Practice.
Practice is something I understand in theory but the practical application I struggle a bit. I always start every week with the intention of practicing at least one thing every day and every week I get hallway or more through the week and realize that I have at least partly failed. I try not to let that hold me back from finishing out the rest of the week strong. Sometimes I still don't succeed with that but practice makes perfect which is a phrase that I follow in spirit more than to the letter because perfection is a null concept in my opinion. I follow the phrase more with the idea that practice makes you better at what you practice and makes you better at practicing. Every time I sit down at the appointed time to write I get better at writing and at sitting down and writing when I have set the time aside for it. The same can be said for yoga, rowing, walking the dogs, heck cleaning the house. So, I will continue to work at practicing.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Day 11: Distractions
Distractions.
Distractions, are a huge part of my life. They dictate my accomplishments and they are the obstacles I have to overcome in order the achieve things. Distractions come in so many forms; exercise, food, cleaning, t.v., books, movies, music, family, the Giant, work and sleep. I struggle with tuning out the distractions and buckling down. That is part of the reason I am doggedly pursueing this challenge, to try and get it accomplished. Even though I have failed to do each prompt, each day. I refuse to admit defeat and will try and complete every prompt.
Distractions, are a huge part of my life. They dictate my accomplishments and they are the obstacles I have to overcome in order the achieve things. Distractions come in so many forms; exercise, food, cleaning, t.v., books, movies, music, family, the Giant, work and sleep. I struggle with tuning out the distractions and buckling down. That is part of the reason I am doggedly pursueing this challenge, to try and get it accomplished. Even though I have failed to do each prompt, each day. I refuse to admit defeat and will try and complete every prompt.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Day 10: Discomfort
Discomfort.
This last year is my year of learning to be physical and get up and move and become stronger. So discomfort is something I've been learning to deal with. I have had to learn to deal with wearing clothes that are tighter and more... spandex than I amused to. I have had to learn to deal with the discomfort of making my body do more work than it has ever done in my life. I have had to learn to deal with the discomfort of doing things in front of other people that could lead to me looking like a fool or failing or hurting someone else.
Discomfort is often mixed with a twinge of fear. Fear of getting hurt, making a fool of myself, hurting someone else, being though of as "that girl" by other people.
I am learning to disregard these feelings when they are unnecessary and to listen to these feelings when they are helpful to protecting me.
This last year is my year of learning to be physical and get up and move and become stronger. So discomfort is something I've been learning to deal with. I have had to learn to deal with wearing clothes that are tighter and more... spandex than I amused to. I have had to learn to deal with the discomfort of making my body do more work than it has ever done in my life. I have had to learn to deal with the discomfort of doing things in front of other people that could lead to me looking like a fool or failing or hurting someone else.
Discomfort is often mixed with a twinge of fear. Fear of getting hurt, making a fool of myself, hurting someone else, being though of as "that girl" by other people.
I am learning to disregard these feelings when they are unnecessary and to listen to these feelings when they are helpful to protecting me.
Day 9: Collaboration
Collaboration.
I struggle with collaboration with a lot people but sometimes if the people are right and the project is right things can be magic. But for the most part I like to shut the door, turn on a book on tape or my music on shuffle and get shit done. I always feel like it takes a million times longer to get things accomplished when working with a group or even just one other person. While I love my Giant me and him have very different processes for things, which works amazingly well when one of us excels in one area because than that one gets to take charge and we do it through their process, eventually the other person learns how to do it but it's through the other person's method.
Anyway, collaboration sometimes makes for beautiful outcomes and sometimes it leaves me frustrated and feeling like I could have done it better and/or faster by myself.
I struggle with collaboration with a lot people but sometimes if the people are right and the project is right things can be magic. But for the most part I like to shut the door, turn on a book on tape or my music on shuffle and get shit done. I always feel like it takes a million times longer to get things accomplished when working with a group or even just one other person. While I love my Giant me and him have very different processes for things, which works amazingly well when one of us excels in one area because than that one gets to take charge and we do it through their process, eventually the other person learns how to do it but it's through the other person's method.
Anyway, collaboration sometimes makes for beautiful outcomes and sometimes it leaves me frustrated and feeling like I could have done it better and/or faster by myself.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Day 8: Song Lyrics
Song Lyrics.
"Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we're saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom 'til we're equal, damn right I support it
I really love this song and the message and love that it comes out of genre that is not often thought of for it's sensitivity. Beautiful song. Give it a listen.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=same%20love&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=same%20love&sc=8-9&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=E0C27CB268E5238A0907E0C27CB268E5238A0907
"Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we're saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom 'til we're equal, damn right I support it
I really love this song and the message and love that it comes out of genre that is not often thought of for it's sensitivity. Beautiful song. Give it a listen.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=same%20love&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=same%20love&sc=8-9&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=E0C27CB268E5238A0907E0C27CB268E5238A0907
Day 7: When it all goes wrong
When it all goes wrong.
What to say about when it all goes wrong? Well, shit happens. I don't know, I try and be a roll with the punches type. The go with the flow type. Sometimes this works and sometimes I really have to work to keep from freaking out on people or things or circumstances that are beyond my control. But really I seem to thrive well under the shit hitting the fan kind of pressure. Which I find kind of funny because other kinds of pressure, like the everyone watching me kind of pressure, making me buckle, stammer, turn six shades of red, and drop the ball. But when the chips are really down and it comes down to action or failure (or worse) I rise to the occasion without a second thought. I don't say any of this to toot my own horn but I do pride myself on this ability of mine. Which is silly because it is part of my natural disposition so to take pride in it is a bit odd. Some people can stand in front of large groups of people and direct them and say everything with confidence and lead people to correct acton but when things go wrong they freak out and don't know what to do. I will take more pride in maintaining grace and a cool head under the other kinds of pressure if I ever learn to achieve it.
What to say about when it all goes wrong? Well, shit happens. I don't know, I try and be a roll with the punches type. The go with the flow type. Sometimes this works and sometimes I really have to work to keep from freaking out on people or things or circumstances that are beyond my control. But really I seem to thrive well under the shit hitting the fan kind of pressure. Which I find kind of funny because other kinds of pressure, like the everyone watching me kind of pressure, making me buckle, stammer, turn six shades of red, and drop the ball. But when the chips are really down and it comes down to action or failure (or worse) I rise to the occasion without a second thought. I don't say any of this to toot my own horn but I do pride myself on this ability of mine. Which is silly because it is part of my natural disposition so to take pride in it is a bit odd. Some people can stand in front of large groups of people and direct them and say everything with confidence and lead people to correct acton but when things go wrong they freak out and don't know what to do. I will take more pride in maintaining grace and a cool head under the other kinds of pressure if I ever learn to achieve it.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Day 6: Indulgence
Indulgence.
Indulgence is often seen as a bad word in our society. Like, indulgence equates with laziness, sloth, obesity, and lack of restraint. We are told to save, plan for the future. Think about the next step and indulgence is about the now. So for me indulgence is not a bad word it is a symbol, a symbol of doing what feels good. Yes, I plan for the future, yes I save for the future but I try to find the happiness in the now because who knows if we will be given a chance for a future and do I want to be miserable in the only time I am guaranteed for the possibility of something else.
One of the things I have taken from the teachings of Buddha and my readings of physics is that there is no past and there is no future, they DO NOT EXIST they are delusions our minds create to give continuity to our existence. But what is the evidence of the past, what is the evidence of the future? Every moment of the past was at one point now, and every moment of the future, if it comes, will be now. Everything is simultaneous because every moment is past, present, and future in one. There is only that moment of now. Nothing else. So why not feel good within that singular moment? I know there are people who take this out of context and same I'm promoting "bad" behavior but I'm not while I say do what feels good I also say that what feels good should not harm other living things (whether they be other people, animals, plants). I know that sounds weird and you are probably left wondering what does a person who feels like that eat? The answer for me is everything, I still eat meat and all forms of plant life I've been toying with quitting dairy because it's a bizarre practice we humans have, if you look at it objectively, of drinking another animals milk and drinking any milk well past infancy. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. Do what feels good but don't bring unwarranted pain, misery, or suffering on another life. That's how I try and live my life and that is my "justification" for all my little indulgences.
Indulgence is often seen as a bad word in our society. Like, indulgence equates with laziness, sloth, obesity, and lack of restraint. We are told to save, plan for the future. Think about the next step and indulgence is about the now. So for me indulgence is not a bad word it is a symbol, a symbol of doing what feels good. Yes, I plan for the future, yes I save for the future but I try to find the happiness in the now because who knows if we will be given a chance for a future and do I want to be miserable in the only time I am guaranteed for the possibility of something else.
One of the things I have taken from the teachings of Buddha and my readings of physics is that there is no past and there is no future, they DO NOT EXIST they are delusions our minds create to give continuity to our existence. But what is the evidence of the past, what is the evidence of the future? Every moment of the past was at one point now, and every moment of the future, if it comes, will be now. Everything is simultaneous because every moment is past, present, and future in one. There is only that moment of now. Nothing else. So why not feel good within that singular moment? I know there are people who take this out of context and same I'm promoting "bad" behavior but I'm not while I say do what feels good I also say that what feels good should not harm other living things (whether they be other people, animals, plants). I know that sounds weird and you are probably left wondering what does a person who feels like that eat? The answer for me is everything, I still eat meat and all forms of plant life I've been toying with quitting dairy because it's a bizarre practice we humans have, if you look at it objectively, of drinking another animals milk and drinking any milk well past infancy. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. Do what feels good but don't bring unwarranted pain, misery, or suffering on another life. That's how I try and live my life and that is my "justification" for all my little indulgences.
Day 5: Rant about Anything
Ranting about the perpetuation of "romantic love" in movies.
Obsessive or destructive love is so often represented in movies and T.V. as romantic love. To use as an example but by far not the only one is "The Amazing Spiderman 2" Peter Parker has pictures Gwen Stacy all over his room, he watches her without her knowing, follows her. And when he tells her all this she swoons as if this is some romantic gesture of true love.
Another example is of course the horrible "Twilight" saga where Edward watches Bella sleep and has an intense amount of focus directed at her and again instead of this being portrayed as creepy or unhealthy it is deemed romantic and the mark of true love. She becomes so obsessed with this amount of attention from Edward that when he breaks up with she puts her life in danger because than she can "hear his voice" seriously this is what we want to teach our young people is a healthy relationship.
The idea of being so in love with another person that you would go to any lengths to see them, watch them even when they have made it clear they no longer want to see you is not healthy. We need to be focusing more on stories where the individuals in a relationship achieve things as a team or even better as individuals and than come together as equals as complete and whole individuals that are together instead of two people who have to be together to be whole or complete.
Obsessive or destructive love is so often represented in movies and T.V. as romantic love. To use as an example but by far not the only one is "The Amazing Spiderman 2" Peter Parker has pictures Gwen Stacy all over his room, he watches her without her knowing, follows her. And when he tells her all this she swoons as if this is some romantic gesture of true love.
Another example is of course the horrible "Twilight" saga where Edward watches Bella sleep and has an intense amount of focus directed at her and again instead of this being portrayed as creepy or unhealthy it is deemed romantic and the mark of true love. She becomes so obsessed with this amount of attention from Edward that when he breaks up with she puts her life in danger because than she can "hear his voice" seriously this is what we want to teach our young people is a healthy relationship.
The idea of being so in love with another person that you would go to any lengths to see them, watch them even when they have made it clear they no longer want to see you is not healthy. We need to be focusing more on stories where the individuals in a relationship achieve things as a team or even better as individuals and than come together as equals as complete and whole individuals that are together instead of two people who have to be together to be whole or complete.
Day 4: Rave about Anything
Raving about Reading for Pleasure.
Reading for pleasure is one of the things that has brought me the most constant joy in my life. It has brought me joy and happiness, friendship and comfort. The Giant is not a reader. He has never known the joy it can bring. While, it is hard for me to understand his perspective on this because I have loved reading from the moment I figured out how to do it. He loves that I'm a reader and I'll tell him the stories that I've read. We'll watch movies based off of books that I've read and I'll tell him all the things Hollywood left out.
Reading was my solace as a child. My Dad was in the Navy so we moved every couple years. My little brother and me had to find hobbies or activities that didn't involve other kids. He fell in love with video games and I lost myself in the never-ending world of books. There was always a new adventure to go on, a new love to find, a new evil to overcome, a new mystery to solve. The world of books was my friends, my loves, my adventures. I loved through them and learned how other people thought, how they lives, what they believed and how their world was the same as mine and how their world was different from mine.
So, I will recommend, just like I do to the Giant, that all people read and learn how amazing it can be.
Reading for pleasure is one of the things that has brought me the most constant joy in my life. It has brought me joy and happiness, friendship and comfort. The Giant is not a reader. He has never known the joy it can bring. While, it is hard for me to understand his perspective on this because I have loved reading from the moment I figured out how to do it. He loves that I'm a reader and I'll tell him the stories that I've read. We'll watch movies based off of books that I've read and I'll tell him all the things Hollywood left out.
Reading was my solace as a child. My Dad was in the Navy so we moved every couple years. My little brother and me had to find hobbies or activities that didn't involve other kids. He fell in love with video games and I lost myself in the never-ending world of books. There was always a new adventure to go on, a new love to find, a new evil to overcome, a new mystery to solve. The world of books was my friends, my loves, my adventures. I loved through them and learned how other people thought, how they lives, what they believed and how their world was the same as mine and how their world was different from mine.
So, I will recommend, just like I do to the Giant, that all people read and learn how amazing it can be.
Day 3: Homemade
I have fallen behind on this challenge. I am home with a stomach bug today so I am going to try and use the time stuck at home as productively as possible and write.
Homemade.
I love all things homemade. I bake our bread from scratch, I enjoy making my own clothes, socks, scarves, hats (not that I often have enough time to make all of these things but I still enjoy making them). If you think about it all the best things in the world are homemade; made by someone's hands, torn from the heart and soul by their own hands. The best music, art, books, clothes, food all of these things are better when made by an individual not a machine.
Homemade.
I love all things homemade. I bake our bread from scratch, I enjoy making my own clothes, socks, scarves, hats (not that I often have enough time to make all of these things but I still enjoy making them). If you think about it all the best things in the world are homemade; made by someone's hands, torn from the heart and soul by their own hands. The best music, art, books, clothes, food all of these things are better when made by an individual not a machine.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Day two: Daily Rituals
Daily Rituals.
I have always, always wanted to be one of those fantastic people who had a pattern, a ritual and stuck to it day in and day out. But, unfortunately I am NOT one of those people. I am one of those people who starts every weekday following a ritual but it is a ritual based entirely out of obligation. Waking up to a blaring alarm, I'm still trying to find a gentler way to wake up but still make sure I wake up on time, my next step is the regular ritual of clothes, teeth, etc, than the dogs go outside while I fix breakfast and lunch and than run out the door with my book, purse, and food in hand. I spend the next 8-10 hours at work. I call my mom on my drive home and talk to her about my day, my plans, my life and the same with her. Once I get home though that's where the pattern goes out the window. Depending on the day I can be caught doing anything from staring at the tv and eating junk food, to reading and writing, to looking at books of art and creating some of my own, to baking and cooking food for myself and the Giant (my 6 feet 3 inches tall man), to rowing in various size boats, to sweating like crazy in yoga class, to walking with the dogs, to playing disc golf, knitting, crocheting, and so on and so forth and sometimes many of these things all in one night. So, daily ritual is still a goal that I have yet to achieve!
I have always, always wanted to be one of those fantastic people who had a pattern, a ritual and stuck to it day in and day out. But, unfortunately I am NOT one of those people. I am one of those people who starts every weekday following a ritual but it is a ritual based entirely out of obligation. Waking up to a blaring alarm, I'm still trying to find a gentler way to wake up but still make sure I wake up on time, my next step is the regular ritual of clothes, teeth, etc, than the dogs go outside while I fix breakfast and lunch and than run out the door with my book, purse, and food in hand. I spend the next 8-10 hours at work. I call my mom on my drive home and talk to her about my day, my plans, my life and the same with her. Once I get home though that's where the pattern goes out the window. Depending on the day I can be caught doing anything from staring at the tv and eating junk food, to reading and writing, to looking at books of art and creating some of my own, to baking and cooking food for myself and the Giant (my 6 feet 3 inches tall man), to rowing in various size boats, to sweating like crazy in yoga class, to walking with the dogs, to playing disc golf, knitting, crocheting, and so on and so forth and sometimes many of these things all in one night. So, daily ritual is still a goal that I have yet to achieve!
A challenge to start things off
Patrick + Carling Yoga are a couple of awesome people both for their yoga and their ideas on creativity and being you. Carling started a writing challenge yesterday and I decided to take part in it.
Day one: Introduce yourself in 50-100 words.
So, meet me! My name is Kim, okay that's a lie my name is Kimberly but I have always preferred Kim. Kimberly seemed to be too flowery, feminine, delicate, all of the things I didn't want to be. Being 5 feet 2 inches tall and under or around 100 pounds for most of my life I have felt the need to fight against the idea that I am somehow lesser or weaker than others. And I have succeeded in that goal I like to think. I row both in an eight man sweeping boat and a single person sculling boat each once a week, I do Vinyasa flow yoga 2-3 days a week, and a light home yoga practice everyday, I used to walk my three amazing pit bulls everyday... well, most days. But we've fallen out of the habit, we're working to get back on track but it's been very hot lately. But I also embrace a slightly softer side in my love for art, musicals, and comfy days without clothes. Anyway, I read obsessively and can never be without a book, there's always one in my purse, my car, my backpack, my hand, near me. That's me, well at least a small facet of the complex, contradictory, amazing, strange, quirky person that I call me!
Day one: Introduce yourself in 50-100 words.
So, meet me! My name is Kim, okay that's a lie my name is Kimberly but I have always preferred Kim. Kimberly seemed to be too flowery, feminine, delicate, all of the things I didn't want to be. Being 5 feet 2 inches tall and under or around 100 pounds for most of my life I have felt the need to fight against the idea that I am somehow lesser or weaker than others. And I have succeeded in that goal I like to think. I row both in an eight man sweeping boat and a single person sculling boat each once a week, I do Vinyasa flow yoga 2-3 days a week, and a light home yoga practice everyday, I used to walk my three amazing pit bulls everyday... well, most days. But we've fallen out of the habit, we're working to get back on track but it's been very hot lately. But I also embrace a slightly softer side in my love for art, musicals, and comfy days without clothes. Anyway, I read obsessively and can never be without a book, there's always one in my purse, my car, my backpack, my hand, near me. That's me, well at least a small facet of the complex, contradictory, amazing, strange, quirky person that I call me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)