Tali | Orange Hatter

⁉️ If I could create children’s books in 5 minutes with AI, should I? At a recent networking meeting, I shared about my Super Kay Adventure Series—children’s books that weave traditional values like honesty, integrity, friendship, creativity, and money literacy into fun stories. During the conversation, someone suggested I could simply use AI tools to “pump out” books in 5 minutes—storyline, pictures, even interior design. DONE ‼️ I shared this idea with my daughter Brianna—my partner in the Super Kay series, who hand-illustrates every page—and asked her what she thought. I reminded her that using AI would speed up her productivity, take care of the tedious, repetitive tasks, and even increase the ROI of our time and effort. Her response: “If you could pump these out with AI, it would rob the meaning of our books. It would take away the intention.” Each Super Kay Adventure book includes an average of 45+ illustrations. Brianna spends close to 100 hours hand-drawing them—each line infused with love and care. Together, we write, edit, and design these stories with one thing in mind: creating meaningful experiences for young readers. ❣️ Could we automate the process? Of course. But would the books carry the same energy, the same heart, the same impact on a child? We don’t think so. So we’ve decided: Super Kay Adventures will remain hand-written, hand-drawn, and yes—even debated over, between Brianna and me. Because intention matters. Love matters. And children deserve books made with both. ✨ Sometimes the harder way is the meaningful way. 📚 You can find the Super Kay Adventure Series on Amazon. DM me if you’d like details.

Tonight, my husband Scott and I went to Steak ’n Shake after our Bitcoin meetup, where we had a robust discussion about businesses accepting Bitcoin as a currency—a method of payment. We walked in with excitement, ready to try their Lightning payment option. No one greeted us—just a sign pointing us to a kiosk. Fine, we weren’t deterred. We followed the instructions, carefully placed our order, and even snapped a photo as we gleefully paid with Bitcoin. We filled our own drinks and sat down, noticing the table next to us piled with dirty dishes. The floor was dirty and slightly sticky. Behind the counter, one lonely woman was cooking ten burgers at a time. She moved slower than a sloth and was clearly not well. Twenty-five long minutes later—without a single employee ever coming out of the kitchen—we started to get antsy. I almost walked out and counted it a total loss. Finally, our name was lazily and quietly called. Cold burgers. Stale fries. It’s an understatement to say I won’t be going back, no matter what signs they put up about accepting Bitcoin or beef tallow fries. The bottom line: while we look forward to the day Bitcoin is used widely as a currency, right now it too often feels like a marketing gimmick—when what businesses really need to work on is the customer experience. Technology is only as strong as the customer experience it supports.

✨ Orange Hatter Reading Club kicked off again last night after our summer break! 💓 It was such a joy reconnecting with familiar faces and welcoming new ones. We spent time catching up on each other’s lives before diving into Chapters 1 & 2 of The Great Harvest by Adam Livingston. Our conversation went deep. One highlight was Livingston’s point about the “dissemination” of jobs and careers—how something once unique and abstract gets broken down into repeatable and reproducible tasks easily performed by AI. From there, our lively discussion asked: ⁉️ Is it necessarily bad if the rote parts of a job can be replaced by robots? ⁉️ Are teachers essential for learning, or can technology fill that role? As always, the dialogue was robust yet respectful. We challenged each other—and ourselves—and everyone walked away with new perspectives. If thoughtful conversation and community sound like your kind of evening, we’d love for you to join us! 📚 👉 OrangeHatter.com/reading-club

🍂 The wait is over! Orange Hatter Reading Club starts tomorrow 8/27 at 8:30 PM EST. Two books this session: 📖 The Great Harvest – Adam Livingston 📖 Unstable Innovation – Nelson Inno Our members voted, and we can’t wait to dive in. 💬 Want in? Sign up at orangehatter.com/reading-club

💡 The best conversations don’t end when the meeting does. 🍂 We’re back! Orange Hatter Women's Reading Club kicks off our fall season on August 27th—two books, back-to-back, chosen by our members: 📖 The Great Harvest – Adam Livingston 📖 Unstable Innovation – Nelson Inno After a summer apart, we’re ready for fresh ideas, big conversations, and catching up with the women who make this community so special. Two books. One circle. Unlimited conversations. Join us: orangehatter.com/reading-club #OrangeHatter#TheGreatHarvest#UnstableInnovation

I didn’t grow up with gentle parenting. So I had to figure it out from scratch. That’s why I wrote the book Parenting Forward—for every parent trying to break the cycle without a blueprint. I’ve been editing the old-school way—pages printed, chapters laid out all over the table, pen in hand. It’s messy and slow and exactly how I need to do this part. The book is almost done. And soon, I’ll be 💥 looking for beta readers. If you're a parent who’s doing the hard, quiet work of healing while raising little ones—you’re exactly who I had in mind. Stay tuned. 💛 (And if you're already raising your hand to be an early reader—drop a comment or send me a message. I’d love that.)

💥 Why I Made Public Speaking Mandatory in Our Homeschool—And Why Every Child Should Learn It 💥 We live in a world where kids communicate constantly—but say less and less. Texts. Emojis. Half-spelled words. ▶️ When communication is truncated, so is thinking. How can a child form a cohesive, critical thought if their world is shaped by fragments? So I made public speaking mandatory. Not because I wanted performers— But because I wanted our kids to be presenters of their thoughts: calm, confident, and clear. When looking for options, I chose Gavel Club over a speech team. Most teams focus on perfecting one speech. But real life doesn’t hand you a script. So I started a Gavel Club—Junior Toastmasters. It gave our kids the chance to repeatedly practice not only giving speeches, but also rotating through key roles: Toastmaster (host) Timer Grammarian Evaluator They also practiced impromptu speaking through Table Topics, learning to think critically and speak under pressure. Week after week, they experienced the value of showing up and being heard. And this started in elementary school. One of the best reasons to start young? Kids haven’t developed their inner critic yet. Adults often fear public speaking because they’ve learned to judge themselves through imagined critics. But kids raised in safe environments—where they’re encouraged to speak and stumble—grow up unafraid of being seen. ▶️ Confidence isn’t something you flip on at 18. It’s built, little by little, through repetition. When I read John Bowe’s "I Have Something to Say," I felt deeply affirmed. Bowe explores the history of rhetoric and how speaking isn’t just about communication—it’s about: 💡 Thinking clearly. Listening deeply. Building community. He also highlights the link between speaking and mental health: People who can express themselves feel less isolated. They feel heard—by others and themselves. And that kind of confidence leads to deeper relationships and fuller lives. You don’t need to homeschool to do this. Here are a few easy ways to start: - Join or start a Gavel Club - Practice “table topics” at dinner—1-minute answers to surprise prompts - Invite kids to present book reports or trip recaps - Model intentional speaking and listening ▶️ If we wait until kids “need” confidence, it might be too late. But if we build it early—through repetition, structure, and support—they’ll grow up knowing their thoughts matter. Public speaking isn’t just a skill. It’s a tool for life. Let’s raise kids who don’t just have something to say—but know how to say it with clarity, courage, and care. If you’ve tried this with your kids—or want to—let’s connect. I’d love to hear your story.