38 Comments

What a wordsmith! I’m crazy about Laurie Stone’s writing—the skill, the truthfulness! I’m sharing this with all my writer pals.

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Thanks, dear Sandra! I'm super appreciative of your support. Stackland is an entirely original means of publishing, earning a living, and attracting readers who want to sustain writers. xxL

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Beautifully written. I especially love, "I used to walk around as if there was all the time in the world to make the same mistakes."

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Thanks!

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I can clearly hear your voice inside my head. It's nice to have someone else in there.

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Happy to be there. Who else is in there? What perfume are they wearing? What are we having for lunch? xxL

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There is a Baltimore Oriole who doesn’t eat seeds but is at my birdfeeder anyway. There is a Russian motorcycle guy who looks like a blonde Bob Seeger and has to clean his apartment before the visit from his Ecuadoran girlfriend or “She will just turn around and go back...” I suspect his perfume is WD-40. And there is a yogi who teaches a noon class at the Y. After that, we’re having a dragon bowl with grilled tofu and peanut sauce.

Cheers,

JT

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Jesus, what a great party. I want my tofu now! xxL

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"...found nothing, and lowered her expectation of what a snack was. She would eat a piece of cheese or a single grape." I literally just lol'ed at a coffee shop!

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Good work. xxL

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Love, love, love your writing and the observations of life. I felt like the ghost of Joan Didion was writing. I love rereading her book, The White Album. I can get the cultural references. I miss the wild early 70s. Ah, memories!

I will say my journey continues at me now 72. Husband died, covid happened, I sold the home, and got rid of 98% of the stuff in it (don't miss a thing), packed my dog and too much stuff in my Prius and drove west. I'm loving Portland Oregon. I walk a neighborhood and marvel at the beauty of nature and absorb the energy of all the young(er) people.

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Wonderful to hear all this. Didion seems a strange comparison, but hey, who am I to know how I come off? xxL

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How fabulous these pages! Pure, unadulterated pleasure of a fine, honest mind skateboarding through life.

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When I'm asked why do you do what you do, I say, "I aim to produce pleasure." Thanks for seeing that! xxL

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This is fantastic - and, I have always felt exactly the same about the chimps.

The only thing that distinguishes us from them is maybe better haircuts - and some of us don't even have THAT ... lol.

I admire the stream of consciousness vibe you always produce. Thanks again Laurie for a stellar, thought provoking read.

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Thanks, love. I really love your appreciation. The writing is never stream of consciousness, not really, not for a second. If it was, it wouldn't produce pleasure in you. It is all calculated, all weighed technique I experiment with. It's a trick the way all art is a trick. xxL

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I'm terrified of being dead dead. And I don't have any children, and I'm positively gobsmacked by my age. My father is stumbling over steps exactly the way my grandfather used to, and I miss my grandparents more every year.

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We all are I can understand that

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oh my, another gem—i got chills. you made me laugh at contemplating death, but i felt a genuine creepy prickle remembering hal singing "daisy." when i die, when we all die, i hope there will be a room where i encounter you again, frolicking with bonobos. xx

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Me too! I hope it's not on Jupiter, though.

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if there are bonobos, maybe uranus?🤪

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Totally captivating. I get it about family. And pretending dying will be okay. Your slant is refreshing and unique. Kudos.

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Thanks, dear Jill. If you are interested in coming to the next Zoom conversation on writing craft, email me, and I will give you more information. It's on May 25 from 3 to 4EST: lauriestone@substack.com

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Thank you for being so funny, honest, and real. I love your writing.

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Thanks for this tender comment, it means a lot!

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What a pleasure to read!

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Thanks so much.

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Really enjoyed this right. Your skill is amazing and makes it easy to read. The reflection it contributes a spot on that’s something we want to talk about or think about very often. We must accept and pray for the grace to move forward with it.

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What a nostalgic piece! But walking the New York streets not even noticing time, as my walking Petersburg streets 30 yers ago... When we think or read about it, it gives such a pleasure even now.

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This was so perfect to read just now at the end of a long day.

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Such beautiful writing. A very easy flow. Enjoyed it immensely.

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Thanks! It means a lot.

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Ah, you made me laugh when I needed it, my friend. And, there may bonobos in Vegas.

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