The Joy Diet: Treats (Catching Up)

I have been keeping up with the readings but not always the activities in "The Joy Diet" that I am reading with a group of incredible women. For more information, click on the "Joy Diet" button on the left side of the blog.

The chapter on treats was a good chapter to remind me that there have to be some joys in life in between the work.

Step One: Compile a list of spontaneous smile sparkers
1. pictures of friends
2. thoughts of beach vacation(s)
3. planning art projects
4. movies that are coming out soon
5. cute kittens on www.cuteoverload.com
6. BookFest
7. pink or multicolored things
8. kindness
9. looking at stars
10. musical theatre

From step two: Catalog of Sensory Delights (list 5 things that give you sensory pleasure):

1. I love the taste of lemons, coconut, pumpkin pie, garlic bread, Reece's peanut butter eggs.

2. I love the sight of the ocean, pink sparkly things, books, colorful art, smiling friends.

3. I love the feel of water, chenille blankets, someone washing my hair, sunshine in February, a big, sincere bear hug.

4. I love the smell of garlic bread, Opium cologne, Kouros cologne, freesia, clean sheets.

5. I love the sound of laughter, the opening notes of "Les Miserables", the ocean rushing over the rocks at Rock Beach, elephants calling, guinea pigs squeaking.

One last activity was called "Practice Divine Decadence" where we were to put down our virtues and then do something that went against that. I haven't done it consciously, but I did do it recently. I am hardworking and work long hours. Recently, after a particularly emotional week at work, after completing all my tasks in less than 8 hours, I left work after only 7 hours. It felt like I had eaten a whole pound of chocolate or something...decadent. I didn't really delve into this, I just realized when I was thinking about posting on this topic that I had really given myself that treat without realizing it. If I had it every day, it wouldn't be a treat, so I enjoyed it for what it was.

The Joy Diet: Risk (Catching Up)

I am still working through "The Joy Diet" with The Next Chapter blogger Book club. I have struggled a little with keeping up and staying timely with the blog posts, but I'm not so far behind that I can't keep up and come into the home stretch with all my fellow JoyDieters.

The ingredient we read about a couple of weeks ago (smile) was Risk. This chapter freaked me out - even the idea of reading it. I didn't want to go there. I am not a risk-taker. At all. I got my first interpreting job because someone called me a chicken, not because I was smart enough or brave enough to apply on my own. I think I could almost get a negative risk score except that I can do a couple of things that scare people - theatrical interpreting and some limited public speaking. I think that pulls me out of the negative in risk-taking willingness.

So, after reading this chapter, I was hoping to find some hints and helps for approaching risk. There wasn't as much there as I might have liked, but I did have an opportunity to think about some of the risks I have taken to do the things I love.

One of the suggestions is to think about the smallest possible risk we could take to achieve our heart's desire. When I stopped to think about it, I realized that not only had I taken a risk in that area, but it was more than a small risk. Writing this blog - taking the leap of faith to record my thoughts here and not freak out every time someone I know starts reading it is a HUGE RISK. It has been worth it. Not only do I enjoy and gain from writing the blog, but I have so enjoyed getting to know folks (both those I already know in 3D world and those I only know in cyberland). I love the art and artistic aspects that have entered my world when I thought that part of my life was dead. I have learned to take better pictures (I still have so much to learn, but I am DOING IT).

I'm not sure what other small risks I could take, or even what I could do progressively to get my heart's desire. I'm not even sure I know what that is - my heart's desire. It isn't one thing. It is a hundred small things that all add up to a joyful, more present life. Isn't that what I'm doing? That is certainly why I picked up "The Joy Diet". The road always looks a certain way at the beginning, but I find, more and more, that the scenery is much different once you get started.

Anyway, I didn't actually risk anything for this book at this time, but I am formulating and I found the opportunity to look at risks I've taken so far in my life/career. I guess that's all of my rambling for now. :)

Realization for the Blog

See, I realized that every time I run out of theme-ish stuff to write about, I get bogged down in the mundane life stuff which is what I want to escape from here!!! What is that about?

So, I am freshly looking for a November theme that I will continue to carry out for this month. Obviously, if I have something to say that is not on the theme, that is fine, but otherwise, I'm going back to my tried and true theme/quote inspired posts.

I guess that is to say that it bores ME to just write about how busy I am and how much I want to have more time. The thoughts are in my head whether I write them or not, so why make us all suffer. :)

If you have any brilliant thematic ideas you would like to share, feel free to let me know. I have a couple of ideas, but I haven't settled on anything.

Holiday Madness Approaches

I can feel the onslaught of the holidays creeping up. My friend Todd wrote a post about the encroaching commercialism on his blog, RumpusMax. Basically, we skipped October and jumped straight to December. It kind of boggles the mind.


My deal is that I don't need any more stuff, and I'm pretty sure that most other people I know don't need it, either. How do I reconcile that thought with the American belief that the way we show caring is by buying a lot of useless crap that folks don't need and will stuff away in a bag until they know you are coming over to visit. Last year was exciting because I gave out a ton of copies of "Life is a Verb" which made me very happy. This year, I have yet to find the quintessential "Jean" gift. I'm hoping to find one...something that is meaningful and conveys care and does not just gather dust.

Wish me luck.

Food for Thought

I went to an excellent workshop tonight and will finish up tomorrow. I felt tired going into the workshop, but as always, once I was there, I was happy to be there. This workshop is on Ethics and Decision-Making based on an interpreter from Minnesota's research for her thesis. Not only was the topic fascinating, it was so good to be in a room with people as a peer.

On another note, I got to see some friends I hadn't seen in a very long time and that was the best gift I received from the workshop. I miss the interaction I had with other interpreters when I was out there doing the work every day. Strangely, I still identify myself as an interpreter. When people ask me what I do, I don't say, "I'm a manager." That isn't who I am the way that being an interpreter is...isn't that strange? Being an interpreter is the sum total of who I am either, but when someone asks me, that is my first response.

While I'm glad I signed up for the workshop, I am pooped and have given up a day of "rest" to attend. So, bed is calling.

Conundrum

So, why does it always happen that I am the most busy when I just want to crawl in a hole and sleep for a thousand years? The time change has kicked me in the butt - I don't know why it always affects me so strongly. It doesn't matter if we are springing forward or falling back - it just throws me off.

My plate is overflowing - more like a clogged toilet, really. I know that sounds gross, but that's what it feels like, just running water with no place to go. I feel like all I am doing right now is working...because, basically, that's all I'm doing. I have my work. And my work (interpreting) and my work (teaching) and my work (evaluating) and then there's the grading and the prepping and the checking of the 20 different email accounts. Then there is the class I'm taking for MYSELF.
Honestly, it is all my own fault - I'm trying to maintain the ties I have built over time, but it is getting harder. Or I'm just getting older.

Mostly, I just want to have time off that doesn't involve feeling guilty that I'm not doing some kind of work to catch up. Next term, I will have it. It is close. I can feel it. I'm just tired and whiny NOW.

Anyway, I'm behind on "The Joy Diet" and "The Artist's Way" and I miss popping into the blogs of the other folks. I have a workshop this weekend that I'm excited about and workshops on Monday and Tuesday for work. Looks like, for now, I will continue to be a bit behind. I'm catching up on the work (teaching), so that's good. Just missing my freedom a little. And excited to do some art as my reward for surviving. That's a great reward to look forward to...

I was driving behind a car this morning that had a great bumper sticker - I want one: ART SAVES LIVES. Ain't that the truth?

Happy 40th Birthday, Sesame Street!

I'm pretty sure that I started watching "Sesame Street" within 2-3 seasons of the show starting. I remember watching it when I lived in Denver, the very first place I ever lived. "Sesame Street" and "The Electric Company" with Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman were two of the shows that live most strongly in my memory - and "The New Zoo Revue"(sp). My sister was into "Mr. Rogers" and although I thought he seemed nice enough, I thought he was BORING.

So, in tribute to "Sesame Street" and the Children's Television Workshop and all the good they did for kids and literacy and many other important topics, here are a few videos to job your memory.

Here is the original 1970s "Sesame Street" theme song video:



Here is the old version of "Menomena" from the 1970s, too. I love the mouths on the girl puppets when they get annoyed with his scatting. This boy muppet looks like the first version of Animal who was on "The Muppet Show" later.



C Is for Cookie - in honor of Cookie Monster, who apparently will be retiring so they can have the Carrot Monster so that kids will not want to eat cookies (because Cookie Monster is the only reason kids want cookies, you know. :( )



Cute Kid with Kermit - ABCDEF...Cookie Monster


Inch Worm from Season 3


and one of my favorite characters - Grover!! I loved him when I was a kid. I always loved the book "The Monster at the End of this Book" with him in it, too.

Art Journal Crush

It pays to talk about random topics with people when you have never talked about the topic with them before.

Today, I was talking with a co-worker and for some reason, I felt compelled to say that I was wanting to take a class in Art Journaling. Her eyes lit up and she immediately showed me the blog and website of a woman who must have taken a peek into my brain at some point during my childhood! Her use of color, the way the images filled the page, the brightness! Oh my! I swoon.

Go visit Teesha Moore's art and journals here.

I still don't really know much about Art Journals, but I will. She has tutorials on YouTube and on her blog, so I'm going to figure this out and do me some art. It might not be until after this term is over, but I am very excited about the possibilities! Color! Images! Words! Fun!

The Joy Diet: Risk

I read the chapter on Risk and I haven't spent a bunch of time with it, but what I know is this:

I am not a willing risk-taker. I have always been resistant to change, but I am trying to work through that. I know that to achieve success, to achieve the joy and peace I am looking for - even for a brief moment, I will have to risk. Daily, we get up and risk rejection, death, risk ourselves emotionally, physically, spiritually. I know that risk is a part of life and that if I practice taking reasonable risks, I will gain so much more than I ever dreamed.

Most recent big risk- creating and keeping up this blog. Some of my friends have accidentally come upon my blog and read it occasionally. I have joined a couple of groups, this book group included, and have willingly exposed myself to the scrutiny of others. 10 years ago, I'm not sure I could have done that. Daily, I struggle with what topic I want to write about, with what is appropriate for this blog and what should be kept private or relegated to other kinds of conversations. I love keeping the blog, I love the visitors, I love putting my thoughts out there and waiting for comments or just "hellos".

When I was younger, my fondest dream was to become a writer. I hadn't really formed a "kind of writer" in my mind, but I think I always thought I would write novels. This is writing. It isn't quite what I imagined myself doing all those years ago, but it IS writing. It is communicating with people. Perhaps the poetry is missing - I haven't practiced writing poetry in a long time, however, I am still doing it. I am writing. Every day, for almost a year (with a few video or photo posts in-between all the written posts). I am happy. I am a writer of sorts. I am still searching for the ultimate goal, but I know that I will continue to write, regardless of what I decide to do with it.

I am still processing the Risk chapter of "The Joy Diet" and probably will for a little while. This ingredient is a difficult one for me to swallow. I have decided to move on to "TREATS". :)

Robert Downey Jr., "The Soloist" and Mental Illness

I just finished watching "The Soloist". I had mixed feelings about wanting to see the film as I have had enough of my own experiences with mentally ill people - I'm never sure if I will be in the mood to have mental illness be the topic of something that is supposed to be "entertaining".

Which brings up another topic...drug abusers... I LOVE Robert Downey Jr.  I think he is one of the most talented actors of his generation, to say the very least.  Every time he was arrested or went to rehab, it was a little bit heartbreaking to think of someone with such talent having such problems.  Interestingly, he is the only "celebrity" who has been on the addiction/rehab/prison merry-g0-round whom I have continued to have an interest in.  I loved him in his early movies, in "Heart and Souls" and "Chaplin", in "Only You" and more recently in his comeback smash, "Ironman".  There is just something about his eyes that draw me in. I'm glad he seems to have overcome his demons and his past.

As for the movie, I thought it was well-done, very thoughtful and had powerful performances by both RDJ and Jamie Foxx.  For me, however, I felt somewhat removed from it - I was expecting a more emotional experience, but I didn't really go there.  Again, I believe it is due to my own personal experiences with actual people who have mental illness - it is difficult for me to watch and to engage in this topic.  I would recommend the film as it does give a unique perspective and shows some of the pitfalls of trying to "fix" people who are not interested in being fixed.  I recommend RDJ's performance as well as Jamie Foxx's turn as Nathaniel, a talented musician who is also schizophrenic and homeless.