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New fall writing workshops
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” ~Henry Ford I’m excited about several new workshops I’ll be teaching at two local libraries this fall. Each workshop will be announced on this blog as we get closer to the dates. Coming soon in November: A poetry appreciation workshop for people who think they don’t like poetry … Stay tuned for details!
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Ruts and routines
“I need to take an emotional breath, step back, and remind myself who’s actually in charge of my life.” ~Judith M. Knowlton How many times have you suddenly realized you’re still following patterns or routines that worked for a while, but aren’t serving you anymore? Being creatures of habit, we all tend to stay on the same beaten path, rarely stepping away from our comfort zone. We keep buying the same brand of coffee, hanging out with the same friends, walking the same route with the dog … and wondering why we’re bored with everything. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to shake things up. As today’s quote suggests, we need…
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We can’t know it all
“It’s high time you were shown that you don’t really know all there is to be known.” ~Dr. Seuss Does anybody really enjoy hanging out with a know-it-all? You know the type: He/she has an answer for everything and refuses to admit when he/she actually gets it wrong. Know-it-alls have already “been there and done that” — so you can’t show or tell them anything new. Know-it-all behavior is a just symptom of insecurity, so it’s wise not to take it personally. So here’s the good news for the day: When we’re willing to admit we couldn’t possibly know everything, we open ourselves to countless opportunities to learn and grow.…
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School supplies for Mom
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way — things I had no words for.” ~Georgia O’Keeffe Shopping for brand-new supplies was a favorite back-to-school ritual when my son was a child. Is there anything more fun than browsing through aisles of colorful pens, markers, crayons, and notebooks? Even if you’re an empty nester, you can recapture the fresh thrill of back-to-school shopping — and maybe discover a new craft or hobby of your own. That’s the topic of my new Oakland Press column. You can read it in the Sunday print edition (August 14) or look for it online here.…
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Put yourself out there
“Imagine living life so carefully that there are no signs you lived at all.” ~Raven Leilani I once met a woman who arranged her life to avoid appearing “wrong.” She never displayed artwork or family photos on the white walls of her immaculate home. She dressed appropriately in a style that never made a statement. Polite and reserved, she rarely revealed an opinion or a passion. I was always on my guard around her. As today’s quote suggests, life can be so much richer — and a lot more fun — when we are willing to take creative chances, make mistakes, and put ourselves out there. ~CL Photo by Cindy…