by Linda Rodriguez I have always had a hard time saying “no.” I like people, and I always want to help good causes. This has led to years of low pay in the nonprofit sector, tons of overwork, lots of volunteer hours, and on the good side, an awful lot of great friends. It also […]
It’s the time of year that award nominations start sprouting for books published in 2013. All kinds of awards. And every single time one is announced, nominees say the same thing: “It’s an honor simply to be nominated with this group of high caliber authors.” Now, we all know that each of them wants to […]
On Oscars night, social media went wild with often-cruel snark and criticism of some of the older women at the Oscars who had had plastic surgery, in particular Kim Novak. In reaction, crime fiction author Laura Lippman posted a photo of herself without makeup, special lighting, or any kind of flattering filters and challenged other […]
NOT my junk corner We have had a problem for years with our internet provider, who shall hereafter be referred to as @#$$% Ma Bell. Their charges have skyrocketed while the speed of their DSL connection and dependability has plummeted. And almost every bad storm we have, winter or summer, we lose connectivity to the […]
We’ve had an ice storm followed a couple of days later by a blizzard in Kansas City, one that shut the city down for two days—and we’re a city that’s used to ice and snow in winter. Our neighborhood has lots of old trees, and we lost power, phone, and internet, as often happens to […]
On New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day each year, I sit down with my journal and look back over the ending year at what went well and what didn’t. Then I decide what I want more and less of in the coming year and plan ways to make those goals happen. The year seldom […]
by Linda Rodriguez This will be a short post of mostly links to other posts because I’m battling pneumonia right now. I’m getting better, but with steroids, antibiotics, and the pneumonia itself, I’m just knocked pretty flat. 2013 was a terrific year. My first novel, Every Last Secret, was named a finalist for the International […]
My youngest son has a lot of ambitions, and he’s pretty good at achieving them. Very determined in quite a praiseworthy way when he’s aiming at living and studying for a year in London and gets waylaid at the last minute by ulcerative colitis that put him in the hospital with IVs pumping blood back […]
My husband came home after a run-in with someone at work who inherited wealth and who specializes in not doing the work she’s responsible for, creating discord and trouble for/with everyone who works with her, and then having loud, angry, public meltdowns to get her way. Husband’s the only one at work who will stand […]
My youngest son has moved back home, and much as he loves us, he’s not happy about it. He finds himself in the position in which so many young people who’ve done everything parents and society have told them to do find themselves—well-educated with excellent grades and college leadership experience and no jobs. And heavy […]