Lessons From Building Birdhouses

With the first cut of the wood, the idea for building birdhouses was out of my head and into the universe.  Never mind that the initial foray was a mess.  Ideas, resources, tools, solutions, and allies came flooding in once I took action.  I did it for fun and the pure joy of self-expression.  My only plan was how to get more materials and get my “real work” done faster so I could get back to the workshop –a.k.a....

Taming Your Gremlin

I discovered a new voice in the choir of inner critics that serenade me on a regular basis.  In Taming the Gremlin – A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way, Rick Carson suggests we name those unhelpful voices of judgment– a.k.a. gremlins – when we become aware of them.  Give them a personality, a nickname.  Makes them more manageable is the theory. This one is called ST – the Sullen...

The Art of Disappearing – Part 2

        The Art of Disappearing by Naomi Shihab Nye When they say Don’t I know you? say no.When they invite you to the party remember what parties are like before answering.Someone telling you in a loud voice they once wrote a poem. Greasy sausage balls on a paper plate. Then reply. If they say we should get together. say why? It’s not that you don’t love them any more. You’re trying to remember...

The Art of Disappearing – Part 1

How good are you at disappearing?  Vacation used to mean getting away from it all.  Time to rest, play, relax without the worries or concerns that envelop us at home. Savoring time without a clock or agenda  feels strange when we’re used to go-go-go and do-do-do.  It usually takes me a couple of days to settle into a slower rhythm when I get away; to keep my twitchy fingers off the keypad, not check email,...