Today, I slipped out of the San Miguel Writer’s Conference with Maria Caponi, a multi-talented, adventurous world traveler I met at my writer’s retreat in Tuscany last spring. Maria is attending the conference, too, and we wanted to spend some time together. So we hatched a plan to take for the afternoon off from workshops […]
Live from San Miguel de Allende #7: In the Garden Read More »
Having my first experience of simultaneous translation tonight through an earpiece: Spanish to English. Tonight’s keynote speaker is Mexican novelist and journalist, feminist and activist, Brenda Lozano yes. This is how she introduced herself: “I am part of a young generation of women who fight from the trenches—in my case from culture—for freedom of expression,
Live from San Miguel de Allende #5 Read More »
I first learned of San Miguel de Allende forty of so years ago when I was in my mid-twenties and my mother was in her fifties. She raved to me about this place for twenty years before I ever saw it for myself. My parents divorced when I was a teenager, and my mother took
Live from San Miguel de Allende #4 Read More »
“When you become addicted to what frees you instead of to what keeps you unhappy, your life changes.” — Nina Wise Can you make a case for a positive addiction, as Nina does? Have you ever replaced one addiction for another? If so, tell us about it.
A Positive Addiction Read More »
When I was a little girl, my mother worked for a while as a nursery schoolteacher. And for one year, when I was four, I was in her nursery school class. One thing, probably the only memory I have from back then, was that when the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus came to town,
Live from San Miguel de Allende #2 Read More »
Well, I’ve arrived at the San Miguel Writer’s Conference in San Miguel de Allende! I flew in Friday night and have been enjoying the company and hospitality of my old friend and host, Susan Evans, ever since. Yesterday, we wandered the cobblestoned streets, walked through the Candelaria where blocks of succulents, cacti and herbs were
Live from San Miguel de Allende #1 Read More »
“Words heard by chance have been known to change lives.” —Phil Cousineau, The Art of Pilgrimage Tell me about a time you experienced this—when something you overheard—changed your life. Or when someone overhearing you did the same.
Something I Heard By Chance Read More »
“To forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root.” —Chinese proverb Tell me what you know or imagine about your ancestors.
Back Through the Generations Read More »
“When I write, I always have a question or several questions that I don’t have an answer to.” —Sandra Cisneros Tell me about a question you are trying to answer through your writing. Then explore that question with words.
Writing My Way to the Answer Read More »
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” —Elbert Hubbard Tell me about a time fear of making a mistake kept you from moving forward in your life.
The Fear of Making a Mistake Read More »
“I have a feeling that my boat has struck, down there in the depths, against a great thing. And nothing happens! Nothing . . . . Silence . . . . Waves . . . . Nothing happens? Or has everything happened, and am now standing quietly, in my new life?” —Juan Ramón Jiménez Tell
“To live several lives, you have to die several deaths.” —Françoise Giroud Looking back on your life, have you lived “several lives?” Have you ever re-invented yourself? What did you have to let go of in order to do so?
Re-Inventing Myself Read More »
“Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety.” —James Baldwin Tell me about a time you experienced this in your life—or you witnessed someone else having this experience.
