29 Comments
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

Marjie!! I just love you so much. OK, I know that may seem a weird comment in response to a blog post. . . But for two things: 1). I am that guy who always (probably, for most, obnoxiously so) says the "good" things I feel and think because, well, I guess I am making an (perhaps somewhat feeble) attempt to balance the scales in our world so full of crappy meanness; I feel that if haters can spew their feelings all over the internet, why cant we lovers. . . and 2). You write from such a place of ALL THE THINGS, a place that is - in my view - RARE, and reading your words makes me a better human. SO, here it is: I LOVE you because you are the vessel through which common and uncommon truth, silliness, creativity, acidity, grace and bumps, barf and beauty, insane intelligence and openly mundane normalness flows. . . Um, ok, more simply put, your HUMANITY is showing. . . there it is - you write from such a place of humanity. . . you open the fridge and let us see what is there. You are maybe the most cynical expressor of the deepest love in a writer I am currently aware of. I mean you have always been that - I recall sitting next to you in Spanish class in 10th grade or whatever it was, and you having some dark comment about almost everything - and yet what you exuded was a sweetness and dearness - dare I say a love - that not too many teenagers allowed to show. I am guessing your darker notes evolved in part to shield your amazingly sensitive and shimmering core from this often too-toxic world - a very good plan indeed - and these things - your sensitive awareness and your bad-ass shock-sheild - somehow make you a beacon of how to be human for the rest of us. So, once again, I THANK YOU. And also, what a great submission. (Better writing, in my only-somewhat-trained view, than a few of your evaluators', but whatever.) You deserve every WIN that comes your way.

Expand full comment
author

Wow. Thank you! 💕

Expand full comment
Jul 24Liked by Marjie Alonso

Oh wow… if I start writing can you give me feedback too?!! Marjie is very lucky to have such wonderful optimism in her orbit!😁

Expand full comment
Jul 24Liked by Marjie Alonso

Thanks...its not optimism though, it is genuine appreciation of the person Marjie is and the work she does!! (But also, Id be happy to read your work.)

Expand full comment
author

I agree - this comment made me fall down stairs in a good way. But then, ALL comments are so important and lovely and meaningful. It's an amazing thing.

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

I'm surprised how in-depth and detailed some of the feedback is - as if they did all the rewriting for you

Expand full comment
author

Remarkable.

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

I love the way you describe these challenges! They sound so fun, and also such a short time window doesn't give any room to bemoan and rewrite over and over again. Congratulations on getting to the next round (though I expect no less, lol). And the judges, I can't believe they were able to give such decent feedback considering how many they must have read. As far as competitions in dog training: totally agree! Couldn't agree more! Training to an actual standard exercises all the muscles of the relationship and a trainer's abilities, yes!

Expand full comment
author

They ARE fun! And I know you understand ❤️

Expand full comment

Marjie! I’m thrilled about this news, and not at all shocked. Yay You!!

Expand full comment
author

Thank you!

Expand full comment

Congratulations, Marjie! Congratulations on the first round results and for the courage to do something new and different that challenges and stretches your writing world. You have guts! No matter what you write, it always includes something funny, ironic, thoughtful, and poignant. Those qualities make your voice sing (and I know very well you can do that too because listening to you makes me cry) in the writing world. Keep up the great work. I have no doubt your name will be in writing lights soon.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you, Writing Friend. May we bushwhack our way through this forest together!

Expand full comment

😆😆😂😂 We will, all the way!

Expand full comment
Jul 24Liked by Marjie Alonso

Congratulations!! Lucky 13!

What fun! (Sorry for overuse of apostrophes! )

But really, what fabulous feedback: it was all so positive, and just as importantly gave concrete ideas and examples. How amazing is that?!

It sounds like something that would really extend your writing chops- oh…can they be extended, I wonder- with the random allocation of genre and objects etc etc. it sounds like a tricky yet fun challenge!

Expand full comment
author

It really IS fun. Might it be a fun way to assign writing to students, I wonder?

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

Congratulations! This is big! That feedback is indeed well done. And thanks the Barry's TeaTip.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks! I think you'd like these competitions.

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

Congrats, Marjie!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks!

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

I am not at all surprised that you placed. I can only dream of doing what you do as well as you do it. You have made me laugh (and think) for years. It helps that our common denominator are beagles, an aged parent, and as one critic put it, a "dark sense of humor." I look forward to reading your entries, should you choose to publish them.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! Those of us that survive all three of those ingredients are indeed a club.

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

Can you re-link to the original story? I need to remind myself....

Expand full comment
author

I did! In the story under NYC Midnight Reunion!

Expand full comment

!!

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

Barry’s Decaf is the best decaf black tea there is. Market Basket carries it!

Expand full comment
author

I didn't know they carried it! It's pretty good, but not great tea in general I think?

Expand full comment
Jul 23Liked by Marjie Alonso

Bravo, Marjie!!!! Keep on writing.....you're marvelous at it!!!!!

Expand full comment
author

You're such a kind emotional support friend. <3

Expand full comment