Hello. Earlier today, I checked my post office mailbox and found a letter from a friend of 50 years. The note expressed gratitude for our 5 decades of friendship, and it made me smile for a milestone that means a great deal to me. About six weeks ago, though, I had to take a drastic … Continue reading In These Days of Gratitude
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Electric Christmas, 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago, I wrote, and published, "Electric Christmas" in Baltimore's Child. It was my first sold piece as a freelance writer, and it kicked off a career in submitting my original work to share with the world. Now, 20 years later, we are still taking rides during the holidays to look at your lights. … Continue reading Electric Christmas, 20 Years Later
Who We Now Are
When I started drafting this poem, at 8:50 pm, 28 March, there were 120,025 US cases, and 2,042 deaths. When I finished at 1:07 pm on 29 March, just over 16 hours later, there were 130,156 US cases, and 2,298 deaths. 256 people stopped breathing in those 16 hours and succumbed to COVID-19. Please think … Continue reading Who We Now Are
No Big Deal
15 January 2020 Hi. Once again, it's been awhile. I know, I know. I come back every now and then, posting some grandiose statement about my intentions or about the meaning of life. I then share it on my social media feeds and wait to see if anybody's reading my stuff. As Carly Simon sings: … Continue reading No Big Deal
The Fragile Balance between Writing and Publishing
For writers, the balance between writing and publishing is a fickle act where mind games play as big a role as anything else. For me, I just published my largest work to date, Fossil Five, a 436-page novel that was crafted over a period of 5 years and 10 months. I should be on top … Continue reading The Fragile Balance between Writing and Publishing
It Comes Down To…. You
I've been reading a lot of Annie Dillard's writing lately, and I stumbled upon a collection of essays she wrote about the writing life. It's really unlike anything about writing that I've ever read. Dillard's argument, to put it plainly, is that nobody really gives a darn about what you write. And if they do, … Continue reading It Comes Down To…. You
Discovering Creative Ketosis
I'm on this new diet (I hate the connotations that are associated with that word; every one of us is on some kind of diet, right?). Anyway, it's the Keto Diet, and I can't have more than 27 (ideally 20) net carbs a day. Perspective: I was downing probably 300 net carbs a day. So … Continue reading Discovering Creative Ketosis
If I Were A Speechwriter….
If I were a speechwriter, here's what I would write for every politician, at every level, in our country. To my Constituents: The incidents of violence that are sweeping our nation are tragic, heartbreaking, and unnerving. There is no doubt that we have an epidemic in America that requires action beyond thoughts and prayers, no … Continue reading If I Were A Speechwriter….
Baltimore Havens for Creatives
Baltimore and the surrounding suburbs are not lacking in places for creatives, but last Monday night, when I had an hour to myself to write, I struggled with the idea of where to go. I didn't want to head to my local Starbucks (I have 11 - soon to be 12 - within 3 miles … Continue reading Baltimore Havens for Creatives
Being Relentless in Living Fully: Five Things I Have Learned
The other morning, I found myself rushing out to my car to head to school like any other weekday. The sun was just breaking the horizon, and I was juggling too many bags of work and thinking about beating the early rush along the 25-mile commute. I could feel the tension building already: stress upon … Continue reading Being Relentless in Living Fully: Five Things I Have Learned
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