Category: Life in Florida
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The Last Smile
Afternoon, Friday, July 18, 2025, Miami, Florida “Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speakknits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.”― William Shakespeare, Macbeth Today isn’t a good day—not because it’s a “sad anniversary” sort of day, though it is that too—but because daily life feels unusually heavy. I’m overwhelmed by…
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Marketing, Memory, and Miami Skies
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Beatriz Diaz-Granados, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Family History, Florida Weather, Jeronimo Diaz-Granados, 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, Summer in Florida, Victoria Eugenia Pineros Restrepo (Vicky), Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftMidday/Early Afternoon, Wednesday, July 16, 2025 — Miami, Florida I awoke this morning to the symphony of a torrential, thundering downpour. It was already past 8 a.m.—long after sunrise—yet the sky was still steeped in darkness, reminiscent of last night. The steady hiss of heavy rain filled the air, punctuated by the occasional crack-boom of…
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On Writing and Storytelling: My Answer to ‘How Do You Get Inspired?’
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, College Life, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in South Florida, Miami-Dade Community College, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaHow Do You Get Inspired to Write? They say inspiration strikes when you least expect it. I say—it sneaks up on you like a friend who knows where you hide your best snacks. This post isn’t about formulas or foolproof strategies. It’s about the long and winding path my stories take from flickers of memory…
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Scattered Thoughts on a Sweltering Afternoon
I’ll admit it: today, I struggled to find a good topic for this post. It’s July in South Florida—hot, heavy, and maybe a little uninspiring. But I showed up anyway, because the habit of writing matters, even when clarity doesn’t come easy. So here it is: a mosaic of musings from a Thursday afternoon in…
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July 2025: Heat, Grief, and Writing-Related Stress
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Anxiety, Blogging, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Going Full Circle: Back to South Florida I Go, Hurricane Andrew, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in South Florida, Life in the Tampa Bay area, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Summer 2025, Summer in FloridaWednesday Afternoon, July 9, 2025 – Miami, Florida Hi, everyone. Historically, July has never been my favorite month. Aside from the nearly six years I spent living in Colombia (1966–1972) and a more recent 10-month stint in New Hampshire, July in Florida usually means oppressive heat and humidity—weather that makes retreating indoors feel more like…
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The Distance Between Then and Now: Seville, 1988–2025
Midday, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Miami, Florida In the fall of 1988, I participated in the International College of Seville/College Consortium for International Studies’ Semester in Spain program. I lived and studied there for 12 weeks, immersing myself in the country’s history, government, culture, and (por supuesto) its language. At my home institution, Miami-Dade Community…
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3,000 Miles from Home: A Column from Spain
Originally published in Catalyst – February 2, 1989Written in Seville, Spain – November 1988By Alex Diaz-Granados, Columnist SEVILLE, Spain (CCIS Program)One of the most important aspects of an extended trip overseas, especially for young collegians studying abroad (like us here in Spain), is mail from home—and no ritual is more important than the daily search…
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Thunder, Memory, and the Gentle Ache of Longing
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Going Full Circle: Back to South Florida I Go, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Summer in FloridaThursday Afternoon, July 3, 2025, Miami, Florida “When thunderstorms roll in, you make a choice to either succumb with tears to the gloomy downpour, or smile and look for rainbows.” — Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts, & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year It’s a dark and stormy… day. I’m…
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The Weight of a Book, the Light of a July Afternoon
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Donating “Reunion: A Story” to the Conway Public Library, Florida Weather, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Life in South Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Summer 2025, Summer in FloridaAfternoon, Wednesday, July 2, 2025 – Miami, FloridaIt’s a hot, muggy, and overcast summer afternoon here in southeastern Florida. Thankfully, while the atmosphere is heavy, the skies aren’t stormy—at least not at the moment. I did wake to the distant rumble of thunder, though. Tourists hoping for postcard-perfect sunshine might be disappointed; the Greater Miami…
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12 Months of Change: A Writer’s Reflection on Life and Publication
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Madison (NH), 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, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, UncategorizedMidday / Early Afternoon, Tuesday, July 1, 2025 – Miami, Florida“Time is passing: not leaden steppingBut sprinting on winged feet,Quick silver slipping by.” — Richard L. Ratliff It’s difficult to grasp, here on this sweltering South Florida afternoon, that another July has arrived. A year ago, my life looked completely different—geographically, emotionally, and in terms…
A Certain Point of View, Too 