melbamorph

Reflection

Audacity to Tell My Story

There's a larger story - the one still locked behind prison bars, both figuratively and literally. I want to find that kind of audacity - the audacity to tell my story.

Tech Talk

Why I upgraded to Nest Protect

I recently purchased three Nest Protect [http://amzn.to/2FSKUcI] smoke/carbon monoxide detectors for our home. There are quite a few contenders out there in terms of smart detectors but I had already enjoyed a positive experience with Nest products so I leaned that way again. Shortly after we

About Me

What I'm Listening To...

These days, I always seem to be listening to something. My work days, long car rides, and housekeeping extravaganzas are usually accompanied by music, audio books, news, or podcast binges. Here's a peek at my current listening menu. News### I listen to a lot of news. Not as

Product Reviews

Euro Greek Yogurt Maker

Right now I'm really into making yogurt using my Instant Pot. I've had a few disappointing batches but am getting closer to perfecting the process. This week I managed to make a gallon batch. Most recipes I've seen make 2 quarts and it'

Writing, Poetry, Prose

Gratitude

Gratitude I have my own woods in which to play to peacefully ponder explore and pray O never did my heart so venture to dream a life so grand Yet stand I here feet planted my trembling soul amazed for naught did I dare ask thee yet was granted. --wrote

Tech Talk

I've Gone Kindle

Anyone who hangs out with me for more than 10 minutes knows I'm a hardcore Googlian. I own the Google Pixel [https://store.google.com/product/pixel_phone], the Google Home [https://store.google.com/product/google_home], Google Wifi [https://store.google.com/product/google_wifi], and

Gardening

From Small & Simple Seeds

It's that time of year again and I've been behind the scenes getting ready for it by planting about 10,000 vegetable seeds. Not really but it sure felt like it each day as I walked into my bedroom where the little creatures were beginning to

Feminism

If You Give a Girl a Robot...

One of my favorite children's books, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, is a great adventure about the perils of giving a mouse a cookie. I couldn't help thinking about this story as I read the following excerpt from a recent article published on GeekWire

Health & Fitness

Getting Back to Fit

I went out for a three-mile run this evening. It was beautiful and I feel great about it. Running has always been a part of my life but over the past few years, I have been struggling with health problems that have kept me from running the way I used

Home and Family

What's that smell?

I'm sitting on my back deck, taking a break. I apparently need one. I just returned from a week long vacation and have been using the day to put my world back together again. While making my cleaning rounds throughout the house, I noticed that one of the

Gardening

Garden 2016

I have found it is very useful to document my garden process so I can use it as a reference each year. This year, I feel like I have been behind schedule the entire season. I planted my seeds late so all my plants seem tiny compared to the ones

Felon Life Featured

Felons Among Us

There are felons among us. Some people find it disconcerting the way I speak openly, frankly, about my felon status or my experiences in prison, but this is deliberate on my part. I am trying to make a point - trying to assure you that even though you’ve read

Tech Talk

Asus Chromebit CS10 Review

Gadget: Chromebit CS10 Manufacturer: Asus & Google Price: $85 Description: A computer in a stick. Just plug it into a TV or monitor - add a wireless or Bluetooth keyboard/mouse - and you are set to do 90% of everything you usually do on a computer. Usage: This is

Life Hacks

Make It Do or Do Without

> Use it up Wear it out Make it do Or do without. * Old New England Proverb I have a bushel basket in my living area that holds my chopped kindling. I like it but recently the bottom began to give way. There was a debate about retiring the basket

Life Hacks

Puzzle Table Hack

One thing I do to relax is: build jigsaw puzzles. Every year, right around Thanksgiving time, I set up a card table and toss a puzzle onto it. Building the puzzle becomes my quiet thinking time. It's one way I find my inner peace. However, I have come

Motivation

Never Hurry, Never Rest

I awoke at 6am this morning and was out of bed by 7am because that's when my brain wouldn't let me rest anymore. I'm not writing about anything, in particular, this morning. I am just getting the writing flowing again. I have been doing

Felon Life

Prison: Nine Years Later

It's December 1st. Almost every person I spoke with today mentioned this phenomenon with some sense of foreboding awe - the first day of the last month of the year. There were a few birthdays, the work anniversary of a co-worker, and of course, "Rabbit Rabbit [https:

Felon Life

Disenfranchisement & Beyond

There are few achievements I am proud of in my life but today, on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/issues/civil-rights/voting-rights-act], I'm not only proud to be a registered voter but an election official as well. On the surface, this

Writing, Poetry, Prose

Forbidden

This is a writing assignment addressing the struggle I face to freely express myself as a writer. It's a visualization of the personal handicap I endure in feeling I am forbidden to write my own truth. ___It bothers me. It eats away at me - my belief -

Gardening

Slow But Steady Growth

There is slow but steady progress happening in my garden. Thus far, there hasn't been enough sunshine for any of my plants to actually thrive. It's been a colder, wet, gloomy June. Things might change if the sun decides to grace us with her presence for

Gardening

Garden Launch 2015

Houston, we have lift-off! It's Memorial Day and I am marking it as the official planting day for my 2015 garden. I had actually planted most of my tomatoes on Mother's Day before getting rained out so the remaining seedlings had to wait for the second

Felon Life

Huckabee and Me

I like to listen to NPR ONE [http://one.npr.org] while I am working. The app delivers public news, Pandora style. The first story in today’s feed was Mike Huckabee [http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/05/400447185/former-arkansas-gov-mike-huckabee-announces-presidential-run] announcing his run for the White House.

Gardening

How My Garden Grows

I have decided it would be useful to keep a running log of how my garden grows this year. Last year I planted my first garden in our new place without much forethought. I didn't have time to think through things. I just needed to get it done.

Home and Family

Glow in the Dark Bocce Balls

Playing this game reminded me of my long brewing intention to create a playlist of fun family games appropriate for all ages and abilities. The litmus test is whether someone aged 16 would find it enjoyable even when playing with a 3-year-old and 65-year-old. For example, Monopoly would not be

Life Hacks

Fire Starter Hack

We've been living in our new place, nicknamed "The Hedges", for almost a year and one of my very favorite things about this place is our woodstove. Someone actually asked me what I used to talk about before I had a woodstove. Blank stare. I honestly