About My Blog

I’ve been blogging since 2004. Over the years, I’ve had blogs on most of the bigger platforms. Some posts could have started with “Dear Diary.” Others were political commentaries, funny observations, not-so-funny ones, even the occasional recipe.

Mostly, though, my blogs have been about my life: mental illness, caregiving for an elderly parent, and everything in between. A few short stories, a few essays, some cartoons, and some music videos have made appearances along the way.

From 2008 on, my job was caregiving. My mom needed me more than my job did. Since her death in 2017, I’ve been figuring out who I am without that role at the center of my life. Part of that has been realizing that “going back to the office” may not be for me anymore—and that’s okay. Writing, reflection, and creative work are where I feel most like myself.

The truth is, I’m happy when I’m alone. (I’m also happy when I’m with Julian, my husband of 25+ years.) I’m good at working on my own. I don’t mind social interaction now and then, but after years of near-solitude, the thought of mandatory daily interaction feels daunting.

So where does that leave me?

And what does this have to do with blogging?

Creating a blog under my real name is my way of pulling all the pieces of myself together.

Don’t worry—I’m not aiming to be a brand like “Kardashian.” (I’d like to think I have more substance. Certainly less money.) What I’m going for is a reflection of me: strengths and flaws, side by side.

Life has taught me I’m good at a few things: writing (though this page may not be the shining example), photography, explaining things, and—yes—talking about myself.

This blog is meant to be a collection of all of that. I’m not a niche blogger. Cooking nonstop would bore me. Book reviews would be dull, even though I love reading. Writing upbeat motivational tips would probably drive me insane.

Instead, this blog will be about whatever I’m interested in at the moment. The past. The present. Maybe even the future.

It will include mental health: how those issues began, how they shaped me, and how I’m learning to live with them now. I hope readers see they aren’t alone, and maybe pick up something useful along the way. Weekly psychiatry since 2014 (and plenty before that) finally brought some clarity: diagnoses of Bipolar II Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, Chronic Depression, and PTSD. Sharing how I got here, and how I’m moving forward, might help one or two people feel less alone.

This blog is also about living with HIV.

It’s about poetry—both reading and writing.

It’s about caregiving, and what it was like to care for an elderly parent.

It’s about music.

It’s about collecting the best posts from past blogs, so they all live in one place. If you’ve followed me across platforms, you’ll probably recognize a few stories—especially the ones about my mom, with her funny (and sometimes wildly inappropriate) comments.

This blog is also a gateway to my photography portfolio and store. (Link’s in the menu.)

What this blog is not is a daily posting grind. I’m not here for thousands of clicks a day. I’m not here to “influence.” I just want to be interesting enough that you’ll stop by again sometime. I’ve also got other writing projects that won’t appear here—stories I’m aiming to publish elsewhere, where blogs still count as “previously published.”

One quick note: the writing here is mine. Sometimes I run drafts through editing tools to catch grammar slips or rein in my commas, but the voice and the stories are all me.

So, this blog is about everything and nothing in particular.

This blog is about my world.

Welcome to it.