✨ Welcome to the Fickle Flashes Blog ✨
Stories, reflections, and soft rebellions from life in motion - a mix of midlife musings, dog-mom tales, creative chaos, and gentle reminders to slow down. Grab a mug, settle in, and wander through whatever speaks to you today.
2026 Reset: Debt-Free Goals, Local Adventures, and Taking My Small Business Seriously
Skipping resolutions this year and focusing on real change instead: paying off debt, staying local, getting creative, and taking my small business seriously.
Paper Trails: My Take on Pick a Color
A quiet, character-driven look at Pick a Color, a novel set in a nail salon where one ordinary day reveals identity, invisibility, and the emotional labor behind service work. Ning’s voice carries the story with sharp, honest reflection.
Midlife Musings - When Night Won’t End
Sleep was the first thing menopause took from me. For months, I barely slept at all — and I learned how deeply rest shapes everything from mood to metabolism. Here’s what’s really happening to our midlife bodies, and the gentle science that helps us rest again.
Paper Trails: Wine, Words, and Old Friends
After years away, I rejoined my old book club — a mix of familiar faces, great food, and lively debate over The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. Not everyone loved the book, but that’s what makes these nights so good. Between laughter, opinions, and a few too-gooey brownies, I remembered why I missed this group. Once a month, a drive and a story feel like the best kind of reset.
No Bones About It: Mabel - The Dog I Didn’t Know I Needed
Mabel is the dog I didn’t know I needed — quirky, protective, and full of chaotic charm. She came into my life skittish and scared, but over time revealed her mischievous heart: stealing socks, shredding tissues, and twirling with joy. She’s the muse behind my Chaos Gremlins collection and a daily reminder that love doesn’t have to be tidy to be true. Mabel mirrors the part of me that feels deeply and moves through life a little wildly, teaching me that laughter, patience, and imperfection are often where the love lives.
Midlife Musings: Itchy, Saggy, and What the Heck Is Happening?
Midlife brings unexpected changes to our skin — from itchy scalps and dry patches to sagging and loss of elasticity. My journey through menopausal skin taught me how much hormones impact collagen, hydration, and texture, and how the right routines, supplements, and self-care can make all the difference.
My Spicy Brain: Embracing My Quirks and Soft Rebellion
Living with a “neurospicy” brain means juggling quirks, half-finished projects, bursts of energy, and the need for deep rest. Over time, I’ve learned to embrace my chaos, honor my downtime, and lean into tools that keep me grounded. This blog is about finding balance in the mix of creativity, anxiety, and soft rebellion—and how little reminders (from planners to cozy comforts) can make life feel more manageable and meaningful.
No Bones About It: Naomi - The Soft Rebel in Fur
Naomi isn’t just my dog — she’s my little soul mate in fur, the anxious, funny, stubborn workhorse of our pack. At only 11 pounds, she’s taught me what soft rebellion really looks like: living life on your terms, finding comfort in cozy corners, and showing up with heart even when anxiety tags along.
Balancing Work, Life, and a Passion Project
Balancing a full-time job, everyday life, and the spark of a new business isn’t easy—but it is possible. In this post, I share how I’m learning to grow my passion project without losing sight of rest, relationships, and the heart behind it all.
Paper Trails: Book Club Memories - How I Found My Way Back to Reading
Book clubs can reignite a love of reading. After years of only scanning work emails and online articles, I joined a local book club and rediscovered the joy of getting lost in stories. From The Goldfinch to The Night Circus, each meeting was filled with lively discussion, laughter, and connection. Though I’ve since moved away, that time remains one of my favorite seasons of reading—and it even inspired me to write a book of my own.
The Many-Tabs Toolkit: My Favorite Notebooks, Apps & Cozy Tech
Tech doesn’t have to feel cold. In my many-tabs toolkit, I share the notebooks, apps, and cozy desk essentials—like noise-cancelling headphones and warm lighting—that make workdays calmer, more intentional, and a little softer.
My Spicy Brain: My Anxiety Toolkit
When anxiety creeps in, I’ve learned that having a personal toolkit makes all the difference. From small comforts like peppermint oil and a personal fan to grounding practices like the 5-4-3-2-1 method, these tools help me feel less powerless when panic rises. In this post, I share my go-to anxiety toolkit—the little things that keep me steady and remind me I’m not alone in this journey.
My Spicy Brain: Living with Anxiety - My Journey Toward Owning It
When I had my first panic attack on the side of a freeway in 2007, I thought I was dying. What I didn’t realize at the time was that anxiety would become part of my story—but not the whole of who I am. In this post, I share my journey with panic attacks, therapy, and finding grounding tools that help me live with anxiety instead of letting it define me.
Midlife Musings: Joints, Joys, and Everything in Between
Midlife isn’t just hot flashes and joint pain—it’s a season of questions, sparks, and unexpected joys. In this first Midlife Musings post, I share my own perimenopause journey, the realities no one talks about (hello itchy skin!), and the bigger shifts that come with this stage of life. Join the conversation and connect with a community navigating the real midlife journey together.
The Creative Process: From One Idea to Many
Publishing Wigby’s Big Year wasn’t the end of my journey — it was just the spark. Outlining the second book led me to unexpected new ideas: a publishing guide, a brand-new set of characters, and lessons about how creativity grows from the smallest sparks.
No Bones About it: Puppy Starter Pack - Bringing Home Otis & Our First Nights
When I first met Otis at the facility in central California, he curled up in my arms and didn’t move. In that quiet moment, I knew he was mine. A few weeks later, when I brought him home, I thought I had everything ready—crate, puppy pads, the works. But that first night taught me the truth about puppy parenting: no matter how many books you read, your dog will teach you what really matters. Here’s what I learned from our first week together, plus the starter pack of essentials I swear by for new puppy parents.
Let’s Create: Plot Twists in Publishing - How My First Book Almost Went Off the Rails
I thought writing was the hard part—until I hit publish too early, ran into a trademark snag, and fell down the KDP/Canva rabbit hole. Here’s how my “almost off the rails” debut became a better book, plus the five self-publishing lessons that saved my sanity: slow down, research names, expect a learning curve, allow mistakes, and embrace the plot twists.
No Bones About It: Otis’ Guide to Cozy Evenings 🎂✨
Celebrate Otis’ 10th birthday with his guide to cozy evenings—blankets, treats, and slow moments that remind us to pause and savor life with our dogs.
Brain Tabs: Because Sometimes Your Brain Needs a Filing Cabinet
Ever feel like your brain has 37 tabs open and at least five of them are frozen? That’s exactly why I created Brain Tabs — a printable tool that flexes with you instead of guilting you with blank pages. It’s not a planner, it’s not a journal — it’s your brain’s filing cabinet, ready whenever you need it. No dates. No rules. Just pages you can print, scribble on, and actually use. Read on to see how Brain Tabs can help you organize a messy mind without the side order of shame.
Slow Season: My 4 Cozy Rituals for Calm & Comfort
Life’s simplest comforts can be the most powerful rituals — a warm mug in your hands, a soft blanket, a good book, and a moment to just be. In this post, I’m sharing my four favorite cozy rituals, the mindfulness behind them, and a few of my go-to products that make them extra special.