Tag Archives: Personal Reflection

Some People Dabble. I Apparently Settle In.

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some people have hobbies they pick up and put down. I tend to move in, unpack, and stay awhile. Continue reading →

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Not Fate, Not Destiny — But a Plan

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Fate feels mechanical — like life is a railroad track already laid down. I don’t believe we’re actors reading lines from a script. But I do believe in a Father who has a plan, who gives us freedom, and who weaves redemption into the choices we make. Continue reading →

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Sixty Miles in Orange and Blue Shoes

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

In 2006, as my mother battled breast cancer, I laced up a pair of orange and blue Mizunos and walked sixty miles over three days. They didn’t cure anything, but they carried me through one of the hardest seasons of my life — step by step, mile by mile. Continue reading →

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We’re All Lawbreakers (Even the Good Ones)

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Breaking the law isn’t as dramatic as we like to imagine. Sometimes it’s not a courtroom or handcuffs — it’s 56 in a 55, a forgotten seatbelt, or a song downloaded back in the Limewire days. When we remember how easily we’ve stepped over the line ourselves, it becomes harder to stand in judgment of others. Maybe the point isn’t perfection — maybe it’s humility. Continue reading →

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I Have ADHD, So… My To-Do List Is Eternal

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some to-do items are small and forgettable. Others linger for years, whispering in the background. Writing a book finally got checked off. Editing it? That’s another story. Continue reading →

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In Defense of Big Pots of Food (And No-Bean Chili)

Posted on February 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some people collect recipes. I collect reasons to cook a big pot of food—the kind meant to be shared, argued over, and eaten again the next day. Continue reading →

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My First Computer Was Basically a Boat Anchor

Posted on February 1, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Before hard drives fit in our pockets and computers updated themselves overnight, my first experience with “home computing” involved cassette tapes, a television screen, and optimism that wildly outpaced performance. Continue reading →

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Anyone Have a Plane and a Parachute?

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I don’t have much patience for irrational fear—except for the one I still carry myself. A fear of heights that makes no sense, lingers anyway, and occasionally challenges me to step closer to the edge… on purpose. Continue reading →

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The Books Waiting on My Shelf

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some books are new discoveries, some are second chances, and a few are quiet promises I’ve been making to myself for years. These are the stories I hope to return to—and one I hope to finally send out into the world. Continue reading →

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What’s in a Name? Apparently, an Unfortunate Headline

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I was never really in love with my name. Doug is fine—solid, unpretentious, and chosen out of love. My middle name, Blaine, on the other hand, sounds like either a country-club snob or the kid drinking paste in kindergarten. Add in the etymology—dark river plus yellow—and suddenly my full name sounds less like a person and more like a true-crime episode. Continue reading →

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