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Writer’s block is not a myth
Am I among the minority here? I’m tired of seeing generalized opinions out there about the writing process. Just like a creative person has dry spells, they have “juicy” seasons. Or is the overflow of creativity also a myth? Some people say, if you sit your butt down at your desk, it will come. They say you’re just lazy, a procrastinator, not a real writer, if you can’t get through your writer’s block on demand. If only it were that easy. Let me clarify. I think in academic, journalistic, and technical writing, you’d probably have a better chance at getting your thoughts flowing because your work depends on facts that…
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Let empathy show
Since I love stories of kindness, I’m going to share a short one today. In the lobby of a doctor’s office, I sat quietly next to a few women. They were all seemingly older than me by decades. Different ages, same visiting reasons though. The lobby had the typical relaxed design found at most hospitals — plain, neatly put together, but the space was anything but quiet since the crowd in a TV show erupted every minute. A few chairs surrounded the TV mounted on the wall — some faced it, some were lined up against it. I picked a seat facing the TV, even though I had little to…
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Up in the air but eyes on the prize
It was a weekday. Before I opened my eyes, I felt one of my arms wrapped around some big, firm but soft shape. Slowly, my heavy eyes still closed, I ran my hands up and down trying to use my sense of touch to make up what it was, and why it was in my bed. When I couldn’t immediately tell what it was, eyes still closed, I went into my head and tried to unbox the memories from the night before. Nothing. Better open my eyes then, I thought. And as unready as I was to face the sunlight lighting up the room, I squinted. “Oh,” I said. “Right.”…
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Bruises, Scrapes and Missing Teeth: A Day with 1st Graders
In 2012, when I briefly worked as a teacher in Spain, I wrote this blog post about a classroom experience I had. It is a very much true story, and still so funny to me, that I feel like I have to keep it alive. Here it is. You never really know what to expect or what you will get when working with children. At any given moment, literally anything can happen. Kids are very clever, but they are also very fragile. For instance, many of my students always seem to have a runny nose that mysteriously never goes away. It’s like an eternal cold. And occasionally, one or two…
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Fitting Right In
The other day, after a woman who must’ve been in her late 50’s or early 60’s started talking to me out of nowhere, I started reflecting on the relationship I have with people of all ages. This lady and I both walked out of a store at the same time, and walked the same couple of blocks towards the train station. Once there, we sat on the same side of the platform: southbound. Perhaps it was this coincidence that inspired her to want to start a conversation. “I love Sephora,” she said. “OMG, so do I!” I replied. Next thing I know, we’re deep in a conversation about skincare. Then,…
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Women Pleasers
I watched a stand up special with Iliza Schlesinger, where she was her usual hilarious self, and thought I’d add this sound to my sketch video — because it is so true! While I so want all my ladies to slayyy all the way, I do think we overdo it sometimes, maybe for fear of being labeled, as she says, a bad feminist. Or a bad friend? Nothing deep, just part of my newly oversharing phase.
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Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda Tales
Here’s to all the love you gave that was never returned Here’s to the loyalty that was never reciprocated Here’s to all the second chances you gave them and went wasted Here’s to all the leftovers you couldn’t wait to eat but then forgot until it got spoiled in the fridge Here’s to the cravings you were never able to satisfy Or when you finally did, it was a flop Here’s to all the money you could’ve made Here’s to that text you should’ve but didn’t send Here’s to the words left unsaid, the words that, even if spoken, would be too late Here’s to that person you would’ve met…
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The Solitary Bench
In the distance, I spotted one and it gave me a feeling of longing. A lonely wooden bench. I sat there after a long walk — to rest, to watch the hours go by, to feel the wind ruffle my hair, to watch the children play with the water and the cats roaming around. I listened to the waves in front of me as I watched the sunset and the faces of all the people who, just like me, were there watching with delight as the sun painted the clouds in different hues. It’s special to be surrounded by people who also need to feel the power of the sun.…
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In a Shell: There’s Nothing Wrong With You
I originally shared this video back in 2013, and came across the post again now in 2022 as I was looking at my archives. I’m glad the video is still around because, as I said on my original post, it resonated with me in a big way; it made me feel understood. And I’m sure it can send a message of relief to others. Like Harry, I was a very shy, introverted kid. I know what it’s like to live in your head and see no way out of it, and I wish more people had told me that I was not alone and it was going to be okay.…
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Unraveling Thin Walls
My neighbors go quiet every so often. And on occasions, they’re as loud as a Saturday market. I can tell they’re a couple, unless their idea of “casual” also means living together. Their instability is loud. I can’t quite make out their day-long arguments, but I hear the yelling, the sobbing, and the door slamming. It got me thinking, if that’s love, then I don’t want it. But of course, it is not. Though I never have and never could stay in that sort of relationship, I know toxic when I see it. I’d say theirs is way past toxicity; it’s lethal. I grew up in a peaceful environment, so…
