I (almost) spent the whole weekend with no screens. My cats had more of a problem with it than I did.
My Screen-free Weekend (#NotQuite)
Author: Karen
Big Thoughts and Belly Laughs
In a recent text exchange about my potato of a cat, I told a friend “I am a (sometimes) very happy large potato of a person and have never felt more myself than in this big body.” I’ve been small and large to extremes, on and off throughout my life. My weight sometimes changed dramatically…
Ritual of Reflection
My mind can be so easily fooled, I rely on its gullibility. My brain shifted from stress to comfort with the change of a single word. My old list of monthly tasks = chores. Weight on my shoulders. Adulting. Responsibility. Burdens. My monthly ritual = soothing. Calm, comforting self-care. Aaaaaaah. I look forward to the…
Chapter 1
Being accused of murder sure makes it hard to enjoy new-found freedom from an abusive ex.Escape Artist I'm writing a book! Wanna teaser? It's a mystery so you might have to sit in suspense for awhile ... while I write the rest of it, lol. The link to Chapter 1 of Escape Artist, set in…
Let’s circle back to buzzwords because they’re holding you back
A dictionary of ways to avoid annoying readers Early in the pandemic, many of my friends laughed when they heard their partners talk in zoom meetings for work. One friend said, “I didn’t know they were bilingual.” It turned out my friend’s partner was fluent in Management Speak. On zoom, they engaged stakeholders in paradigm-shifting…
Spelling rules only a Canadian can love
Frustrated by your spell-checker? Learn to laugh at those squiggly red lines under our Canadianisms. Whether you’re a Canadian writer or someone who comes-from-away writing about us, you need to know these spellings and vocabulary unique to canucks (the people, not the hockey team). We start with a combination of British and American spellings. Then we mix…
Focus
I’ve spent years advising people to declutter their life because it will enhance their ability to focus. Clear away the nonsense and you’re left with what really matters, right? I started out this pandemic with heartbreak about a writing and yoga retreat I’d looked forward to for months. As I realized it would need to…
I Need to Explain My Search History
This story has nothing to do with anything, just a twitter thread reminded me of this hilarious saga so I thought I'd share. There's no lesson or point other than it still makes me laugh years later 😊 My daughter Julia loves animals and always says she can’t live in a house without them. I’m…
Dear New York City
My passion for the outdoors, for the truth of nature, is matched by my love for a city where the truth of people is on full display, vivid and syncopated. I was disappointed to cancel my upcoming trip there, but it was a small sadness, an excuse to rebook for a longer visit another time.…
Social Distancing, Yurt Edition
Like many, I was heartbroken to cancel upcoming trips, while also grateful that we got the lead time here in Canada to cancel things before it was too late (hopefully). Because it seemed ideal for the times, we did go on our planned March Break adventure: We stayed in the middle of the forest, in…