I see, I listen, I think. Therefore, I write.
Words. We’re inundated with them. From friends and loved ones. From strangers. From the constant assault of media. And from words that churn around in our heads—as they do a lot in writers. Or in some people afflicted with … Continued
Thornton lifts Margaret’s bowed head gently and with great tenderness, touches his lips to hers. But that’s just how it begins. He kisses her a little more insistently. Not once more, but a few times more. She doesn’t pull back, … Continued
Some weeks ago, a news item appeared in the Guardian about an issue often ignored in conversations on school problems: children sexually abusing other children. The issue rears its shameful, scary head every so often to outrage us and, maybe, … Continued
Has anyone who’s lived within at least two cultures not been tempted to weigh in on the broiling issue of being “transracial”? Rachel Dolezal, former regional president of the NAACP, claimed she was black, but was recently outed as white … Continued
Writing the multicultural experience A famous chef, James Beard, once said: Food is our common ground, a universal experience. Who could dispute that food is a universal experience? But is it really a common ground? I have my own prejudices … Continued
I’ve lived in different places. Born in some far-flung place, educated at universities in the US West and Mid-west, and currently residing in multicultural San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve also “lived” a few months at a time in Paris (several … Continued
The Zen of Writing? An oxymoron, I’d say. At least, that’s my first reaction. In my mind, the act—but more specially the art—of writing requires you to be active and engaged. Bent over a ream of paper on a desk, … Continued
Every decade has defining moments. The seventies have the American Pie moment. If you were alive and aware in that decade, how could you miss the Kent State shootings in 1970? The Munich massacre at the Olympics in ’72? The … Continued
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. Elizabeth Barrett Browning … Continued
Can writing heal what ails you? Many studies show you can write to save your life. I started writing my thoughts and feelings in a little notebook when I was a kid. I think it was my way of coping … Continued
When you find yourself in a rut or you’re just bored. Haiku yourself out of it. Haikuing is fun and it only needs 17 syllables, give or take. I have haikued in the past, but I’ve nearly forgotten doing it … Continued
If you live inside your head, people are likely to think you’re crazy. But doing so can actually be comforting. Productive, even. As I grew older, reality trounced my dreams one by one. I found myself retreating a little more … Continued
I exercise to music. Don’t we all? Relieves the boredom of repetitive motions. Sometimes, of course, music is just a backdrop for thoughts. I do get ideas as I move to music. Like, why not write a post on music … Continued
Feminism in Victorian Novels? Impossible. Not when the status of women placed them just a bit above spoiled children. But I found Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South and realized it wasn’t so. I had never heard of Ms. Gaskell until … Continued
Delectable dishes play a more prominent role in Hello, My Love than they do in the 19th-century romance novels it pays homage to. The characterization, style, and plot of Hello borrow from both Pride and Prejudice and North and South. … Continued