“My Generation” is a song from 1965, and the title for this post. I was five when it came out. I knew three generations: my grandfathers, my parents, and the kids in my kindergarten class. But I had no idea what a generation really was.

​By 1969, I realized it was a way to group people by age, and by what they did when they were young. From their clothes to the music, to the slang words they used, it showed their generation.

An online article caught my attention and made me want to write about it. It said your slang shows your generation.  Link: https://wordsmarts.com/slang-generation/?lctg=c4d2fe5b-125d-41db-a63c-ea78909f2d82
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I also found another article that lists slang by decade: Link: https://people.howstuffworks.com/53-slang-terms-by-decade.htm

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                                                                            1. The Silent Generation

I’d never heard of them, but both of my parents belonged to it. Its members were born between 1928 and 1945. My parents were children of the 30s, growing up during the Great Depression. Today’s affordability issues aren’t even close to what my parents suffered growing up.

They listened to the radio or went to theatres to see movies. No TV! Another member of the Silent Generation, Joe Biden. He was born near the end of it, in 1942. 

Wordsmarts.com picked slang from the 50s. I’ve heard of ‘daddy-o.’ I thought it was a cute word for dad, but it’s actually anyone who’s cool. Moms too! I’ve used ‘cruising for a bruising’ if someone was looking for trouble. ‘Made in the shade’ is one of my favorite ways to say success, and it’s from the 50s, according to howstuffworks.com. But don’t worry; you’ll find slang starting in the 1920s, going all the way through today.
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2. The Baby Boomers
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​I’m a boomer, one of the later ones. To be a boomer, you had to be born between 1946 and 1964. Things were better for my parents in the 60s, but they worked hard to save and buy a house on a single income. Dad worked, and Mom took care of me, my brother, and the house.

I grew up with black and white TV. I remember when we got color and could watch Saturday morning cartoons. Heaven! And movies, you could stay home and watch them on one of the three TV channels. Four of the last five presidents were boomers: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barak Obama, and now Donald Trump. Boomers have been a dominant force ever since the 60s, thanks to the glut of babies born after WWII.
 
I think the boomers had the best slang. Words like ‘threads’(clothing), ‘dig it’ (love it), or ‘groovy’  (cool) are gone. I’m so glad ‘ticked off’ (angry) has hung around, and thanks to Pete the Cat, groovy is back. It’s in every single book, at least once. Pete IS groovy!
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​​My little sister is thirteen years younger, and she’s a Gen Xer. They were born between 1965 and 1980. They haven’t become president yet, but eventually. Marco Rubio, Florida senator and our current Secretary of State ran in 2016, and some think he’ll run for president again. 

Gen X was the first to grow up with computers.  This one is an 8-bit 1977Apple II. I graduated from high school that year, and very few people had one. By the time I started teaching in 1981, computers were beginning to show up in classrooms. They were primitive compared to today’s.
 
And Gen X slang, it was as grungy as the music of the late 80s and early 90s. Songs were either ‘gnarly,’ or they ‘rocked.’ Teens called each other ‘dude’ or told each other to take a ‘chill pill’ and calm down. And best of all, I still understood their words. 


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My three kids are all Millennials, or Gen Y. Who knew?! They were born between 1981 and 1996, and a Millennial, J.D. Vance is our current Vice President. Some people think he’ll run for president in 2028. Who knows? He could be our first Millennial president. 

My kids and J.D. grew up with the internet, and it changed everything. You could email anyone, anywhere. I remember having to run down the hall to talk to another teacher. If they weren’t around, I’d have to try again later. With the internet I could email and move onto something new. That rocked!
 
Slang changed too. Think initials like ‘OMG’ (oh my god) or ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out). I’ve had it for years but didn’t know. I love ‘adulting,’ That’s the stage my kids are in now, but they’ve rarely ‘slayed’ me (said I did something well) or said they were ‘keeping it 100’ (by telling me the truth). I’m glad I can still learn new things.
 
 

My only Gen Z relative is my nephew, my sister’s son. He’s one of the Zoomers born from 1997 to 2012. The oldest, 29. The youngest, 14. They’re beginning their careers. I looked but didn’t find them in politics. Not yet, but they’re in sports and entertainment. I googled celebrities and found Coco Gauff. I remember her from tennis and the Paris Olympics. 

Zoomers grew up with technology, from iPhones to TikTok, so they’re comfortable with devices. They’ve helped older generations, like mine figure them out. But I never thought about their slang, not until I started writing this post. It’s like a foreign language I don’t understand.
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When something is ‘cheugy,’ it’s old and outdated. If it’s ‘sus,’ be careful—something’s fishy. I’ve seen ‘cap’ on Facebook but ignored it, until now. Cap is false, ‘no cap’ is true, and ‘capping’ is lying. Fascinating! I love words, so I’m glad Zoomers are giving me new ones.

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5. Generation Alpha
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​My three grandchildren, they’re Gen Alpha, so they were born from 2011 through 2024. Poor Gen Z! They lost everyone born in 2011 and 2012 to the Alphas. The oldest ones, 15, and the youngest, only two. I found a famous alpha, Prince George. He’s 13, and his parents are the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Like Gen Z, Alphas have grown up with technology at their fingertips. Just look at the two girls sharing a computer. They look comfortable, like they don’t need adult supervision. Alphas are so connected to their devices that doctors and parents are pushing them outside to play.

Their slang reminds me of Gen Z; it’s like a foreign language I can’t understand. Take ‘rizz.’ It’s their way of saying someone has charisma. I’ve heard of ‘sigma’ and ‘beta.’ They’re Greek letters, but Gen Alpha made sigma mean good and beta, weak. Go figure!

The craziest word in any generation, Skibidi,’ I can’t pronounce it, and it has two opposite meanings—cool and bad. It started with a meme from a YouTube series featuring a head singing in a toilet. Crazy! It went viral and has its own dance.  I’m not ready for Alpha slang yet—I hope it grows on me!


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​​The newest generation, Beta, arrived last year. They’re babies and toddlers who were born in 2025 and 2026. I don’t have any Beta relatives, but maybe someday.
 
As babies, they’re just learning to speak, to interact with the world. So who knows the slang or other contributions they’ll bring to us. Here’s to their future! And ours!
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Catherine, Princess of Wales really knows how to keep a secret. She planned, trained, and completed the National Three Peaks Challenge without anyone finding out. That’s a very big deal in the United Kingdom. 

Catherine filmed a video message before she climbed the three peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales. Plus, she drove across country before she climbed each one, all in 24 hours. The world found out a week after Catherine finished the challenge.
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Why did she do it? Two reasons: the first for herself. “I’m so grateful to be here, to be strong enough to walk these hills.” But she also wanted to “give something back,” especially to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity who does extraordinary work for so many, including the princess.
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If you’d like to hear more from Catherine about her challenge, check out this video link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/news-of-the-week-catherine-princess-of-wales-releases-new-message-about-cancer-journey/vi-AA27cVjg?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=5c51b8d18f904c09de5907fbf0d305c0&ei=5


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On June 27, Catherine climbed Ben Nevis in Scotland. Then she drove to Scafell Pike in England. After another hike, Catherine finished her challenge at Snowdon in Wales. She managed all three within her 24-hour deadline.

This is her family in 2022. They stood waiting for Catherine at the bottom of Snowdon with her parents and younger brother. They all kept the challenge a secret until July 5, when Catherine gave Kensington Palace permission to release the story and her photos.

                                                               If you’d like to see them, check out this link:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/princess-of-wales-shares-family-pictures-after-mountain-challenge/ar-AA27gA1V?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=73396bb4289642db88cf01fd7ecec471&ei=8

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Part 2: Mapping the Challenge

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Welcome to the UK, the United Kingdom. Catherine is the Princess of Wales, the pinkish part of the UK, but that’s not where she started the challenge. That was Scotland, the peach-ish part at the top of the map. I’ll try to use Scotland to give you an idea where I think the first peak might be.

Find the diagonal that slashes across Scotland. Follow it southwest. When you get near the bottom, close to the islands, you’ll be close to Ben Nevis. That’s where Catherine climbed her first peak. If you’d like to check my accuracy, click on the Wikipedia link. The map near the top shows the peaks, but not the boundary lines between Scotland and England.
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From there Catherine drove southeast to Scafell Pike in England. To find it, follow the border between Scotland and England all the way to the sea. Go a little south, and that’s where Scafell Pike should be. Check Wikipedia again to see how I did on directions.  
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And now for the final stop, Snowdon. Catherine probably drove down the English coastline until she reached Wales. Then she must have turned west and driven toward the two peninsulas on the northwestern edge. Snowdon looks like it’s somewhere between the two. Wikipedia’s map can show you how close I got. 
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                      Wikipedia Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Three_Peaks_Challenge


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Catherine’s first peak, Ben Nevis. At 1,345 meters, it’s the highest mountain in the United Kingdom. That’s a big number, but I can’t picture it, and I can’t picture 1,470 yards. How about 12. 3 football fields? Now, I can imagine it!

​Three fun peak facts: #1. About 100,000 people climb Ben Nevis each year. #2. About ¾ of them use an old pony trail that begins in Glen Nevis on the south side of the mountain. #3. When you reach the summit, you’ll find the ruins of an old observatory that operated from 1883 through 1904.


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Catherine’s next peak, Scafell Pike, is England’s highest mountain at a mere 978 meters. That’s about 1070 yards, or 9 football fields. The best part, she had three fewer fields to climb. 

Three fun peak facts: #1. Scafell Pike was created out of igneous rocks from the Borrowdale Volcanics. The volcanoes are now extinct. #2. The summit is a field of boulders and shattered bits of rock. #3. Some scientists believe frost and weathering broke the rocks into bits. Others think earthquakes did it. It’s probably both.
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And Catherine’s final peak, Snowdon. Approximately 1190 yards or 10 football fields. Snowdon is the middle mountain, taller than Scafell Pike, but shorter than Ben Nevis. 

​Three fun peak facts: #1. Snowdon’s rocks were created by volcanoes and molded by glaciers. #2. There are a number of well-known trails that hikers like Catherine can choose from. #3. If you don’t feel like climbing, try the Snowdon Mountain Railway. It’s been open since 1896.  
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Source Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Three_Peaks_Challeng

You have great facts. You know your business inside and out. But when you share your message, people's eyes glaze over. Sound familiar?
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You have great facts. You know your business inside and out. But when you share your message, people's eyes glaze over. Sound familiar?
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1.   What Is Audience-Centered Storytelling?
​It's simple. You shape your message around what your listeners need to hear,
not everything you want to say.

A good business narrative has three parts: a setup, a problem, and a solution. That's it. No jargon. No info dumps. Just a clear story with a point.

              Here's the thing: different people want different things from the same story.

• Customers want to know: "Will this make my life easier?"
• Investors want to know: "Is this a smart bet?"
• Team members want to know: "Why does this matter?"

               Same facts. Different frame. And stories are memorable in ways that bullet points never are.


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Once your story is clear, you want as many people to hear it as possible. But what if your audience speaks a different language?
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You don't have to re-shoot anything. Automatic AI voice dubbing tools can translate your video into other languages and even sync the lip movements so it looks natural. Your story stays the same. Your reach gets bigger.


                                                       

3.  A 7-Step Plan for Stories That Stick
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4. Use visuals instead of paragraphs.
One visual per idea. A before-and-after diagram. A simple three-step flow. A single chart. If a slide needs more than 12 words to make sense, it probably needs a picture instead.

5. Make your customer the hero.
Tell the story from their point of view. What's their problem? What are they up against? Your product isn't the star. It's the tool that helps them win. This works for every audience: buyers, investors, and employees.

6. Practice three 60-second versions.
Tell your story out loud in under a minute for three different listeners: a buyer, an investor, and a new hire. Keep the same core promise but swap the proof. Buyers want results. Investors want growth. Employees want purpose.
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7. Make small fixes after every meeting.
Write down what landed, what confused people, and what question you fumbled. Many teams set aside up to 10% of their time for this kind of cleanup. Small tweaks add up fast.


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​1, Q: How do I stop over-explaining?
Give one promise and three proof points, then stop. If someone wants more, let them ask. That's a win.

2. Q: Why do people tune out even when my topic matters?
They can't see the stakes or what you want them to do. Make the problem real, say what happens if nothing changes, and end with a clear request.

3. Q: Can I be persuasive without hype?
Yes. Trust beats theatrics every time. The business of writing is really about building relationships. Be honest, be specific, and be useful.
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4. Q: When should I use a visual instead of more words?
Any time you're describing a process, a comparison, or a change over time. One chart beats three paragraphs.


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You don't need to explain everything. You just need to say the right thing to the right person at the right time. Start with a clear point. Keep it short. Make your audience the hero. Then do it again until it feels easy.
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                                                                                  Clarity wins. Every time.
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 ​                        Thanks to Guest Blogger, Andrea Needham, for this post and its great suggestions!

During the summer of 2007 I made my first trip to Germany. One of my sons went as part of the Sister Cities exchange program, and I agreed to come along as a chaperone.

Take your finger east across the map towards the light green area. If you go all the way across the German state of North Rhine Westphalia, you’ll run into Bonn. It’s close to Hesse, the next state. It’s in yellow green.

                                                                                             My map source:
               https://printableworldmaps.net/political-germany-map-map-of-germany-with-cities-pdf/
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​Part 1: The Story Begins:   This is the Hardthöhe (hard-though-he) building in Bonn, the headquarters for the Federal Ministry of Defense. It’s like the German Pentagon. I remember the building from 2007, but without the construction.

​There was something important going on that day. Almost 85% of Germany’s generals were meeting inside, and our tour group had to enter through a side door. I felt like a spy in a James Bond movie.
It was odd and rather exciting, but the bigger story happened later.
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                    Photo and Information Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardthöhe_(barracks)


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​Part 2: Later—That Bigger Story:   We had a German officer as our tour guide. The only thing I remember, how we sat in a small meeting room and listened to him talk about the Bush Doctrine and the German position on it.

The officer kept pointing out the differences between them and pushing why the German one was better. I kept biting my tongue. My son was in the room, and I knew he wanted my mouth to stay shut, so I tried my very best. 
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Then it happened. One of our German hosts said in an all-knowing voice that their position was better. They waited for proof before striking, even if their own citizens and soldiers were killed first.

This is me in Germany, at a different time. I knew I had to speak. I understood why President George W. Bush didn’t wait. I watched the towers collapse on 9/11/01. That fall the entire country lived in fear that terrorists could strike again.

The president sent troops into Afghanistan on October 7, less than a month later. He had to hold the Taliban and al-Qaeda responsible for 9/11 and make sure it didn’t happen again.
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Then on March 20, 2003, the president again sent in troops. This time to Iraq. Saddam Hussein was threatening the US with weapons of mass destruction (WMD). 
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​In the two years between Afghanistan and Iraq, the President created the Bush Doctrine. It said the US could strike if there was an immediate or looming threat. The goal, to stop the attacks on us. President Bush was especially concerned with Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, the nation states most connected to terrorism and WMD. 


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Part 3: How the Story Ended:   This is me in 2007. I’m not sure exactly what I said at the Ministry in Bonn. Probably that some things can’t wait. That you have to act the minute you spot danger.

I’m a teacher so I told them about the most difficult student I ever had. I could see her temper brewing all day on the first day of school. That’s not normal. She held it in check but hit two kids on her way out to the bus. That’s not normal either. Most kids have a few good days before they act out. She didn’t.

I also told them how I protected the other kids. I didn’t wait for trouble. I always sent another girl with her to the bathroom. Her job, to hurry back and tell me if something happened. Then I’d take care of it. It worked; I don’t remember getting any reports.

My point, it was better to take care of trouble before it started. That’s what I did, and that’s what my president did too.

​ I cornered my German tour guide at lunch and demanded to know what was going on. He admitted the truth…he pushed me on purpose. He’d been stationed in Iraq for a year or two.

​Whenever he had an audience with Germans and Americans, he’d poke us about the Bush Doctrine until we finally defended it. Just like he’d done to me. Why? My guess, he wanted his fellow Germans to hear a different point of view.
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So why did I decide to tell this story now? It feels like history is repeating itself. This time it’s Iran and President Trump.

​In February US and Israeli intelligence said the Iranians were trying to rebuild their nuclear program, and they were developing long range missiles that could hit Europe and eventually the US. In March we discovered the Iranians could launch a missile 4000 km. That’s 2000 km farther than we thought.

Also, when a country calls the US the ‘Great Satan’ for over 40 years, take them seriously. These people took Americans in the US Embassy in Tehran hostage for 14 months. They released them the day President Reagan took office in 1981. Why? They feared him, not Jimmy Carter, the previous president.
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Then on October 23, 1983, they saw an opportunity to bomb the US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. They killed 241 marines and sailors that day in one strike. I remember both acts of terror, and I haven’t forgotten the attacks they’ve made in the years since.

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BTW, this is not the first post I’ve written about Germany. My trip in 2007, changed my life. I began writing thanks to a bat who flew through the house I was staying in. These are the three posts I’ve written about Germany since then.

1. Me and North Rhine Westphalia: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/me-and-north-rhine-westphalia?__cf_chl_f_tk=TJzOffqez4eRyK0DUTlru6qTecPYKwYGDOiytV.FFIM-1783191011-1.0.1.1-HBZ4MpF5HhGXUp4keYaw1GcpVKp6V3ROkjC3sGqzJPw
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2. Stories from the Benderblock: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/stories-from-the-bendlerblock

3. The Story of the White Rose: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/the-story-of-the-white-rose

Katharine Esty, PhD, wrote the source article that made me want to write this post. She’s 90, and she interviewed 150 people ages 70-90 from her retirement community and her hometown. Katharine discovered aging is better than it used to be. You don’t have to dread it. Most people in their 80s were happier than 70-year-olds. The same was true for people in their 70s. They were happier than 60-year-olds. 

                                                                   
                                                                    The link to Katharine’s original article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/16/i-just-turned-90-this-year-unexpected-joys-about-old-age-i-want-young-people-today-to-know.html?msockid=1eb2843b6b3b664b014e93696a956751
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Today most seniors live longer and have a better quality of life than our parents or grandparents. Katharine’s parents were 65 and 72 when they died, but she was 90 when she wrote her article. Katharine is still active—in one week she took three exercise classes and walked over 1.5 miles.

We can live longer and better because we get new parts, like knees, hips, and shoulders. Our hearing aids work, and we don’t have to live with cataracts. I’ll probably get my eyes done in the next couple of years.

We see our family doctor, dentist, and eye doctor, but specialists are easy to schedule and pay for. We can get the right medication for our pain, so seniors like Katharine can stay active.


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                                                         2.  You continue to learn and develop.  ​

​​Some people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I don’t believe them. I’m retired, and I’m still learning new things. Sometimes I write about them, like I did for this post.
 
In the last 50 years, we’ve learned more about the brain and how it works. We’ve also discovered what happens to its neuroplasticity as it ages. That’s my new vocabulary word. It’s about how the brain grows and reorganizes its network of nerves. That means our brains can grow and repair themselves over time.
 
That’s great news for you and me, for senior citizens, and for anyone with a head injury! We can still learn…it might take longer than it once did. Using our brains and trying new things, they sharpen our neurons. Remember the author from my source article? Katharine’s 90, and she’s taking Zumba classes and learning French. WOW!


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​Do you see a glass as half full, or half empty? Many seniors see it as half full, and they choose to stay positive. I’d never heard of the paradox of aging. It says that as we age; our health and abilities get worse. We lose people around us, yet our mental health gets better. Maybe it’s because we feel happier with what we have, instead of disappointed with what’s missing.
 
As I look at my own life, that’s how I feel. The grandmother I’m named after died at age 40. Katharine said “less than 2% of Americans make it to age 90.” That makes them blessed. If you’re a senior, why complain when there’s still time to enjoy whatever time we have left.
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     Tomorrow: living in the present, finding joy in relationships, and a final thought from Katharine.
​

Katharine said it’s especially true for seniors in their late 70s and 80s. They stay focused in the present and rarely think beyond the next 18 months. Her reasoning, life is uncertain, so why bother. I hadn’t thought about it, but I tend to plan for the next week or two, and not much farther.

Another surprise, many seniors don’t dwell on the past. Katharine said they’ve left most of their regrets behind. I feel the same way. There are things I’d have done differently, but if I had the chance I wouldn’t go back and change them. It might change something that I’m happy with.
​
Katharine also noted that seniors talk more about sports and TV shows than the past. They focus on little things like taking a walk, looking up at the night sky, or hanging out with friends. I wish I had spent more time doing those simple things, but back then, I was teaching and raising my family. THAT took all my time. 


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When I was younger, my life revolved around my job and my family. When the school year ended, I was lucky. I could slow down and focus entirely on my family.
 
Seniors like me are retired. We’re downsizing possessions and responsibilities. We finally have time to enjoy family and friends, especially the young ones.
​
When I retired, I lost so many friends, but when I went back to visit, it was different. They’d moved on without me. As I’ve aged, I’ve started to build a new network of friends. Some online; some from volunteer work, and I look forward to the ones I'll make in the future. 


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I’ll end the way I began, with Katharine Esty.
This time her advice is for our young friends who are still working.
​

​Katharine said, “Friends, there is much to look forward to as you age,
​ and the research suggests you will be happier, too.”

Self-care isn't just for adults. When kids have simple, repeatable ways to reset, they bounce back faster. They're calmer. They're easier to be with. And they start building emotional tools that carry them through hard days now and later.

Here's what that actually looks like in real life...

​​Self-care for kids is anything that helps their body and brain reset so they can handle the next thing. It is not fancy or selfish, and self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation. The core pieces are simple: move, rest, fuel, connect, and calm down.

It matters because a good reset makes everyday life easier, not perfect. When kids practice quick, repeatable resets, they bounce back faster after hard moments and show up more ready to learn and play. That kind of readiness includes many skills and behaviours beyond academics.

Think of it like packing a tiny “travel kit” for their day: water, a snack, a stretch, and a quiet minute. You are not adding chores, you are building a routine that prevents meltdowns from piling up. With that mindset, you can pick quick resets that fit your child and your schedule.
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​​

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​Small, predictable rituals help kids reset without a big production. Don't try all five at once. Pick one and use it every day for a week. Once it feels normal, add another. When the same mini routine shows up again and again, it becomes a tool your child can reach for on their own -- at home, at school, or anywhere the day gets hard.

1. Two-Song Shake-Out

• What it is: Dance or do jumping jacks for two songs, then sip water.
• How often: Daily
• Why it helps: Burns off stress energy and makes it easier to focus again.

​2. Five-Finger Breathing

• What it is: Trace each finger while taking slow breaths in and out.
• How often: As needed
• Why it helps: Slows the body down fast after big feelings.

3. Bedtime Calm Visualization

• What it is: Guide your child to close their eyes and slowly picture a peaceful place, noticing what they'd see, hear, smell, feel, and taste there.
• How often: Nightly
• Why it helps: Eases worry loops, shifts the brain away from the day's stresses, and supports smoother sleep.

4. One Good Thing Check-In

• What it is: Share one good thing from today at dinner or bedtime.
• How often: Daily
• Why it helps: Gratitude interventions are linked with small well-being gains.

5. Create-and-Leave-It Corner

• What it is: Ten minutes of drawing, Lego, or clay, no “perfect” goal.
• How often: 3 times weekly
• Why it helps: Gives the brain a break and boosts emotional flexibility.

​  ​

​The rituals above work best when they're attached to something that already happens. Shoes off at the door. After teeth brushing. Right before homework. Habit-stacking cuts down on reminders and willpower.

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        Q: What are some simple self-care activities that kids can do to reset during a stressful day?
A: Try micro-resets that take under five minutes: a water break, wall pushes, a quick stretch, or a quiet corner with a book. If your child refuses, shrink it down -- one breath, one sip, one song. Keep one portable option that works anywhere, like a sensory item in a pocket, for when the day goes sideways.

                           Q: How can parents encourage their children to practice self-care regularly?
A: Keep it tiny and doable. A few minutes a day is enough to build consistency. Use simple cues and praise the attempt, not the result. And if you're running on empty yourself, identify social support so you have the patience to stay consistent.

                          Q: What role does mindfulness play in helping kids feel ready for the day?
A: It teaches kids to notice stress signals early -- before the meltdown. Keep it kid-sized: three belly breaths, a "five things I see" scan, or one quiet minute. If they get silly, that's fine. Just return to the routine without making it a big deal.

                Q: How can creative activities like art or music support a child's emotional health?
A: Creative time gives feelings a safe exit when kids don't have the words yet. Try doodling to music, drumming on a pillow, or building a "mood playlist" for after school. If they're stuck, give a prompt: "Draw what your stress looks like." Then let them rip it up or put it away.

                         Q: How can a simple planner or checklist help kids build a self-care routine?
A: A checklist makes self-care visible. That makes it easier to remember on busy days and easier to restart after a disrupted week. Keep it to 3 to 5 items. If you use a printable, clean up the layout with a tool that lets you edit PDFs directly before printing so it matches your child's actual day.


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​Some days the plan falls apart. Kids refuse. Everyone forgets. The schedule shifts again.

That's okay. Just come back to one habit. Keep it small. Keep it visible. Give it two ordinary days.

That's enough. Small resets, done often, build real resilience. Over time, they send kids a quiet message: your body matters, your feelings matter, and you have the tools to handle a hard day. Pick one habit this week. Stick with it. That's where it starts.


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   Thanks go to Kurt Brown for this post and his great suggestions!
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Kurt Brown knows that some of the best adventures happen off the beaten path. Unfortunately, those experiences are not always well-documented and, as a result, helpful information is not always easy to find. That’s why he created Travel Tip Tank. The website offers travel tips visitors won’t find anywhere else.

Have you heard the 2026 World Cup is almost here? That it’s going to be played in the US during our 250th birthday? In Canada and Mexico too? There’s going to be more teams and matches than ever before.
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Official play won’t start until June 11, but the preliminaries are already starting. The one that caught my eye, a commercial about an impossible dream…The US Men’s team winning the World Cup. It’s an incredible ad! An incredible dream!
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                           And here’s how it started…

My Source: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/fox-sports-unveils-fifa-world-cup-2026-campaign-inviting-america-dream-big-summer


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It all began with FOX Sports Marketing asking a simple question, ‘What If?’ What if the impossible happened, and the Men’s National Team won the World Cup?

The ad debuted on May 2, during a baseball game on FOX. I don’t remember when I saw it, but it’s been echoing through my head, asking me to imagine the possibilities. 


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I searched, found, and retweeted the ad so I could share the highlights.
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Imagine…it’s the last minute of the last game of the World Cup Championship. It’s tied, and the US has a corner kick. You hear the announcers. Then silence as you watch people across the country wait…
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                 Then Christian Pulisic, who’s really on the team, takes the kick, and the music begins…

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​​
The Impossible Dream, sung by the King, Elvis Presley.

As you watch, the goal goes in, and America celebrates this impossible dream…An American Men’s World Cup.

The music continues to play until Elvis reaches the climax of the song, that unreachable--

And then abruptly, as if someone yanked the needle off a record—Elvis stops.
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The next scene, a bar where someone’s asking if the US could really win the World Cup. The answer…It could happen. 


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​And then an old man asks do you believe in miracles?
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​He turns, and you see the back of his jacket, with USA and two hockey sticks. That’s the moment Elvis belts out the end of the song.

And that’s when I recognized the miracle—February 22, 1980. The one in the photo from Sports Illustrated. No caption needed. Everyone who watched that game still remembers. I do!

A bunch of college kids were playing the Soviets. There was no way they could win the Olympic gold medal, till the last minute when Mike Eruzione shot the winning goal.
​
It was incredible! It lifted the whole country. It became a Hollywood movie, Miracle on Ice. You can still watch that amazing story.
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​The World Cup won’t start officially until June 11, and the US men play on the 12. But don’t worry…you can imagine the impossible dream until then.

And if it doesn’t come true, we’ll have almost two months to enjoy our own version of that dream.
​

​

​First up, our coach, Mauricio Roberto Pochettino. He played for the Argentine team and managed it too.

Mauricio announced his choices for the US roster on May 26, 2026, but he could make changes until June 2. Today is the 3rd, and I checked…no changes to the roster.

The US Men are in Group D, so we’ll play Australia, Paraguay, and Turkey.
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​If you’d like to read more about the US men, click on my source link: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/usa-squad-announcement-mauricio-pochettino
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​

Now for the 26-man team; many are veterans of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Our 3 Goalkeepers are Chris Brady, Matt Freese, and Matt Turner.
​

The 10 Defenders who also protect the goal: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman,
Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson,
Joe Scally, and Auston Trust.

The 10 Midfielders include: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie,
Cristian Roldan, Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman,
Timothy Weah, and Alejandro Zendejas. They move the ball up and down the field.
​Sometimes they score, like Christian Pulisic did in the commercial for the Impossible Dream.
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And the 3 Forwards, who aim for the goal: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright.
Here’s to the US Men’s 2026 team! May the force be with them!


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As for the US cities hosting World Cup matches, I only have a map of the states.
​They’re first to help you find them. The cities, in parenthesis. 

They include Georgia (Atlanta), Massachusetts (Boston), Texas (Dallas and Houston), Kansas (Kansas City), California (Los Angelos and San Francisco), New York and New Jersey (cities not listed), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), and Washington (Seattle). 
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​When I found a post by Emy LaCroix last week, I discovered I missed Jane’s 250th birthday. She could have never imagined five of her books would still be remembered over two hundred years later. Those titles, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. 

Jane was born on December 16, 1775, six months before the American Declaration of Independence.

Emy’s Link:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/jane-austen-turns-250-10-fun-facts-about-the-legendary-author/ar-AA1StzVz?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=947d779bcff0471adf87e176b4943330&ei=73

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Now for some fun facts…
#1. Emma, inspired the 1995 movie, Clueless.

Jane Austen’s character, Emma Woodhouse, starred as Cher Horowitz in the movie. Both are young ladies. Emma is 21, and Cher is still in high school. Both are wealthy, and they love to make matches. Cher makes hers in high school, and Emma among her neighbors. They both have a lot to learn about themselves and about love. 


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                     #2. Jane published her books anonymously.

​The general public in her time never knew her name. Jane first used “By a Lady.” Then later, “By the Author of Sense and Sensability.” Ladies could write letters, but they were discouraged from writing and publishing books.
Jane only got credit for her work after she died, but not by choice. Her brother Henry put a biographical note into her last two books, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. That’s how Jane’s secret was finally discovered.

  
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​                       #3. Jane’s family had a coat of arms.

They used three bear paws, so this isn’t hers. They also had a family motto. The Latin version: Que Invidet Minor Est, which means, To Envy Is Inferior. 

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​                                         #4. Jane began writing as a teen.

​From age 12-18, she filled three notebooks with stories, parodies, and short plays. Luckily they were preserved and later published. The title, Juvenilia. That’s the name of any work done by a young author or artist, and you can buy Jane’s on Amazon. 



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#5. Jane was engaged for one day, but she never married.
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In December of 1802 Harris Bigg-Wither, a wealthy friend of her family proposed. Jane accepted, but she called it off the next morning.
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#6. Jane didn’t earn much during her lifetime. 
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​Jane published 4 successful books and made about $800-$940 in American money back then. That’s about $54,000-$81,000 today. Then she lost money on Emma because she paid to get it published.


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#7. Jane’s last words were to her sister Cassandra. 
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Cassandra wrote down Jane's words. “God grant me patience, pray for me, oh, pray for me." Jane died from a painful disease. As it got worse, she wanted “nothing but death.”


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Her fan club didn’t form until the late 1800s, and they called themselves the “Janeites.” What did they do? Debate her characters, defend Jane against critics, and visit anyplace Jane had lived during her lifetime. From London to Bath. From her birthplace to the house where she died. Someday I want to visit those places too!

​Tomorrow: the last two fun facts about Jane

#9. Jane is still one of the most translated English novelists.
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 ​     #9. Jane is still one of the most translated English novelists.

Did you know you can buy Jane’s books in dozens of languages? Or that they have never gone out of print for over 200 years? That’s incredible! One of my books is already out of print, the one done with a hybrid publisher. Why? It didn’t make them enough money.
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Jane is on British bills, the £10 Bank of England note. The UK doesn’t have dollar bills. They use pound notes.

Jane’s first bill was printed in 2017 to celebrate her legacy. Male authors have had this honor before, but Jane is the first female to be chosen. If you look carefully at this note or google it, you’ll see a quote from Pride and Prejudice, plus an image of Godmersham Park. Jane’s brother Edward, inherited the estate from his cousin, and many believe Jane modeled Pemberly, from P and P, from her brother’s estate.

Bonus: If you’re a Janeite like me, you might want to check out this link. It’s to an article that suggests the order to read Jane’s novels sequentially, starting with her first, Juvenilia.
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Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/how-to-read-jane-austen-s-novels-in-order/ar-AA1SseL1?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=9021e4a5cd674c628f95dc318e5047e3&ei=44

Did you know your brain has two parts—right and left? Or that they have their own way to think? Left-brained people rely on logic, structure, and data while right-brained people prefer creative, intuitive, and broader thinking. 
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​I found a great article online from Zinnia Hay that I had to write about. Click on this link to read what she has to say.
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 Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/are-you-a-right-brain-or-left-brain-thinker-answer-this-simple-question/ar-AA1VgrdY?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=b89b23df017e40c3eeeed1e4da2ee741&ei=10


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​                                                                                               Part 1: How Do You Know Which Side Your Brain Prefers?

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Try some simple questions…

1. How do you start a new job?
​
- Come up with a plan of steps to follow.
OR
- Dive in and find your way through.

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If you’re a planner, you’re probably left-brained. You love lists, organization, and order. It feels safer, gives you less anxiety, and a clearer picture of how to finish the job.
​
Problem solving feels natural. You can channel emotions into solving problems or solve them with logic. You trust the process, not your gut.  


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If you dive in and find your way through, you’re probably right brained. You love intuition, creating and adjusting as you go.
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Momentum and hands-on learning feel natural. You thrive on working without rules; it frees up creativity. You trust your gut and your emotions. You have discipline but start with inspiration. You use logic to finish up the job.
​


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Part 2: Two Clues to Your Brain
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Now, two more simple questions…
1. How do you solve problems? 

​If you look for patterns and cause/effect, you’re probably left-brained. You love analyzing data and finding the most accurate information.
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If you use emotions, intuition, and imagination to find answers, you’re probably right-brained. You value insights, and if you’re under pressure, you tend to pick the side you trust most. 
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2. How do you communicate?

        Part 3: Two More Clues For Your Brain

                 And two more simple questions…
                  1. How do you make decisions?

Left-brained people look at facts, use known results, and apply logic to make their decisions.

Right-brained people use feeling, intuition, and their gut to decide.
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Both kinds of people make great decisions. The next time someone makes a choice, watch how they use risk, emotion, and control. Can you guess which side of the brain they used? 

​                         2. How does stress affect your brain?
​
It brings out whichever side is dominant. When things are uncomfortable, you turn to the comfortable side of your brain. If you’re not sure which side that is, watch what you do when you’re stressed out.
 
If you’re left-brained, you apply rigid control to the situation. For right-brains, your emotions get more intense and more scattered.
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​                              Part 4: Two Conclusions

​1. Most people are a blend of both brains, but one side tends to dominate. That blend can change over time depending on what you’re experiencing, like work or home life. Don’t forget stress can drive you back to the comfortable side of your brain.
​
It’s not important to call yourself a righty or lefty, but you should know which side you favor. Why? It helps you work with your brain, not against it. It can boost your creativity and ability to make decisions. The best part, it just might help you accept the person you are and the brain that drives you. 


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​2. My Conclusion—After writing three parts of this post, I realized I lean naturally to the left side of my brain. I’m a planner. I love lists, organization, and order. In the writing world I’m a plotter. I write with a plan. Sometimes it’s just an outline. Sometimes it’s more detailed.
 
Over the years as a wife, mother, and teacher, I developed the right side of my brain. I learned to use emotion and intuition. I even found an imagination I never thought I had, but I’ll never be a pantser. Flying by the seat of my pants feels funny.
 
For me, revision is where I find my magic. I love perfecting my words, building emotions and relationships between characters. It’s where I find my creativity, and I learn more about me as a person and as a writer.

Migraine symptoms include light and sound sensitivity, nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances, confusion, dizziness, muscle weakness, fatigue, and constant yawning. About 25% of migraines sufferers have auras an hour before the migraine strikes. Auras show up as blurred vision, flashes of light, wavy lines, and blind spots. 

My first migraine, and all the others, must have been auras. I remember the blurred vision, how I couldn’t read, and my hand going numb. It was scary. I was teaching. I can’t imagine having one if I’d been driving. It’s why I decided to write this post and share the link below from Stephanie Butler. She’s the Outreach Coordinator from Adam Swallow Injury Lawyers.
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                           Link: https://www.mdaccidentlaw.com/driving-with-a-migraine-safety-guide/


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​                     Part 1: Migraines and the Risk for Drivers

I was surprised to read that a 2020 study said for severe migraine sufferers, 66% of them won’t drive. That’s a good statistic, but the scary one…34% do.  Here are three signs you’re having a migraine. 


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​#1 Vision Impairment--It can happen before, during, and even after a migraine. Think blurred vision, blind spots, flashes of light, and distortions. Imagine trying to navigate roads with intersections, pedestrians, potholes, and debris. You may also have trouble judging distance and staying in your own lane. 


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​2. Delayed Reaction Time--If your head aches, feels foggy or drowsy, you might take longer to spot what’s ahead and hit the brakes. A car ride could be worse than your migraine.



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​3. Light Sensitivity--If you’re struggling to see, imagine what driving toward the sun or having light in your mirrors could do? At night think of blinking lights or headlights shining in your eyes. No matter the time, migraines can make driving more difficult and more dangerous.
 
                                                               Tomorrow: warning signs and migraine stages

​Did you know migraines come in three stages? Like pre and post migraine.

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​Prodromes, they’re the pre-migraine stage. You might experience nonstop yawning, food cravings, and mood changes. Prodromes can begin hours, even days before a migraine hits. 

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​Postdromes begin when migraines end. They can last up to two days, and you might experience exhaustion, confusion, trouble concentrating, and dizziness. 

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​Warning Signs for Drivers: If you’re driving and experience any of these signs, please pull over and call a friend for help. If you get one before you leave, please delay your trip. 

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​1. Vision disturbances: Auras, blurred vision, and blind spots can hide obstacles from view. 

​​

​ 3. Dizziness: If your head is spinning, your judgement is weakened, especially for distance. 

​ 4. Nausea: Feeling queasy? Watch out! Vomiting can make you lose control of your car and your stomach…instantly.

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5. Brain fog: If your head feels clouded, your judgement and reaction time can be too.

6. Sleepiness: When you’re tired, your reactions slow down too. You might even fall asleep at the wheel. 

7. Weakness: When your senses are weakened, your driving skills are too.

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If you suffer from frequent migraines, these three checklists could minimize risk and maximize safety for you, your passengers, and your fellow drivers. 

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                                     Before Driving:

1. Assess risk: Ask yourself if you have any migraine symptoms like auras, nausea, or light sensitivity. If you do, don’t drive.

2. Take preventative medications: Take doctor-prescribed medicine before driving.

3. Pack a migraine survival kit: This includes medication, water, snacks, sunglasses, earplugs, and an icepack.

4. Tell passengers: Pick a designated driver, just in case. Teach your kids how to stay calm and call for help.

5. Plan your route: Use GPS to pick a low-stress route that gives you safe places to stop when needed.

6.  Have someone on call: Have family or a friend ready to pick you up in case a migraine strikes while you’re driving. 

7. Know your triggers: Plan ahead to avoid things like bright sunlight. If possible, pick the best time for you to travel.


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                                  When Driving:

​1. Be self-aware: Track your symptoms, especially if triggers pop up.

​2. Stay hydrated and fed: Sip water and snack when you feel hungry.

3. Minimize bright sunlight: Use your visor and sunglasses to minimize bright light, even on a cloudy day.

4. Minimize driving stress: Allow yourself extra time to get there and avoid peak traffic.

5. Minimize stimulation: Keep the radio on low, food smells too. The temperature should be comfortable, and conversations kept to a minimum.

6. Pull over: If you feel any warning signs, pull over as soon as you can.

7. Take medication: Once you stop, take your medicine and rest until you feel better.

8. Call for help: If your migraine doesn’t get better, let your designated driver take over, or ask your on-call person to pick you up. 


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                                     After Driving:

1. Take care of yourself: Rest and rehydrate. Eat if you can, and don’t drive until you’re better.

2. Write down details: Keep a migraine journal with your symptoms, triggers, and responses to medication. It can help you learn to manage them. ​

3. Evaluate your actions: Did your plan work? How could you improve it for the next time? 

4. See your doctor: If your migraines don’t get better, talk to him/her about what you’re doing.

5. Check out alternative transportation: If migraines still affect your driving, look for safe alternatives, like public transportation, carpooling, or uber.  
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​Part 4: Where to Get Help

One of the best things to try…SEEDS. Not the plant kind. The acronym kind that’s recommended by the American Migraine Foundation.

S…Sleep--Make sure you get your beauty rest and follow good sleep practices.
E…Exercise--Do gentle activity 3-5 days a week for 30-50 minutes.
E…Eat--Eat small healthy meals more frequently. Don’t fast or stop eating.
D…Diary--Keep one with details about your migraines. Look for patterns to discuss with your doctor.
S…Stress--Keep it under control using mindfulness and relaxation techniques. 

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Primary Care Doctors: This is a great starting place if/when you suffer your first migraine. They can recommend medicines and strategies to try. They can also tell you if it’s safe to drive.
​
If your doctor can help you, perfect! If not, he/she can recommend a migraine specialist or neurologist. They’re doctors who specialize in migraines. They follow clinical trials and have the latest information to share. 

Migraine Support Groups: One of the best ways to survive is with a support group. When I was still teaching, my colleagues supported me through issues like migraines. It helps to realize you’re not alone, and you get great, practical advice. Click on my original source to connect to the groups below. You can Google them too.

1. Move Against Migraines is a Facebook support group that’s connected to the American Migraine Foundation. You’ll find advice and inspiration.

2. Mayo Clinic Headache & Migraine is a community of caregivers and people like you. It’s moderated by the Mayo Clinic Connect.

3. Living Positively with Chronic Pain is an online group from Bethesda, Maryland. It has over 700 members.

Migraine Advocacy and Education: These four groups are dedicated to raising awareness and getting resources to migraine sufferers and the general public.

1. The American Migraine Foundation raises money for research, education, and awareness for doctors and their patients.

2. Miles for Migraines hosts events to raise money for a cure, education, and support for those living with migraines.

3. Migraine.com is an online community that shares what it’s like to live with migraines while supporting each other.

4. National Headache Foundation offers education for patients and doctors. They can help you start a headache diary and share news about clinical trials. They also support veterans who suffer from migraines. 

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​ In Conclusion: Driving with migraines is dangerous. Impaired vision, light sensitivity, visual disturbances, and intense pain can take your focus off the road and slow your reaction time. Being unable to drive feels like you’re losing your independence. But with the right support and treatment, you can reclaim it and navigate migraines no matter where you are.