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Dr. Seuss, my writing coach
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I’ve learned quite a bit from Dr. Seuss over the years. He’s been a career counselor (Oh, the Places You’ll Go!), a guide to hiring babysitters (The Cat in the Hat), and an advisor when kids get fussy (Green Eggs and Ham). He’s even assured me that I’m not a megalomaniac for the many…
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Oh brother (and sister), where art thou?
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While writing a blog on productivity, I came across an alarming statistic—apparently more time is lost searching for, and trying out new productivity apps than is actually saved by using these apps. I’m not that surprised given the latest obsession with “have I got an app for you”. I mean: did you know that…
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Beth Parker meet Beth Parker
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It started with misdirected email. For a few exhilarating seconds, I believed that US authors and publishers were tracking me down. Then I realized that the emails were for a book publicist who almost had the same email address as me. So for over a year now, I occasionally need to re-direct a message…
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Just point me in the right direction
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My mission was to “repoint my DNS settings”. I had an immediate vision in my head of my mother, apron tied about her waist. With all the marvellous skills she taught me over the years, somehow she missed this one. My father would have suspected it had something to do with bricks. It all started by…
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What’s my password?
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Technology has made my life (mostly) easier—thank you, IT gods, for that. But there are details that need to be worked out. Take passwords, for example. I’ve now filled three notebooks with secret codes and I sense I’m not alone in this. A thousand years from now, the early 21st century will be one…
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Tea tales
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Thank goodness for Downton Abbey. The art of drinking tea had been reduced to warm water in a Styrofoam cup or some concoction of berries with candy, soaked in hot water, and sold for $5 as “birthday cake blend”. But at Downton, the world learned the real deal about tea. We watched Duchess Grantham and Violet…
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On Painting Tulips
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This month I participated in my second art show, which means not only do I submit a new piece of art but also a new “artist statement.” I’m posting my statement this month. It pretty much sums up my current mindset on how to enjoy life as we go along instead of trying to…
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January Goals: Lost in Space
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During those first bright, new days of January, I love writing down goals for the coming year —not necessary doing them—but definitely writing them down. The very act represents so much potential. The sky’s the limit when it’s all recorded in a brand new notebook, especially when I add those little check-off boxes. So…
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Merry Christmas, Clark
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Every year at this time, there it is—the prerequisite article about the commercialization of Christmas and why we should all feel guilty about too much—too much receiving, too much giving, too much indulging, too much shopping, too much eating, too much of everything. Knock it off. Time to channel your inner Clark Griswold, his…
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Help I’m trapped in my shapewear and can’t get out
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As I write this, there’s a woman out there struggling to free herself from a shapewear attack. Her adventure started out innocently—a relaxed weekend shopping trip, taking time to check out the fancy lingerie, and then fashion’s latest addiction—shapewear. “I’ve got the time,” she rationalizes, “I don’t recognize anyone entering the change room—why not…