More gold stars, please.

Life does not always fit nicely into text boxes.  Pre-defined 2px by 2px borders collapse when reality writes itself. Deadlines march past good intentions.

All this to say, it's been awhile since I updated this blog.

Blogging experts advise against such posting gaps.  

Your brand will lose ooomph. Your readers will lose confidence in your ability to entertain, to be a professional expert, they decry on blogs brimming with advertisements and confident, happy readers.

Uhmmm....can I post a picture of the gold-star I earned for sitting upright at my desk? 

No? 

As a writing instructor, I urge students to write through personal challenges. "It's cathartic," I say. "Some of your best writing can come as you push through the chaos. Content over emotions breaks writer's block." Meanwhile, I hide behind their assignments, grading past my own advice.  

Pedagogical niceties aside, I do believe writing offers insight and self-discovery. So does therapy or bungee jumping, which also come from a place of insanity and fear.  Writing, however, requires less jet fuel and Freudian slips, which is why I return to the page, or text box, time and time again. 

So, as I write about writing, or not writing to be more precise, I fill another text box. Not to entertain, not to brand myself, and certainly not to convince anyone that I am an expert.  

I write simply to practice, to push through the chaos and give voice to the moment.  Even if at this moment, I'm licking gold stickers and placing them on my forehead for having made it through another post. 

T-Shirts and Bossy Pants

My new Back-to-Work t-shirt. Photo Credit: http://bit.ly/MkVtjJ

I'm coming out of the geek closet, and have my new t-shirt to prove it. 

I listen to Back to Work on 5by5.  

It's good. Really good.

The podcast, I mean, not the t-shirt. The t-shirt might be good, too; it just hasn't arrived, yet.

Back to the podcast...

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about getting stuff done, maintaining your dignity, avoiding "karma sucks", and communicating with everyone else.

Why the app/software/keyboard you use does matter.  Why using index cards will rock-paper-scissor your slideshow-thingy everytime.

How to grill a steak and poke it with your finger to ensure perfection. And why toddlers make great podcast banter.

Look.

When it comes down to it, I rarely tell people what to do.

Okay, that's a lie. 

My nickname as a kid had something to do with bossy pants.   I can't remember.

Another lie. 

But, if you listen to one thing this week other than NPR, try Back to Work.

Try it, you'll like it. 

Dinosaurs and Coffee Shops

When it comes down to it, there are days when all you can do is take out the camera and capture the smallest moments at a coffee shop.