Disclosure: I started writing this blog post on Saturday, January 3, 2026, and so much has happened since then. The Stranger Things ending has become such a telling online social experiment. (I have to clarify that it's "online" because none of the conversations I've had with people in real life about this ending contained the amount of vitriol and disappointment that I've been seeing in online discourse). I really believe that we as a society are becoming way too uncomforta

I was a 90s kid. I grew up with all those robo toys and virtual pets, surrounded by Y2K futurism and sci-fi movies, books, and TV shows, and I always wanted a robot assistant or AI sidekick. I was so excited for the 21st-century future of Zenon , Jimmy Neutron , and Dexter's Laboratory . I was ready for AI. So, how did I become anti-AI as an adult? The artificial intelligence (AI) we got was not exactly what was promised to us. This technology has the potential to be a great

The privilege of owning a pet is such a rewarding experience. I truly believe that we as human beings are chronically deprived of nature, and any kind of connection we can make with it is healing for our souls. We can learn a lot from animals, especially when we're living with them. Over the span of seven years, I had three hamsters, and they taught me a lot about life and about myself and what I can handle. Hamsters are particularly attuned to nature because they were domest

Fall is harvest season, a time to take stock of the lessons you've learned and the ways you've grown throughout the year. This year, I truly became a plant mom. As of right now, I have three full-grown Aloe Veras and six pups, a Monstera Thai Constellation, a Golden Pothos, a Golden Sedum, and a Dwarf Jade Bonsai. I'm still pretty new to the plant world, but I've found an appreciation for the botanical and for the lessons that these ancient creatures (Plants have been around

I played Dungeons & Dragons for the first time during the pandemic, and what I learned ended up helping me strengthen my career. It was a journey of self-growth and strong storytelling that culminated in a powerful ending and meant a lot to my life in general. Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a fantasy role-playing table-top game created in 1974 . Because my first play-through was held during the pandemic, we played virtually via Discord and DnD Beyond . The virtual nature of the

In the age of nostalgia, a lot of consumers are desperate to hold onto their childhoods and the brands that defined them, while a lot of brands are balancing the act of catering to older consumers with the growth that comes from reaching newer ones. This has led to brands seemingly spreading themselves too thin, being accused both of capitalizing on nostalgia and of losing sight of what they used to be. This can apply to so many different companies and franchises, from Disney

I went to see "The Great Gatsby" on Broadway when I turned 30 earlier this year (to officially close out my "roaring twenties"), and it...