The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Undeniable Recap of 2025

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    Ruth Carter

    I’m not going to lie – 2025 was kind of a brutal year – on this planet, in my country, in my life, and in my head. But everything didn’t suck. I’m glad I keep a running Word document as well as a happy memories jar throughout the year so I can look back and see the good things that happened. Likewise, I’m glad I have this blog where I can share some of them with you.

    Below are my top events from the year, lessons I learned (or re-learned), and things I experienced for the first time. What may not be obvious, especially since I’m an anxious introvert, is how much I value the people in my life. Without further ado, here are the top five events from my life in 2025:

    The Trump Transitions Documentary

    A documentary team was inspired to create a film that examined the impact of Felon 47’s executive orders that limited gender options to only male and female, restricted access to hormone replacement therapy, and eliminated the option of changing your gender on your U.S. passport. They asked me to be part of it after they saw my testimony before the Arizona House of Representatives’ Government Committee against HB2062, which would have limited gender options in Arizona to only male and female.

    Each of us who testified were allotted only a few minutes to speak, and I was blown away when Republican Representative Blackman told me to continue even after the time limit passed.

    The resulting documentary, The Trump Transitions, shines a light on what it’s like to be transgender in the USA during this administration. Their interview with me focused on passports and how it feels to face discrimination on an institutional level. I currently have a non-binary passport, but unless the rules change, when it’s up for renewal in 2032, the State Department will only issue a passport with the gender I was assigned at birth. Likewise, even though I should be able to travel internationally, I don’t feel like I can leave the country because I’m afraid the administration will change the rules while I’m away and I’ll have trouble getting back into the USA.

    Other transgender people who were interviewed for the documentary discussed their experiences with things like losing access to gender-affirming health care and facing discrimination in the workplace. I’m grateful that this film exists because it shows people who don’t have a transgender person in their life some of the challenges we face on a daily basis.

    Ironman Lake Placid: 15:57:00

    Coach David Roher and I did our third Ironman Lake Placid together in July 2025.

    The forecast predicted a touch of rain for just the first few hours of the race, but the forecast was wrong. Instead, it was dry through the swim, and then it rained for 3 hours during the bike portion of the race. The bike course is two 56-mile loops through Lake Placid and the surrounding cities, including a 9% decline from Placid into Keene. On the first loop, it wasn’t raining and I flew down this hill, reaching speeds up to 36mph, being passed by racers going more than 50mph. By the second loop, it was raining so hard, we couldn’t see the details of the roadway. Even the atheists were praying they wouldn’t hit a rock or a divot that would send them crashing to the ground. I death-gripped my brakes to keep from going too fast.

    Coach David caught up with me towards the end of the second loop, and we had a do-si-do pattern where he’d pass me going up the hills, and I’d pass him going down the hills and on the flat portions. Because of the rain, I couldn’t ride as fast as I would have liked, and so, as a result, I was on the bike longer than I expected and my legs were more tired by the time I finished – and I still had a marathon to run. Run?! Who was I kidding, I could jog at best, and often not even that. I finished Ironman Lake Placid in 15 hours, 57 minutes, the longest race of my life to date. I burst into tears when I crossed that finish line from joy and exhaustion. Coach David got his wife a VIP  pass so she could be there to hug each of us when we crossed the finish line.

    After I crossed the finish line, I was so cold I went to the warming tent to wait for Coach David to finish. My legs were so sore after the race, I needed a medic to help lower me into a chair. As you know, I don’t carry my phone with me during Ironman. When I finally got back to my room, it made me so happy to see all the messages from friends who tracked me from afar.

    It’s our tradition to start the race holding hands.

    Surprising Godfather and the Spawn

    My friend Joe and his son, Adam, came to Phoenix to watch some Cleveland Guardians spring training games. Their itinerary was full, and the Cleveland Guardians spring training facility is on the other side of the valley from where I live, so I knew Joe wouldn’t have time to hang out, but I wanted to at least say hi.

    I enlisted Joe’s wife, Pam, who gave me their flight information and some suggestions about what type of snacks and drinks they might like. After a 4-hour flight, with probably another hour to go to get their rental car and drive to their hotel, I figured they’d be hungry.

    While Joe and Adam were on their flight to Phoenix, I assembled a tote bag of their goodies and stapled a sign to it that said, “Godfather and the Spawn,” like it was the name of a rock band. I felt like I was on a mission. With the tote bag in one hand, and Lucy’s leash in the other, we headed to the airport and positioned ourselves just beyond security.

    Joe’s jaw dropped with surprise and joy when he saw us, and he gave me a big hug. I wasn’t going to let my friend come to town and not see him, if only for a few minutes. I gave them their tote bag of snacks and wished them a good time at spring training.

    Missing accomplished.

    Meet and Greet with Guy Raz

    I was so excited when Content Marketing World announced that the big keynote speaker was Guy Raz, the host of How I Built This. I gleefully sat in the front row and took a lot of notes. After his talk, I was one of the lucky ones who was invited backstage for a brief meet and greet.

    Guy Raz couldn’t have been nicer. I knew I had to keep it brief, so I asked only one question – his advice for me for getting back into writing. I expected him to give a quick 2 sentence answer, but he acted like he had all the time in the world and gave me some thoughtful suggestions. And of course, he gushed over Lucy Jane.

    Karaoke at MPB2B

    I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at MarketingProfs B2B Forum in November 2025. This is a top-notch marketing conference with some of the best speakers in the business, some of whom I’m lucky enough to call my friends. The event also has fantastic morning and evening events to bookend each day – one of which was karaoke.

    As a classically trained soprano, you might be surprised to hear that I was petrified to get on that stage and sing. Most of these people had never heard me sing before, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself or do something that might make the audience think I’m not as good as I know I can be. (I hope that didn’t sound conceited.)

    I didn’t want to not sing and regret it later, so I put myself on the list to sing “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. I was so scared, and what helped were the supportive audience and especially the people who were on the list before me. They performed with a vibe that screamed, “This is what we’re doing tonight,” and they showed me it was ok to trip over the words here and there.

    When it was my turn, I gave myself permission to act like I had the confidence of a toddler wearing a superhero cape. I let go of my fear and sang my heart out.

    Was it my best performance ever? No.

    Did I get on that stage and own it? Yes.

    Seeing Hamilton on the Big Screen

    I love the musical Hamilton – the music, the choreography, the costumes, even the member of the ensemble who plays the “Bullet.” When the touring show came to Arizona in 2024, I treated myself to a front row seat in the balcony so I could see everything on the stage, unobstructed, including the double rotating turntables.

    2024 was the first time I saw Hamilton, apart from clips I’d seen online. Disney+ had a cinematic version of the show it made available in 2020 during the pandemic, but I never saw it because I don’t have Disney+, or any streaming service for that matter.

    When they announced, for Hamilton’s 10th anniversary, that the Disney+ version of the show was going to be released in movie theaters, I immediately bought my ticket. I purposely went to the first showing, at 11:30am, to avoid the crowd. It was amazing to see the show again, but all the actors now were 20 feet tall. It was amazing to see so many details you can’t see from the audience during the stage show, and I loved seeing the original Broadway cast. I’m still listening to songs from the soundtrack on at least a weekly basis, if not daily.

    Lessons Learned (or Re-learned)

    Chewing gum can help get a song out of your head.

    This is called a “spurtle.” It’s a cooking utensil for stirring things. There’s been one in my kitchen my entire life, and I never knew what it was called. Hat tip to Matteo Lane.

    I’m meant to wear jumpsuits and rompers.

    Best fake number to give out: 248-434-5508

    If you don’t have a club card for a store, input your area code + 867-5309. It usually works.

    My blazer size is 38S slim, but I can’t wear the corresponding slim pants because I have an ass. When you say this to a store clerk, they may laugh uncontrollably.

    If you create a bingo square for your goals, if you don’t have a plan to actually achieve them, you probably won’t.

    When using ChatGPT, at the end of your prompt, add, “Ask me questions, one at a time, until you have the information you need to properly respond to my prompt.” Hat tip to Christopher Penn.

    Sometimes an off-handed comment inspires an act of awesomeness – When I was invited to speak at the Creator Economy Expo (CEX), I jokingly said the speakers’ lounge should be stocked with Mitchell’s ice cream. At CEX, one of the staff members brought me a pint of Mitchell’s vegan chocolate ice cream at the speakers’ party. It’s so good – rich like chocolate mousse.

    This is the gender fluid flag.

    Omnisexual, pansexual, and bisexual are similar but different sexual orientations.

    The trans flag was created in Phoenix, AZ. I learned the street address where this happened. I wish we could have a plaque there, but I’m afraid it would be a target for vandalism.

    If you have an X on your IDs and you select the “non-binary” or “unspecified,” the airline might not let you check in for your flight online.

    Writing “they/them” on your event badge in a color of ink that stands out is more effective at communicating your pronouns than sticking the “they/them” ribbon to the bottom of your badge.

    From running the Mesa Marathon:

    • Before the race, put everything you might need for the first 48 hours after the race at tabletop level, because after the race, bending down may be nearly impossible. 
    • Make yourself eat, even if you’re not hungry, before the race. If you get hungry during the race, that means you’re out of fuel, and your pace will plummet.

    While volunteering at Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary:

    • Turkeys can hiss.
    • Pigeons are not bright.
    • Ducks are really good at hiding their eggs.
    • It’s fun to track the baby animals’ growth by taking photos of them next to my boot for the size comparison.
    Baby Blaze with my Boot – only a few weeks old

    From doing Ironman:

    • Ask for the Ironman race number you want. They just might give it to you.
    • The armband that normally holds your phone when you’re working out is the right size to hold your Gatorade powder refills when you’re racing.
    • Always put a fresh pair of socks, a towel, and baby powder in your T2 bag (the bag that holds your running gear) so you can start the run with dry feet.

    Firsts

    Bought and used the Big A## Calendar so I could see my entire year at the same time.

    Joined Costco.

    Had a colonoscopy – I lost 4 pounds overnight and had doctor-administered good drugs. There’s no downside. If you’re 45 or older, don’t put this off.

    Bought and wore a Speedo-style bathing suit with a drawstring at the waist.

    Participated in a silent disco – everyone wears wireless headphones with three channels of music to choose from, and non-participants can’t hear it – and I danced like no one was watching.

    Broke a porcelain inlay with my teeth and subsequently got my 1st crown.

    Bit through an Invisalign tray, in my sleep, while wearing a night guard. (Yes, I’m that talented.)

    Bought and used a cooling blanket instead of a top sheet all summer. I don’t know how it works, but it works. Met Buddy and Draco Williams, our friends’ basset hounds, who I call Lucy Jane’s cousins.

    Went for a run in an unfamiliar city with Google Maps feeding me directions in my headphones.

    Bought my nibling a Hugimal (weighted stuffed animal) for her birthday, and before I wrapped it, I cuddled it on my lap for over an hour while I scrolled through my social media.

    Events

    Attended CactusCon – it’s like Def Con but less scary.

    Took Lucy Jane to Copa Paws and Claws to hang out in the AZ Basset Hound Rescue booth and show everyone how awesome bassets are.

    Foods

    CocoWhip, a coconut-based vegan Cool Whip-like product. It’s pretty good.

    Nyla, sparkling pickle juice. It’s weird but not bad.

    Sites

    Bisbee, Arizona

    USA-Mexico border and the wall

    Boston Marathon Finish Line

    Newly installed Superman sculpture in Cleveland, OH.

    Public art in Cleveland that says “Things Change” or “Change Things” depending on how you look at it. This really moved me.

    In Memoriam

    Hoomans: Elisa Rae Shupe, George Wendt, Brian Wilson, Giorgio Armani, Cynthia Zimmerman, Kathy Campos, Judge Frank Caprio, Jane Goodall, Diane Keaton, Rob and Michele Reiner, Troy Foster, Barry Halvorson

    Animal Friends: Cinder, Newton, Harvey, Winston, Pepe, Scooter, Emmett, Gretta, Hanna, Tom Tom

  • Undeniable Recap of 2024

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    Ruth Carter

    It was a busy year with lots of ups and downs. In case you didn’t know, I keep a Word doc going all year and add to it as pertinent events happen. It gives me a richer perspective as I look back on the year, and I’m glad I get to share it with you. Here are some of my top events from 2024, in no particular order:

    PR at Mesa Marathon: 4:03:33

    When I started running marathons, my goal was just to finish. I didn’t care how long it took me to cross the finish line – but then the Boston Marathon added a non-binary division in 2023.

    Previously, I thought the qualifying times for Boston were too fast for me to have a chance, but this motivated me to try for it. In 2023, I finished in 4:22:59, cutting about 11 minutes off my previous personal record. For 2024, my goal was to finish in under 4:20, and my super lofty goal was to finish in under 4:05. (I need to finish in under 3:50 to qualify for Boston.)

    It was rainy and cold on race day. When I started the Mesa Marathon, I couldn’t feel my feet. Somewhere in the middle, I couldn’t feel my hands. I was shocked when I finished in 4:03.

    Besides my amazing finishing time, the other highlight of the day was my friend Randy Walters holding a sign for me around Mile 16. I was so touched, I almost cried.

    (I know watching other people race can be so boring, but being there means so much to the athletes.)

    Hanging Out with PJ

    This might be the best night of the entire year. I met PJ online in 2022, through an Ironman Facebook group. He stood up for me when others gave me a hard time when I asked if any other non-binary athletes were doing IM Lake Placid that year. We finally got to meet in person this year, when he came to Lake Placid to watch me race and do some training himself because he had his Ironman in Wisconsin on the horizon.

    My favorite memory with PJ was the night before the race. We were in my hotel room, sitting side by side on my bed, eating dinner, and talking. Nothing fancy – just two friends connecting.

    Bonus memory with PJ came the next day when he ran onto the course when I had about 2.5 miles to go and made a video with me – at least until the race official made him go back to the sideline.

    PR at IM Lake Placid: 15:00:33

    Ironman is a brutal race: 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run. Lake Placid, New York, is gorgeous, but it has so many hills – helpful on the way down, brutal on the way back up.

    I took 21+ minutes off my finish time from Ironman Lake Placid 2022. Most of this was on the bike. Even though the course had more elevation this year, I still finished faster finish time.

    The crazy part about it was how well I did because I felt so depleted during the race. Ironman changed the sports drink it offered on the course from Gatorade to Mortal Hydration, something I’d never heard of. I thought it would be ok, and it wasn’t. When I crossed the finish line, the volunteer who “caught” me asked, “Are you ok?”

    “How bad do I look?,” I responded weakly. I could barely hold my head up.

    Shortly after that, I went to the medical tent where they had an impressive field hospital. The volunteers helped me lower down to one of the vintage jelly tube folding chaises they were using for cots and covered me with a heavy foil blanket. I was so dehydrated, my blood pressure was only 88/60. I still remember my conversation with the medical staff:

    “Let’s get you a Gatorade.”

    “You have real Gatorade?” My eyes went wide with disbelief and joy.

    The volunteer smiled. “What flavor would you like?”

    “Can I have a red one please?”

    My body was so shut down, I could barely manage sips of it at first, but within 30-ish minutes, my blood pressure was back to normal, and the medical staff released me just after I heard the announcer call Coach David’s name as he crossed the finish line.

    My photographer friend Marc Farb also came up for the race. We did a photoshoot before race day, and he got himself a press pass so he could be on the course during the race. My favorite photo from the race was this one he took a few seconds after I crossed the finish line, and I could finally let myself feel exhausted.

    Photo by Marc Farb

    Finished the Penny Experiment

    I did a year-long experiment, from October 11, 2023 (National Coming Out Day) through October 10, 2024, where I kept track of the times I was misgendered, the times I was correctly addressed, and the instances where I either misgendered someone or assumed someone’s gender. I had a jar for each category, and for each instance, I added a penny to the appropriate jar. I did this to tangibly show what it’s like to be a non-binary person living in a gender binary-centric society. Here were the results:

    Misgendered: 893
    Correctly addressed: 230
    I assumed someone’s gender or misgendered someone: 72

    I was, and for the most part continue to be, misgendered on about a 4:1 basis.

    An unexpected result of this experiment was how people who knew I was doing this experiment became more self-aware about their word choices. It became common to be in a situation where a friend would either correctly address me or inadvertently misgender me, and they’d follow it with, “I get a penny for that.”

    Taking Lucy Jane to Coronado Dog Beach

    I was so happy when Content Marketing World announced that their 2024 conference was going to be in San Diego. At the top of my list of things to do, besides the conference, was taking Lucy Jane to the dog beach. She loved our trip to Rosie’s Dog Beach in 2023.

    No surprise, Lucy Jane loved Coronado Dog Beach. She loves being near the water, as long as she doesn’t have to touch it. Lucy Jane ran up and down the beach, and when she was tired, she plopped herself down on the sand next to me. This photo may not show it, but this trip was filled with joy.

    Lessons Learned (or Re-Learned)

    Some white girls wear bonnets, just like black girls.

    Even if she’s stoned off her ass on trazodone, Lucy Jane will still throw a fit during a nail trim.

    I don’t like loud noises or children.

    If you fart on an airplane during a flight, other people probably won’t hear it because of how noisy everything is.

    You cannot pick up your next bottle of ADHD meds until it’s been at least 28 days after you picked up your last bottle of ADHD meds.

    Lucy isn’t allowed to go to the gym with me if I’m going to be running on the indoor track. She will whine constantly when she can’t see me – and I mean for hours.

    Turn on the volume on your phone when you go to bed so you’ll hear your alarm the next morning.

    If you learn about “breaking news” 12 hours after everyone else, it seems like dramatic, and it’s easier to accept it and move forward. (Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris while I was in the middle of Ironman Lake Placid.)

    Non-binary people are described as having purple shadows.

    If you forget to remove your CO2 cartridges from your bike before putting it on the plane, they will not blow up the plane. They may be perfectly fine when you land at your destination. Also, TSA may not notice your CO2 cartridges, even if they search your bag.

    Don’t put your fingers in Winston the goat’s mouth. He bites.

    I am a better version of myself when I’m properly medicated.

    Lucy Jane likes being an only child.

    Mortal Hydration sucks as a sports drink.

    There’s nothing like seeing a familiar face on the sideline on race day.

    Dogs at airports and pre-race events reduce anxiety and bring joy.

    If you want a particular number on race day, ask for it.

    Trisuits need more pockets.

    If you wear a shirt with Hebrew verbiage across it, people will assume you speak the language.

    Starting the race hand-in-hand with your friends is awesome.

    Barely jogging is still faster than walking.

    Verify that the porto-potty has toilet paper before sitting down.

    Starting Ironman Lake Placid with Coach David and Shlomo

    Firsts

    A stranger committed assault and battery against me. (It was nothing crazy, just a drunk person walking up and purposely bumping into me.)

    Baby goat chewed on my ear. Baby goat chewed on my nose.

    Ellie, the super skittish goat-sheep hybrid, touched my hand!

    I put too much soup in glass jar, and then I put it in the freezer. The jar cracked from top to bottom.

    I picked up a rooster.

    Coach David sent me an emotional support pickle.

    I attended my first Savannah Bananas game!

    A flight attendant asked a plane full of people if there was a doctor or nurse on board.

    My flight was diverted to a closer airport due a passenger’s medical emergency (not mine).

    I bought a kid-leash where both wrist straps fit an adult-size person. (Since I have a tendency to  wander when I’m nervous, I figured it would come in handy during race weekend.)

    While volunteering at Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary, I administered subcutaneous medication to a farm animal, applied diaper rash ointment to pigs’ skin, changed dressings on an animal’s wounds, and gave an intramuscular injection to a pig.

    I attended the Ironman Arizona volunteers’ dinner, something I’d usually skip because unfamiliar people.

    While training for Ironman, I rode my bike up the 11% grade to the top of South Mountain – up by the antennas.

    I swam at the public pool while wearing only bikini bottoms. This is now the only type of swimsuit I own.

    I saw Hamilton on stage at Gammage, and treated myself to a seat in the front row in the balcony so I could see all the choreography.

    Professional comic artist Travis Hanson drew me a portrait of Lucy Jane.

    Portrait by Travis Hanson

    Adulting Merit Badges Earned

    Removed back tire from the bike

    Reinstalled back tire on the bike

    Changed a bike tube without getting a pinch flat – and I have Gatorskin tires on my bike.

    Assembled and filled a fountain pen.

    Disassembled the bike and packed it into the bike bag.

    Flew to Ironman Lake Placid with my bike.

    A colleague was defending a deposition in Texas when his flight was cancelled due to weather. My colleague and I managed to get him home that night on the last flight out, after scrambling to determine his birthdate for his new ticket. Did I mention it was also his birthday? We were determined to get him home.

    In Memoriam

    Hoomans: Jeffrey Mutter, Toby Keith, Richard Lewis, Larry Murphy, Morgan Spurlock, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Richard Simmons, Bob Newhart, Patti Yasutake, James Darren, James Earl Jones, Dame Maggie Smith, Jeri Taylor, Tony Todd, Jimmy Carter

    Animal Friends: Bentley, Bella, Ra, Oliver, Bertie, Lily, Lulubelle, Penelope, Pumpkin, Giggy, Watson, Bug

  • Undeniable Recap of 2023

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    Ruth Carter

    It’s been an eventful, and often exhausting, year. I learned a lot about what’s important to me and what it means to be true to myself – hopefully more to come with those ideas in 2024!

    Here are my top five events from 2023:

    Top Surgery

    When my eyes fluttered open in the recovery room as my anesthesia was wearing off after top surgery, I looked down at my bandaged chest and thought “Yes!” with a smile. The next morning was even better when my surgeon’s physician assistant cut off the bandages and put me in the binder I had to wear during the initial healing. My chest was flat!

    I’ve felt nothing but happiness and joy in my new body – finally feeling like I have the body I’m supposed to have. One of my goals for 2024 is to share the full story of getting top surgery.

    Ropes Course Day

    After top surgery, I knew I wouldn’t be able to extend my arms above my head for six weeks. To enjoy the full use of my body before then, on the Friday before my surgery, I went to Flagstaff to do the Extreme Adventure Course with my friends, Nicole and Ariel. It was so fun to climb the trees and do the five levels of obstacles for about four hours.

    Taking Lucy Jane to the Beach

    Lucy loves being near the water – as long as she doesn’t have to touch it. I took her to Long Beach for a long weekend so she could experience Rosie’s Dog Beach. She had so much fun running and frolicking along the water’s edge.

    Marathon Personal Record: 4:22:59

    I sign up for races because they motivate me to work out. And they’re fun – in a masochistic kind of way. A marathon is a distance I won’t do on my own. I need the support and excitement of race day to run that far.

    And then the Boston Marathon added a non-binary division. Whereas, my goal before was merely to finish, now I want to be fast enough to qualify for this venerated race. I shaved 11 minutes off my previous personal best this year – still a ways to go before I reach my ultimate goal, but I was excited to see so much improvement.

    Seeing My Friends

    I keep a jar on my bedside table, and every time something good happens, I write it down and add it to the jar. As I reviewed my happy memories from 2023, I saw that the majority of them were times spent with friends – often doing nothing exciting, just hanging out, enjoying each other’s company.

    Even though I’m an introvert, and I need my down time, it’s becoming more obvious how much I enjoy and value staying connected to my friends. Whether it’s the friends I see every week when I volunteer at Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary or the people that I see only a few times a year, you are all important to me.

    Lessons Learned (or Re-learned)

    Don’t put your face between the floor and the bed where your excited dog is likely to try to jump onto the bed through your nose

    Don’t let direct sun hit your healing tattoo that’s covered with “second skin.” It feels like you’re cooking your skin/flesh.

    Barely jogging is noticeably faster than walking.

    The “purple spray” antiseptic used to treat the animal’s minor injuries at the farm sanctuary stains your skin purple.

    Don’t ride your bike in running shorts. Always wear bike shorts. That 2mm of padding makes a big difference!

    There is only one correct way to spell “Chanukah.”

    According to my Garmin, I sleepwalk.

    Firsts

    Non-binary Race – Mesa Marathon

    Spending a night in a hospital (not including when I was born)

    Walking outside without a shirt after top surgery

    Washing a cow

    Finding $5 at the bottom of a pool – 13 feet down

    Bone-conducting headphones

    Walking across a state line – VA to DC

    Biking up South Mountain to Dobbins Lookout

    Food Firsts: Dole Whip (yum!), Cinnaholic cinnamon roll (yum!), starfruit (meh), oatmilk soft serve (pretty good)

    First Visits to Sites: Cabazon Dinosaurs (CA), Giant Penny (CA), Continental Divide (NM), Suffragettes statues (TN), Parthenon replica (TN), Lincoln Memorial (DC), Albert Einstein Memorial (DC), Dr. Bob’s House – birthplace of AA (OH), Location of the Boston Tea Party (MA), Edgar Allan Poe statue (MA), World’s Biggest Wooden Gavel (IL), USA’s 2nd Largest Cross (IL), and Giant Cross with creepy life-size Stations of the Cross and homophobic propaganda (TX)

    Giant cross = Open space with grass = Good place to stop on a road trip for Lucy to stretch her legs

    Lucy’s Firsts

    Trip to the beach

    Subway ride

    Doggy backpack

    Doggy pajamas

    Adulting Merit Badges Earned

    Purchased a major appliance (clothes washer)

    Went to State Capitol to testify at a House of Representatives Committee meeting

    Learned how to drive a tractor

    Replaced a knob on my clothes dryer

    In Memoriam

    Hoomans: Burt Bacharach, Richard Belzer, Jim McHugh, Edward Kavanaugh (aka Prince K), Tina Turner, Bruce Press, Alan Arkin, Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Paul Reubens, Perry Nelson, Suzanne Somers, Richard Moll, Matthew Perry, Jeanne Seivert, Jesús Ociel Baena, Sandra Day O’Connor

    Animal Friends: Ingrid, Gracie, Mochi, Poppi, Jonesy

    Thank you to everyone who made 2023 a good year for me. Looking forward to more adventures and good memories in 2024.