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Losing Bonfire
Bonfire was the sweetest, kindest, gentlest, most generous soul I have ever known. When my mother died, she wanted to get rid of Dad’s stuff. She said it was too painful to keep because it reminded her of him and her loss. But I think it’s the other way around. It’s the absence of all…
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Anniversaries
Some anniversaries are cause for celebration. Some are cause for regret. Some are unremarkable and pass by without notice. Birthdays are great. Wedding anniversaries can go either way. I’m just saying. I don’t really know why we put such stock in the passage of one year. Or why we have to commemorate in some way…
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Writing Feelings
A far amount of writing fiction is about the mechanics of writing. It’s important to get the spelling of words right. Good grammar is also essential. And then you also have to put words together into your sentences so that they make sense and don’t confuse your reader. Beyond all that are the story and…
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Book Review: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
I have no idea how many times I have read “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and it’s all small stuff” by Richard Carlson, Ph.D., but it’s a lot. Carlson was a psychotherapist and motivational speaker. Sadly, he died (pulmonary embolism) on December 13, 2006. He was only 45 years old, but he found enough…
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Daria’s Tale, Chapter 2
Recently, I posted chapter one of “Daria’s Tale,” a story I have been working on off and on for several years now. Mostly in between other projects. I was hoping to get some feedback. I wanted to know if it is too pompous? Is it relevant? Is it at all entertaining? The post garnered a…
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Daria’s Tale
There is a short novel (probably more of a novelette) that I have been working on for a number of years now. Mostly I work on it when I am between other projects. It is a huge departure from what I normally write. But it is basically a labor of love and a longing for…
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Jerrold George Walter Edward Aldrich
Jerry, to his friends, was born on July 23, 1920 and died on August 4, 1969. If he were still alive today, he would be 100 years old. He was born in Wesley, Iowa at a time when it was common for young boys to wear knickers and knee socks and lace-up ankle-high boots. He…
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Creativity
I don’t just write. I have a number of other outlets for my creative spirit. I like to crochet. I just finished making a new leash for Maddie. My sister doesn’t know it yet, but I am making an afghan for her. Well, I suppose she knows it now. She likes greens and browns together.…
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Would the World be a Better Place without Mosquitoes?
In a poll of one, me, the answer would be a resounding “yes.” At least on the surface. But when I think about it for a moment, maybe not. Mosquitoes are flies. They belong to the order Diptera; DI (two) plus PTERA (wing). They are distinguished from most other insects by the number of wings…
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Weird Words, Part 12
Bumfuzzle I like the way this word sounds. I can’t recall ever using it in a conversation, but one day I might. You never know. Apparently, I’d be in good company. Read on. I looked for it in my 1972 edition of The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, but it was not listed.…
Maddie's Mom Writes 