I grew up with a cat. Well, a few cats. There was Jingle, the Siamese, Tiger, a scrappy gray tabby, Dusty, a sweetheart of an orange tabby, and Salem, a never-quite-tame but never-bad-luck midnight black wild thing. I also had a bird named Bluebird (yes, I came up with that), a hamster named Rosie, and a goldfish named Lucy.
My point is this: I’m a pet person.
I’ve always had a pet. I don’t know what a house without its resident animal sidekick would be like. Quieter, probably. Less prone to furry tumbleweeds. But also, a little more lonely. A little less lively. At least, that’s how I’d feel about it. I’ve loved all my pets, and I’m lucky now to have Annie, our crazy perpetual puppy…
…and Gatsby, our sweet old gentleman.
Gatsby’s a Maine Coon, and he’s been with me since college. He’s a big cuddly lump who purrs loud, adores sleeping in the laundry baskets, and loves to watch the birds. You know, from his comfy perch inside of the house. Or on TV.
Annie’s an Australian Shepherd with a quick mind, boundless energy, and a deep and abiding love for her human. Yes, just the one. And it’s Graham, not me. But we should all find someone who loves us as much as she loves him.
They both get plenty of snuggles, but I’ll give them a little extra today. They’re animals, so they’ll have no idea why. But they’ll love it nonetheless. And they absolutely deserve it. 😊
Poorwa nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. I’ve been nominated once before, and it put such a smile on my face, and now, here we are again. 😊
The Sunshine Blogger Award “is a peer recognition of the inspiring, creative and motivational work done by bloggers. It is given by bloggers to bloggers who inspire positivity and creativity in the blogging community.”
If you have been nominated:
Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
Nominate 11 bloggers to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or your blog.
Here are Poorwa’s questions for me:
What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?
Maybe shad roe? Or escargot? I have a pretty adventurous palate, and I don’t really get weirded out by food. That being said, the one thing I refused to try when we were in Iceland was hákarl, the famous fermented shark. I’ve seen how people react when it hits their tongues. No thank you.
What is something true to you that nobody agrees with you on?
Mayonnaise is imminently superior to ketchup.
Do you care about what other people tell you?
I care very deeply about my friends and family, and if they come to me with a problem, or they need advice, or they just need to vent, I’m here, always. I don’t really care so much what people say about me. I hope people like me and respect me, but what other people think of me is ultimately none of my business.
If you could meet anyone in this world today, who would you meet?
Dolly Parton. She is life goals.
What is the greatest risk you have ever taken?
I left a secure career in Human Resources to focus on my writing and other creative work. It hasn’t worked out exactly how I thought it would, but it has certainly worked out, and it is among the best decisions I’ve ever made.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
I can’t stand it when people are rude to servers in restaurants. Be nice or don’t dine out.
Who’s your all-time favorite Disney character?
Oh, this one’s tough! I really like Belle, Mulan, and Tiana. Strong, smart women for the win!
Are you afraid of ghosts?
Nope! I find ghosts and haunted places fascinating. Disconcerted, maybe? But not scared.
If you were given the chance to steal something, what would it be?
The Book of Kells. I love illuminated manuscripts! But I couldn’t store it and maintain it safely, and it would deteriorate, so I probably couldn’t bring myself to do it, even if I had the chance.
If you could use only one social media platform for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Probably either Facebook, since that’s how I keep up with a lot of people in this very busy world, or Instagram, since I really love photography and man, there are some great photographers on Instagram.
What do you usually do during weekends?
It depends. If we decide to stay in, I like to read, maybe watch a movie, cook something tasty and just hang out with Graham. If we go out, I like to explore the countryside and find neat antique shops and good craft beer and cider.
Super fun! I nominate:
Anyone who wants to participate!
I am so inspired by this amazing community of creators, so if you find yourself intrigued by my questions, feel free to answer them!
And my questions for you:
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
Cheeseburgers or hot dogs? (And why?)
The beach or the mountains? (And why?)
Do you collect anything? If so, what?
What’s your favorite family tradition?
What do you look for in a friend?
What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
Who inspires you?
What’s your favorite song? (And why?)
How do you wind down at the end of the day?
Why do you write (or paint, take photos, etc. Just generally, if you create, why do you do it)?
Or maybe fourth? Frankly, I’ve lost count. But it’s cold and flurrying in Virginia today. It was cold and flurrying yesterday, too.
And it’s sunny, and flurrying at the same time, which is very strange. It’s actually sort of beautiful, in a disconcerting way, seeing snow fall against the bright green buds on the willow in our back field. I’d take a picture, but I don’t think I can really capture it.
Suffice it to say: Spring in Virginia is weird, y’all.
*Also, this is a short post, because I’m focusing today on March’s short story, which will be posted on Wednesday. It’s a good one!*
It’s so hard, when it starts to get warm again, to focus on work, and it’s been a busy week. But I’ve managed to stay on top of everything, and I’m spending today just writing. And drinking coffee. Which definitely helps with the writing.
And you know, I think this is honestly my favorite way to spend a Friday.
For one thing, I don’t really do those, and for another, I haven’t finished the book yet. But I started reading Imaginable by Jane McGonigal yesterday, and I’m finding it really interesting so far.
I have anxiety. I don’t talk about it a lot, but it is something I’m dealing with. I tend to catastrophize when I’m stressed, and I fight off invasive thoughts – especially about the future and what I can and can’t do about it – all the time. Not as often as I used to, but still pretty often.
Like many people, these last couple of years have been a challenge for me. And with the news coming out of Ukraine, the state of American politics, the very real threat of climate change, and just the general list of “unknowns” that we as humans have to accept every second of every day, it’s easy for me to get bogged down in desperation and hopelessness. I’m a positive person, and I look for and work for good things, but man, it’s hard sometimes.
So when I came across Imaginable, I was immediately intrigued. McGonigal is a professional futurist (what a cool job!) and a game designer (also a cool job!), and the combination of those two fields makes for a really compelling exploration of how to imagine possible futures, how to think about the unthinkable, and how to then cope with it and get our minds around it.
I have a big imagination. It works for me creatively, but can definitely lead me down some dark alleys and scary paths when my anxiety decides to join the party. I’m really looking forward to diving into this book more deeply. I’m about three chapters in, and I’m hooked. I expect to finish it today.
And if you read it, too, let me know your thoughts!
Around this time, back in 2019, we were enjoying a cool, rainy day in downtown Reykjavík.
As it turned out, Iceland was our last major trip before COVID. Had we known what would happen, we probably would have tried to squeeze a lot more travel into that year. But, hindsight and all that.
Today in Virginia it’s (once again) beautiful, warm, and mostly sunny. I hear birdsong. I see little blooms and buds. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But it will be nice to travel again, one of these days.
Here in Virginia, March always gives us one last snow day. It’s not a hard and fast rule, sure, but it’s true enough, and this year was no exception.
It snowed about five inches on Saturday, and we enjoyed it for as long as we could.
(I know…she doesn’t look like she likes it, but trust me, Annie is a Snow Dog.)
It’s all melted now, and this week is supposed to be pretty warm. I’m ready for spring, but I’m always a little melancholy when winter comes to an end. So, until next year. And for now, bring on the daffodils!
Graham and I are heading to the coast later this week, so I’ll be taking a bit of a writing break. But I’ll be back next week – I’m sure with lots of stories and pictures – and February’s short story will be posted on Monday, February 28th. It’s a good one, if I do say so myself. So, check back next week, and in the meantime, happy creating, y’all!
Everywhere. All around. In the brightest and the darkest places. Written on the faces of fathers and mothers, siblings, partners, and friends that become family. On every road, down every path, no matter the wrong turns and false starts, it’s still out there.
And you’re worthy of it.
You deserve it.
So, here’s your reminder, if you need it:
In this world, there is love. Yes, there’s hate, and fear, and anger, and sadness, but also, there is love.
I don’t know if this is a thing that happens in other places, but here in Virginia, before we get on with actual spring, we usually have a first spring, or what some people call a “fool’s spring.” And, well, I think we’re there.
It’s beautiful and sunny and in the 60s (Fahrenheit) today, and will be tomorrow as well. But I don’t think winter’s quite ready to let us go, and it’s supposed to be cold and possible snowy on Sunday before warming up again next week. So, I guess we’ll see.
Virginia, y’all. She always keeps her people guessing.
Anyway, I wrote a poem about it, because it just felt like the right thing to do.
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Winter’s chill softens. The sun and air and wind turn gentle and warm and the ground begins to thaw. All around the sounds of new life – a world rife with breeze and birdsong – but first impressions can be wrong and beauty’s a fickle thing. Here in Virginia, it remains to be seen whether this is truly spring.
A Virginia Writer's Diary 