My mom stayed with a family in Mexico City for a summer during college in the 70s. The memories and lessons she took away from her time there stayed with her for the rest of her life. My siblings and I saw evidence of it daily from the Spanish words and songs she often spoke and sang. She spoke highly of her time there, and it always made me curious about visiting Mexico.

I have heard many things about Mexico throughout my life, from many sources — from friends and family to the news and politics, and it has all…

Much of the fun of riding a rollercoaster comes from the uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen next. You do not know whether the next turn will be left or right, whether the next hill will go up or down, and whether a dark tunnel or a 360-degree turn will be thrown in somewhere along the way.

This is a large part of what makes the roller coaster so thrilling — the unexpected twists and turns. …

“Are you rolling?” a stranger yelled from across the parking lot. “Yep!” I yelled back. However, I was not rolling (which is slang for being high on MDMA aka ecstasy). I had never done any drug besides marijuana, and I did not plan to. I had no issue with people who did, I was just scared to try ecstasy. Luckily, I didn’t need to, because the next couple of days would be trippy enough without the assistance of any psychoactive drugs.

It was Labor Day weekend in 1999, and I was in college. I was heavily into electronic music. I…

Tonight I wrote what very well could have been the first story I have written as an adult during a call with a weekly writer’s workshop. I am sure I have written short stories in my past, likely during childhood, but I cannot remember the last time I wrote one. I have avoided writing fictional stories all throughout adulthood, either because I did not think I would be good at it or I was scared that I could be good at it.

We were given the assignment on the spot. Our amazing leader and fellow writer, Justin, told us that…

Marijuana has been an illegal substance in the United States for many decades. The possession or sale of marijuana became illegal with the passage of The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. The act was declared constitutional in later years, but marijuana was officially outlawed for any use in 1970 with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act. Nowadays, at least several million Americans use marijuana, and the stigma behind its usage has quickly been dissipating in recent years.

The three most popular strains of marijuana are cannabis indica (which has sedating effects), cannabis sativa (which has uplifting effects), and hybrid…

Kansas City was thrust into the media after the Royals won the World Series in 2015 and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020, leading many locals to joke that our best-kept secret city was not such a secret anymore. Many members of the media reporting on the championships found themselves enamored with the city, including the friendly people and the many local attractions.

Along with sports, Kansas City has much to offer and is often referred to as a big city with small-town charm. …

Mortgage interest rates fluctuate frequently, and when they are low people often jump at the chance to refinance their current rate or to buy a home. Many people become frustrated by the length and complexity of the loan process, which involves submitting documents, playing the waiting game, being asked for more documents, and waiting some more. Saving money can be worth the time and effort put in to receive a low rate on a mortgage, but remember that time and effort will be involved. The good news is that there are ways you can help speed things up and make…

How to Slow Down and Just Be

I have not had much rest in the past decade, or even the past two decades (I actually cannot really remember when I last felt fully rested). I have three children, who are now 12, 8, and 8 (yes, twins are harder than singletons) and I work a full-time job in mortgage. My immediate family is out of town, and I am not one to ever ask for help. Ever.

Nothing I do ever feels like it is enough and it is tough to keep up. Despite all of the responsibilities and tasks…