Marcus featured reader at Fourth Fridays as group marks fifth anniversary

SEQUIM — The Fourth Friday Readings event will celebrate its fifth anniversary at The Lodge media room at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Ruth Marcus is the featured writer for February and will present a multimedia viewing and reading of her new book, “Haiku & Mandala: The Wedding of Ancient Art,” at The Lodge at 660 Evergreen Way.

Readings are on the second floor of The Lodge and are free.

Open mic readings

Writers are welcome to sign up for the five-minute open mic readings. Rehearse in advance, as readings are timed.

An author, poet and columnist, Marcus works to inspire people to turn life challenges into meaningful lessons.

For seven years, Marcus wrote one-line daily inspirations and emailed them to a national readership.

Her book “Inspiration to Open Your Heart, Awaken Your Mind and Touch Your Soul” contains 365 of the more than 3,000 inspiring aphorisms she has written.

Marcus earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a doctorate in religious studies.

She was an entrepreneur in San Francisco and Sausalito, Calif., for 30 years, founding two graphic design businesses, a clothing design and mail order business, and a creative art center offering classes for adults.

In addition, she taught at the Academy of Art in San Francisco.

Move in 1999

After moving to the Olympic Peninsula in 1999, she hosted the grief group for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County and provided individual and group counseling services.

Her current passion is writing and hosting writing groups. She was instrumental in the founding of Writers on the Spit and the Fourth Friday Readings.

Every third Monday morning of the month, she hosts a free Spontaneous Writing Group at the Sequim Library.

She also offers design and consulting services to those interested in self-publishing.

More in Life

Tim Branham, left, his wife Mickey and Bill Pearl work on a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle entitled “Days to Remember.” The North Olympic Library at its main branch on South Peabody Street in Port Angeles sponsored a jigsaw puzzle contest on Saturday, and 15 contestants challenged their skills. With teams of two to four, contestants try to put together a puzzle in a two-hour time limit. Justin Senter and Rachel Cook finished their puzzle in 54 minutes to win the event. The record from past years is less than 40 minutes. The next puzzle contest will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 8. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Piece by piece

Jigsaw puzzle contest in Port Angeles

HORSEPLAY: Planning can help prevent disaster in an emergency

ISN’T IT TRUE in life, when one door closes and appears locked… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: In pruning, why and where matter

WELL, DAY 10 still has no frost and the mild temperatures are… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: Freedom and the stranger

FREEDOM AND OPPRESSION are at the very heart of the Torah portions… Continue reading

Jamal Rahman will discuss teaching stories and sacred verses that transformed his life at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rahman will be the guest speaker at Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship speaker set

Jamal Rahman will present “Spiritual Wisdom and Practices for… Continue reading

Pastor Omer Vigoren set for retirement

Bethany Pentecostal Church will honor retiring pastor the Rev.… Continue reading

The Rev. Glenn Jones
Unity in Olympics program scheduled

The Rev. Glenn Jones will present “Come Alive in… Continue reading

Shanna Bloom, who lives at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry streets in Port Angeles, plans to keep her American flag lights up well into spring. "These aren't Christmas lights anymore," she said. "They are patriotic lights now." (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Patriotic lights

Shanna Bloom, who lives at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry streets… Continue reading

An article from the Olympic-Leader newspaper of Port Angeles on July 20, 1894.
BACK WHEN: A tale of a Peninsula tragedy from 130 years ago

IT IS THE start of a new year. Have you made any… Continue reading

Angel Beadle holds Phoebe Homan, the first baby born on the North Olympic Peninsula in 2025. Father David Homan stands by their side in a room at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles couple welcomes first baby of 2025

Phoebe Homan joins 7-year-old brother

Andrew May/For Peninsula Daily News  
Fall color can add so much to your garden, as seen here on a garden designed and planted for 16 years. Always add some new fall color to your garden.
A GROWING CONCERN: Don’t let warmer temperatures catch your garden out in the cold

IT’S SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT to come to terms that Wednesday is a new… Continue reading