Heat Weirdlastname One of my life mantras comes from Maya Angelou: Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. We apply this easily to many skill sets: math, reading, various arts, physical skills, and so on. We don’t apply it as well to our beliefs and how we interact … Read more
There are two Heats. (I suspect there are two of you, too.) There’s Ideal Heat, the one that does All The Things. The one that followed through on learning to crochet, or had the patience and attention span to sew. She makes some of her own clothes and when it’s cold and she needs an … Read more
For a few years now, I’ve received “Notes from the Universe” in my email. Sometimes I read them and hit delete and that’s that. Sometimes I read them and smile and hit delete and that’s that. Sometimes I read them and they hit me just the right way. Or the wrong way. Or both. Here’s … Read more
We have had some really amazing sunsets. I went to cook dinner one night, saw this out the window, and put dinner on hold. I don’t have a great view from the yard, but it was good enough. Aside from cropping, the lead photo is the only one that’s edited. I had planned to dabble … Read more
Is it an introvert thing or a thing of people with social anxiety to hate making phone calls? I recognize it’s irrational, and I generally don’t mind talking on the phone once I’m engaged in a conversation, but making a call? Terrible. A week prior, a friend had texted. “Have you talked to [mutual friend] … Read more
As an introverted child, I did a lot of people-watching. I noticed people who were boorish and didn’t notice others’ fake smiles and “oh look at the time!” exits. I saw people who droned on about disinteresting things and didn’t notice others’ eyes glazing over. I was so scared about being one of those people, … Read more
Walking the dogs means daily loops in the same places. One morning while walking along the canal, I noticed some black and white ducks. I went back later that afternoon to see if I could get some photos of them. I did, but none of those shots came out very well, so no black and … Read more
Tempe Town Lake is a man-made lake not far from here where you can use a paddleboat or a kayak or go fishing. It’s also a popular location for triathlons. The water is not crystalline. When I swam in Tempe Town Lake, I couldn’t see my hand at the end of my completely outstretched arm. … Read more
Sitting in the living room I rearranged over the weekend, enjoying the the new energy the room still has, facing the window with the blinds open, at my table in the corner with my moleskin and a felt-tipped pen. Felt-tipped pens are perfect for certain writing. They’re not fast, but my handwriting is lovely when … Read more
For Christmas, I gave The Climbing Daddy a “grow your own [oyster] mushrooms” kit*. It’s a pretty simple setup, and in about a week and a half, we went from having a cardboard box full of mushroom-growing stuff to a box with mushrooms growing like mad, ready to be harvested. Truly amazing. The Tall Daddy … Read more