Message from my Future Self

Posted on August 11, 2026 by renbog
Daily writing prompt
If your future self could send you one sentence, what do you hope it would say?
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This is an easy one for me to answer: I would want to receive this message from my future self:

Your life mattered, and you made a positive difference in this world.

That is literally all I want out of life — to know that my existence on this planet mattered to people, and that what I did, what I said, made a positive difference for people.

When I am gone from this world, I want to be missed for a little bit. Maybe that’s vain, but I want to be the kind of person that others say, “Damn, I miss her.”

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Why Does Anyone Care?

Posted on August 9, 2026 by renbog

I recently read a Buzzfeed article about Amy Schumer sharing pictures of herself in a bikini after losing a bunch of weight using Mounjaro. I read the article on Facebook, and like an idiot, I also looked at the comments. There were plenty of comments I fully expected about how she’s ugly and unfunny. But there were also comments I didn’t expect from people saying she must have had a tummy tuck because of the way her belly button looked. I was kind of like, “Oh! I didn’t know belly buttons were tummy tuck ‘giveaways’!” Then I was like, “But why does anyone care?”

In case you don’t know, I had a tummy tuck last December. I knew my belly button placement was going to be part of that procedure. I look at it now, 8 months post op, and to me, it looks unremarkable except if you look closely at it, it looks a little “dark” or “dirty” but that’s just scarring. No one is going to get right up on my belly button and judge it. Or so I thought until I read this article.

First, I had no idea people looked at belly buttons to try to “catch” people who had tummy tucks. Why does it matter? Some people have them for cosmetic reasons. Some people have them for more health-related reasons. Some people have them for reasons in between. I had mine mostly for health reasons — after significant weight loss, I had a lot of excess belly skin and it was putting quite a strain on my back when I exercised. It was a fringe benefit that I ended up with a flat stomach, not a motivation. I’m thrilled with my tummy tuck — I am able to exercise so much easier at the gym, and I’m not gonna lie — I enjoy the way I look in clothes. Am I not supposed to enjoy that? Am I supposed to pretend my body doesn’t look better according to the standards society has decided a woman’s body should look? Should Amy Schumer not be happy about what has happened to her body from weight loss, ad does it really matter if she had a tummy tuck or some other procedure or not?

A recent picture of me on vacation, feeling good in my new body.

Second, Amy Schumer owes no one disclosure about why her body looks the way it does. Nor do I. Nor does anyone. Period. Full stop. Each person can decide what they choose to share about their body. I happen to be a classic social media over-sharer so I have not hidden my own GLP-1 use or my tummy tuck. I am fortunate no one has ridiculed me for either decision — at least publicly. I am sure people have had thoughts and maybe even shared those thoughts behind my back. Which is fine. I’m not naive about that. But I guess I was naive to think that people wouldn’t have something to say about her possibly having had a tummy tuck. I just don’t get why anyone cares.

The bottom line is people do things to their bodies all the time to alter the way they look for a myriad of reasons. Not a single one of us has a right to sit in judgement on those decisions. People who have something to say about it, well, those comments say a helluva lot more about them than the comments do about Amy Schumer, me, or anyone else.

Posted in Social Issues, Rants, Weight Loss | Leave a comment

The Conundrum of Social Media

Posted on April 13, 2026 by renbog
Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?
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How I use social media and how I want to use social media are tow very different things. I currently have Facebook, 3 Instagram accounts, and one TikTok account.

Currently, I use social media mostly for sharing things from my life — trips, fun food or drinks, pictures, events, exercise. Sometimes I share things related to social issues — I am passionate about supporting survivors of sexual abuse and assault; I feel it’s important to share what I learn about supporting people and families with mental health issues; I care about supporting those who are unhoused; and I share information supportive of those who are LGBTQ. Those are the social issues I mostly share about. I used to share political information because I also have some strong opinions, but honestly, I have cut way back on that because there are, frankly, too many people along all parts of the political spectrum who becomes unhinged when someone expresses opinions they don;t like, and I don’t want to open myself or anyone I care about to hateful messages or threats.

What I would really like to use my social media accounts for would look like this:

*Facebook: Sharing information about my personal life to keep up with friends and family, and occasionally share social issues-related information.
*Personal Instagram: Share posts about my creative side — baking, sewing, embroidery — and some personal life, like travel.
*Exercise Instagram: document my physical fitness and wellness journey and share tips to help others live in a healthy way.
*Writing Instagram: Create posts about my writing projects and journey.
*TikTok: Create fun posts that make people smile or laugh.

Most of my social media is private, but I do have 2 Instagram accounts open (I’ve linked them, if you want to follow me). I will keep working on trying to make my social media look the way I want it to, but I also admit, there are plenty of times, I get tired of the crap and the nastiness on social media and just want to abandon it (that’s what I did with Twitter, or X, or whatever it’s called now). It was just a toxic atmosphere there so I left happily. I am always assessing the climate!

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Hospitality

Posted on April 10, 2026 by renbog

I am doing this Bible study that my daughter recommended (I will share a link to the Bible study book at the end of this post, if you’re interested in it). Each weekly section has a theme. The next section I am starting is on hospitality, and the introduction to it has so much good info in it, so much to reflect on, I practically don’t need the accompanying Bible readings haha! Things like hospitality is about centering the humanity of others, being fully present to someone, responding to their needs with empathy and kindness. Hospitality is an extension of our love for God, that we are compelled to care for others with the same care we receive from God. Hospitality is about selfless service, recognizing our neighbors as valuable members of a shared community, and everyone we encounter is our neighbor.

Honestly, as I was reading the introduction, I was thinking about my local community Facebook group. I don’t know if you are part of your local community Facebook group, but mine has plenty of good folks in it, but there are always a handful who just seem to enjoy stirring the pot, being controversial or just being hateful and nasty. There is a small population of unhoused people in my community, and whenever they are mentioned in the group, it seems to bring out the ugliness in people. There is always at least one person who makes some sort of comment about how we shouldn’t feed them because then they will just stay around (like they’re animals), and at least one person who makes a crack like, “Well, if you care about them, why don’t you open your home and let them live with you?” (This comment is also used whenever the topic of immigrants, especially undocumented, is brought up.) Whenever I see those comments, I think about hospitality, and what I read today in my Bible study intro just kind of hit me. The community I live in is also very faith forward — there are a LOT of churches of nearly all denominations in the area. So when I see those inhospitable comments, I sometimes shake my head at how un-Christian they are. Now, let me clarify that I honestly believe that most people who call themselves Christian do actually have good hearts and center kindness. But I also feel like there are far too many people who proclaim their Christianity loudly while also speaking very unkindly about their neighbors (using the term “neighbor” the way it was defined above). It is very easy to become jaded and turned off to God because of people like that, so I try very hard not to feel that way. I try to remind myself of the people I know who are Christians in the way I believe real Christians should be, people like my friends Carla, Tracey, or Mary — humble, open hearts, caring, empathetic. I just refuse to believe the word :Chritians” is a dirty word, so to speak. But I do believe that we all — Christian, atheist, or anywhere in between — should reflect on what hospitality means.

The last part of my Bible study intro says, “…the first step of extending…hospitality is asking God to open our eyes and hearts so we can truly see and be present to the people around us.” We should all want to do this — whether it is God who opens our eyes and hearts, or just our human decency that opens our eyes and hearts.

Interested in the Bible study book I am using? You can find it here.

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Exercise? Fun? Yup.

Posted on April 9, 2026 by renbog
Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
View all responses

This is a loaded question because the answer is different for everyone, and it can slow change over time.

Probably the first exercise I can remember enjoying was doing workout videos at home. I had a couple Jane Fonda tapes I really liked, and I also enjoyed the Cindy Crawford workout video I had. Since then, I have had a myriad of exercise experiences I have enjoyed. Running was a biggie for a long time. I was the stereotypical runner in that all I ever wanted to talk about was running haha! I ran 5Ks, a half marathon, and a full marathon. I made it a point to run wherever I was, especially on vacation. I ran in Key West, northern Minnesota, Mumbai, Dubai, and London. I have also enjoyed Peloton workouts, boxing, and CrossFit.

The key to finding the most fun exercise is finding something that appeals to YOU. I loved running — lots of people despise it. And that’s okay. My best advice would be to try different things. I tried running so many times before I was successful at it. I would develop shin splints all the time so I would stop. When I would try again, I always spent some time researching how to avoid shin splints, and I kept going until I found something that worked. Boxing and CrossFit are also prime examples of trying something even though it’s way outside your comfort zone. I still remember my husband being incredulous when I told him I wanted to go try a ladies only boxing class. Boxing? Group fitness? Neither were anything I had expressed a great love for. But it turned out to be revolutionary — partly because of the activity and partly because of the culture at the gym I went to. CrossFit is a similar story. I had a stereotype of CrossFit in my mind — big, bulky, muscle types who talked in the weird CrossFit language, but it turned out there were just normal people at the CrossFit gym — big, muscle-y types and regular fir people and overweight people, young and old. And again, the culture of the gym I landed at was supportive and inclusive. So I probably ought to make sure I mention culture as a very important factor in finding an activity you love.

Keeping your body moving is probably the best thing you can do for your health. It’s what will allow you to get older and take care of yourself as much as possible — carry in groceries, get up if you fall, get off the toilet, get around on vacation — and it doesn’t have to be anything intense like boxing or CrossFit! Just walk, or do chair exercises, or ride a stationary bike — just do something!

Here’s to you finding YOUR most fun exercise!

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Best/Worst Pets

Posted on April 6, 2026 by renbog
Daily writing prompt
What animals make the best/worst pets?
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I think the best pets are probably cats. They are incredibly independent, for the most part. Most cats don’t mind being solitary animals, and as long as someone provides them food and fresh water and keeps their litter boxes clean, they are happy. If you have a cat and have a job that keeps you away from home longer than normal or you like to travel a lot, cats can do okay. The like attention and affection on their own terms, generally, which gives them a reputation for being high maintenance, but it’s actually the opposite! I have owned cats and dogs, and I always found dogs to be much more work. They need more personal attention, and they need to be potty trained and need to be let out and exercised. Cats don’t need quite as much work.

I think the worst pet is anything that might be classified as an exotic pet. They can be challenging to care for in terms of health and medical needs as well as food and proper housing. It can be hard to find vets who treat exotic pets, and it can be hard to find someone to properly care for them if you need to be away for a time. People often think because they don’t need a lot of social interaction with people, or because they can live in a cage or aquarium and they don’t need to be potty trained, that makes them easier, but they really need specialized care and attention, which can be a real challenge. It takes a very special type of pet owner to take on the care of an exotic pet.

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Work for Free? Kinda. Sorta.

Posted on April 5, 2026 by renbog

Today’s prompt is, “What job would you do for free?”

First, I sat with that for a moment and thought about it. I thought about all the things I love doing or at least get joy from. Teaching. Writing. Reading. Baking. Sewing. Spending time with my grandkids. Working out. Then I thought about doing those jobs, or how those things might be turned into jobs. Teaching, whether it’s language arts or technology, whether it’s kids or adults. Writing — blog posts, short stories, poetry, my novel, research. Reading, like as an editor or proofreader, maybe. Baking cookies, cakes, brownies, bread. Sewing clothes, cross stitch, embroidery. Spending time with my grandkids — babysitting. Working out — coach, personal trainer.

I decided the only job I would do for free would be babysitting my grandsons. But please don’t think I’m some pillar of kindness! I love those boys more than life itself, and I do babysit them on occasion and of course, I don’t make my daughter and son-in-law pay me. But if I needed to babysit them regularly, I would never ask to be paid for two reasons: 1.) That’s my daughter, my family, and I would never ask to be paid to take care of family; and 2.) If I had to babysit the boys regularly, it would likely be because they were in some sort of situation where they couldn’t afford child care, so I wouldn’t be asking them for money.

All that being said, though, I actually would work for Free in all those other ways. Kinda. Sorta. Because I kinda sorta already have.

When I was teaching, I regularly worked beyond my contracted hours and days, and I did it happily because I enjoyed serving the people I worked for. Reading, and writing, I do this all the time to help people by helping to edit something they wrote. I bake things at my daughter’s request for parties or gatherings, and I bake things to share with friends and family. I sew to create gifts for people. When I had my personal trainer certification, I created some workouts for people because they asked and I wanted to help them. So I guess doing those things meant I was working in some capacity for free. I think we all work for free in some capacity. But at the same time, what exactly does it mean to work for free? Because money is the most common way to be paid for working, but it’s not the only currency. Yes, when I babysit my grandsons, I don’t get paid any money. But I get to build a relationship with them, and I get hugs and smiles. That’s some pretty rich currency right there! And the other day, while sitting on the couch with my oldest grandson (he’s 3 1/2), completely out of the blue, he scooted over, snuggled up under my arm, and said, “I really love you a lot, Meemaw.” There is no amount of money you could pay me that would be equal to that.

So I would do lots of jobs for free. Kinda. Sorta.

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Breakin’ The Law

Posted on February 15, 2026 by renbog
Daily writing prompt
Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?
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Yes, I unintentionally broke the law once. It was close to 30 years ago. I had to go to the grocery store to do some shopping. I had my daughter, Becky, with me. She was probably about 2 or 3 years old. One of the first things I did when I was in the store was pass through the aisle that had kids’ toys and books in it. I grabbed a little board book for her and handed it to her to keep her occupied while I shopped. I did my shopping and checked out, and then had to make a mad dash to the car because it was pouring rain outside. I grabbed her out of the cart and tossed her in her car seat, and as I did that, I saw the book in her hands and realized I didn’t pay for the book. In my head, I did a quick check and balance: I could put my groceries in the trunk, grab her and the book, run back into the store through the pouring rain and pay for the book, then go back out to the car with my toddler through the rain, OR I could just say a quick prayer asking for forgiveness and drive away without paying for the book. I opted for the latter. And that’s the story of the one and only time I shoplifted anything. I suppose I should have gone back another day and paid for the book, but by the time I got home, I wasn’t thinking about the book anymore and it never occurred to me to go back on a good weather day to pay for the book.

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Welcome to my Pity Party

Posted on November 20, 2025 by renbog

One of my mantras is, “My body doesn’t get to tell me what I can do. I tell my body what it can do.” That has gotten me through a lot of challenges, including a 5k, half marathon, full marathon, and learning to walk again. I love being the boss of my body. And I love my body and what it has allowed me to do and still allows me to do.

I can appreciate the small things, like being able to walk up and down a flight of stairs, or carry a drink in one hand and bags of groceries in another, or dance with my husband at a wedding. I can also appreciate the big things, like being able to throw a strong punch at a heavy bag and not fall over, or do box steps ups at the gym, or deadlift more than 100 pounds. My body is strong, and it is because of my hard work and resilience and dedication and fortitude that it’s strong.

But sometimes my body likes to give me a dose of reality. Today was one of those days.

Today’s workout was simple enough in technique, just not task: row 10k meters in teams of 3 — the goal was to complete it in 40 minutes or less. I knew I was going to be a bit of a weak link — I was definitely the oldest person at the gym today by probably a good 20 years or more over everyone else there, and I’m just not as good an athlete as everyone who was there today. Simple fact. It doesn’t bother me. I know I can’t do the things so many others can do — partially because of age, partially because of skill, partially because of condition. I’m no longer self-conscious about it. I also don’t think anyone pays one bit of attention to my “limitations”. We all are just the athletes we are. (Side note: the culture at my gym is just so damn fantastic. CrossFit Washington is exactly what I needed after moving away from K-Fit Minooka.)

I partnered up with Brady, our coach, and Crystal, a killer athlete. We were rowing about 300m-500m each and then switching off. I wasn’t rowing as many strokes per minute as they were, but I was okay — I was holding my own. Where things started to go off the rails in my head was the last 3 times I was on the rower. I started to feel my lower legs and feet go more numb than normal. I knew what it was: fatigue. The truth is neuropathy impacts muscles — muscles don’t get the signals they need from the nerves, so muscles aren’t as strong as they should be, and muscles tire more easily. I’ve had this happen when I’ve tried to run longer distances (or even walk) since my back surgery: my legs just get so tired, they feel so weak and heavy. That’s what happened today. Even though there isn’t a lot of movement of the lower legs on a rower, there is still plenty of pushing and movement of the ankles. It’s like my body picks the worst times to remind me that I ain’t all that — like when I’m working against the clock on a strenuous workout as part of a team! Thank God I finished when I did because I’m not sure I had another 500m in my legs by the time we got to the end. Crystal got on the rower at 9500m and I told her to let me know if she wanted to halve it with me instead of her finishing off the last 500m; I figured I could handle about 250m. But I didn’t need to because Crystal, like the beast she is, finished off that last 500m like it was the first 500m.

I waited until I got into my car to fall apart. I was pissed off the whole way home, hating this body of mine, hating what happened to me when I didn’t ask for it or deserve it. By the time I got home, I wasn’t pissed anymore, just sad. And when Jim asked how the workout went, the waterworks started. So I’m having a bit of a pity party for myself, and for the record:

I. DON’T. CARE.

Guess how often I feel sorry for myself? Almost never. In fact, I literally can’t remember the last time I felt that way. I’m not going to sit here and fill myself with toxic positivity — oh, look at what you CAN do, Renee. Remember where you used to be. Look at how far you’ve come. Everyone has off days. You’re so strong. You’ve inspired people. It’s just one workout. Other people have it way worse than you do. All those things are true, but for the moment, I ain’t feeling them and they’re not comforting me.

So for now, for a bit, not forever, not even for days, I’m gonna be sad for what I wasn’t able to do, sad for feeling my limitations, sad for having to live with a condition I don’t want. In a little while, I’ll be over it. Parties never last forever. Neither will this pity party.

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#AtoZChallenge: Z — “Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake” by Zola Jesus

Posted on April 30, 2025 by renbog

This month, all my A to Z Challenge posts will feature a song that is on my personal list of “deep cuts.” These are songs that my husband often razzes me about, that there’s no one else who has ever heard of them or is listening to them, or they’re songs that possibly are just not that mainstream. If we are of the same era or run in the same musical taste circles, none of these may seem that off the beaten path, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun songs! Enjoy!

My final post for this year’s challenge is a song I heard once on WXRT and downloaded immediately. Maybe it’s a really popular song, but I’ve heard it once on the radio and then never again!

The first thing that attracted me to the song is how it sounds. It’s got a bit of a dark, haunting sound to it, and I like music that sounds that way. I also really like the singer’s voice — it’s unique, different, maybe akin to Florence Welch from Florence & the Machine.

I also like the lyrics because they’re cryptic. I’m not sure what the song is about (I’m sure I could Google it and see what kinds of interpretations others have come up with), but I feel like it might be about some kind of dysfunctional relationship. There’s something about the opening lines, “I’m the only one that sticks around/When they call your name out of a crowd,” that makes me sad, like she loves or cares about someone and stands by him or her when that person is always drawn to others. It seems to add insult to injury when she says, “I don’t try to go/I just won’t and you know.” The other person just really seems to take her for granted. If you’ve read my other posts this month, then you know how I love a song about tortured love, and this one seems to fit the bill!

Give it a listen — I hope you like it!

And of you’ve read any of my posts this month, thank you so much! I really enjoy writing, despite how good or not good I am at it, so any time I have an audience, I am flattered!

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