The rush of static is an assault on my ears, tearing through my eardrums like a tornado. It pounds rocks, knawing at the rugged edges. The waterfall crashes with the intensity of a tractor-trailer slamming into a Prius. Imagine the plight of the bedrock, enduring millennia of non-stop abuse. The noise, this warble, adds toContinueContinue reading “Beauty in Noise”
Category Archives: Field Notes
Digitized Writing
Before Google Drive came around, I always wrote stories by hand. I have a large three ring binder filled with stories ranging from complete to just one paragraph. A few years ago, I decided to digitize many of those untouched pieces. Digitizing, in this case, is simply taking content from a place most certain toContinueContinue reading “Digitized Writing”
Nature and Boosting Sleep Quality
I’ve had trouble sleeping lately. A mixture of being too groggy to wake up and uncomfortable dreams. In preparation for the next school year, I created a routine this past week. Sleep by 11. Awake by 7. It hardly worked, the waking up part. I got my 8 hours, and generally more, but it meantContinueContinue reading “Nature and Boosting Sleep Quality”
Shared Places: The Waterfall
July 2026 Water crashes over worn rocks before cascading into the “swimming hole.” Above, stars stand out like a freshly shaved face. Darkness swallows Charlie and me as we sit on a couple of dry rocks. Something gnaws at me, a thought that won’t go away. I pass the hand-rolled cigarette back to him. “EverContinueContinue reading “Shared Places: The Waterfall”
Writing Process: On the Second Draft
I wrote my first draft five pages a day for a month. 47,538 words. No outline. I had a list of three characters and the name of their island. Stephen King calls that “pantsing.” In other words, my first draft was a rather messy and non-cohesive collection of stories. I wrote in seven perspectives acrossContinueContinue reading “Writing Process: On the Second Draft”
My One Book Deal with Seneca
I made a deal with Seneca — dead these two thousand or so years — to read just one book, instead of my usual three. The Metaphysical Club explores the lives and ideas of Oliver Wendell Holmes, William James, John Dewey, and others. I chose poorly. I thought it was a collection of biographies. BiographyContinueContinue reading “My One Book Deal with Seneca”
Mental Strength
Daily writing promptWhat’s a moment that made you realize you were stronger than you thought?View all responses Back in February, I challenged myself to a 24-hour fast: 8 pm-8 pm. It wasn’t for weight loss or an operation. I simply wanted to see if I — a wicked foodie — could handle 24 hours withoutContinueContinue reading “Mental Strength”
Ideal Life
Daily writing promptIf you had to describe your ideal life, what would it look like?View all responses Isn’t this a challenging yet simple inquiry! I’ve often envisioned a few paths in life, varying between a traveling nomad and a happy little homesteader. For this, why don’t I focus on the homesteading, as that’s been theContinueContinue reading “Ideal Life”
Quebec Filming Notes
I’ve returned from my second expedition to Quebec City. My parents joined me on this trip as I filmed B-roll for my documentary on Mathieu d’Amours, a distant relative. I managed to capture quite a bit of content, but much more remains for a future visit. Mathieu D’Amours Memorial We captured 57 shots during theContinueContinue reading “Quebec Filming Notes”
February’s System
When you have multiple creative pursuits and a full-time job, systems are needed to properly manage energy and time. Systems are vital to consistency and quality. They must undergo testing through trial and error. The first week of February worked splendidly. I produced two blog posts and a video for YouTube. The next week, theContinueContinue reading “February’s System”