Things I See and Believe: Henry Ossawa Tanner's Art and Inspiration
As a child, I painted landscape scenes I had never laid eyes on . . . a world and century removed from my turn-of-the-millennium Florida cla
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Writing
Stories, musings and poems.
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Joseph R. Goodall
Sep 296 min read
On Participation and Failing a Bird Sanctuary Inspection
I told myself I wanted my yard to be recognized as a bird sanctuary for all the right reasons. But two older ladies with clipboards and natu
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Joseph R. Goodall
Aug 307 min read
20 Ways to Confront Loneliness with Local Stories
If we want to move beyond our social silos, we have to take a risk. We have to let down our guard and get close enough to recognize specific
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Joseph R. Goodall
Jun 214 min read
Facing Conflict with Creativity
Discovering the freeing power of poetry in the midst of relational conflict.
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Joseph R. Goodall
Apr 283 min read
A Third Birthday Tribute
This week What the Bird Sees in Flight turned THREE! I'm proud to celebrate this work of historical fiction, and recognize that it's also...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Mar 31 min read
An Inquiry in Times of Change
When we are faced with the decision of what to do now, what questions do we ask? How do we offer and express ourselves?
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Joseph R. Goodall
Jan 14 min read
We Make, We Observe
I know precious little about seeds. But I’m learning to identify the wild plants growing in the open field that stretches between the...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Nov 15, 20232 min read
A Galaxy of Good
There’s a galaxy of good in your existence Though terror persists and hope seems hidden There are beautiful patterns aloft in the sky...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Jul 24, 20234 min read
Who Wore It Better: Barbie or Margaret?
Forget "Barbenheimer." There was a different movie mashup on my mind this past weekend: "Bargaret." Or "Margarbie?" Regardless of the...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Jun 21, 20238 min read
Blended Together: On Building Soil and Local Community
The dark gray sky warned of an approaching storm as I drove into the small parking lot sheltered by moss-laden trees. The humid summer...
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Joseph R. Goodall
May 3, 20237 min read
Imperfect, In Progress
Twice over the past several weeks, I have found myself in front of a room of several dozen people, facing a microphone and an audience...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Mar 14, 20234 min read
All Under One Roof
Oftentimes the formative places of our youth shrink as we get older, dimming like a shadow compared to the prestige of their rose-tinted...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Feb 11, 20236 min read
Close Enough to Be Unavoidable
I was in a hurry when I drove past my next-door neighbor's house early Monday morning on my way to work. If I'd been walking, I would...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Dec 18, 20221 min read
The Story Isn't Over Yet
The past month has been a low point in the ebb and flow of my creativity. I’ve felt like giving up on my next book, even though it’s...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Nov 6, 20222 min read
Not By Bread Alone
Though no one wants to go to bed on an empty stomach, how many of us would find our days fulfilling if we merely woke up, ate three...
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Joseph R. Goodall
May 30, 20222 min read
A Tapestry Spanning All Time
The vines are anchored to the tree are great, hairy, bulging ropes, winding up the rough bark like parasitic leeches. Wrapped in the...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Sep 10, 20213 min read
Screens, Screening, Screened
Screens Many days are spent looking at screens Information, plans, stories and advertisements projected onto backlit rectangles Formatted...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Aug 6, 20215 min read
Going "Home"
Going home can stir up a strange mix of affection and anxiety, bringing to mind memories both fond and painful. We revisit the person,...
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Joseph R. Goodall
May 9, 20215 min read
How Short Stories Can Teach Us to Be Present
The other day I was stuck in a long, unmoving line at the neighborhood post office. I debated leaving and trying my luck another day, but...
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Joseph R. Goodall
Feb 16, 20217 min read
The Weight of a Single Word: Black American Stories
Storytelling is one of the most empowering acts in the human experience. A storyteller has the ability to uniquely curate each piece of...
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