#author – Dennis D Montoya

💉 The Things People Say When They Find Out I’m a Nurse

I spend my days moving between two worlds — writing stories about connection, and working in a profession built on it. When people find out I’m a nurse, the tone of a conversation shifts. Humor softens into honesty, and strangers share pieces of their lives that feel both familiar and sacred.

The Polar Bear Plunge!

A split-second of panic, a ten-foot drop into 39.9°F water, and a lesson I didn’t know I still needed.
My first Polar Bear Plunge didn’t just steal my breath — it reminded me what resilience really feels like.

Pedal Optional: The Rise of the Electric “Bike”

I wanted exercise. I found technology. Somewhere between sweat and smugness lies the modern commuter’s dilemma — a place where effort meets innovation, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of magic.

An Old Light, Still Burning, for Altruism

For centuries, faith and science walked hand in hand. Monks brewed beer with chemist’s precision. Sisters ran hospitals when no one else could. And somewhere between a prayer and a telescope, humanity learned how to ask questions that mattered.
This essay isn’t about religion. It’s about curiosity — about how devotion once meant studying the world, and how maybe, in a new form, it still can.

Holiday Traditions

A few years ago, I joked about volunteering at the food bank—and then felt guilty for not meaning it. Since then, I’ve learned that giving back can take many forms. This holiday season, I raise a glass to friends, family, and the small ways we make a difference.

Gaming

Guest Blogger Spotlight: Erik V. Spaulding This week’s guest post comes from my longtime friend and fellow storyteller, Erik V. Spaulding. We’ve rolled dice together, built worlds together, and spent more years than either of us care to count lost in the glow of tabletop adventures. In this piece, Erik reflects on what forty yearsContinue reading “Gaming”