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DIE WRITING, OR DIE TRYING?

Who wants to die writing? A yes answer means one thing: Death is a metaphor. Unless it’s s sudden death and they keel over on their keyboard, no writer dies writing. But something does die in a writer who does everything they can to succeed before giving up. Who’s ever done that? One comes to […]

DECISION MAKING HELP, BECAUSE WE’RE TOO TIRED

Decision making is a process, a big old boring process. Not a roll of the dice, but you can still do that. Even rolling dice is a decision: To roll, or not to roll. Don’t call me Shakespeare, but you can if you decide to. See how that works? Let’s stamp a few decisions into […]

STILL LIFE CONVERSATION FROM A NOW LATE AFTERNOON

A still life painting is every painting, but not according to the Tate Museum. One of the principal genres (subject types) of Western art – essentially, the subject matter of a still life painting or sculpture is anything that does not move or is dead. A painting may depict action, but when’s the last time […]

BREAKING POINT REACHED. THEN WHAT?

Everyone has a breaking point, so let’s get past the tough guy act. Even if you have to fish around to find a break, you will find it. Or someone else will find it. You should want to find it sooner than later. A good example of a breaking point is mumps and measles: as […]

HEALING PROCESS SECRET? STAY OUT OF THE WAY

I learned about the healing process early. The first fourteen years included two brothers, then a sister. My dad used to tell us to “quiet down, there’s a sick man in the hospital.” In North Bend, Oregon, the hospital was about a mile and a half from our house. We weren’t that noisy. After a […]

HEART HEALTH STARTER SONG LIST

It takes time to move from a broken heart to heart health status. Luckily there’s a soundtrack for the occasion. After spending one night in the hospital one week ago today, the first since fourth grade, I made a list up in my head. It could use some additions in comments. And a one, and […]

WRITING ADVICE FOR A BROKEN HEART HOSPITAL CAMPOUT

Writing advice from writers usually comes with a warning, or should: This is what works for them. It might work for you or another writer, but it definitely works for them. After a single night campout in a hospital bed, their advice carried more weight for better or worse. A week out from the event […]

HEARTBREAK HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF LONELY STREET

I checked into Heartbreak Hotel on Monday, except it had another name. To my surprise there wasn’t a line at the desk; the crowd was already inside. The crowd is everywhere in the news.

LADY GAGA UNIVERSAL BROKEN HEART

The universal Lady Gaga is the universal broken heart. She sings about emotions and seems to show the song across her face. Barbra Streisand did/does the same thing. Liza Minelli, too. But what makes Gaga different? I think I know.

HOW A BOOMER HEART BREAKS

Which generation has the best broken hearts? Baby boomer heart breaks lead the pack. Remember the first time your boomer heart broke? Something went wrong. Someone said the wrong thing. Was it a mistake, a misunderstanding? Don’t get the shovel and start digging it out. Don’t check your high school year book. If you cut […]