I was going to write something completely different, but I've forgotten what. As some know, my mother died of an aortic aneurysm when she was 45 and I was 21. In early November, someone I grew up calling Aunt (but who is not genetically related) almost died of an aortic aneurysm. Thankfully, she is recovering. …
I don't remember what I was thinking when my mom took this photograph of me. Probably something along the lines of "I hope this is the pose Mom wants." She took her photography very seriously and I was pleased and terrified when she wanted to take photos of me in my ballet costume. I was …
I decided a while ago to self-publish a selection of short stories. They are almost ready. I'm working on a cover and pondering a release date. It is definitely scary to do. I tend to think of who will and who won't approve. I think about my own ability to promote it. There's a lot …
Home My dad made things. He still does even though he is much slower. When I was a kid, he made normal things that were a bit different. He made a divider for the living room. It created a sort of foyer. It went from the floor to the ceiling (about 8 feet tall). The …
If a fairy godmother showed up at my door, I wouldn't ask for a ballgown or shoes or an invitation to a ball. I'd ask her to tell me where to begin. I thought I knew, but then I sat down to get to work. These manuscripts and art projects stare at me. Each one …
Focusing on the bright side feels like a challenge in these pandemic times. We've had two deaths in the family this month--an aunt on my side and an aunt on my husband's side. (They had nothing to do with Covid, just to be clear.) I have friends going through chemo and other friends struggling with …
a Florida childhood "Finish what you started, human" is a quote from the film Spirited Away. I've used it as my title of this year's NaNoWriMo project. It is not the title of the story I'm working on. It's an order from my future self. The order speaks for itself. Neil Gaiman tells writers to …
Welcome to the beauty of the last months of the year, the change of the trees, the chill in the air, the land going fallow (at least in this northern half of the planet). The first frost can worry and terrify those without shelter or those who need the bright warm sun. The falls calls …
October arrives! Welcome witches and all! I'm here for it, in spite of everything. But this post isn't really about Halloween. One of my goals as we in this hemisphere slide into winter is to create more space or rather to clear out more stuff that I do not need. Last year, I tried the …
I found this pin in a bowling alley parking lot when I was about ten. This was in my hometown in central Florida. It was covered in grit. I was walking from my grandmother's house to a nearby gift shop that had a wall of books. I may have had a few dollars to spend …
