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Not One But Two
Ah, the quest for positive male influences! I grappled with finding one noteworthy man who’s not also a disappointment. Eventually, I settled on two: Dad, the calming, laughter-loving anchor, and my child’s father, who, despite being a mystery, gifted me an extraordinary daughter. Talk about mixed reviews!
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Picture That!
Well, I’m older-that’s for sure. Did I picture this? Honestly, I don’t remember what I thought life would look like back then. I was just cruising, grateful to be alive and doing my best in keeping my daughter alive. I thought I’d be in a healthier relationship, maybe even with the same person. Instead, I…
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Seven Laws, One Reader, Many Lessons
My Honest Reflections on The Seven Spiritual Laws–Deepak Chopra I just finished reading The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success — a book almost as old as I am, yet somehow one I only stumbled upon recently. And while not everything in it was new (thank you to the many self‑help books that came before), Deepak…
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Three Cities, Three Selves
Every other year, “travel more” somehow sneaks its way onto my resolutions list. You’d think by now I’d have a ready-made list of cities I dream about. But I don’t. Maybe I don’t actually want to travel; maybe I just want to want to travel. There’s a difference. Part of the problem is that I’ve…
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Firsts Unlocked
As an adult‑ish human, I’ve had my fair share of “firsts”—school, work, friendships, heartbreaks, and more. Most of them were exciting, some terrifying, and all eventually faded into memory. But there’s one first that has never lost its shine: becoming a mom. It wasn’t the best first in the traditional sense—it hurt like hell. But…
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Doing It Afraid: My First Speech Experience
Oh, this takes me back. I can’t help but smile. I never quite made it to the stage level, but I did give a speech once-at a public speaking competition-and I won. I even got a certificate for it. The funny part? I hadn’t signed up myself. My former English teacher believed I could do…
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Admire….Unfollow.
Whatever they want. You would think that with all the advancements we have made-technology, education, progress- that being ourselves and doing what we want would be the least of our problems. That we’d have conquered that already. But we have not. Too many of us have been so institutionalized that we lost the will and…
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Not Our Holidays, Not Our Menu
Growing up in the city, you learn quickly that some things slip quietly out of reach. Urban life gives you convenience, sure, but it takes away the kind of holidays that feel like ours. The ones tied to ancestral land, to families who’ve known each other since before memory began. The ones where kinship isn’t…
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No Guts!
Yeah- but only when it comes to salt. And spices. That’s really the only time I feel confident about how much is enough. No measuring spoons. No counting pinches. Just gut. And it works. Mostly. Outside the kitchen, though? That instinct muscle feels weak. Like I never really used it, so it just… atrophied. Maybe…
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Face Off?
When First Impressions Don’t match Reality. I’ll admit it- I’m one of those people who wants to be liked. I want to make a lasting, good first impression. Not a pretentious one, but the kind that says: I’m a decent human being. Fun to be around ( most times). Easy going (more often than not.…