In the Romanian town of Câmpina stands a strange little castle built from grief. It has towers, hidden symbolism, rooms designed for séances and spaces that seem intended to blur the boundary between the physical and spiritual worlds. But perhaps the strangest thing about Iulia Hașdeu Castle is the reason it exists at all. Its... Continue Reading →
I Put It Somewhere Safe. It Has Never Been Seen Again.
I would like to begin by saying that I have an excellent memory. Unfortunately, I have forgotten all the evidence supporting this claim. My problems started yesterday morning when I couldn’t find my phone. This was concerning because I had literally just been using it. I checked the kitchen counter. Nothing. I checked the couch.... Continue Reading →
This Week In Chaos: Coffee, Canine Chaos & Apparently I’m in a Feud With the Algorithm
There are weeks when you wake up refreshed, organized and ready to embrace all the beautiful possibilities life has to offer. And then there are weeks when you sit in your car talking to your phone while several dogs breathe directly onto the back of your head and you realize this is apparently your life... Continue Reading →
The Friday Afternoon When Everything Went Completely to Hell
Friday afternoon began with the kind of optimism that, in retrospect, should have been considered a warning sign. It was 2:47pm. The weekend was so close I could practically smell sweatpants and poor decisions. I had exactly three things left to accomplish: finish one small task, stop at the grocery store and go home. That... Continue Reading →
One More Day: The Week That Almost Broke Her, But Didn’t
By Friday afternoon, Claire felt as though the week had lasted approximately three months. Nothing catastrophic had happened. It had simply been one of those weeks where life seemed determined to test her using the smallest possible inconveniences, delivered continuously. Monday morning began with an alarm she somehow slept through, followed by coffee spilled down... Continue Reading →
The One Little Repair That Ate My Entire Weekend
It started with a loose cabinet handle. That was it. One tiny, slightly wobbly handle on one perfectly functional kitchen cabinet. A normal person would have tightened the screw and continued living a peaceful life. I am apparently not a normal person. Saturday morning, I grabbed a screwdriver and announced, “This will take two minutes.”... Continue Reading →
The Porch Light: Finding Your Way Back When Life Feels Heavy
There are times in life when nothing is dramatically wrong, but somehow everything feels heavy. That was where Hannah found herself. The past few months had been a collection of small disappointments that had apparently formed a committee. Work had become stressful. A friendship she thought would last forever had quietly faded. Her car had... Continue Reading →
Operation: Avoid Humans
I went to the grocery store at 7:03am for one reason and one reason only: there would be no people. This wasn't a shopping trip. This was a tactical operation. I had calculated everything. Tuesday morning. Barely daylight. Most reasonable humans would either be sleeping, getting ready for work, or standing half-conscious in their kitchens... Continue Reading →
The Creature on Mica Mountain: William Roe’s Sasquatch Encounter
In October 1955, William Roe set out alone into the mountains of British Columbia. He had no idea that before the afternoon was over, he would find himself sitting only feet away from a creature he could neither comfortably call human nor animal and that the experience would remain with him strongly enough that he... Continue Reading →
The Day I Became a Permanent Fixture at Winners
I went into the changeroom with exactly three shirts and the kind of optimism usually found in people who haven't yet been betrayed by retail architecture. This was supposed to take five minutes. Try on shirt. Look in mirror. Question every decision I've made since 1997. Put shirt back on hanger. Leave. Simple. The first... Continue Reading →