5 Miles

i recently read (listened to) Shonda Rhimes’ “Year of Yes.”  It’s a great listen for any of you that are looking for something helpful and entertaining.  It was filled with some great anecdotes and was pretty inspirational if you’re okay with being inspired by someone that is most likely wired very differently than you are.

There was a passage in one one of the later chapters that talked about her writing process and the time it takes for her to get in her zone, if you will.  This was one of the more helpful concepts for me.  She talks about the “5 miles” that she has to “run” every time she sits down to be creative.  Metaphorically, of course, her creative zone is behind a door that is 5 miles away and she needs to run those 5 miles every time she wants to walk through the door.  She explains that, at first, the 5 mile journey is long and almost undoable but as she did it more often and her fitness increased it became a quicker and easier trip.

She goes on to talk about how distractions and interruptions while running the 5 miles means she has to start it over again.  While this is a TERRIFYING thought for a mother of a 2-year old, the idea as a whole gives me hope.  I’ve always been a creative person, not Shonda Rhimes creative, but more creative than most.  That said, I’m extremely out of shape, if you get my drift.  I want the juices to flow and ideas to pour as soon as I squeeze 10 minutes of free time out of the crazy busy day or the hour or two I have to be an adult after my son goes to sleep.  It’s clear I have the time, but the energy and will power is a different story.  But Shonda’s process gives me inspiration.  If I can commit to “running” a bit everyday, eventually I’ll get to the door.  And if I can get to the door often enough, I’m sure I can come up with something to be proud of.

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Tea

I moved to Australia, from USA, in April of last year.  I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this.  Apparently in Australia, ‘tea’ is not only a beverage, it’s also what you call a couple of meals throughout the day.  I’ve heard even dinner referred to as ‘tea’ and it’s all quite confusing.  “Morning Tea”, “Afternoon Tea” a “cuppa tea” I mean JESUS, cut a yankee a break.

Back in the states I did drink tea occasionally.  Mostly during the 9 months that I was growing a little person inside me.  I tried all sorts of decaffeinated pleasures, the taste of each requiring some acquiring.  Since then I’ve come to enjoy a good CUP of TEA as well like to call it in the USA.  But there is an obsession with the leaf around these parts that makes me giggle from time to time.  I doubt I’ll ever be a tea-head, a good cup of tea will NEVER equal a good glass of wine.  That said, tea has been a part of Australia that I’ve found some comfort in.  Not to mention…it’s one of the only affordable drinks in these parts!

A Child’s Planter Box

The excitement I had to today oozed out of me.  I dropped my son off at daycare (never exciting) and headed home on one of the first days I had to do whatever I wanted to do.  The daycare thing is pretty new in our household.  The little man goes twice a week, this started about 3 weeks ago.  He hates it but my gut tells me that it’s good for him and while I miss him while he’s there, I know it’s good for me too.

After dropping him off and returning home I did some of my normal chores, baked some cookies, did some laundry, did some ironing and then I went into the work shed in search of a project of my own.  I’m secretly jealous of my partner for all of the fun projects he gets to work on in his shed.  Time by himself to do whatever it is in his mind that he feels…this never happens for me.  But I had it for a moment today and it felt amazing.  It recharged me as I looked at things I can do to help clear some space and get us more organised for future projects.

And then I saw them, 2 little green boxes of flat packed planters that we bought for our son at the beginning of winter.  As we’re headed into spring next week (we’ll see) what great timing to have this sense of adventure.  I unpacked the planter boxes, collected the necessary tools and got to work.  Amazing!  Of course, now all I want to do is create something or build something or plant something but all in good time.  It just felt good to being doing something, somewhere different for a change.

Can’t wait to get dirty with the little man as we make some things grow together!!!

 

 

Trance

Oh man, it’s been a long time since I’ve been here.  So much has changed and I’m looking forward to sharing my new life and experiences with you, my non-existant, virtual audience!

I’ve found myself in a trance quite a bit in the last few months.  I’m a fairly recent new mom, my son turns 22 months soon.  The whirlwind of a being a new mother has not been lost on me, by any means.  I’ve not been able to catch up with my own thoughts for so long I started longing for something, anything to help me snap out of my “mom-zombie” status.  I’m slowly getting there, hence the return to writing, so I’m excited about that and chasing some of the few dreams I’ve been able to develop over the last almost 2 years.

The trance that motherhood can put you in is an interesting one.  It’s not a ‘dead to the world’ type of trance.  It can’t be, you’re always aware of the things around you when you’re charged with keeping a little being alive.  But it’s the task of keeping that little one alive and well that is the trance.  For so many months I literally felt as if nothing (I mean, nothing), else mattered.  Least important on the list of things I would consider thinking about would be my own needs.  And as I’m starting to come out of the trance a bit it feels good to have other wants and needs met.  Obviously, my boy will always be the absolute priority of my life and my decision making, but I do really feel that the better off I’m feeling personally, the better it will be for him.

I’d like to break the trance completely and live a more balance life.  I’m trying to starts to think of projects I’d like to take on and things I’d like to accomplish.  It feels good to have a little fire back.  Woohoo!

 

 

Wind

Wind is a game changer isn’t it?  It can make a cold day colder, a warm day warmer, wreak havoc with everything from hairdos to gardens to communities but can equally be a source of comfort with its music, its flexibility and its potential for energy.

Wind is a tool of one our classical elements.  That said, it may be the most valuable tool that air has in its belt.  Ask a firefighter in the midst of the craziness in Southern California, or my family and friends in tornado alley (Texas) or any seaman worth a lick the effect that wind has on them during crunch time.

I’ve experienced my first real wind here in Australia.  Of course I’ve been in wind before but nothing that rattled windows and shifted vehicles.  Thankfully I haven’t been caught out in it without the security of a quick retreat to safety.  Being that it’s winter here, the wind is usually quite cold.  I’m curious as to what the summer will bring.

Wind has a bright future.  I’m confident that at some point its usefulness will equal its destruction.

The Hard Questions

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “In Good Faith.”

I can’t think of the first time I came to question “the religious life”.  I had been raised in a Methodist church and my parents were and still are casual followers – my description, not theirs.  I do remember the only time I enjoyed church was the choir.  I have a vague remembrance of singing itself – but I have absolutely no idea if I was actually ever in the choir.  Weird right?  My sisters and cousins were always active so I may just be accepting the choir as my reality as well.  Anyway…

We had Sunday school, I hated that.  Every Sunday was followed by the regular service.  I sat there, week after week, listening to the word, as they called it.

Like I said, I don’t remember when I started questioning it all.  I have, for a long time, known where I stand on it.  I try to avoid conversations about religion because I’m tired of the conversion speeches.  But when I get pushed…I do push back.

I’ve had two recent encounters that come to mind that solidify everything I believe.  The first was innocent enough.  Some Witnesses came to my door and wanted to talk to me about the current state of the world.  It doesn’t take a religious person to recognize the troubled state our world is in, but of course, a zealot will always attribute the atrocities of this world to the evil influences of demonic forces. When I explained to the nice ladies at the door that I don’t believe in the Devil either…they didn’t have much to say.

The most recent encounter is the one I have the most trouble with.  I was having a conversation with one of my firm’s client, a client which, for whatever reason, is particularly concerned with my dating life.  He suggested that I try to meet a man at church.  Ridiculous…was my first, not to mention current, thought.  Reluctantly, I divulged that I wasn’t the religious type.  Then it started; the questioning.   I won’t bore you with the details but the takeaway was this – and I quote “what motivates you to be a good person if you’re not afraid of God.” Scary right? It’s my problem with organized religion in a nutshell.

So, you ask, what do I  place my faith in?  Naïve as it may be, I actually think that we as humans have what it takes to make it all work…the right way.  It’s where I put my faith, God help me 😉

Merry Christmas!

The best part about today’s Christmas was the different generations that were here.  My dad’s cousin, who is our perennial shit talker was here from Detroit; always a pleasure.  She is one of the oldest of our Napier clan and she’s awesome.  There’s nothing better than old people telling you what’s what.  My dad, who might be considered the patriarch of our extended family is always ready to share is wisdom.  I was thankful that a couple of the younger kids were listening, not only because he likes to be heard, but because even if they only heard 1/3 of what was said, it was worth it.

Another highlight…my brother Matt was wearing the super generic Santa suit costume that was issued during my most recent attempt at becoming a runner, the Santa Run 5k in Sacramento.  It was great, he looked ridiculous!

All I have today is the long story, cut short.  Merry Christmas to all of my people, none of which read this blog!