The Literary Sipper

Well, here we are again. It’s cold out, the sun may or may not be shining, the holidays have finished, you may or may not have put away all of the decorations. So now what? People tell you it’s time for arbitrary resolutions and a push towards productivity. But the winter season says it’s time to slow down, make friends with the darkness, and look inward.

But you do you.

And if you want to do you with others, Tania (taniawalshyoga.com) and I are running our Winter Workshop on January 30, 2025 and regist...

It’s the end of another year, folks. And it’s time to recap 2024 and all of the reading I managed to do.

Here are a few of the books I highlighted for you to check out:

Get your last minute shopping done at the bookstore.

Live by the mantra: one book for you, one for me.

It’s what you want for Christmas anyway.

And whenever possible, shop local.

Merry Merry.

x A

In our Let Go and Begin workshops, Tania Walsh and I always start with the symbol of the doorway. Are you closing a door, opening a new one to a room you’ve never entered, or revisiting a dusty room that needs a good airing out?

This idea came to me after reading Donald Justice’s poem “Men at 40”. I loved the metaphor of the “softly closed door”. I felt incredible empathy for these men who now looked at their life’s choices and could see that they would no longer be able to take these roads that led to fr...

When I am unsure of what’s to come, I turn to poetry. When I feel sad, I turn to poetry. When I feel lost, in love, overburdened, underwhelmed, dazzled or dreary, I turn to poetry.

After the election, these three poems filled the void.

What poems have you turned to this November?

Let me know in the comments!

x A

Do you have friends who are ten years older than you?

What about ten years younger?

Diversity is also about age. Understanding the generations that bookend yours is more than just reading the myriad memes on the subject. It requires an open hear and a generous ear.

If we want to honor the classics and expand the canon, we need to broaden the audience.

x A

You are an artist. Plan your day accordingly.

Micro Plan and Macro Plan.

Then be ready for it all to change in a moment.

Do your best and make sure to make room for your creative life.

x A

Here is the episode on planning your retreat!

When you select your next book, might I suggest you stray a bit from your preferred genre? Try some poetry, a thriller, historical fiction, memoir. Try something you don’t usually reach for. As the days get darker and shorter, we may find ourselves wanting the familiar, the cozy book that echoes the way we hope to spend our time. However, it may be a great time to get yourself tucked in with some tea, but let your brain go on an adventure.

Here are some links to some of the books I mention, the Libby App, an...

While we all know that looking at art makes us feel something, we get caught up in figuring out the right meaning. What are we “supposed” to see becomes more important than what we are, in fact, seeing. Make sure to spend time looking, seeking, observing, connecting to the visual. It will help you make sense of the world, no matter what your preferred medium may be.

We are all looking to retreat from the pressures of this election season that’s for sure. Have you made actual plans to do so? To take time away and delve into your creative self? You could finish your draft, you can dive into meditation or yoga to find your center. You could surround yourself with other artists for inspiration. You could learn a new skill or technique to add to your arsenal.

Learn to Re-TREAT yourself.

What would fill you up? Take time to think about it and then put it on your calendar.