Carlina Scalf

I’ve never been a huge fan of dressing up. But this year, I had a costume party to attend, so I decided to go all out with my Halloween costume. At first, I spent a few hours searching on Amazon for a good deal and a great costume — but that quickly

Last month, I finally tried out a TV show that so many people have recommended to me over the years: Gilmore Girls. I know, I know — how had I not watched Gilmore Girls?! It has been just as delightful and suited for me as everyone said — warm fami

This spring, my parents had really lovely flowers planted in the front yard. It’s been fun to watch them grow over the summer—each time I visited the house, they seemed to be fuller, brighter, and more beautiful.

One of my favorite quotes about writing is from Dorothy Parker: “I hate writing, but I love having written.” While Dorothy was probably saying this tongue-in-cheek, her words ring true for anyone who has pursued a long-term project.

Do you ever feel like you’re “falling behind?” In the modern era, it’s nearly impossible to avoid comparing ourselves to others. Just when we feel good about an accomplishment we’ve made at work, at school, or in our personal lives, we can open...

Have you expressed enthusiasm lately? I mean genuine, fast-talking, breathless enthusiasm — the kind of excitement where you’re so eager to share your thoughts and experiences, you can barely get the words out! Expressing enthusiasm comes easily when

Recently, I’ve been singing more. To be clear, I am not a good singer. In middle school, I didn’t even make the cut for the school choir! I only sing in the car, the shower, and around my apartment, and never within earshot of other people. Singing..

Some might say I can get a little attached to people, places, and things. When I was a toddler, my family decided to trade in our red van for a different car. I don’t remember what kind of car we were trading it in for, because, to me, it didn’t....

This week I’m thinking about new beginnings, and how they’re best embarked upon together. I was out for an early morning walk this week when I happened upon a mom anxiously watching her two small children board the the bus for their first day of...

It's the eternal dilemma, spoken aloud by friends and family members everywhere: "What do you want to do?" "I don't know — what do you want to do?" It's deceptively difficult to know what we want. Whether we're making dinner plans or choosing a life

During our staycation last week, my family reserved a day to participate in the movie event of the summer, “Barbenheimer.” After an 11am showing of Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer, we grabbed an outdoor lunch, had some reset time (i.e. – took