Hey, before we kick 2012 to the curb and rush headlong into our resolutions, I’m just wondering: What did you like BEST about 2012? You can reply in the comments, or on Facebook. But I’d really like you to write out a response. Why? Because when we write things down, it makes them more true,…
Take a Letter, Maria
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The person I most dig, admire, croon after, and just all-around want to brain-pick (for the year 2012) is Maria Popova. In case you haven’t gotten any of my many nudgings about her awesomely curated website Brain Pickings, here’s another one. Her site (and the weekly newsletter, which is any artist or bibliophile’s perfect inbox source for…
Resolve – A Beautiful Word
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In the next week, you’ll likely ponder, and then make, New Year’s resolutions. Yes, you’ll break them eventually, and that is what I’d like to mention. The root word for “resolution” is the word “resolve.” This is a beautiful word. As a verb, it means “to solve a problem or a dispute.” This could be something personal and internal (the classic…
Beautiful Writing: Decadence by Kelly Letky
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Here’s a post today from a writer and poet that I love, Kelly Letky, also known as “Mrs. Mediocrity” and “The Blue Muse.” This poem is called “Decadence.” (click to read it) Kelly posts her poetry with original photography. This enhances the poetry, solidifying the imagery in her writing. But it also shows the direct…
In Chaos, Loving Kindness Endures
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Trying to come up with a single small kindness to write about today for Fiona’s blogsplash has been one of the more difficult writing assignments I have been given in a while. Some of you know me, and so know the story of our family. If you don’t, I’ll just say that ours is not…
A Splash of ‘Small Kindness’
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On Tuesday the 27th of November I’m joining the international Small Kindnesses Blogsplash. Along with more than 150 other bloggers, I’ll be writing about a special small kindness someone paid me in the past. My blog post will be found here, as usual, but you can follow this link to read many many other posts about…
Food We Eat (or Don’t)
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I stopped by Nick and Heather’s house yesterday to drop off a tablespoon of bourbon for a truffle recipe Nick was making. I asked Nick what he made for his family Thanksgiving. “I made this delicious farro recipe. Want to try it?” It wasn’t until a depressing day in 1994 sitting on the steps of…
When I’m Wearing Home Shoes
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These are my “home shoes.” I don’t mean slippers or anything like that. What I mean is: when I am wearing this shoe configuation — ie. tennis shoes and blue jeans — I feel “home.” It’s a cultural thing. And a family thing. Growing up, this is what we wore: white tennis shoes, blue jeans,…
No Prize is Modest to a Poet
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A little poem of mine is published this quarter in Boston Literary Magazine. (yay!) I’m only bragging a little, because it’s funny to go prancing about saying “Oh look at me! I got a poem published,” … because I hardly ever update my Facebook status with the more common haiku news of my life: Rejection…
What Are You Looking At?
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This weekend — at Art in Paradise Alley — you get the chance to stop staring at your screen. Walk outside. Talk to artists. To look inside yourself and ask: “What am I looking at?” Art takes us into the minds of the artist, true. But it’s best used for getting to know ourselves Art works…
How to Be Amazing
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One of my favorite things to write about is PEOPLE. I often get the chance to interview people and just ask them: How did you end up here? By “here” I mean right where they are in their lives… doing exactly what they are doing. Cutting hair, owning a bar, running a business + being…
Love for Homemade Deodorant (and Why oh Why, Kathie Lee?)
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I am a convert to homemade deodorant! Back in June my friend Alma Schneider (that’s her–> isn’t she adorable?) whipped up this little tub of her recipe for me. She said: “Just try it! I SWEAR it works!” Eh. I wasn’t convinced. However, I ate ACTUAL raw red onions in her curried lentil salad (and…
On Changing My View of Cooking
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Today, I have a guest post over on “Take Back the Kitchen,” a great blog hosted by Alma Schneider. My post is a RECIPE (don’t faint) I created for Iced Green Tea that actually tastes good. Yes, I realize that I won’t win any foodie awards for this recipe. (ie. What? “Boil water. Put tea…
You Are Doing It All Wrong
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“You are doing it all wrong.” I go through distinct phases of my week/day/life when I can clearly hear myself telling this to myself. It might not matter exactly what I am doing — anything really from cleaning the house to baking a chicken — but the message is clear: you are doing it wrong.…
Why Am I Reading 50 Shades of Grey?
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Yeah here’s something no one else is talking about. Which is of course the MAIN reason I bought 50 Shades of Grey. People kept saying they’d read it and then nodded their heads and going “mmmm HMMMM.” My friend said he went into Costco and a huddle of people were standing around the books reading it–…
