[Special note: By "this morning" in the next paragraph, I obviously mean, "last week," i.e., when I began writing this post; as opposed to when I continued rewriting and editing it; as opposed to when I finally clicked "Publish"! Onward …] Walking home this morning (now known as "a week ago, 10/12/22"), after dropping offContinue reading “Procrastinators Unite … Tomorrow! (He said last Thursday)”
Category Archives: confessional
The 2022 (Belated) Birthday Post—The Day After …
"i feel nostalgia for things i'd never known." — I Keep a Diary It couldn't have been more than a few years ago, during the early-to-mid-Aughts-heyday of the independent blogger, I brought this little site to life. I did so out of boredom during my time occupying an undeniably cushy but wholly uninteresting job. IContinue reading “The 2022 (Belated) Birthday Post—The Day After …”
Facing 50: Deconstructing and re-editing my three-act structure
I was born in San Francisco 50 years ago tomorrow, and for the last several months when anyone has asked me that most terrible of conversation starters—“How are you?”—I have replied with some variable of the following: “Hopefully, reaching the end of this 25-year midlife crisis.” As my few most-recent attempts to resurrect this digitalContinue reading “Facing 50: Deconstructing and re-editing my three-act structure”
Planning on rebooting and now maybe Doing … Again
TREMORS: "We plan ahead, that way, we don't do anything right now." I am a “Planner.” A “Doer?” Sure. For years, decades even, I was a “Doer.” And even when I fell short of “Doing,” I drew from a war chest of great excuses, thereby allowing myself to retain that “Doer” mantle. And yet, justContinue reading “Planning on rebooting and now maybe Doing … Again”
The (still-not-quite) daily check-in: A journey in search of self-compassion
Self-Compassion:Graphic by Hugo Hinojosa for The Prospector (theprospectordaily.com) Yesterday was Monday right? I could swear yesterday was Monday. On Monday, I mentioned launching a “daily check-in” in this space, and yet, I realized that I set no goals; I only offered examples of what I intended to write using two previous, originally more private, let’sContinue reading “The (still-not-quite) daily check-in: A journey in search of self-compassion”
Writing about not writing: Creating a conclusion to a never-ending Series
I have focus issues. I suppose the title of this blog indicates as much, but when I first used it (literally 30 years ago for my UCLA Daily Bruin column), I did not yet possess that awareness. I considered “Out of Focus” a simple, slightly self-deprecating title that would simultaneously contextualize my column as oneContinue reading “Writing about not writing: Creating a conclusion to a never-ending Series”
Happy New Year: Once Upon a Time … Rebooting a Decade With Year 1
Photo by: Markus Winkler on Unsplash I realize saying “good riddance” to 2020 became cliche around midsummer of that turd of year, but right now, as I sit aiming to accomplish my first SMART goal 2021, I can’t help but hope a decade from now I can see last year as the nadir from whichContinue reading “Happy New Year: Once Upon a Time … Rebooting a Decade With Year 1”
(Wishing I could wish) Happy birthday Dad: An overdue memorial, first in a series?
Seventy-six years ago today, Stephen Mark Dobbs was born in San Francisco. I write “Stephen Mark Dobbs” because my dad was a fan of using full names. If he mailed something to me, he inevitably addressed the envelope to “Aaron Marc Dobbs.” (Let’s not discuss the weird middle name thing right now, OK?) My dadContinue reading “(Wishing I could wish) Happy birthday Dad: An overdue memorial, first in a series?”
Out of Focus 