LOOK IT UP
I’ve been reading a strange and stimulating book by Simon Winchester — The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. It’s about two men central to the decades-long writing of…
STILL LIFE
I wish things would just settle down. Be still for a bit so I could catch my breath. I mean, I enjoy novelty and variety in my life. I don’t mind a little excitement, a little pizzazz. I’ve been known,…
SWEPT OFF MY FEET
In a novel I just finished reading, a character experiences a case of Stendhal syndrome. I’d never heard of this. Named after a 19th century French travel writer who first described the condition, Stendhal syndrome refers to a complex of…
THE FIX IS IN
About fifteen years ago, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, members of my family started gifting me with Wizard of Oz collectibles. For my birthday, my sister sent a Ruby Slipper paperweight, then a Toto figurine. Mom’s Christmas package included…
REALLY SOMETHING
A few of weeks ago, my friend Romy told our dance class about a friend of hers who was struggling to find affordable housing. She described the need and some of the obstacles specific to her friend’s situation, tossing it…
TRICK OF THE LIGHT
For a new product launch in Great Britain, a company commissioned a survey on spontaneity (or lack thereof). They polled over two thousand adults. Most said that there were lots of things they would really like to do, but which…
BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS
Stefan Draschan is a photographer with an interesting perspective. I’ve been seeing his work featured in articles online for a few years, and now I follow him on Instagram. “People Matching Artworks” is the series for which he’s primarily known.…
IN THE MEANTIME
At Patty’s songwriting workshop last week, we began with a general sharing about what was on our minds and in our hearts. The check-in was free-flowing and open, including personal matters and global concerns. While our overarching purpose for being…
