Julie’s Journal Monday, November 2, 2026 Tomorrow is Election Day. And I find myself thinking about something that has been bothering me for quite some time. When did we begin treating elections as the finish line instead of the starting line? For months, we’ve been bombarded with political
Julie’s Journal | Friday, October 30, 2026 I voted this week. And I would like to report that democracy is alive and well in Perry Township, Indiana. My patience, however, is on life support. What should have been a perfectly pleasant afternoon exercising my constitutional right to vote turned into
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 I’ve been thinking about something lately. With an election approaching, Republican candidates seem determined to convince us that two of the greatest threats facing America are transgender athletes competing in women’s sports and noncitizens voting in our elections. You hear it in speeches. You
An autumn drive, a remarkable art collection, and an unexpected lesson about the lives we choose to live. There are few things more beautiful than the Indiana University campus on a glorious fall afternoon. And yesterday was glorious. The trees were showing off in their finest autumn colors, the limestone
Julie’s Journal | Friday, October 23, 2026 There are two words that have been occupying an increasingly large space in my mind. Moral depravity. Not political disagreement. Not differences in philosophy. Not competing visions for the future of this country. Moral depravity. I find myself returning to those words almost
Interrupting my morning coffee to tell you something that you probably did not know, maybe you don’t wanna know…here goes.. I’m going to write about something today that may make a few people uncomfortable. Good. Sometimes discomfort is exactly what we need, particularly when it comes from
An unforgettable evening of fine dining, questionable garnishes, and creative wine service. There are certain dining experiences that stay with you forever. Perhaps it was a spectacular meal overlooking the Mediterranean. Maybe a candlelit dinner in Paris. Or a perfectly prepared steak accompanied by an exceptional glass of wine. And
Julie’s Journal — October 2026 I have a confession to make. I have developed a rather unhealthy fascination with a gray-haired woman who recently gave Donald Trump a double middle-finger salute. Not one finger. TWO. Both hands. Full extension. No ambiguity. No need for a translator, a press
Or, How I Accidentally Became the Other Woman Well, here’s a story I haven’t told in a very long time. And before anybody gets their knickers in a twist, let me make one thing perfectly clear: I did not know the man was married. There. I’ve established
Or: A Brief History of Instruments I Bought but Never Learned to Play I have a confession to make. Over the course of my life, I have purchased a surprising number of musical instruments. Guitars. Keyboards. A mandolin. And, in one particularly spectacular lapse of judgment, a gigantic Moog organ.
I think October may be the most honest month of the year. Spring is full of promises. Summer behaves as though it might go on forever. December distracts us with lights and celebrations and lists of things to do. But October? October tells the truth. Things change. Things end. And
I can’t remember the last time I was truly bored. Not waiting-for-something-to-load bored. Not sitting-in-a-doctor’s-office-and-immediately-reaching-for-my-phone bored. Not standing-in-line-at-the-grocery-store-and-checking-email bored. I mean old-fashioned bored. The