Here are true tales from the writer’s life, as well as essays and wild meditations.
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 264. “How Real Are You on Social Media?” Hah. Well, I only use Instagram regularly, and Facebook once a week. Is this website social media? I’ll admit, I use Facebook for […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 244. “What’s So Great About YouTube?” My buddy Greg keeps me up to date on much new music. Earlier this week, he sent me a Spotify link to the Mono No Aware compilation […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 237. “Do You Experience FOMO When You Unplug?” No. I’ll admit that one of my inner aches is FOMO. Not from unplugging, but in general. Every once in a while, I find […]
(Art from fanpop.com) In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 224. “What Are Your Attitudes Toward Money?” Here are a couple of dollar bill paragraphs and a wallet always full: We are what we eat. And I’ve consumed […]
(Art by Florencio Molina Campos) In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 217. “Have You Ever Tried to Hide Your Racial or Ethnic Identity?” Yes, embarrassingly enough. And my subterfuge tied itself to language, I must confess. Around […]
(This was a hard question to answer. I pray my reflections lead you to your own.) In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 213. “What Does it Mean to Be ‘a Real Man?’” My dear friend Brittany Reeber, film […]
(An essay on free will; Happy Independence Day 2017; “One small step for man…”) In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 200. “How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate?” The question assumes fate exists. So […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 184. “What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced?” … Money is a big issue, and I’ve been offered bribes before. Once, I was offered by a drummer I managed to split the band’s […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 178. “What Are You Grateful For?” Read as, What are you waiting for? I want to feel gratitude. It’s hard sometimes. But let us. Tony Robbins says, “You can’t feel fear or […]
(Blurry like nostalgia now and then; what was your favorite character?) In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” 170. “What Are Your Best Sleepover Memories?” Here’s another quaint one to jump into. This one is dedicated to the […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 147. “Do You Plan on Saving Any of Your Belongings for the Future?” A timely question, considering I moved into a new bedroom this week. Minus a 20”x22”x30” Elfa drawer, a hundred […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 135. “What Are the Sounds That Make Up the Background Noise in Your Life?” Brooklyn’s symphony plays night and day. Now that it is summer, and I keep the window open, I hear […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 110. “Do Your Parents Try Too Hard to Be Cool?” No. They are cool. I remember once attending an important, late-night exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston in the early […]
(Photograph by Greg Stout) In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 99. “What Family Traditions Do You Want to Carry On When You Get Older?” Traveling alone, you know, teaches you a lot about yourself. Likewise, traveling with your family teaches […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 80. “To Whom, or What, Would You Like to Write a Thank-You Note?” To my high school theater teacher, Mr. De Los Reyes, would I like to write “Thank You.” Strange how one […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 53. “Do You Think You’re Brave?” This question changes meaning depending on how you pronounce the emphatic last word. Do I think I’m brave? Yes. I take risks, I meet challenges, and I […]
In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing” 10. What Are You Afraid Of? I am afraid of answering this question. I am afraid of answering any of the “Overcoming Adversity” questions. I am afraid of uploading my answer to this blog. […]
ivanBRAVE_twentysomething_ending I’ve ridden miles and miles on Greyhound. Once, on the way back to Austin, I met a man who had been in Huntsville Prison for twenty years. He had left an impression on me, to such a degree, that I tried to capture as much of our […]
ivanBRAVE_DoesSantaCry_900words Deep in the heart of downtown Hanoi, I walked down to the hostel lounge for some cheap breakfast. There, among a handful of hungover backpackers, I turned to what I thought would be the next empty page in my moleskin notebook. What I found, at the top left corner […]
Write, fly; fly, write. I love stories where the setting and the characters don’t seem to match up perfectly. This can lead to conflict, learning, love, or a laugh. All it takes to swoon an audience–around a campfire, or by candle light–is the voice of a skilled author to tell […]