Tuesday, August 18, 2026
I am a writer and my faith in the world of art is intense but not irrational or naïve. Art invites us to take the journey beyond price, beyond costs into bearing witness to the world as it is and as it should be. Art invites us to know beauty and to solicit it from even the most tragic of circumstances. Art reminds us that we belong here. And if we serve, we last. My faith in art rivals my admiration for any other discourse. Its conversation with the public and among its various genres is critical to the understanding of what it means to care deeply and to be human completely. I believe.
TONI MORRISON
Monday, August 17, 2026
Our mother did not like children. She couldn't be bothered. She hired a string of nannies to be the mother and then she could take off on vacation with my step-father. We did not eat together except on holidays with a large crowd or a weekly Sunday crowd.
I now realize how bizarre this was and the secret as to why my siblings are so damaged.
"Your sexy boots."
I walked passed graffiti on the side door of the Chester Street Chinese restaurant. White crayon scrawl on a flat mat metal gray door. "Your, sexy!" I wanted to add an apostrophe in your to correct it. or add boots to, "Your sexy boots."
I love signs and there are two in my neighborhood that I must photograph. Hand written scrawl about where to leave packages resembling an assassins handwriting.
I found a fun article about others who felt the same way in ECUADOR.
Dream
There were new neighbors from Africa sleeping in body-contoured beds of mud in garages. I spoke to a policeman about it. As we spoke he pointed out that a rat was biting my leg.
Seeing strangers sleeping in mud: You worry about others or feel disconnected from people going through hardships. A dream about a rat biting your leg often symbolizes a hidden worry, a sense of being undermined in your daily progress, or a fear of betrayal from someone close to you. Because the bite targets your leg—the body part that moves you forward—it often reflects an obstacle or anxiety stalling your path.
Being close-knit is not the same as being enmeshed. A close-knit family cares about each other and stays connected, but everyone still has their own space, opinions, and independence. Family members support one another without trying to control each other’s choices. An enmeshed family, on the other hand, has very blurry boundaries. Love and loyalty may depend on doing what the family expects, and saying no can lead to guilt or conflict. In a close-knit family, closeness feels supportive — in an enmeshed family, it can start to feel suffocating.*
Control disguised as love
When a family member treats traditions as non-negotiable, it often stems from a deep emotional need for security, control, or connection. However, rigid demands can create heavy guilt, stress, and resentment among other relatives who feel their own time, autonomy, or changing lives are being ignored. Why They Do It: Fear of change: They view alterations to a routine as a loss of family unity or a personal rejection of their values. Anxiety and nostalgia: The tradition represents a safer, happier past or a specific identity they are desperate to hold onto. Control disguised as love: They may use guilt or obligation to keep everyone orbiting around them.
Josephine "Jo" Nivison Hopper insisted that her husband, Edward Hopper, not use any other female models for the women in his paintings. After they married in 1924, Jo served as his exclusive model and muse for decades, posing for iconic works even into her late 70s.
Sunday, August 16, 2026
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The Table is Sacred
The table is an altar. The table is sacred. When she placed her homemade glumpki on the table people loved it and said so but Queen Bee had to say, I like more meat in mine. But luckily one brother spoke up and said it's perfect this way. I love it. Then the other sister accused her of eating all the egg salad. Did you eat all this? Luckily three other people said I had some! So she made more. People have no idea about table manners but the true meaning is they are working out a hierarchy at the table.
You’ve got to sell your heart, your strongest reactions, not the little minor things that only touch you lightly, the little experiences that you might tell at dinner. This is especially true when you begin to write, when you have not yet developed the tricks of interesting people on paper, when you have none of the technique which it takes time to learn. When, in short, you have only your emotions to sell.
F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
Two Dreams
I dreamed I was in New York City and I left my shoes at my previous appointment so I was heading back through Times Square to get them.
Dreaming of losing your shoes often symbolizes a deep sense of vulnerability, instability, or feeling unprepared in your waking life. Because shoes protect our feet and carry us forward, losing them frequently points to anxiety about your current life path, a missed opportunity, or a lost sense of direction.
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I dreamed I was walking through Times Square in New York City and someone complimented me on my great legs. "I am a swimmer!" I said and kept walking.
Dreaming of your legs being admired generally symbolizes confidence, self-worth, and how you present yourself to the world. Legs in dreams represent your foundation, your life's journey, and your ability to stand strong. Having them admired points to a desire for validation or pride in your personal progress.



