For many years, when I lived in Alaska and Washington state, I participated in the state contests of the National Federation of Press Women or NFPW. However, when the Washington chapter of the organization faded away in 2015, I missed participating in the organization and its annual contests. Read more →

Well, I’m sad this year to be at home and not in Madrid visiting my daughter and her family. I decided not to travel this year due to the pandemic. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go for Christmas. I did have a video call with my daughters, which is great. However, we forgot to take a photo. Read more →

Just like deals started early for Black Friday 2021, the same is true for Cyber Monday. Americans are expected to spend $10.2 to $11.3 billion on Cyber Monday this year, according to Adobe Analytics, a number that could beat Black Friday sales. Read more →

With more than 1,000 people dying a day from the coronavirus in the United States now, it’s difficult to think about making jokes. But, I got my first shot of the Moderna vaccine today, so that’s something. My daughter, who’s usually good at April Fools’ Day jokes, was having difficulty, so I sent her a list. Read more →

On Saturday, I received a call from a friend to remind that nine glowing monoliths would be displayed in a local park after dark. She thought I might want to go and take photos. Glowhenge is an art project created by Dave Sederberg owner of Pacific Stage. Read more →

What should you expect from Valentine’s Day sales for 2021? The sales have already started, so shop early. Shopping early means you’ll not only have a better selection, but you’ll also save on shipping. Read more →

We all had hopes for 2020 being a better year. With a new president and vaccines to knock down the pandemic, things were looking positive. Then, last Wednesday, a group of Trump supporters stormed the national Capitol. Read more →

For many people, 2020 went on and on and on. For me, it sped by. I’m working on my book “Follow the Money: My Life as a Financial Journalist.” Read more →

My dad was really good at guessing what was in his presents. One time, to fool him, I bought him a magazine subscription and I put it in a toy jack-in-the-box. When he turned the handle, boom. Read more →

In the past, I’ve written dozens of articles on how to celebrate Mother’s Day. However, this year is so different. Instead of being in Madrid celebrating with my daughter and her family, I’m at home by myself, picking up groceries once a week as my only outing. Read more →