We have just returned from an evening with Sarah, Gregorio and Luna where we went to Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena and heard a band from Austin named Whiskey Shivers. The park was crowded with families and other residents of the city, and the night was cool. Everyone either brought lawn chairs or spread blankets out…
Month: August 2013
First Mice, then Baby Luna
We have just arrived home from a workday in Ojai at the orange grove, then a stop-in at Sarah and Gregorio’s for turkey tacos. I literally might have to use my hand to keep my eyelids open. I am so tired. In Ojai, I tackled the bi-yearly job of cleaning out our old Spartan trailer…
Twenty Reasons I Write Fiction
1. It makes me happy. 2. It gives me something positive to think about (those imaginary worlds). 3. It is fun. 4. It is creative. 5. It connects me to other people who enjoy being creative. 6. It makes me more aware of the world around me (so I can better describe people, places and…
Flash Fiction: Fire and Luck
I put tulips under all the pillows and then I set fire to the house. I know that sounds crazy, but it really wasn’t because it was an old house – my grandmother’s – and it was out in the country where nobody ever came and it was a week after Grandma died and squatters…
Yes to the film “The Spectacular Now”
Today I saw the movie “The Spectacular Now,” and though it is billed as a comedy, it is actually more serious than that label would suggest. It is a coming-of-age film about a boy who is moving quickly from high school “party boy” to teen alcoholic, and whose life changes over a few short months…
“Tis a Gift to Be Simple”
This was an organizational day, where I tackled projects that required attention to detail. I love these kinds of days because I not only get loose ends tied up, but I also feel a certain level of calmness as I methodically deal with paying bills or editing work or creating lesson plans for online classes….
Visitors, the Bar, and a Little Good News
1) My niece, Katie, and her two friends, Noel and John, arrived from Texas today for a visit. I am happy to see these three, who will be staying for a few days just to have fun in LA. 2) Liz and Ron finished the bar exam today. I’m sure they are dead-tired, but I…
20 Minutes a Day 