JVSpeyer

Today’s word is progress.   I thought about a few other words. When my computer turned into a brick yesterday during an upgrade, I had a lot of words to use, and none of them were what I’d consider appropriate for this venue. When I sat there on Election Night and watched results coming in, though, the word that kept coming to mind was progress, and it’s still there.   Progress was in my head mostly as a comfort word, but you know – details, right?   I don’t know about other folks, but overwhelm can be a big issue for people in the writing profession. You have big projects, … Read more

How do you perceive love, when it’s shown to you?   I guess you could say this relates to “love languages,” or “languages of appreciation.”  It’s not so much about how you show love or appreciation, but about what flicks that switch for you. What makes you sit up and take notice that someone truly loves you?   For me, it’s little gestures that demonstrate a knowledge of me as a person. My mom has mobility issues, and she can’t get out and about much anymore. She clips articles from the local paper back in my hometown – yes, a physical paper, with newsprint and all – about research items … Read more

I was procrastinating on Facebook reading a very important article recently, about a woman whose son was donating a kidney to his father. I went to comment, wishing her luck and praising the son for his selfless act. Before I hit send, that word struck me: selfless. The word struck me, and it made me a little nauseous too. I quickly reworded the comment – the son in question is absolutely doing something beautiful and giving for his father, and I don’t want to come off as though I don’t approve of organ donation. I do, wholly and without reservation, and whatever’s still got some miles left in it after … Read more

I had a very different post in mind for today. I had a post about Pride, because it’s June, and as part of my birthday “celebration” I’m going to my local Pride parade for the very first time at the youthful age of 43.  (Well, I’m turning 43.  I’m still bothered enough by society’s obsession with women’s youth to cling to that last week’s worth of being 42.) And then I woke up this morning to the news that a celebrity I admired had taken his own life.  It hit me hard.  I sat down and scrolled through my Twitter feed.  I saw a lot of posts about him, his … Read more

February seems like a good month to take a look at sin, doesn’t it? Ash Wednesday is next week, which means Mardi Gras is next week. We’re looking at Carnival, at Lent, at a juncture in the (Western, Judeo-Christian) calendar when we compare and contrast sin and contrition, decadence and abstinence. After all, as Rasputin said, “Before we can repent, we have to sin.”   That’s the fun part, isn’t it? It’s great to wrap ourselves up in excess once in a while, to enjoy the pleasures of the senses. We can enjoy the rich foods of the season, indulge in a few extra drinks, stay up too late with … Read more