"The only real access that I have to my mind is when I'm writing." – Kay Ryan
A quick perusal of social media shows I’m not the only person who is struggling to maintain any kind of normal routine.That’s not surprising. We’re still mired in COVID lockdowns. We’re seeing repeated reasons for social and political unrest: Police shooting Black, Indigenous, and other people of color and not being held accountable for it.... Continue Reading →
Two issues have raised my ire this week. The first Dumpster fire is, of course, the impeachment of Donald Trump. I don't think anyone is surprised that Senate Republicans are doing everything they can to derail the impeachment and protect the party's leader. I'm not, anyway. I just didn't realize that the entire leadership was... Continue Reading →
If you’ve spent any time reading my blog, you know I’m a cheerleader for the things I love. When I find some creative work that captivates me, I want to shout it to the world. But I make my recommendations knowing that what interests me may not appeal to others. One of the fantastic things... Continue Reading →
I saw the film “Bohemian Rhapsody” this week. I won't go into the film's flaws or how it mishandled the timeline of Freddie’s life. The film's ending focused on Queen's performance at Live Aid. The concert took place in July 1985, and I was in junior high. I remember watching Live Aid with my mother.... Continue Reading →
I don't know if writers are more prone to introspection than other people are. Perhaps other creative and artistic people also spend a lot of time in self-examination. Or maybe it's just how I function. My sense of who I am as a writer is undergoing another shift. For years, I thought I'd write mysteries.... Continue Reading →
I found the following quote in writer Blake Atwood’s newsletter today. “Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.” – Steven Pressfield I... Continue Reading →
On Thursday, the MacArthur Foundation Fellowships (commonly known as the MacArthur Genius awards) were announced. I watch these announcements each year with great interest. These fellowships are often my introduction to the work of filmmakers, activists, and scholars. And, I love seeing the names of writers, poets, and playwrights among the honorees. Especially if I’m... Continue Reading →
Over the weekend, I stumbled over a Twitter thread where people shared some of their favorite panels from Gary Larson’s The Far Side. One panel, titled “Early Experiments in Transportation,” sent me into an absolute fit of laughing. I showed it to Jen, and she laughed just as long and hard. I found myself studying... Continue Reading →
I know doom and gloom fill news reports on current events. We have a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, narcissist squatting in the Oval Office like a fly-bloated toad, sliming every surface with his amphibian ooze and poisoning the atmosphere with his expulsions. He’s alienating us from allies, playing dangerous games of chicken with other narcissistic fools... Continue Reading →
Jen and I have been watching “The Handmaid’s Tale” on Hulu since it started. We’re midway through season two, and it’s starting to look at the pre-Gilead world that led to the creation of the handmaid system. The show has hinted that declining fertility rates and a desire to control access to birth control were... Continue Reading →
Ruth F. Simon 