I'll be honest: I've always scoffed at people who walk to get exercise. 1) Being honest is all I've got, and 2) I was a pretentious asshole. I mean, I've run marathons. What benefit could there be to walking over running? I remember being a teenager and going for walks occasionally through my neighborhood. I'd … Continue reading Feeling at home during COVID
Here in the Mid-Atlantic winter is wrapping up, coming to a close. While it is mid-February and we still see frozen precipitation of every kind (and least of all snow, sadly), there are signs that longer and warmer days are coming. We have been walking the dog in the dark for what seems like months … Continue reading Wintering is almost over
No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacioo flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma. Te amo como la planta que no florece y llevadentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en … Continue reading Soneto XVII por Pablo Neruda (o, en mis palabras, Feliz Día de San Valentín)
It's okay to step away from something, even if you've been doing it for years. Especially if you've been doing it for years. It's something I've been trying to tell myself. Unfortunately, some of my time that I've rediscovered as I've stepped away from commitments is steeped in guilt, kind of like the half-drunk mug … Continue reading You are not your calendar
One of the most important things we are able to do as humans that set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom is reflect. We can look into the past and remember in order to make the present or future different. It's how we learn about ourselves and the world around us. These … Continue reading BONUS POST: Narratives we tell ourselves
It's Sunday and the sight of the fluffy flakes calling outside is enough to bring tears to my eyes with the anticipation of rogue, anarchic mid-afternoon caffeine soon to hit my veins. As I wait for the coffee to brew, I lean against the doorjamb and observe that the shade of the heavy clouds matches … Continue reading The calm in the winter storm
Over the past seven years or so, I have been made acutely aware of my body. At first she seemed like a stranger to me, someone you pass in the night but can't quite see past the darkness and shadows. It's quite ironic that I was so separated from my body because I am tall. … Continue reading Coming back into my body
I don't mean that the act of not drinking is so difficult. I mean, it can be, especially on the Saturday of a long weekend where I just feel good all day, and what could make it better besides a lovely cocktail or two? In all honesty though, overall it hasn't been difficult for me … Continue reading Choosing to not drink is easy; sobriety is hard
January 8, 2021 I started this book soon after finishing a quick foray into the icy floes of the Arctic. I wasn't sure what to expect - I don't normally read "space operas" - in fact, I had to ask a friend what that even was. "Star Wars is a space opera," he told me. … Continue reading A Memory Called Empire – Reading Blog (spoiler free)
I think I underestimated the effect that reading so much would have on me. I forgot how a book can climb its way into your soul, into the very threads which weave you together. Upending your memories, thoughts, feelings, relationships. Turning over new stones of discovery and wrecking you in the very best way in … Continue reading Creativity for creativity’s sake
MPM 2.0: mercy unmasked 