One Sun

Dedicated to Dad

One sun, many rays of light
One Father, protective warmth
Open hands illuminate hills,
Mother's holy streams, and
My forward path

The Amato Tomato, aka Nonna's Best

A Sicilian Heritage Signature Series favorite, the deep red heart-shaped "Amato Tomato" is low-acid, producing a tinge of sweetness, buoyed by an underlying essence of clove-spice. This tomato is perfect for slow-simmering pizza sauce. It has come to be known the world over as "Nonna's Best".

Dear DP: Perplexed Procrastinator

Dear DP,

With a sudden vengeance my Inner Procrastinator has reared Its ugly head. Thought I had conquered this Foe long ago, but apparently It was only quelled. I find myself by varying degrees from being at a stubborn stand-off with this Deviant to being completely at Its mercy.

Although I'm never late for work and always return calls promptly, the rest of my professional and personal life seems to be nothing more than an inertia-inducing, mentally-paralyzing, last-minute, mad-dash sprint to meet real and arbitrary deadlines.

As if to mock me, my battery-operated desk clock stopped overnight at 02:37.

Please advise.

Just sign me,

Nick O. Time

Happy Anniversary DP!

Luke, over at the Latent Chestnut has just posted something that blew me away: Ditalini Press is one year old today! Happy anniversary everyone and more happy writing...

Dear DP

Hi. I'm a Buddhist monk and my Master has just died. We've completed the cremation ceremony and I am very sad. He's been with me since I was thirteen, always there to tell me what to do and how. I feel lost. I met with the Dalai Lama yesterday who examined the cremation ceremonial ashes and all the signs were there that Master has already been reincarnated: cremation pearls, swirls in the cinders, and a footprint under a stone with the big toe pointing east. The Dalai Lama, despite my pleas that I am under qualified, thinks that I am the one who can properly identify him again in his new physical form. Frankly, I'm scared and don't know where to start. I need advice.
Cordially yours,
Buddhist in a Bind

Dear DP

Dear DP
I'm 59 years old and have been coloring my hair for the past 15 years. I know I'm not alone when I say how much I hate the tedious, messy job of dying roots every four weeks. But how does one go grey? My boyfriend says I should just let it happen and he's cool with it. It's me that's not quite comfortable. Why do I care? I don't know. I was thinking of just getting a hair dresser to do one quick painless dye job to match my roots. Kinda like yanking the band aid off a wound. I'm afraid the shock might kill me though. What do you suggest? What if my friends or my kids go "Oh My God" ?
Sincerely,
Secretly Grey

Dear DP

Dear DP,
I love to commute via bicycle. I ride my bike to work just about every day, which means I have to share the road with those dingy monstrous motorized vehicles. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the value of the automobile and I even own one myself. The problem is, when I am riding my bike, I get extremely angry at the vehicles that are on the road with me, like they are infringing on my territory. I wish those noisy, polluting, inconsiderate maniacs would understand that cyclists have a right to the road, too! The thing is, I do not have this problem with other cars on the road while I am driving, only when riding my bike. Alas, I have come to the realization that I have a textbook case of ride rage. What can I do to curb my anger? I want to enjoy my commute to work, not be enraged by it. I don't want to let my anger get the the best of me by doing something foolish and ending up a pancake on the road. Please help me; any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Yours,
Cantankerous Kokomoan