(Don’t worry, Mom, this time it’s a good habit!) Imagine a world where everything you’ve ever wanted to learn is sitting at your dining room table waiting for you to tap in? Well, I’ve stumbled upon a goldmine, and I want to share it with you! Passion Amongst my family, friends and peers, I’m known … Continue reading Lynda.com–My Latest Addiction
Cue song-- "The End" I've either been a student or a teacher for the past thirty-eight years, so for me, late June signifies "the end." In the past few weeks, I finished up my pottery class, a writing class and said farewell to my class. The cherry on top was cleaning out the classroom I've been … Continue reading “Happy Thoughts” Pottery Collection
Two Weeks to Form a habit? I regret to inform you all that my mother was wrong. But only about how long it takes to form a habit. Amongst her many other endearing traits, my mother’s ability to believe is awe-inspiring. Growing up, my mother told us that it took exactly two weeks to form a … Continue reading How to Make “it” a Habit
Mom, please accept my apologies... (pretty please, on my knees, with a cherry on top!) I'd like to officially apologize to my mother for all those times I thought I knew everything, when, in fact, I knew almost nothing. Actually, I probably owe a few of you this same apology. It's free for the taking. Now … Continue reading The Dunning-Kruger Effect and an Apology to my Mother
No More Excuses In my mind, everyone’s got a list of things they dream of doing yet tell themselves they don’t have time for. Lack of time followed by lack of money are the biggest excuses people use for not doing what they know they should be doing. I’m going to call your bluff —I … Continue reading Carving Out Your Dream 101
Truth-telling was passed down the family chain the moment I took my breath. I swear it must be part of my genetic code. “Always tell the truth,” my mother told us even before we could speak. And so, I grew up telling the truth. It would be hard to find someone out there who does … Continue reading On Truth-Telling–in Writing and in Life
Okay, Rach. What the heck is NaNo? Sounds like something from Mork and Mindy, doesn’t it? NaNoWrimo Actually it’s my lingo for NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, traditionally done in November and now also in July. This is NaNoWriMo’s description of itself: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative … Continue reading To NaNo or Not to NaNo, That Is the Question
or Seeing the Unseeable A week ago, I received a gift of teeth--and the gift of perspective. For the first time in my life, I was able to see a part of myself I understood so little about. My mother always insisted I had a big mouth. In fact, more than once she has noted … Continue reading Perspective and The Gift of Teeth
Good question—who is out there in my audience? Until last year I thought I was writing for myself. My writing teacher rolled her eyes (at least that's what I imagine she did. She was on the other side of the screen, so I’ll never know). She said, “A writer does not write for oneself unless … Continue reading Audience: Who Are You Writing For?
If you google “slab” you’ll find: noun 1. a large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood, typically rectangular. "paving slabs" verb 1. remove slabs from (a log or tree) to prepare it for sawing into planks. Until April, in my mind, slabs were either a type of fencing used to corral pigs or large hunks of … Continue reading Pottery: Slabs are my Thing