I have the uncommon and completely indulgent opportunity to hang out with a bunch of artists. The writing group I attend is full of talented women who do things like write, paint, and make mosaics. Their day jobs include art therapy, spiritual direction and physical therapy – so it’s a very nurturing group! There are also a lot of artists at Monkfish Abbey, and not a few in the Women’s Circle I’ve just joined. I’ve been getting a lot of decent advice and good old fashioned camaraderie.

I know not everyone is as fortunate to have such serendipitous connections. So to assuage my guilt, I’ll pass some of the goodness along as best as I’m able. Here’s what I’ve learned … {read more…}

Two week ago I had a dream about Anne Lamott. In my dream she was mousy and kind of boring looking, with a dull brown hairdo (no dreads.) I think that in dreamland I got Mary Oliver’s hairstyle mixed up with Anne’s. Any how, in my dream Anne was doing Q&A at a reading, and everyone was raising their hands and jumping up and down holding her books over thier heads in hope of gaining an autograph. I thought all the questions were really insipid, and was patiently waiting in the back row for Anne to acknowledge me so I could ask her my obviously brilliant and insightful question.

Being short and in the back row, this never … {read more…}

It’s Holy Week.

I have a love-hate relationship with Holy Week. One the one hand it’s the most Jesus-y of all Jesus-y seasons. In the words of Donald Miller, “I believe in Jesus, I believe he is the Son of God, I believe he died and rose again….but every time I sit down to explain this to someone I feel like a palm reader.” I know it’s not rational, and I readily admit I have no idea how or why the Cross works, but still, I love the guy. So Holy Week is a time I cherish — a retreat time with Jesus when we soak in his stories, his life, his handwork. During this … {read more…}

Today I kissed a lot of white guys goodbye.

I have been working with an all-female writing group for the past six months or so. This Monday, after a month long migraine-induced dry spell, I finally gathered my wits about me and returned to the group. It was my turn to submit some pieces to be work-shopped, but I hadn’t been well enough long enough to write anything new. So instead I searched my blog and printed out five or six pieces that had been filed under priestess-y things. My hope was that in this mis-mash of thoughts, ideas, and images, something might float to the top that would serve as an article.

My group said no. They said, “This … {read more…}

Helene sent me this is an email this week. It seems sort of low-brow to use a show as irreverent at Boston Legal to make an essential political point, but the writers of BL really get it right here. Go here to listen to an impressive bit of writing, thinking, and acting.