July 2016 – Page 2 – Creative Meanderings

Perspectives

Jul 202016

Day 25: What moment this week are you most grateful for?

Well, the week is not over, but so far this week the moment I am most grateful for was during our day trip. In Oman’s airport, we had Dairy Queen where I introduced M to an Oreo Blizzard. It was a moment when we laughed and I recalled happy memories stopping to get blizzards in my youth. So, amidst all the chaos going on around us, we had a moment of stillness to laugh and be silly.

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Life brings ups and downs. Sometimes we know how to deal with the downs better than others. When we struggle with the downs it can be overwhelming to the point that we lose sight of any hope of there being ups again. Yet, if we find a way to change our perspectives, to remember the good parts of who we are, to look for solutions instead of seeing only obstacles, to believe in ourselves to get through anything, then we find the strength and confidence to ride the wave.

It is true that our greatest moments and versions of ourselves are revealed in how we deal with the downs in life. It is easy to be whatever we need to be when we are high on life, but who we become in our struggles really defines us.

The past two months have been challenging, though not truly overwhelmingly so. Life has been harder before, but it has been a difficult transition for the adult version of me. The period has not fully ended, but what is shifting is my perspective. When I talk to others who are struggling with their own lives, I realize that I am doing alright in comparison. Or when I see the news and consider the plight of the world, I realize my bubble is not so bad. There are so many positives happening in this ‘challenging’ time. In opening my eyes to them, I find that everything is just fine. I am just fine and we are going to be more than fine if we just ride the wave.

Just as surfers swim toward the swell, it is the crashing down of the wave that gives them the ride, joy and moments of bliss. Ultimately, it is just about the perspective we take that gets us through the days.

~T 😀

_Second Honeymoon_ by James Patterson

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Jul 192016

_Second Honeymoon_ by James Patterson

In light of yesterday’s adventure, I took along a ‘holiday’ reading for the plane ride. Also, it seems that lately I have been preferring to read paper books for some reason. Since I had bought this one in the last week of work for a discount, I thought it was appropriate as I had planned to read it whilst on holiday and we were jokingly saying that we were going on our “honeymoon”. 😛

It was a one-day start to finish read.

When I first started it, I thought I had read it before, but nothing from my LibraryThing or previous posts or GoodReads was showing up as me having read this book before. So, I continued on anyway realizing that this is a second of a ‘newish’ series for Patterson (duh from the title) and figured I must have read the first one before.

In any case, the intertwining of two serial killer cases and two major characters was a bit new. It was predictable that things would overlap eventually, but otherwise, it was a very easy and entertaining read. There was just enough suspense to keep me going and since the reader was not left to guess who did it I could just engage myself in the characters, which was fairly easy to do.

So, a very nice holiday read overall. 😀

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Day 24: What challenge are you grateful for?

Oh yes, who is grateful for challenges? The good thing is that I have accepted that challenges and challenging times are opportunities for growth and expanding of who I am as a person. While I do not like the challenges at the time they are happening, I do reflect back on them to see what I can learn. In truth, I am actually always grateful for the challenges that require me to build my patience level. Current period included. I am not the most patient person in the world. Some people might not believe it, but in general I have a short temper when it comes to trying my patience. It is fully connected to my ego and a sense of deservedness (is that a word?). However, every time a challenge occurs that questions my patience or requires more of my patience I am aware that I am lengthening my limits. Patience is definitely a virtue and the key to controlling situations, responses, emotions and life. When we take the time to see other perspectives or to absorb rather than react, the results often change. So, rather than increasing rage or strife, I want to be an agent for peace and calm, which only comes from patience. Thus, I am grateful for the challenge of being more and more patient! 🙂

~T 😀

One-Day Holiday

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Jul 182016

Day 23: What tradition are you grateful for?

Traditions seem to be falling by the wayside these days; however, there is something very comforting about having traditions. One of my favorite traditions is the gathering of friends (and family if they are near) for a “Sunday” meal. This is why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday as well. M and I have agreed to start these meals again once we are settled into our new place and have friends over for an end of the weekend meal together. He likes cooking up a “Sunday roast” and I like to entertain so we make a good team. 😀 It is nice to break bread with friends with laughs, a glass of wine, and love shared all around. Therefore, I am grateful for this tradition of breaking bread together before a new week begins enjoying the company of loved ones.

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Due to some visa issues – long story there – we have to do a “border run”. Since I am canceling my former work visa I needed to do a flight out rather than a border run via vehicle. Plus, I would rather fly than make a long drive. So, today we are going on “hols” aren’t we?! 😉

It is also a memorable event as it is my first flight using my new passport as a “Footner”. I will come back in on my new name finally leaving Waller behind. It’s the beginning of many adventures with my love!

So although it is not a major holiday, we are making it a fun day vacay! 😛

~T 😀

_The 4-hour Workweek_ by Timothy Ferriss

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Jul 172016

_The 4-hour Workweek_ by Timothy Ferriss

I mean how can the title of this book not interest you? Who doesn’t want to be able to work only four hours a week and still make a decent living?

Ferriss offers some very tangible and realistic ways to free up time or to use time efficiently to ensure that you have more time for the things that you want to be doing. He also gives good advice on how to make yourself valuable, but also making it possible to keep working while making money.

This along with training of the subconscious mind can really change the working playing field if one wants to make it work. I have already started to take some of his tips such as only emailing at certain times of the day or prioritizing tasks. While I am not yet at the point where I can justify a virtual assistant, I do see where I could potentially use one later when my business starts to kick off.

So, even if you think there is no way that this is an option for your life, I recommend reading Ferriss’s book and seeing what you might take away from it to make your days and life just a little more efficient allowing you more time to do the things you really enjoy. 😀

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Day 22: What story are you grateful for?

Story…the first thought that came to mind was to consider a story that my father used to tell around the campfire. What happened to that tradition? Now, I am one of the worst oral storytellers ever – my medium is the written word. However, I have always been in awe of those who can tell a story to entertain people at parties or around a campfire. I remember my dad telling me made up “native American” stories about the signs “Falling Rocks” or about historical events. So…one I am grateful for? Well, that I am not sure. I have honestly never thought to be grateful for a particular story. Thus, I think I am going to be grateful for the art of my father’s oral storytelling skill rather than a particular story since there are so many to choose from and I am not good at remembering just one. 😛

~T 😀

Music

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Jul 162016

Day 21: What song are you most grateful for?

This is one of my favorite songs and whenever I hear it I end up putting it on repeat. The tune is beautiful to me and the lyrics are poetically sweet.

Oftentimes I find that songs in other languages touch my soul more than those in English. I am not sure why.

I was just journaling recently how I have let music go a bit lately as I get a bit disappointed by pop music or new artists who are merely copying old songs and mashing them with new beats or tunes but not really creating new music. In fact, I have just about stopped listening to music at all in the car as I found it can agitate me or affect the amount of road rage I have. So I decided that I didn’t need any external influences while I am trying to stay calm on the roads. However, this carried over to the rest of my day unnecessarily.

I love music – even if it’s not always good. It makes me happy to sing a song or dance around. So sometimes while I am journaling or writing emails I have started to turn on the tunes. Therefore, it is important that I keep music in my life where it can bring joy and smiles.

This one always touches my heart. Hope you enjoy it too. Very grateful to Nelly Furtado for giving me a song.

~T 😀

Day 20

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Jul 152016

Day 20: Who in your life are you grateful for?

While it might seem easy to say my husband since I write about him quite a bit, this one is difficult to choose just one person to be grateful for. They say it takes a tribe and that we are the sum total of our five closest friends. Without these people who are closest to us, we are really nothing.

So there are many people I am grateful for in my life: my parents, my BFF, my husband and my friends whom I hold dear. Although I am not always open or revealing of myself to people, these people know me and know me well. These are the ones whom I call my peeps. 🙂 Thank you for being so!

~T 😀

Letting Go…

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Jul 142016

“Therefore, a yogi has to adopt a peculiar and expectant attitude, like a servant awaiting his master. It is a state of relaxed preparedness. He remains poised and ever ready for an event which will occur inevitably in its own time. He accepts that to precipitate that event is not within his control or power, yet it is his destiny that it will occur and he must be ever vigilant in sadhana (meditation). It should not be interpreted as fatalism or laziness, but as a state of surrender and readiness which is to be sustained by constant awareness.” p497 Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Yesterday, I read this passage and thought how it perfectly represents the lesson that I am learning during this period of time in life.

Control has gotten me through my life to this point. When I became an adult and realized that only I was responsible for my present and future, I determined that I would never let anyone or anything have control over me again. For someone or something else in control usually meant nothing good for me. However, always being in control has its pitfalls and there has always been a part of me that would like to be able to let someone else take the reigns for a while.

So, when I got married and discussed the idea of doing something else with my life than teaching English, I knew it was a chance for me to let the reigns loose. In my bliss, I ignored or denied the reality of what this meant! Oh how naive I must have been!! 😛

The truth is that I probably have never really been in control of my life, but instead limited it by having a stable job, salary and steadily building more debt rather than a future nest egg. My delusion of grandeur that my life was trodding perfectly along is now becoming clear of how deluded I was. Likely, part of my frustration now is this realization.

As I work through these changes and transitioning, I am starting to see the light grow brighter on the present day and tomorrow. Now, I am finding myself ready for what the universe holds for me and am tentatively learning to trust that the new future is far better than anything I could have controlled to happen. While the struggle now is temporary and part of growing pains, I am feeling more and more confident that the abundance, joy, wealth and hope of tomorrow will be long-lasting. 🙂

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Day 19: What touch are you grateful for today?

This might be the easiest one of the past 19 days of gratitude. I am ever so grateful for the touch of my husband. The feel of his skin, the softness of his lips, the tenderness of his fingers, the light of his eyes all touch me in so many ways that enliven my spirit and fill my soul with warmth. Even when he is not physically present, I can feel his touch and it brings a smile to my face. I am ever so grateful for the touch of my amazing husband! 😀

~T 😀

_Edge of Eternity_ by Ken Follett

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Jul 132016

_Edge of Eternity_ by Ken Follett

As promised, I have finally made it to writing about the last of The Century Trilogy.

Despite some reviews saying that they did not like this one as much as the others, I found that I enjoyed it just as much if not more. The family lines started in the first of the trilogy continued into another generation during a time that saw the Kennedy and Martin Luther King years. Perhaps because it is more recent and relatable to my time period, I was fascinated by the events recalled in this story. I even found myself wondering what the story would be for our current times and what kind of characters would be developed.

So, I think Follett did a good job with the last of the trilogy and I continue to be impressed with his ability to write so many pages with interweaving stories. How much effort must have been spent in keeping the storylines straight! I can barely follow one as I do my own writing. 😛

Again, if you like historical fiction and can handle modern times stories, then I still recommend this series and think the trilogy was well worth the read!

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Day 18: What piece of art are you grateful for?

This is my all time favorite piece of art done by Salvador Dalí. Now, I know Dalí is not necessarily most people’s favorite as he is known to do some very abstract work, but when I first saw this piece in an exhibit in Japan (I think) I fell in love immediately with it. It’s provocative, vibrant and complex on to many levels – plus a crazy Dalí piece. I do like strange works such as M.C. Escher or some Picasso’s more than classical Renoirs or Rembrandts. I have a copy of this piece to be put up in our new home, but I have struggled where to put it since not everyone will appreciate as much as I do. However, as some friends said to me, “Who cares?!” If I love it, then I should put it where I like. So, once we move, I shall do just that! 😀

~T 😀

Connectedness

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Jul 122016

Day 17: What knowledge are you grateful for?

Honestly, I am enjoying these gratitude questions as I find them to be thought-provoking. I mean when was the last time you considered being grateful for knowledge let alone a specific knowledge? 😛 As a person who hungers for knowledge as a way of coping with the craziness of this world, it is difficult to pinpoint a particular knowledge. However, what comes to mind in my current state of frenzy is that I am grateful to have learned and come to understand the role of mindfulness and meditation. I cannot claim to have full knowledge of this yet as I am not sure that anyone present on this earth has it; however, I am grateful that knowing about it came to my awareness as it has honestly saved me this past month. It is frightening to think where I would be right now if I did not know how to go into a mindful meditative state to calm me or give me perspective on my current situation. So, yes, indeed I am grateful for this knowledge.

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I must admit that my head is swimming lately and I have to remind myself to focus on one task or thought frequently. I used to pride myself in being able to sit still for hours on end and lose myself in a thought or activity. With so much unsettledness at the moment, I am struggling to keep myself centered and grounded on activities that I know will help me to induce a quasi-sense of norm into my life.

One topic I wanted to touch upon is a sense of spiritual connectedness returning to me. In my 20s and early 30s, I spent a lot of time at churches or reading the Bible and seeking a relationship with God as encouraged by Christian beliefs. When I divorced, I spent probably an equal amount of time avoiding these kinds of activities as a sense of rebellion, revenge and cutting of a spiritual connection with my ex.

Then, I began to do yoga and coaching. A new awareness of a spirit within came and I embraced it as a semi-new-age way of incorporating the concept of God into me without embracing a specific religion. No formal religion has ever appealed to me or convinced me enough to identify with it completely. Now, the more I work through the philosophy of yoga and meditation, I am drawn to the teachings that we have the spiritual greatness within us that connects us to the Universe. It is the Universal Spirit that guides us.

As I start to make sense of what this might really mean, I am finding that I am returning to some of the Christian beliefs. The Lord has now become the Lord Universe to me – a larger presence greater than man who guides us through our inner spirits. The Holy Spirit may be its Christian name, but I prefer to combine these concepts because I do not believe we need to divide into religious dogmas – rather we can rejoice in a common understanding that we have power within us to behave according to a Universal desire for union, love, compassion and greatness for ourselves and for others.

This ‘awakening’ and re-realization has helped me immensely through a time of testing my patience, my trust, my sanity, etc. With it also comes some clarity and focus. 😀

~T 😀

Snapchat fun

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Jul 112016

Yesterday I decided to play around with making a story via Snapchat.

For someone of my generation it is difficult to take “snaps” and not save them as we grew up saving photos – I mean actual pictures you can touch – then when digital format came out we still want to save them to look at later. Therefore, a program that makes your images disappear after 24hrs seems strange.

If you don’t know already, Snapchat allows you to have a story and you post your videos or pics as you capture a moment of your day. Its biggest draw is the selfies with various animations or face contortions.

Anyway, I decided to see what it would be like to save what I capture and then later put it into a movie.

My movie is not very interesting and was a bit of work, though not as much as it might seem. However, I think I have a new appreciation for just living in the moment. We do not really need to save the mundane unless it is for a video documentary like this…. Besides, I am not really planning on becoming a video blogger or anything like that any time soon…..

So, I think I’ll try more to enjoy the moment by moment offering that Snapchat is. At least it was fun to have a little impromptu project for the day. 😀

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Day 16: What about your body are you grateful for?

As a woman of 40, I am pleased to feel as if my body is in the best shape of my life. While most of the time we strive to retain our bodies from our 20s when we took for granted that we could eat whatever we wanted with little to no exercise, I am happy to say that my body is better than my 20’s body. Regular yoga practice has definitely made my body what it is now. In fact, I exercise less at a gym than ever before and sweat a lot less. 😛 So, I am grateful that my body is looking fiiiiine for my age. I am also always working on the inside health by trying to eat well, though the past month or so has been a bit of a slip since we are not in our own kitchen space. However, that is soon to change and it will be back to healthy Paleo living again! 😀

~T 😀

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