Let's do this, '13!

 

I am already on fire this year and I'm so excited about lucky year '13! Big changes await on the horizon.

A special goddess guide has come into my online world this year, and her name is Leonie. Her philosophy on bringing out the goodness and shining potential in women is irresistible. So I became part of her circle. One of the many benefits to this is her Outstanding Incredible Year workbook and planner.

I've been slowly working through this puppy for the past few weeks. It's filled with planning pages, space for reflection, and my favorite, a closing ceremony for 2012. How can we move forward without reflecting on the lessons learned and giving space to release what's no longer needed?


Check it...

I'm ready to make my Action Book. This book can take any format you wish, but it is a place to write down specific steps toward achieving your goals. As I envisioned this book this morning, a funny voice inside my head said, "Wait--you think you can make a list of steps and follow through with them all on your own?" It got me thinking about a Creativity Group some friends and I had a few years back. We got so much done when we set clear goals with our partners and coaches. And now, who do I think I am, assuming I'll be able to write steps down in a book and actually do them on my own?

BUT...

 

 Why do we rely on other people to make sure our dreams come true?

Isn't it funny how tricky it can be to actually get things done? Aren't these goals OUR DREAMS? Don't we want our dreams to come true? Now I know that dreams are just made for bringing up our resistances, and that's what typically stands in the way of us shining brightly. But what if we took away our attachments for just a brief moment, and looked at that resistance as a treasure? A sign marker for Opportunity. We have all experienced that flood of pride and release that comes with accomplishing something large or difficult or just plain undesirable. Isn't the push worth the reward? 

Someone once asked me, "Have you ever regretted a time you took a big leap of faith?" I thought for a moment and had to admit that those times, while scary beforehand, had been important foundations to some of my greatest accomplishments.

What about you?

What actions will you take this year to make your dreams come true?

 

All in a word: Enjoy

My dear friend, Diane, at The Dew Drop Inn has a very special tradition. On New Year's Eve, she creates a magical bag full of important words written on small cards, words that come from the very depths of spirit and inspiration. She invites everyone and anyone to draw a word from the bag. The word is then yours to ponder, reflect, or just giggle at and toss aside.

I was thrilled to partake in this tradition again this year. I reached in and rummaged through the cards until my fingers found the small word meant for me. I read it, smiled, and let it ooze into my soul. I tucked it into my little black purse as we all headed out to a bacchanalian evening of dance, costumes, and art.

While on our California Coast trip two weeks ago, I reached into the very same bag only to pull out this...

 

How thrilled I was to find this word on August 3rd! (Or to have it find me again.) And the timing couldn't have been more synchronistic, seeing as I was on VACATION.

It gave me pause to think about all the ways I have lived up to my word so far during this grand year of 2011. Here is a list:

~ A terrifically delightful getaway at Carmel Valley Ranch, complete with moonlit tree swings

~ A luxurious stay at the Kirkwood Lodge for a weekend of snowboarding

~ Cozy dates on the couch with my sweet, streaming LOST (second time through for me)

~ Taking time to enjoy the beauties of the earth: An Andy Goldsworthy inspired unit with the first graders, hikes in the hills near my house, creating my backyard garden, morning walks with the pup

~ Cooking and baking (and eating!), often using fresh herbs from my windowsill

~ Renewing my meditation practice

~ Using my crazy ankle injury as an excuse to Slow Down, write a lot, and just plain rest

~ Experimenting with photography without harsh self-judgment

It's funny, but being tied to crutches for the past few months has really been one of the greatest gifts. I have slowed down in ways I don't think I would've just because I wanted to. I've said no to extra obligations that have been asked of me. I've taken naps when my body was tired. I've allowed myself to move through the world slowly, watching, enjoying each step of renewed strength.

Recently I heard someone describe the joy they got from smoking a morning cigarette. It wasn't the actual cancer stick they craved, it was the quiet moment on the back deck overlooking the garden with nothing but their thoughts and a bit of sunshine. How sad, I thought, that we don't allow ourselves this morning ritual without a reason. What if we insisted on a few moments to ourselves each day where we could stop, take notice, breathe...enjoy?

I'm as guilty as the next, getting caught up in the swirl of life. But having this word and these memories is encouraging me to keep that sacred time, especially now that the new school year is ready to ramp up at full speed. Morning Meditation is written in pen on my daily schedule, as well as permission to say no, and a reminder to take things slowly whenever needed. I give you all permission to do the same! 

What do you do to cultivate true Enjoyment in your life?

Cookies and milk

I've been steadily making my way through a package of amaretti cookies, which I recently bought for my nectarine galette. They're a perfect, bite-sized treat and I have to admit that I've snacked on them before breakfast. More than once. Like today.

I stood looking out the kitchen window enjoying the sweet almond flavor and the quiet neighborhood when Bam! A memory flooded its way back into my brain in full technicolor. You know that feeling?

My grandparents lived only twenty minutes away growing up, so I would often go spend the night with them, especially in summer. They were quiet, neighborly folk who enjoyed speaking French and listening to classical music. Many of my personal influences come from early days spent at their house.

If I happened to be there on a weekday, my grandpa (Boppa) would leave me a special breakfast treat before he left for work early, early in the morning. This was one of the best parts of staying at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Sliding my way into the kitchen in my nightgown, I was sure to find a small plate with four or five Stella D'oro cookies and a tiny glass of grapefruit juice. If you never had the pleasure of encountering these cookies, here's a picture.

They look almost as I remember. But the rainbow sprinkles used to belong to a flower-shaped cookie, and they were extra rainbow sprinkly.  I really don't remember that obnoxious green frosting. Weird.

Anyway, these Italian cookies were such a warm way to wake up. I would eat them while Grandma slept, imagining what Boppa's day was like at work. The cookies were our own little secret, Boppa and I. "Be sure to finish them before your grandma wakes up," he would say in hushed tones. I'm sure she knew, but at the time I felt so...sneaky. In a good way.

These memories are important for us writers. I know this to be true. But I'm having trouble putting my reasoning into words. Anything that zaps out of the ether into my consciousness has got to be worth remembering, right?  I think my job is to write it down and keep it in the Well of Ideas. It might not get used immediately but it's ready to serve at a moment's notice.

This is such an offshoot of my recent ponderings on Flow. I've noticed a lot of other wonderful, creative people who have been musing about the same the past few days. I'm going to let this idea simmer. What do you do with those lovely memorable tidbits? How do you keep them with you and do they ever suddenly reveal their purpose? Big questions...

Sunset Love: cocktails and cabins

“The new Sunset is here! Wahoooo!”

My mailbox has become familiar with my monthly little jig. Today (the day after receiving the August issue) I just had to throw some love out to the West’s best magazine. For those of you who don’t have the privilege of living on the “right” coast, never fear! You can join my party, too.

While there are an infinite number of places on the interwebs to find uniquely awesome DIY projects, green thumb inspiration, quick and delicious recipes, and travel tips that get you packing, for me, nothing compares to receiving this all-encompassing present in the mail, wrapped in savory oak woodland, rocky coastline mist, and kitschy food truck wonder. Turning each page, wondering what surprise awaits on the next, is a joy I savor each month.

And if that rousing cheer doesn’t entice you, here are some snippets to show you what I mean.

The Party Starter - a tempting little number I plan to serve at an upcoming summer shindig. Freeze watermelon ice cubes to create refreshment as cool as a dip in the pool. Puréeing watermelon can be a sticky endeavor but my mouth says it was absolutely worth it.

Finally I made me some edamame hummus! It’s been on my list for a while, and I couldn’t resist it paired with this super healthy, hippie burger. I added a good measure of mustard and used Trader Joe’s tomato basil pizza veggie burgers for the base. Tasty blend of flavors!

SoCal Veggie Burger

I love, love, love this idea for an outdoor table by FarOutFlora in San Francisco. Made from a repurposed palette, a table runner of succulents adorns the middle providing an everlasting centerpiece. Brilliant!

Finally, my travel bug gets very hoppy when I read about all the featured amazing places I might journey, like the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge in Alaska or hidden waterfalls in Hawaii. I downloaded the Best of California’s Central Coast guide for our upcoming trip down Highway 1. I know Sunset understands my desire for out-of-the-way wineries and charming bed and breakfasts. (See, for those of you who only visit the West, here’s a handy resource for you!) They even think about my dog and her travel dreams.

Sunset's website is exquisite, and I could easily be lost there for days. But not everything featured in the magazine is easily found there (or found there at all.) I think this makes my paper companion extra special.

What will I be doing today? Continuing to dream about how I might live out of a recycled shipping container or decompress from city life in a tiny lodge in Lassen Volcanic National Park...

Sound good to you? I thought so.

Succulent storytelling

Yesterday morning I was having a conversation in my head. You know, the whole idea that there are no new ideas in the world? That we keep telling the same stories over and over? And how that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t tell them anyway? I came to some really powerful revelations.

First, did you know:

11% of 30+ year olds maintain a personal blog

and

there are 152 million blogs on the Internet?

Infographics via @kevwrex 

What is going on with all these blogs? I couldn’t regularly read even 100 in a day without making it a full time job. Somehow these personal narratives are serving a purpose. And then I envisioned how we live our life in circles. The Google+ developers must have had the same idea.

Christopher David Ryan

We make friends, and we say they are now “part of our circle.” We become interested in, or at least exposed to, the things they are interested in. Suddenly we find ourselves in capoeira class or traveling the world with middle schoolers thinking, “Huh, ten years ago I never imagined I would find myself here.” We are led down a journey of life--experiencing, learning from our mistakes, searching for purpose, loving, and being loved. We seek out the comfort and wisdom of those around us as we create the life we feel we want to live.

And this is why we all need to retell the same stories.

The common threads that weave through our lives guide our actions year after year. Our surroundings shift, and we revise our stories to fit more modern times. Nowadays as “the digital world bleeds into the physical world and personal relationships migrate to the web,” we find ourselves with friends and guides whom we’ve never met in the flesh. These relationships can be as important as the people we see at the office or in the mommy’s group. We can’t predict where our next bit of wisdom may come from or who might need to hear our stories. Our circles are widening with surprising friendships, like bloggers who drive to Canada and stay in the homes of bloggy friends they have never “met.” (Great post from {not your average ordinary}!) I believe that we find each other for very particular reasons. Some friendships last for years and others for just a brief instant, still, they are no less powerful. We have but one job—to share our stories with anyone who cares to listen.

Feeling supercharged, I grabbed SARK’s book Succulent Wild Woman off the shelf to read in my breezy backyard. I have a hard time finishing books (I’m usually in the middle of 9 things at once), so I opened to the page bookmarked with an old receipt. And naturally, here’s what it said:

And if that wasn’t enough to let me know I was on the right track, this Succulent Wild Bird suddenly glided across the backyard and landed in my orange tree, 

as if to say, "Helloooo, over here! Yes, you! You got it!"

[Birds have recently become my personal messengers!]

So, that’s it. No more hiding behind “there isn’t enough time” or “what if it’s not good enough.” It’s time to daringly share our stories, succulent or simple.

I am a storyteller, and whoever wants to listen is more than welcome.

Please...come and join me!

SF AIDSWALK

Today I participated in my third San Francisco AIDSWALK in Golden Gate Park. This was my second time performing here as a musician with the Panhandlers Steel Drum Band.

Early morning view of the start line

From the reports I heard, 25,000 walkers raised over $3 million dollars to support services that improve quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS. The Panhandlers have been donating their gift of music at the event for at least 12 years.

Being at the starting line is a beautiful and overwhelming experience. We begin to play while the crowd eagerly waits for the gates to open. Once they do, a flood of people walk right towards us before turning to continue down the route. All of their collective support, excitement, and togetherness washes over us as they dance, smile, and holler past us. As you can imagine, this city feels the affects of HIV/AIDS more deeply than most other places in the country. Last year I secretly wiped away a tear or two in between songs.

The route is a loop so the walkers pass us again on their return to the finish line. Event volunteers wave pom poms and ring cowbells to celebrate each walker's return. Once they reach the finish line, people really stop and dance, come close to curiously look at our drums, and take group pictures.

That's me in the hat!

I really love the community feeling amongst the walkers. Groups from many large corporations come and walk wearing specially designed team t-shirts. Individual walkers come, too. Many people brought dogs and/or kids. The first dog to reach the finish received a huge cheer! I think he was both proud and overwhelmed.

Even the weather cleared, leaving us with a beautiful view of Sutro Tower through the eucalyptus trees.

I'm so honored to be a part of this event. I hold close to me those I know and have known whose lives have been affected by this disease. They are fathers and sons and children, women as well as men. In 2011, they live with less fear and greater comfort, thanks to those who have worked to bring a cure ever closer.

This is the power of community. Where do you participate with your community?

{If you have an extra minute or two, take a peek at this video to share in the magic of today's event!}

Making a commitment

It's not yet 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday. This is probably my favorite time of the week. The summer light is illuminating the neighborhood with a hazy, periwinkle sheen. Birds have awakened and are in the middle of their morning sonatina. The dog and the boy sleep peacefully in bed, where I would like to be, if not for all the non-stop excitement that ricochets in my head. I pinned an image on Pinterest that says it all:

Know that feeling? I think many people experience this in the wee hours of the night. For me, it's the early morning.

In these waking hours, lying in bed hoping to return to sleep, I come up with my most inspiring and energetic ideas. I'm often moved to leap out of bed and begin some new project in earnest, fueled by an inner force. It feels incredible! And then...

...it's time for breakfast. Need to start the laundry. Let's go on an errand. Oh yeah, remember that other house project you've been meaning to get to? The desire to write and create is not lost but the energy has been redirected. And here is where I feel, in all my usual calm, groundedness, I experience my version of ADHD. When I return to free time, I've been distracted by another of my many interests. Between blogging, creative writing, cooking, singing, playing steel drums, gardening, photography, reading, movie watching, social networking, yoga, dancing, hiking, traveling, writing with kids, singing with kids, baking, not to mention spending quality time with my love and my family, hanging out with friends, dog walking, and keeping house. Oh yes, and my time-consuming, passion-inducing career in education!

I'm thoroughly exhausted just reading the list.

And somehow I think I can fit all this into the span of each week. Clearly, some realism could be brought to the table. Especially as one sits with a sprained ankle and crutches nearby.

Do you wrestle with crazymaking such as this?

So, I'm going to do it. It's time, and I stand here (sitting, ankle elevated!) before you to say, I'm going to write a post each morning until the end of the month. No matter what. It might be totally uninteresting or crap or any of the other things the inner censor wants to call it but I'm all right with that. Characters need to be given a space to speak before we can know and understand them. Finding that voice is step numéro uno in the vein of creation. I'm going to take advantage of my summer freedom and use it to uphold this commitment to myself.

Who will Six Giraffes be at the end? And after that?
Well, we shall see!