Loaded Grilled Cheese

The contents of this recipe (and all ensuing photos) were obtained at great personal peril from deep cover as an innocently hungry daughter, asking her Dad just how he does the grilled cheese magic.

Anytime Writer's Fuel

"But Dusty, if you've abandoned caffeine, what do you use as a replacement? And what could possibly replace the taste of coffee?" the masses cry out. Well...

The Daily Grinder

"Keep writing through it all. If you only wrote when motivated, you’d be a poet." (Pirateba, author of The Wandering Inn) Words cannot express how much I hate this idea, how long I have bucked it, and the depth of my dread at the prospect of finally facing it.

Who Do You Think You Are?

"You are too proud of who you think you are to notice what you are actually like, which prevents you from changing properly. You do not want to sacrifice that part of yourself. It is probably associated with some delusion that helps you maintain a positive, although very fragile, self-image."

Recent Media Consumed

Covers: The Grim Reaper arc from Discworld, The Case for the Real Jesus, Star Trek Voyager, and more.

Lavender & Decaf

It's funny what little things I've acclimated to over the years, telling myself that's just how things are and they won't change even if I try. Funny how, when I actually give sustained, serious effort to making a change, it turns out that far less is set in stone than I assume.

God Watches Star Trek

I laughed the other day when I said to my husband, "I'm pretty sure God watched every Star Trek episode there is." In my head was a voice that whined, "Well, yes, He's omniscient so that's technically correct, but..." What, God's too detached and holy to watch Star Trek?

Recent Media Consumed

Covers: The Case Against The Case for Christ, the Night Watch arc of the Discworld series, Pinocchio(s), and more.

Setting 2023 Goals

Last year's goals were all about stretching myself in four different areas. This year, it will be a mix of continuing unfinished goals from last year and confronting things I have noticed myself shrinking back from.

2022 Goal Recap

At the beginning of this year, I laid out four goals in areas that I was somewhat familiar with, but I made them each large enough that it required me to stretch myself. I did not reach each goal, but I can say where I am with each, and I'm mostly pleased with this year's results.

Courageously, Headlong, and Heedless of the Consequences

Lately I have been struggling once again with the hydra that is my fears of composing original fiction. Cut one head off and another two sprout, each one screaming that I'll never be good enough to do what I've known I was supposed to do since I was a teenager.

2022 Eggnog Season Review

Every year on my blog, I spend a little time raving about my favorite flavor of the season. I'm no pumpkin spice gal, I'm an eggnog fanatic. I'm a nutmeggnogger, to be precise.

Therapy Games Vol. 1

In no particular order, here are the therapeutic games I've played so far. I recommend any of these for rough days or nights.

Christmas Socialization

This year, I've begun the process of confronting areas of my life where I know I still come up short. "I'm not good at socialization," I say. That isn't precise enough. I'm not good at socialization with large groups of people that I don't know. I found myself saying, "I should at least try."

Long Distance Flavor

I have a lot of friends that are too far off to visit often, and for a large portion of my life it was that way with family as well. I have had good and bad experiences trying to keep in touch with people in unique ways, but I want to start a running list of Flavor.