Posts by Sandy Swain

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Sandy Swain

The Spindle

Life Lessons from Our Moms

This month, we had plans. Thoughtful, well-structured, editorial-calendar-approved plans. A whole series devoted to mothers and the many forms they take—wise, complicated, hilarious, occasionally terrifying. But somewhere between day jobs, deadlines, and the general state of the world (gestures broadly at everything), those plans… quietly unraveled. So instead, I did

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The Spindle

March 2026 | The Month of Restless Becoming

March carries a different kind of energy. It has always carried a particular kind of spring restlessness — not chaos, but momentum. Even if it’s still cold where you are, something has shifted. The light lingers longer. The air feels thinner, quicker. Windows crack open. People start rearranging their lives

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The Spindle

February 2026 | The Month of Tender Rebellion

January, at least for many of us, arrived like a storm we weren’t dressed for. The world felt louder, harsher, and more relentless than anyone signed up for. We watched people be murdered right in front of our eyes and still had to log on, and perform the strange modern

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History

From Stakes to Stakeholders: The Modern Witch Hunts

As far back as history records, women have been punished for having power, real or imagined. Four hundred years ago, that punishment came in the form of witch hunts and burning at the stake. Today, it’s a little more subtle: the gaslight instead of the pyre, the HR meeting instead

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The Spindle

January 2026 | The Month of Soft Defiance

January Is a Month of Contradictions It’s the beginning of a new year, but the dead center of winter (if you live in the northern hemisphere). The calendar shouts fresh start! while the world outside quietly suggests a nap. We celebrate, we resolve, and then, sometimes within hours, we’re right

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History

Creatures Like Krampus (and Why We Love Them)

Winter feels like the world’s longest practical joke. The sun clocks out early, supplies shrink, shadows stretch, and suddenly everything feels very “Please don’t tap the glass, the humans are hibernating.” So perhaps it’s no surprise that winter is also the season when cultures across the world conjure up creatures;

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The Spindle

Soundtrack of Rebellion: Protest Songs That Shaped Generations

Protest music can serve as the connective tissue between generations; a rhythm of rebellion that refuses to age. Whether strummed on a dusty guitar, screamed over electric distortion, or pulsing through a bass drop, these anthems transcend genre to deliver one timeless message: enough is enough. These songs do more

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Humor

Easy Last-Minute Halloween Costumes

Look, we’ve all been there. Glancing down at the calendar only to realize Halloween is just a few short days away and there isn’t a costume in sight. Or maybe it’s a last minute party where you need to be in a great costume. Don’t worry: we’ve got your back

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The Spindle

Book Bans Are Back: Here’s Why We’re Not Staying Silent

In a world where first amendment rights are being infringed upon more and more everyday, exercising those rights becomes more than just a right, it becomes an act of defiance. It’s more than just the “right to free speech” it’s the cornerstone of our democracy, a safeguard built to protect

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Fiction

Falling into the Wonderscape

A Magical Realism Short Story Set in the Heart of Paris I sat alone at a cast iron table that seated two outside the little patisserie in the heart of Paris. The trip was my attempt to  escape a bad breakup, finding myself in unfamiliar places after four years of

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eReader sitting on a wodden table next to a latte
The Spindle

Libby Is Basically Magic: A Guide for Beginners

So you’ve taken the first step and gotten your library card. Back in ye olden times, this meant you could go into the library and check out a physical book. But now, that little plastic card comes with so much more. Do you prefer reading on your tablet or phone?

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The Spindle

Fall in Love With Your Local Library

Why Visit a Library? Community, Knowledge & More Whether you read one book a year or one book a day, buying new books can add up. Prices of books can vary greatly, but eBooks typically run $3.99 – $9.99+, and hardback fiction books can run $24.99 or more. This means

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