Sweeping Winter Transitions

By: Gabriela Yareliz Winter was always a season of transition. There were many instances where we were moving or something was happening mid-school year. Some sort of transition. Often, it was a dramatic move, from one state to another. The whole school situation is sort of a blur to me now. I can’t remember exactlyContinue reading “Sweeping Winter Transitions”

An Old Friend

By: Gabriela Yareliz HELLO I have been itching to get back here. My little fingers, burning to hit those keys in nonwork related matters. Typically, I am furiously plucking at my keyboard editing a motion while having a work Zoom meeting on in the background. I am also skilled at balancing my iPad on myContinue reading “An Old Friend”

All-Consuming Fire

[Photo by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash] By: Gabriela Yareliz Fire has always been familiar. As someone who grew up camping, I saw it often. We also used it a lot at church gatherings, so there is that. I saw how it would grow into a steady flame, how it warmed food and snacks. I heardContinue reading “All-Consuming Fire”

The Libraries

[Image via The University of Cambridge] Thinking of autumn reminds me of wandering libraries. I have wandered many. There was the large one in Gainesville with all of the movie/DVD shelves. I would browse, waiting for my computer ticket number to come up so I could check my email at one of their computers. ThereContinue reading “The Libraries”

American Wealth: Teen Angst & the Driver’s License

By: Gabriela Yareliz “A man goes where he wants, when he wants,” Daniel Castellano says on The Mindy Project when standing in line for the 100th time at the DMV to try to pass his driving test. The United States is filled with open space. In 97% of this country, I would say you needContinue reading “American Wealth: Teen Angst & the Driver’s License”

A Lesson from Ms. Hilton (Loves It)

By: Gabriela Yareliz It’s 2004. For Christmas, I get the new Paris Hilton fragrance with a black quilted handbag that has a little compact in it, and it has the name “Paris Hilton” embroidered into it in bright pink. The greatly coveted and cherished gift set. If you were a teen in the early 2000s,Continue reading “A Lesson from Ms. Hilton (Loves It)”

Spring State of Mind

By: Gabriela Yareliz I laugh as I ask Alexa whether it’s raining. She says it won’t rain tonight and a downpour begins simultaneously. Guess she didn’t get the memo. It’s the first day of spring tomorrow, and it sure feels like it. Today was a sweater only day, filled with sunshine and a lovely coolContinue reading “Spring State of Mind”

Winter Scene

By: Gabriela Yareliz When you see a cardinal, it means angels are near. I saw that at a garden center, recently. I thought it was cute. I feel like angels are always near, but it’s a nice reminder. A cardinal on a winter day is a popping apparition. We all have different scenes that flashContinue reading “Winter Scene”

Here I Come A-wassailing

By: Gabriela Yareliz Searching for Memories I can see myself holding the Christmas carol book, fast-forwarding the little white cassette in my purple boombox past that one song, “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.” I found that song to be boring. Not sure why. Skip. My favorite one was “Here We Come A-wassailing” (thereContinue reading “Here I Come A-wassailing”

A Moment in the Mirror

By: Gabriela Yareliz No two Thanksgivings were the same for me, growing up. Maybe it was all the moving around. I don’t know. We had some great ones in Florida, maybe three years in a row we had Thanksgiving at some church friends’ house. They would invite more or less the same group. We ateContinue reading “A Moment in the Mirror”