Category: Commentary

Challenge, Commentary

MLMM- 11/9/26- Shared Memories

M.A.D. Works
MLMM Monday Wordle #502

time, second, once, three, minute, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decade, century.

Okay I am going to give this a shot. It is simple but here is my take.

Once upon a time, a little turtle named Tim wanted to see the world. One second after leaving home, he met a rabbit who said, “I was once just as curious as you!” The two friends walked for three miles and rested for a minute under a shady tree. They talked for hours, traveled for days, and shared adventures for weeks. Soon, those weeks turned into months, and the months turned into years. After a whole decade, Tim looked back and smiled at all the memories they had made together. Then the rabbit laughed and said, “Imagine what stories we’ll have in a century!” And so, the friends continued their journey, making every moment count.

Commentary

Idea of a Good Friend

M.A.D. Works

Has your idea of what makes a good friend changed as you’ve gotten older?

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  Absolutely. When I was younger, I measured friendship by how often we talked, hung out, or shared the same hobbies. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to value deeper qualities. A good friend is someone who respects boundaries, keeps confidences, shows up when it matters, and accepts me as I am. Life has taught me that real friendship isn’t about constant contact. It’s about trust, mutual support, and knowing that even after time apart, the connection remains strong. Quality matters much more than quantity.  

Art, Commentary

The Guardians- Artwork

M.A.D. Works

So, here is my latest work! The treasure chest, pug, old lady, and Hulk were all hand-drawn and colored by me separately. Then, using Canva, I arranged the drawings where I wanted them and added the title, “The Guardians.” After that, I asked ChatGPT to create a background for the scene.

What do you think?

I’ve never been very confident when it comes to putting an entire composition together, but I do enjoy drawing individual pieces. This process feels like a great solution for me because it allows me to create the ideas I see in my head without getting frustrated trying to fit everything together all at once. Instead, I can focus on drawing each element, then bring everything together digitally to create the final image. I’m excited to see where this approach takes me!

Wooden sign reading “Just Rójie” outside a flower-filled boutique
Challenge, Commentary

Just Rojie

M.A.D. Works
Wooden sign reading “Just Rójie” outside a flower-filled boutique
A rustic wooden “Just Rójie” sign welcomes visitors to a charming flower-filled boutique.

LINK: prompts for october 2026 

  1. Describe a cozy autumn evening that you’ve experienced or would like to. 

My ideal autumn evening isn’t fancy. It’s a blanket, a warm drink, and permission to stop performing for everyone else. Maybe I’d spend an hour painting, doodling, or writing whatever is on my mind while YouTube plays softly in the background. The windows would be open just enough to let in that crisp autumn air. I’d feel cozy, not because everything in my life was perfect, but because I was finally allowing myself to rest without guilt. That’s the kind of autumn evening I want more of.

Commentary

Lesson Learned

M.A.D. Works

What’s one thing you know now that would have saved your younger self a lot of pain?

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  One thing I know now that would’ve saved my younger self a lot of pain is this: you don’t have to earn the right to be treated well. I spent years believing I had to over‑explain, over‑give, or over‑tolerate to keep the peace. Learning that my needs weren’t “too much,” and that boundaries aren’t punishments but protection, would have changed everything. I understand now that choosing myself isn’t selfish — it’s survival, and it’s the foundation for every healthy connection I build moving forward.  

 At times I still go back to my old ways, and I have to remind myself that it is okay to put me first instead of others. If they don’t agree that it is not on me, it is on them.

Challenge, Commentary

Just Rojie- Day 4

M.A.D. Works

LINK: prompts for october 2026 

Post your favorite picture and share why it’s your fav pic.

A cluster of bright tulips growing together, their petals glowing in shades of golden yellow, orange, and reddish pink, like little flames rising toward the sky.

This is my favorite picture because it is one of my own creations, and every time I look at it, I remember how much fun I had bringing it to life,from sketching the first outline and choosing the colors to slowly layering the shades and highlights until it felt just right, especially the way the colors blend together and make the whole image feel vibrant and full of my personality.

Commentary

Weirdest Movie

M.A.D. Works

What’s the weirdest movie you’ve ever watched?

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I might not have a whole crowd nodding along with me on this one, but to this day I still can’t figure out this movie. I remember sitting in the theater, trying so hard to stay awake, waiting for it to make sense… and it never did.

So, my pick for the weirdest movie I’ve ever watched? Tomb Raider.

I know plenty of people love it, but for me it was a confusing, chaotic blur that almost rocked me right to sleep.

Wooden sign reading “Just Rójie” outside a flower-filled boutique
Challenge, Commentary

Just Rojie – Day 3

M.A.D. Works
Wooden sign reading “Just Rójie” outside a flower-filled boutique
A rustic wooden “Just Rójie” sign welcomes visitors to a charming flower-filled boutique.

LINK: prompts for october 2026

What is an emotion that you are not comfortable with? 

The emotion I’m not comfortable with is disappointment. It unsettles me because it forces me to face unmet expectations — both mine and others’. When I sense disappointment, I instinctively try to fix it, to smooth things over, to make sure no one feels let down. That urge often turns into people‑pleasing. But underneath that, I know it’s really about fear — fear of being the reason someone feels hurt or dissatisfied. I’m learning that disappointment doesn’t have to mean failure, sometimes it’s just truth showing up in a way I didn’t want to see. Accepting that truth is uncomfortable, but it’s also where my freedom begins.

Person writing a to-do list beside laptop displaying “UNSUBSCRIBE”
Challenge, Commentary

Just Rojie- Day 2

M.A.D. Works
Person writing a to-do list beside laptop displaying “UNSUBSCRIBE”
A busy home workspace captures the concentration and clutter of organizing a demanding to-do list.

LINK: prompts for october 2026 

How do you get organized? How do you prioritize your day?

LOL, organized and I do not go together. I try my best to be organized, but it is like the world is out to get me and the moment I think I have it a monkey wrench is thrown into the mix. What I try to do each day is make a list of all the things I need to do for the day. This way at least I know some things will get done.

Baker handing a bag of cookies across a counter
Challenge, Commentary

Just Rojie – Day 1

M.A.D. Works
Baker handing a bag of cookies across a counter
A smiling baker shares peanut butter and snowball cookies across a warmly lit counter.

LINK: prompts for october 2026 

I am behind but I am on a mission to catch up.

It’s national homemade cookies day. What’s your favorite homemade cookie? And do you have a recipe you’d like to share?

I would have to say that my favorite homemade cookies would be a toss-up between peanut butter cookies that my grandma on my mom’s side would make. The other one be snowball cookies my grandma on my dad’s side would make. While I don’t have their recipes, here are the recipes that I found online.

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep Time:20minutes mins

Cook Time:8minutes mins

Total Time:28minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • With an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and egg and mix until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour (sift flour once measured). Add to the peanut butter mixture, mix until combined.
  • Form dough into 1″ balls. Place the balls about 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten in a crisscross pattern using a fork.
  • Bake 8-9 minutes until cookies just start to turn golden at the base. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool 5 minutes then transfer on a wire rack.

Author: Valentina Ablaev

Recipe courtesy of Joann Maguire

Snowball Cookies

  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 55 min
  • Active: 15 min
  • Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

1 cup pecans or walnuts

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter 

1 1/4 ounces granulated sugar 

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven 325 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor, and process until finely ground or the texture of coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the flour and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Roll the dough into balls (about 24 dough balls) and place about 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden and the bottoms begin to brown, 18 minutes.
  3. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Roll the cookies in the confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
Commentary

Just Rojie Day 19

M.A.D. Works

LINK: prompts for september 2026

Do you tend to forgive and forget, or just forgive but not forget… or neither?

I don’t forget, but I do try to forgive. Not instantly, not perfectly, and not because the other person deserves it—mostly because carrying the hurt around starts to feel too heavy. Forgetting isn’t something I can force, some experiences leave a mark whether I want them to or not.

But forgiveness, for me, is more like loosening my grip. I stop replaying the moment. I stop letting it define how I see myself. I stop letting it take up space in my day. The memory stays, but it softens. I am not able to do this all the time, but it is something that I am working on.

Commentary

Just Rojie Day 18th

M.A.D. Works

What is your horoscope sign? And is the description accurate?

LINK: prompts for september 2026

I’m a Gemini, which supposedly means I’m made of curiosity, quick thoughts, shifting winds, and twin perspectives. Some of that resonates, I do live in my ideas, I change direction when something sparks, and I hold more than one truth at a time. But I’m not defined by the sign. It’s more like a constellation that overlaps with me in places and drifts away in others.

Commentary

Sum it up Sunday 8/9/26

M.A.D. Works

This week felt like one of those stretches where there’s less time to do things with all that needs to be done, yet somehow a few moments still found their way in, the kind that remind me I’m allowed to pause, breathe, and enjoy what’s right in front of me.

Art

Yesterday I went to a painting event with my niece, and honestly, it was exactly what I needed. She had a blast, I had a blast, and we already made plans to go again next Saturday. We painted Keropi — and as you can see above, I think mine turned out pretty cute. I did make the eyeball a little bigger, but the rest of it came together in a way that makes me smile. It felt good to just sit there, paint, laugh, and enjoy a rare slow afternon with her.

Therapy

On the other side of my week, I’ve officially started EMDR. I’m working on replacing some deeply ingrained negative thoughts, and I’m still figuring out how I feel about the process. The nightmares — which can be a side effect — have been rough. They show up right after a session, keep me up for a few nights, then disappear until the next round. It’s like a cycle I’m learning to navigate.

But even with the hard parts, I’ve already seen some positives. Small shifts, clearer moments, tiny sparks of change. So I’m sticking with it. I’m using the tools I’ve been given, and I’m trusting the process even when it feels uncomfortable.

Commentary

Sum it Up Sunday

M.A.D. Works

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been thinking about trying something a little different here on my blog. Lately, I’ve felt the pull to share more of what’s going on in my life — the everyday moments, the little victories, the tired days, and everything in between. I also want to start posting more of my artwork, because creating is such a big part of who I am, and I’d love to let you all in on that side of me.

Now, I’m going to be realistic: I probably won’t be able to post every day. Work has been kicking my butt lately, and by the time I get home, all I really want to do is eat, unwind, and sleep. So, if you’re part of my challenges, please know I’m usually reading your posts a bit behind schedule, but I do get to them, and I appreciate every single one.

I’m also behind on a few other challenges, but they’re still on my list, and I plan to jump back in whenever I have a chance. Life is busy, but creativity is still important to me.

My hope is to check in at least once a week with a little update on how things are going — maybe a story from my week, maybe a piece of art I’ve been working on, maybe both. I want this space to feel more personal, more connected, and more like a true reflection of the things I care about.

Thanks for being here with me. I’m excited to share more of my world with you.

Commentary, Daily Prompts

One Tip

M.A.D. Works
Daily writing prompt
If you had to give one life-changing tip, what would it be?
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If I had to give one life‑changing tip, it would be to learn to listen to yourself with the same compassion you offer everyone else.

Most of us move through life tuned into other people’s needs, expectations, and reactions. We get so used to reading the room that we forget to read ourselves. But everything shifts when you start paying attention to your own signals, your exhaustion, your excitement, your boundaries, your intuition.

I have begun to do this and some days it is easier than others, but I don’t plan to give up.