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100 Word Stories: Steam-Powered Summer
A riverboat honeymoon memory lingers through decades of change as a son discovers his mother still treasured a framed photograph from a joyful voyage aboard the Delta Queen. Read More
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Pysanky Ukrainian egg
A quiet Sunday visit turned into a hands-on lesson in patience, creativity, and imperfection. While decorating a Ukrainian egg, I rediscovered childhood memories, experimented with unfamiliar techniques, and learned that sometimes the process matters more than the outcome. Read More
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Moms Desertion
My mother left my father after a vacation, disappearing without explanation. Worried, we searched for answers while she secretly contacted me for information. Eventually, we learned she had moved to Florida to live with a traveling glassblower, abandoning everything behind. Read More
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Halley’s Comet
A childhood shaped by Halley’s Comet blends school planetariums, backyard telescopes, and 1980s pop culture, reflecting on Cold War fears, memories, and the realization that the comet’s next return in 2061 feels less distant and more like a personal appointment. Read More
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Gunpowder Elementary
Nottingham, Maryland: 1983 – 1986. Enrolled in special education with partial integration, participated in chorus and school theater (Alice in Wonderland), and gained early exposure to sign language. Read More
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Lot 46: Delray, WV
A 5.5-acre stretch of raw land in Delray became “Lot 46,” where my dad chased a vision and we learned hard work early. Between blue tents, stacked logs, and steep hills, it was less a getaway and more labor-intensive. Read More
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Death of Grandfather Edward William “Tiny” Royston
A childhood memory, a family story, and newspaper records tell conflicting versions of my grandfather’s death during a 1980 snowstorm. As I piece them together, questions emerge about what really happened, and how memory, emotion, and time reshape truth. Read More
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Moved to Clement Ave, Parkville, MD (Camper)
After a last-minute delay in securing a home loan, my parents and I spent our earliest days living in my grandparents’ camper in Parkville. Between teething pains, close quarters, and family lore, the experience became an unexpected beginning. Read More
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First Residence: Mars Estates, Essex, MD
After being kicked out over a high school dance, my mother moved into a small Mars Estates studio she called the “roach motel.” It became the setting for early family stories—including the night she believed I was conceived. Read More