 Once my parents had a dinner guest, so we ate in the dining room where I had to be on my best behavior. A few minutes into our meal, this stranger spoke to me. “I see you’re a section eater.” I was non-plussed. What is that? He saw me finish my peas before I moved on to the mashed potatoes, he explained. Clearly it made an impression, because I still remember it 50+ years later. Was this a defining aspect of my identity? I think, yes! I am a section person. I like to finish one thing before moving on to the next. When I was a full time mom, it stressed me out to think of being something else simultaneously – teacher, writer, whatever. I’d rather be all-in, one occupation at a time. When I teach, I put off other undertakings until the semester’s over. It’s not very efficient. I have grown to enjoy alternating bites off the dinner plate. Maybe that’s progress. My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 106: 163 words, TOTAL = 17,517; 42,483 remaining
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 I want to create a yoga studio space in my house. There will be no stacks of paper, no electronics, no furniture, no food; lots of plants, a few art pieces in wood or stone, twining branches, soft pillows, soft lighting, trickling water, and music floating quietly. Also, a voice will guide me through meditative sequences any time I ask. I will go in there and let go of everything, all control, all responsibility, all deadlines and worries. It might be hard to come back out. My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 105: 86 words, TOTAL = 17,354; 42,646 remaining  I delivered furry Oscar home to his mom and dad after our week together, then spent the night with my nearby granddaughter and her parents. I baked cookies. I brought soup. I sang to Fiona and carried her round and round in circles while her parents went to get a Christmas tree. Oh my goodness. I could do this Grandma thing full time. Well…maybe not. But I can see how it might dominate a great deal of my discretionary hours. My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 104: 80 words, TOTAL = 17,268; 42,732 remaining  I listened to ethereal music from voice and strings in a cathedral in Bangor last night. All the music was in Latin, which was a good thing. Less good, for me, was that the program included translations of the Latin into English. By themselves, these sounds produced by violin, viola, cello and bass, by the delicate voicings of the organ, by human voices blended in harmony – elevate my soul, move me to tears. I cannot feel as moved by the words rooted in ancient traditions that no longer feel relevant, given the world we now understand so much more fully. Words exalting the poor and humble keeps the masses content in their deprivation. Patriarchal idolatry elevates men over women, and empowers despots. Why fear the Lord and grovel over our sinfulness? I want sacred music to sing of trees, sunrise, newborn babies, the cosmos, scientific breakthroughs, sharing, disease-fighting microorganisms, the resilience of desert fauna, the devotion of elephants, the smell of hot cinnamon rolls, and the moon lighting your way home. Then maybe the words could begin to do justice to the music. My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 103: 183 words, TOTAL = 17,188; 42,812 remaining  I should be grading annotated bibliographies, but sometimes you just have to take a morning and let it drift, like the motes of dust in the sunrays angling through a winter window. Having dogs is an excellent reminder that lying around isn’t such a bad thing. On the other hand, when I don’t have annotated bibliographies hanging over my head, this same Saturday laziness might turn crippling. Idle time loses its value when there’s nothing threatening to end it. We’ll see how things go when I take next semester off. Without external demands, I’ll have to invent my own, and try to make them convincing. I’ve made the decision to teach a new course next fall. With that deadline hovering, my idle time should maintain value for a while…we’ll see! My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 102: 130 words, TOTAL = 17,005; 42,995 remaining  In David Levithan’s YA novel, the protagonist is a “soul” who wakes up in a new, but same-aged body every morning – the only life “A.” has ever known. At the age of 16, A. falls in love, gets reckless, and tries to transcend the “rules” of existence.
Intriguing thoughts: *A. has no consistent gender, race, or size. Some called A. “he,” some “she,” and some “they.” It was a tantalizing illustration of gender fluidity. *About A’s constant body-switching, many said “how heartbreaking to never stay.” Someone said, “for some, it’s heartbreaking to never leave.” *It occurred to me this morning, as I dragged myself, exhausted, around the dog loop, that I kind of wake up in a different body from day to day. *Don’t we all wish at some point that someone we love could live in our body for a day, to see how it feels? Great book group choice! My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 101: 151 words, TOTAL = 16,875; 43,125 remaining  Sometimes I consider leaving adjunct teaching behind, but then… Connecting with any young people is a treat, but international students offer something particularly wonderful. They are a self-selecting population. It takes courage, curiosity, confidence, and an open heart to leave your home country for college. I’ve taught students from Egypt, Nepal, China, Korea, Spain, Japan, Brazil, and Nigeria. Avinia, a longstanding favorite, is from Indonesia. She makes sure I’m invited to every International Students’ Association event and always gives me a hug. Today was their holiday tea. Students leapt up to introduce themselves. Smiling Avinia introduced me to the rest, and said, “help yourself,” with a gracious sweep of her arm towards the food table. Sadi from Nepal painted this henna tattoo on my arm. Ivanka, a Cuban-American (from Florida) who speaks English, Spanish, and German, told me she’s studying Vietnamese so she can communicate with her boyfriend’s parents. I love these guys! How can I give them up? My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 100: 155 words, TOTAL = 16,724; 43,276 remaining  “You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind…It is the middle ground between light and shadow…a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of the imagination...” It is unfortunate that the phrase, The Twilight Zone, will forever be associated with fear and creepiness. The literal twilight zone – that suspension of ethereal daylight before night seeps slowly across the sky – IS a middle ground, a place to inspire the imagination, somewhere between light and shadow. It is a wondrous land, and lingers tantalizingly during the weeks around winter solstice. I like to travel there and release the boundaries of my imagination. ( “the-croc.com” provided opening monologue transcripts) My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 99: 116 words, TOTAL = 16,565; 43,435 remaining  Three sweet dogs Walk at eight Big fat flakes Wind, ice, drifts Snuff, scratch, sniff Grade some work Prep for class Rue the rush Oomph goes weak Roads look bleak Phone goes *ping* School is closed Dance and sing! Kiss dog’s nose Snow day, yay! Stacks of wood Load up arms Stamp off snow Strike a match Watch flames catch Slow down day Catch up time Sculpt a rhyme I’m here now Three sweet dogs My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 98: 75 words, TOTAL = 16,449; 43,551 remaining  Jonathan and I had granddogs long before grandchildren, so we’ve had lots of practice negotiating diverse “parenting” styles and occasionally volatile chemistry amongst our adored furry family members. Oscar is spending a week at Grandma’s. I had three dogs for so long, it’s nice to make a trio again, but the dynamic of three is quite different from two. I always thought my Clara was the clear alpha dog over all. In her quiet way, she always seems to end up with the prized chew toy, and no dog ever crosses her. I had no doubt that Oscar would fit back into the usual pecking order. However, this photo from tonight tells a different story. Look at all the room Oscar has, and poor Kate is half on, half off the other dog bed, which Clara is graciously sharing. Maybe my two old ladies just can’t be bothered to do any posturing at their age. Let the little whippersnapper have his kingdom. My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 97: 162 words, TOTAL = 16,374; 43,626 remaining |
AuthorRobin Clifford Wood is an award-winning author, poet, and writing teacher. She lives in central Maine with her husband, loves to be outdoors, and enjoys ever-expanding horizons through her children, grandchildren, and granddogs. Archives
June 2026
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