Monthly Archives: October, 2014
Learning the Spy Trade at an Early Age
Louise Fitzhugh (1928-1974) wrote one of my favorite books as a kid – Harriet the Spy (1964). In it, eleven year old, Harriet, keeps brutally honest observations of those around her in a spy notebook, even her best friends. Her notes go missing at school and everyone sees them. The other kids turn on …
Beating the Inner Perfectionist into Submission
Anne Lamott wrote in Bird by Bird, “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft….Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist’s true …
Monday Morning Pick-Me-Up
Let’s face it. Mondays are rough. The end of the freedom that came with the weekend, the start of a long week, the return to work. To help ease you into your week, I would like to share a little something that made me smile. amazing…
Spider, spin me a web!
E.B. White (1899-1985) was perhaps best known among older writers as the “White” of Strunk & White, the co-authors of the English style guide, The Elements of Style, which was originally published in 1959 and is still considered the grammar bible. But to many children, children’s authors, and those who are kids at heat, his …
Santa Claus vs. The Great Pumpkin
No, I am not suggesting the next great MMA match-up on pay-per-view. I am actually lamenting the demise of autumn holidays in the United States. I know I have some readers outside the US and I would love to know if they see the same trends in their countries. We see it every year – …
Catching Fireflies 