Category: Blogging
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About My GoFundMe: 63% and Counting—Thank You, and a Little More Honesty
63% and Counting—Thank You, and a Little More Honesty We’ve reached 63% of the first benchmark goal on my GoFundMe campaign, and I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who’s donated so far. Your generosity means more than I can express—especially during a time that’s equal parts exciting and daunting. I’ll admit,…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love and Sex, Love, Sex, & Relationships, Personal History, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sex, Writing as a Craft📝 Soft Light, Quiet Courage: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace There’s a moment in Comings and Goings—quiet, unadorned—where Jim confesses to Kelly that his first time didn’t last long. He’s not ashamed. Just honest. And Kelly, in turn, doesn’t flinch, correct, or console. She simply says: “Then it was perfect. You were kind. You…
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Understanding ‘Reunion: Coda’: Why the High School Chapters Matter
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Book Reviews, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in South Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High SchoolWhy the High School Chapters Matter: A Reflection (and Rebuttal) I didn’t hate high school. I didn’t romanticize it either—not like those who peaked there and never quite came down. But South Miami Senior High gave me something I didn’t expect: a sense of community. I sang in the choral department, wrote for the newspaper,…
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Writing Intimacy with Reverence: A Scene from ‘Comings and Goings’
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Billy Joel, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love, Sex, & Relationships, Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda🛋️ Writing Intimacy with Reverence: A Scene from Comings and Goings There’s a scene in Comings and Goings that still lingers with me—not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s quiet. It’s Jim Garraty, nineteen, sitting in Kelly’s apartment in Mission Hill, letting the world slow down long enough to feel something real. It’s a moment…
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Music Album Review: ‘Great Performances: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez/Fantasia para un gentilhombre’
🎼 Echoes of Spain: A Journey Through Rodrigo and Albéniz with John Williams There’s something quietly transcendent about hearing the guitar sing in the hands of John Williams. Not the film composer, but the Australian virtuoso whose fingers seem to coax memory itself from the strings. In Great Performances: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez/Fantasia para un…
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Music Appreciation: My First Encounter with Berlioz’s ‘Symphonie Fantastique’
🎼 A Fever Dream in Five Movements: Remembering My First Encounter with Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique One of the most memorable experiences from my college years—now four decades ago—took place on a rare cool afternoon in South Florida. I was sitting in my Humanities class at Miami-Dade Community College, where Professor Jay Brown, a talented musician…
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A (Tiny) Bit of Positivity in a Time of Chaos
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda📚 A Little Light in the Chaos I’ll be honest—this week has been rough. I’m staring down another move, and the emotional weight of packing up a life (again) is hitting harder than expected. There’s something about impermanence that always stirs up the deeper stuff: memories, regrets, hopes, and the ache of leaving behind spaces…
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🚚 Help Alex Find Home: A Journey from Miami to Stability
Life’s Uncertainties Strike Again Life doesn’t always follow a straight path. Sometimes, it throws us curveballs that demand courage, resilience—and a little help from those who care. Right now, I’m facing one of those moments. I’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for an urgent move from Miami to somewhere I can rebuild—Orlando, perhaps,…
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‘Comings and Goings’ Crosses Borders—Now in Spain! 🇪🇸📘
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, International College of Seville, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Semester in Spain Program, Sevilla (Seville), SpainA wonderful milestone just arrived with the summer heat: Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen has officially landed in Spain! The copy was purchased through Amazon.es and now resides in the hands of my long-time friend, Lisa Dolan, Student Activities Director at the International College of Seville. Lisa reached out to let…
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From Miami to Cape Coral: A Leap Toward Independence
Life has always been a series of chapters for me—some filled with beauty and connection, others with challenge and growth. My time in Miami was one of those transitional chapters: meaningful, necessary, but always intended to be temporary. It was a place to catch my breath, reflect, and prepare for what was next. Now, I’m…