Today’s questions: If you wrote your day out like a story/fairytale, how would that read?

Today is the Omen Day for May! Twelve days that correspond to the months of next year. It is about paying attention to the images and signs that come to you today (the 30th) that will give insight into May.

A quick reminder The Writer's Christmas Market closes December 31 at midnight. If you're at all interested in resources to help you write and market your novel, you can't beat this deal—over $1,000-worth of tools, templates, and trainings for $77. Let’s make 2026 amazing!

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I plan to start my journal entry about today with Once upon a time…and end with Goodnight. I will include at least 10 specific, concrete details from the day.

What will you write?

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, reading specialist, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s questions: What makes an interesting conversation for you?

Today is the Omen Day for April. Twelve days that correspond to the months of next year. It is about paying attention to the images and signs that come to you today (the 29th) that will give insight into April.

For me, an interesting conversation is when something unexpected happens. Usually, it involves a memory that applies to something happening in the present or an insight to life. I do love interesting questions. Mostly to ask, not to answer!

You can read more about Omen Days here:

and here:

The Moon Shed

The 12 omen days and the Winter Talisman

My woodland wreath made for the solstice and as a protecive ward over the 12 omen days. A metta (Buddhist word for kindness) wreath…

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4 months ago · 52 likes · 6 comments · Claire Brown

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, reading specialist, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s questions: What will you notice about today that will reflect on February? and Where was the last place you took a road trip to?

Today is the Omen Day for February. Twelve days that correspond to the months of next year. It is about paying attention to the images and signs that come to you today (the 27th) that will give insight into February.

I am on my way to Florida as this drops into your inbox. When was the last time you went on a road trip? How many hours of driving does it require to be defined as a road trip in your eyes?

For me, I think it has to be more than 4 hours to be a road trip. Florida is a 19 hour (ish) trip for us.

You can read more about Omen Days here:

and here:

The Moon Shed

The 12 omen days and the Winter Talisman

My woodland wreath made for the solstice and as a protecive ward over the 12 omen days. A metta (Buddhist word for kindness) wreath…

Read more

4 months ago · 52 likes · 6 comments · Claire Brown

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, reading specialist, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Happy Boxing Day!

Today’s question: What will you notice about today that will reflect on January?

Today begins the Omen Days. Twelve days that correspond to the months of next year. It is about paying attention to the images and signs that come to you today (the 26th) that will give insight into January.

As a writer, I pay attention to the nuances of places and people. I log everyday elements of tension for my fictions. I observe the world around me sometimes with metaphor and sometimes without. Marie Howe would say without!

The day has just begun, but for me there have been cancelled plans, a fireplace we forgot, lanterns, a trip planned to the library, and fog. Messages? Maybe.

What will you notice today?

You can read more about Omen Days here:

and here:

The Moon Shed

The 12 omen days and the Winter Talisman

My woodland wreath made for the solstice and as a protecive ward over the 12 omen days. A metta (Buddhist word for kindness) wreath…

Read more

4 months ago · 52 likes · 6 comments · Claire Brown

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, reading specialist, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Happy new moon!!!

Yesterday, I spent the day in Chicago. The last Writing in the Gallery event was held and an intimate group gathered to write in a textile exhibit about loss and absence.

We conversed about transitions from life to death, one life to another, and end of year reflections. This idea had me thinking of exits and entrances.

When I was teaching in a middle school, we had to choose an entrance song for ourselves to be introduced to the student population during a convo.

My song:

Today’s question: What entrance song would you choose for yourself?

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

We went to the Art Institute, the Kringlemarket, had a great train ride, had amazing food, visited the member lounge, and talked and planned all day.

There were many delights, but one was getting my Member tote bag!

Today, the first Yule Lad visits! I have adopted a mix of Icelandic and German Christmas traditions for my family.

Last night, the first of the Yule Lads, called Stekkjastaur, arrived.

“The first of them was Sheep-Cote Clod.

He came stiff as wood,
to pray upon the farmer´s
sheep as far as he could.

He wished to suck the ewes,
but it was no accident
he couldn´t; he had stiff knees –
not to convenient.”

Today’s question: What can I do to make writing more fun?

I have been struggling this week with my writing. Not The Margot Project, but general notebook and flash writing.

Here is a living list of things I am playing with to solve this problem:

1. Read Surreal stories.

2. Patience

3. Not thinking about submission or the final story before I get to the end.

4. Defamiliarization exercises

5. Art/Collage (esp with eyes)

6. Project Runway

7. Word combos

8. Read poems (out loud)

9. Use my Fashion Plates

10. ?

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: What actions can you take to welcome winter?

I loved this post -

The Time Foragers' Club

25 Ways to Welcome Winter

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4 months ago · 43 likes · 2 comments · Helen C Stark and Sara Covey

A few from my list in my notebook: I love the idea of the Box Of Treats and am making a list of what will go into mine! I have been doing collage again. Chris and I have a running list of movies we want to watch. I have been playing classic Christmas songs while I do things around the house, especially when cooking.

It is Soup Wednesday today! Stuffed Green Pepper Soup is on the menu!

Here is the recipe I am using:

Salt and Lavender Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: What’s working?

In education, this is often a reflective question I ask. (I also ask what I would have done differently concerning a lesson plan.)

I am inspired by Nic Antoinette’s list she shares with her subscribers every month.

What’s Working

Marriage. Getting multiple books at one time and toggling between them. Cooking at home. Soup Sunday. Morning beginnings and Day endings with Chris. Getting rid of what isn’t working - clothes, events, subscriptions, communities, etc. Writing. Reading. The Library. Traveling. Art Institute of Chicago. Trains. Low Carb. Classic Christmas music. Long voice notes from friends. Snow. Living close to my son.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

I have been awake since 4:30 am today. The cats decided this was a fine time to smack each other and run around the house! There is no meowing or knocking things over, so that was good. Once I was up, I was up so I just went with it. Writing by the light of my phone to not disturb anyone else with my coffee in the living room chair. Of course, the cats decided to go back to sleep then.

Today’s question: Where have you lived?

I was inspired by this post:

Crow + the Poet with Lex Orgera

My life in 35 houses

Hello friends. Welcome to Crow & the Poet! Ugh, I’ve been sick since Thanksgiving, but I’d started making this list a couple months ago and just found it. It’s called “Houses I’ve Lived In.” There are 35. It’s fun thinking about how each house could be an essay. How many houses have you lived in? Were any of them haunted? Which was your favorite…

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5 months ago · 2 likes · Lex Orgera

My list has 20 dwellings, and I am pretty sure I have forgotten at least one. I have a few sentences for each, but will add more details.

I was writing about home this morning before I saw this list so it was some nice serendipity.

I have used the prompt, “Kitchens I have Known” from Sarah Selecky, which feels like something I will do again after the houses prompt.

I was also inspired by this post this morning:

SEE YOU

7 things I loved this November

Welcome to SEE YOU, a companion for artists, hobbyists, and analog lovers devoted to a creative life—with practical ideas, inspiration, and reflections on making…

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5 months ago · 1 like · 1 comment · Carolyn Yoo

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s main question: What are your wishes for December? [There are several questions embedded in this post! I would love to see your answers in the comments!]

Welcome to December!

Last evening I was on the couch thinking about how today is December. We hosted 2nd Thanksgiving at our home and many family members were around the table earlier in the day. The food was amazing and we are eating leftovers tonight. (How do you feel about leftovers? Yay or Nay?)

As I was reflecting on the month, I put my book down and asked Chris, “Do you know what I do not miss about today?”

If it were a past version of me I would have been in school yesterday preparing my room for the first day of a new month. When you teach elementary everything shifts from one month to another. Especially in kindergarten, everything is celebrated. The first of the month, lost teeth, books read, plus holidays [real and imagined]. Decor needs to be changed, calendars, book lists, centers, and schedules. In December, there are usually a lot of events scheduled for the whole school that you cannot get around. The schedule is seriously messed up, which is normally not great for pattern loving single digit aged beings.

A great memory I have from student teaching is learning the song December in Our Town. It was the song my third-grade class was singing in the Christmas Program. [Example of one of these whole school events]. It randomly comes to mind and I start to sing it to myself, and not always in December! I had not thought of it in a long time though.

Here is a recording of the song for your auditory pleasure: [Have you heard this song before?]

Is there a song that comes to mind randomly that has a memory attached? I would love to know what it is. That seems to be a powerful playlist to create!

How do you want to feel in December? I used to hate this question. I think of myself as a cognitive person who has learned to cut off her emotions over the years. (Healthy? No. Truthful? Yes.) Luckily, someone who loves me very much helps me to NOT do this over the last few years. I also believe being closer to my son helps with this as well. Sadly, the emotion I do move to is usually anger/irritation.

I have many wishes for December, but one of them is for me to not complain without a solution. I have much to be happy and grateful for in this life!

Have an amazing Monday!

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: What are your favorite solo artist dates?

The library is one of my favorite settings for artist dates. The other is the Art Institute. At the library last week I picked up Julia Cameron’s latest book, The Artist’s Way Toolkit. This woman has written numerous books about the same concepts and keeps selling them. She is a marvel.

Since I retired from teaching, I am not as up on the latest picture books. Sometimes I go to the children’s section and pull some picture books and just read them. I used to love to create prompts for the students to write to after I read one in Family Meeting.

I sometimes use a number generator and create a call number to find in the nonfiction sections and learn something new.

In the toolkit book, I read about a chef who does culinary artist dates. He tries new foods and ethnic restaurants. I like this idea. I follow a woman who orders takeout from ethnic restaurants so her young daughter can try all types of new dishes. The little one is very enthusiastic about it and it is fun to watch and hear her pronounce some of the food names!

What adventures sound exciting to you?

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: What do you do differently when it rains (or snows)?

This type of weather is perfect for reading with my whole body tucked under a blanket on the couch in front of the fireplace. It is the day to make soup - even better if you have frozen homemade soup you can warm and eat. There is less urgency to the day when it is raining for me. Time is even slower when it snows.

Winter is my favorite season, and I look forward to snow days. I have noticed that many people have their holiday decorations up already. Do you? (If you celebrate.) I have a renewed spirit for Christmas this year for unknown reasons. Chris and I are planning our tree farm outing and cookie making. December is very soon!

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: When was the last time you took a sick day?

I open my filing cabinet next to my desk and pull out a purple folder with small round stickers on the front that read, “plan Big”, “free spirit”, “soar” and “feeling all the feelings”. I feel these stickers were extras in a pack I bought for something else. These are phrases I don’t necessarily connect with. The circles cover an advertisement printed on the folder. (Likely from a conference I attended years ago.)

Inside the folder are printouts of articles and stories that I have saved. I have said it often, the only things I miss about traditional teaching are the conversations with 5 year olds and the copier.

The New York Times used to print a “Letters of Recommendation”. The one on top is written by Sheila Heti with the title LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: SICK DAYS.

Have you ever had to write a letter of recommendation? I did one for a friend once, not because she was applying for a job, but because someone was mean to her. She was the librarian of the school where I worked and had no degree. She was amazing at her job. A voracious reader and a mom. Some teacher who thought she was better than her made her feel small. (I had words with the teacher.) I wrote Beth a letter of recommendation showcasing her wonderful qualities just so she could have it. I do not have a copy because it was a gift for her, but I remember doing it. These types of folders are a time capsule for me. A fun ride down memory lane. Also, a source of readings for my Trio courses.

The last sick day I took was two weekends ago when I couldn’t even stand up without feeling like I was going to fall down. It was so weird.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: How do you feel about your handwriting?

I write differently with different pens. I get compliments on my handwriting, which makes me snicker. I took a handwriting class in college because I was an elementary education major and had so much fun! I used a lot of chart paper when I was teaching.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: When was the last time you felt truly at peace?

Today’s question comes from @joy101 on IG.

Peace is something I feel much more often these last 3+ years.

One moment I consistently feel peace is when I am going to bed. There is a calm and comfort for the life I have now.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Today’s question: Do you choose a Word of the Year?

I have been choosing a word of the year for many years. I learned about the practice at an ISRA (Indiana State Reading Association) meeting back when I was in the middle of my teaching career.

Some years, the word sticks, and others it falls away. This last year’s word SPACE has served me well. I have reflected at the end of each month about what it represented for that time frame. I used to share these posts but this year decided to keep them in the notebook.

The words are starting to come to me earlier this year are candidates for 2026. Usually, it happens in December. Right now, a word with the prefix RE- seems to be the frontrunner!

If you are a paid subscriber, you can access the workshop I made several years ago here:

I am also starting to plan some events for January, which feels exciting.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and professional curator living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Happy Halfway!

The snow is flying outside but mostly from wind. It seems like the bulk of the snow has ended…for now. The snow is not forecast to stay. The temperatures are rising later in the week which will cause major melting.

I am thinking a lot about 2026 and the plans I will deploy and the things I will eliminate. I have been purging, cleaning, and unsubscribing. The unsubscribing is more because there is just too much. I am tired of finding an inbox full of 1000’s of emails if I ignore it. It takes too much bandwidth.

Today’s question is fun, and one I have been asking lately.

Today’s question: Are you a fruit, a veggie, or a piece of cake?

I am a popcorn blizzard today! Salty, unexpected, and there is so much that is all you can see.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and runner living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Yesterday was a rough day for me and a pain anniversary. My body remembered when I woke up, but my brain remembered at noon. It has been 10 years since my life blew apart in the most unpleasant of ways.

I am not that woman anymore and that is not my life anymore.

The Full Moon this week is about releasing and letting go. I kept circling in my notebook what I needed to let go, but nothing substantial came out of my pen. There are many things about life I will never understand. There are nuances of relationships with people that are never revealed. The person you were friends with that no longer talks to you with no explanation. The family that doesn’t want a relationship because the web that held you together now has missing strands. How a new family can take root so powerfully that you wonder how you ever survived without it in the past.

But I am not that woman anymore and my life is different.

Yesterday I released that identity, almost to the point in my mind I want to say if someone asks about that time, “That isn’t me.” Not a lie, but not 100% truth either. (Is there even such a thing of 100% truth? I am learning that perspective is a large part of this idea.) There are people I miss but yesterday it became apparent to me that they do not miss me and that is a hard thing to swallow and accept. It makes me wonder about what I thought the relationship was in the past. But ultimately, that doesn’t matter.

Many people adjacent to my life of 10 years ago have opinions of me that they have shared with others that are caricatures of who I am and mostly untrue. (Some of those people are reading this Substack right now. Yes, I know you are keeping tabs. You are not as clever as you think you are.) There are very few people who know who I truly am, and the others fill in the gaps with their own stories. This has caused concern for me because sometimes people believe them anyway, without facts or at least the whole story. I have learned that I cannot change other people’s minds no matter how much I wish to and it is not my job to explain.

Yesterday I also released photos, email subscriptions, and clothes. I will purge some more.

I have loved, and lost, and received second chances in my life. I am who I am today because of all of that and I must accept the today and the now and move forward. I know what is important and who is important and that is what I will focus on because I am not the same as I was yesterday.

Onto the question…

Today’s question: How would you finish the stem, “In November…”

One of my favorite books to read in November when I was teaching was Cynthia Rylant’s IN NOVEMBER.

In November, the world smells different.

In November, the best meal of the year happens.

In November, my life changed.

In November, the flannel sheets come out! The cozy time comes earlier with the darkness, and the light sleeps more. The trees are bones that wait for their snow icing.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and runner living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Welcome to Thursday! I send you virtual hugs, pens full of ink, and a satisfying, non-sleepy meal.

Today’s question: What if I put more NO into NO-vember?

My relationship with the word NO has changed over the years. Maybe it is because I am getting older. But then again, maybe not.

Over the years, I have been taken advantage of as an educator. It is one of those professions where you believe you can save the world, and people take advantage of that ideal. What I mean by that is, admin will ask you to do things on your own time, without pay, because it is “good for kids.” Or part of being a team player. There are all kinds of guilt phrases there. Having said that, there were many instances I voluntarily spent time on passion projects of my own accord. It was when the extra time became expected that it became a problem.

I used to be on every committee known to man and loved having the inside track of information. Then it became exhausting and full of other complications. It was so misaligned that when I went to a new state and a new district after the interview I kept my mouth shut about the skills I had. I didn’t want to be in everything anymore. I just wanted to do my job and then go home. I didn’t volunteer for anything anymore.

Education is not the only field for this imbalance of work vs pay. Park Rangers and Speech Pathologists need master’s degrees just to work. I know the Park Rangers often are paid less than teachers because they have a passion for their profession. It is no wonder that “Quiet Quitting” became a thing. People started pushing back on what their jobs really were and what they were being paid for. In my eyes, this was long overdue.

I am not certain where I first heard the phrase, “No is a complete sentence.” In the past, it was hard for me not to explain why I was saying no to someone other than the people I am happily legally bound to. Now, I more often than not just use the No. I used to say, “Sorry, I can’t” but I stopped saying that if I am not truly sorry.

I am going to pay attention to what I say No and Yes to over the next few days and see where it leads me. I invite you to do the same.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and runner living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.

Happy Full Moon to you!

Tonight, I am hosting a free Full Moon Gathering. I invite you to join! You can register for the link here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HOqiz0yVTVWsk_GmnxjzDw

We will read and have a conversation about a Book of Alchemy essay and then write! [No homework for this meeting! You do not need to have the book, or have read it before. Just come with your notebook.]

Today’s question: What if I wore red lipstick?

I am working on a list of ways to be delighfully impossible, and the topic of red lipstick came up at my revision meeting yesterday. Did you know that Maybelline has a virtual try on camera? It was fun to find a whole bunch of different shades that do not work….but I think I found one. When I go out today, I will see if I can find it.

My friend Nancy Stohlman wears red lipstick often. [Have you joined her Flash Nano? It’s the last one.] Elizabeth McCracken does too. Kelly Link tends to wear purple or blue lipstick. It is something you notice for sure.

One of the ways I am exploring being Delightfully Impossible is to make a list of What if? questions….I will keep you posted.

Thank you for joining me on this 100-day adventure!

A little more about me: Tammy L. Evans is a writer, teacher, and runner living in a tiny house on a peninsula with her husband and adventure cat. Her location device is her loud laugh. She is the creator and host of THE TRIO COURSE. Her poetry has been published in The Storyteller, FoxGlove Journal, Story Hall, Blue Insights, The Partnered Pen, and others. Her fiction has been published in Gone Lawn, Cabinets of Heed, Spelk, Five on the Fifth, Clover and White, Fiction Berlin Kitchen, and others.