Creativity
Hold The Vision
There are two parallel universes emerging right now. One living in and with a pandemic and one merely annoyed by it. Day after day I get messages from friends and readers whose lives have been turned upside-down, while their newsfeeds boast of an unaffected population, still going to clubs and birthday parties and vacations to (…)
Copy Lessons From Ski School
When I was 5 my parents put me in ski school to learn how to ski. Five hours later they returned and I was a pile of tears. Not only could I not ski, I now HATED skiing. I had (and still have) terrible spatial awareness and my body doesn’t listen to my instructions. When (…)
Wine and Writing For Normal People
Perception almost always outweighs science when it comes to wine. I’ll fight anyone who says Cabernets taste the same in a solo cup as they do in a glass with a wide base and narrow top. I’ll cite some fact about oxygen (“oxygenation”) that I stole from a sommelier. I’ll die on that hill if (…)
Holding Onto The Dream of Being a “Real” Writer
I don’t know about you, but I’m still waiting for the day I get pulled aside by a teacher who lets me in on a secret. And the secret is I’m a precocious genius who has unparalleled talent, unlike anything she’s ever seen before. And if I would just get over my horrible attitude! the (…)
Think Deeper
Forty hours. It took me 40. freaking. hours to write (and re-write and edit) the piece that led me to my first “viral” moment. For every “viral” moment I’ve had since, it’s taken about the same amount of work. Quality, for me, takes time. Time, patience, and so.much.editing. Those three ingredients feel diametrically opposed to (…)
What Are You Reading?
Some people might argue that purple lipstick is not an essential, but they never had to pack all their “essentials” in a carry-on for two weeks at the age of 14. So yes, my purple lipstick made the cut (GOD WHY). Packing was sanctimonious for my mother, who insisted that anyone who checked luggage was (…)
What’s This About Process?
One of my best friends can sit down and write a post from start to finish in one sitting. It’ll need some editing, but the ideas are there, the voice strong, and the argument mostly formed. I hate her. Another friend of mine writes poetry. He calls them blogs, but they’re poems. Each day he (…)
How Much Should You Share Online?
One thing I still don’t get about driving a car is rubbernecking. I understand slowing down if people or debris are in the road, but looking to see what’s happening in the middle of a busy freeway sounds insane. Of course, I absolutely rubberneck because I’m a human being with eyes and I also want (…)