Category Archives: Writing

Procrastination: A Nation of Procrastinators

Well, it’s Wednesday. Guess I’d better get started on that project I was gonna finish “by Monday at the latest.” “You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood. What mood is … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 51 Comments

Hey, It’s WordPress’s World…

…I’m Just Re-Learning How to Live in It Last year, all at once, after ten years of non-stop growth, and despite ongoing new subscriptions, my total subscriber numbers began plummeting. More importantly, visits to my blog site plunged over 35%. … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 100 Comments

Sometimes the Teacher Becomes the Student

Thought for the Week This is a true story. I tutored writing students at a community college, and a suburban pop culture drone had just asked why she should “do punctuation.” “Because it’s the only thing that separates us from … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 86 Comments

When the Truth is Suddenly Exposed!

I could wish this wasn’t a true story. But it is. A high school friend and I argued constantly. We had Gym class together, and one day we argued all the way to the showers and back to our lockers. … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 55 Comments

How to Get a RISE Out of Your Readers

How to be Funny Whether you’re a writer, teacher, politician or mortician, this three-part series will help you be wittier. In the previous post, we learned that a funny story begins with a crisis. Now we’ll talk about how to build … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

How to be Funny: Using the DRIP Method

How to be Funny Whether you’re a writer, teacher, politician or mortician, this three-part series will help you be wittier. In the previous post, I talked about the why of being funny. Now let’s look at the how. First and foremost, … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Here’s Why Being Funny Matters

How to Be Funny Whether you’re a writer, teacher, politician or mortician, this three-part series will help you be wittier — or I’ll refund every penny you’ve paid! My first career was about funny. I spent 13+ years in sketch … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

Escaping to Real Life Fairytale Places

Every year around this time, I start planning holiday getaways (or plan to plan them, anyway). But having cut my literary teeth on fantasies, it’s fairytale settings I dream of escaping to, or even making my new home. Say, a … Continue reading

Posted in The Wishing Map, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

I’ve Found the Cure for Writer’s Block

This is one possible cure. But there’s a preferable one below. Tips for Writers There are two definitions for “block”: 1) an obstacle to be avoided; 2) a material to be used (as in construction). The cure for Writers Block … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Humor, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 48 Comments

Love, Longing, and the Absurdity of Life

My Real Memoir Following the break-up with the girl I loved, my existential crisis escaped from the cellar, and began raging about the house again. Who was I? Why was I? These were the questions that drove existentialists to despair. Therefore, I’d … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments