For most people, lifting weights is a suitable form of physical exercise. For me, successfully turning just one page of a book makes me feel like I’ve run a marathon. It’s a special kind of feat if I manage to flip through a thick paperback on my own.
Last weekend, my cousin, sister-in-law, and I had a girls’ night out. We picked a spot in a cute, historic town, ordered espresso martinis, desserts, and cheered a summer well spent and our not-so-little cousin turning 21. I cherish moments spent with my family, for I understand how blessed I…
2018 was my best year in a long time. I acquired a JACO robotic arm, got more work, and made a little more money. This January also saw a couple positive developments: I spoke at church and began “Ryan’s Robotics” for the SMA News Today YouTube channel. Things seemed…
Deciding on a column topic isn’t always a simple matter. Sometimes, I’m shoved into a new direction with a thud. Other times, the nudge is light as a feather. In this case, it was a feather. Angelic intervention. A gift of love Many years ago my…
Our brand-new accessible van has a broken door — the door on the ramp side. For now, we cannot take Ella’s power wheelchair when we go anywhere. Fortunately, she has a manual wheelchair to use. We pull out the van, lift Ella onto the back seat, and place…
My parents recently went on a trip and left me to fend for myself. I’m kidding. My sister was with me. We’re perfectly capable of fending for ourselves and survived purely on junk food, takeout, sugar — and caffeine. (Just kidding, Mom.) My parents need to travel on their own…
It’s Sunday night, and I’m surrounded by an assortment of books, comics, DVDs, Blu-rays, action figures, and other items that one might find in a 5-year-old’s room. The only outlier is my framed college diploma, which hangs right next to a giant Batman poster. Indeed, this…
The first day of fourth grade was wonderful for Ella. She woke up early and I got her dressed and ready to go. Along with her brother and sister, Ella posed for the annual first-day-of-school photo before leaving. Henry, 10, Ella, 9, and Ava, 12. (Photo by…
Three days from now, on Aug. 23, I will be doing my first book signing. As I previously have mentioned, my first book, “Witchcraft and Monsters,” was published in January. I now have this amazing opportunity to see what a book signing is like. My…
It was my last semester of college, and I had room for one more writing class in my schedule. I already had two film courses, a literature survey, a fiction-writing workshop, and a general education requirement I had put off until the last minute. (You could say that…
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