Category Archives: my studio notes

as we all
know, but
as we all
must be reminded,
sometimes life
throws us a curveball

my latest ball was
hurled at me
at 77 mph
three days ago

a broken wrist
and suddenly
broken plans
broken ways
of doing things
too

the first thing
i said to my husband
when he suggested
going to the ER was
“but i haven’t
brushed my teeth!”

because this is not the
neat tidy way things
should unfold, this was
never on my schedule

until monday i was
on a roll dancing,
practicing qigong,
and using my bosu ball
daily, every day since
january one, not now

and for months i’ve had a
trip to missoula planned
with my two lifelong besties
for this upcoming weekend
now they will laugh and talk
into the night without me

life is not perfect
life is not predictable
we cannot control events
we cannot grasp too tightly

curveballs catch us unaware
we don’t know where the pitch
might land, so
flexibility is crucial
we must be ready to bat
we must be ready to adapt

 
 
NOTE: “a typical curveball in the major collegiate level and above will average between 65 and 80 mph, with the average MLB curve at 77 mph” since 7 is my favorite number, i went with the average 🙂
 
 
 
 

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today i read an article about some of the greatest lyrics from one-hit wonders over the last few decades. and then i listened to a few of the songs on the list.

there were so many that i’ve loved, that have touched me in a myriad of ways through the years.

have you ever really listened to the
constant stories you tell yourself?
do they help propel you forward,
or do they merely hold you back?

sometimes the stories in our minds
don’t allow us to be the strong
creative individuals we know we can be

sometimes what we say to ourselves
both limits and traps us

negative self-talk
self-defeating beliefs
obsessive thoughts
all can seriously sabotage one’s life

when you begin the process of reconnecting
with your authentic and original voice
one critical question tends to emerge

are the thoughts and beliefs you’ve
held for so long even your own?

when it snowed heavily earlier this week
i labeled it “another layer of winter”

the new chill reminded me why i always
dress in layers during this cold season

and it made me think about layers
in general, things that cover up other things
thicknesses added on top of each other

layers in my abstract art exploration
layers in a majestic mountain scene
layers in a spoken narration

not just physical layers
but also mental layers
energetic layers too

and then i came across this quote

“there’s something beautiful about how, as life goes on, it continues to layer itself.

her balance was off
she could feel it in every
cell of her body
physically, mentally, emotionally

how she longed for a
return to homeostasis
everything neatly in tune
flowing smoothly once again

and yet she knew she had
a great deal of work to do
before that could become a reality

habits to revamp
infirmities to resolve
resentment to shed
sorrow to dissipate

she thought about what it would take
to achieve that level of equilibrium
the idea alone overwhelmed
and exhausted her

she decided to plan a sojourn
a solo trip to a cottage near the ocean
perhaps a cabin in the woods

to listen to her needs
to align herself with her truth
to remember and celebrate
her unique essence

to assess the situation as
objectively as possible
to write, to read
to think, to feel

to reacquaint herself with self
and to remember who she was
what she stood for

 
 
*******
 
 
this post was adapted from
a 7-minute freewrite i did
using a paint chip prompt

my color “equilibrium”

 
 
 
 

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