Poet Reporter
A different kind of reporting, through the eyes of a poet.
The Belly of the Beast
Holidays used to be like hiccups in my routine. Don’t get me wrong; I like family time and I like food. But the time off—that was tough. The thought of free time was just so disconcerting. How would I fill the time? How will I make ends meet on my paycheck-to-paycheck cycle with a day off?
Back then I spent a long time keeping my head down, staying focused, plowing ahead.
Memory Space
I went to a weeklong writing retreat years ago. One of the exercises we did was to imagine a house full of rooms that we could go to anytime we liked just by closing our eyes. Each room could have any function, purpose, décor, or reason that we liked. In a way, each room was like a different story that we could tell. And some…
Trusting the Whoa
As I was preparing for my talk at the Butler Library, at a certain point I realized I was putting a lot of effort into what I said, my wording, what writing besides my books that I wanted to present… And likewise, I was putting effort into what I’d wear and whether I wanted shoes that matched or shoes that were comfortable. (I went with comfort, of course.)
Overworked and Underslept
People who don’t know me ask where I come up with my story ideas. People who know me know my stories are about me. In Writer School, they tell you to start out by Writing What You Know. My stories are usually about something that affected me—either deeply or on a humorous level, and so I tell the story so that you can share in that feeling with me…
We Remember
Today we remember our brave men and women who’ve given their lives for our country.
Abraham Lincoln famously said in his Gettysburg Address that our fallen soldiers gave their last full measure of devotion to their cause: Their country. They did this, he said, so that the nation might live.
A Rich Inner Life
I’m at a cocktail party. Shiny marble floor, sparkly beige ceiling, light piano music playing. There’s one of those focal point staircases in the center of the room, with a carved wooden bannister and wide marble stairs. There are people of all ages in suits and office dresses, gathering in small groups on the lower floor, gathering on the stairs, and the balcony above. Many are snacking on mini crab cakes and…
The Underdogs
People understand when you say you’re “going to work” and they mostly leave you to it. But when your work is not so mainstreamed, like writing, you raise a lot of eyebrows. Still, a bad day writing is better than a good day doing anything else, so I’ll take it…
From Here to There
Living in the moment. Right here. Right now. When we’re young and carefree these things come naturally. But as we take on more responsibilities, we shift our sights to the future and focus on how to get from here to there.
Waiting Room
The last time I was in a waiting room, I didn’t have anything to do. The horror! I had my phone, but I had no emails to answer, no phone calls to make. I didn’t care to look at social media. I brought a notebook but I knew I likely wouldn’t use it. The writer brain never really shuts off, but you’re not always in the right headspace for the projects at hand. This is what needed fixing. It wasn’t exactly that I didn’t have anything to do. I purposely didn’t bring anything.
Song and Dance and Candy
Holidays give us the chance to step outside our normal lives. Our daily routine is gone, replaced by a balancing act of relatives, chaos, food, messes, and sometimes a few friends showing up in the mix. In an offhand way, this gathering of personalities is like one big Easter basket of flavors and textures, all crammed into one place.
Little Reminders
Don’t stop me if you’ve heard this one; it bears repeating. And I’m definitely repeating it: I posted it on my old blog back in 2014 after hearing it somewhere around 2009. I still don’t know the origins of this story, but it’s one that sticks with you. Ready? Here we go:
Phoning It In
I recently had a disastrous run-in with tech support, and it reminded me of a time when I was waiting tables and the phrase “phoning it in” was popular. As opposed to “dial it in” which has the opposite effect, phoning it in is all about a lack of focus, about doing the minimum and avoiding the real work.
The Easier Path
For every amazing thing you do, think, or imagine, there are countless negative voices that you need to tune out.
It’s About Time
I’m thinking of the line from Our Town where main character Emily says, “Does anyone ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?”