Unashamed Writing

I haven’t been active on this blog in a long time. I had many things to say but saw no good reason to say them. Plus, I was very confused about which things should be said and which shouldn’t. After a year long soul search, I decided that this blog should be exactly what its […]

Not everything I do is well received by my family. That’s no surprise considering I’m a minimalist freak who likes to eat healthy vegan meals most of the time. Guess how many kids would like to have me for a mother? One of the things that caused uproar in my family was a tradition I […]

Western New York winters are harsh. And long. Some people say they last six months. That’s an exaggeration. Winters only last five miserable overcast months, twenty-nine freezing days, and twenty-three bloody awful hours. At least that’s what it feels like. Since I love heat, sunshine, and being outdoors, I learned to dread winters. That all […]

If you are offended by profanity, do not watch the following video. If, however, you don’t mind profanity and are looking for some encouragement to start doing (or to stay with) the things you love, this is a great talk from Gary Vaynerchuck. Gary is outspoken and swears a lot, but he’s an excellent storyteller, a […]

It’s a well known fact that writers (and artists in general) are highly susceptible to nervous breakdowns, dramatic outbursts, and roller coaster moods. To that I say, yes, it’s true. BUT, look at the bright side. Historically, now is the best time to be a writer. The antidepressants are better. Alcohol tastes like chocolate – […]

Am I the one your truth’s been waiting for? – Damien Rice Yes. Enough said. P.S. During much of my young adult life, I spent a lot of time building walls around my heart. I believe most of us do. It’s a way of protecting ourselves from emotional pain. At first, I was pleased with the […]

Today, as I was doing some research on Emily Dickinson, I came across this video featuring Lynda Barry. It’s not long, just about eight minutes but, in case you don’t have the time to watch it, here’s the main idea: if you truly want to understand poetry, don’t just read it. Memorize it. Like a […]

Pain happens. Not because of some karmic debt we have to pay. Not because we need to be tested. And certainly not because we need to be taught compassion and empathy. That last reason makes the least sense to me. It’s usually presented like this: “God wants you to learn how to be kind and […]

When you find yourself overwhelmed by the prospect of a huge project, the wrong thing to do is to procrastinate. To put things off. In my case, that always leads to stress and a mental block. We all know there are times when stress is good. It powers you up through a short time crisis. […]

Ignorance is not an excuse for being (acting) stupid or intolerant, but neither is knowledge. That’s just a small thought that came to me based on all the reading and thinking I’ve been doing lately.