Linda K. Sienkiewicz's Blog, page 25

The Pain of Writing

There’s a physical toll:

Writer’s Cramps used to mean cramping in your hand from holding a pen or pencil. Most writers don’t use pens; they use computers, which results in neck, elbow, or shoulder pain from keyboarding.

My issue is pain in the upper arm, with shoulder and neck soreness. It comes from using my mouse–that little gizmo writers rely heavily on when editing. When pain began to affect me while dressing, cleaning or working out, I decided I needed to address this.

Initially, I’d...

Packing Light

How much is too much?

As I was packing my large size suitcase for a five day flight to visit friends across the country, I noticed my husband had packed a duffel bag for himself. That’s it.

“Anything you need to pack that I can put in my suitcase?” I asked. “Nope,” he said. I stared at his bag, puzzled. How can he pack so little and I have so much?

I used to pack lighter. Now I need to tote at least two extra pairs of shoes because my feet will complain if I keep them swaddled in the same...

Nocturnal habits

Sleep Interruptus

A few months ago I took up an old habit with new regularity: Snoring. I snore so loud I wake myself up. That, or my husband nudges me so I roll over or fluff my pillow.

If he tells me that didn’t stop the snoring, I stumble to the bathroom to apply a nasal strip. First you have to wash your nose so it’s squeaky clean; otherwise the nasal strip won’t stick. Then you have to get the strip out of the wrapper, which is like a bandage wrapper. When you’re discombobulated and s...

What, Why, How: Andrew Devendorf

WHAT

I wrote a personal essay on the grueling experience of having my brother go missing, and later learning that he died by suicide. When my brother went missing, I learned that we have no social script for handling these tragic situations. While many people provided my family with love, compassion, and support, there were also people who added to my family’s distress. My...

Fall Song

Nature gifted us with a warm, sunny autumn afternoon. Not knowing how many more days we’ll have before it gets cold, my husband and I went hiking in Stoney Creek Metropark. I paired my pictures with a favorite poem by Mary Oliver.

Fall Song by Mary Oliver

Another year gone, leaving everywhere
its rich spiced residues: vines, leaves,

the uneaten fruits crumbling damply
in the shadows, unmattering back

from the particular island
of this summer, this NOW, that now is nowhere

except underfoot, moldering
in that black subterranean castle

of unobservable mysteries...

English Language Groaners

In Memory of a Cornball

My late father was great at telling corny jokes. And yes, I groaned, but I often laughed too, just because he was laughing so hard. Lousy jokes and laughter can be infectious like that. I miss hearing him now.

I’m sure he’d get a big laugh out of these groaners. I hope you do too.

1. The meaning of opaque is unclear.

2. I wasn’t going to get a brain transplant but then I changed my mind.

3. Have you ever tried to eat a clock? It’s very time consuming.

4. A man tried t...

Writing Retreat on a Maine Schooner!

What could be more exciting than a four-day writing retreat on a Maine schooner on August 1 through August 5th, 2020, hosted by two outstanding writing teachers, Carolyn Walker and Carol Bachofner!

Workshops and food

A lobster bake (steak, if you don’t like lobster) and all meals, cooked fresh on the schooner, will be included in the $800 cost of the schooner and adventure. An additional $150 will be requested for the workshops: one day of prose, one day of poetry, and a third day where you...

What, Why, How: Aaron Hamburger

Aaron Hamburger Photo credit: DC Event Photo What:

I write literary fiction and non-fiction. All of my books have been fiction (two novels and a story collection), but I’ve written a great deal of creative non-fiction, especially memoir essays, and my dream is to someday write a full book of creative non-fiction. In both formats, I tend to draw material from life, but in fiction, I repurpose details, shuffle things up, and embellish them to make for better stories. In creative non-fiction, I...

Hate

Hate. America on fire with hate. Hate fuels politics. There are Republican haters. Democrat haters. Trumpster haters. Millennial haters. Baby boomer haters. Pro-life haters, pro-choice haters, immigration rights haters, gay rights haters, women haters, minority haters. The haters, the hate and the ensuing vitriol seem endless.

The definition of hate

It’s a mighty strong word, one not to take lightly.

From Merriam-Webster:
(Entry 1 of 2) 1a: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving fro...

A Neighborhood House Success Story

Homeless

Rakeem came to Neighborhood House 3 weeks ago after being homeless for two years. He had been working in Detroit to pay child support for his 1-year-old daughter until he left the city for his safety and health. Since then, he has been bouncing from his sister’s house to his mother’s house and to his car.

Self-sustainability

Within three weeks of coming to Neighborhood House, Rakeem is no longer living in his car or sleeping on couches. With a security deposit provided by Neighbor...