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Category: Random Reflections

Eight Years and Here’s to Many more8 years and here's to many more
June 15, 2025
Rachel
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Eight Years and Here’s to Many more

Posted in Random Reflections

Today marks eight years and 795 posts — including this one — since I started my blog. Surprisingly, this is my first non-tag blog anniversary post — I answered some questions for my blog’s 5-year anniversary. I don’t know why I haven’t shared one before, but better late than never.

And while on that track, allow me to divert for just a moment to announce that I have — finally — posted an About page. Also, in response to a few questions, I’ve added a Ko-fi button to the left (desktop) or below (mobile device) — you may have already noticed. I don’t intend to make any changes to monetize my blog. I dislike visiting a website only to be bombarded with ads, and I won’t do that to you, either.

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Blog Review – 2024Blog Review 2024
January 6, 2025
Rachel
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Blog Review – 2024

Posted in Random Reflections

In my final look back at 2024, I’m looking at my blog performance and favorite posts again. You know that I love data, so this type of post is a lot of fun for me. If you enjoy data, too, take a look at the Data tag for posts you may have missed.

As I’ve said before, I’m well aware that the stats I have available to me are almost certainly tainted by bots, VPNs, etc. But, they’re still fun to look through. I know there are some other data nerds out there, so this post goes out to you.

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March 29, 2021
Rachel
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Kudos to Etsy

Posted in Random Reflections

With April right around the corner, the time approaches that many dread: Mother’s Day. With a deceased mother, I especially dislike the multitude of emails “reminding” me how important it is that I find the right present.

But this year, there’s a shining light of hope that I won’t have to go through this every year until I die.

I want to take a moment to applaud Etsy for being the first — that I’ve seen — to make a move that, admittedly is long overdue.

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March 17, 2021
Rachel
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Teleworking, 1 Year Later

Posted in Random Reflections

As the COVID vaccine rolls out and we really start thinking about “life after COVID,” I find myself wondering what work will be like. Today marks one year since I started teleworking 100% of the time.

At first, I was concerned about it. I didn’t like working from home, mainly because I didn’t (still don’t) have a good office setup — I sit at my dining room table. Also, I was sure that the distractions and easy access to food/snacks would prove problematic for me. The lack of dual monitors struck me as an additional hurdle to leap.

It’s Not Bad, Though

As time marched on, I began to see the benefits of teleworking. My commute is seconds long. Pajama pants are perfectly acceptable. Furry coworkers are abundant.

Keep ReadingTeleworking, 1 Year Later
I Learned to Drive Stick ShiftInstagram 2/18/21
February 18, 2021
Rachel
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I Learned to Drive Stick Shift

Posted in Personal, and Random Reflections

Some of you may know that I used to be terrified of driving. I didn’t get my license until a couple of months after my 29th birthday. And learning to drive really only diminished my fear, it didn’t eliminate it. In the intervening nearly 4 years, I’ve hardly driven at all. In fact, I didn’t drive on the road at all until December of last year.

That’s because we only have one car, and it has a manual transmission. Jim tried, right after I got my license, to teach me to drive stick. But, he’d driven stick for long long that it was all muscle memory for him. He had trouble explaining to me what to do. And he loves his car so much that it freaked him out when I keep stalling it out.

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January 11, 2021
Rachel
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2020’s Silver Linings

Posted in Cat, Personal, and Random Reflections

Despite everything that has happened recently, and my last post, I still want to share this, because it holds true. Here’s hoping there are more, and larger silver linings to 2021.

So, 2020 is finally over, after an indeterminate number of years. There’s no denying that it was a terrible year for many. Or that it was a year unlike any ever seen. And, in some ways, it’s not over yet. We’re still dealing wtih most of the biggest issues of the past year.

However, among the plentiful negatives, for me at least, there were little nuggets of positive that keeps 2020 from being an unmentionable black mark in the past. I’d like to take a post to look back on the positive silver linings of 2020 as an uplifting start to 2021.

#1 & #2: It’s a Tie

My top two items tie for first: adopting our kittens and Bumbledore’s improvement.

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December 7, 2020
Rachel
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Ubisoft, Market Your Female Protagonists!

Posted in Non-Stationery Reviews, and Random Reflections

This is my second, and final, negative post about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (ACV).

For those completely unfamiliar with the game, ACV gives you the option to play either:

  • entirely as a female version of Eivor,
  • entirely as a male version of Eivor,
  • or let the animus (the device in the game universe that lets you relive past memories) decide.

The Animus choice is the default. It means you play as a female Eivor through most of the game, only playing as male during “potion”-induced visions.

Keep ReadingUbisoft, Market Your Female Protagonists!
March 27, 2019
Rachel
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Time Travel

Posted in Random Reflections

I came across a fun writing prompt the other day. The question posed was: If you could travel back to any era, would you and which one?

My immediate thought was, “Yes, of course,” but as I thought about it, I realized there were some qualifiers.

  1. Can I come back?
  2. How long would I have to stay?
  3. Would the visit be observation only, or could I interact with the people?
  4. How well would I be prepared for the era I visited?
  5. Can I visit more than one era?
  6. What social position would I hold during my visit?
Keep ReadingTime Travel
March 21, 2019
Rachel
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Is Comedy “Getting Hard”?

Posted in Random Reflections

On Saturday, I went to a comedy show. I don’t intend to mention any names in this post, as that’s not the point of this post.

I found it interesting that every performer, the openers and headliner alike, spoke some form of “comedy’s getting hard because people are more sensitive” near the beginning of their act.

Of the openers, two were received very well, and one received a lukewarm response. Thinking about the show later, I realized something crucial.

Let me pause for a moment to say I’m well aware I’m no comedian. I can’t refute comedians’ assessment that comedy is getting harder. What I can offer, however, is an outsider’s perspective of the situation.

Keep ReadingIs Comedy “Getting Hard”?
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