Author: Stacie Chadwick
-
The Misconception of Perfection
I’ve always been a glass half full kind of person with a world view that skews toward the brighter side of life. Now, thanks to the northern light-like glow of filters, editing, and effects, that perspective is exponentially enhanced. Sort of. Too often, we present our perfectly angled poses to the world and broadcast them…
-
The Ripple Effect of Hope
Sometimes, on a day that’s not so lucky, life can punch you right in the face. Hard. And change your trajectory forever. One minute you’re standing tall, smiling at the sun and soaking in its warm flood of love, and the next you’re flat on your back, face in the dirt in stunned silence, wondering…
-
Gemini Girl’s Guide to Vacationing in Mexico
Last week, our family spent spring break in super-sunny Mexico, and I thought I’d impart my hard-earned wisdom with the hope that anyone reading this might be a little more savvy than we were on our first family trip south of the border. Because sharing is caring, even when it includes bodily fluids you won’t…
-
When a Bad Decision Turns into Regret
On a recent Monday morning, I impatiently stood at the front of a long post office line. With an internal clock calculating the minutes until I was late for my next stop, I wasn’t exactly the picture of poise and grace. As the woman behind the counter labored to keep up with the demand of a day…
-
Why the Driverless Car is Going Straight Down the Road to Nowhere
It doesn’t matter what Elon Musk, the Ghost of Steve Jobs, or the five Chinese conglomerates that control the entire U.S. economy say. The self-driving car isn’t going to happen, ever, due to one glaring disruptor. Costco’s parking lot on a Sunday afternoon. If you’ve been to Costco on the weekend you know exactly what…
-
From Gemini Girl to Reading Between the Pines
Dear Gemini Girl in a Random World (Non) Readers, It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. Why? Because I’ve been busy with more important things like child rearing, work, and trying to figure out why so many women keep falling off the back of cruise ships. But I’m now transitioning to another life phase,…
-
25 Days of Giving Day Twenty-Three: Believe
In 1992 I was twenty-two years old and living in Chicago. The market was tough for recent college grads, and after a part-time series of temp assignments and waiting tables, I took a job selling industrial products on the south side of town. It wasn’t a career move by any stretch, but it paid the bills and afforded…
-
25 Days of Giving Day Twenty-Two: Spill Your Secrets
When I was young, I was the queen of the white lie. My intentions were good, but somehow the result often ended up being…bad. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more comfortable in my skin and with my beliefs. With age comes experience, confidence, and a certain nonchalance known as having better things to do than worry…
-
25 Days of Giving Day Twenty-One: Forgive and Forget
Everyone wants to be heard. It’s a natural, inherent desire that often has the power to lift you up, and can sometimes bring you down. The up? Kind words, personal validation, anything that lightens your load. The down? Meaningless conflict, petty arguments, self-righteous posturing that takes the air out of a room and returns…nothing. The…
-
25 Days of Giving Day Eighteen: Make Someone Laugh
The Giving Challenge for today is to Make Someone Laugh. If you’re not feeling particularly funny, just tickle someone, preferably not a cop, priest, or your parole officer. I, Gemini Girl, have interrupted my non-existent programming to bring you the 25 Days of Giving Challenge. Please join me in my quest, over the next 25…
READING BETWEEN THE PINES 