A Mindful Life

In the past week I’ve been pretty darn busy, and it’s been fun. First, I perused online writing workshops and found one I really liked — The Writing Bridge. They are a small group, but very active. Submission of writing samples was required for admission. They are serious about writing and critique, and I foresee [...]

Here’s a quote we like from John Steinbeck to a friend who asked him for rudimentary suggestions for the beginner. It may be all you need to get you started with your memoir: “Don’t start by trying to make the book chronological. Just take a period. Then try to remember it so clearly that you [...]

Just in case the treacherous cliff doesn’t persuade you… Along the coast there are numerous such signs, all in remote locales with nary a phone to be seen. What did they think people would do back then, before cell phones? I wonder.

When I was forced in parochial school to learn the Eight Beatitudes, I always stumbled over the third one, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” How absurd. The meek, from my observation, ended up with the chicken neck rather than the breast, the giver rather than receiver of nice birthday gifts, [...]

Three hundred sixty-five action-packed days ago we arrived in Santa Clara. I know my way around a bit, but much of Silicon Valley remains unplotted for me. I’ve met some lovely people and made acquaintances. It was stressful, this transition, since it was accompanied by family problems and big events. My energy was scattered and [...]

How about a new photo (instead of the spider photos in the last post)? This one was taken inside Hearst Castle; it was in Hearst’s private movie theater.

Intruder Since we arrived in California one year ago, I’ve noticed three traits about California living: a proliferation of shopping carts parked in places far from where they belong (more on that another time); an absence of mosquitoes; and more spiders in one year than I’d confronted in the decade I lived in Texas. This [...]

This metaphor came my way when I was in graduate school. I don’t know whom to credit (if you know, please tell me). I’m posting it here as a way of managing my frustration. A good friend is repeating a self-destructive cycle of behavior, and yet she has the insight to stop and change. I’m [...]

His name was Jason*, and he was four feet of willful energy. He, his sister, and his parents were residents in the homeless family shelter where I volunteer. My job was to read to the children, or play with them, and then help make 65 bag lunches for the next day. A recent arrival, this [...]