There are a lot of crazy misconceptions about depression. About anxiety. About chemical dependency. About bipolar disorder. About mental health … More
Author: Kim McKinney
I hate boxes....usually. Sometimes I fit, often I don't. You too? I used to want to fit in, but now I usually don't. I want to be me. Not far out there, but not quite the norm. I believe we should celebrate the unique in ourselves. I love travel, adventure, hot air balloons, live music, and kind, smart, and interesting people. Have been described as quirky and I quite like it. I love writing because it helps clear out my brain!
Please subscribe to my blog and follow me on Medium (https://medium.com/@kimmckinney719). And let me know your thoughts. I'll love us to get to know each other better.
The Film Festival
This was the fifth year of the Full Bloom Film Festival in Statesville and it was a fun weekend. I’d … More
Friday Fun in Statesville, NC
A great night in Statesville, NC. First we went to cheer on a locally based charity, Purple Heart Homes. They’re … More
A Period of Obsession
So today it begins. My period of obsession. The Gordon Bennett Balloon Race (or the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett) will … More
Taking a Break
If you’re without a job, why not get take a day off from the hunt now and again? I did … More
Peace From the Inside Out
It’s 9/11….we rarely ever call it September 11th anymore, do we? For those of us who remember the day, we … More
The Caterpillar and the Butterfly
I was walking to my car last night with my friend Doug and he pointed out this caterpillar. It was … More
These Works of Art
I found this the other day. Well, truthfully someone else found it and mentioned it on Facebook and I had … More
Weekends Are For Ballooning
My friend Jay is a student balloon pilot (though already a fixed wing pilot) and I suspect will get balloon … More
That Girl From the Past
“When we talk about communities, we seldom discuss the margins. But for every person nestled comfortably in the bosom of … More
It’s Labor Day in the U.S.!
I’ve been running into a lot of Eleanor Roosevelt quotes lately. I believe this is a good one for the … More
Suicide Prevention Month
I understand from my niece Sara that September 1 marks the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Month in the US. … More
Chasing Balloons
When the weather is good in my town (Statesville, NC), the hot air balloons come out to play. A very … More
Jobless – Part 12
So it’s getting a bit old. If you have been following along, I have been out of work since January … More
Focus on the Nice
I love this. Maybe we should not only talk to kids this way, but also other adults. Does anyone else … More
The Plank Challenge
This month I have been doing a plank challenge with a group of ladies through a group one of my … More
Jobless – Part 13
Because I’m out of work, I’m missing open enrollment season in the benefits industry this year. I’m able to look … More
Riley Flynn is One
Yesterday was my great niece’s birthday…on rainy today we celebrated at her party. There was sunshine inside. She is loved … More
Lending and Borrowing
A friend borrowed my lawn mover. It’s been a couple of years now. It wasn’t a fancy lawnmower, it was … More
Reading the Diary
I spend a lot of time in my car, and have become an avid listener of audiobooks. For some unknown … More
The Census
I filled out my census survey today. As I said recently (when I filed for unemployment), is there anything like … More
The Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival
This weekend I traveled to Townsend, TN to crew for my friends Kat and Dale Pattyn’s hot air balloon Hyggelig … More
Floating Down the River
Sometimes you just need a day to float and forget all your worries. It was my cousin Lea Ann’s last … More
Another Summer Ended at Victory Junction
Today the summer staff at Victory Junction goes home….great young people with great dreams whom I suspect not only learned … More
Jobless – Part 11
So…..it was that time when my severance pay ran out. Last week I began the process of filing for unemployment. … More
Just a few pics from Victory Junction
Victory Junction is a camp in Randleman, NC that serves kids and their families.who have or had illnesses or other … More
Too Soon
“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.” – Terry Pratchett “There is … More
Bringing It Out in the Light
I’m a “just spit it out” kind of woman. It gets me in trouble sometimes, but I figured out a … More
Einstein and Me
“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is … More
The Birthday
I usually hate being the center of attention. Birthday attention particularly makes me want to squirm. Not that I don’t … More
Jobless – Part 10
This week it will officially be six months since I’ve been out of work. The frustration level is starting to … More
In the Box, Out of the Box 