When our parents used to tuck us into bed at night, Mother usually sang something---they had a broad repertoire of folk songs---and Daddy was our stories guy. He had an ongoing saga about a pair of mischievous alligators, "the Lucys," who followed us on all our travels, getting into trouble as they tried to keep … Continue reading The Daddy-Daughter Downpour
Tag: Coffee
Roommates in a Padded Cell
Pepper and I met (virtually) when we were both freelance-writing for the same client. Well, Steve wasn't actually the "end-user" client himself; he was more like a broker of freelance writing-jobs. His jobs paid a little less-per-word than the gigs I landed on my own (because he was taking a cut), but he was a … Continue reading Roommates in a Padded Cell
Here AND There
The last couple nights have dipped down below freezing, riming the fields beyond our house with frost. This morning a heavy skim of frozen fog at the foot of the distant mountains contrasted with the bold grapefruit of the pre-dawn clouds, like a painting of frost and fire. It feels like a fitting entree to … Continue reading Here AND There
The Post-It Queen Strikes Again
I'm sitting on the living-room couch with my MacBook, rather than the more serviceable office chair and desktop computer, because this window is where the sunshine is streaming in. We've had nothing but wind and storms this week---and although we generally only get 12 inches of rain a year here, in our High Desert climate, … Continue reading The Post-It Queen Strikes Again
On the Subject of Being the Subject
"My eighth rule of success," the Interviewer says, "is to stay uncomfortable." He's talking about making choices in life, and not just staying in your comfort zone. I'm listening to this podcast---the Interviewer and his two subjects on topics ranging comfortably from Buddhist practices to travel to the character of Canadians compared to Americans---because I'm … Continue reading On the Subject of Being the Subject
On Hobbits & Hobbit-Holes
One of my favorite coffee mugs was a gift from my sister, covered all over with "famous first lines" of novels. I have a degree in English literature, and I still had to look a few of them up---I guess they can't all be "Call me Ishmael." But I do think there's one first line … Continue reading On Hobbits & Hobbit-Holes
Driven
I don’t love it that our sailboat is a five-hour drive from home. It’s hard to get away to go there, hard to tackle the work and projects that we have in mind, hard to get the boat-time I’d wish for, if I really had my way. But yesterday did remind me of one of … Continue reading Driven






