"I was surprised at my strong emotional reaction to the Oscar awards that went to Colin Firth and The King’s Speech!  It’s more than a beautiful story and powerful acting. It’s an invitation to trust that as much as the British people needed Bertie’s voice so your voice is needed by the world. It’s an […] Read More

A  lovely stirring movie has been produced about her work and (ongoing) life:  Meinrad Craighead: Praying With Images.   Craighead's very distinctive art blends images from Catholicism, dreams, shamanic experience, the animal world, Native American religions, and the deserts of New Mexico.    The hour-long movie does justice by her; it truly gives the same feeling of mystery and immensity.  […] Read More

It has been a terrific ten days for celebrating writers I’ve worked with.  Here's their news, quoting (with permission) from their emails:      Received Feb. 8:      “Quick update – all went VERY well in NYC. I met with 3 agents and 3 editors all of whom were interested! …   Thanks again for your help and encouragement. It […] Read More

  Believe in fairies?  These folks do.  This video is a promo for the 11th Annual Fairy and Human Relations Congress in Washington's North Cascades this June.  I find the entire enterprise delightfully bold.    For one thing, this group has an environmental purpose in congregating with fairies, to protect nature and promote peace. "Our goal is […] Read More

[youtube pzI4D6dyp_o]   Anyone who stutters or loves a stutterer might initially hesitate at going to see The King's Speech.    I was certain that if I went I'd find the movie too excruciating and walk out.   As you likely know, The King's Speech is about the World War II king of England who had […] Read More

The lovely closing to a recent email from a writer/minister/blog reader:  "I join you in wanting to live and write with courage. May this year be one in which we all find ourselves living more boldly for the common good." The kind of well-intended boldness that we talk about here is so often good for […] Read More

One Monday night recently, I listened to a 90 minute online presentation that recharged and speeded up my work on my novel-in-progress.  It was a free seminar/promo for an online course to be taught, starting tomorrow, by human potential guru Jean Houston.  This is the first time a version of one of Houston's "mystery schools" has been offered through wireless and […] Read More

 Courage-authenticity-shame expert Brene Brown has very insightful ways of thinking about the crucial importance of being able to "fully embrace vulnerability."  I've long had her on my blogroll, but was just alerted to this video today:  thanks, Margaret, for passing this on.  I think it's terrific.   For one thing, I like her definitions:  Blame […] Read More

 I spoke too soon when I said early last week that my current transition from one obsessive-compulsive disorder drug to another was finished and smooth.  The next day I went into withdrawal from the old one: headaches, bouts of sweating and chill, nausea,  weirdly intricate dreams,  aching back and joints, bits of confusion, exhaustion, ten to twelve hour naps, and […] Read More

Doing much better, thank you!! In my previous post, I was having a rough few days because the medication for my mild-to-perhaps-medium case of obsessive-compulsive disorder had run out of steam, as such drugs periodically do.  I complained in detail about the rise of my old familiar symptoms, all of them hedges against largely unfelt anxiety.  A bit like […] Read More