Wicked is the heartwarming story behind The Wizard of Oz, bringing to life the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. Beyond its original intent, Wicked holds a special place in my heart because my late husband and I had one of our early dates watching this musical. Like Elphaba and Glinda, when I first met my future husband, we didn’t quite mesh. We came from different backgrounds and didn’t understand each other. He was loud and outgoing, and I was more reserved. He played sports, and I had my head in a book. As we got to know each other, we began to appreciate the other’s perspective and way of doing things. Like the song “Popular”, we had an impact on each other. I grounded him and made him responsible, and he brought me out of my shell. We became close and started dating, and when Wicked came to Chicago, he got tickets for us. I had read the book by Gregory Maguire, and he knew that I would love the music. Like a tornado touching down, my husband was struck by illness. Instead of a little girl named Dorothy tracking down Elphaba, my husband experienced kidney failure. Together, we fought the illness, and I donated my kidney, hoping to wave a magic wand and make him better. Unlike Elphaba in the play, my husband didn’t get to escape Dorothy. Like Glinda, I was left mourning the loss of a friend. While some people may think of Wicked as a musical with catchy tunes and a story of girl power and friendship, for me, it is a reminder of the good times I had with my late husband and how strong our relationship was able to become. In the wake of my husband’s death, I am left behind, but as the final song says, “I have been changed.”

As the first cords of music played, the lights came up, revealing a band that I had listened to since childhood. I would scream, but my voice was already gone thanks to an unfortunately timed case of laryngitis. This Godsmack concert was an unexpected surprise on a highly anticipated trip four years in the making. My journey to this moment started in November of 2019. My husband and partner of fifteen years passed away after a series of illnesses and complications from Cystic Fibrosis which included kidney failure. The kidney failure was temporarily remedied when I donated a kidney to him in 2017, but that proved to be only a temporary fix as other issues emerged. In 2020, my New Year's resolution was to travel more as my husband would have wanted. I planned a series of trips around the country to visit friends and relatives that I hadn't seen in years. Things were looking up as I made plans for my first trip, a business trip from my home in Chicago to Greenville, SC to visit my employees that I had never seen in person. I had worked with these people for between a few months and a couple of years via IM, email, and video chat but had never shaken their hands. With my employer's approval, I eagerly booked my airfare and hotel room. An itinerary of meetings and dinners was forming, and I was full of excitement. Within days, the world came to a stop thanks to CoVID-19, and I was forced to indefinitely postpone my travel plans. Over the next couple of years, life continued as pandemic lockdown life did. I worked from home, and thoughts of travel became a pipedream. My staff and I became close as I worked my way through the grief of losing my husband, and we weathered the storm of a company in financial turmoil. Through several rounds of layoffs, my team was slowly dismantled, and in 2023, several of my team members and myself were laid off, hammering the final nail in the coffin for our work. As 2024 started, I vowed that I would finally take that trip that was aborted in 2020, but it would now have a different meaning. Rather than a business trip to meet with employees, it was a trip to meet with longtime friends. We had been there for each other through breakups, work drama, and my grief, and I would not just shake their hands; I would give them each a hug. "Where does the concert come in?" you may ask. When I set my travel dates, it happened to coincide with the Godsmack concert that one of my friends/former employees was to be attending. Through luck or serendipity, I was able to get a last minute ticket next to him, and we were able to rock-out with one of our favorite bands despite my lack of voice. Even though I had been to a couple of small concert festivals, this was my first show in a major venue. We may have been in the nose-bleeds, but I had the time of my life listening to the show and bonding with my friend. As the show wound-down, the lead singer, guitarist Sully paused to talk about their charity, The Scars Foundation, a charity that addresses mental health. He mentioned many artists that are gone too soon due to their struggles, like Kurt Cobain and Chester Bennington. It made me reflect on my own struggles since my husband's death and feel grateful that I was surrounded by people like my employees turned friends.

The year of 2020 was devastating, and it was a turning point that changed my life. On November 2, 2019, I lost my husband and partner of fifteen years. In the years leading to his death, he endured complications from Cystic Fibrosis that included kidney failure, placing him on dialysis until I was able to donate a kidney. I was the primary wage earner and managed his healthcare. Following his death, I started 2020 with the resolution to travel and enjoy life like my husband would have wanted. I planned to visit friends and family and reconnect. Then, the pandemic shut everything down within days of booking the tickets and hotel for my first trip. My financially struggling employer began restructuring, shifting responsibilities to do more with less and laying off people. I was put in the heartbreaking position of delivering some of these blows. With my first round of layoffs, I realized that as much as I enjoyed the other aspects of my career, I could not put myself through the emotional turmoil of eliminating people's livelihoods after years of service. I wanted to do something better for myself and the world. I reflected on my ambitions and considered what I really wanted to do with my life. A far off memory of my high school graduation emerged; I had graduated with the dream of becoming a librarian. Life events had side-tracked me at the time, but I now was determined to make that dream a reality. In the years since high school, the library had taken on an even bigger meaning for me. The book Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron showed me a behind the scenes view of how a library can help a struggling community by providing education and resources to the vulnerable and under-served. My local library had also become a re-entry point for me as I was trying to find myself as a new, young widow, joining social groups and participating in activities rather than sitting home alone in my grief. I did some research and went back to school, enrolling in my local community college. I was one year into my two year degree when I became another victim of the layoffs, but I wasn't going to give up. I took a part-time position at my local library and continued my classwork. The financial hit would be worth it when I would be able to deliver the services that I wanted to as a librarian. One year later, I have completed my Associate's Degree in Library Science and am continuing my journey toward my Master's. I am working as a part-time librarian and doing what I can for my community. So far, I have built presentations and programs such as job interview tips and a writing workshop, and I have built a partnership with the local humane society, organizing a pair of events to educate about proper dog and cat care and drive adoption. I assist patrons daily with tasks like applying for financial aid or looking for a job. Being a librarian isn't just a career choice; it is a passion to improve the world. This scholarship would ease some of the financial worry I have as I work as a single woman in an underpaid profession and pay for school. Philately is a fascinating hobby that can cover a variety of interests. Stamps are used around the world and represent many topics, from history to pop-culture. It can also be an investment in the future as it is a tangible good that will last.

The year of 2020 was devastating for many, and for me, it was a turning point that changed my life. On November 2, 2019, I lost my husband and partner of fifteen years. In the four years leading to his death, he had endured complications from Cystic Fibrosis that included kidney failure, placing him on dialysis until I was able to donate a kidney to him. I was the primary wage earner and managed his healthcare. In the wake of his death, I started 2020 with the resolution to travel and enjoy life like my husband would have wanted. I made plans to visit friends and family around the country and reconnect, but then, the pandemic shut everything down within days of booking the tickets and hotel for my first trip. My employer had already been experiencing some financial difficulties, and they began restructuring, shifting responsibilities to do more with less and laying off people. I was put in the heartbreaking position of delivering some of these blows. With my first round of layoffs, I realized that as much as I enjoyed the other aspects of my career, I could not put myself through the emotional turmoil of eliminating people's livelihoods after years of service. I wanted to do something better for myself and the world. I reflected on my ambitions and considered what I really wanted to do with my life. A far off memory of my high school graduation emerged; I had graduated with the dream of becoming a librarian. Life events had side-tracked me at the time, but I now was determined to make that dream a reality. In the years since high school, the library had taken on an even bigger meaning for me. The book Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron showed me a behind the scenes view of how a library can help a struggling community by providing education and resources to the vulnerable and under-served. My local library had also become a re-entry point for me as I was trying to find myself as a new, young widow, joining social groups and participating in activities rather than sitting home alone in my grief. I did some research and went back to school, enrolling in my local community college. I was one year into my two year degree when I became another victim of the layoffs, but I wasn't going to give up. I took a part-time position at my local library and continued my classwork. The financial hit would be worth it when I would be able to deliver the services that I wanted to as a librarian. One year later, I have completed my Associate's Degree in Library Science and am continuing my journey toward my Master's. I am working as a part-time librarian and doing what I can for my community. So far, I have built presentations and programs such as job interview tips and a writing workshop, and I have built a partnership with the local humane society, organizing a pair of events to educate about proper dog and cat care and drive adoption. On a daily basis, I assist patrons with tasks like applying for financial aid or looking for a job. Being a librarian isn't just a career choice; it is a passion to improve the world.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved stories. She almost always had her nose in a book, and when she wasn't reading, she was building her own fantasy world filled with creatures on crazy adventures and love stories between personified animals. Her family would go camping, and her favorite activity was sitting around the campfire so that they could tell ghost stories. Okay, that girl was me. For me, writing has been an outlet. Sometimes, it has been a creative outlet as I made up those crazy adventures and personified animals. Think of a mad-cap road trip escapade starring a family of squirrels. Sometimes, it was how I figured out growing up as I wrote stories about other tweens and teens facing issues that I was experiencing or things that I wished I could experience. My favorite story was about a girl that tries to attract the attention of her crush by coloring her hair green, but her hair gets wet, causing the color to run and turning her green. When I got older, I used writing to escape the bland reality of whatever retail job I was working. I wove bits of reality with stories of zombies taking over the world and heroes that were going to rebuild society. Five years ago, I lost my husband to an ongoing illness, and I used my writing to work through my grief, journaling to remember the good times and sort out the trying times. Two years ago, I decided to switch career paths from telecom to work in a library with the goals of helping my community and expressing my creativity. A step in that transition is obtaining my Master's Degree in Library Science, but along the way, I am earning my Bachelor's Degree in English. I am learning what elements make good writing and different ways to express myself. In my day-to-day life, I use my writing to create programming for my library and to engage library patrons. I am working on a murder mystery themed event that would involve a pod cast telling the fictional story of a murderer on the loose in the library and a scavenger hunt to find the murderer. I am even creating a writing workshop to share the writing bug! I would love to get to a point where I can perfect my writing and publish a novel (or a series of novels). Story telling has been a constant in my life, and my writing has evolved from a first grade story about a dinosaur in a haunted castle to an epic zombie apocalypse penned in my twenties. Writing will continue to be a constant in my life until I am an old lady penning my memoire.

If someone asked me when I was a child what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would answer that I didn't know, but I wanted to make a difference in my community. My goal was altruistic, but I wasn't quite sure how to implement it. When I was in high school, I worked in my school library, and a puzzle piece fell into place. Although I have always enjoyed reading, the library wasn't just about books. It was a place to come together, and it was the one place where I had internet access since I did not have internet at home. The school librarian was like a mentor to me, providing encouragement along with her book recommendations. As I reached adulthood, I worked jobs in customer service and technical support, sharpening my people skills, learning to communicate with a variety of people, and assisting people when they needed it the most. Two years ago, I got my calling, almost like a religious calling involving flashbacks to what libraries have meant to me. I dove back to school to get my degree in Library and Information Science so that I could work in my local public library, impacting my community in the best way I know how. My goal is to be a librarian that bolsters my community through building engaging and educational programming along with offering one-on-one assistance on a daily basis. In my journey to my Associate's Degree in Library and Information Science, I came to appreciate libraries even more. Libraries bridge the digital gap, offering internet and technology access without extra fees. They are a safe space for the vulnerable and a meeting place for community. They are a source of knowledge without the expectation of tuition, and they adapt to community needs. During the Covid 19 pandemic, many libraries pivoted to offer digital resources like e-books and Zoom presentations to help those shut-in. Balancing school with working full-time, I recently earned my Associate's Degree in Library and Information Science with a 3.9 GPA, and I am continuing my educational journey toward my Bachelor's Degree. Last year, I made the career leap and am working in a pair of libraries. I am getting the ball rolling with programs to attract and uplift patrons: a job interview prep presentation, a partnership with the local humane society to promote adoption and educate about pet care, and writer's workshops. I am making everyday connections with patrons to keep them coming back, making them comfortable and providing encouragement like my high school librarian did for me years ago. I assist patrons with printing paperwork that could prevent foreclosure on their homes and build resumes that could help them start new careers. I find cookbooks that will help patrons manage their diabetes, and I assist students looking for reliable resources for homework. For me, the library has been a place of trust and uplifting, and with my degree, I will continue that legacy. I love my library and aim to share that love with others.

As a librarian, I have seen #BookTok bring a voice to smaller authors who might have gone unnoticed amongst the glut of titles from authors like James Patterson, Danielle Steel, and Stephen King. #BookTok has helped me form my reading list, and as I approach the idea of my "perfect bookshelf", I think of the age-old question of what would I bring to a deserted island if I could only carry so much. The first book I would select is How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley. Clare Pooley includes a large cast of characters from different walks of life, weaving them together to form a sometimes silly, sometimes heartfelt story that hits a lot of feelings. How to Age Disgracefully includes senior pensioners who have shady pasts and questionable presents, a character with low self-esteem and a marriage on the rocks, and a high-school-aged single father, all on a mission to save the community center from demolition. It is a raucous story the shows the growth of unlikely friendships and the power of togetherness. The second book I would select is The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella. Kinsella is a master of fish out of water stories with a female main character escaping her normal life and finding her true self in unlikely circumstances. In The Burnout, Sasha has been pushed to a mental breakdown due to a horrible work environment. At the urging of her mother, she decides to visit a favorite vacation destination she hasn't been to since she was a child. She finds a resort that is hanging on by a thread, and in helping the resort find a new way to survive, she finds her true passion and a new love interest. This book has humor, romance, and a bit of a mystery that slowly reveals itself. The final book I would place on my ideal bookshelf is A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost. A Very Punchable Face is Colin Jost's memoir, laying out the progression of his life from childhood antics to longest running Weekend Update anchor for Saturday Night Live. He is self-deprecating, spilling the beans on stupid things he has done while heaping praise on his castmates. He makes the honorable point that he will not trash the people around him, and he packs-in anecdotes and jokes that leave me laughing out loud. Each of the books I have selected uses humor as it delivers a more serious message. They show relationships between people and have enjoyable characters. They keep me in suspense, wondering whether the characters will save the community center or the hotel, and they fill me with emotions as I see into the characters' lives. They also have layers that include details I may not have seen on first read that would keep things interesting on a repeat read.

His name is John Coffey, "like the drink, but not spelled the same", and he is a black man on death row for the murder of two little blond girls. And he can perform miracles. The Green Mile by Stephen King is a story that uses racism and religious imagery to question the prison system and the death penalty. The story is set in the racist south of 1930s Louisiana, and when two girls disappear, dogs are used to track them. Shreds of bloody clothing mark the trail, and the giant of a man, John Coffey, is found cradling the bloody bodies of the girls and crying, "I couldn't help it" (King). With no other suspects or statements, "I couldn't help it" is interpreted as an admission of guilt, and Coffey is convicted of murder and sent to The Green Mile, a nickname for death row due to the color of its flooring. Originally published as six novelettes in 1996, The Green Mile was adapted for the big screen in 1999, starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. Casting was perfect, featuring not just Hanks and Duncan in the lead rolls but major award winners and future winners in supporting rolls such as James Cromwell as Hal Moores, Bonnie Hunt as Jan Edgecomb, Sam Rockwell as William "Wild Bill" Wharton, and Michael Jeter as Eduard "Del" Delacroix. Michael Clarke Duncan embodies the soulful character of John Coffey, his eyes acting as a window to that injured soul, crying tears of grief for the girls and all of the hurt he perceives in the world. The resulting picture was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Duncan, Best Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film adaptation does an amazing job keeping the heart of the movie intact while trimming extra details included in the book. One such detail is a subplot set in the nursing home involving a too curious nursing home employee named Brad Dolan who reminds Paul of Percy Wetmore because of his callous cruelty. In the book, Brad shows an unhealthy fixation with Paul, constantly asking him where he has been, and at one point grabbing his wrist roughly. Instead, the film adds a moment that is a positive parallel between Paul's past and present as he watches the movie Top Hat, and the song lyrics, "I'm in heaven" makes him cry. This serves two purposes because it is a sweet reminder of death and the possibility of Heaven, and it is a movie that is shown to John Coffey as a treat before his execution. On a personal level, the story of The Green Mile has resonated with me, making me question the death penalty. There are some truly evil people in the world, like the character of Wild Bill, but there are also innocent people that get caught in the net of justice. Is the revenge against the guilty worth the possible deaths of innocents? Although it has some gruesome points, The Green Mile stands as a multi-faceted story addressing racism, unjustness in the legal and prison system, bullying, and religion, and it is a story with heart that translates well from novel to film.

Growing up, I always had a vivid imagination filled with colorful characters and insane adventures, and when I learned to read, I began to read almost any book that was available to me. I loved the creepy stories of R.L Stine and Alvin Schwartz, and as I read, I would plot how I would do things if I were the main character faced with oogie-boogies. I may not have run into literal oogie-boogies like vampires and demented puppets, but my hours with Goosebumps prepared me for some of the horrors of real life. When I was in fourth grade, my class read From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler by E. L. Konigsburg, and while experiencing the journey of Claudia and her brother Jamie, I learned to be resourceful. I still think of the pair collecting a partially used train pass from the wastebasket and fishing change from the fountain. When I was in fifth grade, all of the kids started reading How to Eat Fried Worms. When it was my turn to read this disgusting masterpiece, I absorbed it and learned determination. When I read The Giver by Lois Lowry in sixth grade, I learned about individualism and the costs of freedom. The Giver made such an impact on me that I returned to it as an adult and read the other three books of the series. As a twenty year old, I read Dewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World, and it changed my life in a way no other book has. I read Vicki Myron’s story of the abandoned, orange cat who lived in the library, but I also learned about what a library can do for a community. The story takes place in a rural, farming community in the 1980s. The economy was rough on farmers, so the whole town was impacted. The library was a resource, offering access to job assistance and materials that the community wouldn’t have had otherwise. This book lit a spark in me that simmered in the background of my life. Two years ago, I came to a turning point in my life where I knew that I needed to change careers. When I searched my soul to decide what I wanted to do, I remembered that spark created by Vicky and Dewey, and I went back to school for my degree in Library and Information Science. I now work part-time in two different libraries as I continue school. My goal is to work as a librarian who develops programs to engage and enrich my community. I continue to read a variety of books because I never know what my next inspiration will be.

Mental health is the bedrock of our lives. Whether we realize it or not, it influences all of our actions. Simple things like the amount of stress we are under and how we react to it can impact everything from the food we choose to eat to how quickly and efficiently we complete tasks. Major life events or physical conditions can have even more of an impact as people use situations to grow or react negatively. This is why it is important for everyone to recognize mental health as part of their overall health and make efforts to take care of themselves. By neglecting mental health, physical health can suffer with symptoms including hives, weight gain, headaches, ulcers, hair loss, and a plethora of other things that would make your average drug commercial jealous. Personally, I tend to be a very even but empathetic person. I have experienced trauma as I nursed my husband through a fatal illness, but I persevered by using my strengths to stay in control of what I could and recognizing when things were beyond my control. Under normal circumstances, I use small techniques like deep breaths to relieve stress and talk to friends (or sometimes myself) to work out problems. I practice yoga and try to eat healthy, but I don't give myself too much guilt if I slip and eat something bad. I also give myself goals to keep myself on-track. As an example, a few years ago, I set a goal that I wanted to pay off certain bills. I dedicated my spare mental energy to that by finding creative ways to make and save money and celebrated milestones until I hit that goal. Then, I decided to go back to school so that I could move to a more emotionally rewarding career. I laid out a plan of what classes I needed, how much time was needed, and what was needed financially. In a similar fashion, I have dedicated most of my time to school and am maintaining a 3.9 GPA, but I also make sure I have enough "me time" by taking my yoga breaks or a momentary diversion with a good book or an interesting YouTube video. By following these techniques, I have been able to process my grief from losing my husband and am working toward a brighter future. In my future career, I hope to help others with their mental health and wellness which will also give me a boost by giving me a sense of accomplishment.

As a loyal library user and future librarian, I have always been a varied reader of authors ranging from Dr. Seuss to Stephen King and from Janet Evanovich to Margaret Atwood. Through these authors' works, there are many lessons that I have learned through the years. First, thanks to Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham, I have learned not to be afraid to try new things and to listen to those with different opinions because they just might have a point. Dr. Seuss's Butter Battle Book taught me that things can escalate quickly and aren't always that serious. Stephen King has been a master class with a lesson in nearly every book: just because someone looks friendly like a clown, appearances aren't always what they seem; much like wanting to keep a pet alive forever, some wishes are best left ungranted, and be kind to others because you don't know what others are dealing with in their lives and if they may have psychokinesis powers that could burn down the school gym during prom. Alexandra Potter's Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up recently taught me that even adults can have coming-of-age stories. Elvira's memoir Yours, Cruelly, Elvira showed me that sometimes you need to fight against how others perceive you because you can't let others' unfair views hold you back. Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series has taught me that no matter how many cars get blown up and how many naked guys run through my life, I need to keep trying. Finally, Margaret Atwood's Handmaids books have taught me to not stand idly by as I see injustices and not to back down as rights are removed. Each of these books and many more have touched my life in a special way. After some sidetracks and heartbreaks, I am an adult returning to school to follow my passion and looking to contribute to my community in the best way that I know how, by taking these lessons to heart and passing them on to others. Not everyone is taught these lessons, and not everyone learns in the same way. My own life has included hospital stays with an ill spouse who left me a widow before the age of forty and several less-than-optimal jobs and a recent layoff leading to a mid-life career change. You need to learn what you can any way that you can, enjoy life, and keep at it until you persevere because you never know what life will hold.

Technology has invaded every aspect of our lives, whether it is the Keurig that brews the morning cup of coffee or the social media that releases serotonin and breeds anxiety. Thankfully, technology is also stepping in to improve access to affordable mental healthcare. According to NAMI, "1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year," and "1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year". On top of that, the Covid-19 pandemic has left many people suffering from lingering anxiety or fatigue. Psychiatric services are overwhelmed with long waitlists for many professionals. Now, many professionals are offering telehealth services so that they can treat people that would never be able to make it into an office due to physical limitations or proximity. There are also a plethora of apps to help with simple needs like meditation, mantras, yoga, or direct access to mental health services. While some forms of technology can be dangerous, it is now doing it's part to help those struggling with mental illness.

Seventeen years ago, I met the man who would become my husband. We worked together, and although we didn’t always get along at first, I grew to know and appreciate this man that told larger than life stories of his experiences that just couldn’t all be true: owning a boat, meeting celebrities, and being featured on the news among many others. In time, I discovered he had a rare genetic condition. Despite the obscene number of pills that he was prescribed, he lived an active life. With him, I was able to travel and meet new people. Five years ago, his good luck finally cracked, and his health went downhill. We went from weekend getaways to weeks in the hospital. I donated a kidney to him, and that stabilized him enough for a couple more years of golf and day trips, although we were never again able to long-distance travel. Two years ago, he passed away at the age of forty-seven. Through our relationship, I learned that I have to make the most of life because you never know how much time you have. Since my husband’s death, I have decided to go back to school to obtain a degree in Library Science. Through this, I will be able to work a career that I have longed for since I was young. I will finally do something that I truly enjoy and will make a mark in my community.

I started my college education twenty years ago, but a year into my journey, life got in my way when my fiance lost his job and I had to choose between working to support us and continuing my education. Like many people, I got sucked into the rabbit hole of working jobs that were just fine but not quite what I wanted to do. The biggest determining factor in my life has been my first job. Choosing my first job came down to luck as I had applications filled out with two employers: Radio Shack and Walmart. Radio Shack happened to call me back first, and it changed the course of my life. Rather than working in a "big box" environment with so much activity happening around me, I was able to work in a more specialized environment and able to learn about and develop a passion for technology. When my fiance lost his job and I paused my education, I went full-time and became a store manager for Radio Shack. Even after I left Radio Shack, I had that real-life experience of technology and leadership that was useful for getting into better jobs. Now, twenty years later, I can say that the rabbit hole that I have been down working everything from customer service to sales to repair technician and manager has been fulfilling in many ways, but I would like to get back to my original dream and finish my degree so that I can move on to my passion: Library Science.

It all started with Covid lockdowns and blankets for my cats. My mother taught me some basic crocheting with a child, but I never got that into it and never completed a project. I usually just made long yarn ropes. That changed in March of 2020 with the beginning of Covid. Cooped up in my apartment without much else to do, I started crocheting. I started small with blankets for each of my cats. By the fall, I had worked my way up to scarves and baby blankets. We are now a year and a half into Covid, and I have completed 3 cat blankets, several decorative face masks, 5 scarves, 2 baby blankets, and 4 full sized blankets. I have learned that when the world gets hectic, much like my cats, a bit of yarn makes me extremely happy. Throw in a crochet hook, and my mind is at peace.