Respect My Air: A Chef’s Rant on Smokers, Scents, and Secondhand Stupidity

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but cigarette smoke is not an air freshener. For those of us living with sarcoidosis or any lung condition, your “right to smoke” feels like my right to suffocate. Here’s one chef’s not-so-gentle reminder that public air is shared property—so stop blowing toxins in my direction and pretending it’s perfume.

The Empath’s Balancing Act: Living as an INFJ–INFP Hybrid with Chronic Illness and Creativity

Living with sarcoidosis and heart failure while trying to write, cook, and stay emotionally balanced is already a full-time gig. Add being an INFJ–INFP hybrid—an empathic perfectionist who feels everything—and you’ve got the recipe for both magic and meltdown. This is my story of navigating chronic illness, creativity, and compassion without completely burning out in the process.