Author Archives: cyrein

Many of us are familiar with The Five Love Languages, authored by Gary Chapman, briefly: words, time, touch, service, and gifts. Theoretically, each of us has a primary and a secondary love language, that is, the method through which we demonstrate love and caring for another. A potential problem exists when a person important toContinue reading “Five Languages”

This is actually about glimmers, not triggers, other than to begin by differentiating between the two. I suspect that more of my readers are familiar with triggers than glimmers. Triggers are relatively inconsequential actions or objects that remind a particular person of something highly negative from their past, causing or ‘triggering’ a negative and/or withdrawalContinue reading “Glimmers and Triggers”

To embrace the cliche, there are two kinds of people in the world — those who join groups and those who do not. I am clearly a member of the former. Among the groups I have joined in my life are: a drum and bugle corps color guard, writing groups, rowers, tap dancers, goddesses, climateContinue reading “Joining Groups”

Personally, I am excited by the planning, thinking, and doing of vacation planning, whether with others or by myself, for adventure or to relax. I recognize that is not a universal reaction. So, here’s my proposal for sampling this scheme, with minimal stress. It involves your mind, more than any action. Are you willing toContinue reading “Travel at Home”

This is my un-Christmas card. I’m not sending holiday cards this year, recognizing that this message won’t reach all those who usually receive one from me. Please allow me to explain. I wish you happiness and joy and peace in the new year, as always. Perhaps because of my age, my aging and slowing down,Continue reading “Holiday Letter, December 2023”

How in the world can I choose my favorite US state where I have visited? In addition to traveling to individual states, including Alaska and Hawaii, I spent a year traveling — and living — around the country in a Winnebago with my ex, our five-year-old son, Jack, and our schnauzer, Hickory. My initial thoughtsContinue reading “Favorite State”

We’ve hosted many houseguests through the years, but this occurred under unusual circumstances. MC and I had been dear friends for about thirty-five years, until about seven years ago. She was one of the three who rejected me in the middle of my Camino walk. Since then, we’d had some communication, but minimal, and noContinue reading “The Five-Day Houseguest”

The query is: What is one of the the nicest things someone has done for you? Always a good topic, it is especially so now, when the world seems so dark. What comes to my mind immediately is from an event, an unpleasant event, only a week ago. I was in a car accident nearContinue reading “Nice Things”

With 75,000 of my ‘friends’, I marched in New York City on Sunday, culminating at the United Nations building. Our major message to Biden: End the use of fossil fuels. Here’s a recap of my day’s experience. It began for my husband at 4 am, when his alarm sounded. He had agreed to drive meContinue reading “Climate Protest NYC 2023”

Although I have always been highly conscious of the connection among various threads of my life, recently, I have become acutely aware of at least four direct connections between life and current fictional accounts. I’m going to present them in alphabetical order, beginning with abortion. In the most recent season of Netflix’ Grey’s Anatomy, theContinue reading “Fact and Fiction, Personalized”