A plea to women and allies from a female Hearthstone competitor in the thick of the Activision Blizzard lawsuits — This story contains references to sexual harassment and suicide. Please note that the terms “woman” and “women” denote anyone who identifies as female — trans women are women, period. In 2017, I entered an open Hearthstone tournament. I’d been playing the game for a year or two, and it was…

Get a pen and piece of paper — you can start right now — In early 2019, I was a mess. I say that as if I’m not still a mess, but I was definitely a messier mess in early 2019. I was at rock bottom, dragging my depressed butt to group therapy every day for two weeks. They called it a “partial hospitalization…

“It’s like he drank ALL OF OUR COFFEE” — I’m a huge fan of rescue dogs. I think they’re the sweetest creatures in the world. So, naturally, when “Hank the Hellion Dog” showed up in my Google Newsfeed, I had to click. What followed was a hilarious ride, filled with f-bombs and a desperate foster mom begging for the…

A letter to the well-intentioned from an exhausted liar — “How are you doing?” It’s so casual. Something easy to ask when you’re not involved in the answer. The bits of bread you throw at ducks to pass the time. The popcorn you eat during a movie so your mouth doesn’t get bored, even if your mind does. Maybe you’re…

We don’t deserve dogs, but we are so lucky to have them — “Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.” — Karen Davison For much of my childhood, dogs scared the living heck out of me. My sister’s dog, a terrier mix weighing no more than 15 pounds? Terrifying. My grandparents’ dog, a chubby Boston Terrier? A vicious killer. My neighbor’s four fluffy, beautiful Golden Retrievers? Diabolical fiends.

How to stop resenting your passion and start loving the process — I wrote 3 novel manuscripts by the time I was 21. This isn’t to brag because trust me, none of those assaults on the English language were brag-worthy — it’s to show you how burnout begins. After my third manuscript, I hated writing. I was convinced I would never write…

The science and strategies behind reviving the creativity you thought you lost (but didn’t) — Sometimes, your lack of creativity feels overwhelming, like a heavy blanket of snow on the human spirit. And because you don’t feel creative… you don’t act. You feel unworthy of creation. So you become hesitant. Your fingers hover over the laptop keyboard, story unwritten. Your paintbrush hovers over a blank…

Expert tips on having the bravery to create and share your work with the world — “Art is a personal act of courage, something one human does that creates change in another.” — Seth Godin If you’re reading this, you know what it feels like to have your finger hovering over every “button” in your life, unsure whether or not to take the leap: Post. Send. …

How Nike is making waves and promoting social change with the Flyease Go — On February 1, 2021, Nike introduced their new Flyease Go sneakers. Nike’s new shoes are brilliant — not because of the design, though that’s pretty incredible, too.