I spent the first few hours of my writing retreat on the beach reading my high school writing notebook. It has a couple of poems I didn’t write (think Thriller: circa 1983) and Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech that I had to memorize for a high school humanities class. I … Continue reading High School Revisited
Writing
Happy Halloween
I’m missing Halloween at home this year, which is a little sad, because I love the friends we celebrate with. Their daughter is the same age as my son and they’re going out in paired costumes as Peanut Butter (my son) and Jelly. I even made a peanut hat out of burlap before I left … Continue reading Happy Halloween
Technology Power Out
[Well, I wrote this VERY early Monday morning and it has taken until Tuesday to post – but the internet is working at last. Blessings on your day] A few days ago my laptop started acting up. The screen would go blank for a few seconds until I adjusted the angle I was holding it. … Continue reading Technology Power Out
Spirit & Creativity
In my Creative Nonfiction class, our first assignment was to take some bland imagery and rewrite it to paint a picture or fix a camera lens on the subject. This was my first attempt: We were given: A beautiful view And I wrote: She threw open the slider and stepped onto the rough-hewn balcony, inhaling … Continue reading Spirit & Creativity
Bran Flakes & Sweet Treasures
Cereal comes up more than one might think in my blog considering how very seldom I eat it. I like cereal, but not for breakfast, when I’m craving protein, not starch. And with a family, it is rare to get away with just having a bowl of cereal for dinner. But this morning I was … Continue reading Bran Flakes & Sweet Treasures
First Step on a Writing Odyssey
So the rubber meets the road today as I submit a character sketch of my mother for a creative nonfiction class I am taking. This tiny 300-word essay is the first piece I have written for public consumption in a memoir of my life told through my parents’ accounts of their lives. Just over a … Continue reading First Step on a Writing Odyssey
It’s Finally Here!
That day I have been waiting for is finally here. MaryAnn McKibbon Dana’s book God, Improv and the Art of Living has been released and is available for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (or wherever fine books are sold, I suppose). I highly recommend that if you want to be challenged and have … Continue reading It’s Finally Here!
A Bowl of Self Care
We had to get a new dishwasher a few weeks ago. So far the only down side to this is the big hole it left in our “for the house” savings account. But since the previous dishwasher had been on its last legs for almost a year anyway, we had been saving. There is no … Continue reading A Bowl of Self Care
A Swing and a Miss
So I have been great about posting one blog per week since April last year – really great! I was sometimes later in the week than others, but it was always done. Until last week. No post from last week. And to be honest, I’m struggling to get back out there and write something for … Continue reading A Swing and a Miss
Cold Turkey
I have to admit, I have no idea how people with cable television ever get anything done! I took some time away from the family for a writing retreat, but found myself captured the first evening by the Food Network. I know not everyone must watch other people eat and prepare food 24/7, but there … Continue reading Cold Turkey
Openings: Let the Spirit in 