New York. The only state in the union where I have ever had a mailing address, and one which has as its motto the Latin word "Excelsior." This translates, roughly, as "We only begrudgingly admit that there are 49 other states." We couldn't name our state after what it is most known for because dyslexic … Continue reading Driving Around
A Plesant Day in B’ville
I haven't written much about the town in which I live. I suppose that's not fair. We've lived here since 2015, and while I've found something to love about everyplace I've lived from New York City, NY to Potsdam, NY, there's something about Baldwinsville. Now let me quickly clear up the slogan on our sign. … Continue reading A Plesant Day in B’ville
Process
I posted this picture on Instagram earlier. It is pretty much what I see when I work. It was taken while I was working. I have a less than stellar back and it requires periodic stretching, and during one such stretch I looked at the desk as a whole and realized that I could write … Continue reading Process
Cover Reveal
At one point in this blog's history writing about work in progress was a regular occurrence. I blathered on to whip up interest, or so I was telling myself. But I have a colleague who father was an author of some note, and who said that she learned from his example to not talk about … Continue reading Cover Reveal
Reminders
Writing is, by nature, a fairly solitary gig. Hours upon hours spent alone, as far as anyone could see. Of course, we never feel alone, because our heads are filled with the voices of countless characters, our mind's eye filled with distant, imaginary vistas. But to anyone who might walk by and accidentally see the … Continue reading Reminders
Focus
I am in awe of this guy's (gal's) concentration. One of the things, as a writer, that causes me the most distress is my monumental lack of focus. I recently wrote a post that dealt with the things I do prior to getting ready to write for the day. A large portion of that preparatory … Continue reading Focus
The Steps
With nothing but respect for AA, no. Those are not the steps I'm talking about. Nor am I referring to any of the many sets of simply ridiculous steps that seemed so popular in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. In Syracuse there are a few examples of these, although it was an even … Continue reading The Steps
Writing as Spectator Sport
I remember when I was a teenager and the Monty Python crew were releasing comedy albums (among all of the visual stuff that was still happening then). In 1973 they released Matching Tie and Handkerchief. That came to mind while I was writing today. And I'll tell ya why. My writing was going well today. … Continue reading Writing as Spectator Sport
Mindfulness
I need to be more mindful. I need to be much more aware of what I'm doing and, probably far more importantly, what I'm not doing. This insight came from an unexpected source: my weekly iPhone Screen Time Report. Here is a photographic reproduction of a portion of that report. There are a few significant … Continue reading Mindfulness
Honesty
Today I'm going to do something in this blog post that I don't usually do. I'm going to be honest. And yes, I know how that sounds and what it implies, so before we get into it, I'm almost positive that I've never told a lie in a blog post and I strive for honesty … Continue reading Honesty
