Journal

07-14-26 12:30 pm #web#project

My Web Building Days Are Over

From custom CMS to Grav CMS, my web building days are over! I spent many years building custom websites and CMS platforms, but eventually got tired of the ongoing updates and maintenance. After using WordPress and many other popular database-driven CMS platforms, I grew to dislike them, so I went...

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03-02-26 3:27 pm #web

Hunting for the Pieces

One thing I didn’t expect about building this site? It does take a long time to find and compile my own material. Before I can post something, I usually have to dig through old journals, random notes, folders of photos, and half-forgotten files. I know they’re there. I just don’t always remember...

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02-18-26 1:47 pm #food

Why Popcorn?

I have loved popcorn for as long as I can remember. Not fancy popcorn. Not covered in everything. Just simple, real popcorn. Pan. Oil. Kernels. Heat. Watching the first kernel pop. Then another. Then all of them. It never gets old. Most of the time, I skip the butter. It tastes good withou...

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02-17-26 11:30 pm #web

Why Amber Theme?

The story behind the amber theme of this site. The First Amber When I was about four years old, I remember staring at a jar of honey. I would hold it up and study the color, how light passed through it, and that deep golden tone. I knew I loved that color. I've loved it ever since. Bad T...

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02-15-26 4:17 pm #web

Back Home

I decided to leave social media a few weeks before the new year (2026). There was no announcement or countdown; I simply left. I closed my accounts and permanently deleted them. I understand what this decision means. I have lost some connections, and to some, it might seem like I disappeared....

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05-26-25 4:34 pm #food#dessert

Homestyle Vanilla Ice Cream with Caramel

I made ice cream today. Vanilla, the simple kind, with caramel poured over the top until it pooled in the bottom of the bowl. Sat down and ate the whole bowl. Some days that's the whole point.

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06-14-24 1:17 am #selfie#personal

Twelve Years, Two Cancers

Battling cancer twice over twelve years was a difficult journey that shifted my path from routine to survival. These two unexpected detours strained my physical, emotional, and mental strength. Despite uncertain outcomes, rigorous treatments with chemotherapy, a bone marrow stem cell transplant...

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10-20-19 12:51 pm #selfie#personal

Still Here

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05-31-17 10:52 am #home

The Shag Carpet I Always Wanted

Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted a long shag carpet. Not just to see it in a room, but to live with it. I imagined stepping onto it first thing in the morning and feeling the strands between my toes. At night, it would be the last thing my feet touched before going to bed. I wanted to run my...

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05-03-17 7:44 pm #food

Homestyle Country Fried Steak

My mom cooked country fried steak while I was growing up. She usually seasoned it with salt and pepper. Later, Jolynn cooked it the same way using crushed Ritz crackers for the coating. It has always been one of my favorite meals. We do not usually add salt or pepper when we cook it. The crackers...

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