RIF Books, Dear Mr. Henshaw, and Writing Realistic Middle Grade Novels
RIF book day in school Do you remember the RIF Program? Each year in elementary school, our class would go to the school library where dozens of books would be
Category: Essays
Essays on a variety of topics. Included are favorites lists, health, product reviews, personal essays, nostalgia, and more.
What Makes Us Smile?
I’m waiting for my six-week-old nephew to smile. Not a reflex smile. I want to see a genuine, gum-baring “I’m happy,” smile. Most of us come into this world crying,
What It Was Like to be a Teenager in the 2000’s Part 2
This post is continued from Part 1. Learn more or reminisce about what it was like to be a teenager in the early 2000’s. Listening to the radio As a
What It was Like to Be a Teen in the 2000’s Part 1
It’s been 20 years since the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2000. I was 13 years old. Suddenly, I was living in the decade that science fiction movies had
5 Things I’ve Learned After One Month of Being a First Time Mom by Jessica Petrilli
By: Jessica Petrilli Today’s post is was written by Jessica Petrilli, a new mom who has learned a lot in her son’s first month. Below she shares five of the
9 Thoughts on Dieting
Dieting. It’s what happens when there are too many good things to eat and not enough physical activity to burn it off. Food is a drug that we have to
Taking a Food Sensitivity Test
I’ve never been diagnosed with a food allergy. However, I do know that I get a lot of upset stomachs. This causes me to eat very bland foods, but even
What Feisty Little Girls Teach Us in Children’s Literature
There’s this girl. Her name is Molly Bright. She’s 10 years old, and she wants to be a comic book artist when she grows up. But after a freak accident,
Anticipating vs. Reminiscing Through Life
Living in the moment I recently took a poll on Twitter to find out if my followers tend to live in the past, anticipate the future, or live in the
10 Ways We Celebrated Halloween in the 90’s
The decade in which you grew up tends to be the most personally nostalgic. For me, I’m nostalgic for the 90’s. Throughout the month of October, I can’t help but
Language, Memory, and the Mandela Effect
A brief overview of the Mandela Effect As the world gets weirder, humanity continues to search for ways to explain its weirdness. Once we understand that weirdness, then maybe we
Trying Hunger Blocking Pills to Lose Weight
***Please note, this is not a sponsored blog post and contains no affiliate links. This is just something I decided to try on my own.*** A “magic pill” to lose
How We Name Babies
What is it about choosing a baby name that is so personal? How many people like the name that they’re given? Do they grow to like or hate their name
Does My Handwriting Make Me A Bad Person?
The one time I had my handwriting analyzed was an experience that has haunted me for years. What started as a fun activity to pass the time during a long
Kermit’s Adventures in New York City
My sister and I booked a Greyhound bus and a hotel, and we set off on our week-long trip to The Big Apple.