All Blog Posts (22,018)

Did you get the back-to-school jitters?

Photo courtesy of Sheri Bigelow

My two oldest went back to school this week. They couldn't wait to find out if they had a cool teacher, any friends in their classes, and what time their lunch will be. All the important stuff.

They had the anxious, excited jitters. Nothing a little pep talk couldn't fix. You know, the old "It will work out the way it is supposed to. Things happen for a reason," type of talk.

So what happens… Continue

Added by Hallie Sawyer on August 20, 2010 at 9:00am — No Comments

Have you ever felt like this?

On a group tour of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, our docent took us to this painting by Egon Schiele (a student of Klimt).

Right away, I was struck by how dirty the painting was-- I mean how messy the strokes are, how most of the colors, even the reds and oranges, appear crumpled and soiled-- just like the subject's clothes. His eyes are huge,… Continue

Added by Christina Brandon on August 20, 2010 at 8:30am — No Comments

Gina Barreca's new Washington Post piece

Feminist scholar Gina Barreca and humor columnist Gene Weingarten debate how men and women talk on the phone, especially how they give phone numbers and how they say goodbye.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/13/AR2010081305091.html?referrer=emailarticle

Added by regina barreca on August 20, 2010 at 6:55am — No Comments

The Poetry of Silence

A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness. ~Robert Frost

Poetry begins and ends in silence.

And as Frost suggests, sometimes, like a lump in the throat, that silence can be painful—a kind of sickness and unspeakable yearning for home, for love, for comfort.

However, silence, or not writing, tends to be especially painful for writers, which is why there are so many articles and books on how to deal with… Continue

Added by Ami Mattison on August 20, 2010 at 6:38am — No Comments

Member News Week Ending August 21, 2010

For all SheWriters in Germany; Nina Weber's nonfiction book Gratulieren mit Stil - eine kleine Schreibschule für Glückwünsche (a workshop in writing lovely letters) has just come out with Gräfe and Unzer.

Prucia Buscell along with Arvind Singhal, and Curt Lindberg just finished writing and editing Inviting Everyone: Healing Healthcare… Continue

Added by Member News on August 20, 2010 at 6:30am — No Comments

Art Art Friday

Today's new edition of All Art Fridays features a round-up of exhibitions in Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colorado; St. Louise, Missouri; Pomona, California; and Paducah, Kentucky, where the National Quilt Museum has placed on displays a selection from the Pilgrim/Roy Collection.

http://writingwithoutpaper.blogspot.com/2010/08/all-art-friday_20.html

Added by Maureen E. Doallas on August 20, 2010 at 5:51am — No Comments

Oh wo/man, what a ride!

Hola. I'm back again.

I've been writing, as you can tell by my blog...but I've mainly been journeying.

This journey started last year - New Years' 2009 - and I believe it's reached its "destination" during the New Moon this month (8/8-8/9). It has been an interesting and intense journey of recapitulation, prioritizing, and releasing some long-stuck illusions that I've been carrying around for gods-know-how-long!

So I'm checking in. Will be looking around to see what's been… Continue

Added by Victoria SkyDancer on August 19, 2010 at 10:24pm — No Comments

Wiki

I got the notion to start a wiki where I can dump the volumes of information I have generated for my fictitious worlds. I got an account at Wikia.com and started adding my writing projects and “facts” about my characters.
On Wikia.com you can see many, many wikis regarding movies, books, games, and other forms of entertainment. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Added by Loretta Matson on August 19, 2010 at 10:10pm — No Comments

When pain becomes chronic.....

one starts to lose their mind. About 3 years ago I started on a foot adventure not knowing that I would have 3 surgeries in as many years and two surgeries within 6 months. It all started with an Achilles heel injury. I went to an orthopedist and he suggested physical therapy and that is when the trouble started. I was taught some exercises and one day (without shoes on at home) I did one of them. I had no idea I needed strong shoes at the time to perform the toes lifts on stairs. About a day… Continue

Added by Madge Woods on August 19, 2010 at 7:18pm — No Comments

Rumors of the death of blogging may be exaggerated

I hope they are, anyway.

In addition to being one of my favorite authors, Beth Kephart is one of my favorite bloggers, and I appreciate the way she remains dedicated to blogging. Not long ago, she addressed a Newsweek article on the apparent decline of blogging (quoting Beth quoting the… Continue

Added by Florinda Pendley Vasquez on August 19, 2010 at 6:25pm — No Comments

A Library in Heaven?

"Car, là-haut, au ciel, le paradis n’est-il pas une immense bibliothèque."

My translation:
Because, up there, in heaven, isn't paradise an immense library?

Gaston Bachelard (1884-1962),
La Poétique de la rêverie (1960)

Added by Maria Clara Paulino on August 19, 2010 at 5:59pm — 2 Comments

Mustache Man

I don’t like you, mustache man.

When I was a boy, the family would visit my grandparents every weekend. They lived in a small textile mill town out in the country. Most Saturdays were spent in the nook of a large oak tree. The bark was scaly and crumbled in your hands as you pulled yourself up to the top. A strange smelling, sappy black residue clung to your hands; it took much scrubbing with soap to make it go away.

My Aunt had a prison romance. He was ugly and… Continue

Added by Kevin Camp on August 19, 2010 at 4:39pm — 1 Comment

Creating a Memorial Garden

When my mother passed away, my father created a beautiful memorial garden for her.

A memorial garden is a tribute to someone who has died, which offers a place for members of the family or friends to remember and also to heal. It does not have to be large or extravagant, but it can include some of the flowers and items the loved one enjoyed during their life.

Read the rest here:…

Continue

Added by Ruth Elayne Kongaika on August 19, 2010 at 2:57pm — No Comments

Why does blogging offend my soul?

Writing. It’s what I do. I’m a freelance writer. It’s been a part of my identity since I wrote little newspapers for my family (you might be familiar with my exposé piece, “Spaghetti for dinner: Fourth night in a row”). But I’m just now reluctantly jumping on the blogwagon.

I think that comedian Mike Birbiglia articulated my sentiment best when he said he’s embarrassed to say he has a blog, because everybody has a blog. Communicating the minutia of their lives in dull statements more… Continue

Added by Emily A. Palm Mulica on August 19, 2010 at 2:01pm — 4 Comments

Why is there no female Ignatius T. Reilly ?

Can a heroine be gross, brilliant, hiliarious, vulgar, bigoted, insane and obscene?
Would we love her if she was?

Added by Laurel Zuckerman on August 19, 2010 at 10:09am — No Comments

If You AREN'T Being Rejected, Perhaps You Aren't Creative Enough

I just came across a rejection letter from the Museum of Art, politely declining the donation of a painting by an artist. The letter is dated October 18, 1956, and the reason stated is "severely limited gallery and storage space."

The artist is no less than ... Andy Warhol. The painting was titled "Shoe."

His paintings went on to sell for as much as $100 million.

And just in case you're thinking this was his early work and perhaps not quite up to snuff, rest… Continue

Added by Meg Waite Clayton on August 19, 2010 at 9:38am — 3 Comments

Five Ways Blogging Has Made Me A Better Writer

PART TWO: In which Kamy Wicoff continues to ponder the differences between blogging and writing, and to celebrate the ways in which blogging has made her writing better.

When I first began to dream of She Writes, I had never written a blogpost in my life. (I wasn't on Facebook, either, and had had a kind of panic attack when I first put a page up there.) My partner, Deborah… Continue

Added by The Salonniere on August 19, 2010 at 8:30am — 13 Comments

OK, Let's get this straight: Ground rules for living...

This is today's post from my blog, the Sophia Project.

I just updated my Facebook status to "Cyndi Briggs doesn't live here anymore". To which one might reply, "Where don't you live?"

To which I would reply, "Exactly".

One week and half an hour ago, I drove away from my house in Rochester,… Continue

Added by Cyndi Briggs on August 19, 2010 at 8:22am — No Comments

Next Up on The Lit Coach's Guide

Monday on The Lit Coach's Guide to The Writer's Life, New York Times bestselling author, Chelsea Cain, freelance writer Suzy Vitello Soule and others from Portland's most unique writing group share their perspective and tips on making the most of a writing workshop.

Added by Erin Reel on August 19, 2010 at 7:58am — No Comments

American Hero

Tomorrow is the date for the limited released of filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev's documentary, "The Tillman Story". I've posted the trailer to the film, as well as a second video of an interview with Bar-Lev, who worked closely with the Tillman family to uncover the truth about Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan from "friendly fire". I've also listed a number of very good articles and other videos on the controversial role of our government in attempting to use Tillman's death as propaganda. Tillman's… Continue

Added by Maureen E. Doallas on August 19, 2010 at 6:17am — No Comments