love those books
The more you read
The more you grow
The more you grow
The more you know
The more you know
The stronger your voice
When speaking your mind
Or making a choice Continue reading “making contact with reading” »
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working on growing up
February 9th, 2016
let the light in
Constantly fixing myself gets old, and I’m trying to let go of always trying to ‘be better’. I’m sick of focusing on what doesn’t work in my life. I’m tired of feeling like a victim from life’s struggle. Let’s go with new thinking! Continue reading “working on growing up” »
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Why we’re different from our parents
January 19th, 2016
TV was as real as a relative who came to live with us
TV was the most important visitor in my family. I was five when we got our first one, and my father made local TV commercials. He once drove the family Pontiac onto a television lot so he could slap its front fender to punctuate his pitch: “Now YOU can trade this jalopy for a new Chevrolet from Ellis Brooks, on the corner of Bush and Van Ness.” I remember watching and thinking, “What a star!” as his voice rang out on our tiny little black and white TV screen up high on a table in our living room. Continue reading “Why we’re different from our parents” »
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considerations
December 29th, 2015
trajectories
Where do the words go when we have said them? Margaret Atwood asks that question, and I have also asked it before. Some people don’t even think about where words go or where consequences split away from our thoughts. I also want to know what happens to consequences that we don’t get from choosing different behavior? Continue reading “considerations” »
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coursing blood
December 15th, 2015
imaginary map of the world
Think of our blood and how old it is. I traveled to South Carolina last November, and traced genealogy back six generations. I found Columbia’s First Presbyterian Church and their graves were next to the main street, which means the relatives must have been one of the first families buried there when the church was built. Continue reading “coursing blood” »
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Friending and Unfriending
October 20th, 2015
water is everything
The recent Butte fire was so devastating to Calaveras County with 71 thousand burned acres, and 500 people losing their homes. Three hours west in the Bay Area, people barely heard about Butte fire, and the Valley fire from Lake County got more attention.
When I got back from a week’s evacuation, I ‘unfriended’ people from my facebook account because they didn’t ask what went down with my family’s evacuation. I am no longer interested in facebook friendships. People who care about me would let me know they cared about how we dealt with the fire. Maybe that’s not true. Oh, well. I’ve got fewer ‘friends.’ Continue reading “Friending and Unfriending” »
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magical thinking
September 22nd, 2015
boy with question
B- pacing
M- sitting
B: I don’t know what to believe. Continue reading “magical thinking” »
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Early times
September 8th, 2015
my mother grew up in a house like this
Our house had no mirrors, except for the medicine cabinet in our tiny bathroom. I sat in the sink after my baths with my hair twisted up in a towel, staring into my tiny reflection, grooving on how glamorous I was in a turban. Continue reading “Early times” »
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would you want to read this?
September 1st, 2015
me in Mexico
I don’t remember the moment my heart started beating, but I’m paying attention now. My heart continues to beat and I’ll breathe while I tell you what is true. When I started writing, I did not expect to board what feels like a skyrocket. Continue reading “would you want to read this?” »
eye to eye and win/win
August 11th, 2015
talking helps
“How are you doing?”
“Fine…”
“No, how are YOU REALLY doing?”
An indigenous basketmaking man named Richard lives in our town, and we’ve had occasional conversations through the years. It’s not like we’re close, but we like each other. As I drove by the other day, I saw him alongside Highway 88 cutting willow branches into a pile. I made a u-turn and parked my car. Continue reading “eye to eye and win/win” »
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