Category: Life in Florida
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Writing Doesnāt Pay the Movers: An Update from Alex Diaz-Granados
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, GoFundMe, Insomnia, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, TransitionsFriday Afternoon, August 22, 2025 ā Miami, Florida Hi, friends. I wish I could sit down today and write about storiesāespecially those in the Garratyverseāand the quiet ways they unfold. But clarity eludes me at the moment. Itās Laundry Day, and while Iāve got about half an hour before the dryer cycle ends, my mind…
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About My GoFundMe: 63% and CountingāThank You, and a Little More Honesty
63% and CountingāThank You, and a Little More Honesty Weāve reached 63% of the first benchmark goal on my GoFundMe campaign, and I want to start by saying thank you to everyone whoās donated so far. Your generosity means more than I can expressāespecially during a time thatās equal parts exciting and daunting. Iāll admit,…
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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 didnāt hate high school. I didnāt romanticize it eitherānot like those who peaked there and never quite came down. But South Miami Senior High gave me something I didnāt expect: a sense of community. I sang in the choral department, wrote for the newspaper,…
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Music Album Review: ‘Great Performances: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez/Fantasia para un gentilhombre’
š¼ Echoes of Spain: A Journey Through Rodrigo and AlbĆ©niz with John Williams Thereās 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’
š¼ A Fever Dream in Five Movements: Remembering My First Encounter with Berliozās Symphonie Fantastique One of the most memorable experiences from my college yearsānow four decades agoātook 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: Codaš A Little Light in the Chaos Iāll be honestāthis week has been rough. Iām staring down another move, and the emotional weight of packing up a life (again) is hitting harder than expected. Thereās something about impermanence that always stirs up the deeper stuff: memories, regrets, hopes, and the ache of leaving behind spaces…
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š Help Alex Find Home: A Journey from Miami to Stability
Life’s Uncertainties Strike Again Life doesnāt always follow a straight path. Sometimes, it throws us curveballs that demand courage, resilienceāand a little help from those who care. Right now, Iām facing one of those moments. Iāve launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for an urgent move from Miami to somewhere I can rebuildāOrlando, perhaps,…
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‘Comings and Goings’ Crosses BordersāNow in Spain! šŖšøš
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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 ā 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 meāsome 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…
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July 19: Remembering My Mother Amid Political Turmoil
Afternoon, Saturday, July 19, 2025 ā Miami, Florida It’s a quintessential summer day in South Floridaāsunny skies, no thunderstorms looming, and a heavy, palpable heat that clings to everything. At 91Ā°F (33Ā°C) with humidity hovering at 64%, the āfeels likeā temperature is a sweltering 101Ā°F (38Ā°C). For anyone who doubts the effects of climate change,…
A Certain Point of View, Too 