by Michael Strange | Jan 30, 2023
So, I started my journey writing for the feels a few years back. In fact, I recently saw a memory about Janis announcing my first blog. It’s been such a great run doing these blogs, telling stories about what it was like raising two boys at my age. I shared...
by Cathy Jean Francois | Jan 26, 2023
During my walk with my puppy Roxie one morning, I listened to one of my favorite podcasters Sarah Werner who talked about writing as a form of healing and self-care. She said that “…channeling your story or your pain or your trauma or your joy through a fictional...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Jan 25, 2023
Happy New Year!! Yes, Yes, I know, it is the later part of January, however I am only seeing you today. I hope each one of you had a nice Holiday season and have kick started this new year on a grateful note! As we begin this new year of 2023, we may get caught up in...
by Lynn Lawler | Jan 24, 2023
In the past, when I heard the word ‘recovery,’ I immediately thought of the 12-step programs. This program felt like I was in jail for messing up my life. As time went on, my views of recovery changed for the better. But it took time to get there. I have kept to...
by Tiffany Reneé | Jan 19, 2023
In January of last year, I set my intentions. I had plans. I had new goals. New dreams. I wrote down everything I wanted to accomplish—personal, financial, creative, all of it. I was searching for peace, though. I felt I had to steal time for myself and was stretched....
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Jan 18, 2023
Happy New Year, my friends! I hope that the holiday season was good for each of you. For January, we’ve been given the theme “Recovery”. Recovery is defined as (via Oxford Languages): 1. a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength ...
by Nancy Fraioli | Jan 12, 2023
I want to surround myself with people, of any age, who make me feel more; not lessThose who admire my thinking, rather than my dress They don’t have to agree with me or my (thoughts) sentimentsBut at least acknowledge my ideas with gladnessWho knows, my image may...
by Cathy Jean Francois | Dec 29, 2022
The holidays are upon us. The colorful lights that carefully decorate random houses in all types of different neighborhoods are a daily reminder that we are all collectively looking forward to a very special occasion. In the midst of the chaos of our lives, many of us...
by JB Boutelle | Dec 23, 2022
Hi everyone, It’s Friday, December 23rd. Are you ready for Christmas? Nope. Me either. It’s ok. Our theme this month on The Daily Feels is CARING. After the last few months, I can attest that CARING has really made me tired. ...
by Lynn Lawler | Dec 21, 2022
The holiday season has always been a magical, caring, and sacred time. For most of my life, it has been the happiest for me as it is here that I felt the most connected to life itself. Ever since I was a child, the vibe of this time has always excited me with a...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Dec 20, 2022
Is it December ALREADY!?! Is it just me who says this every December? Can you relate? Out of all the months, December is my ABSOLUTE favorite month!! For me, Christmas is the most magical time of the year. Christmas is my favorite holiday! It is some of my...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Dec 15, 2022
Season’s Greetings, Everyone! The theme for this month is Caring, but it’s also the holiday season, so the words “Comfort and Joy” immediately came to my mind. This time of the year isn’t easy for everyone, and at this time last year, I wasn’t feeling...
by Kristin Asadourian | Dec 14, 2022
It’s been a while since I’ve sat in front of my computer with the intention to write for fun. I convinced myself I don’t have time to write simply for the fun of it. Now, that I am writing for fun and the topic I am writing about is caring, I’m left questioning,...
by Jessica Reed | Dec 8, 2022
Steve was the costume designer for the 1994 Asheville Community Theater (ATC) production of Bye Bye Birdie. I was 17 and miserable, which I guess is really the same as saying I was 17, cast in the play by my high school chorus director (with whom I feel I should...
by Nancy Fraioli | Dec 6, 2022
A time to relive and renew What makes you…..you And me…..me Is it just the evergreen tree That’s symbolic No, that would be to ironic Christmas, to me, is not just a tonic To erase what I can’t face Each Christmas becomes a...
by Johanna Cascione | Dec 1, 2022
Thanksgiving 2022 is in the books…Christmas is on its way. We are firmly entrenched in what many espouse to be the happiest time of the year. But for some of us, happiness can be elusive, for a variety of reasons, some external, others more organic. ...
by Cathy Jean Francois | Nov 30, 2022
Our thoughts are truly powerful. They dictate what we do and how we feel. One of the most powerful lessons regarding positive thoughts that I could have learned through experience is summed up in this quote by Mary Engelbreit: “If you don’t like something, change it;...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Nov 23, 2022
It’s November, and we know what that means…THANKSGIVING! Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I love the idea of Thanksgiving (and the stuffing covered in gravy!). There’s this wall hanging in the Vets’ hall where our community theater group...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Nov 22, 2022
When I tell you that there is a month for EVERY. SINGLE. TOPIC., trust me! November is not only Scorpio Season for me.. lol – It is National Gratitude month!! If you know anything about me, you know how much gratitude has saved my life, opened my heart, and ignited a...
by Cathy Jean Francois | Nov 16, 2022
One of the many things that I take pride in is the fact that I make time to take care of myself by exercising on a daily basis and drinking a lot of water. And, in an effort to control the symptoms associated with endometriosis, I’ve changed to a vegan diet and I have...
by Lynn Lawler | Nov 15, 2022
November is upon us, and Fall has settled in with the crisp temperatures and dropping leaves. Another one of my favorite holidays is on the horizon, Thanksgiving. This is a sacred time and space to reflect on what I am grateful for. To be grateful for something is to...
by Nancy Fraioli | Nov 9, 2022
Long ago when I worked as a Benefits Administrator, I remember how I loved the monthof November. It afforded us three paid holidays. It’s those three days I now allude to. I call them…The Magnificent Three! ELECTION (Voters Day), VETERANS DAY and...
by JB Boutelle | Nov 8, 2022
So, It’s November 8, 2022 and today is officially Election Day. I wish today wasn’t also MY day to blog. See, lately, whenever I share “my voice” I’ve been met with a lot of disgruntled rebuttals. Why? I don’t know. Apparently, wanting everyone to work together and...
by Lynn Lawler | Oct 27, 2022
This month’s topic, ‘What scares me the most and why,’ has been an eye-opening experience in writing for me. I also feel I have grown spiritually from facing these fears. I realized I was carrying a lot of baggage that no longer served me. The fears range from the...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Oct 26, 2022
Happy October, my friends! It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month, but this month’s theme is What Scares You the Most, so I thought I’d share something that I’m working on. I’m writing my first book, and the story...
by Valerie Altman | Oct 25, 2022
When I first started writing for The Daily Feels it was just weeks before lockdown. I found myself in a great place with my business and I felt like I could finally do something creative that I enjoyed doing. Then once lockdown hit, I knew I’d have the space to really...
by Guest Blogger | Oct 24, 2022
I know what it feels like to be trapped inside your own home because some invisible force has a strange and indomitable power over you. No matter how much you think you can coerce your mind to break from that power, you are always completely defeated. I don’t know...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Oct 19, 2022
When you see this blog of mine, it will be exactly twenty days until I turn “The Big 50!” YES! HALF A CENTURY OLD!! Eek! Considered the “golden age”! remember it was once the “old fogie age” one of my biggest fears was being ‘old’ when I was a kid… AND 50 was O-L-D!...
by Nancy Fraioli | Oct 11, 2022
My Earthly Ideas About Crossing Over Into Heaven While viewing Queen Elizabeth’s passing parade from Scotland to England, I couldn’t help think about another time when the people came out in droves for Princess Diana. The Queen and her husband Prince Phillip had...
by Lynn Lawler | Sep 20, 2022
Have you noticed that today’s life has sped up? In today’s world, many people rush around, whether doing errands, chores or even resting. Granted, there is much to be done in a short amount of time. However, there is one element of our lives that we have allowed to...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Sep 14, 2022
Hey, everyone! So much has happened in the last month, and it’s made me thinkof the ever-changing ebb and flow of loss and renewal that occur in our lives.Actually, I just read an article about Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, where thoseexact two words were used by the...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Sep 13, 2022
Contemplating on where I wanted to lean into this month was super challenging for me. With the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the 21st Anniversary of 09.11, and the transition of my uncle; all that has been on my mind for most of this month is life, death,...
by Johanna Cascione | Sep 8, 2022
It’s true what they say, you can’t miss what you don’t know. There wasno more perfect example of this than my reluctance to open a facebookaccount. In this day of social media saturation, I guess you could say Iwas a dinosaur. I was perfectly content...
by Nancy Fraioli | Sep 6, 2022
It’s only September and I say “WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS!” And I say we need a little CHRISTMAS….whether you believe it or not Our Earth in space is in such a hot spot Earth is in overload From the flood of tyrannical attacks When...
by Jessica Reed | Sep 1, 2022
As a professional gay/lesbian/queer person (you decide what that means to you :D), I have the privilege of participating in panels about LGBTQIA+ Pride, intimate conversations about identity, intersectionality, and allyship. And as part of this year’s panel back in...
by Valerie Altman | Aug 30, 2022
We all seem to have that one place away from home that makes us feel happy. My sister’s is Cape Cod (particularly the beach), I have friends who love LBI, Disney, but for me it’s been Stowe, VT. This summer is my 10th visit to Stowe and in my usual fashion, I’ve been...
by Lynn Lawler | Aug 18, 2022
Hello Everyone, and a warm welcome to you all. Today is a blessing, and I am thankful for my life. My life’s mission is to assist in the enlightenment of all people who cross my path seeking a higher purpose. I do this through my work: author, blogger, and outreach...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Aug 17, 2022
Hello, my Daily Feelers! It’s been a while, and I’ve missed you. I’ll be starting off this post with a portion of the lyrics to a song from the musical, Rent… Seasons of Love (Jonathon Larson) 525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes – how do...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Aug 16, 2022
When you meet me, you may see a woman with a beautiful smile, a woman who is pretty, a woman who lights up a room with her energy…OR… you may see a woman that is “stuck-up”, a woman who thinks she is ‘ALL that’ & a bag of chips. Whatever your first impression of...
by Liv Mazz | Aug 10, 2022
It was a cold Sunday morning in February, when I sprinted down the street, 5 minutes late to church. I huffed and puffed, annoyed that my un-athleticism had to be paired with the 20-degree weather. I finally reached the big cathedral doors, when I spotted an older...
by Nancy Fraioli | Aug 9, 2022
When I began this ‘masked’ article, we’d not heard of Ukraine; let alone the unknown happenings that were about to take place! And, all the unsurmountable hardships that were about to be thrust upon us; in America and the world over! This is about my ‘imagining’ of...
by Tiffany Reneé | Aug 4, 2022
I have been missing my grandma for over a year. July marked the anniversary of her passing. I think of her every day. This milestone on the grief journey did not stand out; it simply gave me pause and reflection. I think writing these words stirs more emotion than the...
by JB Boutelle | Aug 3, 2022
Hi Daily Feelers, What a year, huh? I feel like I start every blog that way these days. Meh. What can I say? Life in 2022 is not dull, not for anyone. If you are fortunate enough to be boring, you are the bomb.com. As many may imagine,...
by Padraic Maroney | Aug 2, 2022
When I first agreed to write a guest post, I was excited to check in with all The Daily Feelers and to talk about one of my signature topics during my time here – my birthday! This year is a milestone birthday, so you know that I have gone overboard. Gift registry?...
by Valerie Altman | Jun 22, 2022
Have you ever looked in your closet, seen a row (or even more) of clothes and thought to yourself “I have NOTHING to wear”? THIS has been plaguing me for a lifetime. Navigating my fluctuating weight through four different seasons a year and always needing to buy new...
by Nancy Fraioli | Jun 14, 2022
A quiet alley way that we live on Is aligned with colorful small deep blue tables And matching chairs Purple pots with greenery tops Align the stairs A high Tower at the end of our alley way Is our church with its golden...
by Nancy Fraioli | Jun 3, 2022
We grieve the children and two teachers from UVALDE, TEXAS who will never Return home again…… School is supposed to be a place of learning Where young hearts and minds are yearning To build their futures so they can take their place In a mixed world...
by Liv Mazz | Jun 2, 2022
“It’s everything about this age,” I replied to my brother when he asked what was wrong during a midnight phone call. “It’s just…scary. It’s scary because I actively feel myself growing up. I feel my perspective changing each day. I feel my new, more matured view of...
by Valerie Altman | May 26, 2022
by Jennifer Miele Leslie | May 25, 2022
This past weekend, I sat in a coffee shop to write my very overdue story. It was a quaint, independently owned business where the workers and music had a distinct alternative vibe. (Totally my zone) Reclaimed wood, tin ceilings, fairy lights and cozy nooks surrounded...
by Claudia Lucey | May 20, 2022
After three years of hobbling around on a knee that was clearly deteriorating, I made the (to me) bold move of having total knee replacement. It was not for lack of “sticking it out”–I used supplements, gels, exercise, anything to delay the inevitable. Finally,...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | May 19, 2022
Greetings, friends! This month the theme is “Nature”, and so many things came to mind, so I’ve decided to write about it all in poem form. Hope you enjoy. Great majesty of Nature Cathedrals of trees, creating an Endless cycle of life Birds, bugs, all non-human...
by JB Boutelle | May 17, 2022
Hey Daily Feelers, Has anyone been to the airport lately? Man, you can get a ticket to almost anywhere for a good deal. But then you get to the part of the checkout where they ask how many bags you are bringing? That’s when the total jacks right up there. I have...
by Nancy Fraioli | May 5, 2022
“The true profession of a man is finding his way to himself.” Herman Hesse My Soul is learning earthly habits…. It’s finding its true Nature and growing with ‘wisdom’ How many lives must my Soul live To capture and know its true desire What I wouldn’t...
by Valerie Altman | Apr 28, 2022
I haven’t always struggled with Self Love. When I was a kid, I loved me for me. I loved who I was regardless of the name calling, teasing and bullying. I deflected with humor and honestly lived in my own little bubble and couldn’t care less what anyone thought of me....
by JB Boutelle | Apr 27, 2022
This month, we are talking about what makes us come alive. Well, it brought to mind one of my favorite books when I was a small child, Where the Wild Things Are. If you’ve skipped this one, here’s the recap: a tale of a boy named Max who runs away into the woods and...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Apr 26, 2022
So, we meet again, Feelers… This month, we were given a theme of “What makes you come alive?”- and you know, I really thought about this, because each of us will have different answers to this question. There are so many different facets to life, in general, but...
by Tiffany Reneé | Apr 20, 2022
“Ok, we’re diving today.” Instantly, I look at her. I try to read her face. I immediately give a thumbs up! As a mom, that’s what I’m supposed to do, right? Support and encourage. I could tell she was apprehensive. I was too. I could tell that she had big thoughts and...
by Kristin Asadourian | Apr 19, 2022
Are You Truly Living? Some spend a lifetime on this planet and never entirely discover what makes them come alive. This is a large part of the self-discovery process. A journey full of excitement, struggle, and a tremendous amount of learning. Understanding our...
by Anastasia Meininger | Apr 14, 2022
I have been writing for The Daily Feels for almost 4 years. Most of the people who read the things that I write are the people who witness my life firsthand, and somehow still care enough to read about it anyway. (Hi Mom and Dad and Cav. Hello Reesey, and hiiii Ansh.)...
by Nancy Fraioli | Apr 7, 2022
Let the trees and flowers grow again in Ukraine Where the fields of golden wheat and corn have been Reduced to char and ashes By the order of a madman who sends iron guns and trashes All the footsteps of time He sets himself off; alone As...
by Johanna Cascione | Apr 6, 2022
I was struggling with a topic for my blog this month. I have always had some seed of an idea that I wanted to elaborate on. This month, nothing. That is odd for me, because I have always had something I wanted to say, preach about or lecture...
by Tiffany Reneé | Mar 30, 2022
“I was once afraid of people saying ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say, ‘This is who I am.’” —Oprah Winfrey There is something so beautiful about a woman stepping into her power, then standing steady, and choosing to define...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Mar 28, 2022
It’s March. It’s now Spring. Did you think Spring would ever arrive? It’s Mother Nature’s little miracle to us! You may not think of it as a miracle, just a change of season- but I do- and when you believe in miracles, you begin to see them all...
by Lynn Lawler | Mar 24, 2022
Hello Everyone, and a warm welcome to you all! I Thank ‘The Daily Feels’ for publishing this blog and my friend, Julie Slater, for telling me about this publication! As a reader, I have gained a lot of insight and have read many words of wisdom through others’...
by Valerie Altman | Mar 23, 2022
To be honest, this chatty chick had a hard time thinking of what to write this month. I know! Crazy, right? After thinking about it for a bit, I realized I wanted to talk about something that has a huge impact on my life and many other people’s lives…Invisible...
by Mary Kim Farkas | Mar 21, 2022
“God may not come when you want, but He’s always right on time” If I can sum up one simple, yet impactful quote that encompasses the many journeys and adversities of my life, THIS would be it! Hello my name is Mary Kim Farkas and I am the mother of a nine year old boy...
by Kristin Asadourian | Mar 16, 2022
Sometimes to find the answer on how to move forward, we need to look to the past. It’s an opportunity to look again, see with fresh eyes and heighten our level of consciousness. And most importantly acknowledging historical patterns and behaviors presents us...
by Claudia Lucey | Mar 15, 2022
Love(s) of My Life Someone who I am quite fond of was musing recently, “What if you turn a corner and bump into the love of your life?” I quickly answered, “Which one?” I don’t believe in the single love of my life–I know that this is a controversial...
by Michael Strange | Mar 10, 2022
Did you miss me??? I missed y’all. A special thank you to the lovely/scrumptious Jennifer Boutelle for keeping the feels going and letting me write this blog. Everyday in life it is a gift. I learned that a long time ago and I try to remember this simple fact...
by Nancy Fraioli | Mar 9, 2022
THE PLACE WHERE I LIVE IS MY MIRACLE… Silence all around me And it comes from deep within That’s what is known as peace It surrounds me One cannot buy it and it’s not for lease A calm that’s so serene A scent of orange...
by Jennifer Miele Leslie | Mar 8, 2022
Once upon a time there was a Mama. All day long she would toil away at redundant home care activities that nobody ever seemed to acknowledge. When there would be a slight, second of awareness that something of theirs had been cleaned, fixed, or organized in any way,...
by JB Boutelle | Mar 1, 2022
It’s March 2022. It’s supposed to be a month of remembrance for Women’s Rights and all the hero’s before us that made a way for us to prosper. Sounds glorious, right? Well, it would be if our rights didn’t come with an awkward growing phase on complete display for...
by Jessica Reed | Feb 23, 2022
Dulce is my dulcimer, my Appalachian teardrop dulcimer. My wife got her for me for my 44th birthday (I recently turned 45, so happy Dulce-versary to me). At first, Dulce and I spent time together pretty much daily. In between Microsoft Teams calls, we pretended to...
by Guest Blogger | Feb 22, 2022
Whether you’ve experienced an outstanding childhood or one that left you yearning for more, I am sure that at one point or another you promised yourself that you would do certain things differently when you became a parent. Many people cringe at the...
by Tiffany Reneé | Feb 17, 2022
In August of 2020, while spending time with my family in Ohio, I started practicing daily affirmation meditations. Meditation has been an essential aspect of my self-care routine, but affirmations were new to me. I committed 21 days to speaking goodness to myself. I...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Feb 16, 2022
Ahhhh…It’s that time of year…Valentine’s Day time… For some, it’s all hearts and roses, for others – it’s wearing black and denouncing love. Then for others – it’s just another date on the calendar. Whatever it is to you, I’m choosing to send you (yes,...
by Kristin Asadourian | Feb 15, 2022
A blank page to many writers is a terrifying sight. It’s a journey into something unknown. We are not always certain where the words will take us and for this reason the emptiness can be trilling, intimidating, and overwhelming all at once. It’s a matter of possessing...
by JB Boutelle | Feb 9, 2022
Hi Daily Feelers, I hope your month is off to a joyous start. Our theme on The Daily Feels is LOVE. Big shocker, huh? Meh. Typical. I know. However, if you read a few of the blogs thus far this month, you’d notice a pattern. There’s a lot of people questioning...
by Jennifer Miele Leslie | Feb 9, 2022
My brain works differently than many of my peers. Not less than. Not wrong. Not “bad,” as some people have often suggested. Just……DIFFERENT. I process the world around me – sounds, smells, thoughts, and feelings in a way that neurotypical people do not always...
by Nancy Fraioli | Feb 2, 2022
FISHING FOR LOVE LETTERS With their little hook And bated line with a letter They ask the fishes to help them make a book To make their Grandma’s life better Their Nonna, from Italy, could not hear And always had a fear ...
by Valerie Altman | Jan 26, 2022
“Mrs. ‘Play it safe’, was afraid to fly. She packed her suitcase and kissed her cats goodbye. She waited the whole pandemic to take that flight, and when she got Covid she thought…” Oh Sh!t! There are probably so many stories like mine of people being so careful...
by Tiffany Reneé | Jan 25, 2022
According to the Collins dictionary, new is defined: 1. ADJECTIVE Something that is new has been recently created, built, or invented or is in the process of being created, built, or invented. 2. ADJECTIVE Something that is new has not been used or owned by anyone. 3....
by Johanna Cascione | Jan 19, 2022
I suppose that was how it started. It was 1986 and my first job out of college was as a customer support person for New York Life Insurance Company. I must have been good at it, because I ultimately led a team of support individuals who catered to a...
by Liv Mazz | Jan 18, 2022
I held in my hands all I’d ever wanted. I held in my hands the piece of paper that was the key to my independence. In front of the DMV doors, on the misty morning of my seventeenth birthday, I held in my hands, my driver’s license. The excitement that poured out...
by Kristin Asadourian | Jan 17, 2022
The New Year is here and for some, there is absolutely nothing new and for others everything is new. A new job, new relationship, new home, or new outlook ready to define the start to 2022. Or maybe you are one of those people who does not desire anything...
by Jennifer Angarano-Ricci | Jan 12, 2022
I have NO idea why I called this a Flock of New Beginnings: Maybe because it just sounded good to me? Maybe because I was thinking of that guy’s hairdo in A Flock of Seagulls? Or, maybe because each New Year comes in with the possibilities of new...
by JB Boutelle | Jan 10, 2022
How’s everyone doing in 2022? Are you off to a good start? Did you make a few resolutions yet? Well, our theme this month on The Daily Feels is New Beginnings, so here’s my two cents for you when setting out on a few new ventures in the near future. Resolutions,...
by Nancy Fraioli | Jan 6, 2022
THE NEW WORLD AND THE OLD HISTORY ABOUT THE MALOCCHIO, THE MEDAL AND MORE… 1. The two fingers, down, ward off evil; up, to curse or watch your wife, she’s cheating 2. The one in the middle, ward off evil 3. And on the end; the horned god Faunus...
by Claudia Lucey | Jan 5, 2022
Finding Peace in the New Year Ever since I was a child, New Year’s Eve has held some special place for me. As a writer, I have loved the idea of redemption and the new beginnings that the New Year promises. And they are only promises, many broken before the vow leaves...
by Jennifer Miele Leslie | Jan 4, 2022
“Please Cancel Christmas” (But Only the Stressful and Excessive Parts)” Every holiday season finds me, once again…..stressed out and lamenting the fact that there is too much expectation of mamas everywhere, when all that we really want is to spend time making...
