Tag Archives: Family

Urge to Purge: Rightsizing

“I have a notion that if you are going to be spiritually curious, you better not get cluttered up with too many material things.” — Mary Oliver

“Having a simplified uncluttered, home is a form of self-care.” — Emma Scheib

First, I confess, as a 75-year-old person who lives alone, I’m a cliché. Like many others of my generation, I spent years accumulating material things along with lived experiences, yielding a collection of stuff and memories. Today, the latter has value, the former not so much. As I look ahead to my remaining years, I want to simplify, downsize, let go of things, and rightsize my life.

Current Status

For the past year I’ve been dreaming of the possibility of living in a tiny home or accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for the last chapter of my life. A year ago, our family childhood home was sold after the death of our father, our remaining parent, and the last keepsakes and ephemera I wanted to save made a home with me. Before I could begin to consider living in a tiny home, I had to address the elephant in the rooms, too much stuff! Continue reading

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Self-Care During Uncertain Times

“Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia

“When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives.” – Kristin Neff

First, before I write anything else, let me simply state, I’m grateful. I’m alive, I woke up in a safe and warm home, I’m 75-years-old, and I have a gift of this new day. I’ve learned not to take anything for granted and to acknowledge I’m loved and I have abundance in my life. Life is not always easy, yet it’s worth the commitment and work of self-care. I may not have everything I want; yet I have everything I need. I’m lucky. Continue reading

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Hannah, Abby, & Sam: Virtual BFFs

BFF definition: Informal. plural bffs, BFFs

  1. a person’s best friend, typically a girl’s (sometimes used facetiously)
  2. one’s close associate, ally, or supporter

“All the literati keep an imaginary friend.”  — W. H. Auden

“I still think most writers are just kids who refuse to grow up. We’re still playing imaginary games, with our imaginary friends.”  — Ian Rankin

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Things Change: Look Back at 2024 & Look Ahead to 2025

“What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it.” ― Gabriel García Márquez

On the Sunday before New Year’s Day, I relaxed in my recliner, watched CBS Sunday Morning — my weekly ritual — with the fireplace glowing, cozy, under my holiday gift of a soft throw. Definitely, a hygge moment. Hygee is defined as follows, “…a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).”

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On Writing & Storytelling

“Sometimes we become what we do. I became a writer by writing.”— From Celebrating a Decade of Mixed Metaphors, Oh My!

The past couple of weeks, I’ve been drafting content and designing a PowerPoint presentation, a Community of Practice Webinar for Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialists (WICPS).  I’m a WICPS in the work I do as an LGBTQ+ AODA Advocate for the OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center. The subject of my webinar, which I’ll present later this week is, Building Peer Trust by Sharing Lived Experience.  Continue reading

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The Last Closet Door: Act II

Private Life: Look Inside

“All human beings have three lives, a public life, a private life, and a secret life.”  Hamill added, “A private life is by invitation only. A secret life is nobody’s business.”  — Pete Hamill

“You can’t be what you can’t see.” — Martha Popp

Background on the Series

For readers who missed the first installment of this series I opened the last closet door to the public on October 26, 2023, Intersex Awareness Day, when I revealed — I’m intersex. I was born with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS). Today, I invite you to learn about my private life. Continue reading

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Things Change

“There is nothing permanent except change.” — Heraclitus

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” —Alan Watts 

As a person of a certain age — my favorite euphemism for old —change is an undeniable truth of life. As I write, it’s the eve of autumn, the changing of the seasons, and the day before a memorial service for a coworker, confidant, and friend. Things Change has also been the theme of this year, and the title of my 17th annual journal, which begin in September. It’s also the final chapter of my life — no longer a dress rehearsal — yet an opportunity “To change the things I can” and leave a legacy behind, the measure of my life. Continue reading

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Goodbye to Our Childhood Home

You Can’t Go Home Again Title of the novel by Thomas Wolfe

“In life, a person will come and go from many homes. We may leave a house, a town, a room, but that does not mean those places leave us. Once entered, we never entirely depart the homes we make for ourselves in the world.” Ari Berk

“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” Maya Angelou

Grief and gratitude, letting go and holding on, and things change have been themes for me this past year (and longer).

Note: This reminiscence was written in response to the prompt, Home, for my Door County Write On LGBTQ+ Writers’ Group.

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The First Goodbye: Remembering Uncle Willy

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” ― Shannon Alder

Some people, sweet and attractive, and strong and healthy, happen to die young. They are masters in disguise teaching us about impermanence. ― Dalai Lama

Today is St. Patrick’s Day as I begin drafting this reminiscence and tribute to my Uncle Willy. He was born William Roger Mason ― my mother’s favorite ―and beloved ― younger brother. Since I was child when I knew him, he will forever be remembered by his endearment, Uncle Willy. Continue reading

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The Last Goodbye

We bid farewell to our father, grandfather, and great grandfather.

“Someday I’m going to write a book about our family!” — This writer as a defiant 16-year-old.

“I look forward to reading it!” — Our beloved mother

First, I haven’t drafted and posted new content for this blog since the end of October. The past three months have been a challenge and an unexpected journey. Though I’ve not written for my blog, I’ve done more writing during this period compared to what is typical. Most of it communication with bio and chosen family, journal entries, and social media posts. Continue reading

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