I was on a roll for a while, sending out at least one blog post a month. I loved that they often led to thoughtful, personal replies. My last post was sent on January 27th, 2026. My Mom responded with a heart emoji. I didn’t know it then, but it would be the last email exchange we ever had.

As I write this, yesterday (March 8th) was International Women's Day. I have always struggled with the idea of International Women’s Day. I mean, for real… just one day? But I also don’t want to miss an opportunity to celebrate women — and in particular women DJs.

It is now just 7 days until we leave Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud, otherwise known as New Zealand. And I have fallen in love. With wekas. These clever little flightless dinosaur birds that can open zippers... and do whenever they get the chance. With the strange and beautiful blend of conifer and tropical trees. Think Hawai‘i, Ireland, and Western Canada all mixed into one. With impossibly clear, cold, and swimmable rivers. With walking barefoot literally everywhere. No joke,...