I’ve never understood how graduates from the MFA in Creative Writing program at Warren Wilson College came to refer to themselves as Wallies. It turns out to be an ancient practice, going back all the way to the year the program moved to Warren Wilson from Goddard College in 1981. I’ve done a little researchContinue reading “Dispatches From Writer’s Camp: A Wally By Any Other Name”
Category Archives: Self Reflection
#133: Stupid Desire
It makes me angry: I can’t stop thinking about things I want. I want a new roof, new gutters, and the house painted. I want to remodel the basement. I want to refurbish the garage and replace the kitchen cabinetry. I want outdoor furniture for the back yard. I want an Airstream, again. And becauseContinue reading “#133: Stupid Desire”
#72: Potter Author Trending
First of all, I’m embarrassed that I took the bait, hook, line, and sinker, in the sidebar list of stories “trending” on the Mighty Social Network; secondly, I’m ashamed I clicked on this particular subject matter, an author I am only nominally interested in–an author for which only in the very most minimal way couldContinue reading “#72: Potter Author Trending”
#69: Screen Dilemma (Left To His Devices)
Screen Dilemma (Left To His Devices) If the boy were left to his own devices he would be playing a video game or streaming some show on the damn iPad all day long. The bad news is that sometimes he is left to his own devices and I agonize about my shitty parenting. Sometimes IContinue reading “#69: Screen Dilemma (Left To His Devices)”
2013 in review: Not Bad
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog. I’m not sure if people are interested in this thing or not, but the WordPress.com helper monkeys sent me this report and offered me a link that would allow me to share it with my readers, so at least in the opinionContinue reading “2013 in review: Not Bad”
On New Year’s Resolutions, Or, On Having Blogged A Bunch and the Dangers of Repeating Oneself
I began composing a blog entry this morning about New Year’s Resolutions. The direction I was going felt compelling. I was proud of the opening paragraph. I was on to something and feeling clever and witty and all of that jazz. I was also feeling a bit of deja vu, like somehow, I remembered writing,Continue reading “On New Year’s Resolutions, Or, On Having Blogged A Bunch and the Dangers of Repeating Oneself”
Hey, That’s My Bike
I could not remember the title (Reality Bites); all I could remember was that some character in a film I saw a long time ago had a band called Hey, That’s My Bike, and one, I thought that was the coolest band name in the world, and two, I couldn’t stop thinking about this phraseContinue reading “Hey, That’s My Bike”
Why I’m Thinking All The Time About Tiny Houses
Every few years or so I adopt a new obsession, embarrassingly, around some kind of thing I’ve come to believe will change my life in all kinds of positive ways. I say embarrassingly, because usually the obsession revolves around some material thing. Let me give you a quick run down of the last decade, forContinue reading “Why I’m Thinking All The Time About Tiny Houses”
The Power of Retreat
The truth of the matter is I didn’t read a single word of Moby Dick. I remain today on the same page I was on a week ago. Thanks to the generosity and kindness of my wife and son, I have been on retreat for a week at St. Mary’s College in Moraga for theContinue reading “The Power of Retreat”
In Celebration of My 100th Blog Post
It’s a milestone, don’t you think? It seems so to me. This blog post right here, the one I hope you are currently reading, is the 100th blog entry by Michael Jarmer. It took me two plus years to get here. So help me do the math. What is it? 50 posts a year? That’sContinue reading “In Celebration of My 100th Blog Post”
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