Blog

Blog entries should appear below….

  • Fluent in Love
    In case you haven’t noticed, today is Valentine’s Day and while romantic love seems to be the focus of every advertisement, not only are there are a multitude of different types of love, but there are also multiple ways to love.    One of the most interesting books that I read last year is The … Continue reading Fluent in Love
  • Hindsight: 2020
    Regret is such a short word…and yet it stretches on forever.” Renata Suzuki I, like many, thought in 2016 that Hillary Clinton was certain to win. Donald Trump was showing us who he was on a daily basis. The Access Hollywood tape, asking Russia to hack the DNC, calling women pigs,bankrupting two casinos and stiffing contractors were just examples of his lack of … Continue reading Hindsight: 2020
  • How many tiny ripples make a wave?
    Perhaps you’re like me, inspired, excited and charged to make change, and five minutes later, whatever new action you want to take looks too overwhelming. I know a woman who is raising two young boys, works full time as a doctor, writes thousands of postcards to voters, co-hosts a podcast and probably makes her own … Continue reading How many tiny ripples make a wave?
  • A Call to Action: Assembling the Team
    You don’t need me to tell you that the situation in our country is dire. Covid-19 is sweeping through our homes and hospitals taking loved ones and leaving survivors struggling. Structural racism has created an epidemic of health disparities, vulnerability and deep unfairness in our country. Since March, five million Americans have lost their health … Continue reading A Call to Action: Assembling the Team
  • Some Things are Slippery
    Without any fanfare, I stepped away from reading/watching the news and being on social media for the past seven days. In a given week, I not only open up dozens of articles that I see on Facebook from the NYTimes, Washington Post, the Atlantic and other media, but I have subscriptions to a number of … Continue reading Some Things are Slippery
  • Starve a Fever: Not on my Watch!
    I once read that everyone believes they are the hero of their own story. Don’t believe me? Next time someone goes on about an encounter they had, listen to how they frame it. “Sure,” your dopey cousin will tell you, “I hit that runner in the road, but the sun was in my eyes, and … Continue reading Starve a Fever: Not on my Watch!
  • Life Interrupted…
    Today my kid was supposed to be in NYC, celebrating her birthday with a few of her buddies. A dear friend was supposed to be heading to Hawaii to take her grandkids on a long-awaited vacation and we had been looking forward to showing my parents Washington DC at the end of the month. Another … Continue reading Life Interrupted…
  • Reading in the Time of Coronavirus
    In which I recommend a dozen post-apocalyptic/ pandemic books  Ever since humans have known of a beginning, we’ve imagined the end. One of my favorite literary genres has been post-apocalyptic, not because I’m a sick puppy (okay, maybe I am to a degree) but because I’m fascinated with stories where we peel back every layer … Continue reading Reading in the Time of Coronavirus
  • The Stories in my Head
    Walk with me while I tell you a story, right? That’s the premise of my blog. But what about the stories that are going into my head as I walk? First of all, I walk a lot. Wasabi gets me out there every day, come rain or shine. When I was in Portland, I sometimes … Continue reading The Stories in my Head
  • 2019: My Year in Story
    At one point last year, probably as a New Year’s Resolution, I announced that I would read 52 books in 2019 as an attempt to repair my broken brain, plus 52 seemed a neat number because I was turning that age and there were 52 weeks in a year! Ah, the promise of a new … Continue reading 2019: My Year in Story
  • The Gift of the Year*
    I love the holidays.  I love the sight of a newly decorated Christmas tree, its branches bearing the history of holidays past, I love the smells of molasses and ginger cookies which I bake only at this time of the year, and I love the music which, in our house, I’m not allowed to play … Continue reading The Gift of the Year*
  • What’s in a Number?
    Lady Gaga’s crowd at Stad du France, 2012 I suck at math. Ask anyone who’s known me for more than a few days and they’ll universally agree, that I just don’t do numbers. Which is why it’s nearly impossible for me to wrap my head around anything like algebra, compound interest, angstroms and estimating crowd size. What … Continue reading What’s in a Number?
  • Yawning into the Divide: How Facebook became boring
    Is it just me, or have the non-stop memes, the incessant ads and the fact that I only see the same twenty people post (thanks algorithm) made Facebook—gasp—BORING?!? In an informal poll of three other friends, we’ve all come to the same conclusion. Mind you, I’m not one of those who have always derided Facebook. … Continue reading Yawning into the Divide: How Facebook became boring
  • Election 2020 Workout Plan*
    The 2020 Election is a few days shy of a year from now. If you’re super okay with Trump as president, McConnell as Senate Majority Leader, Barr as AG and a number of Republican down-ballot candidates winning , as well as some truly odious state ballot measures passing, do nothing more than vote. There’s really … Continue reading Election 2020 Workout Plan*
  • Facebook Broke My Brain
    Remember those 80’s brain on drugs ads?  Can it be fixed? I have a lot of beefs against Facebook these days. The privacy violations, breaking democracy, and the mounting evidence that Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t give a shit about anything but making as much money as possible. But a concern that hits closer to home is … Continue reading Facebook Broke My Brain
  • Metropolitan Life
    When I was ten the only thing I wanted from Santa was a can of Vienna sausages. That probably tells you a lot about me, including that I’m weird, but you already knew that. The point of sharing this here is to show that it’s pretty easy to make me happy (at least I think … Continue reading Metropolitan Life
  • The First Step is Forgiveness.
    You may have suffered a staggering loss, or come home with a new family member. It may be recovering from an illness, or accident. Or as it was in my case, a cross- country move that involved downsizing, two massive road trips and a golden retriever with separation anxiety; but no matter the reason, life … Continue reading The First Step is Forgiveness.
  • What’s in my room?
    A number of years ago, I went to my friend Kris’ piano recital.  I had known her for years, but till then, had never seen play.  We were the kind of friends who went on trips, celebrated Thanksgiving and had each other on speed dial. After I saw her perform I said to her, “it … Continue reading What’s in my room?
  • Our Final Story?
    What do an uninhabitable planet, decision making and storytelling have in common? Everything, if you read The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells, The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis and The Storyteller’s Secret by Carmine Callo in quick succession. Unless you’ve been living under a rock—of which there may only be a few left after the … Continue reading Our Final Story?
  • Have We Reached Peak Greed? A Review of Dark Money, by Jane Mayer
    TLDR: Humans and animals on this planet are doomed if we don’t understand the impact of Dark Money on our political systems. The 80’s are back, or maybe they never went away, at least in regards to greed. Gordon Gekko may have said “greed is good” in the movie Wall Street, but were we supposed … Continue reading Have We Reached Peak Greed? A Review of Dark Money, by Jane Mayer
  • Riding that Horse
    Lately I’ve been feeling something missing from my life. It’s an element of fun, mixed with mastery; a possible money pit that could become a side gig. What I need is a hobby. Usually this is what you say to someone who’s being destructive and would benefit from a little re-direction (hey Jared why don’t … Continue reading Riding that Horse
  • Originally Novel*
    As someone who identifies with being creative, the book Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant, seemed super relevant. In some dusty crevice of my brain, I knew I had read it before (it’s on my kindle), but I remembered almost nothing. I think that there’s a lot to be said about reading … Continue reading Originally Novel*
  • Chasing the Unbelievable
    I didn’t really plan on it, but ended up reading two books that were bookends to the historic 2016 presidential election. They were Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History by Katy Tur and Chasing Hillary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns and One Intact Glass Ceiling by Amy Chozick.* No matter … Continue reading Chasing the Unbelievable
  • Government is the People
    The longest government shut down in our history has just completed 31 days and even if there is an end in sight—which I hope there is, but I’m not optimistic—there’s something that has become painfully clear. Government is the people. Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was not only was famous for his “Fourscore and seven years ago” … Continue reading Government is the People
  • Ten Awesome Things I learned about Michelle Obama in Becoming*
    1-She wasn’t in love with practicing the law. “I wasn’t built to practice law.” –133. She also failed the bar exam on her first try. I’ve kicked myself around a lot over the last 25 years for going to law school and not passing the bar exam and wondering how stupid was I to think … Continue reading Ten Awesome Things I learned about Michelle Obama in Becoming*
  • Reading Resolutions
    2018 is creeping to a close and it’s been awhile since I’ve invited you into the 24/7 rage-fest that is my brain these days. While on a global sense, 2018 was a similar dumpster fire to 2017 and 2016, I’m grateful that it didn’t suck too much for me on a personal level. I had … Continue reading Reading Resolutions
  • I too, was separated from my parents and given a number.
    When I was a baby I was separated from my parents. The details are lost, but the story is that when I was days or weeks old I was left in a box on the steps in front of a police station in Seoul Korea. I’ve always assumed my mother voluntarily left me, given the … Continue reading I too, was separated from my parents and given a number.
  • Movie Monday: Black Panther Roars
    If you’ve heard that Black Panther is one of the most inspiring super hero films for its representation of Africans and African Americans, it’s true. If you’ve read that the world building in the movie is all sorts of crazy-good, it’s true. If you’ve noticed that this movie is chock full of ideas and themes … Continue reading Movie Monday: Black Panther Roars
  • Flipping the Bird
    I’m leaving Twitter today, not exactly earth shaking news–even to my 33 followers–but it’s been a long time coming and it was a easy decision after reading Lindy West’s article I Quit Twitter And It Feels Great.  I’ve realized that every time I’m on Twitter I walk away feeling even more anxious and angry than … Continue reading Flipping the Bird
  • Movie Monday: Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
    The first thing you should know about the movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is that it is from Martin McDonagh, the director and writer of In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. In Bruges is one of my family’s favorites and thanks to the movie, we were not only inspired to visit Bruges, Belgium but we … Continue reading Movie Monday: Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
  • Happy Friendsgiving
    For the first time in twenty years someone won’t be at our Thanksgiving table. I knew it would happen one day, I just didn’t realize how much a void her absence would be. Yup, for a number of reasons Dylan is staying in Chicago this weekend and while I’ve been a bit sad she wasn’t … Continue reading Happy Friendsgiving
  • Movie Monday: Mudbound
    Given the stellar reviews of Mudbound, which was released in theaters and on Netflix last week, I wanted to love the movie—I really did. But after watching it, the movie left me feeling more emotionally distant than I would have thought possible, given that it was about a subject I usually find compelling. That’s not … Continue reading Movie Monday: Mudbound
  • So What If She Flipped You Off?
    One of the reasons for creating my blog is to share stories as I walk through this world, whether in Marrakech, Manhattan, or my own neck of the woods in Northeast Portland. Usually my walks in Portland are fairly uneventful. With the exception of crossing paths with an especially stupid squirrel playing chicken with Wasabi, … Continue reading So What If She Flipped You Off?
  • Thor: Ragnarok
    I love watching shit blow up. This explains why I’ve seen almost every superhero movie that’s been released in the past twenty years. While I’m intimately familiar with all of the Avengers (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor) and X-Men from Marvel, and I love Christopher Nolan’s Batman, Wonder Woman and the Watchmen (all DC), I wouldn’t … Continue reading Thor: Ragnarok
  • The Sound of Silence
    Trump’s gonna Trump. I’ve said this since last summer during the ramp up to the Republican Convention and I still believe this today. You can be outraged, horrified and disgusted by his comments or you can be gleeful that he’s sticking it to your neighbors. You know, the trans/female/brown/sick/impoverished/intellectually vulnerable ones. This past weekend Trump … Continue reading The Sound of Silence
  • Get Out: Movie Monday
    From its opening scene of an African American man walking lost in an affluent neighborhood to the penultimate, where the main character—also black—holds his hands up to the flashing lights of a police car, the movie Get Out is both topical and timely. I can imagine sitting in a pitch meeting and someone is saying … Continue reading Get Out: Movie Monday
  • Walk with me while I listen to a story.
      For me, 2016 was the year of the podcast. While I know they’ve been around forever (one of my friends was doing one ages ago where she discussed The Young and the Restless) I didn’t find them accessible until I downloaded the podcast app on my phone and could subscribe to as many as … Continue reading Walk with me while I listen to a story.
  • 13th: Movie Monday
    One of the most powerful movies I’ve seen this year wasn’t in a theatre but on Netflix. It is the documentary 13th which seems appropriate to recommend today given that it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day. So here’s a really pathetic thing which I’m not sure is my fault, or that of my education, but … Continue reading 13th: Movie Monday
  • The stories we toss, the stories we keep.
    Toss? Keep? Donate? Each new year I’m all about streamlining my home. Getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. It would seem so easy. For a year or so I’ve been thinking of getting rid of our piano. It’s heavy, never used and while it makes a convenient buffet-like table in the … Continue reading The stories we toss, the stories we keep.
  • The Art of Politics/The Politics of Art
    Politics is the name we give to the orchestration of power in any society—Robert McKee—only the Godfather of storytelling. My original post today was going to be of a movie review. I am hoping to start something I call Movie Monday, where I get to share with you my insights of the best, or most … Continue reading The Art of Politics/The Politics of Art
  • A Field Guide to Pedestrian
      Well, 2017 is officially on the calendar and if you’re like me, 2016 seemed like a bruiser of a year, even if you didn’t personally lose a loved one, job or sense of purpose. Since my last posting I’ve been sitting on my butt, either watching movies, reading, or driving while something called the … Continue reading A Field Guide to Pedestrian
  • LOVING
    LOVING is the Jeff Nichols film about the two plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, the landmark decision that struck down miscegenation laws; laws that were a vestige from slavery which criminalized marriages between the races, specifically whites and anyone non-white. In 1958 Richard—white (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred—African American (Ruth Negga) broke … Continue reading LOVING
  • Sticks and Stones
    As a writer, words are my currency, and like all currencies, different words have different value. Say what you will about sticks and stones, but some words do more than hurt, they evoke fear, outrage or derision. Genocide, racist, apocalypse, pandemic, termination or circus peanuts are such words. On the other hand, there are words … Continue reading Sticks and Stones
  • No Single Story
    I have been in a fog these past four days trying to make sense of the election results. One of the ways I process loss is by reading; collecting every bit of information I can so that I can distill from it a lesson. I don’t think it’s just me, but millions of us want … Continue reading No Single Story
  • The Divided States?
    We’re going to be autopsying the body of the 2016 election for years and may never figure out how we ended up where we are. I sit here at 2:30 a.m. trying to fully absorb the truth of what just happened, that Donald J. Trump is our President-elect. I keep wondering if I saw the … Continue reading The Divided States?
  • Where to Find the Bodies
    Since today is Dias de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, I am inspired to share my favorite suggestion when friends ask what they shouldn’t miss out seeing while they travel. My usual reply: Go to a cemetery! Well, yes, I’m kind of morbid, but I also am fascinated by grave yards because I learn … Continue reading Where to Find the Bodies
  • The Twilight Zone for the Digital Age
    For me, it’s the second scariest day of the year so I thought I’d have some fun and talk a bit about spooky stories. The scariest day?? Election Day. No matter who’s running for president, I spend the day gnawing on my nails waiting for the outcome because I believe the stakes are that high. … Continue reading The Twilight Zone for the Digital Age
  • Why Pedestrian?
    See I really am a tree-hugger! After traveling to over 200 cities, or 24% of the world according to Trip Advisor, I’ve come to the realization that I LOVE cities. I love their energy, diversity and to be honest, dining options. I’m going to make a big confession, right here. Nature, wilderness, the boonies, the … Continue reading Why Pedestrian?
  • Why story?
    One of my favorite conversation topics center around media. Books, movies or TV shows. That and politics. A couple years ago I was having dinner with someone who started dissing the TV show Breaking Bad, though I’m not sure she had even watched an entire episode. Her complaints were that it was “violent” (It is … Continue reading Why story?
  • Who Am I?
    Who am I? It’s the pivotal question Jean Valjean asks of himself in the musical Les Miserables and the first question you’re probably asking yourself if you don’t know me and are reading this blog for the first time. Let me introduce myself. My name is Loey Werking Wells, and I’m a writer who’s written … Continue reading Who Am I?