Month: October 2015

Captain America To The Rescue 

Published by

Wk 1 Post 4 I was sobbing, just sobbing, on the couch all afternoon. Captain America called me after my hopeless sad gal text and said, “You’re going to freshen up, get dressed, and go outside for a walk while I stay on the phone with you,” which she did, for two hours as I navigated the sidewalks downtown teary eyed but soon laughing with her in my ear. Many years before this, after camping with literally a million people to hear public mass with Pope John Paul ii, I struggled in the following day’s heat to trek towards our return shuttle with my backpack. Captain America grabbed it from me and carried it in addition to all of her gear while leading our group in her encouraging tone, “C’mon, let’s go, you can do it.”  We all need superheroes. Welcome to my 5, 5, 5 series.  The objective of this exercise is to write five lines five times a week for five weeks about anything. Habits don’t create themselves, after all. The frequency & …

Love Where You Live

Published by

At the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Yamhill River in the Willamette Valley, sits the historic town of McMinnville, Oregon.  Fresh off of a full day exploring Portland following The Hello Sessions the night before, at least a dozen of my friends and I headed 40 miles southwest for the ‘Love Where You Live’ wine country dinner. Co-hosted by the gracious Chelsey Nichol of Type A Press and my savvy friend, Maggie Battista, of Eat Boutique, guests were served passed hors devours, cocktails, and a 5-course family style meal prepared by Let Um Eat Collective inspired by Maggie’s new cookbook, Food Gift Love. Chelsey’s fourth generation family-owned printing warehouse, which houses her antique letterpress, and the studios of painter, Zach Hixson and sign painter, Mitch Horning, served as the venue. Until you make it up to Oregon for your next weekend getaway, and I strongly suggest you do, here is a taste of McMinnville for you to enjoy at home. “Newby’s Ransom Punch”, named for the founder of McMinnville, William T. Newby, and the locally produced Ransom Spirits, was …

Before 5 a.m.

Published by

Welcome to my 5, 5, 5 series. The objective of this exercise is to write five lines five times a week for five weeks about anything. Habits don’t create themselves, after all. The frequency & length remains from post to post, but the topics will be varied. Read my introduction here. Wk 1 Post 3 Sometimes I wish my whole life could happen under the covers before 5 a.m., without worry or concern for what might shake me within the other 17 hours of the day. That moment when I start to stir before I am supposed to be up, with my eyes just fluttering open in complete darkness. That moment before all the practicality of the day ahead squeezes the romance out of the dawn. This is the moment I wish I could stay in. Is it life or is it us that does the squeezing?

Today is Her Birthday

Published by

Welcome to my 5, 5, 5 series. The objective of this exercise is to write five lines five times a week for five weeks about anything at all.  Habits don’t create themselves, after all. The frequency & length remains from post to post, but the topics will be varied. Read my introduction here.  Wk 1 Post 2 I was in sheer disbelief when I found out she was gone. When someone you love decides to privately fight an illness for several months & die in absolute secrecy you feel confused. You scramble trying to heal and to piece things together, seeking company to share in the devastation you feel. I remember her dry wit, her Strawberry Shortcake bedspread & our hand written letters when she moved away after college. It’s one thing when your friend is far away, but it’s quite another when she is gone.  

5 5 5  Introduction 

Published by

Wk 1 Post 1 Write five lines, five times a week, for five weeks.  That’s all. That is all I need to do.  If I write five lines I am all set, whether they follow a theme or not. At The Hello Sessions over the weekend, Lisa Congdon spoke on one of my favorite topics, the buzz worthy “passion project”, and how it informs a person’s ability to push beyond his or her usual thinking and creates ways for one to work differently through this side focus. I thought of about four things I’ve wanted to work on for a specific period of time: Participating in Snail Mail My Email in November. Being able to do a proper headstand and handstand. Something else I can’t remember that I guess was not important. 5 5 5 For the purposes of informing my public writing practice, I am going with 5, 5, 5.  The objective of this exercise is to write five liner posts five times a week for five weeks about anything I want to (which I have always done …