The comings and goings at airports have always fascinated me. Over the years, I’ve said goodbye to many friends and relatives who have travelled extensively or moved to faraway places. When I was about 10 years old, one of my favourite aunties moved to the US permanently. Ours was a…

10 modern cartoon characters that can help children understand LTBTQ relationships. — When February rolled around in New Zealand and the pride flag started flying everywhere, my 8-year-old daughter asked me what that was about. I began explaining LGBTQ to her. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she easily understood it because of Steven Universe. Yes, the cartoon helped make…

Takeaways from taking on the learning journey at 39 — When I turned 39, I decided it was time to learn the piano. I was terrified. I asked myself over and over again if this was the right thing to do. I was concerned about whether I was too old to learn at this stage. I also had to assess…

We all pass away, so I’m preparing for it with a “death pack“ ”which includes letters to my child. — Dear daughter, I can’t believe you’re getting married today! I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there. I’m sure you look beautiful. This is the first day of your new life… That’s how the first letter went. I wrote about 40 of these. I did it even before my little girl…

Last week, I lost my mother. It is one of the most painful things that I have ever had to go through. I’m still grieving and I am still unsure how to navigate this sea of sorrow. Over the last few days, I’ve had the oddest encounters with people. Despite…

7 steps to get you started on your way to earning online and living a location-independent life. — Imagine this: you’re writing about your trip to the tropical paradise that is Bali while sitting by the beach having a cold one. You hit submit on that article and you’re set. This isn’t just a vacation. This isn’t just a dream. It’s your life. Being a digital nomad and…

Caring for your mental health has never been as important as it has ever been. Here are some tips to get you started. — We’ve all had a tough year in 2020. So far, by the looks of things, 2021 isn’t shaping up to be a better one. From lockdowns to panicked toilet paper buying, homeschooling to working from home — there really is so much to be stressed about. The only thing that…

Whether it’s a potential client trying to get a freebie or an old acquaintance trying to score free advice, here are professional ways to say no. — I have been working as a writer and a digital marketer for over 15 years. In the span of my career, I’ve had friends, relatives, and even total strangers ask me for help with their personal writing assignments, editing their stories, or driving traffic to their websites. While I don’t…

Is the sudden change in behavior just growing pains or are these signs your child is being bullied? — I met up with my girl group from high school a few months ago (BC — before Covid-19). One of them invited a common friend — someone I wasn’t particularly close with growing up. In that coffee session with the girls, we did something we haven’t done in years. We…