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 …
How do we think outside the box? I’ve come up with some pretty good ideas that I believe you’ll enjoy. Boxes are made of various materials, which can include cardboard, wood, plastic, composite, safe deposit, Post Office, seats, electrical… Ha! I could do this all day. Different sports require different …
The small logs were aflame for ambiance rather than heat as they flickered in the makeshift stone pit. Body heat blazed between us as we sat alone in the dark forest, listening to crickets chirp, the moaning sounds of cicadas quieting into silence. Sitting cross-legged on pine needles, I picked …
Once again, it is a snowy day here in the Midwest and some of us aren’t too happy about it. Sure, kids and teachers get a day off. Whoopie. Snow-plowing county workers are probably starting out the week with overtime pay. Yee Haw. Tobogganing is at its peak. Fra La …
