Pep Talk from Kid President

#1 - I went to a Moth StorySlam event last night (open mic storytelling) and got to bed later than usual. I wasn't sure I would get up for my Thursday early morning yoga class today. I set my alarm, but I gave myself permission not to go, or rather, this morning I didn't try to convince myself to go, I just went.


#2 - I gave the studio owner the research I did on purchasing alternative energy through the regular power company - like an exchange. It doesn't mean our power would actually come from wind power, but they would put that money into increasing the wind power capacity. When she asked me if I would do eco-research for her instead of my cleaning work exchange, I was hesitant. Mostly because I get tired after cleaning for 2 1/2 hours, so I clearly need the exercise, and this would mean sitting in front of a computer instead. However, now I am grateful to have learned about this, and looking forward to what I will learn next.

#3 - Feeling inundated and exasperated while looking at a wedding gift registry, not because there was anything unusual about it - it just so much stuff. So many of us just have so much STUFF. I called a friend and she didn't tell me I was being ridiculous.

#4 - I heard an interview with the head (I think) of Chicago's Ceasefire program on The Story. I have such respect for that program and the people in it. I watched a film about the program last year which I recommend. http://interrupters.kartemquin.com/

# 5 -

Today's Mystery

#1 - I didn't have glasses the last time I renewed my driver's license, and now I mostly wear them while on the computer, not all the time.  Anyway, I brought them with today in case they were needed, but I passed the eye exam without them.

#2 - My county charges extra if you pay with a credit card (and they don't take Visa, because Visa won't let you do that.)  This might make a few people think about the fact that every time you use a card you are giving money to the credit card companies (and taking a little away from the business where you use it.)

#3 - Sometimes I just want to hide away and "not deal with people" but then other times I find interacting with people to be the most rewarding thing there is.  An ever present dichotomy I was reminded of today after a fulfilling work interaction that made time fly by.

#4 - Listening and harmonizing with some of Jason Mraz's new songs on YouTube while on the computer (Outta Yours Hands and My Best Friend.)  Feels like a warm nurturing blanket.

#5 - There is a mystery of the recipient that I cannot figure out.  I started writing a letter a few days ago, pages later I put it in the mail today.  I had no idea it was going to be that long and though it does not directly relate to the friend I am sending it to, her energy had something to do with it.  Meaning if I were just writing in my journal, or even writing to anyone else, I know the letter would not have come out the way it did.  Similarly, today I have a few questions to answer someone and I find my mind mentally composing a long response.  But I know part of the reason the response is long is based on the person asking it, meaning I could be answering the same question from a different person and have much less to say on the matter.  How does this work?  Thoughts anyone?

Serious Daring

I've been feeling a bit down the last few days, maybe because I came home from a nourishing visit with a friend, maybe because I applied for a job I was excited about and well qualified for and it looks like I won't hear anything back, maybe... Here are a few simple things today that penetrated through this -

#1 - Walking/jogging to the thrift store. Just that little time outdoors moving was helpful.

#2 - Buying a schmancy orange dress that I will probably never wear and therefore didn't make sense to buy, but it made me smile.  (It was $3).

#3 - Writing the word 'schmancy' for the first time.

#4 - My niece's dance move with her left arm, no shoulder, just arm.

#5 -

"I am a writer who came of a sheltered life, a sheltered life can be a daring life as well, for all serious daring comes from within."

Eudora Welty

...

When Patterns are Broken

#1 - You know the difference between sitting next to someone you are really comfortable with and someone you either aren’t or don’t know? How for example, if your bodies touch in the latter case you automatically pull away? I woke up from a series of dreams this morning, in two of which I was in public places next to a man I didn’t know and our bodies unintentionally touched. Neither of us pulled away and it felt natural and comfortable and beautiful.

#2 - In another one of the story lines I was going back to college for my fifth year. I wasn’t sure why I was going back, I thought I had finished but it was what I usually did and I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t know what I was going to do there either though, and doubted if I should be paying for another semester.

I left this storyline completely for a while and went to the aforementioned dreams and more, but I returned to it in the last segment before I woke. I tried to figure out if my friends were back and two of my friends were, which was somewhat reassuring, but I still wasn’t sure what I would do there and if I should be enrolled. I went up to my new dorm room feeling uncertainty and anxiousness. My roommate was there talking to another friend and as I looked out the north facing window I could see the countryside framed by two brick buildings. In the setting sunlight they resembled rock formations in Utah. The scene was so beautiful I started to cry, both in my dream and in my real life.

#3 - This is how I woke up.

#4 - Dreams have made me cry before, but not because I saw something of beauty. When I got my hair cut recently there was a quote on the mirror in front of my chair that said, “When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge.” Tuli Kupferberg

#5 - Taking the time to write this, which meant taking the time to acknowledge it.

Base of Something

#1 - Despite raining much of the day we still have a base layer of snow, well maybe ice, but it's something.

#2- There was a man creeping me out at the store today and I totally trusted my gut on this.

#3 - I sewed or darned?(nope I just looked it up, I maybe should have darned but I don't have yarn so I sewed) holes in three sweaters today.

#4 - I had a can of sardines that I bought when on sale at some point (not something I usually buy.) I pulled it out tonight and the package suggested using it in your cheese melt. So I put it on some pizza dough crust with cheese in the toaster oven and it was quite a yummi dinner.

#5 - I really didn't feel like turning on the computer to write these and I could only think of gratitude #1 before I sat down, but now I think - of course trusting myself, and mending something and my dinner are things to be grateful for.

This is My Way

#1 - Thinking to myself, "I love children," as I helped a child shop for holiday gifts for her family. I was volunteering at an event where kids buy an inexpensive ticket that allows them to shop for five family members for the holidays. I was reminded today how multi-layered we all are. I always test on the introverted end of Meyers Briggs, but that does not account for how I act around children, and it's fun to feel my more extroverted side come to light.

#2 - Once we got the tables all set up the donated gifts looked beautiful. It is a very fulfilling volunteer experience even for someone who neither likes shopping or the consumerism of the holidays.

#3 - The gift sale is a complex coordination event and the woman who is in charge handles it with grace and ease.

#4 - Coming home to a yummi pasta dish prepared by my sister-in-law and specifically trying to pick out the broccoli pieces into my bowl because they were my favorite part.



#5 - Wednesday evening I played my brand new song for a friend. He said I should record it. I shook off the suggestion.

Less than 24 hours later I had the impulse to record this video for my gratitude blog.

I saw a bumper sticker that said, "If you don't ever change your mind how can you be sure you have one?"

So...my video debut

Bonus - this means I've fulfilled "Do something every day that scares you," two days in a row, yesterday recording this, today posting it.