I’ve been reevaluating all the decisions that I’ve made that made it impossible to buy Grandma’s house. Rationally, I know it was way too much house and land for one person, but my heart still wishes that somebody in the family had bought it. It’s been in my family for more than 100 years, and now it’s gone. Without…

Brussels? Oh God, my brother and his fiancee are there. My rational mind knows that they’d be no safer back home in Chicago; in fact, probably less safe. But I still wish they weren’t over there right now.

This is the kind of situation that always makes me examine myself. What would I choose to do? I hope I’d have the courage to put down the phone and go help too, but I guess you never know until it happens to you. Anyway, I have a lot of respect for this man, and for everyone who decided to help others rather than just…

I usually have a policy against watching videos of terrorist attacks, but for some reason I watched that one, and now I feel like I might throw up. And of course, this is just one example of terrorism, in just one country. Sometimes the things we do to one another are just overwhelming. How can you look at a person…

Watch the video of the actual events—he actually attacked several people. It was actually pretty terrifying.

Wow, that definitely made me cry.

We’re facing our first Christmas without Grandma this year, and though I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of my family it’s going to be so hard without her. We’re also not sure if my uncle is going to make the trip up from South Carolina, now that his mom is gone. After all, he does have a wife, stepsons, and his…

I did that too! I had so much fun!

It usually makes me really uncomfortable to see people ignoring a speaker, I just think, why not leave? It sounds so old fashioned, but I really value courtesy. BUT. This time, I’m definitely rooting for Johari. She was definitely being used as a prop, and had seen enough to make her want to do something to show her…

Eh, I think calling a one-year-old a young woman would still sound pretty crazy. If you’re still in diapers, you’re still firmly in baby/child territory.

And this is why I’m not in favor of Idris Elba as Bond. To me, James Bond is the physical embodiment of white male privilege. He is the result of centuries of empire and a public school education. I’d love to see Elba as a spy, though! He can definitely carry off both the suave part and the badass part. I’d just don’t…

A lovely Tom Collins is my favorite summer drink!

I’ve been going through my grandma’s house, which includes every card and letter she got, ever. Between this story and the cards my grandpa gave her, I am seriously struggling with being single. It usually doesn’t bother me much, but when you see how beautiful a lifetime of marriage can be, it does make me wish for…

I’d be OK with it if the dog is really, really cute.

I have 3 younger brothers, and the oldest one has never been much of a hugger. He would participate in the greeting (hugs for everyone) and leave-taking (hugs for everyone and waving from the porch) rituals, but you knew he didn’t really like it. It was like hugging a board. But now I’m REJOICING because his…

I was about 13 when I was at a great-uncle’s funeral, and I heard one of my great-aunts saying to my grandma (her sister), “Tillie is STACKED.” Auntie, I didn’t even think you knew what that word meant! Shuddering forever.

Yeah, I thought I was about to read about a second Satanic Panic. So, it’s still about child abuse, just for a different reason :/

I never did get tall enough to see myself in my Grandpa’s mirror, alas.

When we were teens, if I teased him too much, one of my “little” brothers would threaten to stop reaching things down for me :(((((

When I see kitchens like this, all I can think of is what a mess it would be. You’d have to dust ALL THE TIME, not to mention how sticky things can get in a kitchen. Sure, it looks nice, but I’ll keep my cabinet doors, thanks. (Also, not all of my stuff matches, so I can’t kid myself that my kitchen would look all…