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Tuesday, 15 September 2009

  • Happy Birthday Aaron!

    My oldest turns....OLD today!  I left him voice mail--I told him the good news is, it just keeps better and better!  

    Speaking of the good life, last weekend we were (surprise) at the cabin.  We didn't go Labor Day weekend; we've found the holiday weekends a bit too crowded and I never have liked being on the roads then anyway.  After Labor Day, things get very quiet in the Lake Tahoe area until the snow falls.  We are hearing it should be getting more moisture this winter with an "El Nino" weather pattern, but whether that manifests as snow is the big question.  The last few years have been disappointing.  But it will be nice to get rain.  When we left the valley it was about 103; but what a surprise the weather was up there!  Cloudy and cool; nice enough to leave the windows open all night, but didn't get into the 70s on Sunday.  Perfect!  It did rain a bit there but more in valley I heard.  Todd and I went on a mountain bike ride on Saturday.  I wanted to show him an aspen grove I saw on a horseback ride a couple weeks earlier.  We headed to the trails near the equestrian center and stumbled on a "Trails and Vistas" performance in the woods.  About 30 people were stopped to watch.  We couldn't help but stop and watch, too.

    Trails and Vistas Fuses Art and Nature

    Trails & Vistas is an art-hike where the audience experiences eight performing venues and beautiful art installations along a 2 to 3 mile, single-track dirt trail. Each group consists of 30 hikers and is guided by a Trail Leader and will take approximately 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Trails & Vistas blends walking in nature with artistic expression.

    We saw an American Indian performance; two men played instruments while four women danced to the story narrated, about the myth of a black raven that created mountains and valleys.  Interesting.  As we rode past the second group of hikers, one woman seemed annoyed at our presence.  "How in the world did THEY get in here?"  Obviously clueless to the massive network of trails that would be impossible to close off!  Shortly after that we did find the aspen grove, but some "artists" had set up their performance in there, so we rode on by.  We came upon a beautiful long scarf across the trail, and a woman came streaking across the meadow asking us to "Go around!"  I barely stopped in time, but wondered what that was all about.  It was a great ride and every time we go out I am in awe of my new mountain bike.  What a difference having the right bike makes! 

    The next day Todd and I tried to play tennis, but my tennis elbow has me sidelined for awhile.  Later, Todd found us a hike near Alpine Meadows ski resort.  It was an almost straight up climb to 7500', to Five Lakes.  Todd had packed sandwiches, cookies, and chocolate covered almonds.  I never had a sandwich taste so good! 

    We had dinner at the cabin and got home around 10 pm Sunday.  Only three days of work and Thursday I'm scheduled for oral surgery.  I'll probably stay home this weekend, while Todd invited his brother to the cabin to play with him in a golf tournament.  I'm sad to miss the Art, Bark, and Wine festival going on a Squaw Valley ski resort.  Maybe, if I feel better Saturday, I'll go up for the day. 

    Yup things are just the way I like them at home!



Tuesday, 25 August 2009

  • This is just...

    ridiculous. I was born to blog, but....I need a mobile phone app! 

    I am seriously on the fence about merging this blog with Facebook...but then, I'll have to go back and hide all the blogs I posted about work people that are friends on Facebook...lol.





Tuesday, 07 July 2009

  • Where have I been?

    The birds wake me up every day.  Not necessarily my own.  Mine do their share of wake up calling, but not 'til they hear the din from the birds outside.  I've convinced Sunny and Jake to stay quiet until at least nearly 6 am.  The dogs are another story.  There is no sleeping in here.  Forget about it.  It's OK; I love these long bright days, and that it is light before 5 am.  It's already waning and I can sense it.  I love waking up early.  Even more when I actually get up.  Early mornings doing something I don't usually do gives me the feeling of "free" time.  As in 25 hours a day. 

    My muscles are sore from the incredible weekend.  Tennis on Friday.  A mountain bike ride on Saturday. 


    "Snowflake" is in the back.  What an awesome bike she is--I couldn't have done it without her!!

    I didn't go with Todd and our guests Friday or Sunday--those were the challenging rides!  I was still recovering from a hike on my birthday weekend.  We were trying to retrace our route on a snowshoe hike we took last year, over two frozen lakes.  In our effort to find them, we went about twice as far.  Still, it was nice.  I'm just complaining for no good reason. 



    Hiking with my husband is serious business.  We go PREPARED.  He filled my camel bak with ice cold water, snacks, and made sure we had proper attire.  One thing we were missing but have since added to our packs is mosquito repellent. 


    The still-remaining snow patches are surprisingly a breeding ground for those blood suckers. 


    Surprise--a picture of me!


    We thought this was one of the frozen lakes we hiked over in snowshoes, but we later found it was only a pond.



    It was really quite beautiful.  I'm lucky that my guy thinks of all these great things to do and see. 



    Todd and I played tennis last night.  We had a fan base.  I had to bribe them with wine, crackers and cheese, but it worked.  We picked up Taqueria afterward.  Good times.  Seriously good times.


    My fan club, riding our tandem home from the exciting tennis match. 

    Dropped off Harvey at the shop tonight.  His power steering seems to be going out intermittently.  Good excuse to make me ride my new bike.  I'm excited.  I've wanted to every day but there is always a reason I need to drive.  I'm sure there will be one tomorrow, too.  But I will ride my bike anyway! I love my new bike.  It has all the "forbidden" features my guys don't like:  a fat comfy seat, upright handlebars, and (gasp) a KICKSTAND!  I was going to retrofit my old bike with those features, and Todd called me on my way to the bike shop.  "Don't wreck a perfectly good mountain bike--just buy one that already has those things.  It will probably cost the same!"  Happy birthday to me--it became my birthday present.

     
    She needs a name...

    I still have one present I haven't tried yet--Wii fit.  I can't wait to try it!  I just needed a couple more hours a day to go along with it.

    After my VO2 MAX test Thursday, I should find out if I am in the control group or exercise group for the Exercise Study I signed up to be in.  I really really don't want to be in the control group but the bright side is they give me a 6-month gym membership at the end.  As well as the $350 bucks for participating.

    It's about two hours past my bedtime but I found out I have a fan!  Someone misses my posts.  And I've missed you, too.

    Thank you.  <3



Tuesday, 02 June 2009

  • 9 Immutable Laws of Not Taking Things Personally

    by Christine Kane
     
    I always tell people that there's nothing like the entertainment business to teach you how to not take things personally!

    Really though, there's opportunity in EVERY business to get this same lesson. It's about learning to live as a creator, and not as a reactor.

    In my work, both as a coach and as a coachee, one of the common challenges is about not taking things personally. That's because moving forward, getting bigger, and living your dreams require that you step out of the petty concerns of your small self. You simply can no longer afford to waste that kind of energy and attention.

    So, here are the 9 Immutable Laws of Not Taking Things Personally. Let them guide you to bigger places in your world!

    1 - SWSWSWSW

    A well-loved acronym, this stands for "Some will. Some won't. So what? Someone's waiting!"

    It means that some people will love what you do.

    Then there will be those who look at your work, read your poems, review your resume, visit your store - and they'll shrug and say, "Yea, not so much."

    So what?

    Somewhere out there someone is waiting for your gift. And if you have to keep working on your craft, or wait a little while, that's okay!

    2 - Know your "Why."

    This is what Sheri McConnell (my coach) says to me if I ever get afraid of stepping out in a bigger way.

    Your WHY is your deeper motivation. Your WHY is your guideline. Your WHY will help you dismiss the minor petty things that try to hold you back. If you don't know your WHY, it might be time to get clear.

    3 - Remember that people are busy.

    People are busy.

    Don't sink into resentment when a single email isn't answered. It's not personal. Many times, it's just that people don't have time to answer every email. We all have a lot on our plates. It's not personal if you have to try someone twice or three times! (Revisit #1.)

    4 - Email is instant. Use accordingly.

    The rapid pace of our culture has removed much of the etiquette that some might normally expect. Most people just "fire off" email without thinking.

    If you get an email that hurts or feels personal, take some time to chill out. Then re-read the email in a kind voice. Be careful with the temptation to over-dramatize someone else being in a hurry.

    5 - Begin each day with presence.

    How you begin your day sets the tone for the day.

    Learn to start your day by getting centered with creative and proactive activities. Some possibilities: meditation, yoga, going to the gym, writing down goals and intentions, visioning your day in advance. Start with a strong foundation each day.

    6 - Eat enough. Sleep enough.

    Being tired or hungry will make you more sensitive or irritable. Don't try to function well in these draining conditions.

    7 - The power of lists.

    Are you hoping for the ONE BIG THING that will be your "saving grace?" This is a veritable petri dish for taking things personally!

    Examples: Applying for a scholarship to one single program. Submitting your article off to one magazine. Waiting to hear back from one single new client.

    There's a better way. Before you send yourself out into the world - be it resume, grant, publication - make a list of many options. Then, move down the list if someone says no. Find the someone who's waiting.

    8 - Shut up and listen

    When you quietly listen, you may actually see humor in how you can take everything so personally.

    When you're in a conversation with someone else, stop and listen. Really deeply listen. Try practicing this first in everyday conversations that aren't emotional. This will prepare you for more highly charged situations.

    9 - Communicate without Emotion

    Do you use phrases like this?

    - "Well, you're the one who..."

    - "You took that all wrong!"

    - "You ALWAYS do that!"

    - "I'll NEVER make it!"

    Notice that this language is laced with drama and blame.

    Language is a very powerful tool. Learn to use words that aren't about the emotions and pointing fingers.

    "I didn't communicate this well so let me try again."

    "I'm not sure I understand you. Can we discuss this on the phone?"

    Learn to take a "Here's the facts ma'am" approach. Write out your desired outcome for the conversation. Get clear inside yourself, and then talk with the other person.

     

     


    WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
    Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:
    Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.
    WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
    See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Friday, 29 May 2009

  • How do I change my profile picture?

    All the snow is gone from the cabin.  There are a few large piles lurking here and there, around the golf course, in some front lawns, barely visible under a layer of dirt.  There was a little patch in front when we arrived Memorial Day weekend, about a foot or so long and six inches wide, and about that tall in the middle, but when I went to take a picture the next day, it had melted.  And with the hot days in the valley, fast-forwarding through spring as usual, it's time for a new pic.  The problem is...it's been so long I don't remember how to change it! 

     
    Jake - the "One Person Bird"

    I need to find my sweet Jake a home.  He needs someone who understands birds, especially demanding and needy male birds.  He needs to be the only bird in the home. Maybe it would be easier to find sweet Sunny a home.  She isn't as affectionate--she does like her head to be scratched--but she isn't as interactive as Jake.  He can be so endearing when he's not intent on building a nest for Sunny.  But he is a one-person bird.  And that doesn't go over well with the guys in my household.  (I know, they are jealous! lol)  I tried to post an ad on Craigslist and pulled it after about 30 minutes.  I had to take him to work the other day.  In a raging hormone fit of passion, he attacked me when I was petting Sunny.  Hours later, after separating them and he was calm, he was back to his kissy sweet self.  I took him to work and left him in the car in shade with the windows down until the temp reached mid-80's in the car.  I took him to lunch with me and dined on an outdoor patio!  Then I hid him under my desk at work under a blanket where he got some much needed rest for four hours.  Last night, I put the two birds back together and today it seems he could easily be in that same mood again.  I've got too many meetings today to take him to work again.  I thought about putting him at Dad's, but birds need a solid 8 hours dark and quiet a night, and Dad runs his TV 24/7.  Loudly. 



    Gotta run.  Story of my life.