New Blog

I started a new blog today. Future posts will live at: ConversActioning.Blogspot.com

See you there!

Change. Change is good. Not the money kind...the life kind.

My sister Jen earned her Ph.D. today. That is a good change.
My friend Laura took a new job this week. That is a good change.
I have friends beginning careers, ending careers, transitioning careers. These are all good changes. But what about me?

Nine years and three business quarters with one company. That's where I am. So if change for the sake of change is bad, yet change is good, I'm not sure where I fit.

So I got my hair cut. I'll start with that and see where it takes me!

Perhaps change is best handled in layers?

But you'll have to wait for photos...I don't have any yet.

Summer Shower's

An early Summer shower. Tonight while sitting in my (still) new hearth room, I was on the computer with the deck doors and windows open and talking to a friend on the phone. The rain started and it is such a tranquil sound to me. Lately in the Midwest we've been having downpours and thunderstorms, and the chance to listen to raindrops splashing on the deck tonight was musical.

My favorite time to listen to evening rain showers is when I'm at our cottage in Canada. The cedar shingles receive the raindrops and transfer the music to those of us in the cottage, and the sound is one of my favorites. You can also always hear the waves either lapping or crashing on the beach a hundred or so yards away, like the purcussion or baritone section. Random windchimes from the cottages add an occasional and mystical melody. There truly is nothing better. When I'm stuck in landlocked Missouri, I'll recall the sounds of those waves when I can't sleep and channel that rhythmic lullaby. I'll be back in August to yet again be reminded by the fact that my memories don't do these sounds justice.

And then....

Then there are the nights like the 2006 "All About Us" party at Diane's cottage when it was a full-blown storm...and we all braved the elements and showed up. Laurie and I looked like a couple of drowned puppies when we got there. We were drenched to our skins, despite rain gear. That held up quite poorly under the horizontal rain the wind was pushing at us. So we laughed and giggled and splashed our way to Diane's. Our arrival was just in time to help stem the floods of water entering her cottage that was being literally pushed under door jams and overflowing full window ledges...right onto her floors. Before long there wasn't a dry towel in the place, then the rain slowed, more girls showed up, then the rain stopped and the rest of them showed up...and for a while it was "all about" Kelly and Laurie walking the furthest and in the worst of the storm. But after a while it was "All About Us" - the beach girls of Inverhuron enjoying ourselves. We ate and drank and danced and talked and shared silly stories and made wonderful memories - and plan to do it all again. 2008 will be the fourth such event. I'm already looking forward to it!

Red Belt

The martial arts have always been a bit of a mystery to me. When I worked at the Rec Center, there was a Tai chi class offered, that always sounded like it would be perfect for me. But I didn't have time to slow down that much! Now as a Mom, I'm experiencing Wu Shu Chinese Martial Arts through Jack and Lindsey. And last week Jack tested for and received his red belt in Wu Shu. It was quite an occasion. He has been through two sessions of the class and has just started his third. Lindsey has just started her second and will test for a belt the next time around.

One of my favorite things about the kids being in martial arts is when they come home and become the instructors - and teach me how to do the moves. And another favorite was this shocker: The kids and I were shoe shopping for Lindsey one day. This can be an ordeal, and Jack at one point said "I'm getting frustrated! I need to meditate." And he sat down in the middle of the aisle, crossed his legs, relaxed his arms and closed his eyes. A few minutes later he got up and joined us again - - and he was far less frustrated! Which meant I had a better experience that day as well. I'm sure there are some ancient masters I should be thanking somewhere!

Here are some photos from Jack's big day. Each student had to enter the room and perform their standard moves from memory and then do a complete routine choreographed to show off the moves and motions they have been studying. He did great!

Lake Michigan in May

Be open to the world around you, the possibilities and the people...and you never know where you'll end up.

My family and I were on that kind of a journey this Memorial Day weekend, when with just a few days' notice, we were packed and driving to the southeastern shores of Lake Michigan with Larry and Colleen Cox. Larry and I work together. Larry's sister has a summer home in Michigan and we were invited to use her house for the weekend.

It was beautiful. (And the lake was nice too!)

Thank you Larry, Colleen and Patricia! We had a wonderful time relaxing, walking on the beach, collecting rocks, napping, playing games, watching hockey, eating really good food, drinking really good wine, talking, talking and talking!

Perspective, and a bit of history

In 1991, I was at the staff retreat for the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Student Recreation Center supervisor and management staff lead by one of the best leaders I've worked for. He was the director at the time - J. Michael Dunn. Mike is a truly great leader and a truly good man. And he loved the students - all of us. He lives and breathes student development and I was the recipient of his care and attention for years. I never doubted his confidence. And he was rewarded with loyalty, conviction and passion in his team. One of the things we did during this particular staff retreat was take a moment to reflect. And pause. And consider our destinations. We'd spent two days together. Mike turned the lights down in the lodge we were using, talked to us a little while about what we had accomplished in terms of team building, trust, and relationships. And then he played this song.

Garth Brooks - The River: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI2D0Vfbmxw&feature=related

I've had the incredible good fortune to have my toes in the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Michigan in the past two weeks. So I suppose it is fitting that this song came back to me tonight.

This week I'll be in a staff retreat with my current team. What can I offer them? As part of the leadership team, what can I do to best help them grow? And how do I help them choose to chance the rapids?

The River

Written by: Garth Brooks, Victoria Shaw

You know a dream is like a river, ever changin' as it flows. And a dreamer's just a vessel that must follow where it goes. Trying to learn from what's behind you and never knowing what's in store makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shores.

And I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry. Like a bird upon the wind these waters are my sky. I'll never reach my destination if I never try, so I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.

Too many times we stand aside and let the waters slip away, 'til what we put off 'til tomorrow has now become today. So don't you sit upon the shoreline and say you're satisfied. Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.

Yes I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry. Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky. I'll never reach my destination if I never try, so I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.

And there's bound to be rough waters And I know I'll take some falls. But with the good Lord as my captain, I can make it through them all.

Yes I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry. Like a bird upon the wind these waters are my sky. I'll never reach my destination if I never try, so I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry. Yes, I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry. 'Til the river runs dry.

Friends

I have to feel sorry for people who don't have friends in their lives the way I am lucky enough to have friends in mine. And I am specifically sorry for people who don't know my friends...because they are some of the best people in the world.

I have friends who laugh with me, feed me, humor me, raised me, inspire me, love me, encouage me, believe in me, grow with me, know me, get me, tolerate me, cry with me, drink with me, cook with me, travel with me, work with me, play with me, edit me, live with me, sail with me, lead me, challenge me, sing with me, listen to me, talk to me and dream with me.

I am lucky. I am blessed.

I can't list you all here - I'd forget someone. But your fingerprints are on my heart and I feel you.

What is the price for friendship? What does it cost me to have these amazing women and men in my life? Sometimes it costs you the friendship. Sometimes it costs you proximity. Sometimes it costs you tears. Sometimes it costs you time. But I can tell you this - and I deeply believe this to be true - true friendship is always, always worth it. Promise.

Because if the friendship is true...really true...those costs - they don't feel like costs.

How many people have touched your heart this week? Me?, I lost count.

(and undertow is now spelled correctly in a previous post!!)