Eastside Tucson Writing Room
Distractions- this could be fun- if it’s not you
DISTRACTIONS
SCENE
I'm sitting in my reading chair devouring a chapter of the latest humorous essay book, getting inspired to write something light and entertaining. My sweetheart walks by. Not unusual, except he usually has a leisurely pace when indoors. This was his outdoor striding walk.
Across the living room and down the hall he strides. Less than a minute later, he’s coming back with the same stride. His demeanor is more purposeful, his face has that concentrated furrowed-brow look. Into the kitchen, out of the kitchen, down the other hall to my office. He’s not talking. I go back to reading.
Oh, he’s back. He stops, scanning the room. His glance passes over me so I know I am not the object of this search.
“Have you seen my water bottle?”
Ah, it’s one of those situations.
SITUATION DEFINED
An everyday object such as wallet, glasses, water bottle, keys, lip gloss has been “misplaced." Not lost.
PROCEDURE
When the cause of the pacing has been identified as a Search, the person nearby, aka Bystander, passively joins the search.
“Have you retraced yours steps?” This is what we've been taught. “Where were you when you last saw it?”
Loser, now known as Searcher, has half-heartedly done this, but at top speed so probably has overlooked the misplaced item.
Still passive, yet objective, Bystander offers “help.” “We came back from playing tennis and I know it was in the car so … Retrace. Retrace your steps.”
“I have. I have. I can't find it." He goes back into the kitchen, into the family room, back through the kitchen, down the hall. I hear the garage door open. Deja vu. He’s muttering.
Now having joined, it’s time for passive Bystander to take an active role, thereby becoming Co-Searcher, sometimes known as Lead Searcher.
I stand. I scan. There it is, in the corner of the foyer, on the table, by the closet, where he keeps his tennis hat. This makes sense.
Elatedly, I shout, “I see it. There it is. There it is!” As if the water bottle is a beloved child who has been found at last.
He’s back. His gaze follows my outstretched arm and hand pointing at the water bottle.
“Oh.” We both nod, united in our relief.
CONCLUSION
Then the Loser/Searcher, now Rightful Possessor of the misplaced object, does a cognitive review of what happened. “I put the bottle here, (with gestures) and put my hat away, and went to the kitchen because the phone rang and …”
PROCESS THE EXPERIENCE
I used to get really frustrated when that happened to me. I would berate myself, self-judge, blaming senior moment distraction. I wasn't being mindful. I wasn't keeping my head where my feet are. Mea culpa!
TRY A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT
No more. Now I look at it from an entirely different perspective.
Yes, I was distracted, but why label it a liability? All people - seniors, middle-age career folks, teenagers, toddlers, infants, do get distracted. It’s not always because we're getting older and the nerve endings in our brains are wearing away.
The distraction can be a situation manifested out of leisure time. It is really an asset. If you are retired, this time is filled with stimulating activities that require the gathering of supplies for golf, shopping, tennis, travel, hiking, swimming, volunteering, along with the necessities of daily life- keys, wallet, phone, etc. Distractions can manifest with a certain excitement about living with all these great opportunities. And then storing the items when completed.
If you are employed, same thing - gathering what is needed for work, then replacing at the end of the day. Replacing doesn't always happen. Then the search begins the next day with even more stringent time constraints. "I'm gonna be late!"
THE NEW PERSPECTIVE
Distraction Searching can become the activity that gives you your 10,000 steps. It works for those of us who can't locate items that frequently/always get lost. Come on, you know who you are. What about those misplaced sunglasses, reading glasses, water bottles, wallets, keys, shopping lists? This is not a bad thing. We spend minutes and energy on a house walk-about looking for them, usually at a pretty brisk pace.
Cast off your pedometer. Count aloud or estimate how many steps you take as you are searching.
I’ve designed a Distraction Search Chart: the painless way to 10,000 steps:
Creating Your Column Titles
Column 1: Items. List all the things that can get misplaced
Columns 2: Search Commence Time. The beginning time for the search.
Column 3 - 8: Rooms. Check as each possible room is searched
Column 9 Steps. You can estimate the number of steps it took. In creating a home chart decide if you need to include the garage, car, front and back yards, etc. Count steps in each room along the lost item row. Keep counting and check rooms again across the rows if you retrace and enter a room more than once.
Column 10: Total Tallies: After a while you won't have to count; you'll know how many steps it is from the kitchen to the office and then back for a round-trip.
Column 10: Search Concluded or Aborted Time: Those searches are not mindless, negative distractions. It's hearty, healthy, physical exercise. Circle room where item is found, or search aborted. Two floors to search? You’ve got your cardio done too. The math computations count as brain activity. Celebrate.
Fill that water bottle and have a swig. Done.
Now go treat yourself to a snack.
Double Done.
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
School Daze at Tellers of Tales -Tucson
WHERE TO HEAR SOME SCHOOL DAZE STORIES
Here’s the deal- Lucky me. I get to share one of my school daze gems on Sunday, September 13 2:00 PM at Tellers of Tales, an easy gathering of story lovers- both tellers and listeners. We meet at Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E Speedway Tucson AZ. Donation- suggested. Come join us! There’s time for audience stories too.
TEACHERS, PARENTS, PAST STUDENTS, & WASHINGTON SCHOOL GRADUATES FROM WEST CALDWELL, NJ
No matter how many years go by – and they are whooshing by, as summertime comes to an end, my morning thoughts are of going “back to school.” For 28 years, those morning thoughts began mid-August. in New Jersey, school starts right after Labor Day. If you were a teacher, as I had the privilege of being for 28 years, the rooms were ready for prep work by late August. Floors were cleaned and polished, windows washed, piles of paper, books, supplies ready to unpack.
Prep work meant getting the class list, putting up bulletin boards, pulling out folders for the September lesson plans- updating, using new techniques for classic, tried and true lessons. Shelving books, arranging learning stations- math, writing, computers, art, etc., etc., etc.
FROM MY SIDE OF THE DESK
The most interesting part began the first day – meeting my new class, soon to be “the best class ever.” I accumulated quite a few interesting stories from and about my young students- kindergarten – third grade. Also learned a lot about myself. Could only choose one story to share, and it’s a really good one!
Tellers of Tales meets In person. Sure, New Jersey ( or other states) is a long commute from Arizona so send me your humorous, or poignant true school daze story, I’ll print some here.
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
Imagination- Taking it to the max in writing revisions
IMAGINATION
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.― Carl Sagan
That was the quote that began this morning’s meditation session. It served as a little sparkling light that attracted my attention. It took me away from planning/scheduling/organizing my Tuesday.
Organizing for My Writing Day with Intention
Tuesday is my writing day. I usually dedicate 2 ½ hours to our Eastside Tucson Writing Room and my own personal writing. We share our intentions for the day or week’s writing. I’m happy to say I have accomplished a lot of things on my writing to-do list using intentions which are successful focusing tools for me.
Adding a Big Dose of Imagination
For July I have the intention to revise some creative pieces. As I open up the Zoom room for writing, I will also open up to that part of me that contains my creativity and imagination. I will pour the creativity and imagination into my juice glass and take a long drink. It will seep through my body, my face, my neck, arms, hands, heart, legs, my feet. My toes will feel it flowing up around my eyes, to my brain. Every muscle, bone, tendon, vein and cell in my body will vibrate with creativity and imagination. THEN I will reach over and pick up the document where I have two essays and two fiction pieces to look at today. Guess I’m ready for a deeper look at my writing.
Imagination + creativity + intention + action. This is gonna be quite a day!
Attribution
Thank you, Marianna Cacciatore, M.Div for offering meditation time that slows me down and opens me to worlds that never were – yet. Marianna Cacciatore M.Div. The Learning Community for Loss, Grief and Transition
Want to be with focused writers using intentions, imagination, and group support? Contact Ethel
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
I Do Love Summer in Tucson
Early Summer in Tucson. It’s Hot
Many colleagues and friends take to staying indoors or escaping to cooler climates- think Northern states or New England or even a drive “up the mountain” where temps are 20 ° cooler than here on the “way East side” of Tucson. 
When Tucson temps hit 100° or more, it’s hot. It’s dry. Leaves on the mesquites look a bit shriveled. Grasses dry out. Afternoon winds bring a prediction of the humidity and thunderstorms of the Southwest monsoons that have not yet arrived.
When It’s Too Hot Outside
This June my early morning wake-ups hold a sense of excitement, almost urgency. Water “Olympics” in our spool energize me. Then I’m ready to do indoor things. Today it’s posting this, and designing and creating July cards to celebrate accomplishments of people I love.
Creativity + Caring
Whether age, coupleship, graduation, or thinking of you, sending a real put-a-stamp-on-it-and-drop-it-in-the-mail card makes me happy. I like to think the recipient will be glad to find “real” mail in amongst the Urgent! Open This Now! ads to buy/sell your house (or your ugly house as some entrepreneur wants me to do), plan your retirement, plan “What to do after I’m gone,” or donate $, furniture, or clothing.
I’ll stick with the cards. The personal cards usually contain a photo culled from my 30,000 jpgs saved over decades. Since my stroke in 2021 I’ve been making cards as a comfort activity. A. gets a birthday greeting with a photo of her at age 2. My friends get a wedding photo from 30 years ago. 90% of the cards have slightly crooked corners or slanted borders courtesy of my brain cells reminding me things are not entirely “back to normal.” Others … well, I trust the sentiment shines through. I do think some cards are quite beautiful. They are all made with affection and sometimes lots of glitter.
Last week a tease of an evening monsoon kept us inside. The sky darkened, thunder rumbled in the distance and lightning flashes split the sky in jagged lines. Raindrops pinged against the windows of my office. Curtains of rain dropped from clouds toward the west. The air was sticky with humidity as two storms drifted in, thankfully dropping rain that doused the two lightning strikes that ignited dry areas in the Catalinas and Rincons.
Latest Read From the Book Stack: Solo Passage
The rain signaled a retreat. Head for the reading chair with a cool glass of apple juice. My ever-growing stack of books to read included Solo Passage: 13 Quests 13 Questions by Glenda Goodrich. The book came to my SoulCollage group courtesy of Kate DeVillers, a SoulCollage artist who visited Tucson to escape the Northwest winter (thank you, Kate). 13 quests take the author (and me, vicariously) out for 4-day quests – alone, no food, lots of water, hiking in nature, tenting, meditating, and journaling in search of personal healing and deeper self-understanding. Ms.Goodrich’s writing is visual, personal, and poetic at times. The insights shared and memoiric content remind and inspire me it’s time to put on my hiking shoes and go up our mountains with a journal for time in nature. But I will have to take a picnic.
What makes you happy in summer?
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
June is Aphasia Awareness Month- So What is It?
What is Aphasia?
Aphasia is a communication disorder that usually results from a brain injury (such as stroke, brain tumor, accident, or infection). While aphasia can affect one’s ability to speak, understand, read and write, it does not affect intellect. Many Americans do not know what aphasia is. Please do not judge too quickly ( or at all) if a person takes “too long” to respond. They are not deficient, “out of it,” or high. They may have aphasia.
Speech pathology, therapy, and organizations like the Saguaro Center of Speech and Language, or Friends of Aphasia offer wonderful support and training to recognize aphasia and deal with it. Brain injury survivors, family members, caregivers can learn communication strategies to use with someone who has aphasia. It can get better!
There are several types of aphasia.
The most common types of aphasia are:
- Expressive aphasia, also called Broca’s or non-fluent aphasia. Some people cannot find the correct word – it’s more than “on the tip of my tongue.” It might keep just fading in and out- enough where the person can only say one or two words, or gives up and is silent.
- Receptive aphasia, also called Wernicke’s or fluent aphasia. Spoken words don’t make sense. Sometimes speech comprehension is weak.
- Anomic aphasia- the person can speak and use correct grammar, but may have vague phrasing or substitute a word that is completely unrelated.
- Global aphasia makes both speaking and understanding speech difficult or almost minimal.
Regional Neurological Associates
Help for Aphasia. Make It a Set-up for Success!
10 tips for improving communication with someone who has aphasia:
- Continue to treat the person with aphasia as a mature adult.
- Reduce background noises, such as the radio, TV and other conversations.
- Reduce visual distractions, including the TV and people moving around the area.
- Be sure you have the person’s attention before speaking to them.
- Keep messages short and simple. Speak slowly but naturally. Speaking louder doesn’t increase understanding.
- Use gestures, facial cues and voice intonation to help the person understand the message, even if they don’t understand the words.
- Don’t assume they understand what you’re saying. Your loved one may respond with head nods and sounds of agreement but still not understand what’s being said.
- Encourage communication and be patient.
- Give your loved one plenty of time to respond, and try not to answer for them.
- Include the person when they’re present. Don’t talk about them as if they aren’t there. Just as you shouldn’t assume comprehension, don’t assume lack of comprehension.
Each spoken word is a triumph.
You are more than your words; you are a story waiting to be told.”
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
What’s Length Got to Do with It?
Chapter Length and the Joy of Writing
Chapter length was a recent topic in our Eastside Tucson Writing Room group. Should all your chapters be about the same length? Long chapter or short chapter? How long is a long chapter? Is there a just right “Goldilocks” length? AI suggests the average book chapter length seems to be 2,000 to 4000 words.
I’m musing about writing a memoir. It’s the story of a a five-year period in my life. How will my manuscript be affected by this average range of numbers? The length of my chapters? I find myself thinking, “This is personal.“
I have a flashback to early drafts of my first memoir. Oh, poor newbie me who had a chapter of 500 words and spent hours filling with non-essential, often boring information and dialogue in order to hit that “supposed to be” number.
“What’s all this bubkes?” a dear writing colleague asked as he looked over a word-perfect chapter.
I stammered. “Well, it seemed too short, so I…”
Jake held up his red pen. (Yes, he is a red pen editor). “Stop.” He started slashing lines, crossing out whole lines of my work! “Ok, here’s your queen bee in the beehive of all that “stuff.”
And there it was, pretty much my original, short little scene of a chapter.
It’s Personal Because It Involves the Reader
Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur “…Because every reader has preferences, whether they’re aware of them or not. Some like short chapters they can move through quickly. Others prefer longer ones they can settle into.”
Can I satisfy the adult reader who tells himself, “One more chapter, then I’ll close the book for now”?
Or the precocious 3rd grader who shouts, “OK, just one more chapter, Mom.” Does Mom know know Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has a chapter that tips the scales at 9100 words? That bedroom light will be on quite a while.
“…And you’re never going to satisfy everyone, so trying to do that usually just wastes energy.” Thank you, Dave.
It Gets Really Personal Because it Involves the Writer
Yes, it does help to know some suggested parameters. Mysteries, detective stories, thrillers usually keep that pace going, so shorter chapters work, 1500 -2000 words. Longer chapters help historical novels to establish background and character development. They hold readers’ attention by building the pace with more enticing “showing.” Contemporary memoir chapters fall in that regular average of 2000-4000-word chapters.
Regardless of genre, I like the idea of varied chapter length. Both my books’ chapters varied from ½ page to 10 pages. My first memoir, Thinking of Miller Place averaged 1800-word chapters. A couple of chapters held their ground boldly on the page at about 500 words. Vignette memoirs now log in at 1000-word chapters i.e., Mary Karr’s The Liars Club.
One client’s memoir had chapters that almost skimmed the surface of a scene. It worked. They moved the story along at a fast pace.
Chesson simplifies the matter, and puts the power back in the writer’s hands. “What matters more is that every chapter has a purpose.” Why this chapter at this point of the book? Does it set a scene or introduce a conflict? Will the chapter encompass an entire episode? What’s the goal of this chapter? Several revisions should enable the writer to get to the tightest, most polished rendition that fulfills the chapter’s purpose.
I turn to Francine Prose who has been my literary mentor since I got my hands on Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them back in 2007.
Courtesy of AI, here’s a quick look at Prose’s thoughts on chapter length. “Francine Prose does not prescribe strict rules or word counts for chapter length, arguing instead that form should follow function. In Reading Like a Writer, she teaches that a chapter should be exactly as long as it needs to be to achieve the desired emotional and narrative effect.”
Ah, the freedom of writing what the author knows is necessary. It helps me to have the opinion of someone who’s successfully been down that writing highway ahead of me. (Thank you, members of Montclair Write Group, Montclair NJ; Int’l Women’s Writing Guild; She Writes; Story Circle Network; Odyssey Storytelling; Tucson Tellers of Tales; and my dear colleagues at the Eastside Tucson Writing Room).
“Ms. Prose encourages writers to let the demands of the story, point of view, and pacing dictate when a chapter should end.”
Natalie Goldberg’s The True Secret of Writing ( a how-to with very helpful essays to illustrate her point) had some three-page chapters. Some how-to books have six-page chapters consisting of lists or step-by-step guides. Stephen King seems to agree with Prose. The Stand has a 50-page chapter. Misery contains a half-page snippet.
2 More Reasons Why It Gets Really Personal When The Writer Is Involved
For more than 14 years I delighted watching children’s confidence flourish in their writing – the topic, the length, the character development, plot, endings, illustrations. The whole she-bang. The foundation of our writing program was the Writing Process from Columbia Teachers College Writing Project. The freedom-ringing phrase the students heard over and over was, “You are the boss of your writing.” Ownership. And in each successive grade, they were able to be more discerning about what being the boss meant. It works just as well coaching adult writers.
Francine Prose encourages writers to let the story, point of view, and pacing dictate when a chapter should end. Who’s the boss of your writing?
Here’s another gem on my bulletin board. “Some writers write because they burn with a cause which they further by writing about it. I burn with no causes. I cannot say that I write with any social objective. One writes because one loves writing, really.”~ Tom Stoppard
I agree. The joy of writing, all the parts of the writing process, derive from the author.
What’s your take on chapter length? The joy of writing? Leave a comment.
- For more details about chapter length and purpose: Dave Chesson https://kindlepreneur.com/how-long-should-a-chapter-be-rules-by-genre/
- For embracing the freedom and joy of your writing: Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them Francine Prose
- For samples of writing gems- in short and long chapters: The True Secret of Writing by Natalie Goldberg. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
June 6, 2026 D-Day
Saturday June 6, 2026 10:00 AM Tucson Arizona
My day has been filled with office organizing, an hour of tennis, and planning a trip to see the Miller relatives in Illinois.
My sweetheart comes and sits on what I have come to call “the talking chair” in my office. He often moseys in to “just see how you’re doing” or “When do you want to eat dinner?”
Today it’s “Do you know what today is?” This is one of those opener questions that requires no answer. “Today would have been my mother’s 108th birthday.” Hank reminisces by dates. He told me a little bit about her job during WWII.
A quick glance at my laptop shows June 6. “Oh, Hank, today is D Day. Let me see if I can find them.” I turn to my laptop photos and scroll to 2014. “Here, here. Look.”
June 6, 2014 D-Day
My trip to the Normandy Beaches in 2014 with my husband is a huge contrast to our leisurely talks in my office. In 2014 we walked on the wide beaches. Stopped and stared at the calm water. Our group walked along paths to German bunkers. Many of us in our group captured the beauty of the yellow flowers blossoming all across the field down to the blue, blue water beyond the beach. There was an involuntary gasp from the group when our guide said, “Imagine this covered in blood in 1944.”
Looking at my photos I am taken back in time. Our tour group honored the 70th anniversary with a special ceremony. The Veterans represent survivors of World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, and the Gulf War. The haunting sound of “Taps” echoes in the open air. Tears slide down the faces of men and women within circle of the American Cemetery and Memorial. They stand in front of the 22-foot statue, “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.” Two of the vets in our group were those American Youth.
June 6, 1944
It might have been like this: Young soldiers sit in landing craft as they head in to the beach. Most are facing toward their destination. Old films I’ve seen show young, so very young men, some smoking, serious faces. One soldier gives a gentle tap on the helmet of the guy in front of him as they line up to get off. Another pats the shoulder of the guy in front of him.
I see a wedding ring on his left hand. My heart races.
Jumping, some end their military duty in the water; some only lose boots, or a helmet, or gun. They dodge machine gunfire, mortars, and mines to get to the beaches. My stomach tightens into a knot.
Bringing It Home
I feel gratitude and anxiety (a crazy mix) that men, women, families sacrificed their lives in wars. I am angry that this “sacrifice” still goes on. I remind myself to connect with everyone I see, meet, talk with, think of. Maybe a smile. A nod hello. To layer positive ideas over negative. To reflect hope and courage in the face of “oh, what can you do?” To be curious and open-hearted about ways we may be different and still connect with ways we are the same.
In the quiet of my office I think of our Metta practice: May I be free from suffering. May I be well. May I be peaceful and at ease. May I be happy.
Someone passes by on the front walkway. I send this to him. May you be free from suffering. May you be well. May you be peaceful and at ease. May you be happy.
And to you. May you be free from suffering. May you be well. May you be peaceful and at ease. May you be happy.
All photos ©2014 Ethel Lee-Miller
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
The Great American Grump-Out
You don’t need a reason to be happy. Just be happy.- elm
Morning calendar check: medical calls, move furniture in prep for carpet guy, go floss, take vitamins. A small whiney voice of “oh dear, too much to do“ is whispering in my left ear. My particular “too much to do” (TMTD) is like a mini-demon holdover from days of yore when my perspective on life was sometimes “life was no fun for me.” Not a good place to be. My particular TMTD is alert to any twinge of discomfort I may have, whether physical, emotional, or a wisp of financial insecurity. These days TMTD tries to move into my “space” in the guise of being self-righteous about the tasks of living a healthy, clean, orderly life. Chores, although quick to accomplish, take on an intensity not warranted.
May 6 Holidays
As I scribble the reminders in my already-crowded May 6 calendar space (do you sense that whine flexing its egotistical muscles?) I notice a small asterisk on my calendar. Hmm, what’s this? Click and I’m cyber-zoomed to a website May 6 Holidays. Interesting. Today is Nurses Day. Nice. And Crêpe Suzette Day. yum.
And… The Great American Grump Out – first Wednesday in May. Today! Down the rabbit hole I go. A day to focus on humor and positive behaviors; set aside complaints; embrace joy; pause. If I am a mirror, whatever I send out will be reflected back to me. TMTD, Begone! No mini-demons here today. Smile, go to laugh yoga online. Dance.
The Grump Out is certainly not a new idea. Nor limited just to today. An older relative had her own version of addressing a Grumpy Gertie. “Jeez, your face will freeze like that if don’t watch out.” Definitely a fear tactic. Being young and curious, I went into the bathroom, stood on a little bench to look in the mirror over the sink to see how long I could hold that pouty look. Too hard and besides, it made me laugh.
NO Grumbling/Be Happy
Without fanfare “No Grumbling” has had my back. My sisters and I have been doing skits, dance routines, and songs for decades. The laughing comes as we practice and then see our video results. Twin and I choreographed a full routine for our high school sorority. Anyone out there remember Green and White sorority at Calhoun High School in Merrick LI NY? The song? “Put On a Happy Face.”
Thank you, Janice A. Hathy, who started the Great American Grump Out in 2002. Janice was the founder of Smile Mania, and passionate about promoting smiles and no grumbling. Today’s holiday site and AI links tout more of the positive effects – less stress, a smoother time out in the everyday world, good vibes coming back to you, have an easier day, and it might even lead to a kiss.
OK, now I’ve got “Happy’ on YouTube and Pharrell Williams is in the house, singing and dancing. “Clap Along if you feel like happiness is the truth. Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.”
It could really be any day, or be bold, every day. Click: 24 hours of happy
Even my SEO Analysis is happy
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
ETWR- We’re More than Wordsmiths on Paper
Eastside Tucson Writers
And… we’re lots more than wordsmiths on paper
Take Back the Night
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.
“Crossing the Stroke Recovery Bridge”- Thank You, Tucson Tellers of Tales
I’m still jazzed from Sunday’s “event” at Tucson Tellers of Tales. My story, “Crossing the Stroke Bridge to Recovery” just skimmed the surface of this incredible 4 ½ year journey I’ve been on from a stroke. What made it so fulfilling for me was the people who came and listened, and those who were moved to speak to me afterwards about their journey.
Some were friends who have been with me all along the way since August 25, 2021 when I chucked denial and admitted I had a stroke. Some were people I didn’t know before Sunday.
My early recovery held days and weeks of fear, pain, and anxiety. Fear was blunted by cards, letters, and (short by necessity) visits from neighbors, friends, and friends of friends. I didn’t realize the power of their words then, for many reasons. One was some of my brain cells were on strike so the drawing conclusions part of my brain was not operating. But in retrospect, people and the words they shared have been the biggest “gifts” of my stroke. I do like retrospective musing.
Many “lessons,” experiences, learnings, and changes have, and still are, shaping who I am today in 2026. And that is- a strong, grateful, happy, very human, therefore fallible, and hopefully more adaptable person. It’s impossible to share in one or even multiple blogs all that has happened. The idea of a book is drifting up there in my neuroplastic-oriented brain.
So I’m declaring it here: The foundation of my recovery is connections and appreciation of being with caring, compassionate people. That includes curious people too. Just ask me how I’m doing.
Ask me, “Is everything back to normal?”
I’d have to say, “It’s a new normal.” And there’s more to come.
Have you crossed a recovery bridge? Mine was stroke. Other bridges can be the job loss, heart attack, other brain injury, car accident, divorce, family trauma, PTSD. What was yours like? Feel free to contact me if you would like to share- what works, what doesn’t work in your recovery. Stay curious. Connect with all things.
Enjoy every step you take. If you’re curious, there is always something new to be discovered in the backdrop of your daily life.
― The Light in the Heart
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gathering writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Tucson Tellers of Tales, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, New Story Pod, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.