I’m staring at a blank page and it’s staring back. The black cursor is blinking. Binary signals switching on and off like the waving of a traffic cop. Proceed. Move Forward. Do something. But the cursor doesn’t move and the blank page is open, oppressive in its potential. I should be writing. I should be …
Why I’m Obsessed with True Crime
I didn't have a chance, really. When my mother was pregnant with me, she, along with the majority of the nation, watched a grainy white bronco speed across Interstate 405 in the now infamous OJ Simpson chase. My own interest in whodunits started young. As a kid, I'd creep downstairs and sneak-watch Law and Order …
The Unlikely Relationship Between Perfectionism and Procrastination
If I ignore a work in progress too long, I start to catch myself avoiding it completely. Perhaps the best strategy I've used to fight this is self-imposing deadlines. Of course, as the deadline looms, I conveniently push off each short story until the week of. I know procrastinating is self sabotage. I know my …
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wonderful little things
After a timely run in with car problems, I’ve been walking to work lately. I also have a new job, which is an entirely different fabulous story but completely off topic for this thought piece. The walk to work isn’t particularly daunting: it’s just a mile down the main street in my small city. Straight …
Setting the Bar Low: How to Make Lifelong Goals You Might Actually Accomplish
I'm fantastic with setting goals. It's a skill I exercise daily. Just this morning, I set goals when I silenced my alarm twice and told myself I would get up at some arbitrary time my sleep-brain told me would be sufficient. Right after, I cleaned the house and cursed past-me who promised to clean the …
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Taking a Break from Doing What You Love
I’m one of those write-every-day kinds of writers. Don’t get me wrong; writing every day does not mean I tune out polished, ready-to-publish content every time I hit a keyboard. My process starts on paper. I scribble inspired bits down on my notebook in whatever order they come to me. When I have the chance, …
Checkpoints and Where We Went Wrong
Birthday parties are weird. It’s like, “hey, you wanna hang out and celebrate me for existing? Bring gifts and we’ll eat cake with candles and bits of my spit. RSVP so I know how much spit cake to get.” Odd. The only reason I’ve been thinking about birthdays is because mine is a few days …
