Reluctant Spirit – killer puppy tails

A bit Ink-obsessed

I have a bit of a thing about fountain pen inks. This isn’t really a surprise; a lot of writers do. However, for me they scratch a very specific itch. I love art materials, but I often let them go unused for too long. Not so much with inks. They’re a combination of a distinctlyContinue reading “A bit Ink-obsessed”

Solstice tarot pull

Well. This was unexpected. Soooo I love doing tarot card pulls not because I think there’s something supernatural about them, but because our brains are GREAT at symbolism, and sometimes prompting oneself with cards (or other oracular elements) is a wonderful way to view ourselves & our lives with a bit less bias. These cardsContinue reading “Solstice tarot pull”

Day 294, the last day of 2020

OhGodsIt’sAnEndOfYrPost So here we are. It’s that time. First off, I am so, so sorry for those of you who have been particularly smacked down by this year. I know so, SO many people who are in crisis, who have been in crisis, who can’t get OUT of crisis. All I can say is KEEPContinue reading “Day 294, the last day of 2020”

Day 92, with Many Yrs and Omens

I haven’t been talking much about my year omens here since arriving in Philadelphia, even though I’ve been doing them since leaving Houston. Part of it is because before, I would forget to blog. Another part of it is that it got repetitive. Butterfly, dragonfly, butterfly, dragonfly. Another part of it is that it feltContinue reading “Day 92, with Many Yrs and Omens”

Janus Gift #4 – Finish Reading Things

This seems like the obvious of obvious. Particularly for a writer and avid reader. But I have about 12 books that I literally don’t want to finish – some I’m only halfway through. It’s not because I don’t like them, either – quite the opposite! I don’t want to finish them because then the storyContinue reading “Janus Gift #4 – Finish Reading Things”

Janus Gift #3 – Language as Meditation

I used to be very good at soaking in new languages, though I definitely needed a teacher to help me learn*. Learning new words and how to string them together was almost an ecstatic thing for me. Even the basic concept of “new words” gave me joy, whether the new words were in my birthContinue reading “Janus Gift #3 – Language as Meditation”

Janus Gift #2 – Reclaim Journaling

One of the disadvantages of the digital world is that the content normally consigned to diaries and journals is now something that can be put out into the world for consumption by anyone. As someone who wrote diaries and journals avidly before my age hit double digits, I started putting my thoughts out in publicContinue reading “Janus Gift #2 – Reclaim Journaling”

Janus Gift #1 – The Practice of Practice

One of the things about being labeled – or branded – a gifted child (GC) in the United States is that you don’t get the opportunity to fail that much. Things come naturally to you, or you learn so fast, that being BAD at something feels like a moral failing rather than a straightforward processContinue reading “Janus Gift #1 – The Practice of Practice”