by Patti Miinch | Jan 16, 2018 | book, boy, elements, feature, girl, ideas, Judy Blume, novel, plot, story, tell
I stumbled across this image this past week and immediately saved it as my phone’s wallpaper and screensaver.It appeals to me in part because I am a writer.But it speaks to me even more because I’m a reader. A reader who sometimes is frustrated by finding...
by Patti Miinch | Jan 9, 2018 | book, one year, write
What would you do with one year’s paid leave of absence?That subject line in my email inbox made my heart kick up a notch for just a few seconds one day last week. A quick glance at the sender’s name, however, informed me that the accompanying message...
by Patti Miinch | Jan 1, 2018 | 2018, beliefs, gym, living, resolutions, simple, values
According to many sociologists, the #1 resolution made by Americans every year is to get into shape.Judging by the number of folks I saw when I went to the gym today, that observation is true. By the way, I didn’t make a similar resolution. No, I went to...
by Patti Miinch | Dec 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
I feel more than a bit pretentious as I draft this end-of-the-year post. I mean, seriously! I blogged so sparingly these past 12 months that I’m not sure such a post is warranted.Truth be told, though, my life has been a bit like the proverbial duck this past...
by Patti Miinch | Nov 14, 2017 | Uncategorized
I am one of those people who processes issues by either writing or talking about them. As I journal or recount, sometimes ad nauseum (apologies to my kids, closest friends, and sister), an issue I’m grappling with, I find clarity.That was the case this...
by Patti Miinch | Sep 22, 2017 | new job, work
My oh my, but what a whirlwind these past 6 weeks have been!I started my new job and thought I was somewhat prepared for the change back to the high school classroom, 5 days a week, and all that entails. I wasn’t. It was less the number of classes and days in...
by Patti Miinch | Aug 8, 2017 | Uncategorized
Until a few months ago, I didn’t know a single person who was living the lifestyle I dream of. When I mentioned to family or friends what I was hoping to do, they were supportive, but none of them had ever done anything more than camp for short periods of...
by Patti Miinch | Aug 1, 2017 | Uncategorized
I have a close relative who hates having a birthday. She always has. Even when she turned 30 — over 30 years ago — she greeted her special day not with smiles and happy anticipation of the year to come but with a crankily snarled “Don’t even...
by Patti Miinch | Jul 28, 2017 | Uncategorized
I’m very excited to again this week join a talented group of women who connect each Friday in an online, unedited flash mob free write based on a one-word prompt from our fearless leader Kate Motaung. My timer is set for 5 minutes; let’s see where the word...
by Patti Miinch | Jul 25, 2017 | Uncategorized
Determine my dream life. Check.Analyze my budget and identifying items that can be cut or even eliminated. Check.Until last week, following Warren and Betsy Talbot’s blueprint for identifying and living the life of my dreams was proving to be easy and...
