Gregory Josephs's Blog, page 3
May 14, 2018
The Rosemary That Couldn’t, The Writer That Can
Trying to over-winter a mediterranean plant in New England reminds me—not just in gardening—that it’s usually better to take the time to do something the right way. My fingertips smell of rosemary and lavender. Product of the waiting? Of high aspirations? An excuse to keep them from being idle? They’re restless—aching to work. But when […]
May 7, 2018
Open House
The third floor of my house is for sale, and I’m tempted to take it personally, but not in the way you think … “Oh no!” I said, staring in horror out the bay window. “Not them!” Behind me, Brian laughed. “We’re going to make excellent old people.” I knew what he meant—the stereotypical curmudgeons, […]
May 1, 2018
78,800
It’s May, and flowers aren’t the only thing blooming into life around here … It’s taken an intense effort, but the first draft of MS2 is officially done! New Growth The crocuses come first, and in New England, it feels a little premature. They’ll invariably be buried in the snow. They raise their little purple […]
February 13, 2018
The Living Room Floor – A Love Story
Sometimes a little chaos reveals what really matters. There’s nothing like a half-empty room to show how rich life really is, as long as you’re willing to sit cross-legged and have a picnic… Iceland, or… We never took a honeymoon. Early in the engagement the conversation went something like this: “Where should we go after […]
February 6, 2018
A New Novel—Daring to Dream
I was having a tough time devising a plot for a new novel. It turns out I just needed a little inspiration to remind me: Dream bigger! Eventually, I had to step out of the afterglow. Since finishing the first draft of my first novel a little over two years ago, I feel as though […]
January 30, 2018
7 Reasons You Should Absolutely Bring Your Cat on a Play Date
Take a walk through any American city on a sunny afternoon, and you’re bound to see dogs in purses and dogs in parks. But why should our canine companions have all the fun? Cats are, in fact, America’s most popular domestic mammal, so let’s bring them out to play! Doesn’t Play Well With Others I’m […]
January 18, 2018
Focus on the Trees—Staying Sane When It All Piles Up
When life piles on more than you think you can handle, it can be tempting to just shut down. I favor a different approach: grab a chisel and start chipping away at the mountain, one boulder at a time. This isn’t the way I expected the new year to start out, but as the old […]
January 10, 2018
Avoidance: How Procrastination Painted My Dining Room
Some days I’ll do anything to avoid doing the thing I should be doing most. It’s a backwards approach to being productive, but this particular pattern of behavior usually means something awesome is on the horizon. Oh, Procrastination… My old friend. I’ve made it a part of my identity. Don’t believe me? Check out my […]
January 2, 2018
A Time of Lightening—Finding Winter’s Potential
Some people see the winter as an endless stretch of dark and misery. For me? It’s a time to get the creative projects cranking, and see everything as bright. All it takes is a little shift in perspective. I don’t let the winter get me down. I can think of a million reasons to be […]
December 13, 2017
A Holiday Hiatus and “Thank You!”
Sometimes we all need a break. As one of the busiest (and hopefully joyous) times of year bears down on us, take a step back and take a breath. I’m going to. . . Remember Winter Break? Kids take things for granted. I mean, it’s natural, right? When you’re a kid things are granted, so […]
