What I Learned From..

I once ate a full cup of chocolate-covered espresso beans and thought I was having a spiritual emergency. Knowing I had a ton of writing work to do that day, I collected essentials: a composition notebook and G2 pen, my laptop, and 2-3 drinky-drinks because I am a Beverage Goblin. Ready to settle in at my desk. As I walked out of the kitchen with Drink #3 in hand, I noticed my recent Trader Joe’s purchase on the counter. A little plastic bin of chocolate-covered espresso beans. Perfect! An...

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. “Exact realism does not equal awe. I had to create an equivalent for what I was looking at—not copy it.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe Photo Credit: Elisa Doucette What I Learned From … Last month I took a trip to Fort McClary, one of those old stone-and-cannon sites here in the northeastern US that practically dares you to abandon your phone and remember...

Hey Reader, Let’s say you just finished grocery shopping. It's hot, you're sweaty, the parking lot is a war zone of bumpers and badly aimed SUVs. Do you: A) Return your cart like a decent human B) Roll it toward the corral and pray it makes it C) Leave it loose in the wild to go scratch someone’s car and ruin a teenager’s day Because the first TikTok I ever made was filmed from my car while I watched multiple people just…abandon their carts in the wild. One left theirs diagonally between two...

A graphite-deep dive into creative rituals, resistance, and why dull tools prove you’re doing the work. 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...

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...