Dan Hiland
Former technical writer who now just writes for pleasure. Creative nonfiction is my focus, and I've self-published two books on Amazon. If you have any questions about memoirs or journaling, please ask.
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Recent comments
"Very nice style. You're using your senses to describe the beach and everything else, and that draws in readers every time."
"As one who has been keeping a journal since 1975- back when dinosaurs still roamed distant places on the Earth- I applaud your desire to document your life. My only advice would be to keep track of your life details in private, but share what you learn in public (online), using a story structure. People can relate to stories. But you'll burn out (like I have in the past) by only sharing details. Keep telling us about what you have learned- and share maybe once a week or so; otherwise, process will burn you out. Cheers!"
"Your use of the word "glimmers" reminds me of my favorite memoir book for beginners, by Lisa Norton: "Shimmering Images"- those incidents and images in your mind that just won't let go of you (or is it the other way around?) She suggests making a list of a bunch of related images, then picking one and expanding on nit. Then doing that with another image and another. Finally, she suggests connecting them. You end up with an episodic account of a meaning-filled period in your life."
"Your words remind me of what happened when I was working for a manufacturing facility that decided to implement 5S and Lean Manufacturing. The resistance was breathtaking. Examining a process could improve productivity by 75% or more. But because the current leadership hadn't thought of it, they dismissed the improvements as outliers, and passively resisted any change. It was sickening to watch, especially when I helped implement some of the changes. But a few years later, most of the anchor draggers were fired or let go. :)"
"I guess it's because I'm a 72-year-old geezer, but the only two musicians I recognize from this list are Melissa Etheridge and Ladytron. But now that I know Ladytron has a new album out, I'll need to get it. I have all of their earlier CDs, but stopped listening for new stuff after hearing their last album, which sucked. But the snippets I've heard from Paradises sound great!"
"Good comments. I used to wait too long- until I realized how much I was missing out on. The definition of bravery is: A willingness to do go ahead and do something, even if you're scared."
"I had to learn Spanish to prepare for a 22-month stint in Argentina. While immersion was vital, the two months I spent stateside, studying grammar, pronunciation and syntax EVERY day was essential. I believe one needs a mix of immersion and study."
"Well, after being on Medium for years, and not getting much traction, I’m looking forward to something different- so Fika looks like the right place for me. See you around!"
"I agree that tactics like ghosting are the worst ways to deal with or avoid perceived conflict. But having been dealt with this way in various jobs and family situations, I see three levels: 1) Ghosting, 2) Telling the "truth" without a desire to converse further, and 3) Engaging the other party in conversation to find common ground and greater understanding. Granted, there are times when it's better to not speak until emotions have cooled down, but I don't feel like I'm the bad guy when I strive to communicate in a truthful way. Thanks for sharing your POV about this."
"Nice article. I have found that the best way for me to "notice" is to keep writing in my journal. After journaling since 1975, it's a hard-won habit for me. I am new here and am wondering how active this site is, I have asked for help from the fika "team but they don't respond. It makes me wonder if people are here posting and conversion much."