Where do ideas come from? Is it the Muses? I’m sure there are nearly as many theories as there are ideas. Why do they sometimes flow like a meltwater torrent, sometimes stagnate like a murky pond, and sometimes dry up like a seasonal flow, leaving nothing but cracked, parched soil behind? Frankly, I don’t have the slightest idea (pun fully intended). If I did, it would make things much easier. I’d just provide the input, and the output would flow as neatly and predictably as through a canal. But there’s a reason why a meandering river is so much richer Read More …

You remember those penmanship lessons long (or not so long) ago? If your handwriting is anything like mine, you’ll remember them with dread. I think there’s a reason that “cursive” and “curse” share the majority of their letters. And yet I’ve returned to the age of pen and paper – at least for some of my writing. Apart from the obvious reasons – it makes me look fashionably retro, and my hieroglyphics thwart any effort to read over my shoulder – there are some less obvious ones why I’ve taken up the practice after many years of abstinence. Providence dropped Read More …