I used to be a phony optimist, pretending that things were always delightful and going well, despite my terrible inner turmoil. You see, I have bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depression. For most of my life, I did not know that I had a mental illness, and instead, I thought that everyone had these extreme, … Continue reading How I Became an Optimist
Adults Behaving Badly
“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.” Anne Lamott I’d like to tell you the stories of my family and friends – the flaws and secrets that abound. They make juicy narratives of affairs, alcoholism, drug abuse, unexpected pregnancies, lies and deceptions. They are full … Continue reading Adults Behaving Badly
The Ghost in My House
My home is 180 years old, and it has “character.” That means it has some unusual features and it needs a lot of repairs. Among the features are wide-plank floors, working fireplaces, old hardware, wooden dowels where one might expect nails, and brick insulation in the walls (which is very inefficient). It also reveals changes … Continue reading The Ghost in My House
Thank You to the SOL Community
“’O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!’He chortled in his joy.”(from The Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll) I’m celebrating the last day of the March writing challenge! Overall, I have enjoyed writing daily, although I’ve had plenty of days with frustrating false starts and massive deletions. It’s been great to get positive feedback on my writing, and for … Continue reading Thank You to the SOL Community
Radiant Daffodils
Radiant yellow daffodils, fresh from my garden, stand tall in a blue vase. The blooms are perfect, with crisp edges and magnificent hues. Their lovely scent graces the room. The centers of these beautiful flowers look like golden trumpets, blaring the joys of spring. They make me smile. Still, I am always torn between picking … Continue reading Radiant Daffodils
Power Outage
A thunderstorm with gusting winds just slammed our neighborhood, and the power is out. It’s 7:40 p.m. and completely dark outside and inside too, except for the kitchen where I am now. On the table and counters, I have many lovely candles burning, some with pleasant fragrances of sandalwood and rose. Also, I have a … Continue reading Power Outage
Thanks to My Favorite Coach
Inspired by a mbhmaine’s slice (https://nixthecomfortzone.com/2021/03/27/solc-day-27-thank-you-mrs-minzy/), I wrote a thank-you note to a favorite teacher. Dear Coach, I want to thank you, once again, for your phenomenal coaching. As you know, I became a coach because I wanted to follow in your example. When you came to college my sophomore year, you brought much, much … Continue reading Thanks to My Favorite Coach
A Small Revelation
I took a look at my journal and revised an old entry for public consumption. As background, I tend to disregard kind words and compliments, telling myself that the person felt obligated to say them. It's a beautiful day here, and I spent all morning outside, first walking and admiring nature, and then jogging and … Continue reading A Small Revelation
A Glance at My Yard
Inspired by an idea from slicer, wowilkinson, (https://wowilkinson.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/sub-totals/), I am using numbers as a foundation for my writing. In 1 expansive yard, bordered, in part, by 2 hedges of budding forsythia, I have 3 weathered bluebird houses and 4 sparse gardens (one for vegetables and the other three for flowers and greenery). 5 robins currently … Continue reading A Glance at My Yard
The Hunter in the House
One night, at 4:15 a.m., I awoke to the sound of a cat dashing around the upstairs. The racing was punctuated by abrupt stops and loud meowing. When the cat ran into my bedroom for the second time, I turned on the light, and then I saw it: the cat, Luna, was chasing a mouse. At … Continue reading The Hunter in the House
