When I was a kid, I talked my little brother into going around the neighborhood with me knocking on doors and offering to sing a Christmas carol for a tip. It could be any song the person wanted to hear as long as we knew it, and I think they could tip in any amount....
I’m sure you’ve noticed the cost of living has gone up lately. Everyone is talking about it. Take a look at your grocery bill, note the rate increases in utilities and services, just try having lunch in a full-service restaurant for less than $20 (with tip). Governments and businesses are responding by raising their workers’...
As a lifelong watcher of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I caught Paula Abdul’s song and dance performance on the Jennie-O float. She performed her song “Straight Up,” which was released in 1988. There’s lots of praise for Abdul. Other people are noting the flaws in her lip-synching, the doctored sound on her tap routine,...
Buckle up, friends. The holiday season is upon us. This is a super busy time of year for artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives of all kinds. We’re working hard to meet holiday orders, we’re selling at more shows, we’re even creating gifts (often on request) for our families and friends. Put on top of that all...
I’m preparing to lead a discussion on the book, It’s Not Your Money, by Tosha Silver, for a local writing organization to which I belong. Money is a constant source of worry, debate, motivation, and frustration for artists of all kinds. How much do we give away for free? How high can we raise our...
A friend and I were reminiscing yesterday about what people in Idaho called the “junk room”; that room in an unseen part of the house where the door was always closed and the smell of mothballs was ever-present. I had two favorite junk rooms. One was in my grandmother’s house, an upstairs bedroom piled pell-mell...
This post was originally published March 30, 2019 It occurred to me the other day: – If I’d been more focused all these years, I could have written 20 books, not just 8. – If I’d been more organized, I might not have let so many potential prospects slip away. – If I’d been more...
The other day, a woman I’ve never met e-mailed me because she’d heard about the Little Free Library I donated to a local mobile home park. She wanted to know how to get me some books for the library. I thanked her profusely and in true pandemic-habit mode, I told her she could leave them...
As I mentioned last week, I broke my collarbone while vacationing in my beloved Ireland. In describing the accident and how it affected the trip, I’m tempted to call it a bit of a setback, but that doesn’t feel like the right word. Oddly enough, it was a step forward, not a setback. I won’t...
This post originally ran on August 27, 2016 We are bombarded daily with tips for how to live longer, healthier lives. How to treat our bodies better, bolster our minds and nourish our souls. We’re supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day, get eight hours of sleep per night, eat our greens, meditate,...