Karen Leslie

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About Karen Leslie

KL writes travel pieces, creative content, prose, and fiction. She leads motivational writing workshops and runs The WordShop where she's a Marketing Specialist. Her writing has appeared in trade magazines, business sites, independent newspapers, blogs, and literary journals. Education: B.H. in Journalism, PSU; M.F.A. in Writing, Spalding University.

How Do I Look?

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Lately, I find myself taking a second look at someone I love—some in my life a short time.

Others, my whole life.

I study their profile,

the bend of their shoulder,

the curve of their cheek,

the texture of their hair or hands…

And I think, “What if he or she is gone tomorrow?”

Suddenly they look different to me

As if I’ve focused a 3D lens—

Dearer

More sacred—and I shift.

I think, “What if it’s me who’s gone tomorrow?”

Worthless words about the trivial things

that slip out of my mouth so easily

bump against a new gate.

Other more difficult-to-express words from deep pockets drift up.

Smoke signals.

Sometimes they come out as sounds.

Sometimes as touch. Sometimes as a prayer.

Or a song. Or a scene.

And I shift.

We Carry On in the Time of Corona

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Sometimes some of us travel to get away. That space—that distance—from our home life offers perspective and breathing room. We get a chance to reflect on what is beautiful and what is broken. Often, we return refreshed, reinvigorated to dig in or embrace or forgive or simply slip back into our normal with a sigh of relief and acceptance. Sometimes leaving home is what protects it.

Safer at home

Now, we are home and unable to find much distance. It is true we are safer at home; this is also where we are most benevolent to other humans and this earth. What do we yearn for? Connection with the outside, other worlds. For me, travel and home are yin and yang: they are separate, but exist as a whole. One heals the other.

What we do in the time of Corona

We cannot venture far at the moment, but we can venture, cautiously together but apart physically, to raise salutes and lights and song and gusty cheers to our medical community. We gather, standing apart on our balconies or porches or at our windows to stand for each other, lifting our voices in a Santo Espíritu song; our voices may be thin and weak on their own, but together they chorus in perfect harmony. How is that? 

We see, because we must have space between us for a time, what we have taken for granted in the wild busyness of our “normal” lives. Our eyes are open to other’s sacrifices, to the frailty of our fathers and mothers, to the bravery of our governors scratching for answers to turn the iceberg around until their fingers are bloody, to the innocent carpe diem of our children, to the faith of the body that we, indeed, will overcome and rise again to our “normal.”

We fill lunch sacks for hungry children displaced from school. We sew masks from fabric we might have inherited from our mothers. We unite online in song circles to create new music. We journal this time knowing it will remain significant in our lives. We make December babies. I will never wonder again why my grandmother kept a constant store of canned vegetables on her porch…”just in case.” We will walk—oh, walk!—inhaling the sweet Spring air, sunning our faces and waving (at a safe distance) to neighbors we don’t know. Now we keep the space because, “What if we infect them?” rather than, “What if they are one of the ones?”

The list goes on

We stand in front of our bookshelves, maybe for the first time, to peruse book titles. To read, oh joy! We FaceTime our grandchildren to talk silly or read to them, just like we did their parents not so long ago, longing to inhale the scent of them again. We wait patiently in line to get groceries for a neighbor. We ruffle our furry friend’s ears a little longer, returning the look of thanks and devotion. The list goes on, doesn’t it? And, who knows what we will feel called to be or do next? The answer? We…

As I write this, alone with the sun streaming through the windows of my very sanitized and safe home, our collective generation is getting inked with a reminder not to take toilet paper or chocolate or health or touch or church or the freedom to move about the planet or voting or scientists or raising a glass with friends or sporting events or concerts or local businesses or work or the nearness of another for granted. The list goes on, doesn’t it?

We, together, carry on.

http://karenlesliewriter.com/seize-the-rain/
http://karenlesliewriter.com/a-writers-self-portrait-at-joy-farm/

A Day In The Life—Karen Leslie

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Spalding MFA Alumni Blog, 2017—On this episode of A Day in the Life we meet Summer 2014 graduate Karen (Chronister) Leslie, a fiction and travel writer based in Franklin, Tennessee. When Karen isn’t working on her own writing she’s helping other creatives to market their writing.  Karen has a wholistic approach to life and writing and I know I could definitely take a page out of her book to put into my daily routing.

Now, let’s hear from Karen:
When did you graduate?
July 2014 (Berlin/Prague Residency)

What are your favorite books?
Oh, wow. Charlotte’s Web, The Essays of E. B. White, Rebecca, Pride and Prejudice, The Forgotten Garden, Olive Kitteridge. It’s more about authors and stories…Elizabeth Strout, Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt, Kate Morton, Jane Austen, Frank O’Connor, my Spalding professors…I read a lot of print travel magazines, too.

Do you hold a full-time job other than writing?
I have a freelance marketing business, The WordShop, with several long-time clients and a few new, revolving ones.

What do you do?
I’m a Marketing Specialist: content creation, branding, WordPress website customization, strategy, editing. Last year I tutored this fabulous young writer, and this fall I’ll teach two sections of English at Western Kentucky University.

What part of writing do you like the most?
Thinking about it and revising, really. I love sliding all the possibilities around in my head. Then, I shake it out in the light. The characters have become so real, and I’m so compelled by their stories. Sometimes they come to my mind and I wonder about them like I do real friends in my life…then, I remind myself they aren’t real…But, they are, right? However, having written—having finished a story or a new scene might thumb wrestle for the win. Notice how I didn’t mention actual writing?

Do you work with an outline or just wing it?
I write the scenes I see in my mind—what I hear—as close to the time as they appear, so they are fresh. With my novel I have an idea where I’m going and generally how I might get there, but I like surprises. My best work and biggest thrills have come from flinging myself at the page and winging it until it feels safe to stop or pause. Something magical happens then.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?
No…I have plenty of long periods when I don’t write on paper. I’m always “writing” in my mind, so it feels like an endless ticker tape. That can be tricky. At times, I am immobilized by the noisiness of life. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t believe in writer’s block, at least, as far as I’m concerned. If I’m not writing, it’s usually a sign of having too much stimulus in my life, or too little life is being lived.

Do you listen to music while writing- if so, what kind?
Not usually. My helpers are candles, different sizes of hour glasses, and my writing chair.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Read. Work. Watch films at The Belcourt, a cool Art House theater in Nashville. Cook. Exercise. Travel, when I have a chance. Hang out with my guy or visit my kids. I love having memorable, compelling conversations over a glass of wine with friends, but they are so scattered around the country now, it’s not as often as I like. I miss my children—as in, an activity. All of these feel like luxuries for some reason. Perhaps, because as much as I enjoy them, I always feel like I should be writing. Always. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.

Can you tell us about an upcoming project?
Hmm…I thought I’d come out of my MFA, immediately polish off my collection of linked stories, and then, methodically move through the first draft of my novel River Town. Such a good, solid Type A plan, don’t you think? In reality, I’m not a Type A. The first year, I sorted through and packed my house after 20 years and moved to Nashville. Last year, I focused on submitting and got one of my short stories published (and stacked up a healthy pile of rejections). Somewhere in that time frame, the middle of River Town became clear to me. It was a true epiphany and exciting. This year, I’ve focused my time at writing retreats on fleshing out that epiphany by researching, scribbling character and plot notes, writing new scenes, and rewriting the first 70 pages of River Town. I anticipate another few hundred pages until I reach the end of the first draft. It’s a mystery set in modern day and the 1930s. A story-within-a-story with town life and characters living around the river’s rhythm. I’ve got a fascination with older women…because I imagine becoming one at some point, and I don’t expect to feel life any less than I do now. So, the developing friendship between the younger and older woman as they solve the mystery is prominent.

Where can we find your work?
My short story, “Home Run,” is published in the Menda City Review, Winter Issue 2017. My other writing is on my website at karenchronister.com.

What does your daily schedule look like?
I wake up around 6:30 in the morning and make a pot of Italian espresso. I read the headlines, check my calendar for work promises, and then, make a healthy breakfast. When I can, I love to eat outside and read something about writing, or the latest “research” novel that might somehow inform my story. This is when I write for an hour or two, or sort out my newest thoughts in the River Town journal, usually in my “writing chair,” which is, indeed, special. I’m not always writing my novel—though, I think I should be. Sometimes it’s an epiphany I want to sort through, sometimes a travel piece, or some nostalgic memory I want to capture in words. When I write, I cast Nostalgia as a big character. I use as many of these snippets as possible in the novel.

Writing River Town is still a scattered process for me at this stage, as if it’s so early I have to keep refocusing the kaleidoscope. And when I do, the pieces fall together in a different pattern. I long to be through this stage and have the first draft finished. Then, I read a little of The Writing Life by Annie Dillard and relax. It’s like I’m raising a child—that’s a long process with short bursts of joyful progress. I try to practice grace on myself.

If I had the luxury to follow this muse all day, I would. However, I must work. I usually put on some workout clothes, if I don’t have a meeting, and start around 9AM. Three days a week, I work until my TRX/bootcamp class around 4PM. I’m toast after that. This fall, I’m teaching two sections of English, so I anticipate Tuesday and Thursday will be filled with lots of nerdy talk about writing…and, time spent responding to students’ writing. I’m looking forward to it…with a little fear and trepidation, though. I enjoy cooking, so half the week, I might try a new recipe. If not, we go to dinner at one of our usual places. Nashville is full of culinary opportunity.

I believe everything I allow into my schedule and mind should positively inform my writing life. I’ve adopted a wholistic approach about my writing life since I’ve moved. Everything—and almost everyone—feeds my writing now. It’s a carefully crafted, unplotted life. Even my love life supports my writing. He’s a professional songwriter. We speak the same language, understand the creative rhythms that ebb and flow, and yet, practice writing whether we “feel” like it or not. That’s my definition of a working creative. As an extra treat, I’ve surrounded myself with people who don’t need an explanation for the whys and hows in my life. That started at Spalding where I found my “Core” people.

What advice would you give someone looking for a more productive routine?
My advice for a productive routine? I’d follow my original plan: block off two hours in the morning, turn off the world, set a timer or turn over your hour glass, and focus on filling up blank pages until your life demands you make an official appearance. I set out with this goal every day. I fall short, but maybe, staying motivated, putting pen to paper, and protecting your writing life is part of the journey? The good news is, no matter how much time you can carve out to dedicate to a project, the words have a lovely way of adding up.

Email me at awanderingscribbler@gmail.com to be featured for A Day in the Life.

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Mackenzie Jervis is a Summer 2016 Graduate. She lives in Texas with her husband, two cats, puppy, and son. She’s traveled to 65 countries solo, now taking the baby along. She blogs about family travel at A Wandering Scribbler while writing novels and binge-watching British TV.

from https://spaldingmfaalum.com/2017/08/24/a-day-in-the-life-karen-chorister/

Packing List—20 Things to Pack for Warm Weather Travel

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How to Be a Smart Packer!

I love lists, especially when I’m packing for a long-anticipated bucket list trip. I’m a kitchen sink kind of packer. Making a list helps me be an efficient packer, which is a work in progress! My mother—she’s the neat one—keeps handwritten packing lists in her luggage. That sounds like a great idea to me, so now I create and save my own packing lists on my iPhone in “Notes” or as a “Reminder List.”

Packing from a list helps eliminate unnecessary “stuff” in my suitcase. I have packing lists that are specific for warm, cold, and international travel. You might have a camping list, a cruising list, traveling with kids packing list, and a going-to-visit-the-kids list!

I’ve curated a new list with warm or hot weather destinations in mind. Your bags won’t pack themselves, but maybe sharing packing lists with you will take the heavy thinking out of packing, so you can spend your mental energy dreaming of soaking up the sunshine instead!

Here’s a just beyond-the-obvious packing list for warm weather destinations:

1. Sunscreen

  • Okay, this one is obvious, but don’t forget it! Choose paraben and fragrance free. I love Blue Lizard for sensitive skin.

2. Lightweight “Packable” Hat

  • Wallaroo is très stylish.

3. Packable Rain Gear or Compact Umbrella

  • Self-contained, packable rain gear is best. You can throw it in your tote when site seeing. If you don’t need it, it won’t take up souvenir room in your bags. I’m a Marmot fan, myself.

4. Walking Shoes

  • Bring at least one pair of shoes with treads for walking tours, hiking, and less than ideal weather. Sturdy, “pretty” sandals or shoes can be dressed up or down, depending on your itinerary. Colorful espadrilles are another lightweight choice that are happy and easy to find even on the road.
  • Suggestions: I’ve found that most European brands are incredible walkable, long-lasting, COMFORTABLE, and cute. I’ve included a few American brands. I own all of these brands, so I’m absolutely not goofing around with these recommendations! Dansko, ECCO, Taos, Chaco, Born, Jafa, Romika, Pikolinos

5. Packable Tote

  • Bring a packable or wearable water-resistant beach bag, fanny pack, or back pack for heading to the beach, site seeing, or shopping. Just be sure you have room in your luggage or carry-on for the trip home. My favorite is this stylish black Tumi bag. The sleeve that allows it to slide over my suitcase handle sold me.

6. Collapsible Water Bottle & Spork

The Mighty Spork!
  • Collapsible Water Bottles are genius and available on Amazon or at any sporting goods store. They are extremely packable and allow you to breeze through airport security lines (with the body empty, of course). You can fill it between security and boarding now that clean water stations are popping up everywhere. Carrying a collapsible water bottle with you will save you a few bucks every time you’re thirsty and keep you hydrated. They are also a “travel-green” alternative.
  • A fellow travel and writing buddy presented me with a spork one Christmas and it’s been a packing staple ever since. Obviously, it’s a spoon and fork combo, plus it has a short, serrated feature that works for most road trip grab-and-go fare. Thanks, Anna!

7. Sunglasses (see #1)

8. Clothing You Can Layer

  • Some islands and beach areas also have high elevations, so it can get cold at night. Throw in a neutral colored sweater and snazzy scarf to layer over your warm-weather clothing. You can always wrap your sweater around your shoulders or waist when you warm up (or throw it in your packable tote). “Breathable” fabric pieces are wonderful for traveling, too. They don’t wrinkle and allow for some fluctuation in your own body temperature.
  • A word about curating a “Capsule Wardrobe.” It’s the French way to have a stylish, minimalist, mix-and-match wardrobe. The pieces must be well-made to last years, cut to flatter your shape, and play a main or supporting role in more than one or two outfit combinations. For me, I chose three base colors for my palette: black, blue, and gray. I accent with red/burgundy, taupe, and white. Almost every color combination works. Pops of color or pattern come with scarves (which are easy to pack!), and occasionally a crazy shirt. I get to jazz up my jewelry, too. So, the focus is where I want it to be. When I started thinking this way, my clothing impulse buying disappeared. Now, before I buy, I consider how many different ways a new piece will fit in my wardrobe. The unexpected benefit to curating a “Capsule Wardrobe?” It’s so much faster and easier to pack! Want to investigate more? Check out Justine Leconte, a French fashion designer. Warning, her videos are a little addicting!

9. Travel Documents

  • Make a copy of your passport if traveling out of the country, this includes Canada and Mexico, folks. There’s still some confusion out there about this. Leave a copy with your loved one or your emergency contact at home, stash another in your luggage.

10. Government Issued Picture ID

  • While this includes your driver’s license or equivalent, if you are a resident of Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington, you’ll have to use an alternative form of ID (passport). Here’s an article on T & L.

11. Medical Cards

  • Include a list of prescriptions you’re packing in your suitcase.

12. Emergency Contact Numbers

  • Leave a copy of your itinerary and travel “whereabouts” with your contact at home. If you’re traveling with a tour company, include your Tour Director’s name and their office number on this list. Keep a paper copy of your emergency contacts in your purse, wallet, or luggage. Make sure at least one traveling friend knows where it is. Don’t forget to return the favor.

13. Cell Phone

  • A cell phone can double as a camera and emergency information holder.

14. Ziplock Bags and Packing Cubes

  • Ziplock bags are handy to stow your toiletries when flying, separate delicate items from heavier clothing, gather dirty laundry (okay, this might be a small kitchen or plastic grocery bag), hair accessories, quick-grab items in your oversized purse, handy wipes, daily vitamins and prescriptions, and more. Separating items in your luggage with packing cubes makes it easy to keep your bath items neat and out of your roommates way. And, of course, they help you unpack efficiently. If you travel a lot, keep some items in the packing cubes for the next trip. It’s an old Army trick, but rolling your clothing will squeeze the most space out of your suitcase and keep your clothing virtually wrinkle-free! Some travelers pack their clothing in extra large ziplock bags, then squeeze the excess air out. Voila! More packing or souvenir space.
  • Not all packing cubes are equal. Some are stiff and don’t last. PRO packing cubes are great because they’re durable and have a see-through mesh top.

15. Reading Material

  • One of the best things about traveling is the luxury of a little more reading time — or, a lot! While it’s more pleasurable to hold a book and turn the pages, depending on your luggage space and how many books you read while on vacation, an electronic reading pad is a convenient way to travel.
  • Choices! Choices! Folks, books matter because reading matters because Story matters. Story changes us. Story helps us empathize. If we become more empathetic, we bless the world around us. If we bless the world around us with empathy—good, solid, grounded, healthy empathy—we change the world. What’s that mean? Support writers. Support your local bookstore. Support your local Library. Visit my Bookshop Bookstore for curated reading lists (curating lists as you read): Karen Leslie @ The WordShop.
  • *www.bookshop.org returns 10% to independent bookstores. Go Indies!

16. Black Dress or Button Down Shirt and Tie

  • A black dress, constructed with jersey or a wrinkle-free material, is cool and comfortable for strolling through the streets, as a beach cover up, and to wear to dinner at an upscale restaurant. You can dress it up with a scarf and your “pretty” sandals. Button down shirts are a simple solution to dressing up or down. All it needs is a tie! (I prefer bowties.)

17. Mini-Emergency Pack

  • You can purchase a small, hard-cased emergency pack with alcohol pads, Band-aides, and such at the drug store before you leave or after you arrive. Or, you can make your own emergency pack! I always throw in a pack of Pepto-Bismal tablets, pumpkin seeds, and charcoal tablets to keep my digestive system happy and safe, especially when traveling out of the country.

18. Disposable Toiletries

  • Put your favorite toiletries in a 3 oz. empty, I-don’t-have-to-take-it-home bottle that complies with airline security and discard it at the end of your trip. Recycling empty — or nearly empty toiletry bottles — frees space in your luggage for souvenirs and makes unpacking much more efficient. The art of decluttering feels just as good on vacation as it does at home. I keep a box of travel items I collect (unused hotel room toiletries, a throw-away toothbrush, travel sized items, plug adapters, hand sanitizer, facial wipes, etc.). It’s a faster-packing method for the whole household.

19. Hand Sanitizer

  • If you’re a germaphobe, you don’t need me to remind you to carry hand sanitizer (gel or wipes) to wipe down phones, door knobs, toilet handles, and tv remotes when you’re traveling. It’s not fun to get sick when you’re on a vacation looking for a “Thin Place.”

20. Travel Journal — Capture the moment while you’re in the moment

  • Okay, I’m a writer. I read, I write. I teach writers. I encourage EVERYONE to put their words down for the shear pleasure of “having written.” It’s more than that, though. It’s a record of a day—or trip—in your life. It doesn’t matter if you think you can write or not, if you can put words on paper, you can write. And, you’ll be better for it. While I’m a big fan of slim, moleskin journals because they’re relatively inexpensive and fit easily in my purse or luggage; I really love to shop for a journal on location the first day of a trip. I often find a beautiful journal or tablet unique to the area. You could always look for ones that are roughly the same size and start a collection on your bookshelf at home. If you’re short on space, your cellphone can double as a travel journal. Start a “Note” named after your tour. Either way, capturing travel moments are priceless for remembering the fun little details or emotions you may forget…

Happy travels chasing your Thin Places!

~Karen Leslie

The Thin Places Travel Writer

Originally published on the BNT Travel Blog at www.bobnefftours.com©3/25/18 Ranks #1 in Google Search for: warm weather packing list

How (and Why) to Write a Love List

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PUT ON YOUR OXYGEN MASK FIRST: IT’S NOT SELFISH TO EMBRACE WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND WHOLE-ER, IT’S “SELF-CARE”

I know what makes me happy and whole. I also know the list of things I need to thrive is not simply filled with selfish wants—and, those things aren’t solely self-focused. Often, even if an act of self-care starts with a form of isolation, it will press outward in some way in want of connecting with another human being or a higher being. I believe we need downtime alone, with our loved ones, and with the world at large—all of these to thrive. To move out of survival mode. Writing a “Love List” is a good start.  

So, put on your oxygen mask first, friend. 

This has become one of my life mantras. Let me tell you that it’s not selfish to embrace what makes you happy, what makes you whole-er. It’s called “self-care,” according to Annemarie, my psychologist friend. It’s funny that I’ve had to learn this.

You fellow givers, empaths, children, and parents might identify (as I do) with willingly—happily—putting yourself last out of love for another. This isn’t a “wrong” message whispered from the deep; however, we might’ve misinterpreted it at first. Or, at the very least, we might’ve formed the short-sighted understanding that taking care of our loved ones means not taking care of ourselves.

BE-ing

We are human beings, as in be-ing. I’m not referring to Hamlet when he waxes existential in his soliloquy whether “to be or not to be,” I’m talking about how to be. Just…be, so you can find—yes, I said it!—or get back to yourself. Becoming your best self requires self-care.

Hang on. Just when you think I might be getting a little woo-woo or trying to loosely tap into a trending keyword, let me explain. I’m saying that writing is one way to practice be-ing, and thus, self-care. And, for now, I’ve winnowed it down to a simple writing exercise: the Love List.

Self-care requires stillness, silence, and a little navel-picking. And, getting away for an hour, a day, or a week, having meaningful conversation with a friend, laughing with and listening to my kids, breathing in nature, exercising, and detoxing in an infrared sauna. It always requires reading, writing, and cuddle time with my loves. That’s what I’ve figured out in my exploration of self-care over the past few years.

What you don’t see on my self-care list is work. That’s because, while it fulfills me, and because I’ve chosen work I love, there’s always plenty of it spilling over into my first life. As in, pressing the last bits of oxygen out of my waking hours. Work might be on your list, just take care to measure it by whether it’s an act of self-care or not.

SOUL SURFACING

This blog on self-care, in fact, is a result of self-care for me. I recognized a few years ago that I was constantly deferring my be-ing, and thus, my growing, to “okay, tomorrow morning” or “starting next month” or “in the new year.” I was chasing survival, rather than chasing a life in which I could and would thrive. What that led to, eventually, was apathy. I woke up one day and recognized that I had checked out so that I wouldn’t feel too much. I had given myself no time to process what emotions and epiphanies my life was producing. And, I wore myself out checking off my list of “to-do’s.” 

That led to my “soul surfacing” season. I felt limp personally, then. And so, by what was a God-breath for me, I rose to the surface and found myself gasping for air. I wanted to thrive. I wanted to stop drifting through my loved one’s lives and live in them. I had to put on my oxygen mask first, take care of myself—and figure out exactly what that looked like. I had to trust the process long before I heard the term “self-care.” I had to rise above the noise in my life, be still enough to hear what my soul was saying, and then, make healthy shifts.

MY STREET-SMART SCIENCE

It didn’t take long to see results from putting on my oxygen mask. I was calmer, happier, more patient. I started sleeping better, so I lost weight (no lie). My focus wasn’t as scattered. I finished writing projects. Most importantly, I began listening deeply to others. For me, listening deeply when someone is trying to communicate is the single most life-changing, outwardly pressing action that arose from my self-care. Newton’s third law is: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Out of every good act of my self-care came a good reaction. A good measure. That’s the street-smart, scientific logic I’ve applied to this practice. That’s why it’s now one of my life mantras.

As another outward pressing, I’m compelled to share this self-care message with others. I encourage my grown Mama-daughter to practice self-care. She gives and gives as a young wife, mother, friend, daughter, and business owner, but she’s learning much earlier than I did that it’s okay to give yourself gifts…because they keep on giving. I hear her sharing the message, the “permission,” if you will, in her sphere of influence. 

Self-care is akin to hitting a reset and recharge button. What I can’t and won’t do is tell you what kind of self-care you must practice to be whole-er. Though, I will offer some writerly advice on how to figure out what makes you thrum.

THE LOVE LIST

So, to the writing bit. As a writing instructor, I believe everyone can write—and, should! It’s good exercise for your brain and good therapy for your soul. Certainly, writing can be a conduit to the condition of your heart. One way to put on your oxygen mask is to get still and quiet enough to listen. There’s a running stream of thought—even conversation—we’re having with ourselves. Most of time, we only air out the safest or loudest thoughts, and then, they define us, whether we like it or not. When we write a “Love List,” we’re tapping into that stream while using a sieve.

With a “Love List,” we capture the beauty in our life, and usually, discover what’s beyond the obvious. I’ve found it to be one of the most accurate records of my life experience. Writing our “Love Lists” has the power to recalibrate us on overcast days. Focusing on beauty and how it speaks to us—how it moves us—is an act of self-care.

So, every February in “love month,” I write a new “Love List.” Then, I add it to my last one, so now I have an unending “Love List” as a partial record of how I view beauty in my life.

WRITING EXERCISE: WRITING A LOVE LIST

Setting: find a quiet spot with a journal or a blank document. I encourage you to hand write it, though, because the act of scratching pencil to paper exercises our minds in a different, deeper way. 

Instruction: set a 10 minute timer. Start writing and keep writing the entire time. Don’t erase. Don’t correct. Don’t re-read. Don’t stare into space (too long). Don’t worry if it’s “okay” to write something. Don’t put your pencil down until the 10 minutes has passed. Just write without stopping for 10 minutes. If you find you want more time, repeat your timer—or, ignore it and stay in the flow!

Time: 10 plus minutes

That’s a lot of “do not’s” 

What these rules allow is for you to just write. You’ll learn to silence your inner editor (she’s the one who tells you not to write things, not to write at all because you’re not a real writer, blah blah blah). You are NOT writing to your inner editor with this exercise; you’re listening to your heart and writing down what it tells you. 

Okay, so I get a little woo-woo with my writing exercises, but I’ve never run into a student or friend who hasn’t been satisfied with this process. It’s so freeing—and often, revealing! What it is, technically speaking, is a practice in stream of consciousness. Check out James Joyce if you want a heavy dose of it. You are following your inner voice. You might be surprised where it leads you and what you write down. Can you edit later? Sure. You’re in charge when your inner editor is allowed out of her cage. I would also encourage you to share it somewhere. “Showing” is a huge part of writing, and a list like this increases the world. You can also tuck it away like a private diary entry. This is a no-judgement zone.

A DEEPER DIVE: PRACTICING MY “READ, THEN WRITE” METHOD

This idea about writing is so simple that it took a beloved professor in the first semester of my MFA to sum up what is now my best writing advice: “Read, then write. Read, then write. Read, then write.” That epiphany changed my writing practice and skyrocketed the potential of it. 

I believe our writing is the sum total of what we read plus what we live plus what we practice. 

Whatever it is you set out to write, read a version of it. For example, want to write more stream of consciousness passages about other things in your life? Read James Joyce or Virginia Wolf. Want to write a narrative song? Listen to the best narrative songs. Want to write a news article? Read a respected newspaper or newsfeed. Want to write a Love List? Well, here’s one of mine. I don’t claim that it’s the greatest or most earth shattering, but it IS a record of what I love:

Being in nature makes me happy. Hearing the sound of water lapping the shore. Having an old conversation with someone new. Staring at pictures of my family. Laughing with girlfriends. Reading. Giving myself the necessary gifts of fitness and writing time. Making my mom laugh. Getting Italian cooking lessons from my dear friend. Watching my children discover themselves and the world and Truth. Being still. Teaching. Stepping foot in a new country and trying out a new language. Hugging. Nesting. Buying a new book. Eating outside. Getting a pedicure and haircut. Serving the homeless. Having conversations with children. Watching an old movie. Watching a new movie. Snugglng. Deep, nerdy literary gymnastics with my Spalding peeps. Attending a book tour talk. Listening to live music. Voxxing with a faraway friend. Having a girlfriend sleepover and staying up late talking about LIFE. Finding a new coffee shop. Laughing. Did I mention that one? The list goes on and on. I don’t have to explain me to me. What a relief.

Karen Leslie ©2015

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How to Make Perfect Baked Brie

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Making Baked Brie for your next gathering is a guaranteed hit. Baked Brie is easy and quick to assemble, and you can keep all of the ingredients on hand to throw together in a pinch. You can even assemble it the day before and pop it in the oven at the last minute. Voila! Delicious, decadent, gorgeous Baked Brie! Make sure you clear the area around the Baked Brie. It draws a crowd.

Ingredients

  • 1 Brie wheel or wedge (8oz + for party size)
  • 8-12 Phyllo Dough sheets or 1 sheet Puff Pastry (thawed)
  • Melted Butter or Ghee
  • 2-3 T organic Apricot Jam (low sugar)
  • A handful of Almond Flakes
  • Crackers of choice
  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3 with Puff Pastry option

STEP 1 & 2 ~ PREP & BAKE

For Baked Brie in Phyllo Dough – Thaw 1 sleeve. Start with a large piece of foil coated with non-stick spray. Carefully unroll Phyllo Dough sheets and lay the first sheet on the foil. Brush with Butter (do not completely saturate). Lay another sheet cross-ways on top of the first sheet. Brush with butter. Repeat until you have  8-12 sheets layered in a circle. Place Brie in the middle of the phyllo dough layers. Carefully fold layers to cover the top. This is a bit messy and the dough may flake. Press down to slightly flatten top. Spread with Apricot Jam and sprinkle with Almond Slivers. Brush exposed phyllo dough with melted butter. Do not saturate. Fold foil up around the brie and close loosely so that the foil does not touch the top (like a cocoon with a 3 inch opening). Place brie foil packet on a cookie sheet or directly on oven rack. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, loosen foil so the sides become crisp and golden. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Phyllo dough will be crisp and brie soft to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

For Baked Brie in Pastry Dough – Thaw 1 sheet. Lay down parchment paper, dust lightly with flour. Lay down thawed Pastry Dough sheet. Dust lightly with flour and roll until flattened a bit. Place Brie in the middle of pastry dough. Fold dough up around the brie. Twist or wrap the ends together. Brush with Beaten Egg. Do not allow egg to pool around the bottom edges of the brie. Transfer parchment paper and brie to a glass pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

STEP 3 ~ PRESENTATION

For the Phyllo Dough version, I removed it with a spatula from the foil packet and place it on a wooden cutting board surrounded with crackers. If you use parchment paper with the Pastry Dough version, you can simply transfer the pie plate to the serving area.

Crackers: My current favorite are Trader Joe’s Norwegian Gluten-Free Crackers broken “artistically” and stacked in a small colorful ramekin.

Make Ahead: Up to 24 hours ahead, do Step 1 (minus the jam and almonds), cover and refrigerate. Be sure to allow it to warm a bit between refrigerator and oven. Add toppings just before baking. If I’m able to use my host’s oven, I check to see if I can bake it just before serving.

A Note about Xylitol: The low-sugar alternative I have linked in the ingredients list contains xylitol. This is a natural sweetener, HOWEVER, don’t share it with your puppy. Xylitol can be lethal to their systems. To be safe, simply look for a reduced-sugar alternative.

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