Tag: reading

A day to celebrate reading across America!

Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. Mason Cooley
Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. Mason Cooley

It’s time to celebrate Read Across America Day!

Today many hands, young and old, will be picking up a book or their favorite e-book reader. Many eyes and minds will be enjoying that uniquely human activity: reading!

Why is March 2 designated National Read Across America Day? Because it’s the birthday of Dr. Seuss!

As many of you know, Dr. Seuss was the pen name of Theodor Geisel, who made his home in La Jolla, a beautiful community in the city of San Diego.

Months ago during a walk through La Mesa, a city in San Diego’s East County, I took photos of a chalkboard that was standing on the sidewalk in front of Maxwell’s House of Books.

Please enjoy two quotes about the magic of reading!

Books are a uniquely portable magic. Stephen King
Books are a uniquely portable magic. Stephen King

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Would you like to read a few philosophical, very short stories?

They can be found on my website Short Stories by Richard!

A story about creativity, truth and deception.

A patient spider waits for flies.
A patient spider waits for flies.

My short story The Taste of Flies has been bothering me. It hasn’t seemed right.

Even after publishing it on Short Stories by Richard, I’ve rewritten many of the words over and over and over again.

I think–possibly–that I now have the thing right. The unusual tale is about creativity, truth and deception. And impulsion. And indecision. It seems to be about a great many difficult things.

You can read the very short story here.

A short story about social media and isolation.

This morning I wrote a short story titled One Thousand Likes. It touches upon the human heart, the pleasure produced by facile happiness, and the dark, isolating effect of social media.

To read it, click here.

A new look for Short Stories by Richard.

As you can see from the above snip, my blog Short Stories by Richard has a brand new look!

I’ve polished many of the stories (and now two poems) to such an extent that I feel comfortable launching a new domain and website.

Are you curious?

Many of these short stories might seem a bit different. Some are happy, some are sad . . . most are a shifting mixture. I try to arrive at essential truths in surprising and creative ways. Human life is illuminated using sudden revelations. All of these works of fiction are very quick reads.

The poem I just published, A Brief Note, sounds dire as you read it. But read to the final two lines.

Anyway, I truly appreciate all of you who follow my adventures in photography–and creative writing! Life is a continuing journey . . .

Richard

Cool San Diego Sights in many languages!

I’ve made a couple of cool changes to my website! Now it’s easy to enjoy Cool San Diego Sights (plus my other blog Beautiful Balboa Park) in dozens of languages!

If you’re viewing this page on a computer screen or large tablet, you will see a Google Translate button near the top of the sidebar, on the left side of your screen. Select your preferred language and everything on the website will be instantly translated!

If you’re using a smaller device, like a smartphone, click those three parallel lines up at the top of this page and the sidebar will open up. Google Translate should be the first thing you see.

What else is new?

I’ve added buttons to my sidebar which make it easy to follow Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr! I only update my Pinterest and Tumblr pages every few months, but if you’re on those social media platforms, you might want to check it out!

As always, please feel free to share anything you happen to find on any of my blogs. It’s all for fun!

By the way, I just finished writing a new short story for my Short Stories by Richard blog. It’s called The Silver of Ice. It’s based a bit on my own personal experience, when I lived on the high plains many years ago.

I’m going to Balboa Park in a few minutes to check out something that should be really cool. I’ll post photos when I get home!

Have a great Sunday!

Richard

Three short stories about creativity and freedom.

I’ve recently written three short stories that touch upon human creativity and freedom. And the unending struggle . . . and the infinite mystery . . . and slow, bitter anguish . . . and sudden inspiration . . . and that joy a creator experiences when they’ve assembled a thing that seems powerful and true. In other words, that wonderful but turbulent journey undertaken by every passionate artist.

These three new works of fiction can be found on my writing blog Short Stories by Richard. How it has grown! Please enjoy the following links:

A Secret Junkyard is an odd, funny story that concerns black despair and creative rebirth.

A Long, Deep Drink suggests that satisfaction can be found by turning to gaze in a different direction.

The Pistachio Rocket is about launching upward, ignoring rules.

I hope you enjoy reading these! You might be surprised!

A short, mysterious story about a dog’s tail.

Like a mysterious living battery, your dog stores up love. Its tail is powered by love.

A healing love that flows from hand, to hand.

If you’d like to read a bit of fiction I wrote over the weekend about this magical phenomenon, a very short story that I’ve simply titled A Dog’s Tail, then follow the link! If you enjoy reading Cool San Diego Sights, you might like it!

Along with a variety of other philosophical stories, A Dog’s Tail resides on my special writing blog, Short Stories by Richard.

A happy story about youth and gratitude.

I believe I finally got it right. My latest short story. For a while it seemed wrong, incomplete.

Returning the Ball is a happy story about youth, youthful optimism, and a heart’s gratitude.

This quick read is likely to make you smile. Perhaps even wipe a tear. Click the above link to read it.

Need something to read this Labor Day? I’ve gradually built a collection of short stories (and a poem) at my blog Short Stories by Richard. These small works of fiction are ideal for a beach read. Or half an hour by the pool.

Enjoy your day and thank you for supporting Cool San Diego Sights! I plan to head up to Balboa Park! What will I discover today? I don’t know!

Richard

Writing on a rainy day.

smiley-face-widened

It’s raining today. And I’m off from work. So I’ve been sitting at my computer wrestling with words.

I believe I’ve now finished another short story.  At least, it seems complete.  This story concerns youth, magic, innocence, dreams, the passage of years and what might happen in life. If you’d like to read it, click the following link: Final Real Magic is the title of the story.

Chinese museum: Typing a language with no alphabet.

Outdoor display window near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum asks: How do you type a language with no alphabet?
Outdoor display window near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum asks: How do you type a language with no alphabet?

I was walking through San Diego’s small Chinatown yesterday morning when I spied something really interesting. In a window near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum a special exhibit is being promoted. The exhibit is titled Radical Machines – Chinese in the Information Age.

How do you type a language with no alphabet? Good question!

I’ll probably check this exhibit out in the next couple months. It runs through April 16, 2017.

A special exhibit titled Radical Machines - Chinese in the Information Age is now running at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
A special exhibit titled Radical Machines – Chinese in the Information Age can be seen at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
Gazing past stone lions at the entrance of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
Gazing past stone lions at the entrance of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
A manual typewriter whose keys type Western Civilization's adopted Latin alphabet seems to magically produce sheets of paper containing Chinese characters.
A manual typewriter whose keys type Western Civilization’s adopted Latin alphabet seems to magically produce sheets of paper containing Chinese characters.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!