I was up into the wee hours of the morning reading. Not because the book was that excellent (though it was good). I needed to keep myself from looking at my phone, from watching the news, from seeing anything else about the pandemic for one night. I’ve never been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder though … Continue reading COVID-19 and Logging Off
So, it’s been a bit since I’ve posted anything here. (And a lot of what was posted had been written and scheduled in late summer.) There are a couple of reasons for that, which I will get into, but it mainly traces back to one general theme: Winter Sucks. My day job is linked to … Continue reading It’s Been Awhile, Or Why Winter Sucks
Almost a dozen years ago, I did a study abroad program in Spain. The program I was in was a full immersion style, which kept the group small. There were probably 35 of us total. What this created was a close-knit family in a foreign country speaking a foreign language. And as such, we got … Continue reading Be an Emily
In my spare time, I dabble in photography. I wouldn’t call myself a professional photographer, though I have been paid for it. (Imposter syndrome, is that you?) But one thing that I’ve experienced over the past four or five years, since I really started taking it seriously as a hobby, is what I have termed … Continue reading The Enthusiasm Gap
A while ago I wrote a post about how songs can conjure up specific memories for us. Today, I bring you another installment of that. A very early-2000s memory. In the fall of 2001, my cousin was getting married. In preparation for that, my parents and I took a weekend trip to The Mall of … Continue reading The Sound of Memory Pt. 2
My hometown is a little nutty about their history. Freeport, Illinois was the site of one of the eight Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. Something the town makes sure no one forgets. There is an elementary school named Lincoln Douglas. The local ice cream shop frequently has punny flavors in commemoration, including the delicious but unfortunately … Continue reading A House Divided
A couple of hours north of where I live there is a nature park that has a 10.5 acre field that they plant with sunflowers every year. And around this time they begin to bloom and the park hosts a 10 day Sunflower Days which brings about 90,000 people in. So, last night after work … Continue reading The Sunflowers Made Me Do It
I enjoy painting. Finding a subject, gathering the paints, and priming the canvas. I like the sound the brush makes on the surface. By the end of a session or class, however, the result is never as good as those around me. The artwork I produce is mediocre at best. I still hang it in … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Excel at Your Passions
Last month, I had the opportunity to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp. It was the last stop on a long weekend in Munich before departing for Venice in the evening. It was a dismal day, frequently threatening rain. We took the train from Munich to Dachau and then a bus to the memorial site. Our … Continue reading If You Didn’t Know Better
Last summer, my best friend and I spent a weekend in Madison, Wisconsin. The goal of the trip was to eat as much good food as possible, which was easily achieved. As we were leaving our last food stop we spotted a used bookstore just down the street. It was a blisteringly hot day and … Continue reading Magic of Used Bookstores
KT Byrde Writes 