I was raised in a family in which my parents always said, “You can be whatever you want when you grow up.” Do I need to mention that the statement had stipulations? Yes. I think I do. For instance, when I first started my freshman year of college, I …
There was a lot of talk about Passion over this past Easter weekend. Actually, it was more on the notion of The Passion, but I’m a writer and am playing with words for fun again. Let’s take some time to talk about–Passion. “Find your passion. Then learn how to make …
This used to be my room. It was my sanctuary when I was young. The pictures on the walls didn’t have moving eyes to watch my every move. The walls heard my many secrets but had no mouth to tell the tales. This space is no longer mine. It is …
I don’t speed through the subdivision. There are too many kids and pets and caterpillars crawling across the road. Why did the caterpillar cross the road? Maybe I’ll save that joke for another time. Here and now, I need to tell you about the old man. Before I begin, I …
Having lived in various parts of the country, from as far west as California, to Michigan and Ohio, no one community makes me shake my head, wrinkle my eyebrows, and drop my jaw in the way that Midwestern Illinois living has. In my area, neighbors use the garage as an …
I’d like to apologize for the delay since my last blog. It wasn’t my fault. Leprechauns pulling shenanigan pranks ran amok and I was forced to endure their evil punishments (aka, having fun in a major city with a million other shenanigan-ers). Maybe if my Californian friend hadn’t been …
It was a Sunday like any other Sunday. For those of you with children, this story may seem far-fetched. You probably spend Sundays doing…stuff…or whatever it is you have to do to keep kids happy and fed. I’m sure there are other responsibilities that come with that whole parenting role …
The Hero’s Journey is a concept that many fiction writers utilize to create characters and plots to tell stories. The theory isn’t new; though many researchers, for instance Joseph Campbell and Scott Vogler to name a few, have broken down the idea and have written different perspectives with different titles …
The Oscars were on last night and I found myself pacing. “What is your problem?” she asked after the fourth lap around the first floor. Finally, I sat down and realized what my problem was; I wanted to be there. And by there, I don’t mean necessarily dressing up to …
Over the course of my life, I have learned that giving gifts shouldn’t reflect your personal choices or wants, but more so of what the recipient would endear. And in this particular case, and for the first time, I left all my tangled feelings on the outside steps of a …
