Everything you can see is interesting in and of itself. A melted candle. The dent in the couch cushion. A book called I’ll Sell You a Dog. The stapler. Some things are interesting because of what we know about them. The clock that hung on the wall in my mother’s house. The only boots that don’t leak. The doormat from Nevada. The cat food that is almost gone. A whole … [Read more...] about Take Another Look
Using Writing Prompts
Imagine a ball sitting still on top of a hill. With a simple nudge it will begin to roll. Or maybe, if it sits there long enough, a breeze will get it moving before it goes flat and turns into litter. Your mind can be like that ball when you are trying to decide what to write about. You sit up there with a tremendous view--your experience, your ideas, the truths, the … [Read more...] about Using Writing Prompts
So Many Roads
Think about the places you go regularly. To work or school, perhaps, or to buy groceries or visit a friend. Maybe you like to take walks to nowhere in particular. Pick one place you’ve been lately, just one, and go over in your mind the route you take to get there. You go down one road and then another, turning left and right, crossing streets. Maybe you travel on a … [Read more...] about So Many Roads
A Special Friend
We all have imaginary friends. Think about it. And when you do, you’ll hear some kind of conversation in your head. The conversation might even go something like this: “Imaginary friends are for children, not adults.” “That’s right. I outgrew that a long time ago.” Even in that conversation, someone is talking and someone listens. If the conversation takes place in … [Read more...] about A Special Friend
Just the Junk
Do you have a junk drawer? One that's full of things like padlocks with misplaced keys or keys with misplaced padlocks. A drawer where lone band-aids might live, alongside twist ties, and a couple of the neighbor kid’s legos. Maybe your junk drawer isn’t a drawer. It could be the back of your closet, the floor of your car, or the bottom of your backpack. Maybe it’s the … [Read more...] about Just the Junk