In this episode, I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and my delightful daughter, Miss O. Miss O shares a personal narrative that’s she written as an assignment in 3rd grade. And then she tells us what a hook is and what she’s learned about drawing in an audience by using one. She fills us … More Episode 45: Third Grade Writing Wisdom with Miss “O”
Heads Up, and Gobble Gobble… I can’t help but share a ‘take two’ of this Thanksgiving piece. Of all the things I wrote on WordPress last year, a post about mashed potatoes still gets a lot of attention. I suspect it has little to do with the holiday itself – or the spuds in question … More Mashed Potato Madness
In this episode of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast, I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and writer and author, Brian Hannon. Brian is one of our colleagues on the Heart of the Matter blog and we love the inspiration he brings forward about writing and creativity on a regular basis. In … More Episode 44: Hot Tips For Writing About Family with Brian Hannon
On this past Saturday morning, I was sitting on my meditation cushion on a dark, blustery morning in a room lit only by candles, listening to a storm lash the branches against the side of the house and the rain hit the windows of the French doors in front of me. There’s nothing like a … More Port In a Storm
Nine years ago tomorrow my 79-year-old dad got on a bike to get a little exercise, was three blocks from home when he collided with a car, suffered blunt force trauma to his neck, and then died almost instantly. There have been many times I’ve wanted to change the reality of that description above. Sometimes … More Gratitude versus Greed
Hello there! As we focus on gratitude in the month of November here at Heart of the Matter, let me say this: I’m grateful to you for reading and allowing me the privilege of sharing a very personal family story. Thank you so much for joining me for the last two installments of the “Disappearing … More The Disappearing Girl – Part III
In this episode, I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and we are talking about the courage to keep trying. We open the podcast with some laughter about some silly stories with my kids where I’ve made mistakes. And it paves the way for a deep conversation about risk-taking, trying new things, and the journey … More Episode 42: The Courage To Keep Trying with Vicki and Wynne
When we brought our puppy home in early August, the weather was sunny, with 14 hour days and warm nights. The cushions were out on the front porch furniture and the doors to come inside were open 80% of the time. And our cat refused to meet the new puppy. She preferred to stay outside … More We’ll Call it Courage Anyway
Are you ready for some spooky talk? In this episode of the podcast, I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and we are back with author and blogger, Mark Petruska. We hope you are ready for some fun because Mark has a story to tell — a spine-tingling paranormal tale if ever there was one! … More Episode 41: Enter If You Dare with Mark Petruska
I know I have the upper hand here when I say “everything is beautiful.” I’m an artist, and as a visual creator, we can’t help but take in, absorb, and process the world through our eyes first. Everything goes through our eyes, even before it hits our brains and our hearts, our senses and our guts. I suppose that’s true for everyone, so maybe I should say things differently. Artists notice more with our eyes, take in more with our eyes, and honor what we see a lot more than most. And I do believe that artists are the only people who have an excuse to be called superficial. Because we honestly can’t help it. However, I do think viewing the world through dialed-up eyesight can be learned and cultivated, if you’re interested in giving it a try. … More Everything Is Beautiful
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