Archive for Uncategorized

Flowers after the rain

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As the summer rolls along (happy first day of summer, btw!), I’m one birthday older and what I hope is much wiser. After the loss of my mom and after the pandemic (is it really even over?), things had to change, of course, but never to the degree I imagined they would for me and for just about every member of my family. Through loss, failures, apathy, problems, dark tunnels, vast oceans of grief over losing a loved one or a business, only one remained who was steadfast. In fact, …read more

The Obituary Writer

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So, here’s something I don’t market about myself: I write obituaries. I don’t talk about it, because I don’t like writing them. The sensitivity required to write a story worthy of a family’s loved one is daunting, draining, exhausting, sad, emotional, and I cry a lot, even when I didn’t know the person. So, when it came time to write an obituary for my favorite person in the whole world, I was surprised that I got through it without crying. I mean, in fairness, I had cried nonstop for a …read more

Autumn is drawing near

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I had another of my recurring dreams last night about Halloween and haunted houses, so I woke up and prayed for the participants in my dream (though they have no idea they were actually IN my dream nor for whom I’m praying), and I’m smiling. God often shares with me through dreams the people for whom I am supposed to be praying. Although most people don’t consider it such, September is, to me, the beginning of Halloween season and all the fun of fall (even if we are still suffering …read more

Resumes and writing projects

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First, sorry for the weird glitch in my website last week; evidently it was a plugin issue, but we are back up and running now! If you need a resume or editing, please click the contact button above to send me an email description of your project. I’ll get back to you quickly. As summer approaches, that means we are one season closer to Halloween (the BEST time of the year), and we are now in June, my birth month. As the years progress, my birthday means less about presents …read more

Spooky season is forevermore

The My Halloween Life photo tour is every other Friday, 7pm EST

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Less than a year ago, I started an Instagram blog entitled Halloween Granny, which I meant almost solely to facilitate the collection of Halloween photos I’d taken over the years, since I was getting the impression that my regular account followers may not appreciate daily reminders of a singular holiday. In no time, I discovered I wasn’t the only one with a love for all things creepy and spooky; there are hundreds of thousands of us on there waiting impatiently for October. And most of them, I can attest, make …read more

Life’s unexpected twists

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He was uncommonly happy; he brought laughter and light where he went; he loved with his whole heart; he didn’t judge. It’s been two weeks since he passed, and as I sit here looking at this, one of our many photos together, I still can’t believe he’s gone. It has taken me this long to find words (and, for a writer, speechlessness is an indication of the sizeable loss). He was truly remarkable, and he brought joy to the lives of everyone who was lucky enough to know him. Oh, …read more

A new baby!

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Our parents TRY to tell us how great grandparenting is–but it’s like trying to explain what Heaven is like, you just can’t. Nobody prepares you for another chance to hold your own babies again, the feeling of traveling back in time and getting a do-over (but a far more relaxed one). I feel like I’m seeing, smelling, and holding my newborns all over again. Nothing is different except I can enjoy them now. My heart explodes with love as I kiss each one. This year, my kids gave me an …read more

Spooky Season, Part 2

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If I had a penny for every time this year that I had cause to be proud of one of my former actors, I’d be rich. Whether it is Michelle getting her degree and getting her “big girl” job, or Ethan becoming a Shafter PD and buying his own home; Emily losing a ton of weight, becoming a step-mama and getting married!… Lyndsey becoming a preschool teacher, or Morgan, who has started a small business knitting the ADORABLE beanie I’m wearing in this photo, I can’t seem to quit hearing …read more

Spooky Season

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I know it isn’t for everyone, and I KNOW that I’m getting into Halloween earlier than most people, but maybe it’s Covid or maybe it’s just inherently in ME, but I have gone crazy this year buying new decorations, starting a new Instagram account dedicated exclusively to my love for the spooky, and I even created (what appears to be) a new hashtag: #spookychristians. Funny, though, I don’t normally call myself that — I say I’m a follower of Jesus, but if you’re a regular here, then you know that …read more

A Halloween break

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Most people know I love Halloween and know I have attended haunted house conventions for years with other like-minded haunted house people. After all these years, the most lasting memory is always the friendships I’ve made. Now, with this new weird, global pandemic, the Halloween industry, while mostly unaffected in this spring, grows anxious about what the future holds for their attractions in the fall. They wonder if they will be able to open and, if so, in what capacity and to what extent with actors. Many of them also …read more

Dana Martin Writing

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Helping improve the world, one written word at a time.