Time to play

On weekends I like to do things a little bit differently. Enjoy!

One of the reasons I’m so busy this week is that there’s so much fun to be had. I’ve got a meeting today to talk about Toastmasters, but this afternoon I’ll be talking writing with a friend of mine and cooking up a storm. It should be good, productive fun. Have some fun today, productive or not. (Of course all fun is productive in its own way. . . .)

See you tomorrow!

Dancing in the whirlwind

On weekends I like to do things a little bit differently. Enjoy!

Wow! I’ve been away from the blog for a few days, but only because I’ve hit one of those insanely busy patches. I don’t think it’ll slow down for probably another week. I’m holding on tight and going for the ride. This afternoon I’ve got to try to get some housework done, but I’ll take the chance to listen to some fun music at the same time. I hope you’re relaxing even if you have to be busy.

See you tomorrow!

The brain loves new things

Dancing has been a little awkward lately, and it’s not just me that’s having difficulty. Several of my square dancing friends are learning the opposite gender roles from the ones they are currently dancing. Boys are becoming girls and vice versa. Their brains understand the differences, but muscle memory reverts to the parts they already know so well.

My problem is similar to theirs. Now that I’ve been dancing two-step for about six months, I’m trying to learn to lead. Following comes naturally at this point, and I can do all sorts of fancy maneuvers with the right lead.

I’m finding the switch a tricky proposition. Leaders have more details to keep in mind—they have to plan the moves a bit ahead of time, while making sure they don’t steer their partners into someone on a crowded and constantly shifting dance floor. The hardest part, for me, is fighting that tricky muscle memory. Follows start on the right foot while leads start on the left. My feet tend to shift while I dance, forgetting that I have now changed roles. It can be frustrating.

I sometimes wonder why I am putting myself through this torture. I actually prefer to follow, but I know I’ll be a better dancer if I learn both roles. I want to be flexible enough to dance with everyone, and I also have a stubborn streak. Once I find something to be difficult, I don’t like to quit until I get it mastered. I want to choose to follow, not remain locked into one role because I am unable to lead. Perhaps I’ll even end up preferring it. I won’t know until I improve.

I was discussing this with my friend the other night. He was frustrated because he could not remember which hand to use on a square dance call in his new role as a boy. I reminded him that he is only having this difficulty because he’s learning new things, because he’s challenging himself. I think it’s more important to keep learning that it is to be perfect, and I told him so. I think he felt better.

As for me, I led a partner in a complex move on the dance floor last Friday, and she didn’t break. She even enjoyed it. That’s worth all the funky turns and confused footwork it took me to get there.

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

186. Try something more advanced in a skill you’ve already acquired, or try doing a familiar task in an entirely new way.

You don’t have to be Rembrandt

Last week I went to the Seattle Art Museum and saw the current show, Inspiring Impressionism. I almost missed it. I used to work right next to the museum, so I would go four or five times a week, but my schedule is a little bit different now. I’m glad I remembered in time.

This show gathered together the work of the Impressionists and displayed it alongside the works that had directly inspired their art. Everyone knows that artists do not work in a vacuum, but I learned a lot by seeing the side-to-side comparisons. I’d love to see a literary anthology that did the same thing. Writers are also inspired by the masters, although we do not copy directly as some visual artists do. Many of the Impressionists copied works in the Louvre to learn their craft, and when I saw the show in Seattle many art students were copying it. The tradition continues. I love it.

I enjoyed the art, too. Although I cannot say that this was my favorite show, certain works really stood out. El Greco had a stunning portrait of a woman there, and I loved all the paintings of people reading or drawing. The Impressionists wanted to show real life in action. I was also fascinated by a still life done by Francisco de Goya. Most works of this type show vases of flowers, bowls of fruit. I’m just not that excited by them. This one showed a pile of four sea bream on a dark background. These red and orange fish looked a bit like carp, and were stunning in their beauty and simplicity. It was sad to see them piled there, no longer swimming. I spent a lot of time looking at that picture, and was sad that there was no reproduction available.

As I left the museum I also noticed that some new works were on display in other areas. I shall have to return soon. I love that the museum rotates its art—I can always find something new to examine. I’m also very excited about their upcoming show—apparently later this fall the museum is hosting an exhibition of Edward Hopper’s paintings of women. I can hardly wait. I adore Hopper. Next time I’ll even bring my sketch pad. Long live art!

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

185. When was the last time you went to your local art museum? Plan a visit today, and bring along some paper and a few pencils. Isn’t it time you joined the long line of artists copy masterpieces?

I may watch a movie

On weekends I like to do things a little differently! Enjoy!

Today I plan to do a bit of relaxing. I made my deadline for revising my novel early. It was supposed to be in the mail to readers by October 1^st, but I put the very first copies of it into the mail on Friday. Yippee! I’m eager to start the next things on my list, but I’ve been spinning my wheels so quickly lately I figured it’s time to actually use Sunday for its intended purpose.

I hope everyone out there is enjoying the weekend.

See you tomorrow!

She sings in English, too

On weekends I like to do things a little differently! Enjoy!

I find a lot of books these days by trusting to the randomness of the universe, and Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers, 2008, is no exception. The title caught my ear as I was reading a list of recommended reading at the library. This YA (young adult) novel is about the confusion of growing up, trying to decide who you are while you’re also trying to deal with the everyday hassles of being a kid. The novel’s protagonist is obsessed with Debbie Harry, the lead singer of the band Blondie. He can’t decide whether he wants to date her or be her, but he adores the power and beauty she exudes. The book fulfilled its promise, and I recommend it.

By the way, you may have noticed that I haven’t included any negative reviews. It’s not that I like everything I read—not at all. I’ve made the decision to only mention books I liked because: 1) It’s not joyful to be negative. 2) I know how much work it is to write a book. 3) Everyone’s taste differs. I might hate something that you adore—for example, I cannot understand the fascination with bell bottoms. Someone else can tell you what not to read—I have more important things to do with my time.

See you tomorrow!

Lovely weather we’re having

I can tell that the fall is on its way here in Seattle. The first signs of impending autumn are the signs outside the numerous coffee shops, which all start to advertise pumpkin spice lattes and hot apple cider. The Halloween candy is starting to push the school supplies off the shelves, and—oh yes—it’s getting a bit cooler.

The temperature change is the most subtle of the clues, because it just doesn’t get that cold here in Seattle. Most of my life I’ve lived in places where you cannot escape the signs of the season. Leaves turn colors, wood smoke fills the air, and it starts to feel quite chilly. I miss that sometimes, although I seldom miss the winter weather that follows it. Still, fall remains my favorite season.

Another great thing about fall in Seattle is that the rain starts to come back on a more frequent basis. Suddenly the sky is overcast on more days of the week, and the skies will start drizzling at least once a day. I love it. Bright sunny days do not thrill me the way that they thrill others. I don’t want to squint my eyes or melt in the heat. The return of the rainy season thrills me. Soon we’ll be having full-out downpours, the sidewalks glistening as people do their holiday shopping. The horse buggies will start circling the downtown again, and the steel drummers will start playing on the corners, trying to get some coins from those out to buy presents. Seattle shows its seasons in a different way than other places I’ve lived, but the traditions here are as predictable as everywhere else.

If it should happen to snow once the winter comes, it’ll be a real event. During the three years I’ve lived here I’ve seen perhaps two inches of snow at the most, and every faint dusting sends the town into a panic. Having lived through blizzards that dumped three feet with barely a disruption in the normal routine, I find this amusing. Of course they don’t salt the steep streets here, and the city is rumored to have only one snow plow. That does make a difference.

I don’t have to worry about these false calamities right now. I’m going to enjoy my day under Seattle’s white and cloudy sky, giving thanks that I’m in a place that suits me. If I’m lucky, I’ll even get rained on. What more could I ask for?

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

184. What are the signs of fall where you are? Do you enjoy the season? Why or why not?

I’ve barely even started

I’m going to slightly diverge from my usual format today to share an idea that my friend Laurel Winter posted in her marvelous blog Winter in Asheville. Laurie always has suggestions to her readers for things to do instead of reading blogs, and her most recent idea was to make a list of seventy-five things you appreciate.

So here, in no specific order, are the first seventy-five things that come to mind: My friend Laurie. Spicy chai. Rain. Pigeons. Shakespeare in any form. Poetry. Catcher in the Rye. Tolkien. Stand-up comedy. Wet sidewalks. Water fountains. Navy beans simmered until smushy. The company of writers. Libraries. Architecture. The buzz of urban spaces. Blue glass. Family. Sparkly things. Doo-wop music. Square dancing. Country music. Funky words. Cowboy boots. My fingers. Hats of all sorts. Serendipity. Walking. This blog and the people who read it. Classic cars, especially the 1955 Chevy Bel-Air. Buddhism. Emptiness. Quiet places. The sounds of nature. The sounds of the city. Windows. Drizzle. Overcast skies. Pierogis. Cannolis. Pizza. Chrome. Design. The internet. My friends. Seattle. New York. Minnesota. British culture. Crossword puzzles. All dancing. Bright colors. Art supplies. Office supplies. Musicals. Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Merry-go-rounds. Chuck Taylors. Arm warmers. Chain mail. History. Film noir. Mystery novels. Conversations with strangers. Bubbles. Toys. Soup. Relaxing with a book and a hot beverage. Roller skates. Tea. Bicycles. Origami. Scented flowers. Cats. Window displays.

I could keep going, but that’s seventy-five, or close to it. I didn’t want to count it more than once, because I don’t think precision matters here. I was already in a great mood when I started the list, but now I feel even more joyful. How cool is that?

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

183. Sit down and make your own list, just picking the first seventy-five things that come to your head. How did it feel? Was it easy or difficult? You might want to keep the list around as an inspiration to yourself.

Link, should you desire it:

If you want to check out Laurie’s list, it’s at:

http://laurelwinter.blogspot.com/

I got my first stamp

Today, like many days, I am reveling in the glories of the public library. I need to tell a folktale for a speech in Toastmasters, and I found that the library has an entire section of folktales for me to choose from. It was so easy to find what I needed—I love the librarians and the work they do.

 I’m also excited by a new promotion that the library has going. In order to celebrate a bond issue that greatly expanded the library, they have created a passport which gives details about all the libraries in the system. You can go to each library and get a stamp for your book, and when you’re done, you’re eligible to enter a prize drawing.

I plan to make time for this quest. The booklet gives bus information to make the tour easy, and even if I don’t win the prizes I will have had a lovely self-guided tour of the library system. It sounds like a good deal to me, and it’s free. I can’t wait to see the modern marvels and Carnegie masterpieces, and this quest will get me into many neighborhoods in Seattle where I have not yet ventured. The library promotion will give me a better idea of our city’s geography, too, and who knows what serendipitous treasures I might find?

Libraries have always been important to me. I have memories of my parents bringing my brothers and sisters and I to the Grinnell library in Wappingers Falls, New York. It’s an ornate structure which has stood there since 1887, and it’s one of the oldest libraries in New York State. I remember choosing my books with care, hunting for the few Nancy Drew books I hadn’t yet read.

I’ve given poetry readings in converted libraries, I’ve attended writing retreats in closed libraries, and I’ve spent many hours sitting in the corners of various university libraries where I studied. I could describe at least ten of these places in great detail. My apartment, despite efforts to pare my collection, resembles a library itself. I’m looking forward to visiting my local temples of knowledge. What a joyful assignment!

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

182. Think back to libraries you have known. What did you like about them? What didn’t you? Explore a nearby library that you haven’t visited.

Maybe rabbit ears would help

Did you ever start doing something and just have your brain seem to go empty? I feel a bit like that today. It’s not writer’s block. That’s something I don’t get. I don’t believe in it, which is probably why I haven’t been cursed with it. I’m just not sure what to talk about in the blog today. Lots of things are going on, but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a lot of time to process it all. Today might be a little bit random. Please bear with me, or skip along and wait until tomorrow to read again.

The sing-along version of Mamma Mia was really fun. My friend and I sang through the whole thing, and we weren’t the only ones in the theater raising our voices. It made an already joyful movie into an even more joyful experience, and as I was dressed for brunch in a 1940s hat I felt equal to the occasion. I love to have a chance to dress up now and then. I highly recommend the experience, and my friend plans to buy the DVD when it comes out and have a costume party to honor Abba’s unique and wayward sense of fashion. It should be frightening.

The brunch I attended was celebrating the twentieth anniversary of my chapter of Toastmasters International. Each chapter of the group has a different feel to it, and I particularly like the one I attend because I find the people to be charming, supportive and interesting. Some groups are more business-like than ours, too. We have an informality about us that suits me. It was fun to get together and celebrate the chemistry we share as we improve our speaking skills. I’d recommend Toastmasters highly, and suggest that if you went to a meeting and did not like it that you might wish to try a meeting in a different place. The atmosphere may be totally different.

See you tomorrow, when I may or may not be more focused. You’ll have to come back to find out.

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

181.  Next time you’re feeling a little bit random, just go with it. Serendipity may lead you to some amazing discoveries, or you may simply learn that it’s okay when things aren’t perfect and organized. Once you’ve spent a random day, figure out if you learned anything from the experience.