Lesa Knollenberg
writer in madison, wi

Recent Blog Entries

Manifesting Hawkeye

The pandemic has changed everything. We’re all adrift, trying to establish solid footing, moment by moment. Usually when there is turbulence in my life, my response is a trail run with my dog. read more

These Are My People

These are my people, the folks in this photo. It was a tricky photo to take with all the goosing and kibitzing and snickering, but on a hot summer day recently I tried to get them to stand still, knowing even then that I was trying to capture something elusive, something a camera lens would never see. read more

Where I Sit

Writing is a lonely sport. There are no holiday parties or company softball teams, but one of the ways I get my people-fix is giving presentations to K-12 students about the writerly life. My favorite part is the end, when I precariously open it up to questions. read more

New Year, Old Me

The first few weeks of January are a touchy bunch. I always feel like one of those balloon-people at car dealerships: wild flailing arms blowing in eight directions... read more

Of Grace & Guitars

I was asked to sing in a wedding recently. Play guitar, too. I was honored beyond belief, as the bride is pretty special to me. When she first asked me, I flustered through the initial conversation and told her I would think about it. She was gracious and gave me a concrete way out, but this felt like something that should be thought over. After a weekend of consternation, I decided to say yes. read more

Writing In The Weeds

There’s a phrase in the food and beverage industry called "in the weeds." If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you know exactly what that means. You’re swamped, falling behind, and overwhelmed. Customers are irritated because their orders aren’t taken or their brandy old-fashioneds are late. Screenwriters have also adopted the phrase, and “writing in the weeds” means that you’re in deep. read more

Good Writing Wednesdays

I love a good New Year’s Resolution. I’ve had thousands over the years. Because I’m an over-aspirer, I like to set Sunday night resolutions before I go to bed... read more

I Got This

There’s a phrase I try to avoid at all costs: “You got this.” The few times I’ve said it to myself, it was almost instantaneous disaster. The first time, I was a young college transfer student, completely alone in an unfamiliar town... read more

Going Home

There’s been a change at the gym. Instructors are moving on, and not checking with me first. They probably don’t realize how much their particular brand of motivation helps me each day, but I’ve come to rely on these folks quite a bit... read more

On being married for 25 years...

During college, I found this quote from Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, an Indian mystic, guru and philosopher. It’s based on the teachings of Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher who studied religion, mathematics and completely skewed my high school GPA with his stupid theorem... read more

Yes, Virginia

Remember the story behind “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus?” An eight year old named Virginia Hanlon wrote to the New York Sun newspaper asking for the truth. In response, the newspaper printed an unsigned editorial in 1897 which is famous to this day... read more

Purple and Red

So here it is. The Blog. I’ve been dragging my scuffed-up heels toward writing a blog, but now I’m kicking up those very same heels. Now I think it’s a grand idea. All thanks to breakfast out with the girls... read more

Mrs. Thein

I can’t find Mrs. Thein. I have Googled her repeatedly, but she has disappeared without a trace. Mrs. Thein was my high school English teacher. She done taught me how to read and write real good, so I want to thank her good, too... read more

Nature that Nutures

I have a quiet treasure near my house – a rolling loop of trails that is a goldmine of colors and smells and fresh air. It helps me think straight, helps me mark the seasons and astounds me every time I’m there... read more


Blog photos courtesy of Gus Knollenberg