Author Archives: Riba

About Riba

I'm a writer and a teacher, though I usually say it in reverse. I hope to find more of a balance between the two. ;-)

The Gap Between My Selves (45)

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Riba

I lost a 4-unit class this semester because of low enrollment. Now I have seven units instead of eleven. I found out on a Friday, and that evening I was running errands, meeting Marylou and Richard for dinner. I remember … Continue reading →

Posted in Daily life, Life, Personal, Reflections, Thoughts, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Moments (44)

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Riba

I was sitting one morning on the patio thinking about how I needed to quit drinking my yerba maté. I know this because I try to take note when birds arrive, try to find a why. I heard a commotion … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birds, Gratitude, Home, Life, Nature | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

If My Soul Were a City (43)

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Riba

If my soul were a city it would be called Sueño. Dream. It would sit beside the sea, and the citizens would serve the sea creatures in our bay. The whales would come, and we would stand ankle-deep in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birds, Daily life, Fiction, Gratitude, Life, Music, Prayer, Writing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Maybe I Do Love Writing (42)

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Riba

Maybe I do love writing like I’d love a sister who could set my teeth clenching like no other, whose icky tone of voice would mirror mine, who might not speak her judgment out loud but the phone would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Family, Fiction, Friends, Life, Musings, Reflections, Thoughts, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Twisting (Twisted?) Writer’s Road (41)

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Riba

When people find out I’m a teacher they ask me, “Do you love it?” I am never able to give them the resounding “Yes!” their breathless question begs. I talk about the ten-year learning curve for basic competency, all the … Continue reading →

Posted in About my blog, Blogging, Life, Reflections, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why I Write (40)

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Riba

I write because I love language. I write because I am a terrible snob, and I believe only my truth is real. I write in order to dig to China. I write to meet dragons and dolphins and stand before … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Fiction, Fun, Inspiration, Thoughts, Writing | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

No Regrets (39)

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Riba

I turned down a chance to hike in the desert this morning with people I like very much. It would have meant catching the bus at 7:45, and it sounded like too much to me last night, too much to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birds, Blogging, Daily life, Friends, Gratitude, Home, Life, Nature, Walking, Writing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Barn Owl (38)

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Riba

I walk out the gate in the late dusk. I am bundled up, wrapped in warm scarves, hands in the pockets of my down vest. There is a crooked bush three blocks away, its trunk wrapped in colored lights. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birding, Birds, Daily life, Gratitude, Life, Nature, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Walking | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Bicycle Built for Two (37)

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Riba

I hear a laughing protest from the street and look up from the page of my notebook. Through the slats in the gate and the gaps in the pyracanthas I watch a man and woman with gray hair and bright … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Daily life, Fun, Life, People | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Man at the Bus Stop (36)

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Riba

There is a man with a suitcase sitting at the bus stop when I arrive. He is younger, maybe in his early forties (though I am not always good with ages). He has blonde hair that goes to the shoulders … Continue reading →

Posted in Daily life, Fiction, Life, People, Thoughts, Writing | Tagged , , | 5 Comments