On the Street Where She Lives..

Cold winds and autumn leaves dance down the quiet street.
Heels clip-clop up the sidewalk
...the sound of ghoulish feet.
Pale hands clutched together as, overhead, witches fly.
Dark skies and Colorado moon
...suffer a black cat’s cry.
Lone door bells chime and glowing jack o’lanterns gleam—
Rejoice! All who may dare—
...tonight is Halloween!

Breaking the Seal (or, "Oh, How I Miss thee, Blog")...

A SAD result of writing and picarooning -- for a living -- is that the writing I do, writing some would see as frivolous, is rarely given the attention I believe it deserves. I'm not suggesting that my extracurricular writing here (or elsewhere for that matter) is ever simply "fun." No, indeed, my (ahem) free-time* writing serves multiple purposes: it allows my creative side to flourish! I find communion with fellow writers! I keep my mind and my pen nimble for the benefit of my students! I am forced to remember that writing does not happen in a vacuum and that vacuuming rarely trumps the need to write.**

Nevertheless, one has to actually WRITE in order to gain said benefits.

New leaf, I turn thee here and now. Seal? Thou art broken.

In the cause,

Dr. T Shandy

*I use the term "free time" loosely. I, like most of you, rarely have any time that does not cost me dearly.

**In the quest for absolute transparancy, I must admit that I found myself vacuuming this weekend in, I was delighted to discover, a ridiculous attempt to avoid writing! The excessive stress and never-ending pressure of numerous writing deadlines has forced me into wonderfully productive "old habits" (of both writing and cleaning, I am proud to report).