Category: Uncategorized

Writing With One Hand

For 29 years I’ve led a writing Workshop where we write by hand. Now I find myself only able to write by hand as I broke my left wrist in a fall and cannot type with my left hand. 

A complication in the first surgery led to a ruptured tendon impacting my index finger and middle finger. My arm and two fingers are in a temporary splint until I see a specialist this week for a cast. In two weeks I will start physical therapy for the fingers, then a few weeks later I’ll start therapy for the wrist. 

Meanwhile, I need to write for work and for creative projects. 

I’m thinking of the Zen Buddhist kōan, “Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand?”

What is the sound of one hand typing? The sounds are not so clickety-clack. It’s slow and inefficient. After decades as a speedy typist I now hunt and peck with my right hand . 

I use voice-to-text typing as much as possible, but it really challenges my patience. I find myself over enunciating and almost yelling at the computer when it gets things wrong. 

People have been there for me with flowers, cards, texts and calls. Friends and family have also  given me rides to multiple doctor appointments and two surgeries. They’ve helped with house work and errands. I’m so grateful. 

I also can’t drive. I’m thankful for the Walworth County Connects VIP service. It’s like an Uber for residents with medical appointments who can’t drive. But the price is much cheaper than Uber at $6 one way. 

My emotions range from frustration to sadness. But I balance it out with gratitude because, like with most things, it could have been worse. And I have plenty to be thankful for. Like I’m thankful it was not my right hand. I’m also thankful it didn’t happen during winter. 

I’m so thankful for my long time writing practice of daily morning pages and first drafts by hand. There is a journey of healing ahead of me. I’ll write my way through it. 

Buy the xylophone!

I just played “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “God Bless America” on my new xylophone – an early birthday present to myself. 

It’s been over four decades since I played the xylophone in middle school and the ninth grade of high school. When I joined the percussion section in the sixth grade I was the only one who could read music because I’d had piano lessons, so I was told to play the bells – or glockenspiel. Later in the ninth grade, I carried a xylophone in marching season and played it in concert season, too. After that I became the conducting drum major for marching band and tried different instruments during concert season. My xylophone experience was short, but I loved it. 

In Austin I was reminded how much I loved it when I tried out a marimba class with Joel Laviolette. I felt like a kid again and I’ve wanted a xylophone since then. But when’s a good time to buy a xylophone? It doesn’t really fit in the budget. This month I made it happen. 

I also thought of things like “What’s the point? Where does it lead?” HA! Like everything has to be commercialized and monetized. I dropped that idea and I know the point is creativity and play. 

A few recent articles about the power of learning and playing music or singing also motivated me. 

Also, since last summer I’ve focused on songwriting as a creative outlet. I’ve mainly worked on lyrics, and now I can also pick out melodies on my xylophone. 

I’m already loving the physicality of it – standing, striking the keys, reading the music and losing myself in the music making. 

If you’re not quite ready to buy the xylophone or other instrument, you might check with your local library to see if they have instruments in their “library of things.” 

I love this great line in The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: “But do you know how old I will be by the time I learn to really play the piano / act / paint / write a decent play? Yes… the same age you will be if you don’t.”

Happy New Year and I hope you find ways to explore your creativity, too! 

Our Daily Art

“We may regret our circumstances – and no doubt many of us should. But the way toward a fuller life in the arts must come by way of each person’s daily experience.”

– William Stafford

Writing prompt:

Where is the art or creativity in your daily experience? Where is the joy? Can you see a way to create more room for art and joy in everyday life? What would that look like?

Dancing a “Good Life”

In the photo I’m nine years old and wearing one of my favorite recital costumes from dance class. I keep it on my fridge to remind me of the pleasure I get from dancing and the confident joy of my younger self. 

Currently both my writing voice and my physical fitness level are wobbly. I’m out of shape. My current writing project is shifting and nowhere near ready to share publicly. I’d like to connect more around writing, but I haven’t been writing anything I could share. 

While writing morning pages recently, I had a big epiphany and remembered that it’s simple. I do what I love and write about it. My current passion is dance and fitness in general. So I’ll be sharing my journey. 

In a nice moment of synchronicity, on the same day as my epiphany, my morning devotion book shared the affirmation “As I trust myself, I create my perfect body.” And pointed out the power of the journal for “practicing the steps in front of the mirror.”

I’m comforted by returning to dance and other types of fitness. Dancing has been a big part of my life at times and is my preferred movement practice or exercise. Outdoor walks are for meandering and soaking in nature. The treadmill is dreadful unless I’m watching something on my tablet to pass the time – which feels like checking out or disassociating from the exercise. 

I’m currently doing the Nia Technique through the app NiaOnDemand. I choose a routine based on my intuition, energy level and mood. Sometimes I like to revisit a routine I know well or have done before. The body remembers, and I find myself remembering steps even if I’ve only done that routine once. I also don’t pressure myself to finish a routine if I’m feeling tired or distracted. I choose to dance, it’s not a demand I make of myself. 

While I’d love to do a live class, there aren’t any Nia classes nearby. To find a Nia teacher near you visit NiaNow.com. Nia combines dance, martial arts and mindfulness. Here’s an official description: 

Nia is based on the intelligent design of the body. Each workout combines mindfulness and dynamic movement – leaving you energized, mentally clear, and emotionally balanced.

Nia workouts combine 52 simple moves with dance arts, martial arts, and healing arts to energize and enliven well-being in 60 minutes – body, mind, emotion, and spirit.

Nia is non-impact, practiced barefoot, and adaptable to individual needs and abilities. Nia classes are taught by licensed Nia teachers and trainers in dozens of countries and languages across the world.

Nia has been a part of my life for over twenty years. I began doing Nia in Charleston, then trained as a teacher there, and taught for a few months in Columbia, SC, before I moved to Austin back in 2007. There were so many great teachers in Austin, and I had a full time job, so I decided to enjoy being a student. 

My childhood was full of dance classes in ballet, tap, jazz and modern dance. My family also square danced. I still recall most of the cheerleading dance routine from the one year in middle school that I was a cheerleader. 

Nia has two slogans I love and hope to emulate: “the Joy of Movement” and “Through Movement We Find Health.” I also like that the word abundance has dance in it. I know the joy of movement will reverberate into other areas of my life. 

Review:

“Good Life” – Dance Break 
Time: 5 minutes
Teacher and choreographer: Ann Christiansen
Music: “Good Life” by Vargo

This five-minute dance break will have you singing “Good Life” all day! I love this routine for the familiar steps and simplicity of the moves. I’m not able to keep up with the cha-cha-cha’s and I honor my body’s current fitness level and skip them. I still get a great dance in and I especially love the dramatic ending move. 

My Ancestors

“Writing with the Ancestors” (SomaticWriting.com) was the perfect class for me in January. It is a tough month because my mother and sister have passed, and both of their birthdays are in January. My mother passed away in January, and my birthday is in January. 

Also, I’ve had family on my mind because my great-niece is having a baby this summer. Since this is the first child born since my mother has passed, I felt the pressure to do something matriarchal. In my family, that usually meant something crocheted as my mother was an avid crocheter. Thankfully the baby will inherit other baby blankets because my crochet skills are very slow. A blanket would not be done by the time the baby gets here, or, frankly, gets to college.

The idea though, that immediate matriarchal feeling, left me awash in thoughts of family and ancestors and what we give each other – materially and otherwise. And, how I’m someone else’s ancestor and what will I leave for them?  

Continue reading “My Ancestors” →