I just returned from seeing Gatsby. I have to say that despite a reluctance on my part to go to see this film because of the lukewarm reviews, I ended up absolutely loving it. I don’t even like Leonardo DiCaprio as a rule, but he was perfectly cast as Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire played…
Tag: writing discipline
Delicious Honey-Sweetened Orange Cookies
Today, I made these cookies. They are delicious. Of course, they had the benefit of having the superior flavor of one of our oranges from our Ojai grove. In fact, the oranges in the picture below are satsuma oranges, which are in the mandarin orange family along with tangerines and clementines. They have a wonderful…
A Happy Visit
My nephew, Jim, is here with his two friends, John and Murray. They have just ridden their bikes from San Francisco to LA on Highway One. They arrived at mid-day looking tired, slightly sunburned, but happy. They said they had a wonderful trip, camping on some nights and staying in motels on others. They stopped…
Helping Hands
I am sitting here at my glass table in the living room. It is 9:12 pm and I have been responding to my online students’ reading comments for one class and editing a chapter of another student’s novel. Today, I wrote a proposal for another class for Story Circle Network – Healing Through Writing –…
If You Know Anybody Who Needs a Writing Coach…
Hi everyone, I would appreciate it if you would pass my contact information on to your friends and family who may need the help of a writing coach in the upcoming months. Since my own children have graduated from school, I no longer have the constant contact I previously had with the school districts. So,…
The Right Way to Say Good-bye
“This old dog won’t hunt much longer,” my father said on that Friday evening I came home from the University of Texas to see him. I knew exactly what he meant. “No, Daddy, that’s not true.” Tears flowed down my cheeks. He lay propped up by pillows in bed, the sheet drawn up to his…
A Little Bit of Heaven: Our Orange Grove in Ojai
We have made two trips to Ojai this week to our orange grove. Just a few photos to share since I am VERY tired tonight after working there today. Our Agave Plants The Fire Ring and Sitting Area Our New Orange Crop Rachael Raking Amid the Trees We went to the orange grove on Tuesday…
Why I Write…
I periodically have to remind myself why I write. Tonight is one of those occasions. It certainly is not for the money, by the way, or the fame. So, why do I write? Let me think about that question for a minute. I write because: 1) I often express myself on paper better than through…
A Letter to Luna about Her Mom
Dear Luna, I want to tell you a few things about your mom. Tomorrow is her 31st birthday and you will be exactly 5 weeks and 6 days old. I think there are a few things you should know about this person who pushed you into this world on April 4, 2013 at 10:04 pm….
Heat with No Breeze
It was hot today here in LA – 103 was what the thermometer read in my daughter’s car. At 9:08 pm, it is still hot in the house, and we have every window open downstairs and up, every door open except the front one, every fan on. We only have air conditioning in one room…
20 Minutes a Day 