The Baltimore Writer
Welcome to the Home of Rus VanWestervelt, where you will find discussions on writing (from poetry to memoir), reading, publishing, photography, education, nature, and all things related to Baltimore, Chesapeake Bay, and the surrounding area.
Rus’ Latest Posts
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Finding the Five: What Are You Most Passionate About?
As we begin our study of poetry in my English classes, we are preparing for our participation in Poetry Out Loud, a program sponsored by the National Endowment for the… Read more ⇢
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Building a Writer’s Online Platform
I need your help. In 2025, my primary goal was to immerse myself into my creative endeavors: writing, drawing, crafting, and photography. On all measures, I exceeded my goals. Much… Read more ⇢
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Thoughts in November
November has always been a great month for me. The first round of college apps and letters of recommendation is over, and I have historically used the 30 days in… Read more ⇢
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Autumn ’25 Playlist: The 90-Minute MixTape
I selected these songs from my playlist of top 100 faves for this Autumn (that list follows the MixTape below). I tried not to overrun the setlist with the same… Read more ⇢
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What if?
We are exactly one week away from students showing up in our classrooms and beginning that next year-long journey of their high school experience, and we spent the day at… Read more ⇢
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Texas Floods: Take The Time To Read The Stories
Since the news of the tragic floods in Texas broke on July 4, I’ve been lifting prayers of love and peace on the social media posts that are sharing the… Read more ⇢
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The Challenge for Creatives
Every day, I think about what I *should* write about. I think about how my sometimes-gift with words can be used in the best possible way to manifest change, support… Read more ⇢
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“Tales of War and of Waste”
The last two weeks have been filled with chaos and tragedy. I make this statement rather generally; you can get more specific if you like, but I don’t really need… Read more ⇢
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Updates and such
This is one of those “Rus Uncut” posts. Actually, I’ve been throwing the idea around for some time to drop the formalities and the anxieties that come with it. My… Read more ⇢
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The Centuries-Old Challenge With Hydrants
The fires in Los Angeles have exposed some real limitations that were once unfathomable. As firefighters from across the region joined in to help fight the fires, they soon realized… Read more ⇢
Rus VanWestervelt 