Perceptions

Now that the political season has calmed down a bit, I am once again struck by how every person has a perception of "what is the right thing to do" and I'm really not referring to governmental politics. [As we know, the word "politics" refers to the interaction amongst people, so it's not just about running the government.]

I would imagine that everyone has situations in their life that they don't have a lot of control over. There are choices to be made: cry about how unfair life is that this has happened; ignore it all, because it might go away; complain about how the situation and gaze at that 'greener grass' over the fence; or put energy into action.

For me the challenge is to not allow the comments and questions from others distract me from what you know in my own heart to be the direction I need to be headed. "You should/shouldn't be doing . . . [fill in the blank]." Or, "Why are you doing/not doing . . . ?"

Without getting too specific . . . I have a friend who is terminally ill. Nothing is going to change that. What appears to be the most passionate ideal in this person's life, is something that I can help sustain through my own efforts. And to that end, this is where I'm putting my energy.

Coming up for air . . .

There are several different posts that have been formulated in my head . . . and just haven't gotten done. So - time to get writing!

Not long ago a group of really good friends, the kind that you have worked with for 20, 30 years plus - who have shared weddings, divorces, health scares: the good, the bad, the ugly - all headed "to the lake" for the weekend. This is an annual trip that has been going on for almost 30 years.

It use to be that we spent time boating the waters, tanning, eating, drinking, etc., with discussions of men, diets, fashion . . . secret plans, hopes and dreams.
The last few years have been a bit slower pace, reminiscing on those crazy times, but still eating and drinking and cherising the moments together.

There are times when a person just needs to have 'the predictible'. For me it is knowing that this trip will include an afternoon of high tea at a wonderful tea house; a trip to the outlet mall for perceived bargains; those got-to-have chocolate chip cookies; and checking in with our favorite boutiques in those little towns on the way home.

Maybe it's the time of the year, but I can't help feeling that these trips have become more and more important because there may not be 30 more years of them happening. These are the memories that stay.

Another journey taken . . .

It was just something that had to be done. A personal "thing", perhaps a bit defiant on my part, but something to be proved to no one but myself.

Sixty miles in three days. I had tried this once before, and through inexperience or just plain stupidity, I wasn't able to 'go the distance'. [Hard to talk about this without a lot of tired cliques . . .] But now I can say, "I did it. ALL 60 miles."

I'm referring to the Susan G. Komen, The 3 Day walk I participated in Sept. 12-14 in Seattle, WA. The reasons why various people participate in this event are as numerous as the people who are there [3500 in Seattle]. The motives are valid, the stories incredible, and the people you meet . . . well, nothing like having 3500 new best friends.

For me, the 60 miles represented the every day frustrations that try to beat a person down. Like walking against a river current, if you're not careful, you'll slip and fall or be swept away in the wrong direction. These were the two images I held in my mind during the hours of traipsing around Seattle.

For awhile, it's going to be easier to get through the day without letting 'the day' try to bring me down: I did it; and nothing can ever change that.

The Spirit Within

This week I attended the dedication of a Legacy Sculpture presented to the City of Olathe honoring the city's sesquicentennial [150 years]. This life-sized monument, which is nearly 60 feet long, depicts a stagecoach, people and horses all in recognition of the heritage of Olathe as one of the final stopping places along the trails heading West.
Kwan Wu, the artist of this sculpture [who is internationally recognized for much of his work and happens to be a resident of Olathe], spent two years creating this bronze mural.
He commented that as he worked on this piece he found himself talking with the people as he fashioned them from metal - their spirits very much alive and vibrant.

I understand this very well. During the 31 years I was employed at the school for the deaf, I often felt the presence of those who had lived and worked on those grounds since 1867. Now that I am beginning to write their story, I find myself carefully listening to them and hoping to give accurate 'voice' to their tales, for these people are very real, very alive and very much a part of my life.

The Classics

Now that I am traveling almost weekly on a research project - 150 miles roundtrip - I have a lot more time to listen to my collection of CD's. I'm not much one to listen to the radio because I haven't found a station that plays only what I want to listen to . . . yeah, I'm getting set in my ways!

Which brings me to the question: What makes some songs classic? I'm sure everyone has their own opinion as to which music is 'classical' but since this is my weblog, I feel compelled to speak from my own point of view.

Songs can either be about the music or about the lyrics. If the song is about the music, the melody (as it were) needs to be complex enough that every time you hear it, you hear something new. Not an easy task, I would guess . . . having been someone who has never written music, but has an appreciation for the complexity that can be heard in 'classics'. [My current favorite is Howard Shore, composer for Lord of the Rings trilogy.]

If it's about the lyrics, the story line should be timeless and personal to the listener. Some of my favorite classical song writers are Harry Chapin and Simon / Garfunkel. I love storytelling in song and love that their stories are as relevant today as they were in the '70's. Fortunately or unfortunately, I measure other story writers against these people . . .

So as I'm cruising along I-70 you might see me singing the stories of these never-out-of-date writers or lost in the battle for Middle Earth. It really makes the trip to Topeka go quickly!

The Writing Process

For anyone who writes and actually thinks about it, there is a very personal process that is travelled . . .

As many of my close friends and perhaps not so close acquaintances are aware, I have been asked [and accepted] the task of writing a book about the history of the Kansas School for the Deaf. This was well over a year ago, and I am finally at a point of actually putting pencil to paper.

This is not to say that the writing process didn't start many months ago, because it really did. Too often, there are those who think if you don't see the tangible proof of the 'fruits of labor' nothing has happened. I have personally found that the start of the process happens in the churnings inside my head. This can go on for a very long time. The trick is to know when it's gone on long enough and recognize that the ideas are ready to 'be birthed'.

It's exciting to be at that point, because often you can't write fast enough to get the ideas committed to paper. I do know that this is not going to be a matter of a few weeks or months, but at least two solid years of research and writing before sending material off to a yet-to-be-discovered publisher.

What's reassuring to me, is the task is very personal and very fulfilling - so whether anyone is interested in reading the book when I'm finished is not the point. Some of us write for others and some of us write for ourselves. This has a bit of both, perhaps, but I do recognize that it's going to be a journey and labor of love for me.

Being connected . . .

It's amazing how many avenues for "connection" are available to any person with access to a computer. I'm finding that the time a person can spend in front of the screen is a bit daunting at best.

I've recently joined LinkedIn and Facebook: one for business connections, the other for fun [much to the chagrin of the younger generation!].

Like anything else, if you're going to make it worth your while to become part of "an organizaation" it takes responsibility to keep up-to-date and active with what's happening. A person gets very little out of something by just sitting on the sidelines watching.

Hence the challenge to check on the status of the groups. I still belong to three service organizations . . . though I'm finding it challenging to attend meetings on a regular basis - time and gas, both. It makes me wonder about the groups a person joins online and if this is just a fad or another option, or is this the movement of the future . . .

Personally, I'm more comfortable with face-to-face, but there is something about being able to tell your side without interruption [and sometimes, no comments because you've been so tardy with entries, like this one!]

So, hello to anyone who might still be checking my blog! I do plan to keep it going, if for no other reason than it gives me an outlet for writing!