On Sunday while I was in virtual church (who knew that would ever be a thing?), I was listening as our priest read the names that are written in our parish’s chantry book, where people are prayed for on the anniversary of their deaths. While sitting there, I heard my brother’s name read – George…
Congratulations to Sweet Lona, New Brown Graduate!
I am proud to announce that one of my closest students, Lona Tehrani, graduated today Magna Cum Laude from Brown University. Lona and I have become very good friends over these past five years since we met when she was a senior in high school. We’ve spent lots of hours together on college entrance essays…
A Lesson I’ve Had to Learn Over and Over and Over
I have had to learn the hard way – meaning, I’ve had to make this mistake many times with three different daughters – before I understood a basic truth in life: Nobody wants you to tell them the truth (if it’s negative) when asked, “How do I look?” My girls still bring up my multiple “wrong”…
What’s On My Writing Desk
Right now, I can look over and see a variety of items off to my right here on my writing table. I see John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, Pam Houston’s Waltzing the Cat, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. There is also a three inch thick edition of Bartlett’s Roget’s Thesaurus, the…
The Grapes of Wrath & Writing Advice from John Steinbeck
The chimes of the grandfather clock just announced it is three-quarters through the 8 o’clock hour. I have been working all day long, making up for some of those relaxed days in Mexico last week. I will be keeping this writing to exactly 20 minutes, including the photo and the posting. Ray asked me not…
A Time When I Was the Target of Discrimination
I wrote this piece in response to the prompt: Have you ever experienced prejudice? When I was at the University of Utah, I was in a special program called Free Curriculum for my junior and senior years. This program had only 26 students and was offered through the psychology department. The program was experimental and…
Heading back to LA on Amtrak
We walked across the Mexican border. Everyone wore masks. We then took a trolley to the Amtrak station in San Diego and are now almost to LA. This is our first time for this adventure. Overall, quite easy. Once in LA, we’ll take the subway to Hollywood and Highland then make the trek to where…
Perec, “Constraints” in Writing and a Sample Flash Fiction Story
Daughter Rachael is getting a Master’s degree in English Literature from Loyola Marymount University here in Los Angeles. She periodically shares with me information that she is learning along the way. One such bit of sharing is about a French author, Georges Perec, who was known for his “constrained” writing. He wrote novels, screenplays, documentaries…
5-Star Recipe for Delicious Honey-Sweetened Chocolate Pudding Topped w/ Whipped Cream
This evening I made chocolate pudding topped with whipped cream. It was simple and easy and delicious. If you wanted to make a chocolate pie, just double the recipe, put it in a pre-baked pie shell and top with honey-sweetened whipped cream. If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to a refined sugar dessert, try…
Flora and Fauna on My Walks in Baja
The photos above are images from my walks over the past couple of days here in Baja. Vibrant flowers, egrets and godwits in the estuary, sand art, all part of everyday life here. I am enjoying this relaxed time with the fiddler crabs scuttling over the wet sand in the estuary and people with buckets…
20 Minutes a Day 