Sometimes I feel like an extremist.Not in the political sense—just in the Peni tries to do everything at maximum intensity sense. Like exercise. I go all out… until I can’t move, can’t think, and have to sit in one spot for hours, questioning every life choice I’ve ever made. Or books. If I love a […]

As we say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026, we also say hello to something else—our hopes for the new year.Otherwise known as New Year’s resolutions… those well-intentioned promises we make while holding a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and thinking, This year will be different. I usually start the new year full […]

I’ve been thinking a lot about the human touch lately—especially hand-holding.There are so many reasons we reach for someone’s hand. When I was little, my big sister and I held hands constantly—part safety, part comfort, and part, “I’ve got you and you’ve got me.” Even without words, that was our promise to each other. Two […]

We all get “set in our ways,” don’t we? It happens so gradually we barely notice it… until someone else can’t adapt, and suddenly we’re experts on flexibility! Take this past Thanksgiving, for instance. My hubby and I drove to our daughter’s house to celebrate with her and her husband. We booked a nearby hotel […]

I never had a coach for anything as a kid—or as an adult, for that matter. Looking back, wow… I missed out! I had plenty of teachers, instructors, mentors, even therapists—but never a coach. But now?Oh, now I have all the coaches.Exercise coaches, nutritional coaches, and even writing coaches.I feel like I’m being coached into […]

Last week I took a little tumble at home — knocked myself out, broke a few bones, and earned myself a dreaded trip to the ER. After a blur of tests and scans, the doctors found a brain injury and decided to send me to another hospital that could “handle it.” I didn’t know exactly […]

So what do you do when you’re stressed, or when there’s just too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it? Do you procrastinate with a spontaneous road trip? Eat an embarrassing amount of chocolate? Wander into a package store (for you non–New Englanders, that’s a beer & wine shop)? Binge-watch TV? […]

Did you have an invisible friend growing up? Whenever I ask that question, about 90% of the time the answer is—YES! The reasons vary—companionship, loneliness (like me), or maybe the joy of bossing someone around without fear of consequences. Whatever the reason, those imaginary buddies were part of our lives. And according to some studies, […]

Different points of view are the spice of life, right? Our world would be so boring if we all thought the same way. But let’s be honest—it can be a little tricky when your thoughts are totally different from those around you. Take my hubby, for example. I like things neat and tidy—clear counters, a […]

Have you ever seen a child throw a temper tantrum? Chances are, yes—more than once! It usually happens over something the child wants but doesn’t get. “But I want it!” the child shrieks, while the parent calmly insists, “You don’t need it.” Children have trouble understanding the difference between a want and a need. To […]