A lady from my past left a message. We worked together in a setting where I experience a lot of trauma. Part of me would like to be friends with her but I also don't want to be submerged again in feelings about that job situation. I don't think she realizes how… Read full post »

"I want to run, I want to hide, I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside, I want to reach out to touch the flame, where the streets have no name"

U2

comforting sound of rain

outside the window   cleansing rain   healing music   I should take my NCAA… Read full post »

Taking care of family business and phone banking for Obama, the latter hard for me because of my introverted side. But I do it anyway, half an hour at a time. For my country.

We are facing a stressful situation with the final inspection of our old apartment and I hope things… Read full post »

It takes a while to reorient, to feel like yourself, after you have been traveling, even for a short time. It's good to recognize that, second day back from DC...

I'm somewhat caught up with Joplin, Missouri's recovery from the tornado disaster of last year. Obama will speak at their newly… Read full post »

One of my poems published in Sacred Journey and I will copy it below, though I have shared it before here. It is a very good spiritual journal I feel good about it, having received another rejection just today. Awaiting word on publication of my column on marriage equality, which should be… Read full post »

Back home from DC back to the cold, hard reality of dealing with our move-out inspection with the former landlord. But it's good to be back in the mountains and our place, which we really like.

I had a dream about being loved unconditionally by an animal, maybe one of… Read full post »

We spent the night in Takoma Park, MD, which abuts DC. I like this better than being at the center of DC. We are staying in a Latino neighborhood, and it's kind of pleasant. Heading back to NC today.

Saw The Dictator yesterday. What I like about Sacha Cohen's work is… Read full post »

Stayed the night in Tacoma Park, a little way from DC. God, the driving in DC. But of course, it is an extraordinarily vibrant city. I would never want to live here, though.

On our drive up on Route 81, our path was parallel to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, except for… Read full post »

On our way to DC from NC. We stopped in a motel in Staunton, VA. I'm starting to feel relaxed again. Traveling does that for me, clears my head and is rejuvinating. All the way up I played good music by Bon Jovi, Springsteen, a few others. Two of the ones… Read full post »

There are times in life when you interact with someone with whom you simply do not feel emotionally safe. Emotionally safe. What does that mean?

*It means you feel that the person does not have your best interests at heart.

*It means that you feel the person is profoundly manipulative.

*It… Read full post »

Continuing to face down stressful situations involved w/our old landlord and apartment. I will not go into details but it involves doing the right thing by him AND standing up for ourselves. "Seek justice for yourself AND others." Don't run from trouble, face it squarely and do the best you can.… Read full post »

Another literary rejection. But a nice exchange with NY Times journalist Peter Baker by email. You have to keep going, or give up. But sometimes a hiatus is called for.

An argument with my wife. But we are moving back to a good place. You have to get the feelings out… Read full post »

Wrote another political essay and submitted it. We are traveling to DC this week. We will take Route 81 up, so much more beautiful than 95. We will be visiting with my sister.

Besides the essay, this is a pretty lazy day for me. my daughter and grandchild are over here;… Read full post »

When you find yourself completely alone,

then what happens to your mind and heart and soul? It depends a lot upon your belief in the possibility of life-change. Do I believe that people can change at a deeper level? Do I believe that life is a mystery, and that miracles can… Read full post »

When I reach the end of my rope,

that's when I seem to come up with a new idea, something to carry me forward to the next "level." We've all heard the expression, "necessity is the mother of invention." And in my experience, I have found that to be true.

After… Read full post »

The fresh clean air turned to cold rain,

But my energy level remains high. I tend to have those ups and downs, one day up, the next down, I don’t know why. Could be my Bipolar and some other physical factor. Who knows? I live with it. The I Ching… Read full post »

it's one of those overcast mornings

but with fresh, clean air blowing in off the mountains   my head feels very clear   feeling settled inside myself   just read an article about East Matunuck, Rhode Island in the Sunday Times, bringing back memories of a place and time… Read full post »

A peaceful dawn,

another chance to recreate myself   last night I cut myself and bled into the carpet and we tried but the stains won't come up   so I'll cover it with a green throw rug and go on   yesterday I receivfed anothe writing rejection and I am so used to t… Read full post »

A personal commitment...

To say what I mean and mean what I say, without beating around the bush, and without being abusive. That's one of my main goals in life. To say the unsayable and do the undoable, when it is clearly the right thing to say or do. To think creatively about… Read full post »

First I dreamed that a huge jetliner passed over our apartment with maybe a hundred feet to spare. Then last night I dreamed that one of our cats became lost in the city. I assume warning dreams.

I have been dreaming of plane crashes since childhood. Now they occur rarely. But when… Read full post »

My friends are all simple folk,

doin' the best they can, sometimes afraid to be themselves, sometimes don't give a damn

They are all stars,I tell you, blazing in the sky, but they keep their iron will hidden deep inside

They are all tame, and they are all… Read full post »

When inspiration begins to fail, what to do? I hit a kind of creative ennui the past couple of days. So what's going on?

The answer is I don't know what's going on. As for what to do, I don't think the answer is to sit on the couch and… Read full post »

Just exhausted after dealing with family business today, and withdrawing from pain pills taken following my med procedure. But I am over the hump with the opiate thing.

Last night I dreamed about Mitt Romney. Disturbing to begin with. But in the dream, I was reading his book. (Does he have… Read full post »

It's sometimes hard when you've had a bad day to turn things around and start off the next morning on a new path. You may be weighed down with guilt, you may feel a sense of hopelessness that you can fundamentally change certain things, you may feel like what's the point… Read full post »

Twice in the past couple of days, being on the receiving end of a hurtful remark, one passive-aggressive, one not...Either way, hurt is hurt. Amd how to respond?

First, to evaluate my own behavior, and try to ferret out those times when I have hurt others with my words, or might be… Read full post »