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DORK LIFE? GO AHEAD AND LIVE IT UP

May 14, 2021 by

I met my eventual mother in law before I was in the ‘potential partner’ picture. Her daughter was on my radar, just not the other way around. It was familiar territory. Since I had time to play the long game of love, I kept the heat turned down. To an objective outsider I was just […]

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LOSER LESSONS FOR A LIFETIME OF HOPE

May 13, 2021 by

Loser lessons make good winners. The trick is finding context. The particular context is knowing you’re not a lifetime loser because of a few events that didn’t turn our your way. I’ve had a few, you’ve had a few. Anyone who says they haven’t had a few are only lying to themselves. Some loser lessons […]

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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH OF MAY, 2021

May 12, 2021 by

Mental health never takes a day off, but it gets a month out of the year for more awareness. Except mental health is a harder reach. Talk to someone about it and it goes good until you hear more about their problems. Then what? It’s good to have a plan.

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GYM RATS: THE PUMP IS THEIR CHEESE, SWEAT IS THE PRICE

May 11, 2021 by

Gym rats come in all shapes and sizes, but all of them have one consistent trait. They don’t miss a day if they can help it. Sick, injured, it doesn’t matter to them. They want that thing you can’t buy or pick up. Their go-to is the pump. The what?

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WRITING CONFERENCE UPDATE FROM CHUCK SAMBUCHINO

May 10, 2021 by

How the writing conference update started: Hi David, Chuck Sambuchino here (formerly a long-time editor with Writer’s Digest and the GLA). The GLA is the Guide To Literary Agents, a book I’ve bought. I follow Chuck on Twitter. He sent me a message, which is different than a notification. This is Chuck Sambuchino:

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GOING HOME LIKE IT’S THE FIRST TIME GETTING OUT

May 9, 2021 by

Going home is a goal no matter where you start. After a year or more of covid awareness, the idea of home changed. It’s a sanctuary home, a home hospital, a home office. All together it adds up to the same thing: Home. After leaving for the first time in what feels like more than […]

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UNDERSTANDING PHOENIX FROM PORTLAND OREGON

May 8, 2021 by

Understanding Phoenix is easier if you have some kind of reference. Call it an urban reference. Phoenix is Big City big, but it’s more than that. Phoenix is the focal point of Arizona the way Portland is in Oregon. Not everyone enjoys that status, mostly those who don’t live in Portland or Phoenix. You’re either […]

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PROMISES MADE. THEN WHAT, ARIZONA ANGEL?

May 7, 2021 by

Promises made to yourself are one thing; promises made to others are another. Which one is more important? Does one carry more weight than the other? It depends on how good your memory is.

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MESSY MIDDLE FROM WHERE YOU START TO WHERE YOU FINISH

May 6, 2021 by

The messy middle waits for people in transition, just like writers in the dangerous second act. Sometimes it drags out over a lifetime, sometimes a day. The difference is awareness. It’s the messy middle. The middle is always messy. From a story perspective lets take The Great Gatsby for the first example.

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FRIDAY MORNING PHOENIX FROM THE FIFTEENTH FLOOR

May 5, 2021 by

Friday morning in Phoenix was one empty street after another. I’m not complaining, but where was everybody? No dodging traffic, no waiting to cross a street. It felt abandoned, but maybe that’s normal during a pandemic?

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