My husband Ray has started a new eating program: no eating between meals. He has been at it for two months and I can definitely see that he is thinner as a result. So, of course, I have jumped onboard to see if this will help me trim down my larger-than-I-would-like waistline. I started last…
Tag: flash essay
Flash Essay: Hiding Places and Dark Spaces
I have always liked small dark places where I could hide: closets mainly, but when I was little I didn’t mind under the bed or in a cardboard box with the lid slightly shut. I even had a secret hiding place behind a long drawer in my bathroom when I was nine or ten where…
Flash Essay: One of Those Moments
We loaded up daughter Sarah’s belongings today for her trek back to California. She is driving our long van with a U-haul trailer packed to the brim with her apartment contents. Heading back after three years in medical school in Texas to do her “audition” rotations in CA in hopes of landing a residency in…
Today One Boy’s Life Was Changed. Thank You, President Obama
I was eating lunch at a Chili’s in McKinney, Texas today when over my husband’s shoulder I saw President Obama’s face appear on the television screen mounted on the wall. The caption read: Obama moves on Dream Act. I tried to read the rest but the waitress came with our check and when I looked…
Neighborhood Fire
The people behind us here in Texas had a house fire the other night. I woke up at 3:30 probably to the sound of fire sirens, but I don’t recall hearing anything. I saw my neighbors out at that hour – kids and adults – but they were calling their dog and I thought perhaps…
Texas Border Checkpoint
My family and I are driving cross country from California to our native Texas to attend a family wedding in Austin. This picture was taken an hour east of El Paso. We just went through an immigration checkpoint, where we had to stop and report how many people were in the car. When my husband…
Prompt: Irritating Phrases
Today has been full to overflowing: writing, students, more writing, editing, a writing group and now home to write some more before bed. And I can’t wait for bed. I feel as if that’s all I talk about on this blog, how much I’m looking forward to sleeping. It’s just that it’s my routine at…
Flash Essay Prompt: I’ve Always Wanted…
I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish and Italian (better than my grasp of 30+ years ago. I’ve always wanted to go to India. I’ve always wanted to wear long flowing skirts. I’ve always wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle. I’ve always wanted to return to singing in a fine chorale again (I sang…
One More Big Paper Finished!
I have been working with a student from 7:30 this evening until now – 1 am. We’ve been online working on a paper together. I have never been so happy to finish a project before – well, yes – I have on several occasions, but right now I am just relieved and happy. I am…
Prompt: Write As If You’re Dying and Talking to an Audience of Dying People
We all know that we don’t have long on this earth. That’s the case, truly, no matter our age or our health. We are here but for a while under the best of circumstances. And we all know the admonitions we’ve heard all of our lives about seizing the moment, smelling the roses, living as…
20 Minutes a Day 