Baby Steps and the Big Picture

November 29, 2010 by

I remember when my now-nearly-grown kids were babies. Then, every milestone was a cause for celebration. Forget first words, first syllables were reason enough to circle the date on the calender.

So why is it so hard to celebrate the baby steps in our adult lives?

If you look at the big picture, any major goal or aspiration is a collection of little accomplishments, each of which deserve to be celebrated. Sometimes we’re so obsessed about how long it takes to reach the finish line, we forget to recognize every milestone along the way.

Instead of beating myself up for not hitting the NaNo goal of 50k words this month, shouldn’t I celebrate just how successful this month has been? I logged an impressive word count for such a busy month. I worked every day. I took a class and applied what I learned.

Baby steps!

I stayed true to my commitment to better health. I worked out, even on days I didn’t want to. I avoided food I knew would be detrimental and took measures to reduce the negative impact of Thanksgiving dinner.

Baby steps!

Today marks the beginning of the winter holiday season. Like it or not, it’s the most stressful time of the year. The true meaning is often lost among the cards, decorations, baking, and shopping lists. It’s oh-so-easy to lose sight of the little things in an attempt to pain the perfect big picture. It’s the season we most need to stop and smell the poinsettias and celebrate every baby step.

So, don’t forget to take some time out in the coming weeks to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and reflect on all you’ve accomplished this year. Celebrate every milestone and plan for a productive new year.

Filed Under: Life, NaNoWriMo, Writing Life Tagged With: , , , ,

All In Good Time

November 22, 2010 by

I’m not a scrooge. Really! I’m not. Also, I’m fond of that Bible verse, the one that states there’s a season for everything. I try to live my life in the moment–letting go of yesterday and knowing tomorrow will come in good time.

Imagine my irritation when I saw stores putting up Christmas decorations in October. Yes, Halloween costumes and decoration were shoved aside and marked down for clearance by October 15, so we could start thinking about our holiday trees and gift-giving lists.

And. Uhm? What happened to Thanksgiving?

I’m not even going to go into the commercialization of the holidays and the fact the true meaning gets lost to most of us. Nor am I going to rant about how compassion and reverence have gone out the window. That’s the subject of another post.

My question is “What’s the rush?”

Have we become a product of the I generation? Are we so used to running the rat race and receiving the instant gratification of Amazon.com and overnight delivery that we find no joy in anticipation.

(Again…anticipation and/or slow tease is the subject of another post :-) )

Believe me, I know about the modern day stresses. Life moves at a lightning pace and slowing down to enjoy a moment, let alone a season, is a tall order, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to eliminate the two benchmarks of Autumn. Even if climate change has cut back the days I can enjoy a warm sweater and a cup of hot cider.

For the last six weeks, I’ve successfully turned teh radio station at the first sounds of Noel. I’ve avoided the candy canes on the end caps at the stores. I’ve even resisted any urge to get the Christmas decorations from the attic. No, at least through this weekend, I’;m enjoy the last autumnal days and the holiday of giving thanks with family.

Next week I’ll welcome the winter holiday season with open arms.

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , , , ,

Prioritizing Life

November 12, 2010 by

As I begin this post, I fully acknowledge I’ve spent a lot of time on the subject of time management this year.  i guess that’s a pretty good clue to how important it is to me. Since this is a Friday post, and they’re supposed to be about my journey to fitness, this one has a little different spin.

When I had that epiphany a little over a month ago that I needed to make a change in my life, I was already stretched way too thin with my time. My support roles of wife and mother and obligations I’d chosen to be responsible for were eating up most waking hours of my day. I knew that if I was really going to get serious about getting healthy, it would require a chunk of time out of my day–A large chunk of time out of my day.

The logical thing to do would be to trim some fat (I mean in the schedule!) right? I really needed to eliminate some unnecessary obligations to find those two or more hours a day I now needed to devote to my physical health.

I know I’m not the only one out there with this specific issue. It’s commonplace for woman to juggle several hats, these days. So, I don’t need to tell you, that a jam-packed schedule doesn’t mean there are extras to be trimmed. I keep my appointments on an electronic calendar, so I thought if I set my schedule visually that I’d see some ways to make up the time. Mapping it out on paper with little colored boxes to mark the time something else held my hostage only made me want to go to bed for a week.

Not a viable option.

So, what’s a person to do? Or better yet, what did I do?

Prioritize. Yes, no surprise to you that read this blog regularly, I set loose the obsessive list maker inside me.

Everyday I look at what absolutely needs to be done–making sure there is time for the wants as well as the needs and I make a game plan. That doesn’t necessarily mean things get done in the order of importance.  Picking up a gallon of milk might be high on the need list, but if I do it when I drive the kid to a class that is in the same part of town as the store I like to shop at, it saves time.

If when I make dinner tonight, I cut up enough vegetables to make three days worth of salad, I’m saving a little time the next two night. (Word of warning: I’ve found prepping vegetables for further out than three days, actually wastes time as by that fourth day they’re not as enticing as they were fresh.)

So, is it working for me?

Generally: Yes. Sure I have days when I want to pull my hair out, and other days when I’m nodding off in the chair at about 8:30.

How do you trim the excess and make time for what’s really important in your life?

Filed Under: Life, Road to Fitness, Writing Life Tagged With: , , , ,

Concert Review: Styx – The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight

November 8, 2010 by

Article first published as Concert Review: Styx – The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight, The Stanahan Theater, Toledo, OH November, 7, 2010 on Blogcritics.

Styx has spent the last several months bringing two of their classic albums, The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight to the live stage, playing both albums from beginning to end (with a twenty minute intermission between albums) “as they were recorded.” I must admit, I went in with a bit of trepidation. While there is no doubt these two albums were great and cornerstones of their catalog, there are more elements to a live show than the music itself.

Of course the music is an essential component, but just as important is how it’s presented. When I go to a live show, I look forward to hearing the music being played with some spontaneity: some extended bridges or altered arrangements. And what about interaction with the crowd? Would that be missing given the platform?

(Read more)

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Kate Miller-Heidke – an Introduction and Steven Page Concert Review

November 4, 2010 by

Below you’ll find my Review of Steven Page’s show at the House of Blues, Cleveland, OH, on Nov. 2 that was published on Blogcritics today.

I’m adding for my readers here a couple of video treats. At the show I was introduced to Kate Miller-Heidke and would like to pass her music on to my readers who haven’t heard her yet.

A video for her song “Caught in the Crowd” can be found on Youtube, and one for “Are you F*cking Kidding Me” aka The Facebook “Song.”

My review of the concert I went to on Tuesday is posted at Blogcritics:

“Time marches forward” and “Nothing remains the same” may be two clichés rooted in truth, but what we sometimes forget is that change can be a good – and even a freeing — thing.

page one art

I’d been living with and enjoying Steven Page’s new album (Page One) for a while and was looking forward to seeing the tracks from this — and possibly his previous solo album The Vanity Project — performed live. But what of those perfectly classic Steven Page songs that could be classified as belonging to that other part of his life (For those who’ve been living under a rock Page left Barenaked Ladies, the band he co-founded twenty years ago, last year)? Would there be none of them? If so, would I leave disappointed?

There was no reason to worry.

(Continue Reading)

Video of “Indecision,” from Page One

Filed Under: Blogcritics Links, Life, Music Tagged With: , , , ,

NaNoWriMo – It’s a Draft

November 1, 2010 by

Today, November 1, marks the beginning of a challenge for those (who are up for it) in the writing community. If my twitter feed is any indication, it’s also a countdown to a dreaded apocalypse for the publishing community: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

For me, November is not about writing a novel in thirty days, but writing a first draft. It’s permission to turn of the internal editor and simply write. Remember this concept was born by Chris Baty author of No Plot? No Problem. It’s a celebration for those of us who write by the seat of our pants and a stark reminder that anything can be fixed…except for a blank page.

On December 1, thirty days from November now, if you complete the challenge (or if you put in an honest effort) you should be proud. You should feel accomplished. You should not submit your NaNo as a polished manuscript. No. At least dedicate December (maybe longer) to polishing that draft into a completed project.

If I hit 50,000 words by month’s end, it still won’t be a complete novel, the average length in the genre I write is 85-90k, but it will be a huge head-start to a draft I wanted completed by year’s end to a novel I want submission ready by mid-March.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo?

Filed Under: Life, NaNoWriMo, Writing Life Tagged With: , , , ,