Fear and Substack
Fear is a formidable beast. Like most things in life, though, it has its good points and its bad. Fear often preserves our very lives, but—likely, more regularly—it keeps us from living. I try to remind myself that fear seldom…
Reading, Writing, Rules, and Reason
Was it a year ago already that a friend told me about an unlikely book she was reading and finding fascinating? I describe the book as unlikely because if anyone were taking bets on either of us reading it, he…
Alcatraz
His island turns out to beinhabited by people I’d come to know.But where is he now?Buried beneath it?Or still versifying:Stringing stones and weaving words?What does he do with them now?Are they carefully foldedand tucked behind a light-switch plate? No, probably…
Where Does One Begin?
Now, it is no longer a child who is going to tell this story and that is regrettable. It is a man. Worse yet, it is the university professor I have become. I will have to guard myself very carefully…
Cowardly Bravery
“Practicing courage, compassion, and connection in our daily lives is how we cultivate worthiness. The key word is practice.” —Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection I am tempted to copy down more of the paragraph from page 7 of Brown’s…
Causation or Correlation?
Ash Wednesday just happens to coincide with my newfound determination to think and write and share, to stop worrying about the “audience” and anyone who might misinterpret, roll their eyes, insult, make fun of, think less of, or condemn me.…
Let It Be an End in Itself
Do you ever feel like you belong nowhere? I’m going through such an experience now, feeling sort of homeless. I keep telling myself to unpack my bags and settle, that I can stay here, that I can be happy here,…
Which Craftsmen do You Study?
Billy Collins writes poetry that should be read every day. His imagination and the way he shapes what he finds in it make his work special. In “2128,” he’s imagining the 200th birthday of a man named Donald Hall: ……
Who Am I Protecting?
Blogging is a strange pastime. I often wonder why I still try to pursue it. Recent interactions with people have convinced me, more than ever, that keeping things under my hat makes for more peaceful relationships, so why would I…
Never Underestimate the Importance of Good Editing
I still cover up much of my old artwork, especially in art journals. Sometimes, the inclination stems from the little voice in my head saying, “You’re doing it wrong.” Sometimes, a page doesn’t need to be completely covered up; it…
Worming into Our Consciousness
Since I seldom seem able to go forward without shifting into reverse first, I am approaching a new post by looking at an old one—as a matter of fact, the first post here at The Ruff Draft. On August 11,…
Let the Night Be Too Dark
At most he thinks or twitters softly, “Safe!Now let the night be dark for all of me.Let the night be too dark for me to seeInto the future. Let what will be, be.” —Robert Frost Living in day-tight compartments is…
