I read a post on Substack today that perfectly summed up something I’ve been thinking for a while.
In it, the author said that they don’t like being called by name.
A Tribute in Words and Photos
This is a portrait of my dad, who died May 6, 2025. All the wonderful things that made him…him.
Confidence, clarity, and speaking the truth
“I wish I had the confidence of someone like Trump.” I’ve heard this—or things like it—more than once. And I used to be like, “I KNOW, RIGHT?! Irrational confidence! Unshakable self-esteem! Sounds amazing! Let’s GO!” I don’t feel that way anymore. I don’t want the irrational confidence of someone like Trump. Because that’s not confidence. […]
On Being Seen and Breaking Silences
I’ve been feeling…a little lost. That’s the understatement of the century. I’ve been feeling a lot lost. I’ve been feeling broken and empty and exploding and crushed and incompetent and only very occasionally capable and powerful and worthy. I’ve been feeling all those things like I’m riding a rollercoaster in the dark—I can’t tell when […]
To move beyond your comfort zone…cultivate a safe place.
I am a deeply fearful person. I could get into all the reasons why this is true. There are plenty. But really, the result is the same. Things scare me. And not “things” like mountain climbing or skydiving (although those too). Just, like, life in general. Meeting new people. Going new places. Setting boundaries. Expressing […]
Write the Way You Talk (Apostrophes: Use Them, Love Them)
When people write for their business, they do one thing differently. This tiny change seems insignificant, but it makes their writing feel stilted, formal, awkward … you know … all the things you don’t want. They stop using apostrophes. I see it everywhere. The drafts I work on are littered with “I am,” “you are,” […]
Don’t be an asshole: an editor’s guide to internet etiquette
When I took my first editing course, our instructor gave us a valuable piece of advice: Don’t correct someone else’s grammar/spelling on social media. Ever. Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, and internet forums (are they still A Thing? I am old) are the textual equivalent of a casual conversation, often with people you don’t know well […]
On worldbuilding: Susan Mallery and the rich world of Fool’s Gold, California
2018 was the year I got hooked on romance novels. I don’t know about you, but I was raised with a general attitude of scorn towards all things romance-novel-y. My mom called them “bodice-rippers” and wouldn’t have been caught dead reading one, so, even though I’m a grown-ass woman who can (surely!) make up her […]
“To fist” or not “to fist,” that is the question
Sometimes word choices are technically correct…but they just plain bug me. Case in point: last year I read a couple of books where the word “fisted” was used as a verb. Frequently. Noticeably often. It really bothered me. I couldn’t think of a single instance where I’d seen the word “fisted” used as a verb […]
From the archives: Curriculum Vitae…what’s yours?
From the archives of my old blog, Spirit Moves Dance. December 2013: I spent last week working on a job application for the position I’ve been filling for the past 4 months. I hate writing job applications as a rule, but this one was both harder and easier than previous ones–easier because I *knew* without […]