10 great things I did this past weekend in upstate New York.

Friday night I went to the beautiful Argus Hotel for an event. It was a cocktail party fundraiser for Historic Albany and the space was absolutely gorgeous. I didn’t take full advantage of the venue and explore the guest rooms, but I did take a few moments to imagine how civilized it would be to sit … Continue reading 10 great things I did this past weekend in upstate New York.

Wine me a river – The Peripheral Wine Fest in Hudson

You know how sometimes you imagine how something is going to be and it ends up being totally different in reality? I’m not speaking in code, here, either. This is not about romance or relationships. What I’m trying to say is more like, you picture one thing and from the moment you arrive there are … Continue reading Wine me a river – The Peripheral Wine Fest in Hudson

October CivMix recap

I try to publish a post weekly over at CivMix.com. Sometimes, I’m even successful in meeting that goal. This month, I managed to push out 3 pieces and, in typical Silvia fashion, they are pretty disparate in terms of topics. Subjects discussed include drinking, drugs and donuts. Hope you enjoy them. 3 Orchards, 0 Apples … Continue reading October CivMix recap

I dream of words

The other night when I woke up for my usual nocturnal visit to the bathroom, I opened my eyes with an unusual dream fresh in my memory. It was odd because my mind wasn’t filled with images or sounds or sensations from the dream I had been having, it was only occupied by words, and … Continue reading I dream of words

Buying happiness

I’ve got news for you...despite what you may have heard, money can, in fact, buy happiness. At least for me it can when it comes in the form of travel reservations. In the last couple of months I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what makes me happy and what I’ve concluded is this … Continue reading Buying happiness

Rex Ogle is my spirit animal

When I first encountered the book Free Lunch, I never imagined the slim volume relating the author’s experiences as a sixth grade student in Texas would revive so many of my own elementary feelings, if not experiences. In the work, published in 2019 and awarded the ALA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction medal, Ogle shares … Continue reading Rex Ogle is my spirit animal

Things in Seattle (ish) that made me gasp

The cab driver who tried to charge me $26 for the briefest taxi ride I’ve ever taken. I balked and the price went down to $16.The price of groceries in the neighborhood where we stayed which is apparently a food desert. Butter was $6 a pound, individual cups of Chobani yogurt $1.79, and eggs for … Continue reading Things in Seattle (ish) that made me gasp