Dare Devil

I came to you, always wishing for your love approval I rode winds, flying over time just to be by your side wishing for more time love I still crumble knowing that you are gone wishing for how it used to be home   Photo Credit: pom.angers Flickr via Compfight cc Julie Read more

Julie Anderson

Julie Anderson is the Creator and Publisher of Feminine Collective. Julie was inspired to create this safe place for women to share their secrets, desires, triumphs and pain as the antithesis of what mainstream media offers women today. In her column Pursuit of Perfection, she explores the importance of rectifying the balance of inner and outer beauty through essays, poems and articles on self-esteem, shame, family, and self- acceptance.

Monsoon Season: A Memoir

In Phoenix, it seems as if you can see forever on the desert floor without mountains to block the view. The flat geography provides a perfect vista to watch summer dust storms arrive. The storms arrive in a slow crawl, picking up momentum in a snail-like fashion. They appear to Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

He Was A Man Of Few Words

I was in Target today and purposely ignored the huge display of Father’s Day cards. These days they seem to appear right after Mother’s Day with no break in between. I scurry past with my head down. Father’s Day cards are lava. If I don’t see them, I cannot step Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

Daddy, Dementia and Letting Go

“Celebrate more in life, even the little things. I didn’t do that enough.” —Herman Soichi Noji When I think about my father’s journey at the end of his life, the word that comes up is MAGIC. There were days in which his dementia took full force, and the nurses would Read more

Minae Noji

Minae Noji is a writer, actress, voice-over Empress and rat enthusiast. She makes her home in Los Angeles and is devoted to empowerment, wholeheartedness, and studly ninjas.

Dad, I Forgive You

Raise your hand. Who’s had a perfect childhood? Who has perfect parents? Who has the perfect family? Unfortunately, most of us experienced a less than perfect childhood. Most of use have a less than perfect family. Most of us have less than perfect parents. After decades of being angry, disappointed, Read more

Good. Better. Best. Do not rest until the GOOD becomes BETTER and the better becomes BEST.

My father was known for his positive and motivating adages. I have dreaded the mere thought of this day for my entire life. I have thought that the day my father’s heart stops beating will be the day that I take my very last breath. I have thought I can not Read more

Creating My Father’s Legacy: Martin Elkort’s Photography

In the spring of 2014, I stepped up to a podium in the Brown Auditorium Theater of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The place was full and the audience attentive, expectant. They had just seen my documentary, “Martin Elkort: An American Mirror” about my father, and I was unsure Read more

Stefani Twyford

President and Founder of Legacy Multimedia, Stefani Twyford has more than 18 years experience designing, developing and implementing award-winning video biographies and tribute videos. Prior to starting Legacy Multimedia, she built and headed a successful Houston-based web design, e-commerce and marketing firm. With degrees in design, psychology and social work, Twyford also shares her knowledge about the importance and process of creating a meaningful legacy with her engaging presentations to various organizations. Twyford excels at helping people craft their stories and share their memories. Her commitment to high-quality work and customer service, and her gift for putting people at ease help her clients capture their stories in a way that will endure for generations. Her firm commitment to the arts, to the technology community and to women in business has helped many others and served as inspiration for the next generation of talented professionals. In 2012 she turned the lens on her own family and her father’s profile as a known street photographer. Her documentary “Martin Elkort: An American Mirror” screened mid 2014 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston followed by other screenings around the US and has won a 2014 Gold Remi Award for Best Documentary from Worldfest International Film Festival.