Writing Blog

If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a writer, you can certainly pick up a pencil or type on a keyboard to write to your heart’s content. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a professional writer for, say, a publication such as the New Yorker, you’ll need to learn some material so you know what you’re doing. Writing is an involved sport. It’s not just jotting down what’s on your mind. It’s about jotting down what’s on your mind, in a coherent and structured way, with the intention of having your reader understand and enjoy your piece as it was intended. There’s a lot to it, but nothing that’s insurmountable. In this post, I offer an introduction to creative writing that you might not have known has existed. Please click through to learn how to become a better writer. Continue reading…

Inspiration strikes at the strangest of times. I actually began writing this story after thinking of it while standing in the shower. Back in the earlier part of this century, that’s where I did most of my thinking. I’d get an idea and run out, half dried and half clothed, to write whatever it was I had thought of on a piece of paper – just so I wouldn’t forget any of the details. The year was 2009 and I decided it was time for some of what I had bottled up for so long to come out. Moments after I got dressed, I sat down at my desk and began to type. For three days straight, I thought, recalled, typed, and edited. And when I was finished, I had something that was workable. And it sat in that state for four years. It wasn’t until I had too much spare time while living in Florida one summer that I put my mind to completing the story in earnest. I went through it piece by piece and after I was happy with what I had, I sent it along to my mother for final editing. When she was finished working her magic, she sent it back and I posted it on my blog. This story means a lot to me. The main character is a man who once lived close by. We were only a few miles apart as I was growing up and while our relationship was initially troubled, it grew into something deeply meaningful. So meaningful, in fact, I don’t expect anything like it to happen again. At least not in my lifetime. I hope you enjoy the story. I’m aware that it’s long winded, but I wish you’d give it a shot. And once you’re finished, let me know what you thought of it in the comment section below. Continue reading…

I wrote this post when I was in the mood to be blunt. You may not like reading it. I’ll tell you things you might not want to hear. Basically, a dear friend called me on the phone to complain about life. After listening for a few moments, I had had enough. I wasn’t going to listen to his complaining any longer, so I told him how it was. I told him the truth and recorded that truth for you to read as well. The beauty of the truth I told him is that it just may be the truth you need as well. We all have issues in our lives, but wallowing shouldn’t be one of them. Click through to read exactly what I’m referring to and when you get revved up and ready to reply, please do so in the comment section below the post. Continue reading…

Living in a consumer driven society can certainly take a toll on those who participate in said society. When handed what’s not earned, there can be a certain degradation of pride and a strong sense of demoralization. A degradation of self worth. When I wrote this post, I was in the mood to throw it all away and almost live in a box. I had it with the world of goods and I wanted to get back to nature where I belonged. This post is a good one. It’s one of my favorites because I think I hit the nail on the head more than once. Give it a read and let me know what you think. Continue reading…

Every so often, life needs to be reflected upon. I wrote this post while I was living in Florida during the summer of 2013. It was a difficult and challenging time for me because of such a dramatic difference in climate and landscape than what I was used to. Before moving to Florida, I had lived in the northeast for all my life. I hiked and climbed mountains regularly, so needless to say, an adjustment was necessary. Florida wasn’t exactly host to hiking and mountain climbing. Click through to read about some of my thought process while I lived down south. As usual, I serve it up with humor and introspection. Continue reading…

Blogging has presented so many benefits to me through the years that I’m nearly certain I can’t recall every one of them. Or even most of them. I can, however, recall the most important benefits and that’s what I discuss in this post. If you’ve ever thought about jotting down your thoughts on the internet, in a serious manner, I can’t sing the praises of blogging enough. Mind you, blogging isn’t like contributing to social media. Blogging takes time and preparation. The posts are much longer and far more in depth. They’re things people will want to bookmark and pass around to one another. Dare I say, blogging is for adults. Please click through to read what I have to say on this topic. And if you’ve got any input of your own, I’d surely be interested in reading it. Just leave a comment at the bottom of the page. Continue reading…

The wait continues. This post was written during the few weeks Laura and I spent waiting to move from Connecticut to Florida. We had already emptied half the house and were basically sitting on the floor at that point. We had also just taken in a stray cat we planned on bringing with us when we moved. We had gotten him “fixed” and there was a severe adjustment period to go through for all of us. In this post, I also discuss a friend of Laura’s who moved to Ecuador with her husband. Very interesting people. Click through to learn all about them. Continue reading…

If you hand a true writer something to write about, they’ll likely write all day long about it. If you ask a writer to think of writing ideas with no input from anyone else, that writer might run into trouble. Especially after writing for a lifetime. Oftentimes, it’s not the writing that gets in the way of success, it’s the ideas that are necessary for that writing to be captivating and interesting that don’t flow nearly as easily as they should. In this post, I discuss blogging as well as 17 ideas that bloggers can take advantage of to get their minds rolling. We all need help every so often – when it comes to a creative field such as writing and blogging, we need all the help we can get. Continue reading…

There was once a very nice establishment in the small town of Hebron, Connecticut that was called Something Simple Cafe. I believe it’s since been replaced by a new establishment that’s called The Flour Girl Cafe. I’ve visited the former, but not the latter. It’s the former I discuss in this post. Just before Laura and I moved from Connecticut to Florida in 2013, we began stopping by Something Simple for various meals. We don’t normally go out to pick up simple lunches or dinners, but because we (and our house) were in such a state of flux, it became necessary. The cafe was great and I enjoyed our food very much. Those who worked at the cafe were great too. I touch on both of these things in this post. Continue reading…

Millions of high school students transition to college life every year. I did this decades ago, but I still remember what I experienced like it was yesterday. I never did well in high school and it took me years of attending both a community college and a university to get the hang of what my professors wanted from me and what I needed to do to excel in the system. Since my “enlightenment,” I’ve become nothing short of an evangelist for those who are traversing similar experiences now. In this post, I tell the story of what a high schooler can expect from their college writing assignments. I discuss who professors are and what they want. Once a student understands their place in a college or university, things become so much easier for them to progress they way they’re destined to. Continue reading…