Farewell to a Writer, with a capital W

I met Ross Eldridge through my online writing critique group, The Internet Writing Workshop (IWW). As a mark of his writing ability, I felt I knew him personally even though we had never met. His prolific works were always filled with life, wit, charm, and British intellect at its very best. I loved his long

Letting Go

I’m back to my blog, finally. It’s taken me a bit after the death of my father (here is a nice obit). I am better now, more rested, and more at ease with my emotions. It took two things. Over the past month I have journaled extensively about the experience, and, lo, a short prose

L is for Leaving A to Z Challenge, or How I was Unable to Continue

Just a note to visitors from the A to Z blogging challenge, I have to drop out due to a family emergency. I have enjoyed this month’s challenge and will definitely  look at doing it next year. Please feel free to stay on my subscription list, I will be posting after this crisis has passed,

C is for calenton de cabeza.

Costarican idioms from A to Z (loosely interpreted) The verb calentar means “to heat,” so this expression means “to get angry” (hot headed). Do I have a problem with this? Ha! This has probably been my single highest hurdle living in Costa Rica. When I first arrived twenty years ago (can it have been that

B is for Bochinche

Costarican idioms from A to Z In Costa Rica, bochinche means “to mix it up” or “to fight.” But, curiously, it is also a Costarican national dish. When ordering the almuerzo, or lunch, one can order a casado or a bochinche. The only difference is the way they are presented. The casado is a combination

Remembering to Breathe

Each inhalation, an opening gate. Each exhalation, an accepatance. Moving step by step––in breath––I make my way to the beach. And beyond.

Assisted Living

06-01-2012 Unsteady on his feet, the old man wanders the hallways of his prison searching for an exit.  Like a gagiit, the  Haida indians’ lost soul, one carried away but whose spirit is too strong to die, he caroms from one world to another in his solitary limbo.

January in Costa Rica

03-01-2012 Blinding yellow clusters against an azure sky: the Cortez trees are in bloom again this January.

Leaving

I’m supposed to be packing; my flight is on time. But the zipper of our past is stuck, and I can’t get this bag open to save myself.

Write About What You Know (or, not)

 Write about what you know. That’s the advice we’ve all been given. On the surface this seems obvious, even trite, but I now know writing about what I don’t know can be vastly more intriguing and rewarding. About a year ago, I posted a blog entry about my Uncle Elliott, who was killed in the