Observations
I've Stopped Treating Mornings Like Enemy Territory
On aging, changing preferences, and discovering beauty in unexpected places
Shannon Hilson
Writer of essays, reflections, and cultural commentary. Exploring creativity, inner life, and what it means to grow wiser on purpose.
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
Life
Take the Picture, Because You'll Forget More Than You Think
What a bizarrely calm bird taught me about memory, detail, and proof
Relationships
Stop Trying to Care About Things You’re Done With
Why interest fades, what to do when it does, and why people push back
holidays
I'm Not an April Fool's Person
On pranks, awkward social scripts, and quietly stepping out of the joke
Internet
This Is Not the Audience I Ordered
A writer’s take on audience mismatch, parasocial weirdness, and platform logic that doesn’t add up
Life
Somewhere Between Winter and Whatever Comes Next
Turning fifty, rearranging a life, and letting the space tell the truth
Writing
5 Small, Strange Habits Every Longtime Writer Develops
From mentally editing restaurant menus to collecting odd bits of dialogue for future stories