Wandering Cyberspace From the Cornfields

This month...

At least once a month I will try something new and different…that’s goal number 4 for 2010.

Last night’s adventure was attending a painting class at Painting With a Twist in Grapevine. I had purchased a Groupon Coupon back in December for a night of painting for $20.  I figred that was cheaper than a movie night with popcorn and thought it would be fun.  Whoever came up with the concept of adding wine to craft classes is a genius!

I had a bottle of wine that I purchased while visiting the hill country in Texas last summer.  The wine was a Muscat Canelli from the Sister Creek Vineyards in Texas.   It seemed a perfect fit to paint the Dallas Skyline.

The class was full with 40 people attending.  There were groups of women having a girls night out, couples, and a few single people like me just there for an evening of fun.  Many people had done the same thing I had done and purchased the $20 coupon.  The owner of the store said they had sold over 600 coupons through their offer on Groupon.com.

I arrived early, opened my bottle of wine, and poured myself a glass.  I put on my apron, admired some of the other paintings in the room and pondered taking another class.  It was a lively evening with lots of laughter and fun.  It was very cold outside (especially by Dallas standards) but there was only one empty seat.  I had a great view of the instructor and didn’t have to turn my back to watch what she was painting.

At the end of the evening we posed for a group photo with our paintings.  No two paintings looked alike, some were better than others, some were *very colorful*.  The one thing that was constant were the smiles on every face around the room. Every person in the room had a great time and went home with a reminder of the evening to hang on the wall.

I plan to frame my work of art and hang it in my apartment.  Not because it is a stunningly beautiful painting, but it’s a reminder of a fun evening, and stepping outside of the box and trying new adventures.  The teacher said last night they are working on a companion piece that will be the skyline of Fort Worth.  Sign me up!

Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.  ~Pablo Picasso

I have happy feet!

I think I understand now about the lead character in Happy Feet.  That’s how I feel after I leave my dance class on Thursday night.  I have that rush of excitement from figuring out a new turn, a new step that puts me on a high that I just can’t imagine.  I honestly never pictured myself as someone who would enjoy Country Western dance lessons so darn much.

Tonight started a fresh round of lessons.  The weather was simply awful outside, crazy raining which really had my cough acting up.  It had been a long day at work and on the drive home I started finding myself thinking of excuses to stay home.  I gave myself a quick kick in the behind and went to class.

There were only two groups tonight a beginner class and an intermediate class.  That meant that my partner, an advanced level dancer had to take a step down and dance with the intermediate group.  It makes a big difference dancing with someone who knows what he is doing.  It can also be very intimidating.  Thankfully, Don had lots of patience, and taught me quite a few extra moves that we didn’t learn in class tonight.  I still struggled to let him lead, but found that after a few practice runs it was easier to just step back and let him lead me where I needed to go.  When we had the free dance period of the night he was very patient when showing me new things and gave me lots of tips to help make me a better dancer.

Next week I may be brave enough to wear the python boots, it really is important to wear shoes that don’t have rubber soles.  I need to get used to just regular walking n them before I take them dancing.  Baby steps… I had to giggle tonight when Don pushed me to try new things..and I said sure I’ll try.  Doing a few dance moves doesn’t seem like all that much after the major life changes I’ve gone through in the last few months.  All of those changes started with baby steps too…

Life isn’t worth living unless you’re willing to take some big chances and go for broke.– Eliot Wiggington

One word...

A friend posted a status message to Facebook this week…using one word, how would you describe me?  Being the Facebook sheep that I am, I posted that message as my status.  A few friends posted their single word descriptions of me:  friend, confidant, FUN, vibrant, cheeky, generous, warmth, inspiration and fantabulous.  There was one word though that made me giggle and took me back to the days when I used to hang out in chat rooms—coconuts.  Out of context, the word doesn’t seem nearly as funny–but I can remember hours of conversations surrounding coconut rounds and other Little Debbie treats.  Silly goofy stuff that happened back in 1997 that makes me still laugh today.  Flyre that one word comment was priceless and certainly fired up a lot of laughing and joking as we remembered my friend Flyre chatting from the closet in his Docker shorts.  I think the winner for favorite IRC chat word was attic.  There was also some mention of K9—trust me, you had to be there.

Another status challenge I posted was How did we meet?  Once again stories wound back around to those days in the 90’s…Thor..JD..and that reminded me of JD and his magical backpack.  I know that when I travel and take my magical backpack along, it makes me think about some of those silly conversations.  Great times, and wonderful memories of friends.  That seems like a lifetime ago, I think because it was.

I had a great mail day today, the photos from the Willie Nelson concert arrived in the mail.  I think that’s the nudge I need to finally assemble some scrapbook pages and begin putting together a scrapbook of my life in Texas. Things have happened so fast, and I have many great memories that need to be tucked away so I can remember each and every event.

I also received a prayer shawl book that I ordered from Amazon, The Prayer Shawl Companion.  I’ve made 3 prayer shawls in the past, each time I felt such a nudge from the Universe to do it.  This week the Universe nudged me to make two more shawls for people who I think could use that extra love and comfort from a prayer shawl.  The designs are incredible, there are lots of stories about the prayer shawl ministry and some nice blessings to put with the completed shawl.  I will head to the yarn store this weekend to buy the yarn for shawl number 1.  The challenge is going to be which pattern to choose.  I’ll have to ponder that one.

I made over a dozen scarves for friends for my Christmas scarf-a-palooza project.  The scarves were on big needles with fat yarn, and the recipient’s were all very appreciative.  A shawl, takes a bit longer and more of a commitment.  But I know from past experience that until I knit those shawls nothing else is going to seem like a worthwhile project.

In preparation to start the shawls I finished up some baby booties to send off to one of my charities.  Being eco-friendly I made cute little gift bags and filled them with the handknitted booties and a few other baby items.  I found myself smiling a lot as I put them together. I will take them to the post office on Saturday.

Last night I decided to spoil myself and Googled a recipe for Blue Chees Macaroni and Cheese..it was simply amazing and put a big smile on my face.

Hmmm..my face seems to be having lots and lots of smiles these days.  I see that as a very good thing!  Off to country and western dance lessons tonight.  It’s become one of the many highlights of my week.

…now I just need to find some time and get those cowgirl boots bought!

Memories...

“I’ve never tried to block out the memories of the past, even though some are painful. I don’t understand people who hide from their past. Everything you live through helps to make you the person you are now.” –Sophia Loren

I have spent the weekend making memories. I’ve had a big event, the Willie Nelson concert, a helper high event, making sandwiches for the homeless in Dallas, and a just hanging out with friends watching the Dallas Cowboys play on TV. Each of these events were filled with love, laughter and imprinted memories in my brain and on my heart. My life is so abundant and filled with so much joy and happiness.

It’s amazing how little things can take you back to a time in your life when memories were made. Yesterday I had a conversation with a friend who is dealing with some very challenging health issues with her father, and of course the conversation turned to quality of life, and took me back to the last few months of my mother’s life. We talked about the dialysis, and I remember my mom pulling out the shunt, this is not what she wanted, and being there the last time the ambulance picked her up and took her to dialysis the week before she died. I can see her tears and hear her cries of pain when they returned her home afterwards. I can remember driving home after that weekend and in my heart knowing that it was time to let her go, it was the right thing to do. Her body stepped in, and made that decision and Hospice was there to help make the end much more comfortable for her.

Today I heard from another friend who reached out to ask for help and support for her mother that has been diagnosed with cancer. I sat at the computer, tears streaming down my face knowing how much it meant to me to have the support of my friends when I was dealing with those months of my mom in the hospital. I can still see in my mind those Saturdays when I would walk into her room and see the cards sent by my friends. Each one of those not just a card of support for my mom, but they felt like hugs to me. One day I will find the strength to put them together in an album. For now, I’ve been able to look at them all again once, when I really needed a dose of support. (crazy Asians!)

Yesterday I saw a video posted by a friend that also talks about loss and the end of life. I admire Meachy’s faith and her determination.

Driving home from the concert the other night the conversation in the car turned to friendship. I know that I have an incredible circle of friends. I could ask for help and there would be all sorts of people in line to help. I would do the same for all of them, and as an extension for that for those that are important in their life.

I think the Universe has been sending me messages this weekend about living and enjoying life. It also is a clear message to tell people how you feel, to let them know that they matter to you. Maybe my role in the Universe is to put these thoughts together and to help people realize that it’s important to be in the moment, and to not put things off..saying that one day I will do this..or one day I will do that. If something is on your mind, or in your heart to do…do it now.

Perhaps part of this reflection is also tied to the next generation, my oldest daughter’s birthday is today. She sent me a few text messages yesterday asking me what time she was born? She wanted to make sure she was celebrating at the hour that she was born. (Kids, gotta love em!) I told her she was actually 2 weeks late, and they had to induce labor. I told her that I had to be at the hospital at 7:00 a.m. but she didn’t actually arrive until 3:30. It took me back to that time in my life, I remember being huge, waddling around miserable, the room at the hospital, the delivery room. Memories are so very powerful.

~ We do not remember days; we remember moments. ~