I am very tired tonight – a good tired – after walking more than 15000 steps according to my step counter as Ray and I explored the Art Institute today. We love this art museum and have been there several times but I think I could go every day and never really see – look…
Category: Writing
A Low-Key Day On Our Trip
Today has been truly relaxing. Ray and I sleep late, had a leisurely breakfast, and hung out all day, doing pretty much nothing. This is in huge contrast to how we have both been spending our time over the past several weeks. We ordered Thai food for dinner with our friend and then sat and…
Chicago, and Two Lovely People on the Plane
We have safely arrived in Chicago. I flew from Dallas; Ray from LA. Our friend was right there to pick us up from the airport and has gotten us cozily settled in her home. We are excited by our lack of planned activities so far. As busy as we’ve been over the past while I…
Chicago, then 2 Nights on a Train
I am sitting here in bed on my last night in Texas for this trip. Tomorrow, I’m headed for Chicago to visit a friend for a few days, and then on Wednesday, we’ll board an Amtrak train and head back to LA. That trip starts at noon on Wednesday and ends at 8 am on…
Texas and a Covid Scare
I have been in Texas for two weeks, which is a little longer than we usually stay. It’s been a good trip with lots of work tackled both at our building and in our barn outback. Our visit was complicated a bit by a Covid exposure we hadn’t expected. A friend of ours came down…
The Beauty of Revision
I have been a writing coach for over twenty years. During that time, I have spent countless hours working with students, editing and revising their work. As I often say to them, “We first take your rough draft and make sure it’s structured correctly with its beginning, middle, and end, and then we go through…
What Needs To Be Done
What needs to be done? Big and small Easy and hard A minute, an hour A week, a month A year or two No worries Life has a rhythm and a pace An ebb and a flow And I am learning How old am I? That my only job Is to stay focused Doing what…
Life as an Editor
I have been editing a manuscript today Switching out a word, a phrase, sometimes a whole sentence Looking for repetition to eliminate while keeping the rhythm of the words Searching for themes, motifs, and tropes that will illuminate the writing Delighting when I stumble upon an apt metaphor Or a succinctly stated feeling Or a…
In All Matters, Big and Small
Dear Father in heaven, guide me as You would have me go. I pray this prayer every day. It is a reminder to myself to open my heart and trust that my Higher Power – God and Jesus – are watching over me and shepherding me along the way. I often hear non-religious people posit the question, “Why would God…
More Wisdom from Another
Today I found this index card among my stack that I bought at an estate sale years ago. It is typed but is not signed. It reads: Short Course in Human Relations The 6 Most Important Words: I admit I made a mistake. The 5 Most Important Words: You did a good job. The 4…
20 Minutes a Day 