See this awesome family? These grown-ups are two of my oldest friends, T. Mallie and Adrian Brathwaite. Mallie (yes, that’s what I call her) and I have known each other since we met working at the Iowa State Daily back in 1990. She and Adrian met the same year when she was bartending and he…
On Year 44
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What All Those Birthday Wishes Mean to MeAs I walked from home to the playground today to pick up the kids, it occurred to me that — perhaps — at some point in one’s life it is considered “untoward” to make such a fuss about one’s birthday. Of course, not that I’ve ever given a…
I Still Want to Talk to You
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Hey you… Yes you. The one who moves away from me. The one who lives in a different mind now. The one who has rearranged the world. Hey you. I want you to know that I still want to talk to you. Not to just anybody. Not to fill some void. Not just to any…
A Mindful Month
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Last January and again now this one I’m taking part in the 2014 “Mindful Writing Challenge” given out by my writer friends, Buddhist priests Satya Robyn and Kaspalita. For all of January I’ll be writing “small stones” on my home page site, where I post some of my poetry. If you care to participate, you…
20 questions for a New Year’s Eve reflection (Thanks Tsh!)
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“20 questions for a New Year’s Eve reflection” is posted originally at “The Art of Simple” blog. I’ve decided to post the questions here and drop in my answers. 1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year? When the judge said: “You are now officially a family.” 2. What was the…
In Love with ‘Love, Actually’
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Because I forgot to take the bacon out of the freezer Christmas Eve, I got the chance to see “Love, Actually” again this year. It just so happens that this is the 10th anniversary of the film, and for some reason that means that people are thinking/talking about it and revisiting their dusty opinions of…
The Way Forward Isn’t Necessarily Straight – #reverb13 – Day 20
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My old boyfriend Lee used to say, as we were driving in his car: “NEVER GO STRAIGHT! ALWAYS GO GAILY FORWARD!” Such effervescent and insistent proclamations in the case of my helping him look for an address should have clued me in early on that Lee was planning to revert back to his former lifestyle,…
Why Not? She Asks Again – #reverb13 – Day 17
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Resolve – Firmness of purpose; to solve a problem or a dispute. My word for 2013 was “resolve.” I dissected that word last December, and like any misguided wordsmith, instead of thinking “how does this apply to me” I just pulled it all apart and wrote in second person. I have a tendency to do…
Addicted to Loathing – #reverb13 – Day 16
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When that habit is feeling bad, it’s hard work to feel any differently.On my “bad days,” the one thing I hear over and over again from people who love me is: “You are too hard on yourself!” This bad habit of self-loathing has been my ever-lurking shadow. It goes hand-in-hand with the long walk I…
It’s Just People, That’s All – #reverb13 – Day 9
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I admit that the idea of being “inspired” hits me in a sort of hokey way. I think it’s because, in my line of work (i.e. being an artist), there is a false idea that the end product derives less from skill or fortitude, and more from some magical notion of “the muse.” So if…
How I See My Selfie – #reverb13 – Day 7
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I have two absolutely wonderful sweet and generous friends who also happen to be gorgeous. They totally intimidate me. They love to exercise at classes that actually cause one to sweat and feel sore, and because of their dedication they also actually fit into single-digit-sized clothing. So it came as a complete surprise to me…
Being Out There Again – #reverb13 – Day 5
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The brutal impact of self-censorship Right now, you are experiencing with me my biggest risk of 2013. Back in 2009, after the kids came to live with us, the kids’ attorney advised me to consider cutting back on my online presence. I was shocked. I felt sick. It hadn’t occurred to me that the family…
My Heart Sends Me Flowers – #reverb13 – Day 3
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I need to get l**d. I need another cup of coffee. I need to walk the dog. Are my hands in the right place? it really bothers me when I am watching an NFL game and the guys are listening to the National Anthem and have their hands over their clavicle. Hmmm. I don’t think…
On Being Lost – #Reverb13 – Day 2
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The getting in the way is part of the way. Already I can feel my fingers resisting saying: “Don’t say the awfulness. Don’t tell them you Feel lost in the lives of everyone else You take care of, and it’s your own fault anyway because You’ve read The Four Agreements and you Know better” and…
Suddenly, and Again – #Reverb13 Day One
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On my tripwire connections of mind, body and soulHow do you feel, on this first day, in your mind? In your body? In your heart? In your soul? First, I feel like saying “Oh my goodness hello and I’m sorry!” If there is anyone out there who has been counting on me to blog…
