Life Lessons
Googling an Ex Isn't Always About the Ex
Looking up someone from your past can tell you a surprising amount about people and about the younger version of yourself who knew them
Shannon Hilson
Writer of essays, reflections, and cultural commentary. Exploring creativity, inner life, and what it means to grow wiser on purpose.
Movies
8 Ways Labyrinth Somehow Prepared Me for Adult Life
David Bowie, goblins, impossible staircases, and a surprising amount of wisdom for navigating adulthood
Art
"Why Is All Your Art So Scary?"
The long answer to the question I've been hearing my entire life
Gardening
An Entirely Reasonable Interest in Cucmbers
Ten observations from the garden this summer (so far)
Short Fiction
The Dresses Waiting Upstairs
For years, two impossible gowns wait patiently for the woman who made them
Productivity
Don't Let Personal Projects Become "Someday" Projects
Practical ways to keep writing, making art, and creating for yourself even when work demands your attention
Observations
I've Stopped Treating Mornings Like Enemy Territory
On aging, changing preferences, and discovering beauty in unexpected places
Aging
9 Signs Your Bucket List Has Evolved into a Death Tour
Why midlife dreams start looking less like skydiving and more like finally learning Icelandic
Artificial Intelligence
So, I Guess We Use AI to Talk to Each Other Online Now
What happens when comments, replies, and internet conversation become machine-assisted
On Spring, Wuthering Heights, and a Few Personal Things
A brief update on life — something I just don't do enough anymore
Aging
By 50, You’re Done With More Than You Think
What changes for women in midlife and why you stop tolerating things that used to feel normal
Books
On Christina Applegate, Nostalgia, and Common Connections
Every so often, something reminds me that people have so much more in common than otherwise