Do you know the phrase ‘going dark’? In the theatre, it refers to that time when the run of one production has ended and another has not yet begun. In the military, going dark means silencing public communications and shifting to private ones. And in the life of an individual,[…]

It has been a month since I started my metaphorical road trip. Here’s what has been happening, divided into the RAW NEWS categories that I have been using since last November. Read I read eleven books this month: 4 nonfiction, 1 memoir, and 6 novels. The four nonfiction were all[…]

I’ve taken the advice that many of you offered in response to May’s RAW NEWS Update and have been relaxing into the outdoor work demands of spring rather than fighting against them. That little shift has made June, as you’ll see, a much better month than May. So thank you.[…]

Some sections of this monthly update post are shorter than usual. That’s because I have been very focused and driven in a couple of areas, and ignored everything else. It’s a good thing there’s research to suggest that an ongoing life balance is highly overrated. (Yes, it’s fair to accuse[…]

My RAW NEWS framework continues to work its magic, keeping me focused on my priorities. And this end-of-month accounting is wonderful for helping me look at the big picture, assessing where I’ve done well and where I need to tweak a bit for the next month. Here we go. Read[…]

I will attempt to mirror February’s status as the shortest month of the year by making this a shorter-than-usual post. Once again, highlights are organized using my RAW NEWS framework. Read This month was a bit unusual in that of the thirteen books read, six were novels. I tend to[…]

Even though this is my third month of living my RAW NEWS framework, it feels different and new because it is January. I adore new beginnings, although usually not for a good reason. New beginnings typically trigger my nasty perfectionism. I usually consider January (and the first of every month)[…]

RAW NEWS is proving to be the perfect personal growth framework for me. It’s giving structure to my desire to spend time in the creative areas of reading, art, writing and learning, supported by a foundation of good nutrition, exercise, and self-care. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, for the[…]

The scene is my art teacher’s sun-filled kitchen. I’m sipping peppermint tea and enjoying what turns into a two hour chat. Rod has invited me to visit because I have self-identified as an absolute beginner in art. The Absolute Beginner in Art is a Rare Bird For people in my[…]

RAW NEWS is giving me the new direction I’d hoped for. I’d known from the beginning that I wouldn’t get to every letter of the acronym every day, and I haven’t. But I have spent enough time in each that I am very satisfied with the month of November and[…]