same kind of different as me

Here's a question. What do:
– a dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery in Louisiana;
– an upscale art dealer and self-made millionaire accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel;
– and a gutsy woman with a stubborn dream
all have in common?

Basically, a story so incredible and far fetched no novelist would ever get away with it. And it will take your breath away.

Same Kind of Different as Me is the true story of Ron Hall, a wealthy Ft. Worth art dealer, and his friendship with Denver Moore, a homeless ex-convict. Brought together in a soup kitchen by Ron's wife Debbie, the resulting story is one of loss and triumph. You can find out more/buy the book here.

There are some great quotes in this book, but here's just some:

“Whether we is rich or poor or something in between this earth ain’t no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless-just workin our way toward home.”
– Denver Moore

"just tell 'em Im a nobody that's trying to tell everbody 'bout a Somebody that can save anybody"
– Denver Moore

on editing and writing: be heavy and small

Elie Wiesel wrote a 900-page memoir in Yiddish called And the World Has Remained Silent (1956). But while translating the book into French, he found himself editing it ruthlessly until he had cut the 900 pages down to just 127. (Wiesel called the edited version of his memoir Night .)

He said,
"I was inspired by the marvelous example of Giacometti, the great sculptor. He always said that his dream was to do a bust so small that it could enter a matchbook, but so heavy that no one could lift it. That's what a good book should be."
— Elie Wiesel (b. 1928)

What a powerful dream to have.

where ideas come from...

Mozart said, "When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer — say traveling in a carriage, or walking after a good meal, or during the night when I cannot sleep — it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best, and most abundantly. Whence and how they come, I know not, nor can I force them." And, "Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius."

Happy Valentine's day from NYC

Jussi Björling sings Pearl Fishers Duet with Robert Merrill

what more is there to say?

running

"All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why." James Thurber (1894-1961)

faith and water

"To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float."
--Alan Watts (1915-1973), British author and philosopher

Sounds a lot like writing to me. The lightness that comes from faith. Trust yourself to the river of stories running down deep, relax, float and see where the current takes you.

Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy ...

you may well have seen this already (5 million have apparently), but in case you haven't... (I just love best of all the "Shirley?" bit)

if your photos aren't good enough...

Robert Capa in Spain in 1937, by Gerda Taro.

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough” Robert Capa