Category: College Life
-
On Writing and Storytelling: Why Jim and Marty Had to Meet in the Chorus Room (And Not in Journalism)
â
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Creative Writing, Elizabeth Joan Owen (Ms. Owen), Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in South Florida, Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High School, Student JournalistThursday, July 2, 2026 â Orlando, Florida Why Jim and Marty Had to Meet in the Chorus Room (And Not in Journalism) Every so often, a writer hits one of those crossroads where two parts of his own past tug at him like siblings fighting over the front seat. For me, the tugâofâwar was between…
-
On Being Quoted (Unexpectedly) by an Editorial Board
On Being Quoted (Unexpectedly) by an Editorial Board Every once in a while, the universe tosses a small, pleasant surprise your way â the kind that makes you blink twice, lean back in your chair, and mutter, âWell, how about that?â This week, mine came in the form of a quote. Not just any quote,…
-
You Are Already Moving
â
by
in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Audible, Blogging, Books, College Life, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Bogota, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in Madison (NH), Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in South Florida, Life in the Tampa Bay area, Life in the United States, Love, Sex, & Relationships, Miami-Dade Community College, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sevilla (Seville), Spain, South Miami Senior High SchoolTuesday, June 16, 2026 â Orlando, Florida I donât usually build blog posts around WordPressâ Daily Writing Prompt, but today the universe nudged me. Sometimes it leaves a note on the kitchen counter, and this one had my handwriting on it. Todayâs Prompt:What is something you wish you could tell your 20âyearâold self? MidâJune in…
-
Remembering the Springs Iâve Known
â
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Blogging, College Life, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Life in Bogota, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in Madison (NH), Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in South Florida, Life in the Tampa Bay area, Life in the United States, Miami-Dade Community College, New Hampshire Weather, Personal Thoughts, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Spring 2024, Spring 2026, Spring in Florida, Writing a First NovelRemembering the Springs Iâve Known Friday, March 20, 2026, Orlando, Florida âShe turned to the sunlightAnd shook her yellow head,And whispered to her neighbor:âWinter is dead.âââ A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young Spring has arrived again, at least according to the astronomical calendar. I turned 63 a little over two weeks ago, just four…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: Why Dishonest PraiseâCircle Reviews Harm Indie Authors, the Industry, and Readers
â
by
in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Audible, Blogging, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, Creative Writing, Ethical Reviewing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Praise Circles, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Student Journalist, WordPressWhy Dishonest PraiseâCircle Reviews Harm Indie Authors, the Industry, and Readers Iâve been writing entertainment reviews for most of my lifeâlong before âcontent creationâ became a buzzword and long before social media turned book promotion into a popularity contest. My first real assignments came in high school, where I cut my teeth as a student…
-
All Aboard the Gratitude Express! Next Stop – Betsy Matteis
â
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, College Life, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High School, The Gratitude ExpressThe Gratitude Tour Continues â Stop #7: Betsy Matteis Hi, everyone, and welcome aboard the Gratitude Tour Express. Today, our train is rolling north to Woodstock, Georgia, where my longtime friend ElizabethâBetsyâMatteis has made her home. Of the seven Gratitude Award recipients so far, Betsy is the one whose story with mine stretches back the…
-
My Dream Job (WordPress Daily Prompt)
My Dream Job (WordPress Daily Prompt)Todayâs Daily Prompt: âWhat is your dream job?â If youâve spent any time around hereâwhether youâre a longâtimer or you just wandered in with a cup of coffeeâyou already know my dream job: being a writer. Not âwanting to be a writer,â not âdabbling in writing,â but actually being one.…
-
Music Album Review: ‘Great Performances: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez/Fantasia para un gentilhombre’
đŒ Echoes of Spain: A Journey Through Rodrigo and AlbĂ©niz with John Williams Thereâs 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…
-
Music Appreciation: My First Encounter with Berlioz’s ‘Symphonie Fantastique’
đŒ A Fever Dream in Five Movements: Remembering My First Encounter with Berliozâs Symphonie Fantastique One of the most memorable experiences from my college yearsânow four decades agoâtook 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…
-
‘Comings and Goings’ Crosses BordersâNow in Spain! đȘđžđ
â
by
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 â 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…
A Certain Point of View, Too 