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Tongue of Fire

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Hibernation

Hibernation

Hibernation

I’ve been hibernating. Like the bear who wakes in March to find the forest still icy and unforgiving, I will return to my cave after testing the air. Meanwhile: Single parenting teenagers and young adults. Trying to find a job that doesn’t leave me scrambling for spare change at the end of the pay period. Juggling bills and debts and creditors and overdue notices. Shoveling mountains upon mountains of snow. The lumps, bumps, aches, and indignities of getting older. A car that

Mar 32 min read

It's a Distraction

It's a Distraction

It's a Distraction

In moments of war, outrage, and nonstop headlines, it’s worth returning to first principles. A functioning democracy depends on the well-being of its people: food, shelter, healthcare, and learning. Anything that pulls us away from securing those basics for everyone is a distraction.

Jan 32 min read

Winter Break, Three Ways

Winter Break, Three Ways

Winter Break, Three Ways

or: Gratitude, Grit, and a Self-Serious Cornish Man Winter break has almost passed, and like most pauses in the year, it’s revealed what actually holds my attention. I've spent these days of leisure and cheer on three things: Being thankful — with and for my family, in that quiet, non-Instagram way where gratitude looks like shared meals, tolerance, and laughing at our imperfections. Looking for more income — pragmatically, persistently, and without pretending it’s fun. Bin

Jan 13 min read

AI and Human Judgment in Practice

AI and Human Judgment in Practice

AI and Human Judgment in Practice

I often work in collaboration with AI, using it to sort ideas, request feedback, and clarify my thinking. As a neurodivergent writer and educator, I’ve found this to be a practical way to amplify my strengths rather than fight my process. That idea of amplification matters. Because while AI makes it easy to generate words, it also makes it easy to produce what I think of as empty calories : fluent language without substance. As large language models become part of everyday wo

AI as Assistive Technology

Dec 28, 20253 min read

A close-up bowl of Pantry Crunch Chicken Salad made with canned chicken, shredded cabbage, carrot, and onion. The salad looks creamy, colorful, and textured with visible fresh vegetables.

A close-up bowl of Pantry Crunch Chicken Salad made with canned chicken, shredded cabbage, carrot, and onion. The salad looks creamy, colorful, and textured with visible fresh vegetables.

Pantry Power: What to Do With Shelf-Stable Chicken

In this Pantry Power post, I’m sharing two simple meals that turn canned chicken into something genuinely delicious. If you’ve ever opened a can of shelf-stable chicken and wondered how to make it edible, these recipes are for you. With a few spices, a splash of acid, and some creative kitchen magic, pantry staples can become real comfort food.

Nov 17, 20253 min read

Debunking the Myths: How to Be Poor and Still a Baddie (part 2)

Debunking the Myths: How to Be Poor and Still a Baddie (part 2)

Debunking the Myths: How to Be Poor and Still a Baddie (part 2)

We’ve been fed lies about poverty—lazy, immoral, undeserving. These myths punch down and they prop up a system that flatters the middle class while keeping everyone divided. The truth? Most poor people work hard. And no amount of budgeting fixes a rigged game. If you're slipping or waking up to the scaffolding, you're not alone. Let’s unlearn the lies together.

Nov 10, 20253 min read

Abstract cosmic artwork in deep blues and golds, with glowing threadlike lines weaving across a starry background. The text reads “Intersectional Neurodivergence” at the top and “Our stories are not the same. Our stories matter.” at the bottom, with the website byrnealive.com beneath. The image symbolizes interconnected neurodivergent experiences and shared humanity within diversity.

Abstract cosmic artwork in deep blues and golds, with glowing threadlike lines weaving across a starry background. The text reads “Intersectional Neurodivergence” at the top and “Our stories are not the same. Our stories matter.” at the bottom, with the website byrnealive.com beneath. The image symbolizes interconnected neurodivergent experiences and shared humanity within diversity.

Intersectional Neurodiversity

When we talk about Intersectional Neurodiversity, we’re talking about more than diagnosis—we’re talking about how race, gender, class, and trauma shape the way we’re seen and supported. No two neurodivergent journeys are the same. There’s no right way to survive—only the next breath, the next day, the next small grace.

Neurodivergence

Nov 4, 20253 min read

A child leans back joyfully on a swing in midair, hair flying behind her, surrounded by green trees and sunlight.

A child leans back joyfully on a swing in midair, hair flying behind her, surrounded by green trees and sunlight.

Rock the Boat

I’ve always rocked—literally. It’s how I think, focus, and feel calm. For years, people told me to stop. But I’ve learned you can rock the boat just by being yourself.

Neurodivergence

Nov 3, 20252 min read

Recipe card for Pantry Lentil Vegetable Soup. Ingredients include dry lentils, canned tomato soup, stewed tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, mixed vegetables, and spices like cumin, paprika, and pepper. Directions describe simmering everything in one pot for 30–40 minutes until thick and hearty. Caption: ‘Warm, filling, and made entirely from food pantry staples.

Recipe card for Pantry Lentil Vegetable Soup. Ingredients include dry lentils, canned tomato soup, stewed tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, mixed vegetables, and spices like cumin, paprika, and pepper. Directions describe simmering everything in one pot for 30–40 minutes until thick and hearty. Caption: ‘Warm, filling, and made entirely from food pantry staples.

Feeding Your Family When SNAP Disappears

When SNAP Disappears, millions of working families will feel it first at the dinner table. I’m one of them. I’m a mom, a teacher, and a pantry scavenger who’s learned to make soup out of onions and hope. No time to cry, I'm starting my survival guide right now. Here’s how I’m feeding my family, holding onto dignity, and proving that hope still has flavor.

Oct 28, 20253 min read

A thin white veil lies crumpled on dry, cracked earth scattered with roots and twigs, symbolizing the collapse of illusion and the exposure of harsh reality.

A thin white veil lies crumpled on dry, cracked earth scattered with roots and twigs, symbolizing the collapse of illusion and the exposure of harsh reality.

The Fallen Veil

When white denial slips, the truth burns through. This essay is a reflection on racism, silence, and the cost of looking away. The veil has fallen. What once softened the truth now lies in the dirt. When I became an educator, I caught my first glimpses behind the veil that white America has long employed to pretend we were living in a post-racist world. Until then, I could, if I chose, dismiss echoes of hate as jokes, misunderstandings, or euphemisms. Racial violence didn’t h

Oct 28, 20252 min read

3D forest diagram titled Community Mindsets. The X-axis shows Gratitude versus Entitlement, and the Y-axis shows Empathy versus Judgement. Four trees illustrate the quadrants: A – Gratitude + Empathy, “We thrive together,” a healthy radiant tree. B – Gratitude + Judgement, “I’m blessed,” a strong but self-focused tree. C – Entitlement + Empathy, “We deserve this,” a smaller in-group tree. D – Entitlement + Judgement, “I’m better,” a dark, stunted tree. The image represents how gratitude and empathy sustain communities, while entitlement and judgement erode them.

3D forest diagram titled Community Mindsets. The X-axis shows Gratitude versus Entitlement, and the Y-axis shows Empathy versus Judgement. Four trees illustrate the quadrants: A – Gratitude + Empathy, “We thrive together,” a healthy radiant tree. B – Gratitude + Judgement, “I’m blessed,” a strong but self-focused tree. C – Entitlement + Empathy, “We deserve this,” a smaller in-group tree. D – Entitlement + Judgement, “I’m better,” a dark, stunted tree. The image represents how gratitude and empathy sustain communities, while entitlement and judgement erode them.

#We Can Thrive

Hard work matters, but it’s not the whole story. Some fields flood, some forests burn—and still we judge the ones left in shadow. #We Can Thrive challenges the myth of moral merit and asks: what if thriving was something we protected for everyone?

Oct 26, 20254 min read

Text on a beige background reads: “I tick on the tock. I’m myself.” The word tock is italicized with a small clock symbol inside the “o,” and “I’m myself.” is in orange italic font.

Text on a beige background reads: “I tick on the tock. I’m myself.” The word tock is italicized with a small clock symbol inside the “o,” and “I’m myself.” is in orange italic font.

Creative Weirdo? Let's Collab!

I’ve been creating all my life, but rarely with true collaboration. I tick on the tock—sometimes too much, sometimes not enough—and I’m done apologizing for it. I’m a Creative Weirdo, built for curiosity, connection, and alchemy. If you create for joy and meaning, maybe we’re part of the same tribe.

Oct 25, 20252 min read

A child dressed as Superman and another wearing a ghost costume laugh and trade Halloween candy on a quiet neighborhood street at dusk.

A child dressed as Superman and another wearing a ghost costume laugh and trade Halloween candy on a quiet neighborhood street at dusk.

Progressive for Halloween

A MAGA-Tok Halloween joke claimed progressives want to “take half the candy.” Funny—but also a perfect snapshot of propaganda. Progressives don’t want your treats; we want the bullies to stop hoarding the bowl. Because kids trick-or-treat if they can. Adults work and thrive if they can. And when everyone has enough, fairness isn’t a trick—it’s the real treat.

Oct 23, 20254 min read

Map of protest locations across the continental US

Map of protest locations across the continental US

No Kings: Biglier than Before!

This post is being published on what much of the country still calls Columbus Day—a day that reminds us no one is illegal on borrowed land. It’s also a day to decide what kind of American one chooses to be: obedient or awake, fearful or free. As protests rise again, I’m writing about how peaceful resistance protects truth, community, and our collective calm.

Oct 13, 20254 min read

Why Logic Doesn't Win Hearts — and What Might

Why Logic Doesn't Win Hearts — and What Might

Why Logic Doesn't Win Hearts — and What Might

We argue with logic, but our beliefs come from emotion. The Righteous Mind shows how six moral foundations—Care, Fairness, Loyalty, Authority, Sanctity, and Liberty—shape what feels “right” to each of us. Take the Moral Compass Quiz to see which values guide you and how they compare across America’s moral landscape. Curiosity might just be the bridge we’ve been missing.

Oct 5, 20254 min read

Close-up of hands holding a smartphone with a search for local food banks, showing terms like “free food giveaway near me” and “food pantry Massachusetts list.

Close-up of hands holding a smartphone with a search for local food banks, showing terms like “free food giveaway near me” and “food pantry Massachusetts list.

Welcome to the Rabbit Hole: How to be Poor and Still a Baddie (part 1)

You didn’t plan to fall through the cracks—but here you are. This no-shame survival guide is for anyone sliding out of middle-class stability and into a system that says poverty is your fault. It’s not. You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You’re just seeing the scaffolding now. Welcome to the Rabbit Class.

Sep 28, 20253 min read

A black, white, and yellow illustration of online learning. A student sits at a desk with a laptop, books, and an apple while smiling at the screen. On the laptop, a teacher appears in a video call window, speaking with a raised hand gesture. Both wear yellow shirts, symbolizing connection in the virtual classroom.

A black, white, and yellow illustration of online learning. A student sits at a desk with a laptop, books, and an apple while smiling at the screen. On the laptop, a teacher appears in a video call window, speaking with a raised hand gesture. Both wear yellow shirts, symbolizing connection in the virtual classroom.

Low-Key, This is Kinda Good

When students are given scaffolding—time, tools, and support to climb the ladder of learning—they don’t just survive Shakespeare or Poe, they enjoy them. From Wimpy Kid to Julius Caesar to The Tell-Tale Heart, I’ve seen students connect when teachers have the freedom to adapt. Scaffolding isn’t extra; it’s the bridge that makes real learning possible.

Educate Greatness

Sep 24, 20253 min read

Abstract winter scene symbolizing grief, rage, and national fracture

Abstract winter scene symbolizing grief, rage, and national fracture

Echo from Birmingham Jail

After just a few days offline, the headlines hit like an arctic wind: another school shooting, a young Black student found hanging, free speech under fire. We are not okay—and pretending otherwise only deepens the fracture.

Sep 21, 20253 min read

Empathy Is the Cure

Empathy Is the Cure

Empathy Is the Cure

Wordrise graphic defining “empathact” as taking action motivated by compassion and empathy. Illustration shows one child helping another stand up. Example sentence reads: “Our community empathacted to start a food drive when my neighbor lost her job.” Boxes explain why it matters and word history.

Sep 11, 20253 min read

Cornucopia spilling miniature homes, cars, and goods on a world map — symbol of abundance and enough for all.

Cornucopia spilling miniature homes, cars, and goods on a world map — symbol of abundance and enough for all.

It's Time to Say: Enough

“World Mostly Okay” doesn’t make headlines, but it’s the truth. Scarcity is a script designed to keep us scrambling. Let’s flip it. Let’s live like there’s enough, act like there’s enough, and preach the Word of Enough until fearmongers lose their grip.

Sep 8, 20255 min read

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