I would like to tackle this list in 2024. These are in no particular order and this is certainly not a conclusive list. Just the first 20 things I could think of with grandkids at the top. 1) Spend quality time with my grandkids. 2) Get down to Mexico to enjoy time in Ensenada. 3) Develop a…
The Day a Door Flew Open for Me Regarding My Appreciation of Art
Several years ago, a door opened in my life on a trip to France with my husband Ray when we visited the Pompidou Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Paris. When Ray and I first got together, I understood quickly that he had both a great love for and much knowledge about art. I,…
A Great Recipe for More Nutritious Macaroni and Cheese with a Secret Ingredient
This is a perfect recipe to inject a bit more nutrition into the old family favorite: Mac and Cheese. By simply adding a sweet potato, you’ll get a vegetable in the dish and you won’t even taste it. What you will taste is a creamy and very cheesy sauce with great flavor. On a scale of…
A Few Things I Know From Writing 20 Minutes a Day
Benefits of Writing/Blogging 20 Minutes a Day since 2011: 3249 Posts I have learned the following: If you write daily, you will increase writing fluidity, develop your “voice,” discover who you are and how you think, feel good about yourself by doing something every day related to writing, believe you are closer to being a…
Flash Fiction: Enough
I’m in my car. I have my water bottle, a backpack with a few clothes, my parka, and a pair of hiking boots. The rest of my stuff I’ve given away, sold, or left in bags by the dumpster in the alley, knowing people come through there all the time and will appreciate a twice-worn…
Thoughts on My Late Brother George Today on His Birthday
My brother George, three years my senior, was one of my closest and most favorite people in this world. He was my first playmate, first friend, and first hero. I can still feel the warmth in my chest that I felt as a little girl when my big brother George was around. I developed a…
Rest in Peace, Geraldo
Today, we celebrated a Requiem Mass for Geraldo Vergara, a fellow parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, Hollywood. I saw Geraldo (aka Gerry) routinely at the 8 am Sunday Mass, which is the one Ray and I usually prefer. Gerry served as an usher at many early morning Masses and always greeted us…
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles By Steven Pressfield
I have recently been reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. This book is considered a classic by many but I’ve only recently heard of it. The general message is that any creative effort (or anything you really, really want that is good for you) is part of a call from your higher self….
My Love Affair with the Wind
I am sitting in my little writing room listening to Gregorian chants. The heater is on and it’s warm and cozy. Outside, I can hear the wind starting to blow. Southern California has had very strong winds over the past few nights. They are revving back up tonight. I love a good strong wind. Not…
Our SCN Writing Challenge and the Need to Avoid Perfectionism
I am leading a Story Circle Network “20 Minutes a Day” Writing Challenge this month. Approximately 42 women are participating in this challenge, and each has signed up to write 20 minutes a day, 6 days a week for 4 weeks. They are divided into accountability groups of 5 to 6 members, and each group is…
20 Minutes a Day 