Dancing the Night Away

We did it!  After 53 years of living with a great sense of toe tapping rhythm, but not knowing which foot to put where.  After years of childhood in which I felt condemned if I danced and knew I would pop if I didn’t get the rhythm out somewhere.  After learning the drills for marching band and the choreography for stage productions; after sending my kids to Cotillion to learn social grace and ballroom etiquette and joyfully experiencing Colorado Children’s Chorale performances where-in my son eclipsed my wildest dreams by singing and dancing internationally; we finally did it. 

Doug and I took ballroom dance lessons for three months and then, early in November, we bought tickets to the Jazz Dinner Dance at the high school.  Sure, it was a fund –raiser for the instrumental music department where our kids have enjoyed a combined five years of music experience, and just as sure that we could have enjoyed hearing the music for free by signing up to set up, serve, and clean-up.  I have done that a couple of times before and each time I got very itchy feet, had no partner, and surely didn’t know which foot came first. This year was my year.  We dressed up.  We went to the dinner.  We ate.  We danced to all the Jazz band standards.  We were uninhibited enough to cut up the dance floor; laugh at our faux pass, hazard some turns and twirls and work up a healthy glow. 

Done.  One more thing crossed off my “to do before I die,” list.  

By the way; I highly recommend ballroom dance lessons for married couples!  It can be a great “reframe” at the end of a tense day.  It is good to learn something together.  It is great exercise.

Thanksgiving (Monday Before)

Oh the joy of having the house ALL to myself, ALL day; to cook, and clean, and sing, and organize and create and write at the computer without interruption.  I am off for Thanksgiving already and “they” are not. 

Oh the secure thankfulness of knowing “they” will all be home again tonight and I will be a more gracious member of the family for having luxuriated in solitude in my own way in their absence. 

Young mothers, I do not record this to make you envious; but to give you hope.  Your day of solitude will come, so go ahead and roll with the chaos for the present (smile). Nor do I feel guilty about expressing my joy and thankfulness at the solitude.

When one wishes to be alone; one does not want to be alone forever; just for a little space of time, to enjoy a bit of tranquility and soul nourishment.   Let us enjoy and be thankful for all the simple things in life:  sunshine, rain, warm fires, watching children grow, and……having a few hours to oneself! 

I Don’t Baby-sit. I Raise Future Presidents

I teach music; in a Core Knowledge Charter School.  From time to time I am accosted or confronted by angry parents who think I am picking on their child, or just too plain strict in general.I have heard parents say such things as, “Why should the kids have to be quiet in the halls?  That’s only for the teacher’s convenience.”  “Why should the kids have to keep their eyes on the director?”  “Music should be fun.  Why are there any rules at all?” 

I don’t baby-sit.  I raise future presidents. 

I don’t GIVE students a grade.  The student EARNS a grade. 

If the ability to sing is a natural, genetic gift; then I would be wholly in error to GIVE a grade based on singing ability. 

The ability to perform music correctly is a learned behavior; therefore any one can earn a good grade through giving one’s best effort. 

About those rules:  I raise future presidents! Eight years ago I was saying, “Of course the students have to stand up straight.  I raise future presidents, no one is ever going to call one of my former students, ‘slouch Bush,’ when (s)he is debating for the presidency. 

Today I am saying, “Of course they have to assume the correct stance when singing the National Anthem, of course they must learn to sing The Star Spangled Banner.”  Just last week I reminded the fourth grade that one’s hand goes over the heart; we don’t salute unless in full / authentic military uniform.  Obama is a fine young man.  I should have been his music teacher. 

Not as Old as I Used to Be

Well, I thought I would hike down to the mailbox today before Doug and I left for ballroom dance lessons at the community center.  Philip slid down the hill with me on his BMX bike (on the pine needles which are so slippery I nearly upended on my converse tennies),  When I got to the bottom of the hill I realized I had come without the mailbox key so Philip walked his bike back up to get it while I made like a gargoyle on the side of the hill.  He came back on the go-cart and gave me a lift to the bottom of the hill; then all the way back to the cabin.  Not bad for a woman half a century old.  I stood on the back rail and wrapped my body over the roll bars. 

Pursuit Goes to the Movies

Ever notice that the difference between a Guy movie and a Chick Flick has to do with pursuit?In a chick flick the guy pursues, provides, and protects.  He quite often does this romantically; flowers, chocolates, love-songs, etc.  In a Guy movie the guy goes out and conquers the world and then returns and proudly waits for the girls to shower him with applause or swoon at his feet.Still other movies are blockbusters because they show a team effort between the sexes. Pursuit, provision and protection are all two way streets.  I think the Fellowship of the Ring series from a few years back was a good example of team effort.  Every character had a role and destiny to fulfill and there existed a good deal of traffic on the two way street of pursuit, provision and protection.

Pursuit, Protection, Provision

Think about it for a moment.  These three things are present in one way or another in love relationships.  When any one of them is missing; the relationship limps and becomes deformed.  Pursuit, Protection, and Provision may manifest in many forms; but, always they exist and must be reciprocated for relationship to continue in health.

At the philosophical or spiritual level: God pursues (initiates), protects and provides.

 In the realm of traditional courtship the man pursues, protects and provides.  The woman reciprocates with Proverbs 31 characteristics. 1)       He pursues; she responds with equal warmth and encouragement.2)       He protects physically (war or shelter); She protects his reputation3)       He provides the income; she provides nourishment through her stewardship of that incomeHe provides home; she provides hearthHe pursues with zeal; she pursues with nurtureHe protects physically, she protects influentially

In a changing world of equality and role reversal; financial reversal or illness she may be the one who earns income and he may be Mr. Mom or a househusband.  It may fall her lot to war and shelter and his to nurture, encourage, and steward; but, always there must be reciprocal pursuit, protection and provision.

Today I Became a Queen

Yes as a symbol of my advancing (ahem) years and maturity, and in an effort to gather like minded friends about me for walks, book discussions, writing inspiration, and general yakking and philosophizing, I founded my own Red Hat Society Chapter, “Purple Mountain Majesty’s Little Red Writing “Hood.”  My title, of course, is Her Purple Mountain Majesty I, and I look forward to adding Majesties II, III, IV and up to my list of walking, talking, reading, and writing buddies. Our ‘Hood will meet as often as possible to hike and write and read what we have written and talk about what we have read and wear what we have red (and purple).

Lack of Pictures

As you may have noticed, it has been awhile since I posted pictures. I know; even the newspapers know; that a story just falls flat without pictures.  Well, I have added some to my flickr sight, but I have been unable to blog them. I am waiting for instructions from tech support.

I consider myself a writer

I Write and I consider myself a writer; but apparently publishers do not consider one a writer unless one has been published.  This is very much like trying to get a job with no job experience.  So, I have been published.  My writing has even been in print for pay via the local newspaper.  Yet the agents and publishers are looking for, “established writers.” Last fall I followed my heart.  I self-published, in galley or draft form, a children’s book I began working on 10 years ago.  I sent copies to my mentors, close friends, and key family members.  The response was over-whelming!  My daughter and my husband loved the book; and I even sold two additional copies!  I have moved closer to yet another item on my “Ten Things I Want to Do Before I Die” list. Although, The Pancake Cat, is chock full true experiences and cultural fact; writing books for children was never my goal.  My aim is to write relational fiction for adults; good, interesting, page-turning, novels where the reader can get inside the character’s head, heart, and culture, and experience personal epiphany through the life of the fictional character. My conviction is that well written fiction is much more life changing than non-fiction or how to books.   The August issue of “O” magazine carried a most inspirational feature on writers and writing. I have followed the advice of Walter Mosley in his article, “This Year You Write Your Novel.” I have begun a daily practice of rising early and going straight to my computer, rereading and hammering out a chapter or two on my current work in progress, “The Bed; or, Things an Anthology of my Life. At my current pace, I just might finish in two years!I Write

Putting One Foot in Front of the Other, Hiking for Life!