H.W. Fielding

My family physician gave me the best professional advice I ever heard: "Take time for yourself."...

Proud and happy, 1979 At the end of my breakthrough year as a writer, my family physician gave me the best professional advice: "Take time for yourself."

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

ONLY IN THE ISLANDS-A daily look at life in the Champlain Islands by Rob Swanson

MONDAY MORNING SKY

The sky was on fire over the eastern horizon Monday morning before sunrise.

My TV debut on History's "The Mega-Brands That Built America" launched Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern. Like Rick in Casablanca, I was misinformed....

In Other Words … Season 2, Episode 28 - In Other Words … My TV debut on History's "The Mega-Brands That Built America" launched Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern. Like Rick in Casablanca, I was misinformed.

https://play.history.com/shows/the-mega-brands-that-built-america/season-1/episode-2
The invention of Bubble Wrap is featured on Season 1, Episode 2 of "The Mega-Brands That Built America" on History:. That's me at the one-minute mark in the intro and in the segment sandwiched between UPS and FedEx.

The show airs again this Sunday. Check your local listings.

The World Delivered | HISTORY EpisodeVideo

I had become disciplined about my writing, and thoughtful, and fluent. I’d sold fact and fiction and enjoyed dabbling with short stories....

The Uncommon Era, 1978-1979 I had become disciplined about my writing, and thoughtful, and fluent. I’d sold fact and fiction and enjoyed dabbling with short stories.

This series is about celebrating successes and learning from failures. So here are five lessons from two lifetimes later....

At the Hop, Conclusion, 1979 This series is about celebrating successes and learning from failures. So here are five lessons from two lifetimes later.

"It was pretty exciting, seeing my photo go on the front page, and all. I hope other staff members don't think I'm getting too pretentious."...

Good for the ego, 1979 "It was pretty exciting, seeing my photo go on the front page, and all. I hope other staff members don't think I'm getting too pretentious."

ONLY IN THE ISLANDS-A daily look at life in the Champlain Islands by Rob Swanson

SUNDAY SUNRISE

There have been beautiful sunrises in the Islands lately including a colorful dawn at the break of day Sunday morning.

The Bubble Wrap story is (probably) going to be on this Sunday's (7/30) episode of "The Mega-Brands That Built America." Mr. DeMille, about that close-up ... The history of Bubble Wrap is scheduled to be part of the "The World Delivered" episode of The Mega-Brands That Built America this Sunday, July 30, at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time. It streams the next day on History.com....

https://hwfielding.com/2023/07/29/in-other-words-season-2-episode-27/

In Other Words ... Season 2, Episode 27 Catch me on Episode 2 of History's "The Mega-Brands That Built America" Sunday, July 30, at 10 p.m. It streams the next day on History.com.

With its downtown and thriving campus community, Hanover was a lucrative market for a weekly newspaper....

Short and sweet, 1979 With its downtown and thriving campus community, Hanover was a lucrative market for a weekly newspaper.

Eventually my fantasy about an office with files, reference books (does anyone still use them?), and memo boards came to pass....

I'm fantasizing, 1979 Eventually my fantasy about an office with files, reference books (does anyone still use them?), and memo boards came to pass.

I feel that I have contributed something important to the paper and to myself....

An arts editor again, 1979 I feel that I have contributed something important to the paper and to myself.

Bubble Wrap will be featured in History's "The Mega-Brands That Built America" on June 30. ...

In Other Words ... Season 2, Episode 26 Bubble Wrap will be featured in History's "The Mega-Brands That Built America" on June 30.

ONLY IN THE ISLANDS-A daily look at life in the Champlain Islands by Rob Swanson

LUNAR ANNIVERSARY

While thunderstorms are rolling through the Islands at the start of the day Friday, the Waxing Crescent Moon was shining bright in the western sky Thursday evening.
Yesterday marked the 54th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the Moon in 1969. Today would mark the anniversary of the day astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin blasted off the Moon for their successful return to Earth after spending 21 hours on the lunar surface.

I was not just any cocky young alumnus. I was also a member of the regional press corps. This would require delicacy and diplomacy....

At the Hop, Part I, 1979 I was not just any cocky young alumnus. I was also a member of the regional press corps. This would require delicacy and diplomacy.

Both sides were happy. Sometimes the opposite holds true: If both sides are pi**ed off at you, you're doing your job....

I did my part to help out, 1979 Both sides were happy. Sometimes the opposite holds true: If both sides are pi**ed off at you, you're doing your job.

Conflict and chaos take time and effort to control in real life, let alone the writing life. I deal with them by setting deadlines....

In Other Words ... Season 2, Episode 25 Conflict and chaos take time and effort to control in real life, let alone the writing life. I deal with them by setting deadlines.

https://hwfielding.com/2023/07/13/the-heavenly-hash-slinger-1979/

"The Heavenly Hash Slinger," 1979 I got the idea for this title character for a short story -- or series of stories -- at a Howard Johnson's restaurant in Connecticut.

My tenuous freelancing career was looking up with the addition of a new regular market: the New England Entertainment Digest....

NEED work, 1979 My tenuous freelancing career was looking up with the addition of a new regular market: the New England Entertainment Digest.

Something is wrong, 1979 Is it the sort of gadfly that drives writers to accomplishments, or is it the sort of housefly that drives them to madness?

Is it the sort of gadfly that drives writers to accomplishments, or is it the sort of housefly that drives them to madness?...

Something is wrong, 1979 Is it the sort of gadfly that drives writers to accomplishments, or is it the sort of housefly that drives them to madness?

"Revolutions ... come into this world like bastard children… half improvised and half compromised." -- Dr. Benjamin Franklin, “1776”...

In Other Words ... Season 2, Episode 24 "Revolutions ... come into this world like bastard children… half improvised and half compromised." -- Dr. Benjamin Franklin, “1776”

It was a silly summer in a silly place, but students at highly competitive schools know that silliness is a great stress-reliever....

A silly place, 1979 - In Other Words … Reading Time: 2 minutes It was a silly summer in a silly place, but students at highly competitive schools know that silliness is a great stress-reliever.

Two words from the Declaration—tyranny and consent—say all we need to understand independence and our current political splits....

Consent of the governed - In Other Words … Reading Time: 2 minutes Two words from the Declaration—tyranny and consent—say all we need to understand independence and our current political splits.

Color lingers late into the evening in these early days of summer here in northern Vermont. This image shows the gentle sunset hues painting the sky at almost 9:15 p.m. Thursday looking northwest over the crowded moorings in Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain. The weather has been fairly dreary and drizzly since, but these pleasant scenes are bound to return before long.

I've already mentioned being steered by God or fate to the right place to help others. It seems to work the other way around too....

It feels good to share feelings, 1979 I've already mentioned being steered by God or fate to the right place to help others. It seems to work the other way around too.

Photo of the day!

We've been dealing with intermittent rain and thunder recently in Vermont, but the skies cleared just enough Tuesday night to offer a beautiful display of soft hues in the high, wispy clouds that stretched out like a hand above Burlington. The waxing gibbous moon even made an appearance behind the veil of clouds.

ONLY IN THE ISLANDS-A daily look at life in the Champlain Islands by Rob Swanson

BUG MOON

Shad flies share the Thursday night sky with the Waxing Gibbous Moon on Thursday evening. The Full Moon will occur on Monday the third of July.

Next week I’ll have more about how my friends helped me as an emerging writer. Also: the four most important words in the Declaration of Independence....

In Other Words ... Season 2, Episode 23 Next week: more about how my friends helped me as an emerging writer. Also, the five most important words in the Declaration of Independence.

I was touchy about my failure ... in providing for myself, as a writer, in getting a job, etc. These things all tend to add up....

Mixed emotions and fears, 1979 I was touchy about my failure ... in providing for myself, as a writer, in getting a job, etc. These things all tend to add up.

I could afford to share a room at the fraternity until Labor Day. After that it was go big (full-time income) or go home....

I'll survive the summer, 1979 - In Other Words … Reading Time: 2 minutes I could afford to share a room at the fraternity until Labor Day. After that it was go big (full-time income) or go home.

There was nothing I could do; siphoning gas from Mom’s car was difficult and time-consuming, and would have been impractical anyway....

Bicycle-built-for-two, 1979 There was nothing I could do; siphoning gas from Mom’s car was difficult and time-consuming, and would have been impractical anyway.

Is the glass half-full or half-empty? When it comes to solstices and human lifespans, I think about the latter....

In Other Words ... Season 2, Episode 22 Is the glass half-full or half-empty? When it comes to solstices and human lifespans, I think about the latter.

Postponing the History Channel interview let me dive deeper into the Bubble Wrap origin story. Meanwhile, the journals show I postponed work on the play for two years.

Postponing the History Channel interview let me dive deeper into the Bubble Wrap origin story. Meanwhile, the journals show I postponed work on the play for two years. Postponing the History Channel interview let me dive deeper into the Bubble Wrap origin story. Meanwhile, the journals show I postponed work on the play for two years.

I have two seasons: Hammock and Ordinary Time. We have just entered the latter.

Hanging it up for the year - I have two seasons: Hammock and Ordinary Time. We have just entered the latter.