Marion Agnew

So, the wait is over. I've had some good health-related news, and, of course, some writing rejections, because that's all part of life. I'll take it. The wait is also over for both political parties in the U.S. By this weekend, both conventions will be over, their nominees officially in place. For the most part, I avoid talking about politics in public anymore. But it's still the best theatre (or theater) in which to hone one's, um, critical thinking skills. And, as it happens, it's a great venue in which to learn about writing--speechwriting in particular. Here are two articles about the speech Michelle Obama gave at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week. By Roy Peter Clark, at the Poynter Institute: Eight Writing Lessons from Michelle Obama's DNC Speech. Read this to learn about the magic of three, about narrative, about pronouns, and other good things.  By Rebecca Thering, writing at Medium: The Line I Wish Michelle Obama Hadn'...

"If you can fill the unforgiving minute/with sixty seconds' worth of distance run"  "If--", Rudyard Kipling   I didn't encounter this Kipling poem until my first exposure to sports psychology at university, but it reminds me of my parents' insistence that we spend our time in "useful" ways. And I can't shut up that Kipling-in-my-head as I wait. Yes, this is the same waiting I wrote about a couple of weeks ago . I'm still waiting on the most nerve-wracking stuff, but not for much longer. Meanwhile, the clock seems to be moving ever more slowly as it counts down. Some periods of time are just awkward--not long enough to complete something, too long to "do nothing" (read for pleasure or scan Twitter) without guilt. (Darn that Kipling.) So here are some possible ways to handle those weirdo time periods: 1. Chunk the awkward time. If you have a flight, meeting, or appointment mid-afternoon, you still have the full morn...

That's what I'm up to this week. Difficult as it is to leave this place at this time of the year (or, like, ever), I'm enjoying family time. Here's something else I really really really enjoyed recently. Come Thou Tortoise, by Jessica Grant I mean, what is not to love? It's funny and insightful and goes off the rails on occasion, and what is not to love about that? Please: do not say no to this tortoise and her current "owner," Audrey. You will laugh.

Waiting is not my favorite thing. Probably because it is one way to demonstrate patience, also not my favorite thing. However. So many times, it feels as if the only option is to wait. * for a response to something * for information * for a choice to become clearer "They" always advise against waiting. As in, "while waiting for responses to work you've submitted, work on something else." The theory is, this response you're waiting for won't define you. You continue to be yourself, you continue to do your work, regardless of any one particular response. In other words, you don't cede your power to whatever it is you're waiting for. And for "power," read "time," "energy," "personhood," "identity," and other good words like that. I think of the Reeboks ad (because I'm old like that): Reeboks let UBU. So: don't wait. That's great excellent wonderful advice. I take it when I can....