common things | Dina L. Relles

good things

Dina L. Relles

02/01/2017

It was the last day of the year, when I always try to make time more tangible, pin it down, make sense of its passing. When I grapple with what it means to be alive at this place, in this moment. The kids were playing in the basement—the younger two still battling a cold—and I’d …

Welcome (Back) to Commonplace

Dina L. Relles

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05/27/2014

Last week, I wrote a post reflecting on these first months of writing. I loved writing it, sharing it, and reading people’s reactions. As circular as it may seem, writing (and reading!) about writing is one of my favorite things. {A brief digression, because my setting as I write this seems worth mentioning: I’m sitting …

Finding Loveliness in the Endless Snow

Dina L. Relles

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02/19/2014

My inclination upon waking up to yet another snowfall yesterday was to shoot off some grouchy tweet about how much it sucks. (I even almost resorted to a snarky pun like “Snow way I’m doing this again.” I’m telling you–I was in a bad place.) So trust me when I say I’m with you on this …

Valentine’s Day, Reimagined

Dina L. Relles

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02/12/2014

I admit it. I’m a Valentine’s Day Scrooge. I’ve long considered it a manufactured “Hallmark holiday.” As early as middle school, it was an opportunity to blatantly broadcast your puppy love when you’d open your locker only to find a gaudy trinket or (if you’re lucky) a mix tape replete with Billy Joel and …