MY WRITERS SITE: 2014-06-29

What Box?

At some point in this life, someone who doesn’t know you well is going to say to you “Think outside the box.”

Here’s the answer to that……whoever says that to you is showing you the limits of their own thinking. “The box” is just a metaphor for people who need a defined space to think creatively. Don’t be one of those guys.

Don’t limit your vision. Think like there is no box at all.

Case closed

Tis written in the stars

"It's written in the stars"

No it isn't. That's not true at all. Nothing is written in the stars. Their just stars. That's all they are.

Your destiny isn't written there.

No one's destiny is written anywhere except in the mind of God who has given you free will.....in other words the good Lord gave you a mind to use to determine your own path, to decide your own destiny.

You, and only you, have control over that.

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”

—	William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Patience

We don’t have patience and the ability to wait for something isn’t patience. It’s just the ability to wait for something.

Patience is a form of style, a show of class that one learns because patience is how we act while we’re waiting for something.

“Who am I?”.

There is no answer to the question “Who am I?”.

In fact, because it has no answer, it isn’t even a question at all.

Instead, think of it as a device. A wonderful, free device and with it you can explore and learn and grow and change.

What it takes to be a hero

That's what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong that decency will somehow triumph in the end. -- Lise Hand, describing Irish journalist Veronica Guerin, who was killed as a result of her investigations of Irish organized crime.

The gods envy us.

“The gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.” — Achilles

We're in Florida

To my friends....

A referral point for my friends (personnel friends, meaning people I know in my personnel life) who want me to “Take a look at my stuff.” For years I’ve said sure, I’ll look at it, meaning edit it. But I have always forewarned them that I take the processes seriously and I won’t pull any punches and not to get angry with me. They always, always, always assure me that they want to a professional edit and that I shouldn’t pull any punches just because we’re friends. Then I edit their work and they get angry at me. So here’s what we’re going to do. If you want me to give my opinion on your writing or edit your work, the charge is $50.00 an hour with a four hour minimum. That should stop most of you from asking me to look at your work and while preserving our friendship.

Why this blog is here.

I am largely self-educated, and this blog is continuation of that education. I have an MFA, but that doesn’t have much to do with an education, not the kind I’m talking about. An advanced degree means I am able to follow instruction.

Never ending self-education means I adore knowledge and enlightenment of both the ordinary and the odd and that’s what this blog is about. It is by me, written for my benefit. You are more than welcomed to drop by as often and for as long as your heart desires.

John William Tuohy

I was born and raised in Connecticut and now live in rural West Virginia with my wife, Mary, and my dog Eli.

I hold an AA and MA in literature and an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University. I spent most of my career as a political consultant and hated every living second of it.

I am produced and award-winning playwright. (Cyberdate, The Hannigans of Beverly, etc.)

I am the author of 12 books on traditional organized crime, an autobiography (No Time to Say Goodbye) two books of short stories (Short Stories from a Small Town, Washington Behind the Monuments) a novella (Imago Summer, 1971) and several books on Connecticut history. I proud to be the historian of Ansonia Connecticut. I sit on the board of Mt. St. John's School.

I occasionally and reluctantly work as an editor but only when I need money to travel.

I am an accomplished amateur photographer, a frustrated painter and not a half-bad gardener and I cook. I collect coins, stamps and political memorabilia. I love film so much that I built a large theater in my home. (I also wrote "On the Waterfront: the Making of a Great Amercian film")

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