Joseph Carrabis's Blog, page 87

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Rivalries. Well, not quite rivalries so much as territorialities. They happen in The Wild. Even when there’s abundant food available. We noticed similar behavior in humans when we were in business. People swarmed where there was activity, not necessarily where there was abundance. My inner anthropologist, psychologist, and sociologist kicked in big time when such … Continue reading "Can’t We All Just Get Along?"

Joseph Carrabis On The Importance Of Literature In Modern Society

Roshan Bhodekar, author and publisher of the international, Madrid, Spain-based newspaper, Transcontinental Times, approached me to do an interview.   Grateful, yes, and appreciative, definitely, but I’m nothing special. Why interview me? “Because your writing influences and inspires people. It’s important. Especially in modern society.” Umm…okay. I don’t think of it that way, and okay. … Continue reading "Joseph Carrabis On The Importance Of Literature In Modern Society"

Natalie Goldberg’s “Wild Mind”

Natalie Golberg’s Wild Mind is another book I purchased 25-30 years ago and left on my shelf while life happened. I picked it up this month and am grateful I kept it around. I previously reviewed Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones”, gave it high marks, and Wild Mind is another keeper, although a book I’d … Continue reading "Natalie Goldberg’s “Wild Mind”"

He stands naked in a ditch.

I mentioned back in Four pieces for a workshop I’m taking an online writing course. I’m sharing the exercises from that class in that post, Two Pieces for a Workshop, and in Four (Other) Pieces for a Workshop. This post is from the last class in that series. Here we were given “He stands naked … Continue reading "He stands naked in a ditch."

Hester

There is a sense of peace and charity when one sees The Wild comfortable and safe. It is rare for them, you know. There is no such thing as deep sleep in The Wild. In a world filled with predator and prey, deep sleep is dangerous. Even we, modern humans, could not enter deep sleep … Continue reading "Hester"

Kit Reed’s “Revision”

I first read Kit Reed’s Revision (probably) four years ago. It was one of the first books I read when I decided to spend the rest of my life writing. I dogeared two pages. I finished my second read about a week ago (as I write this). The book is a mess of dogeared pages. … Continue reading "Kit Reed’s “Revision”"

Kit Reed’s Revision

I first read Kit Reed’s Revision (probably) four years ago. It was one of the first books I read when I decided to spend the rest of my life writing. I dogeared two pages. I finished my second read about a week ago (as I write this). The book is a mess of dogeared pages. … Continue reading "Kit Reed’s Revision"

Four (Other) Pieces for a Workshop

I mentioned back in Four pieces for a workshop that I’m taking an online writing course and shared the requested exercises in that post and in Two Pieces for a Workshop. This time we were asked to 1) evoke emotion in two lines and 2) write about someone experiencing a strong emotion. Evoke Emotion in … Continue reading "Four (Other) Pieces for a Workshop"

The Rabbit

It’s wondrous when The Wild wants your attention (notice the alliteration? I can do things like that. I being an author an’ all). In this case, I caught a little hopping outside my window as I worked. I looked up, saw nothing, continued being creative. Another slight movement. Not a hop, more a wobbly walk. … Continue reading "The Rabbit"

Dorothea Brande’s “Becoming a Writer”

I read Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer right after reading Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. The two books share a theme of self-exploration. Becoming a Writer was originally written before meditation and Buddhism were established in the west, and Brande still makes her case for self-exploration through “meditation without calling it meditation” exercises. I’d … Continue reading "Dorothea Brande’s “Becoming a Writer”"