I have a friend who is very good at feeding herself emotionally. That is, when she needs sympathy, support, or encouragement, she has no problem reaching out to get what she needs. I, on the other hand, being the product of 200 years of Yankee stoicism do not. As a result, my friend manages to…
This Month’s Recommended Reads
Phew! November was quite a month. When I look back, I did a lot more reading than I thought. Probably to make up for the lack of reading in October. December is looking like a light reading month as well, thanks to the holidays. However, I’m looking forward to adopting the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod,…
The 26 Days of Encouragement
November 28 was the first day of Advent, which, for Christians, is a season of love and light. Coincidentally, it was also the first day of Chanukah, or The Festival of Lights. This convergence couldn’t be more perfect because for me, the best part of the holidays is spreading as much cheer and brightness as…
Barb’s Holiday Gift Ideas for Writers
It’s the most wonderful time of the year….. We’ve all seen them, those lists of writer gift ideas with suggestions like literary jewelry or a writing themed coffee mug. While I’m as big a fan of writer-themed presents as anyone, there are only so many fun coffee mugs a writer can store in her cabinet….
Bits and Barbs
A sampling of things currently capturing my interest. What I’m Watching Only Murders in the Building – This 10-week whodunit is as much about letting go of the past as it is about finding a murderer. Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short play three lonely New Yorkers who are drawn together when there’s a…
Of Cheerleaders, Mentors and Lost Potential
Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of cheerleaders. My parents were good, loving parents who genuinely wanted the best for their children. It’s just that their world was small. Having both grown up poor, they preferred choices that were safe, practical, and responsible. Things like risk and adventure frightened them. After all, on the…
Recommended Read: Shoulder Season by Christina Clancy
There’s something train wrecks. You see the damage, and you want to turn away, but you can’t. The scene won’t let you. That’s how I felt reading Shoulder Season by Christina Clancy. Not that the book is a train wreck. On the contrary, the book is excellent. It should be on the top of everyone’s…
Playing The Long Game Part 3
AKA You’re Probably Not Reading This and That’s Okay “How many people read your blog?” my friend asked. “I don’t know,” I replied, before adding silently, “Very few.” Look, I know blogging feels like a futile waste of time. I know Google discontinued its RSS reader and dumps most RSS feeds into gmail folders. I…
Recommended Reads
September was another eclectic reading month with books that ran from politics to true crime. (And no, the politics and true crime are not related.) The Guilt Trip by Sandi Jones: Sandi, Sandi, Sandi. I had such high expectations. After all, your debut was a Reese Witherspoon pick, and she’s seldom steered me wrong. Alas,…
Recommended Reads – The Philosophy Edition
AKA: What I Learned From a 3000-Year-Old Emperor I spent most of August indulging my nerdier roots by reading philosophy and social psychology. The books were fascinating reading, but realizing most of you aren’t into these topics as much as I am, I’m not going to bore you with minute details. I am however, going…