Benning Printing & Publishing

Every time I scroll through social media, I see another event flyer. After a while, they all start looking the same. They all have the same bold fonts, the same glossy backgrounds, and the same over-the-top lighting. Before I even read the words, I can usually tell it was made with AI. I understand why people use AI. Not everyone has the budget to hire a graphic designer or the skills to create something from scratch. AI can be a helpful starting point. But when everyone is

Having a sick parent is challenging for anyone, but dealing with a parent who experiences hallucinations and incoherent mumbling takes it to another level. My mom is currently battling her second bout of lung cancer, which has spread to her neck and brain. She has undergone radiation treatment for her brain and is currently going through chemotherapy. Things are about as good as they can be expected, but she hasn’t gone a week without a trip to the hospital or emergency room

A conversation at a gas station this morning got me thinking. I walked in and spotted a wad of dollar bills on the floor. Another customer said it wasn’t his and handed it to the cashier to hold in case someone came looking for it. Most of us have come across random money at some point—a $20 in a parking lot or a dollar bill blowing down the sidewalk. Depending on the amount and the circumstances, you either pocket it or turn it in to the police or a nearby business and hop

This month’s book club selection was Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club. This intriguing read is a historical mystery that explores the bonds formed among the residents of a boarding house. Set in a Washington, D.C., boarding house during the 1950s, the novel follows Grace March, whose Thursday night dinners become the thread that ties an eclectic group of women together. Each resident comes with her own struggles, secrets, and dreams. The cast includes Fliss, a young English moth

Much has happened since I first shared about my mom’s cancer returning. After 10 days of radiation treatment for the tumor in her brain, she rang the bell on April 22. Though it was a joyous moment for us, it was not the end; that was just the first step. Once her blood tests returned to determine the best course of action, Mom began chemotherapy on May 12, as the cancer is also in her lungs and neck. The treatment will occur every three weeks for 4-6 months. In July, she w

As someone with Crohn’s Disease, I often experience random and frustrating side effects, one of the main ones being mouth sores. It doesn’t take much to trigger them; I can wake up with a sore inside my mouth or a small section of inflamed gums for absolutely no reason. Most of the time, these sores go away on their own, though sometimes I need to swish a little peroxide. Fortunately, it has never been debilitating before. However, this entire week, my mouth has been extreme

Unsolicited advice often isn’t welcome, especially during tough times. Even if people mean well, it can be overwhelming. I trust the science behind cancer treatment and the training that medical professionals go through to understand the disease and create effective therapies. Advances like targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy are the result of careful research and are designed to treat cancer while minimizing harm. Since my mom’s cancer came back, we have received many

As we’ve suspected for weeks, Mom’s lung cancer has returned. This was not a surprise for us. The cancer reappeared in a lymph node in the upper part of her right lung and has spread to the right side of her neck and her brain. Confirming the brain cancer was not an easy task. Because she has a pacemaker/defibrillator, she cannot undergo an MRI. Her doctors were relieved that the CT scan with contrast dye was able to capture an image sufficient to confirm the presence of a t

This month’s Book Club book was “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. The story takes place in a changing Afghanistan and explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and the journey to find redemption. It looks at decades of conflict before, during, and after the Russian invasion and the rise of the Taliban, talking about the experiences of the Afghan people. The main characters, Amir and Hassan, share a complicated friendship. They start as loyal friends in childhood, but the

A recent jury verdict against Meta (Facebook) and YouTube is quite ironic. These platforms, which are central to a lot of our daily communication, are now facing criticism for creating features that make it hard for people to stop using their apps. The case focused on the idea that social media companies designed their apps to keep users’ attention for as long as possible. Features like infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, constant notifications, and personalized recommendat