Over the last 24 hours, I’ve listened to this song at least 30 times. It is a mashup of 2 of my favorite Broadway songs from the last 5 years, “The Story of Tonight” from Hamilton and “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen. It is a collaboration to be a theme song for March for our Lives this weekend. It’s a song of hope for our friends, our children, our neighbors, and all those who have been affected by gun violence, particularly in schools. I don’t even know how to come up with words to express the sickness and distress I feel about how frequently guns are destroying families and commun ..read more

Three years ago, after over a decade of blogging, I had lost all my spark for writing on my blog. I had recently moved to Michigan (again), was figuring out where I was careerwise, and had felt disillusioned by the emotional temperature of the blogging world. Although I wasn’t targeted in the same ways as other bloggers, there was definitely snark being written and discussed online about me. It really felt like I had said what I needed to say at that point, and I had no desire to continue the website, other than to keep up my archives. Last Wednesday, I gave a lunch and learn session on Google ..read more

Honestly, if I could only choose one pop culture phenomenon to highlight from the year 2015, it would be Hamilton. How could you not love a historically-accurate hip-hop musical about the young, scrappy, and hungry life of United States founding father, and architect of the U.S treasury, Alexander Hamilton? Cabinet battles, duels, love triangles, betrayal, and the catchiest tunes this side of 42nd street. Seriously, it is so good. I have listened to the soundtrack more in the last month than any other album in years. If you haven’t listened to it yet, it’s my greatest suggestion that you dow ..read more

It’s February 25th, which means that it is the one year anniversary of me receiving my first Covid vaccine shot. I was driving down Redwood Road on my way home, and got a text from my friend Emily. She sent a link that stated that the State of Utah Department of Health vaccination criteria had been updated, and I was now eligible to receive my shot. My BMI was 43, and those with a BMI over 40 were able to schedule an appointment immediately. As soon as I got home, I booked an appointment. Because the news had just been released, and the chaos of all of the different vaccine administration site ..read more

It’s one thing to be sick with a virus that’s walloped the world for 2 years now. But’s entirely another to deal with the fallout of what people say to you about said pandemic. Now that I don’t feel like my life is immediately in danger, I am getting so hurt and frustrated over what people say to me about how I should process my experience. I get it…EVERYONE is tired of talking about SARS-COV-2, everyone is sick of being inconvenienced. Everyone is sick of being patient for life to go back to normal. Everyone is sick of having their “freedoms” stripped away. Some thought that initial few weeks ..read more

I’ve had skin problems since I was a child. Going to the dermatologist has been the norm for me since the 1980’s. I have been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris, pompholyx (dishydrotic eczema), scalp eczema, and intertrigo. I am no stranger to skin problems. Micro-tears in hand skin after Covid-19 diagnosis But since I was diagnosed with Covid-19 in January 2022, my skin won’t stop tearing. I have so many new cuts and tears in my hands every day. In this picture, I can see 14 spots where my skin has cracked, torn, bled, or otherwise caused me grief this week. My hands are so ..read more

Favorite New Albums of 2021: Pressure Machine – The Killers Sob Rock – John Mayer Horror Show – The Midnight Dirt – Keane Music of the Spheres – Coldplay 30 – Adele Montero – Lil Nas X Favorite Movies Seen in 2021: In The Heights Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar West Side Story Cruella Come From Away Last Night in Soho Everybody’s Talking About Jamie Encanto Tick, Tick, Boom! Dune Favorite TV Shows of 2021: Succession Ted Lasso New Amsterdam This Is Us The Good Doctor Station 19 Grey’s Anatomy Dopesick Only Murders in the Building The White Lotus Mare of Easttown The Resident Schmigad ..read more

So it’s March, and I realized I never recapped one of my most entertaining years to date. So without further ado, here’s my 2017 Year in Review! Favorite New Albums of 2017: Divide – Ed Sheerhan Rainbow – Kesha Reputation – Taylor Swift OneRepublic Fitz and the Tantrums Songs of Experience – U2 Beautiful Trauma – P!nk Favorite Movies Seen in 2017: Baby Driver The Greatest Showman Wonder Woman The Big Sick Beauty and the Beast Coco Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Lady Bird Loving Vincent Detroit Murder on the Orient Express Thor: Ragnarok Favorite TV Shows of 2017: This is U ..read more

If I’m completely honest, 2016 was the year of Hamilton for me. I loved the experiences I had with other music, theater, and film, but all things Lin-Manuel Miranda were highlighted my year. I’d like to note that I’m not just bandwagoning, because I wrote about Hamilton in my 2015 Pop Culture Year in Review post, and was preaching the gospel of Ham long before most people had heard of it. But this post isn’t supposed to just be about my #1 love of the year, it’s about all the things that kept me entertained in 2016. So here goes! Favorite New Albums of 2016: Hamilton Mixtape Ben Folds and yMu ..read more