A personal note before Day 100 🗺️
I started this campaign as a test, not a plan. Open-source first, which pushed me into programming and browser-native maps. 🎮
The next chapter I want most: projects that genuinely help people. Maps as portals back into the real world, not escape. Mountains, conversation, and time offline still matter. ⛰️
Posting across seven platforms every day cost more energy than I expected. Thank you for following along. ❤️
A Mother-Daughter 2025 Cruise Trip: Our Honest Experience Visiting Jamaica by Cruise
Our next stop after Nassau was Jamaica, where we ported two days later, and I remember feeling just as excited stepping off the ship as I had at the previous port. There’s something about arriving somewhere new for the first time, like the curiosity, the anticipation, and the quiet wonder of not knowing exactly what to expect. I was eager to see what kind of experience awaited us there and how Jamaica would differ from Nassau, which we had previously visited.
The first thing I noticed as we walked along the gangway into Ocho Rios was the burst of bright, beautiful colors from the vendors’ booths lining the path. They stretched along much of the walkway, giving visitors the chance to stop, browse, and briefly chat with locals if they wanted.
The booths were packed with all sorts of things: clothing, straw hats, purses, fresh fruit, rum, and other eye-catching souvenirs. Nearby, a man stood with a parrot, offering photos to anyone interested.
From the moment we stepped off the ship, Jamaica’s scenery was mesmerizing. The vibrant flowers, colorful surroundings, and the busy energy of people everywhere made the place feel full of life and almost breathtaking.
The gangway was already pretty crowded, even though only our ship was in port at first. Not long after, another ship arrived, and the area became even busier.
At first, we were simply taking everything in and enjoying the atmosphere, but as we moved farther along, the energy around us began to feel more intense than I had expected.
Near the end of the gangway, a group of men stood together. They were tour guides, cab drivers, or maybe both, calling out to anyone who needed a ride or a tour. One man approached us and was especially persistent, insisting that we let him show us around and drive us wherever we wanted to go.
I understood he was just trying to make a living and offer what he thought was helpful. Still, we had planned to walk to the nearby tourist area, where many of our fellow shipmates were already going.
As he kept talking, I started to feel uneasy. It wasn’t really about what he was offering, but more about how persistent he was. I also didn’t feel comfortable getting into a car with someone I didn’t know. Whether my instincts were right or not, something inside me just said no.
We left the first man behind and stepped off the gangway onto the roadside, planning to walk toward the tourist area. At first, we went the wrong way, and another man offered us a tour. We said no, turned around, and headed back, which meant passing the gangway exit again.
After we passed the exit, another man approached us with the same offer. By then, I was out of patience, so we decided to head back to the ship.
We tried to avoid the first man we had encountered, but he spotted us right away. Once again, he began insisting on the same offer, pressing us even after we had already said no. This time, I told him firmly but politely that I wasn’t interested, that we didn’t need a ride into town, and that we were heading back to the ship.
He apologized and finally left us alone.
Looking back now, part of me wishes we had kept going once we stepped off the gangway and started walking along the road, especially since other shipmates were doing the same. I also wish I hadn’t let that last interaction make me turn around so quickly. We probably would have made it into town, taken in more of the sights, and had a different experience altogether. Instead, we ended up back on the ship after being off for less than forty minutes, if that.
Still, once we were back on the ship, the day felt a little softer.
We had lunch, and afterward I took a nap on the top deck while my daughter played games on her phone. I remember the air feeling cool and warm at once as it moved against my skin, and for a while, everything felt quiet again.
After I woke up, we walked around the top deck and took in a full panoramic view of the island from where we stood. The photos we took don’t do it justice. It was breathtaking. By then, not making it into town didn’t sting the way it had earlier. I told myself we could always come back to Jamaica another day and experience it differently.
A few hours later, we stayed on the top deck, people-watching with others as everyone watched the pier runners try to get back before boarding closed. We felt bad for anyone who might not make it, since once the ship’s doors closed, that was it. Still, it was oddly entertaining to watch the last-minute rush from a distance.
The day ended with dinner, and later with what was called the Silent Party, where the DJ played music that could only be heard through the provided Bluetooth headphones. It was such a fun experience because we had never done anything like that before. Without the headphones, it looked hilarious watching people dance around in near silence, but once you put them on, everyone was fully immersed, dancing and singing along to one of two music channels of their choice.
Even though our time in Jamaica didn’t go as we had hoped, we still found ways to enjoy the day. We relaxed on the top deck, people-watched, and laughed together at the Silent Party that night.
Jamaica turned out to be the most complicated stop on our trip. It was beautiful, vibrant, and full of life, but it also reminded me how important it is to trust my instincts, even when I later question them. We didn’t get the experience I had imagined, but we still left with a memory—just not the one I expected.
Trips may not always go the way we hope, but even imperfect experiences can turn into meaningful memories. Life is short, and sometimes the best thing we can do is give ourselves permission to go, explore, and make memories while we can.
Have you ever found yourself on a journey where you had to rely on your gut feeling? Share your story in the comments, we can’t wait to hear about your adventures.
Thanks so much for reading!
#PersonalReflection #CarnivalVenezia #cruiseTrip #motherDaughterTrip #OchoRiosJamaica #photography #postaday #postaweek #SoloFemaleTravel #travelingAbroad
Social Media Addiction: A Personal Reflection on Recent Legal Developments
The recent lawsuits against major social media companies, alleging harm caused by addictive design, have caught my attention and prompted reflection on the nature of social media use in my own life and the lives of those around me. These cases, where courts have held platforms liable for contributing to compulsive behavior, underline the seriousness of an issue that many people still dismiss as trivial or exaggerated. While the plaintiffs in these cases are young individuals claiming mental […]
Into the Weeds: Memory, Isolation, and the Fragility of Safety
There is a part of the story of Karina Vetrano that always strikes me, not because of the violence itself, but because of the place where it happened—the weeds. The dense, tangled, quietly isolating weeds near her Howard Beach home, where she went for a jog, are the stage on which this tragedy unfolded. And in many ways, they are familiar. I know them—not in the sense of danger, but as a place my friends and I wandered years before, around 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. We ventured into those […]
Blogging – Is It All That You Want It To Be?
On February 12th 2026, I passed a blogging milestone. WordPress informed me that I’d been blogging for 12 years! But that notification made me ask myself questions as I looked back on those 12 years.
I know bloggers who have been blogging longer than I and who continue to write and publish posts full of interesting, high-quality content. Not only do they care deeply about what they write, but also about what they publish. That makes all the difference.
I’ve seen thousands of bloggers come and go in those 12 years. Some disappeared without a trace, while others hung up their blogging gloves and announced their departure. The ones I felt the sorriest for were those who stopped blogging because they couldn’t get the engagement, hits, or followers they craved. Many went about it the wrong way.
Some came here solely to make money, while others came more for collecting numbers than for engagement. They don’t last long and end up cluttering the World Wide Web with abandoned blogs in the blog graveyard. It’s a sad sight. I hope you never end up there.
From the beginning
I can count on one hand the number of bloggers who have been with me since that first year. I often ask myself why they’re still reading my posts and leaving comments, but I won’t dwell on that lack of confidence here. All I will say is that I must be doing something right.
Unfollowing blogs
Unfollowing blogs is something I see many shy away from discussing. It’s as if it’s a ‘hush-hush’ subject. Something that gets swept under the carpet. But not me, no. I’ve written about it and had great discussions about it in the comments section of posts, but hardly ever on other blogs. Perhaps I’m looking in the wrong places?
I’ll be honest: I’ve unfollowed many blogs over the years. Why do some bloggers not like talking about unfollowing blogs?
Why do I unfollow blogs?
For many reasons, but mainly when I lose interest in the content.
One of the biggest mysteries is why I stop hearing from many of the bloggers I unfollow. I probably stopped following them because I was no longer interested in their content. But why do they go silent? Surely not for the same reason? Or was it a coincidence that we simultaneously lost interest in each other’s content?
The different faces of bloggers
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some bloggers face-to-face. For me, that’s been one of the highs of blogging. However, I know that some bloggers like to remain anonymous. And they’ve every right to remain anonymous. Being behind a screen can feel safe, but it isn’t always. I won’t talk about the trolls here because trolls like being talked about.
Ups and downs
I’ve had my ups and I had my downs with blogging. It’s like being on a rollercoaster that some bloggers can’t get off. I’ve alighted from the blogging rollercoaster a few times during blogging breaks.
Some of those breaks lasted months, while others lasted a few weeks. But they all had something in common. They helped me step back, take a look at what I was doing and how I was doing it, and, most importantly, change the way I blogged. I always came back refreshed, and, despite what some say, readers do not stop following you when you take a break.
Like everything else in life, blogging changes. It would be a very dull place if it didn’t change. Can you imagine what life would be like if it never changed?
Changes
Since I first started blogging, things have changed massively. I’m talking about the WordPress platform here. I was never a fan of change, but I’m confident that the changes I’ve seen here on WordPress have made blogging much more fun. Blogging has moved into the 21st century.
Those changes helped propel my blog to an even wider audience. Unfortunately, some bloggers got left behind, but I never wanted to be one of them. There’s too much at stake when remaining stagnant.
At first, the changes looked like they would cause problems, but rather than complain about what I believed were problems, I adjusted to them and saw vast improvements for me, other bloggers, and readers. It’s like climbing a ladder. The higher you get, the more you see and learn, and the more you can make a difference.
Change can make some problems frustrating, but you become stale by taking no action or hoping others will tackle your issues. Don’t allow your sparkle to dim by not adapting to change. I’ve seen too many blogs fade away because they refused to change. I miss many of those blogs.
The two biggest blogging traps to look out for
Most of the people I have encountered in the blogging world are friendly. However, not all help themselves. By this, I mean that some bloggers seem to believe they have to be everywhere at all times. It’s one of the biggest blogging traps bloggers fall into, one that can turn their blogging world upside down and inside out, and leave them feeling stressed or guilty. It’s a horrible place, yet it is easy to escape – if you allow it.
Spreading yourself too thin doesn’t make you more popular. It only makes you less interesting.
Some bloggers apologise for dealing with life outside of the blogging world. Some apologise for not visiting your blog. I recently witnessed a blogger apologising for being late in leaving a comment. The post had only been published the day before she left the comment. I don’t know why they believe they need to apologise. Nobody needs to apologise for dealing with life outside of blogging or for not visiting a blog. And if the comments section of a post is open, you are not too late in commenting.
That’s my quick look at the last 12 years. But, before I end this post, I want to thank everyone who visits my blog, reads my posts, and, most of all, engages with me in a way that sparks discussion.
Where I blog fromHow long have you been blogging? Is blogging all that you want it to be? Let me know in the comments section.
You can follow me at the following sites.
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#BloggingBreak #BloggingJourney #BloggingMilestones #BloggingQuestions #Engagement #HughSViewsAndNews #HughsViewsNews #PersonalReflection #QuestionsAboutBlogging #UnfollowingBlogs #WordPress
2016 Was Not My “Best Year,” Actually
Every so often — and especially in 2026 — I keep seeing this same take float around online: “2016 was the last good year.” People say it like it’s self-evident, like it’s some universally agreed-upon truth carved into the internet’s collective memory. The memes roll in. The nostalgia posts stack up. The playlists get shared. The photos from before everything supposedly went wrong get dusted off and re-uploaded. And every time I see it, I have the same reaction: Bruh. Not for […]
Blooming at my own pace this Valentines Season with a reflection on love, healing, and learning to hold on to what truly matters as I fight cancer.
#ValentinesDay
#CelebratingLove
#HopeAndHealing
#BeMyValentine
#LoveStillWins
#PersonalReflection
#LoveMeAnyways
#CancerFight
#KnowYourWorth
#LoveYou
How January 2026 Already Feels Like a Whole Year
January 2026 has felt like a year within itself. We’re only a few weeks into the month, and yet it feels as if the weight of time has condensed, making every day feel like a chapter in a longer saga. It’s not the typical feeling of a new year’s freshness or the usual optimism that comes with turning the page on a calendar. Instead, there’s something different about this January — something that feels stretched, intense, and heavy. In a way, it’s as if time itself has slowed, […]
This week’s Short Stack is up. 🥞
Comfort movies, public libraries doing what they do best, small personal wins, and the slow turn toward the end of the year.
Just a few moments worth keeping.
🔗 https://www.jnassi.com/the-weekly-short-stack-for-december-19-2025/
Each week, I pull together a short stack of the things that stood out – something I made, something I read or watched, an experience that left a small but noticeable impression in the week. Not a grand unifying theme, not a comprehensive recap. Just the bits that felt worth pocketing
Thinking Ten Steps Ahead in a World That Keeps Getting Worse
There was a time when thinking a few steps ahead was considered cautious, maybe even a little anxious. You planned for tomorrow, maybe next week, possibly next year if you were especially organized or ambitious. Now, that mindset feels almost quaint. These days, it feels like you have to think ten steps ahead just to survive emotionally, financially, socially, and sometimes physically. Not because you want to be paranoid, but because the world has repeatedly proven that if you don’t […]
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