Excited to see where The Stacks take you, Matthew. Thank you for putting yourself out there, as that is clearly not something you're always comfortable with. It is inspiring.
Really appreciate that Troy. At breakfast this morning my son and I were chatting. He told me that it meant a lot to him for me to be so vulnerable in my writing and that he felt it made me more approachable. It is hard letting down our walls that we have used to protect ourselves but if we always hide behind walls then we miss out on seeing the good stuff in life.
Well, shit. Is someone cutting onions around here...? I mean, is there anyone else on the planet you want your writing to affect more than your own child? That's just beautiful, and very cool.
One of my absolute favorite songs Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne, and in it there is a line which I think is so proudly beautiful and apt:
"Don't put your trust in walls, 'cause walls will only crush you when they fall."
"Next week we will talk about my vision for this space and how I hope we can build an ongoing conversation around the intersection of our lives with literature"
Yes, looking forward to it! I appreciate the bold honesty of this post.
Also, to answer your question, my favorite season is Fall cause it's not toooo hot and not tooooo cold (yet). Like most normal people, I'm not a fan of extreme temperatures.
My favorite season is Fall. Like Macy, the weather suits me better. With my disability, I don't do well in hot weather. I like the colors of Fall—even here in California.
We lived in San Diego for three years and the weather was my favorite part of living there. I am not a big fan of hot weather. I feel forced to stay indoors to stay cool.
I am hoping to relocate to somewhere on the Pacific coast to settle in for my retirement. Carlsbad, north of San Diego is one place I plan on looking at.
I kind of love San Diego, but paradoxically, I have managed to be there during heat waves—twice!
Pre-Airbnb, my parents sometimes rented a cottage in Carmel for our family of four at Thanksgiving. The year I was 14, I stayed at the cottage while my parents took my little sister out for shopping and lunch.
I lay on a day-bed by the window and looked forward to reading—The Exorcist. It was a best seller at time.
I had just started the book, and there were descriptions of unexplained knocking in the attic, in the book.
About this time, a weird knocking started up on the roof above me. It was loud and intermittent and was scaring the shit out of me!
I got up and looked around the small house and couldn't find the source of the knocking.
Eventually, I figured out that a squirrel was taking nuts from the tree outside my window and rolling them down the slope of the roof! Very atmospheric background noise for my reading.😈
That is hilarious, though spooky at the time I am sure! I watched the movie years ago but never read the book. Thanks for sharing this really cool experience.
The book was better than the movie, which went for gross-out scenes that distracted from the psychological “horror.”
I also wanted to comment on your post—don’t be hesitant about straying off the path of your main focus sometimes. As a reader of many stacks, I can say that when I feel like I am getting to know the writer, theirs is the stack I most look forward to reading.
I will need to pick up the book then for sure as the movie was just so so in my opinion. I appreciate the encouragement and vote of confidence. I genuinely want this to be a community conversation place so I am going to try to keep it real and if we get off the tracks then so be it! I hope everyone is along for the ride. :)
Thank you! It is such an inspiring time of the year for me. We lived in Washington for eight years and then California for three years. We never really experienced seasons during that time which was probably due to our location right on the coast. I have definitely enjoyed having the changing seasons back as a part of my life since moving to the eastern half of the country.
It's heartwarming to hear about the moments of connection, family, and growth that have shaped your experiences. And thank you for sharing such a beautiful reflection on autumn and Thanksgiving, and for giving us a glimpse into your life's journey.
I really enjoyed this, Matthew. Thank you for sharing. And both pieces you linked to struck a chord and prompted comments to Monique and Alexander. Now subscribed to follow your journey. For no particular reason, just instinct, but I wonder if you might enjoy words and thoughts by Will Johnson (his Fenland Musings).
I really appreciate your taking the time to read and comment. Means a lot. I will definitely check out Will's writing and I appreciate the recommendation. Always looking for interesting things to read.
Thanks, Matthew. This is the first post I've read of yours and I really like your voice.
I was also inspired by Susan Cain's Quiet, and subscribe to her blog. It was really helpful just to know that introverts are drained by socializing while extroverts are energized. I think of this all the time!
Going to subscribe to your blog now. Oh, and I was thinking you might like my latest post, "From Hardy Boys to Henry Thoreau: Screwing Up Your Life is Always Better With Books."
Don, yes I read your post and enjoyed it quite a bit. Thanks! Appreciate you stopping by to read and take the time to comment. Means a lot. All the best.
Excited to see where The Stacks take you, Matthew. Thank you for putting yourself out there, as that is clearly not something you're always comfortable with. It is inspiring.
Really appreciate that Troy. At breakfast this morning my son and I were chatting. He told me that it meant a lot to him for me to be so vulnerable in my writing and that he felt it made me more approachable. It is hard letting down our walls that we have used to protect ourselves but if we always hide behind walls then we miss out on seeing the good stuff in life.
Well, shit. Is someone cutting onions around here...? I mean, is there anyone else on the planet you want your writing to affect more than your own child? That's just beautiful, and very cool.
One of my absolute favorite songs Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne, and in it there is a line which I think is so proudly beautiful and apt:
"Don't put your trust in walls, 'cause walls will only crush you when they fall."
Amen to that!
Wonderful read! To see you evolving from a more introspective reflection to opening up in this way is great to see.
Thanks Jack. Appreciate the kind words and support.
"Next week we will talk about my vision for this space and how I hope we can build an ongoing conversation around the intersection of our lives with literature"
Yes, looking forward to it! I appreciate the bold honesty of this post.
Also, to answer your question, my favorite season is Fall cause it's not toooo hot and not tooooo cold (yet). Like most normal people, I'm not a fan of extreme temperatures.
Looking forward to seeing where you go with the newsletter next 😀
Thanks so much Kate. Really appreciate your support. Keep me honest if I start to get of track!
Sometimes, getting off track is the fun part 😉
I am all about keeping it fun! Prepare for derailing!
My favorite season is Fall. Like Macy, the weather suits me better. With my disability, I don't do well in hot weather. I like the colors of Fall—even here in California.
We lived in San Diego for three years and the weather was my favorite part of living there. I am not a big fan of hot weather. I feel forced to stay indoors to stay cool.
I am hoping to relocate to somewhere on the Pacific coast to settle in for my retirement. Carlsbad, north of San Diego is one place I plan on looking at.
I kind of love San Diego, but paradoxically, I have managed to be there during heat waves—twice!
We visited Carlsbad a couple times to take the kids to Legoland. Nice area. San Diego was wonderful but far too expensive in my opinion.
I just thought of a Thanksgiving AND book tie-in!
Pre-Airbnb, my parents sometimes rented a cottage in Carmel for our family of four at Thanksgiving. The year I was 14, I stayed at the cottage while my parents took my little sister out for shopping and lunch.
I lay on a day-bed by the window and looked forward to reading—The Exorcist. It was a best seller at time.
I had just started the book, and there were descriptions of unexplained knocking in the attic, in the book.
About this time, a weird knocking started up on the roof above me. It was loud and intermittent and was scaring the shit out of me!
I got up and looked around the small house and couldn't find the source of the knocking.
Eventually, I figured out that a squirrel was taking nuts from the tree outside my window and rolling them down the slope of the roof! Very atmospheric background noise for my reading.😈
That is hilarious, though spooky at the time I am sure! I watched the movie years ago but never read the book. Thanks for sharing this really cool experience.
The book was better than the movie, which went for gross-out scenes that distracted from the psychological “horror.”
I also wanted to comment on your post—don’t be hesitant about straying off the path of your main focus sometimes. As a reader of many stacks, I can say that when I feel like I am getting to know the writer, theirs is the stack I most look forward to reading.
I will need to pick up the book then for sure as the movie was just so so in my opinion. I appreciate the encouragement and vote of confidence. I genuinely want this to be a community conversation place so I am going to try to keep it real and if we get off the tracks then so be it! I hope everyone is along for the ride. :)
Love your description of autumn. We've been in California for many years, but fall remains one thing I will always miss about life on the East Coast.
Thank you! It is such an inspiring time of the year for me. We lived in Washington for eight years and then California for three years. We never really experienced seasons during that time which was probably due to our location right on the coast. I have definitely enjoyed having the changing seasons back as a part of my life since moving to the eastern half of the country.
It's heartwarming to hear about the moments of connection, family, and growth that have shaped your experiences. And thank you for sharing such a beautiful reflection on autumn and Thanksgiving, and for giving us a glimpse into your life's journey.
Thanks Winston. Always appreciate your kind and encouraging words.
I really enjoyed this, Matthew. Thank you for sharing. And both pieces you linked to struck a chord and prompted comments to Monique and Alexander. Now subscribed to follow your journey. For no particular reason, just instinct, but I wonder if you might enjoy words and thoughts by Will Johnson (his Fenland Musings).
I really appreciate your taking the time to read and comment. Means a lot. I will definitely check out Will's writing and I appreciate the recommendation. Always looking for interesting things to read.
Will is a very thoughtful, reflective guy, much inspired by poetry (John O'Donohue and many others) and his emerging practice to help others.
Thanks, Matthew. This is the first post I've read of yours and I really like your voice.
I was also inspired by Susan Cain's Quiet, and subscribe to her blog. It was really helpful just to know that introverts are drained by socializing while extroverts are energized. I think of this all the time!
Going to subscribe to your blog now. Oh, and I was thinking you might like my latest post, "From Hardy Boys to Henry Thoreau: Screwing Up Your Life is Always Better With Books."
Don, yes I read your post and enjoyed it quite a bit. Thanks! Appreciate you stopping by to read and take the time to comment. Means a lot. All the best.