Tag: writing
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I Miss My Office
For the past few weeks, I’ve been camped out with my MacBook and assorted piles of paper on a stool at my kitchen counter where I relocated from my woman cave. I have an office. I consider myself blessed to have had a room of my own for most of my adult life. It’s where…
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I Hear Voices And See People Who Aren’t Really There
There’s a cast of characters living in my mind and they’ve been there for years. Most of them have names, some rather creative ones, like my old friend Knits McWaller, who came to me in a dream one night. Others, more ordinary: Charlotte, Alene, Sam, Sara, David, Belle, and Iz. I ponder their stories, I…
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Joy Sparkers Abound
What a great week it’s been. I was inspired to jot down a few things that have sparked joy in me the past couple of days and thought I’d share it here. A good haircut (at last!). Seeing and hearing kids playing outside and wearing shorts and t-shirts. Flocks of Canada Geese returning from their…
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Good Friday
Molly and I were up early as usual. We woke to snow—one last (I hope) blast from Old Man Winter. His days are numbered; next week looks stellar in terms of weather. I watched part of last night’s Maundy Thursday service online this morning, thankful for technology. More thankful for Jesus. It’s after 2 p.m.…
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Letters From the Afterlife
A few weeks after she died, I opened her mailbox and found a letter addressed to my mom written in her own handwriting. Yesterday, I read a sample from Joy Williams’ short story collection, Ninety-Nine Stories of God and the first story, Postcard, reminded me of that day. It’s very short. I tried to find…
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Things I Like . . .
I am taking a course in short story writing with Joyce Carol Oates on Masterclass. One afternoon, I poked around on her Substack and came across a post called What I like. What I like is her creativity in writing it, so I borrowed the idea and exercised my own creative muscles by penning (or…
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I Hear Voices And See People Who Aren’t Really There
There’s a cast of characters living in my mind and they’ve been there for years. Most of them have names, some rather creative ones, like my old friend Knits McWaller, who came to me in a dream one night. Others, more ordinary: Charlotte, Alene, Sam, Sara, David, Belle, and Iz. I ponder their stories, I…
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I Miss My Office
For the past few weeks, I’ve been camped out with my MacBook and assorted piles of paper on a stool at my kitchen counter where I relocated from my woman cave. I have an office. I consider myself blessed to have had a room of my own for most of my adult life. It’s where…
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Telling Our Stories
Yesterday afternoon, from the comfort of my office, I attended a board meeting for the Story Circle Network via Zoom. Ten women gathered together to write, share what SCN activities we were proud of over the past year, and talk about business—which didn’t seem like business. It felt more like what it really is: strong…
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The Writing Life
I was in my twenties the first time I got paid for my writing. I had submitted a poem (or poems?) somewhere and it (or they) were accepted for publication. I don’t remember what I submitted or who accepted them. What I do remember is receiving a cheque in the mail and using it to…
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Friday’s Fave Five – September 29
It’s the last Friday of September, already; the month whizzed by in a blur. Oh, how I’m looking forward to October and a different pace—though I’ll have to make it intentionally so. I hate to use the “b” word but I can’t help but attach the busy label to the coming month as Gerry and…
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Fifteen Years of Blogging
I don’t remember what I was doing on August 3, 2023, but I know what I was doing on August 3, 2008. Starting a blog, that’s what. Fifteen years ago I started a blog called My Own Velvet Room after a favourite book from my childhood. It still exists, though I migrated to this space…