Between Jest and Earnest

It's only a handshake. But it's a handshake that has stuck with me. It happens halfway through "Everything's Alright" in the 1973 film version of Jesus Christ Superstar. In this scene, Judas berates Mary Magdalene for her perceived wastefulness, and then turns his ire toward Jesus. The response from Jesus is both forceful and empathetic, defending his female friend's generous hospitality and reminding Judas that "you'll be lost and you'll be sorry when I'm gone." It's not so much the words of this moment that catches my attention so much as the gestures. We see Jesus reaching out to cup Judas's face. And as the camera pans out, we behold a small crowd surrounding Judas, laying their hands on him in a show of solidarity. Judas's face is one of wonder, frustration, admiration, and confusion. Then, the two clasp their hands together tightly, reaffirming a bond and a friendship that was being tested and stretched to

After Two Years, I Have a Draft! Now What???

A couple of Sunday mornings ago, I closed my laptop and felt pretty good about myself. I had a draft. A completed draft. Don't get me wrong, it's a flaming pile of mess. But it's my flaming pile of mess. It was two years ago when I started an exercise in self-discipline wherein I committed to writing a minimum of 30 minutes a day for 30 days . It was a success, insofar as I was able to stick to this commitment. But it also succeeded in helping me to develop a new habit. In the coming months, I continued writing for at least 30 minutes on most days. Have there been lapses? Yep. Plenty of them. But with a little bit of effort, I've been able to recommit. Ever since closing my laptop on that day, though, I've let the metaphorical dust gather around the manuscript. Most days, I wake up thinking that this will be the day where I turn it around. But then the day finishes, and I'm telling myself "Tomorrow you'll do it. Just wait until tomorrow." B

Feeling Overwhelmed? Try Taking a Nap

The Sentry (1654) by Carel Fabritius What is a productive response to feeling overwhelmed? I'm asking for a friend, of course. I just consulted Dr. Google on this one, and let's just say... The response is overwhelming. I did, however, find one article wherein the author lists four helpful steps: Take a deep breath Make a list Create a clear actionable plan Stop multitasking All of this makes sense. As I have said before , I often find myself losing my breath during the day. My chest tightens, my eyes squint, and my jaw clenches. It's all part of a process of going inward, of shrinking into my own space. I haven't imploded yet. Yet. Still, deep and intentional breaths help. And so do lists--to write down the tasks, and have reasonable and achievable goals. Then there is the avoidance of multitasking. When I'm writing, I do best when I shut everything down. All it takes is one email to pull me away. So yes, I agree. These are all he

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