Author Archives: Mrs. Fitz

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About Mrs. Fitz

Hello! I'm Michele Fitzpatrick, a Chicago writer. Like our town, a work in progress. As a journalist, teacher and writing coach I think all of us live our stories and sharing them creates moments that remind us we're connected. And that is enough.

Reason #6 Why Folks Don’t Write

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

There are many reasons folks don’t write. Lack of talent isn’t on of them. Thinking that bad stuff is better than good stuff is. Bad stuff is powerful because negative emotions are powerful. When we grieve, are victimized, neglected, overlooked, … Continue reading →

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Pretty Sitting

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

Two and only two babysitters ever sat for my two brothers and I on the extremely rare occasions Mom and Dad did something without us. Mom’s youngest brother Alan did it once when he was a single guy but we … Continue reading →

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Gift of Gab

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D)officially is Gabrielle Giffords, following her resignation from Congress this week. Of the tough steps she has taken in the last year toward recovering from a gunshot to her head Jan. 8, 2011 near Tucson, AZ, … Continue reading →

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Ladylike

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

I’m reading a nice book, anthology of short stories all written by women, all written by women not well known, all written by women who are contemporary, all written by women with superb command of language and style and substance. … Continue reading →

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Heads talking

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

I miss talking about the news with other people who read or heard the same news I did. Now that I can select which information I absorb, I like the expansion but miss the chumminess of talking about the economy … Continue reading →

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Innovation

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

I grow weary of folks, a group that includes myself, using the term “innovation” in the wrong way. Whenever something is new, or fresh, or different…innovation! Innovation is NOT new or fresh or different. Innovation is communal, cumulative and calm. … Continue reading →

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Baby sitting

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

Mom was the eldest of six children. They all flung themselves out of Chicago during the 1950s and landed in suburbs, into split level houses and ranch houses, where their combined 22 offspring sprung. I don’t know if Mom and … Continue reading →

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Wave of the future

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

Commemorating Martin Luther King’s birthday is fun because dreams are always coming true, slipping in quietly like someone late to church. Today in glumpy and gloomy Chicago, I saw three of them: 1. Near his double-parked car on Wellington, a … Continue reading →

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Sister Julia

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

Fourth grade In Immaculate Conception grammar school was better than any other school year for all the wrong reasons. Our classroom was in the new wing of the 4-story brick building. It had windows on 2 sides, making it daytime … Continue reading →

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News muse

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Mrs. Fitz

One of the nice things about the demise of print newspapers is I am content no longer that I know what I should know, what I need to know. Being a journalist, I did acquire the know-how to know newspapers … Continue reading →

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