Author Archives: Djanka Gajdel

“CAPTCHA Chronicles” – The Trial and Tribulations of Proving You’re Human

I’m fed up with CAPTCHA and having to verify I am a human being. It feels like I’m in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Having to repeatedly demonstrate that I’m not a robot to some entity that stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart” is exhausting. As an […]

Unleashing Resilience: The Power of Middle-Aged Women’s Tantrums in a Shifting World

I was thinking the other day how much I’d like to be a toddler and behave like our granddaughter. I don’t mean being a kid again; I mean having the freedom to indulge in a tantrum freely and feeling entirely resolved in those actions, exclusively when I’m pissed. Recently, our youngest experienced a meltdown at […]

I’ve Become A Grinchette

It’s not that I despise Christmas, but I do the consumerism around it. The season’s essence is magical, but it’s somehow become a production. I was raised to celebrate Christmas as the feast of St. Nicholas—an authentic dude with a real history. Santa Claus wasn’t part of my narrative. There was a lot of church […]

The Golden Bachelor and the Platinum Bachelorettes

ABC / Ricky Middlesworth

Reality TV is not me, but I have been groovin’ on The Golden Bachelor. It’s not the leading man who has me enamoured; it’s the powerhouse of women and their clandestine connections that steal the spotlight. The manes of platinum and grey hair have sparkled throughout the program. Sure, I get it. It’s all scripted, […]

Kindness 101

Each morning, I wake up and engage in a daily practice of meditation and breathing exercises. I quiet and balance my energies, only to get into my car and immediately cross paths with a colossal asshole who shows up out of nowhere and blows all that morning effort to shit. I know it’s a test, […]

I Love You Barbie

Oh, Barbie, my childhood rebellion. I love you. Catholic schools were one of the original vestiges of learning about things like sex, drugs and rock-n-roll earlier than anywhere else. In the early sixties, the nuns had a Talibanisque view of women, believing they should be playing supportive roles in life instead of being the main attraction. […]

Spilling the Kool-Aid

Now that we’re post-mayoral election, many people have asked me why I haven’t pursued a political office given my 40 years of active municipal service as a volunteer in different community organization levels. The answer is easy. While others embrace the status quo, I choose to challenge it. I seek transparency and truth, unclouded by […]