A Mindful Life

You might think parents worry most about whether their children are taking drugs, having sex or joining gangs. But a new survey of Bay Area parents reveals their biggest concern is that the day-to-day stress of modern life may be making their children overweight, depressed and less interested in school.
Homework and peer pressure are constants. [...]

I am finished reading my friend’s manuscript. All I can say here is, “Wow.” I was impressed over and over by the deft plot, rich characters, and the way it all meshed. She has truly created an intricate alternate reality.
One reason I don’t write fiction is that I am simply terrified and immobilized by the [...]

*From Devo’s Whip It — I must be on a pop culture kick this week. Next thing you know, I’ll title a post using some song from Men at Work.

What else have I got to do with my unemployed butt? My friend called this evening, so I made more beads while we chatted, though I made fewer in number and shape. The bookmarks will have one less bead on them. I am determined to use the burned ones somehow, perhaps in a collage. I’m [...]

I just spent three hours making beads from Sculpey and Fimo clay for the bookmarks. I put them in the toaster oven to bake instead of the big one, because I didn’t want to heat the big oven for a little project. I should have. Halfway through, the beads began to burn but hadn’t finished [...]

I am immersed, absorbed, engrossed, held captive by, and otherwise engaged in reading my friend’s manuscript. It grabbed me by the lapels (well, it would have if I wore shirts with that type of collar) from the first page.
Posting will pick up when I am released.
*A play on a line stolen from Homer Simpson: “Can’t [...]

It was a social social weekend. I went to San Francisco for the day to see a friend, and the next day attended Nathania and Kevin’s wedding celebration potluck in a park. We arrived late; the directions we got from Google (which came from the Sunnyvale Parks website address list) led us to a completely [...]

1 skein of Patons Classic Wool (merino): 223 yards, color is leaf green; size 8 needles. I used the Yarn Harlot’s one-row pattern.

I just checked snail mail, and a large rectangular package teetered diagonally in the box. I immediately knew what it was: the manuscript of my friend’s first novel. She worked on it for a long time, and has chosen me (and other friends) to read it. I’ve never been given such an opportunity before, and [...]

Several months ago I was interviewed and photographed for an article in a national magazine. Yesterday I received my complimentary copy of the December issue. The article is by Sarah Mahoney, titled The Real-Life Stress Survival Guide, and published in Prevention.