Amma says, “Time lost is a loss forever.”

This is why sometimes I have been very sad. When I’m having a bad time and feeling stuck, I feel afraid that my life is passing along and I’m not able to do anything about it — neither to control it nor to enjoy it as it goes. It’s a really terrible feeling.

That’s why lately I’ve been trying to get more in tune with what I want for my life. As a kid, I thought 30 years old was a million years away, but here I am at 27, realizing it won’t be long till I am undeniably a “grownup.” What kind of grownup do I want to be?

I don’t have an answer for this right now, but I think it’s a good question to be asking, and I’m finding Amma really inspiring at the moment.

Ratatat – Drugs from More Soon on Vimeo.

Thomas French, who is a super nice guy, a fantastic writer, and a mentor at Goucher College where I got my MFA degree, now has a book on the New York Times bestseller list. The book is Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives, and yesterday, he went on “The Colbert Report” to talk about it.

Watch the interview here.

It was really awesome to see him on the show, and I thought he did a great job. Lots of guests seem to have trouble keeping up with Colbert, but Tom just rolled with it and looked like he had a good time. It’s always good to see writers like him succeed, for so many reasons. Of course, he’s a good writer and he’s very smart, but he also cares immensely about everything he writes, and he shares that passion and intelligence with his students.

This summer, I had the opportunity to study with Tom at the Chautauqua Writers’ Festival in Chautauqua, NY, and I truly enjoyed it.

So, congratulations, Tom. May many more great things come your way!

I normally reserve this kind of post for Not an Activist, but I had a lot of fun making this video. This is just one week’s efforts toward a greener life. There is still a lot to do and to learn! If you want more, please visit Not an Activist. Thanks!