I conducted an experiment and asked AI (Google’s Gemini) to write our 2025 holiday letter. The results were…interesting. Yes, I mean that in the most Minneostan way. The letter I got was annoyingly chipper and over-the-top, and weirdly wrong on some points. Yes, I know that in part this was because I didn’t give Gemini…

On Christmas Eve we attended a lovely service at the Unitarian Universalist church in White Bear Lake. Some youth participated in the service by reading inspirational writings. Their voices definitely added to the service, and they seemed to enjoy being a part of it. But it didn’t look like they received any paper sacks filled…

I recently realized it’s been 35 years since I was an exchange student in Winchester, England.  I took a circuitous journey down memory lane to arrive at this startling realization. The first step was when I heard the Kate Bush song “December Will Be Magic Again” playing on the Current (our amazing local public radio…

I was feeling harried. Now it doesn’t take much to stress me out when I’m shopping, and this was a prime irritating retail situation. I was running late for an appointment (totally my own fault for bad time management) and I was waiting in a checkout line and it was taking longer for the customer…

I wrote a song–my first ever–and I like it.  This is rather surprising. I’ve never had any serious aspirations of writing a song, beyond thinking it would be cool, and would be a good way to have a song that I could ensure was in my vocal range. But when Chad signed up for a…

Most mornings I get up, let StanLee (our dog) out and then feed him, and then I make coffee, clean up the kitchen a bit, and make our very simple breakfast.  I’m on autopilot and I don’t have to think too hard about these tasks, so I appreciate them. I know what to do without…

October 22 is the twenty-fifth anniversary of my mom’s death.  I don’t know what to do with that.  Obviously, this anniversary stirs up many feelings–simple, yet deep sadness, as well as more complicated emotions. This anniversary may be a time of reflection and reminiscence. (It will definitely be a time for me to keep thinking…

“The biggest challenge for you must have been acting like you were reluctant to take your clothes off.” I love this (paraphrased) observation that my friend B made after seeing me recently in Expressions Community Theater’s production of “Calendar Girls.” I interpreted it as praise of my acting chops, and it made me feel very…

“I can’t answer that question now. I have to blog about it first.”  The question in question was “What is your favorite line in the show that you speak?” It was posed by one of my awesome Calendar Girls’ castmates, Joanna, a couple of weeks before we opened via our group chat. Joanna thoughtfully explained…

The main thing I look for in a hotel is a workout room. The second thing is a bar, but I can usually find one nearby so that’s not a dealbreaker. (A free breakfast can definitely be a perk, but is sometimes more hassle than it’s worth).  So when I saw one of the recommended…