Author Archives: first person productions
Bring a little light to your winter with a writing workshop
If I’d known earlier how much joy teaching brings into my life, my career trajectory might have been something quite different. But I didn’t want to be the apple that falls not far from the tree–many of my mother’s people … Continue reading
Unspoken Questions
By Patricia LaPointe Nick hears her in the kitchen. He worries she’ll not come to him by seven o’clock. He’ll ask her about the time. He never stays in bed after seven. As he waits, he wonders who is that … Continue reading
“Over the River and Through the Woods…”
By Suzy Beal We headed for Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Forest Grove. As a kid stuffed in the family station wagon with six other siblings and my parents, it was a long, boring ride. It took three hours to … Continue reading
Old Tom Turkey
By Faith Ellestad Every year, I look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday, because it heralds the emergence of Old Tom Turkey. And I don’t refer here to meat. You know that thing you wanted so much as a child but … Continue reading
November 2020: My COVID19 Flu-cation
By Sarah White In the last week of October, I was exposed to COVID19 through my visits to my mother in a congregate living facility. She tested positive just before she passed from this life, but what took her down … Continue reading
“Freckled” by Toby Wilson Neal
I asked Jeremiah to review this book, realizing that since he grew up in Hawaii, he would offer a more informed perspective than I could. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. As an entrant in the “awful childhood … Continue reading
Home
By Ellen Magee In September 2019, we first heard about F-35 military jets coming to the Air National Guard at the Dane County Airport, a half mile from our Northside home. There had been a gathering, sponsored by the Air … Continue reading
The Numbers
This post resumes a now-occasional series on our experiences under COVID-19, inspired by the realization that “we are all field collectors” in the effort to someday tell the story of what happened in 2020. I welcome your submissions: find guidelines for guest writers here. By … Continue reading
Hungry?
By Patricia LaPointe Way back when I was married to my first husband and had four kids under the age of six, we would occasionally be invited to my in-laws for dinner. This was not my favorite thing to do, … Continue reading
If you’ve been following this blog for awhile, you’ve met my mother
Mother-daughter relationships. A topic so rich whole blogs–hell, whole social media channels–could be devoted to it. I have very occasionally posted about my mother here. Today I write with the news that on Halloween and a Blue Moon, October 31, … Continue reading
True Stories Well Told 