There are very few things as alienating as feeling like some deep part of yourself isn't understood, or worse, hated. We each have core aspects of ourselves that we prefer to keep hidden -- only showing them to a few people we trust. Sometimes we don't get to trust anyone, and we move through life … Continue reading Opening Up the Hidden Heart
Category: Self-Reflection
The Clarion Write-A-Thon, Week 4
We're halfway through the Clarion Write-A-Thon, and I've been fairly remiss with hitting my goals consistently up until now. I'm up to 14,535 words now, 7K short of the 21,500 that I wanted to have by now. I'm still working on my second short story, but Civil Engineering should be done today or tomorrow. Still, … Continue reading The Clarion Write-A-Thon, Week 4
Rabbit-Hearted Guy
No Shame Day was last week and I completely missed it, so I thought I would take a bit of time to open up further about my mental health issues. I believe that the more we discuss these things openly, the more people understand the nature of mental illness and the more we destigmatize those … Continue reading Rabbit-Hearted Guy
Notes From the Zendo: A Softening
Last Wednesday I went to the Kannon Do Zen Centre up in Mountain View to hear Natalie Goldberg speak. A friend had invited me to see her, and when do you get a chance to actually meet the writer of Writing Down The Bones? Of course, I had to go. It was a bit of … Continue reading Notes From the Zendo: A Softening
Clarion Write-A-Thon 2015: Why Am I Doing This, Anyway?
The sixth annual Clarion Write-A-Thon is underway! I've already explained just what the heck the Write-A-Thon is in Friday's entry, so I thought I would take a little bit of time to explain just why I'm doing this anyway. I'm not a rabbit who likes to pass the hat around and ask for things. I … Continue reading Clarion Write-A-Thon 2015: Why Am I Doing This, Anyway?
A Loss, A Memorial
The only memory I have of my biological mother is a phone call that scared me so bad I never wanted to speak to her again. I had only found out I was adopted a little while ago, and I was visiting my biological grandmother across town in east Baltimore. I met my oldest brother, … Continue reading A Loss, A Memorial
Kwanzaa: Dictating My Own Terms
Habari gani? Today is dedicated to the concept of Kujichagulia, or Self-Determination. That means that those of us in the African diaspora have a responsibility to define ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. Obviously, given where I've come from and my experience this is one of the Seven Principles that means a whole … Continue reading Kwanzaa: Dictating My Own Terms
Have a Joyous Kwanzaa!
Habari gani? My estrangement from the black community happened really early. To be fair, I didn't have a lot going for myself when I was a wee leveret; I was mousy and had strange interests, and my mother was an older woman who had adopted me and my sister even though she had her own … Continue reading Have a Joyous Kwanzaa!
The End is the Most Frightening Part
By the time you read this I will have taken my very first behind-the-wheel driver’s test, with the hope of getting my license. Yes, I do realize that I’m pretty old to be getting my license for the first time, but that’s all right. I’m excited by the possibility of getting my license, buying a … Continue reading The End is the Most Frightening Part
Working in the Nooks and Crannies
There are still too many projects but not enough time, but I'm beginning to think this is just the way of things as you get older. There are always so many things you want to do, but for some reason there's just not enough time and/or energy to get to them. Right now I'm still … Continue reading Working in the Nooks and Crannies
From the Desk of Jakebe T. Rabbit 