Gregory Josephs's Blog, page 8
April 18, 2017
Living Seasonally
There is a packet of nasturtium seeds in the junk drawer in my kitchen. Early in the morning or late at night, when the house is quiet, I can hear them calling out to me. Their voices are soft, but powerful; they speak of growth, potential, and the glories of a long, golden summer. They want to be planted—to stretch their roots and reach for the sky. The only problem is, it hasn’t been time yet. As I am in the occasional habit of speaking to inanimate things I respond, telling them as mu...
April 14, 2017
Come On Come Out. . .
It seems like spring has finally arrived in New England. Although this is my twelfth April in Massachusetts, I still forget that seasons start about a month later here than they do in the interior where I grew up. Blame the ocean; it keeps the autumn warm and the springtime cold. In any case, I thought I’d celebrate by sharing a song for this week’s Things I Love that represents to me the warmer side of spring. This one should really get you feeling that vernal lift.
April 12, 2017
Beyond Hardboiled—Five Way More Interesting Things to do With Eggs
With the Easter holiday coming this weekend, we’ll be boiling and dying eggs with our niece and nephew, and it’s probably the only time this year I’ll be eating hardboiled eggs. And, while hardboiled eggs are fine, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share five more interesting ways to consume an egg.
April 10, 2017
Committing to the Plunge—An Update on The Novel
Have you ever stood at the edge of a dock, toes curled and suspended above the blue, deep water? To jump off requires a binding commitment to the force of gravity. Once off the edge there is no reversing course; you will fall into the lake; you will submerge. Deciding to jump is a commitment to this eventuality.
April 7, 2017
She Was in the Field Counting Stars. . .
In our noisy society, music is too often relegated to background noise—to accompaniment. But once in a while a song stands up and demands more—it consumes us, becoming both external and visceral. It’s arresting. We have no choice but to stop, listen, and be eclipsed. For this week’s installment of Things I Love, I’ve got one of these songs (for me, at least). Here’s the backstory:
April 5, 2017
“Hold the Beetles and Stale Peeps” or Lessons from Campari—Part 2
In a world so often defined by the mundane and ordinary, sometimes it’s important the mix things up, act boldly, and endeavor to live (and taste) in full, vibrant color! Red, to be specific! It’s been a week since my first post outlining four things I learned from Campari, the bitter crimson liqueur from Italy. I’m going to wrap up my musings on the subject with a further five lessons I gleaned from the drink championed by the likes of Lady Gaga and Tennessee Williams. So, without further...
April 3, 2017
In Defense of Procrastination
If there were twenty-eight hours in the day, what would you do with the extra four? Would you spend it on work, family, or yourself? Would you get more done, or maybe just—sleep? I think most of us imagine we’d devote it to that project we want to take on but never seem to have time for—the one we’ve been procrastinating.
March 31, 2017
Survival. . .
What does April sound like to you? I’m not talking about chirping birds, or cool spring rains on a tin roof. I’m talking musically. What does April sound like? Or March for that matter; September? Seriously, give it a try. If you had to pick one song to represent the whole month of April, what would it be? Once you’ve got it, be sure to let me know in the comments below. But in the meantime. . .
March 29, 2017
“Lady Gaga and Tennessee Williams Are Doing It” or Lessons from Campari—Part 1
Piggybacking off the wild success of my little series of Things I Learned from Sauerkraut, I’ve decided to continue the theme for the Wednesday installment of my blog. So without further ado, here are Four Things I’ve Learned from Campari, with another six to follow next week...
March 27, 2017
“I Love You Because”—Choosing to Love Intentionally
If I said I wasn’t interested in unconditional love, would you think I’m crazy? Would you hit the back button as quickly as possible, black-list this blog, and write me off as some kind of sociopath? Surely, you’d think I’m insane; unconditional love is the pinnacle, the epitome, the ultimate level of emotional attachment, right?
