What I Did
Unleashing The Full Potential Of Write Now
I am ensconced at a self-imposed writing retreat in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan along the shores of Lake Superior in these last resplendent days of fall. I spot a few lonely ducks on the lake. I’d like to shoo them along on their southward journey. A doe pauses and stops at the…
Read MoreFab Four Face-Off: What’s the Greatest Beatle Song Of All Time?
I frequently drive between Marquette, Michigan, and Chicago, relying on a mix of podcasts to stay awake, most prominently NPR’s Fresh Air. On this last trip, I was treated to a trial subscription to Sirius Radio, where I found The Beatles channel. I enjoyed seven joyous and uninterrupted hours of Beatles music. One segment…
Read MoreLearning to Juggle Like a Pro – YouTube Skills Week
Juggling seemed like an achievable parlor trick as part of my YouTube skills week. I have reveled in the success of my other trick, a loud, piercing whistle with my thumb and index finger placed on my tongue, enough to call a cab or find my husband, who has vanished into the depths of…
Read MoreLearning Taxidermy Like a Pro – YouTube Skills Week
An unexpected change in summer vacation plans left me with a solo week of unstructured time. Although I have become quite skilled in puttering and frittering, I didn’t want to fall into the abyss of bad TV, cheap novels, and cookie dough. I committed myself to a week of purpose and accomplishment. YouTube tutorials would…
Read MoreThe Day I Burned a Piano
I stand in the empty living room, staring at the piano. The gathering cold of autumn seeps into the unheated farmhouse, the temperature penetrating and raw. After my parents died, first my mother, then my father, I have sold both their suburban home and now this weekend getaway. I had asked Phil, the caretaker who…
Read MoreThe Cherished Eyeball That Ultimately Led To My Career Path
Family Christmas Letter, 1963 “[Elizabeth] is in the 6th grade, no special interests, is good fun and pleasant company. Can’t really think of anything special to say about her…” Family Christmas Letter, 1964 “[Elizabeth] is a Beatles fan, likes to work with a microscope and slices up animals – spreading frog and mudpuppy guts…
Read MoreWhen Truth is Not Enough: From Non-Fiction to Fiction
The decision seemed trivial. Nick and I were cleaning out my parent’s farmhouse after they died. Only my mother’s piano was left, a big clumsy thing with pock-marked and tuneless keys. Phil, the caretaker, couldn’t find anyone to take it. We quietly stared at it together until Phil finally said, “let’s burn it up.”
Read MoreThe Banana Incident
I hate bananas. Actually, hate is inadequate to describe the depth of my feeling. So is despise, detest, abhor, loathe and revile. Bananas assault all of my senses. The wet sticky sound when you eat them reminds me of dogs licking themselves. The smell gags me. The cloying drape of the peel makes me shudder.…
Read MoreFirst Evers, Chapter 2
1. Respect I had heard about athletes being “in the zone.” I particularly remember the Kansas City A’s hall of famer George Brett talking about those out-of-the-blue days when a baseball inexplicably looked as big as a melon. Brett just couldn’t help but hit a home run and “go downtown.” It never occurred to me…
Read MoreKey Take-Aways from 5 Hours of Religious Radio
Every month I make the 6-hour drive from the south shore of Lake Superior to the southern tip of Lake Michigan. Except for Marquette at its northern outset and Milwaukee to the south, the route runs through rural country. I usually travel with an audio book, but on the last trip, my Great Course on…
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