Kinesthetic Activities (otherwise known as hobbies)

I am a kinesthetic learner.  I learn best by watching, and then doing.  I love kinesthetic activities like playing the piano, dancing (especially modern dance), hiking, surfing.  For the class I recently took, I had to learn to juggle.  That was supposed to help us remember what it's like to be a beginner at a skill.  I"m still a beginner at it, but that's another story. This year I've added knitting to my activites.  I'm also going to start a crochet project soon, and right now I am learning guitar.  I've always liked acoustic guitar.  I just love the sound of it, and the sound of a person singing with the guitar.  I like Colbie Caillet's music.  And yes, I like Taylor Swift's music.  I'm not sure why I haven't learned guitar before.  The right time just hadn't happened for me yet.  But it's here now.  I think I've been inspired by my son who played guitar with his girlfriend (before leaving on a mission).  It was so fun to hear them!  And they were pretty good!  Anyway, it's just fun to sit down and play the piano sometimes, or put on music I like and dance to it, or knit a scarf or crochet an afghan for my kids.  And play guitar for the fun of it.  It's just satisfying in life to have some activities you do purely for the fun of it. For the joy you get from learning and doing something. And for the fact that they help you forget your troubles and get out of the crazy thoughts running through your head!  I guess almost every skill we learn is kinesthetic in some way.  And that's a good thing.

Get My Shopping Mojo On!

I am not a shopper.  Have never really loved it.  Don't do it with girlfriends. I remember two different occasions when I actually went with a girlfriend.  It just seemed awkward, and I'm way too self-conscious.  Today I was shopping for a skirt to wear to my sons wedding.  Did some shopping for it yesterday also.  Went to more stores today.  Stores, stores, stores.  Skirts, skirts, skirts, dresses, dresses, dresses.  Colors, styles, shapes.  Blaaaaaaaaaa!  It all gets too overwhelming to find THE RIGHT ONE.  That looks good on  me, feels good on me, is not dowdy, and is the right price.  A delicate balance to find all of those attributes in one dress/skirt.  And sometimes I just get overwhelmed by it all and have to pack it in and wait to try another day.  Then sometimes, usually after several days of shopping and narrowing down exactly what I want, the shopping mojo finally hits me and voila!  I find what I want in a short amount of time.  My husband says it's focus.  I like to call it my shopping mojo.  Whatever.  Thank goodness it finally came!

The Power of Nature

I grew up with parents who took us biking, hiking, camping, playing softball, roller skating, swimming, and anything that involved the outdoors.  My husband and I have done the same with our kids.  Especially hiking.  We live literally at the foot of the beautiful, majestic Wasatch mountains.  There are MANY hiking trails in the various canyons within a 20 minute drive of our front door.  Yesterday we hiked one of them.  Amazing how in that short span of time I feel transported to another world.  No blaring of horns, no pollution.  Just rushing streams, birds calling, fresh mountain air.  Sometimes I wish I lived back in another time, when people were more connected to the earth.  I've learned for myself how nature can be healing, and that going outside just a few minutes each day can be calming and/or invigorating.  We have a small vegetable garden and a few fruit trees.  So we are in our own small way, trying to maintain that connection.  I hope we have passed that on to our children.

Divine Intervention in Friendship

Sometimes you meet someone in life, and they end up playing a much bigger part in your story than you could have ever imagined.  That's what happened with a girlfriend of mine.  Our husbands grew up together from junior high on.  My husband met her at college and introduced her to his friend.  They started dating.  Not long after, my husband and I met and started dating.  We did some double dates together and got married about a month apart. Fast forward a few years and we have the same number of children, same number of boys/girls.  We have done trips together and lots of family dinners and game nights.  Our children thought they were cousins growing up.  Then a very difficult period in my life happened, and I would not have made it without her love and support.  She was literally my counselor and confidant and main support.

Today was a luncheon to celebrate her youngest son leaving to serve a two year mission for our church.  She has raised decent, hard-working, God-fearing children.  I thought of all the times she and I have talked, laughed, and cried on the phone, over lunch, and on the ski slopes. I thought of the times she sacrificed to come to my home and help me in a time of need.  Our stories are intertwined now, and I realize God is much smarter than I am at placing people in my life that I will need.  God writes a much better story than I can.

On Being Married to an Artist

I am married to an artist.  Not a visual artist, but a writer, actor, singer, film-maker.  And that's only part of what he's done in his life.  He's climbed about every mountain in our state, and some in other states.  Was a river guide and kayaked many rivers.  Performed in many community musical theatre productions.  Doesn't sit still and just watch tv much.  Which is very good in some ways.  Difficult in others.  Sometimes I wish he were just a regular guy who would help with things around the house.  But then I'd probably be bugged.  As it is, there is never a dull moment.

So You Think You've Got Talent?

I read an interesting book this week for my class.  The book is The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born.  It's Grown.  Here's How., by Daniel Coyle.  Very interesting read about how the author went around the world to places (he calls them hotbeds) that seemed to churn out a high number of talented people in a particular skill.  Tennis in Russia, soccer players in Brazil, etc.  Did these people all have a unique talent and just happen to be from the same place, or was something done differently in that place that helped them develop their talent?  It seems that these places did do things differently, and it helped develop their skill.  The book makes the point that we have much more potential to develop talents than we may realize, and if we learn to practice a certain way, that makes all the difference.

So this begs the question, how much of LeBron James' talent is nature, and how much is nurture?  I definitely think nature has something to say about it.  But I also think we can often do more than we realize, if we have the desire, work hard, and practice the right way.  Some people have the physical ability, but no desire.  How about you?  What do you have a passion to learn and do in life right now?  Get up and do it!

Back in the Land of the Living

I was doing so well last week, writing here every day.  Then Monday I started a class I have to take for work.  At 8 a.m.  An hour away.  With homework.  So the homework stuff has kept me pretty busy, on top of fixing meals and getting a little exercise, and staying on top of all things family-related.  But, IT'S DONE NOW!!!  Yea!!!  And I got two free books from it that are very interesting reads (non-fiction, more about that later) and learned some interesting stuff about Motor Learning.  What's that, you say?  Motor Learning.  ie. how we learn physical skills.  And the best way to teach a beginner a skill vs. an advanced learner a skill.  And the importance of practicing skills correctly, so our bodies create myelin and we create good habits and we learn faster that way.  And that positive feedback is HUGE in influencing people.  We humans are absolutely drawn to positive feedback from others.  So that's the goal I need to set for my teaching next fall, is to use more of it.  And use it at home with my family more!  I love learning new stuff, and reviewing old stuff.  But I am back in the land of the living now.  Hello!

You...are Never, Ever, Ever....going to grow up!

When my baby was a toddler, I used to say that to her quite often.  She was too darn fun and cute, and I just wanted her to stay that way!  Well, now all of my kids are older, and my baby is 16!  She gave a talk in church today on Fathers, and did a wonderful job.  She is growing into a beautiful, intelligent, kind young woman.  But I have "moments" when I think I haven't trained her well enough in some ways, or she has moments when she just wants to NOT be around Mom!  A natural part of growing up and becoming her own person I know.  But sometimes I miss those early years of she and I grocery shopping, running errands, going to PTA meetings and play dates.  The pure innocence and joy.  But I can't complain too much, because I know compared to some parents, I've got it really good.  She is hyper careful to get homework done on time, be places on time, and do well at whatever she's doing.  Sometimes I have to make sure she's not overscheduled or pushing herself too much for an impossible perfection. She has good friends, is involved at church, and cares about her family. Lest you think she's perfect, one look in her bedroom will tell you she's not.  But darn it, she didn't listen to me, and she IS growing up!  At least sometimes, when we're sitting in church, she'll lay her head on my shoulder, and I can enjoy her being my little girl again.

Father's Day Hikes and Bugs (not Hugs)

So what do I remember most about my Dad?  Always up early in the morning (singing "Up in the morning, early to rise, work like the devil for my pay.  But that lucky old son, ain't got nothin' to do, but roll 'round heaven all day!"), and wrestling with us as young children.  Taking us hiking, biking, roller skating, playing softball, basketball, fishing; anything that got us out and moving.  But also I remember delicious breakfasts of eggs and biscuits and sausage he made for us on special mornings, 20-minute power naps on his back on the living room floor after lunch, playing with his dog, riding and training his mules, and teasing my Mother.

What will my kids remember about their Dad?  Probably him singing at the top of his lungs as he practiced for another musical, and hiking in the mountains, the dessert, the park, anywhere.  Trying to teach them different trees, plants, bugs, bugs, and more bugs!  Giving a dollar to the child who found the most interesting bug on a walk. Talks about politics and the world and being good stewards.  Can't complain about any of that.  I'm lucky.  My kids are lucky.

Ooh, you make me smile

Get up.  Send email to Son #3 who I miss everyday. Go for a walk/jog (which is what I do instead of running now), check for an email from Son #3, weed in my front garden for an hour, check email again, shower, check email, eat lunch, check email.  Yeehaw!!! Finally!!!  Read email from said son.  He is happy, healthy, and his typical cheerful, humorous, upbeat self.  Wow it's so nice to have a personality like that in your family.  The life of the party.  The person who makes everyone feel good, and is just naturally funny and fun and charismatic.  Just a fun person to have around!  Even though he's gone for now, his letters bring me joy, and make me want to do better.  Live a better story. Isn't it interesting how much we can affect each other?  We literally become like the people we hang around.  Just thinking of him makes me smile.

What's Your Story?

So I get a Smiley Face sticker for eating good things today! Yeehaw!  But there's a lot more to life than what we eat.  Isn't there?  Because I don't want to look back at my life and remember endless nights (or days) of watching tv or dvd's and eating tasty treats.  I want to look back at my life and say, "Yea, that thing I did was cool.  Those people I met are interesting.  That trip was amazing. I can't believe I managed to do that!"  I want to be able to sit and play piano or guitar or sing because it's fun for me to do. Last summer I went on an incredible adventure with a friend to Europe.  We visited Venice, Italy, then took a cruise on the Mediterranean to several Greek Isles.  Amazing!  But just as amazing were some of the people we met.  One couple travels often, and they save sand from every ocean or sea they've been to.  Cool!  But you don't have to travel the world to have an interesting life.  You just have to lean in to sensation (as they say in yoga). Think about what scares you, and learn about it and lean in to it.  Donald Miller's book, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" is a fabulous look at how to turn your life into a great story.  Read it.  Do it.

And, We're Off!

So it's time.  Time to get serious.  Look at desserts in the face and say, "No thanks.  Not today."  And actually do that for several days in a row.  Because for me, the problem is desserts.  Especially cookies.  With chocolate.  Or cake.  With chocolate.  Not usually ice cream.  Except when the weather gets hot.  Then ice cream (with chocolate) can become a problem also. And I've put on a few lovely pounds since last summer that I don't think look all that lovely where they are.  So I'm telling anybody out there in the universe that might see this, that tomorrow I will say No.  I'm not saying No forever and ever.  That makes my brain go crazy.  But moderation.  All things in moderation.  So No tomorrow to some things, but Yes to a lot of other yummy things!  Bring on the Yeses!

Oh, the Cleverness of Me!

I bet the San Antonio Spurs are saying that line (from the movie "Peter Pan") right now.  Show those young smarty-pants whippersnappers what's up!!!  I'm telling myself that right now, because I decided to do this blog as a summer project for myself.  "Oh, the cleverness of me!"  "What?"  I'm asking myself.  "You are too private and don't like ANYONE to know what you're really thinking half the time."  So why am I doing this??  Because things that really scare me I need to do.  So I'm here to show myself I can.  Hopefully it'll be a fun ride.  No, wait, it WILL be a fun ride!

Look and Laugh

Thinking of Dori, "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, just keep swimming."  Focus on the positive around you.  Rocky mountains out my window, green garden husband planted, elegant, comfy home, fresh food to eat.  I can choose to act in my world, not just react.  Boy I'm good at reacting.  Today I will smile at the world and laugh.  If you can't laugh, you're taking it all too seriously.  So this blog will become a way for me to look at the world and laugh.

Are You Ready for This?

I'm not sure I am, but life happens anyway.  Child #1 getting married this summer, child #3 off on an adventure.  Let's see if I can keep up with life and firmly comit to change!  Of course, change is going to find me whether I want it to or not.