Elegant Gifts
This evening, my neighbors dropped off a holiday surprise. I already know that it is my one of favorite gifts ever. What did I get? A HUGE pine cone with a generous length of golden, gossamer ribbon...
View ArticleTaking Stock
My friend and advisor Carrie, shared a great article on Entrepreneur.The article is especially interesting, as many are taking stock of 2013 and looking forward to 2014. In short, the article says...
View ArticleMust Have Documents Revisited (The Case of Jahi McMath)
The recent, troubling case of Jahi McMath, the Oakland, CA teen who was declared brain dead after complications from a tonsillectomy is a sad reminder that surgery is not routine. Surgery is jarring to...
View ArticleLiving on Purpose
Two weeks into the New Year is a great time for a mini-reflection. Are you living on purpose? Seriously, have you figured out the work that excites you and the places/environments where you thrive?...
View ArticleOn Service
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday in America is a great time to reflect on service. King devoted his life to service against racial and economic justice. Many have followed his example....
View ArticleThe Organized Caregiver
January is a great month to make sure that your records are updated. As a caregiver, you want to make sure you have everything you need for the patient’s current state of health. In short, you want...
View ArticleDifficult Discussions
A recent ad campaign by the UK’s Pancreatic Cancer Action, featured a 25-year old with pancreatic cancer and the caption “I wish I had breast cancer.” While the roar of those who had lost someone to...
View ArticleDifficult Discussions – Part II
The young woman featured in a recent ad campaign by the UK’s Pancreatic Cancer Action with the caption “I wish I had breast cancer,” has died. She got married three days before she died, accomplishing...
View Article“You Can’t Hold A Grudge”
When the movie Argo won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Ben Affleck, who also directed and starred in the movie, went on stage with his two co-producers, George Clooney and Grant Heslov. George...
View ArticleTime to Practice What I Preach (My Own Estate Plan)
Readers of this blog know that I am a fan of estate planning. One of my early posts lists “The 3 Reasons Why You Need An Estate Plan.” While serving as a caregiver for my mom during her pancreatic...
View ArticleBeauty & the Beast (The Big Oil Post)
This past weekend I went to Manhattan Beach, CA for the first time. I attended a volunteer training hosted by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network aka “PanCan.” PanCan is one of my favorite charities...
View ArticleThe $572 Medical Test
Could a $572 medical test prevent the need for major surgery? Last week I shared that I had routine, but major surgery and fortunately it went well. I had a condition called fibroids and the best...
View ArticleBest Wishes to the Moms
I hope all of the moms had a great day today! I always called my mother “Mommy.” This is my 3rd year without her. Until there is a cure…www.pancan.org.
View ArticleThe Fear Bookshelf
“Newsflash. With rare exception. The only bad decision is indecision, followed by inaction.” www.jonathanfields.com I read this on Jonathan’s blog and posted it on my facebook page, as it captured a...
View ArticleA Story to Remember (Tim DeChristopher’s Story)
It is two weekends and two film festivals later in the Bay Area. I appreciated the spirit of the SF Indie DocFest. The movies I saw at the San Francisco Green Film Festival resonated more. The one...
View ArticleDemocracy Needs Us
There was no blog post last week, as I was in my hometown of Washington, DC for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s Advocacy Days. Sadly, the National Institutes of Health are facing $1.5 billion in...
View ArticleThe Last 3 Steps to Complete a Nonfiction Book Project
My first book project is coming to an end. It has been about two years since I wrote the first draft. Add another 6 months to the process as I defined my business brand and set-up my legal structure....
View Article83
Last fall, I wrote a post about the grant application process called “Keep Showing Up.” It chronicled the five years it took to get an individual artist grant from my hometown arts agency, the DC...
View ArticleIs it Genetic? (Stephen King Thinks So)
Is it genetic? The “it” equals artistic or writing ability. If your dad was an artist, will you be an artist? If your mom was a writer, will you also be one? Is it genetic? According to author...
View ArticleHow does the body carry experience?
Took a week off to vacation in Cape Cod. In addition to hanging out with artist friends from Washington, DC, I got to visit some of the best artists on the Cape: the husband and wife team of Tom and...
View ArticleWe Make What We Know
It is always interesting to hear how artists and writers choose their subject matter. Often, it is the result of some nagging question that stays around until it develops into a creative work....
View ArticleCoincidence?
Recently, I was introduced to the sculptural work of Michael Rolando Richards. Sadly, he perished on 9/11, as he was working in his studio at the top of the World Trade Center. A coveted residency...
View ArticleTurning November Purple
This month is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Learn more about pancreatic cancer and advances in treatment at www.pancan.org. And, on November 22, wear purple (the Pancreatic Cancer Action...
View ArticleHonoring Family Caregivers
November is National Family Caregiver’s Month! It is estimated that there are 65 million caregivers providing unpaid support to sick family members. Their work insures that the family members can...
View ArticleGiving Thanks
With the holiday season upon us, it is a great time to remember what we are thankful for. This year was filled with ups and downs for me, and the downs reminded me how good the ups are when they come...
View ArticleCelebrating Family Caregivers
November is National Family Caregivers Month! To celebrate, learn how to have a great visit with a doctor. Use this link to download a free chapter of the book Being the Grown-Up, Taking Care of...
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Church Shooting in Charleston, SC and Public Grief
The steeple of Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC. Photo by Spencer Means, Flicker/CC License. The recent mass shooting of 9 Black people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in...
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The Power of Art to Heal
A friend sent me this lovely drawing by 7-year old Madeline Schimming. Clearly already a great artist, little Madeline illustrated the triumph of good people of all races coming together in the...
View ArticleThe Big Game
Yesterday, like many people in America, I watched The Big Game. The Big Game means the SuperBowl. Readers of this blog know that I am originally from Washington, DC, so it comes as no surprise that I...
View ArticleWhy I Love Steven Pressfield (The Author of Turning Pro)
I love making glass art. I love my writing projects. And I often want to do both more often. But to do that I have to confront my fear. Enter Steven Pressfield. He is an artist’s artist, an...
View ArticleMovies and Fashion, Two of My Favorite Things (The Oscar Edition)
For the past two weeks I was on an unplanned blog hiatus. And for good reason! I had fantastic houseguests, first photographer Sylvia Augustus and the next weekend, film festival director, Jon Gann....
View ArticleIn My Own Backyard
I went to the Oakland Museum of California for the first time today. My friend Demetra Theofanous was hosting a family day event at the museum, with flameworking demonstrations and a make-your-own...
View ArticleHow to Be a Writer
Last night, I went to hear Brynn Saito read in the Mission. She is the author of a new book of poems entitled The Palace of Contemplating Departure. Her book won the Benjamin Saltman Award from Red Hen...
View ArticleFood For Thought (The 8-Hour Diet)
Rarely do I get excited about a diet book. After all, it seems like a new one comes out every week. And since I am a vegan, the recent meat lovers’ titles have not appealed to me. Yet, a recent...
View ArticleEstate Planning for Artists & Writers
People who read this blog know that I am a fan of estate planning. And, I am particularly a fan of preparing your plan when you are calm and not under the gun of life threatening or terminal illness....
View Article3 Ideas for Making Recovery Time A Good Time
Over the past several months, I have had a common but annoying health problem that affects many women. The answer to the problem turned out to be routine (but major) surgery and fortunately it went...
View ArticleBeing the Publisher
There comes a point when an author who wants to self-publish has to switch gears and be the publisher. That day has come for me. While I am sure I could re-write my book one more time, (or two or...
View ArticleBeing the Publisher (Part II)
Earlier this month, I wrote about the transition from author to publisher. Well, the transition is complete and I am officially in the throes of administration. This weekend my editor and I finished...
View ArticleFilm Festival Time
I have said this before and I will say it again: I love film festivals! There is a prominent place on my bucket list for some of the world’s great film festivals and I am looking forward to traveling...
View ArticleThe Future of Publishing
This weekend I attended Litquake’s Digi.lit conference. This one day event was the first digital publishing conference in the Bay area. While all of the panels were great, two were particularly...
View ArticleHow to Rule the World in a Weekend #WDS2013
I was on the road last weekend at an amazing event, the World Domination Summit (#WDS2013) in Portland, OR. Organized by Chris Guillebeau, author of The Art of Nonconformity, this jam-packed weekend...
View ArticleArtists & Journals
The book Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey reveals the thoughts and habits of over 160 well-known creative people. Many of the entries came from the journals the artists kept. Today’s...
View Article4 (On Vegetarianism)
Four (4) years ago I become a vegetarian. My mom said I returned to vegetarianism because as a toddler I only wanted to eat vegetables. She used to “hide” meat in mashed potatoes and rice to make me...
View ArticleNew Inclusion in the Venice Biennale
This year marks the 55th Anniversary of the Venice Biennale. One of the art world’s most loved festivals, participation in the Biennale represents a high honor for the artists in the show. This year...
View ArticleHidden Treasure
Last week I was away in New York City. I presented my book and business to a group of socially conscious entrepreneurs I recently joined. Back in Oakland this week, I had the pleasure of attending...
View ArticleCarrie Mae Weems, 30 Years and Counting
After a two-week hiatus and the opportunity to see a lot of great art, this week I am writing to highlight one wonderful show. Currently on view at Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center is Carrie...
View ArticleBeing the Grown-Up, My First Book is Available!
Being the Grown-Up, Taking Care of Someone with a Terminal Illness, can be ordered online at Barnes and Noble or Amazon. If you prefer, you may go in and order a copy at your local independent...
View ArticleIndie Authors Book Fair, Oakland, CA, December 12, 2013
Calling all literary groupies! This is your chance to mingle with local literary talent. Independent authors from around the Bay Area will be selling their books, mingling over drinks, and reading from...
View ArticleThe Writing Life
The past month has been consumed by work on a new book. So, I have engaged in less blogging, more outlines and chapters. I had a good conversation with a new colleague today who recently finished her...
View ArticleDia de Los Muertos in Art
I am always interested in representations of death in art, and this delightful student film that was highlighted on Latina.com captivated my attention and heart. Have a look and smile!
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