Monthly Archives: July 2010

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.” That’s how Eddie Rickenbacker, an ace aviator in World War I, described his own feelings about facing danger and overcoming obstacles. It’s a comment … Continue reading →

One friend to another: “Don’t be so characteristic of yourself!” A mother repeating her daughter’s words: “My books are my boyfriends.” A father discussing his son: “In my next life, I want to come back as Nick!” Husband to his … Continue reading →

Some people love to flip to the end of a book first, but I’m definitely a go-to-the-first page gal. In a bookstore, I can while away my time quite happily by picking up novels with intriguing titles and checking out … Continue reading →

When John Updike passed away in 2009, his papers were donated to Harvard, his alma mater. Weighing in at more than 100 boxes, they trace his career from college onward. A recent New York Times article offered a fascinating glimpse … Continue reading →

Taking my most recent post, Why Wait? to heart, I decided to take an inventory of my own major pending projects, just to see where I stand on them. Here’s what I came up with: Project & % Completed • … Continue reading →

The author was by all accounts a fortunate fellow. He had a loving family and devoted friends who banded together to get the novel he’d been working on for years independently published, complete with a gritty, street-smart cover design that … Continue reading →

“Two boys arrived yesterday with a pebble they said was the head of a dog until I pointed out that it was really a typewriter.” Pablo Picasso There’s a Zen concept called “shoshin” or “beginner’s mind,” that can be a … Continue reading →

Warning! If you are a neat freak or clutter consultant, proceed at your own risk! Not to mince words, my office is small, overstuffed, and yes, modestly messy. I’m a piler, not a filer; a hoarder, not an unloader; a … Continue reading →

My brother-in-law Luis, who was kind enough to set up this blog for me, is from Spain and a huge soccer fan. Needless to say, World-Cup watching reached fever pitch over at my sister’s house with the Spain-Netherlands final showdown. … Continue reading →

My friend Janis and I were walking our dogs, Lily and Ryder, in the park one day when she told me about a fascinating reality show she happened to catch: A group of artists were paired off and each of … Continue reading →