I asked ChatGPT to write a 350 word story about tripping up the stairs. It’s actually pretty impressive, even if there is a lot of filler. I also asked AI to generate the image used in this post. Amusing. One dreary evening, as the rain tapped on the windowpane like a rhythmic lullaby, Sarah found herself hurrying up the staircase of her old Victorian home. She was eagerly trying to get to her bedroom, seeking warmth and comfort after a long day at work. But as fate would have it, this ordinary ascent turned into a memorable misstep. Her haste to reach her cozy sanctuary made her lose focus mo ..read more

Every time I have to interact with technology I feel my age. I’m 57 and I grew up with technology. I was the one who could set the clock on the VCR and the microwave. I was the first of any of my peers to get online and learn HTML. I love the newest technology and I’m not afraid to learn it, but I hate with a white hot passion when I have to talk to an automated system. I just spent 45 minutes trying to talk to a human at Comcast. I tried to do what I wanted to do online, as it suggested it I do, but apparently they only let you upgrade online, not downgrade – I wonder why that might be? So, I ..read more

My mom was fond of saying “life isn’t fair” every time I bitched about doing something for her that she should have been doing herself. I’d grumble because I felt sorry for myself because I had to do things like help my mom get dressed each morning, or bathe her before school three times a week, or make her Manhattans each evening if my dad hadn’t returned from the bar before she got up from her afternoon nap. “Life isn’t fair, Jenny” My mom knew all about life being unfair. When she was 29 she had the flu, a pretty nasty one, they think it was Legionnaires’ disease. Regardless, we’d just move ..read more

First off – THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS BARBIE MOVIE REVIEW!!! If you haven’t see the Barbie movie yet, please stop reading my Barbie movie review and find something else to do. You will enjoy Barbie so much more if you go in to the movie cold, or at least as cold can be. Don’t read reviews, don’t watch stupid TikTok rants about it. Just grab your bestie and enjoy this delightful movie. Secondly, I played with Barbies as a young girl. I had the camper, the pool party and the Barbie Townhouse (with elevator). I had Malibu Barbie, Malibu Ken, Mod Hair Ken, Skipper, I had the big Barbie head ..read more

The snow has been gone for a few weeks. Okay, it’s been gone for a few weeks if you don’t count the few inches we got last weekend after we had three days of near 90°F weather. Typical Minnesota spring, the sky is not falling, don’t panic. I’ve seen it snow here in May. The weather is weird here, which is why we have such a pothole problem. It’s not the only reason. Sure, Mother Nature – and the poor choice of using asphalt for our roads – created these potholes, but our esteemed leaders are why they remain unfilled each year. Minnesota had a $17 billion surplus from taxing its citizens too mu ..read more

Last time I wrote I was complaining because I couldn’t write 1700 words a day. I’d decided to participate in the NaBloPoMo that takes place in November, but found it a challenge to write 1700 words per day. It was my intention to write everyday, even if I didn’t hit the 1700 word mark. I made it a whole 4 days. I love blogging, I love writing. I miss the days when I just wrote and wasn’t concerned with who was reading what I wrote. I did it for the enjoyment, but then I got a comment or two (after like 9 months of writing) and that changed everything. Comments are like crack, better than ..read more

I don’t know what I was thinking when I pledged to write 1700 words every day during November. I was coming off my Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop and really thought I could do it. I can’t. I can’t write 1700 words a day. I’ve got too many other things going on that need to be addressed NOW, that by the time I get to writing for myself I’m pooped. I know, I need to make it a priority. It’s funny because both kids are out of the house, I don’t have the ex husband to deal with anymore, both of my parents have passed away and no one needs me to take care of them – except the dogs and cats – and st ..read more

There was no Red Wave, let alone a Red Tsunami. Maybe a red trickle, but it’s still too early to count. Looks like the Republicans will have a slight majority in the house, the senate is still up for grabs. I was expecting a Red Wave. Mostly because everyone I know is so sick and tired of the crime that is everywhere these days. I have a friend who lives in one of the nicest neighborhoods in St Paul who got up for a glass of milk in the middle of the night and was missed my a stray bullet shot through the window and lodged in his cupboard. The homelessness is out of control here I watched a gu ..read more

This last week I killed not one, but two birds with my brand new Rav4. Ok, it’s not actually brand new, I bought it last year, but it didn’t have any dings in it yet so I still considered it brand new. Not even a shopping cart (trolley for you Brits) ding! That all changed when I was driving south on highway 61 leaving Grand Marais in northern Minnesota. A dear friend from San Francisco made the trek to Minnesota because she wanted to do some writing. We’re both working on some book ideas and thought it would be a great opportunity to meet in person and get some real writing done. I am all in ..read more

I’ve tried this before, and I’m pretty sure I petered out after a week or less, but I’m going to try again to write every day for the month of November. It is of course, Nanowrimo or National Novel Writing Month. I’m not trying to write a novel, I just want to get back into the habit of writing regularly. It’s been months since I last wrote anything, I miss it. Still, I don’t make the time to write so this is me putting it out to the universe or the blogosphere that I intend to write again. A couple of weeks ago I attended the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, something I’ve wanted to do since it ..read more