What I Learned From..

Welcome to What I Learned From…If someone forwarded this to you because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “Each pencil hides inside it thousands of drawings. The artist's job is to discover and make these views of new worlds visible.” ― Alejandro Mos Riera Photo By: Kaboompics.com What I Learned From … In third grade, we all wanted to empty the pencil sharpener. It was bolted to the wall inside the classroom closet, the kind with a crank you had to...

Somewhere between the unicorn float and the flashing lights, I made a decision. I didn’t expect to end a blissful lake day by calling the cops, but there weren’t many other options. A few summers ago, my Dad and I took The Niblings (my niece and nephew, for the new folks) to a popular lake in a nearby state park. Gorgeous lake views, a clean swim area, new floats for the kids shaped like fantasy creatures. (Word Nerd Fact: Did you know that Brits call swim floats “lilos” cause you lie on them...

Samin Nosrat’s cooking mantra works for writers too: Salt, fat, acid, heat. The elements of fearless creation. Welcome to What I Learned From…If someone forwarded this to you because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.” ― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly Photo by Kyla Rose Rockola What I Learned From … The first time you open Salt, Fat,...

What lighthouses, ancient libraries, and scribes can teach us about visibility, creative work, and staying findable without shouting. Welcome to What I Learned From…If someone forwarded this to you because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” ― Anne Lamott Photo of Petit Minou Lighthouse in France by Petr Slováček What I Learned From … I name all...

Pamela Anderson’s yellow legal pads reveal a truth: some writing isn’t for readers…it’s for survival. Welcome to What I Learned From…, a curious little newsletter full of essays, advice, and rabbit holes for writers who want to sharpen their craft without losing their edge. If someone forwarded this because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “For someone like me, it is a very strange habit to write in a diary. Not only that I have never written...

What do brick tenements and balcony plants have to do with writing? More than you think. On decorating the margins and making space for your voice. Welcome to What I Learned From…, a curious little newsletter full of essays, advice, and rabbit holes for writers who want to sharpen their craft without losing their edge. If someone forwarded this because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there...

What if stories weren’t meant to conquer? Le Guin’s carrier bag theory, a sweaty 5K, and what it means to carry meaning without needing to win. Welcome to What I Learned From…, a curious little newsletter full of essays, advice, and rabbit holes for writers who want to sharpen their craft without losing their edge. If someone forwarded this because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “The world is a woven basket. Every stitch counts.” ― A.D. Posey...

Birthday candles = ancient wish magic, accidental grocery-list arson, and why your creative work deserves a fiery ritual. Plus pie. Welcome to What I Learned From…, a curious little newsletter full of essays, advice, and rabbit holes for writers who want to sharpen their craft without losing their edge. If someone forwarded this because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. “She had a fire inside her. She wondered if the fire was to warn her or destroy...

What an old ocean ritual teaches us about hitting publish and letting go. Welcome to What I Learned From…, a curious little newsletter full of essays, advice, and rabbit holes for writers who want to sharpen their craft without losing their edge. If someone forwarded this because they think you're one of us, they’re probably right. You can subscribe here. Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes Walked out this morning, I don't believe what I sawA hundred billion bottles washed up on the shoreSeems...