Sometimes ghosting is the best path — I started watching the Netflix show “Uncoupled” a few weeks back. The plot centers around how Michael (Neil Patrick Harris) reacts when Colin, his partner of 17 years, leaves him with no discussion or explanation. As you might expect, Michael goes into a tailspin. His foundation is pulled out from…

Why Minnesota belongs in your gratitude journal — If you’ve never thought to Google something, it’s likely in my search history. I have an eclectic sense of curiosity. To paraphrase Tyrion Lannister, “I quip and I know things.” If you’re enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving feast this week, here are the seven states you should be including in your…

Forever admiring that thing he did — Among my many quirky interests are fake songs created for movies and TV shows. You know, those shows about a musician or a band where they come up with that one great hit that takes them into the stratosphere. Do you ever think about those songs? How difficult they must…

Times have changed, but not that much — I was a freshly minted working woman in the late 90s when I started to hear rumors at the office. Whispers. Buzzing. As the “new girl,” I wasn’t one of the first to hear the news, but eventually, it got around to me. There was to be a company-wide golf…

Finding a middle ground that meets my needs — It’s still hard for me to believe that my parents managed to stay married for 13 years. They say opposites attract, but you couldn’t get any more different than those two. One of their biggest differences was in how they managed money. My mother was the quintessential Good Time Charlene…

It’s so easy to grow there — A few years ago, many of the American writers on this platform were excited about writing for Newsbreak. The then-newly-minted news app accepted content from writers regardless of their journalist credentials, meaning there was another platform for writers to showcase their work. I was frustrated because they seemed to enjoy…

When you’re the one living through it — I was telling a friend about the declining health of two of my family members. How, as I looked around the table at Thanksgiving (celebrated in October in Canada) I thought to myself, remember this. It may be the very last time. “It’s easier that way,” my friend replied. I…

Coffee shops are meant to be community spaces, not offices — I headed into a coffee/sandwich shop for an early lunch. The place was busy, with all 25-ish tables occupied. Those of us in line looked for a space to sit once our order was ready. A few tables were filled with people eating, drinking, and socializing. …

There are primal forces at work here — I was with friends in an underground pathway filled with stores and coffee shops, all closed. It was just us in this cavernous hallway — the whole place was abandoned since it was Sunday evening. “Oh my God, this is just like The Walking Dead!” Raya exclaimed with excitement. …