Experiments
I’m over six months into my sabbatical, a good time to reflect. It didn’t start out as I planned, the …
Calibration
This month, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bitaniya Giday, the 2020/2021 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate, on behalf of Seattle …
I Before E Except After C
I’ve always straddled the line between I and E—introvert and extrovert—though I often present like an E. I feel energized …
Small Good Things
My husband and I have been sheltering in place since March 1, before the rest of Washington State, although we …
2020, Here We Come
1. Decade of Change It’s not only the end of the year, but the end of a decade*. Maybe that’s …
Quiescence
The longest night of the year is the best time to contemplate what it means to stand still. That is …
Love the One You’re With
I carry a notebook with me, always. Right now, it’s a Moleskine with a plain cardboard cover adorned with a …
The Butterfly Effect
“Whatever you are doing, if you want something else to happen, you need to pause.” —Helene Simonsen Nine years ago …
Philosophies
Confession: I am horrible at keeping secrets. Reframe: I am excellent at keeping other people’s deep, dark, shameful secrets. I …
Practice and Purpose
“But how, if you are neither Zulu warrior nor Aztec maiden, do you prepare yourself, all alone, to enter an …
Accounting
Tis the season for accounting. It’s the time of year when we let ourselves have that second cocktail or slice …
Commitment
I have an uneasy relationship with writing novels. Or, so I thought. I’ve spent this year focusing on my novel …
Strength Versus Strain
I recently read (and recommend) “Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine” by Alan Lightman, a theoretical astrophysicist. His book …
Doldrums & Distractions
Hello there. It’s been a while. I’ve been on the road quite a bit. Pullman, Port Townsend, Tucson, San Francisco, …
Space and Inspiration
This week, I’ve been in Denver for a preview of the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art designed by …
MAKE SPACE
Confession: I am a list person. A writer of goals. A keeper of resolutions. I have monthly and yearly plans …
The Next Tree Line
One of the owners of the architecture firm where I work recently explained how he approaches design in a way …
Chasing Epiphany
Each year, I cobble together an educational program that serves as my DIYMFA. Usually, this means a residency, classes at …
REJECTED! (Part Deux)
When someone discovers that I’m a writer, they are most likely to blurt one of two things: nervousness at me correcting …
Houses and Bridges
It’s been more than a year since I’ve been able to take a writing class. That’s why I felt a sort of …
