Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on December 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Your first workout will be bad.
Your first podcast will be bad.
Your first speech will be bad.
Your first video will be bad.
Your first ANYTHING will be bad.
but you cant make your 100th without making your first.
So put your ego aside, and start.
— Alec Zamora
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Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, storytellers, Thoughts, Writers on December 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Rob Reiner, Actor Who Went on to Direct Classic Films, Dies at 78
“People take a look at ‘Princess Bride,’ and exclaim, ‘God, this is such an odd conglomeration!’” Mr. Reiner told The New York Times shortly after the movie was released in 1987. “‘How could you balance all those things?’”
“But it didn’t seem all that strange to me,” he went on, “because those are all parts of my personality. I’ve definitely got this satirical side to me, and this romantic side, and this more realistic way of looking at things.”
I don’t know about you, but Reiner’s eclectic approach to storytelling was one of the things I loved about his work. That and the clever humor, the touching moments, and the personal stories.
My favorite quote from this statement, Close friends of Rob and Michele Reiner release statement on their lives and work, is a reminder that we all make an impact.
“Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” — from It’s a Wonderful Life
Maybe we’ll watch The Princess Bride this weekend. Or Stand by Me. Or Spinal Tap. Or When Harry Met Sally. Or A Few Good Men. Or or or.
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Thoughts on December 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Thoughts on December 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »
People often ask me what is the most effective technique for transforming their life. It is a little embarrassing that after years and years of research and experimentation, I have to say that the best answer is – just be a little kinder.
— Aldous Huxley
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Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, accomplishments, cool projects, creativity, history, inspiration, Thoughts on December 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Last month marked 25 years of humanity’s continuous presence in orbit around this fair planet.
25 years, one website: ISS in Real Time captures quarter-century on space station
Two NASA contractors, working only during their off hours, have built a portal into all of those resources to uniquely represent the 25-year history of ISS occupancy.
ISS in Real Time, by Ben Feist and David Charney, went live on Monday (October 27), ahead of the November 2 anniversary. In its own way, the new website may be as impressive a software engineering accomplishment as the station is an aerospace engineering marvel.
It’s a good story about persistence and creativity, and it’s great to have all of this history and knowledge in one place.
It’s also easy to get bogged down in the trials of life and forget what’s good. But really? Our adventures in space are pretty incredible. For most of our species’ existence we’ve looked up at the stars and dreamed. And now?
Look! Look what we did!
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, the writing life, Thoughts on December 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“The here and now is all we have, and if we play it right it’s all we’ll need.”
— Ann Richards
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Thoughts, writing on December 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Last night I had an idea for today’s post, but now it’s gone missing because some days my mind is a sieve. I’m sure the idea was fabulous but I’ll have to wait until it comes back around.
In the meantime, my word of the day is “flawsome: someone who is both flawed and awesome.” And isn’t that all of us?
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, choices, creativity, life, Thoughts, Writers, writing on December 9, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Here’s a lovely thought piece by Spencer Sekulin on making peace with the ghosts of lives unlived and becoming your imperfect, unpredictable, beautiful self.
Forgive Yourself for Not Becoming Everything You Wanted – Spencer Sekulin
To live one life, you need to condemn many others.
Yet to try to live all of them keeps you stuck, forever.
Spencer’s fiction is also terrific. If you’re looking for excellently written fantasy, check out his work!
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on December 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »
What does James Patterson, one of the world’s top authors, have to say about leading a creative and happy life? Here are three suggestions that resonated with me:
James Patterson’s Maxims for a Happy Life
2. Pay attention to process rather than outcomes.
3. Excellence is less about talent and inspiration, more about hard work and persistence.
5. Focus on what’s getting better, rather than fretting over what’s getting worse.
For the full list, check out the article above, or listen to the full podcast with Arthur Brooks.
In the end, “how does Patterson find the work of writing? ‘I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it.’”
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Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, philosophizing, Thoughts on December 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“Be like the sun for grace and mercy. Be like the night to cover others’ faults. Be like running water for generosity. Be like death for rage and anger. Be like the Earth for modesty. Appear as you are. Be as you appear.”
― Rumi
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J.R. Johnson 
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