In my current sort-the-stored-boxes life, I found an official note on a 5 ½” x 8 ½” sheet of slightly yellowed paper: "YOUR WEIGHT at the 1975 ILLINOIS STATE FAIR 001190 11:15AM Au 09 75 Compliments of the Department of Agriculture." So in 35 years, I've gained 35 pounds. A pound a year. A pound …
Category: writing
Give Up Engagement Gift???
As I recall, my husband couldn’t afford a diamond when he proposed to me a year before marriage. Instead, for an engagement present, he gave me a set of Noritake china. That was in 1961, 49 years ago. I used it for a few years after our marriage when we had “company.” When the kids …
Blogging as a Nursing Student
One of the fun things about blogging is having easy access to others that blog on topics similar to yours. And this week I stumbled upon a great blog by a nurse that teaches informatics to her nursing students and makes them write a blog for the course. Now, imagine if I would have had …
Once a Nurse, Always a Nurse
I'm often asked if I miss nursing. Yes, I do. I don't miss getting up early and going to work. Or the evening and weekend work while teaching. But I think when you're a nurse, nursing becomes a part of you. As much a part as your hand or heart. Last week, I had an …
Drowning in Paper
It's bad enough drowning in drafts of my memoir, but now I'm needing to go through 17 boxes of old papers that I stored when we moved to our condo five years ago. No wonder I'm procrastinating long enough to complain about it. I wonder what other people do when they finish a book and …
Creative Nonfiction’s Popularity – Why?
With the Spring 2010 issue of "Creative Nonfiction," this literary journal became a magazine. Lee Gutkind started the journal in 1993 when there were few creative nonfiction journals around. And now, as a magazine, it will be expanding to include more than essays. There will be articles on craft, literary developments, profiles, and more. So …
Writers: Start a Writing Circle
Writing Tip: Start your own Writing Circle. Near Christmas the first year I was writing my memoir, I faced a few weeks between classes at the Newberry Library when I spotted a notice on a bulletin board for a writing group for people over 60. I adjusted my trifocals and peered up to read the …
Writers: Carry a Notebook
Writing Tip: Always carry a notebook. My first writing teacher, Carol LaChapelle at the Newberry Library in Chicago, told us to carry a 3x5 inch notebook with us at all times. My notes from her class (6/12/00) read: "Get a tiny notebook to carry in your purse with pen that fits on." Clearly, I was …
Spring in Chicago
Chicago was bustling today! From my window, I saw the trees in Millennium Park now full of green. The glistening Bean waiting for thousands of summer hand prints that tourists will happily plant. The sailboats starting to moor in Monroe Harbor. Instead of black coats scurrying along on the street below, I saw yellow, teal, …
Sprung from the Bed
If you've stopped in before, you'll notice that I'm revamping this site. I feel "free" again after three days in bed with the flu. I mean being down and out. Cold. So with a new spurt of energy, I'm clicking on everything in WordPress and trying on new looks. I'm sure there's more to come. …
Write Along with Me 