion, but I’m feeling hopeful about leaving behind what felt like the suspended animation of the last few months and charging ahead into a juicier life. Stay tuned.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Stopping for lunch at

A week in which I once again became a veterinary technician. The promised update on last week’s vomiting extravaganza  is a good news/bad news one: my ten-pound titan has completely recovered from cholangitis (the nasty liver/gallbladder/bile duct infection that necessitated hospitalization and a temporary feeding tube) and now has pancreatitis. Which may or may not be (probably is) due to my exuberance, despite my inexperience, as a canine chef (a perfect example of the Dunn

A week in which I transformed into an iguana: paralyzed by the arctic blast. I’m the first to cheer when the temperatures drop into the sixties, and even the fifties (nothing like a vigorous walk without having to shower off again ), but wind chills in the twenties are a bit more than I bargained for. Especially now that, after eleven years, my blood has officially thinned. While I’m not falling out of trees or being rescued from the middle of the road, I am spending lots of

A week in which I hit a wall. I’ve been in or near tears daily, my privilege feels repellent, and it all seems so crushing. My anger is close to the surface and I’m beginning to fuel my refusal to give up with spite rather than optimism. And I’m doubling down on that refusal. Ways I Found Joy This Week Hosting a girls’ movie night Joining PEN America in the fight against book banning (you can, too: Don't Censor America - PEN America  ) Receiving a copy of the latest book by o

A week in which I doubled down on my resolve to resist by shining a light on joy. It is  always darkest before the dawn, and I am convinced dawn is around the corner. After which we’ll have lots of work to do, so let’s pace ourselves.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Making two more great library hauls Enjoying a fabulous deep tissue massage Laughing out loud at a comedy special Switching my BlueSky feed from “Following” to “Discover”, and counterbalancing the grim realities of o

It’s been a while since I wrote about books  that moved me or made me think (or both). Given my tendencies to read voraciously (sometimes to the detriment of getting other stuff done) and to immediately forget details, it takes a rare book to break through and leave its imprint on me. Here are the most recent ones to do so.   My Friends, by Frederik Backman. I love the author’s trademark quirky characters, and this book did not disappoint. A fun, poignant examination of the p

A while back, I discussed my desire to work toward change through understanding and education . As part of that effort, I decided that I...

The intentional part of the reboot was an incredible ten-day meander through Europe (three cities, three nights each). The trip not only...

I’m writing this on Monday, hunkering down at my desk, the cold wind and steady rain outside adding to my sense of sadness and...

It’s been five years since I shared a list of books that I found singular in their wisdom and their ability to stimulate thought on what...