Here in my online world, Wednesday’s are the days I’ve been writing about being creative, about writing, and inspiration, and process. But in my Real World, every Wednesday is “Mom’s Day.” It the day of the week I drive into our old neighborhood and pick up my mom, take her to her favorite grocery or specialty fruit market, and the drugstore if she’s up to it. It’s the day I make sure I’m at her house to take out the garbage or do any other household things that she’s willing for me to do.
Life In General: Hair Wars
For much of my life I’ve been at war with my hair. At first glance, you might not understand why. After all, I have plenty of it, which is something many women my age do not. It’s retained it’s original color very well, with the exception of the topmost roots which require periodic touch-ups at the salon. It’s easy to style, and I can walk out the door nicely coiffed in about 15 minutes start to finish.
But I’ve not always been properly grateful for my hair. Growing up in the 1960’s, long super straight hair was in fashion, and my thick, naturally wavy locks did not conform in any way to the type of look I envied.
Write on Wednesday: Inspirations
I keep coming face to face with the notion that creative work does not get done in a vacuum. As much as the romanticized notion of a writer typing away day after day in their tiny attic space might appeal to some, there is a point at which every person who attempts to do creative work must engage with the world and with other people. My introverted self usually wants to stay tucked away in a safe corner; I was always the student who inwardly groaned whenever a teacher assigned a “group project.” But lately I’m feeling more and more led to the kinds of interactions that encourage new ideas and processes, and even to actual collaborations - to working together with other artists and writers in the making of something good.
TLC Book Tours: Love May Fail
What’s not to love about this book? Once again Matthew Quick serves up a group of quirky, oddball characters, the kind of people many of us would hurry by if we were to pass them on the street, and challenges us to change our expectations and accept personality types that are vastly different than those we’ve come to expect as “normal."
The Sunday Salon: Regrouping
Ah, summer. You have finally deigned to grace us with your presence, and those of us here in the midwest are appropriately grateful. I am showing my gratitude this Independence Day weekend by exercising my freedom to sit on the deck, read, ride my bike, read, go for a ride in our classic sports car, read, eat lunch at a favorite outdoor cafe, read...well, you get the picture.