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I didn’t wake up until four-thirty this evening. It wasn’t laziness or avoidance. I was up most of the night dealing with brutal acid reflux and vomiting, the kind that leaves you wrung out, dehydrated, and cranky at the universe. When I finally did wake up, the cravings hit hard. Not subtle cravings either. The loud, nagging kind that say, today is not your day. And honestly, today hasn’t been. I want to address a few things that have come up in comments on this blog, because clarity matters, especially when people mean well but don’t have the full picture....

With Christmas approaching, today felt like a pause button moment. A day to reflect, to feel grateful, and to keep things steady. Between making plans for my art and books and simply being present for my mom, the pace slowed in a good way. Calm had a seat at the table today. I’m deeply thankful that I’m no longer trapped in drug houses, surrounded by cigarettes and illicit substances like a bad rerun I couldn’t turn off. I know how fragile stability can be. I could end up back there at any moment. Because of that, I’ve been walking this...

This week came in heavy, the kind of days that press on the chest without asking permission. A small argument with Mom. Serious conversations with my brother about the future. A disagreement with my mental health worker over treatment. When it was just me and the cat, everything felt calm, balanced, almost nautical. Then the water got choppy and the boat started to rock. Mom could see it. She decided I needed space and took me to my favorite coffeehouse, my familiar harbor. But right there, standing like a bad punchline at the entrance, was a guy smoking a cigarette....

I woke up this morning to the unmistakable sound of protest: meow meow meow. Translation: the kitty’s food bowl was empty and this was an emergency of the highest order. So I did what any responsible human servant would do. I fed her, gently placed her in her carrying case, and brought her downstairs to socialize with Mom and my brother. A proper introduction, a little family time, and then, at her request, I cleaned her litter box. Royal treatment. That’s when I noticed something unsettling. She had manipulated the entry flap on her cage. Not just fiddled with it,...

Quitting smoking isn’t just a decision—it’s a whole lifestyle shift. People talk like once you hit a couple of days without lighting up, it’s all smooth sailing. “Oh, you’ve quit!” they say, as if the cravings pack up their bags and move to Florida. But no—just like Whiskey the Kitty, those cravings still need daily management, patience, and a whole lot of responsibility. And speaking of responsibility… today I accidentally sat on the cat. Yes. Sat. On. The. Cat. To be fair, she is tiny, silent, black-and-white camouflage level 10, and loves to appear under me like she’s auditioning for...