I adore the bird paddle boats at Fair Park in Dallas. They have both swans and mallards, but the swans are best – a delightful blend of elegance and playfulness. My boyfriend runs a boat shop, and once built a beautiful mahogany boat. If I built a boat, I’d create the ultimate swan paddle boat. Mine would have fold-out wings to shade you from the relentless Texan sun. If it came down to it, my boyfriend would be happy to help me with such a silly project. He once said, “We don’t have to do anything normal if we don’t want…
Month: November 2010
Last night as I drifted to sleep, I began thinking of free-writing, and how Julia Cameron and Natalie Goldberg both promote freewriting to anyone who wants to write well. Author of the best-selling Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron is known for what she calls,”morning pages.” This is Cameron’s prescription for becoming a better writer, and all that’s required is writing 3 pages in longhand first thing upon waking. Another notable writing teacher, Natalie Goldberg, author of the best-selling Writing Down the Bones and many other wonderful books on the craft of writing, also promotes free-writing each and every day, and while…
According to a survey of more than 2300 pet owners, the kind of animal you own says a lot about you. Snake owners, for instance, are the most likely to earn 6 figure incomes, while bird owners claim the most job satisfaction. Check out the article in its entirety over at The Daily Brainstorm. I once rented a house from a guy who was one of the founders of Century 21 real estate. I assumed from his background that he would be a stickler for paperwork. Instead, he said that in all his years as a landlord, he did better…
The day is winding down, and if I don’t post something fast, I will have a blank spot in my November calendar, like a missing tooth in an otherwise pristine smile. Can’t let that happen! Considering that comparison, I probably ought to brush and floss, too. But first, my friends, let’s raise our glasses to the lovely Jyllian and commend her for understanding the importance of enjoying laughter with your kid: I met Jyllian during last year’s NaBloPoMo. She’s intelligent, thoughtful, creative and – as I recently discovered via a link she shared at her blog, You are the music…
I recently read a thought-provoking post called How to Destroy Your Past Lives (Starting Over) over at Everett Bogue’s blog, Far Beyond the Stars. In it, he states: You have a choice, you can either let the pain and joys of the past build up until they’re too heavy a burden. Or, you can let everything go. Burn your notebooks, let the friends go, leave the souvenirs at the shop. All that really matters is having a connection with the here and now. This breath, this movement, this heart beat. What can you do to bring yourself here right now?…
I’m letting my bangs grow out, not because I think it will look good, but because I made a promise. Let me explain why this promise is such a big deal to me. It’s a long story, so I’ll try sum it up without too much rambling. A little over 10 years ago, my dear friend, Alix, was in a terrible car accident. This was no mere fender-bender. Alix’s vehicle was struck head-on by a woman who fell asleep at the wheel. The slumbering driver got a broken wrist out of the incident, but Alix nearly died. While waiting for…