Several weeks ago I found out that my very first childhood friend had suddenly died. Though we hadn’t seen each other since we were thirteen, we’d recently connected on Facebook and the loss struck me deep and hard. She was one of the last friends who knew me as a child, before my brother died. I met Ellen in nursery school. She had a playhouse fort...
Read MoreThe Year of the Horse
In Chinese tradition, this is the Year of the Horse, a year of galloping forward, of fast victories, unexpected adventure, and surprising romance. No wonder my new friend is a horse. He lives on the hill right next to Paradise Park. I watched him all last year from afar, and then he was gone. But a few days ago, on my way to the beach, I saw him and I...
Read MoreA Simple Game of Questions
There was a fun game going around on Facebook a while back. A friend chose the age for you and you had to reflect back and answer the questions as they related to you at that age, and then also at your current age. Like most quizzes, the important thing was not to spend too much time thinking of perfect or clever answers, but to simply respond with...
Read MoreWhale Watching: Is There a Metaphor Here?
The last time Marika and I went whale watching, we both got seasick. But it was more than twenty years ago. And we both wanted to try. And this time we would take some pharmacist-recommended bonine pills before we went out. She took two pills with her tortillas and cheese breakfast. I decided I didn’t want to feel spacey, so I put my no-more-nausea-...
Read MoreShowing Up On the Page
I am writing. Not just blog posts and my Mac tips, but real writing with sturdy nouns and persuasive adjectives, full delicious sentences that appear on the page as if by magic. Writing that isn’t about making a point or sharing information or already knowing what I want to say. I’m writing from a deeper, more creative place. And yes, I have a...
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