à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Writing
Amtrak Residency: The Perils Within the Fine Print
Recently, my younger brother clued me into the Amtrak Residency for writers, a program that has been celebrated in social media. Successful applicants will ride the rails for free, in a room of one’s own (bed, desk, and window), on a route of Amtrak’s choosing. Having traveled in a roomette from Boston to Denver in … Continue reading
Writing as Mystical Act
When I redesigned my blog in August of last year, I included a “widget” that shows what people are reading now (for those of you receiving this post via e-mail, it’s called “Current Reader Favorites” in the right column of my blog’s home page). It reminded me of a feature of online newspapers that indicate … Continue reading
The Power of ‘Ė Pericoloso Sporgersi’
Not quite seven years ago, shortly after turning 40, I spent a few weeks in Italy. I wrote about my trip on a low-profile blog I created as a substitute for postcards. In the intervening years, I’ve occasionally revisited the posts. One entry, Ė Pericoloso Sporgersi, has garnered thousands of views and several comments from … Continue reading
I Love “You”, I Hate “U”
When I first heard about texting, I shuddered. I didn’t understand the appeal of shooting short messages via cell phone when one could use that same device to speak to a human. Why send an electronic burp when one could compose a more thoughtful and thorough e-mail? But consideration takes time, and in a culture … Continue reading
What is “Spiritual Practice”?
When I began this blog nearly 18 months ago, I chose not to limit myself to a single topic or focus, curious to see what would emerge. Last week, buoyed by an increase in traffic, I redesigned the blog, making the home page more user friendly and dynamic. And I tried to look at my … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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