Sunday, August 26, 2012
The Healing Power of the Book (Club)
Anyway, after going ninety miles an hour with my hair on fire for the last two weeks, I finally had the opportunity to stop and slow down for a little while yesterday while I caught up with my book club. For the last few years, my mother and I have belonged to a book club made up of lifelong friends who have become family. In theory, we meet monthly, and each woman takes a turn choosing a book. Our tastes, like we, are vastly different, so we read all kinds of stuff that we would never see without The Club. We usually meet at someone's house and all bring food and drink that is connected to the book. We go a little crazy in our preparations; the more creative, the better. When we read Arcadia Falls, by Carol Goodman in the early days, Mom helped me pull grapevine out of her yard which I wove into a wreath to put around the outside of the pan of roasted root vegetables that I made to represent the twisted roots that recurred throughout the book. It was awesome, and not even close to the most creative thing there that day!
We eat, drink, laugh, and sometimes even talk about the book. Usually what begins as a discussion of the book ultimately leads to a discussion of life as we know it. When we make it happen, it is sacred time. The Club is made up of two generations of women, some of whom have known each other since birth. Some are working while raising babies and young children, some work and have children who are grown, some have children in The Club, and some have four-legged children. Our beliefs and politics may be different, but when we meet for Book Club, none of that matters. We are friends who let down our hair, kick off our shoes, and have fun for a few hours.
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| Delicious Coconut Cocktail |
For our Summer meeting, we read On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves. It was a quick read about two people who, after a plane crash, learn to survive together on an deserted island. Since we had all been so busy lately, we decided to meet at a beach-themed restaurant. Bahama Breeze, overlooking the water between Tampa and Clearwater, was a fantastic choice! Coconuts featured prominently in the book, so a coconut cocktail was high on my priority list. Theirs was perfect!
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| Our fun centerpiece |
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| Our Survival Kits |
To help us remember On the Beach, each of us was given a "survival kit" filled with items mentioned in the book that they either missed or managed to find to make it through their time on the island. The thing that they said that they most wanted was a cold Coke over ice, so a little Coke was included for each of us. It was creative and thoughtful, as always.
Possibly the coolest moment of the day came as we were wrapping up. My mom, SandiPaints, looked over my shoulder into Tampa Bay and saw a dolphin playing in the water. Again, dolphins figured prominently in the book. We were all transfixed watching to see the fin pop up again. It was beautiful, and peaceful, and energizing at the same time. For all of us. Just as it should have been.
As the afternoon storm rolled in over the water, our little club parted. But we have already planned our next meetings through March, promising not to let so much time pass again without this wonderful, inspiring connection. I have always known that books have the potential to take me anywhere, to make me feel better. Now I know that sharing these books, and this time, with amazing women has a restorative power all its own.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
If You Are Me, This Is a Big Deal!
I have some exciting news.
Instead of the blog post that would normally be found here, I have been chosen to be the featured writer today over at studio30plus, an amazing community full of tips, support, and inspiration for all types of writers! My blog post is on their website!
Please click on one of the links or their button on the right and pay them a visit. Read my blog. Leave a comment. If you enjoy it, pass it on to someone else.
My Summer Vacation ends today, so I will be back at work when all of this happens, but chances are good, that I will sneak a peek on here, there, Twitter, or Facebook at some point during the day. I'd love to read what you have to say.
Hope you all have a wonderful day, and an amazing week!
~BettyRants
Security Blanket
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| Baby Boy Burrito |
Possessing superpowers, his cape propels him through boyhood.
Worn threadbare with love, Grandma sews it into a patchwork bunny welcoming his firstborn child.
The above is my response to the weekend's Trifextra writing challenge. "Noted blues musician, Lead Belly, was quoted in Three Uses of the Knife by David Mamet as saying:
You take a knife, you use it to cut the bread, so you'll have strength to work; you use it to shave, so you'll look nice for your lover; on discovering her with another, you use it to cut out her lying heart.
Give us 33 words (exactly) that tell us three different uses for one object. But don't just tell us that a can opener can be used to 1) open cans, 2) open beer bottles and 3) break a window in case of a fire. Tell us a story, like Lead Belly did, if you can. It won't be easy, but you guys are far beyond needing easy prompts."
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Mountain Magic Part One
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| Our view over the mountain |
Quite a few years ago now, my parents, my sister, and I were lucky enough to find property on a mountain in North Carolina with a house big enough for all of us that, together, we could afford. We had grand ideas of one day turning it into a compound like the Kennedys in Kennebunkport because we like to dream big, but really, there is room for all of us in the house and building new houses on the side of a mountain would be insanely expensive.
When we first started coming up to visit the house, our trips were crazy mad dashes from one "must see" place to the next. Every moment was filled with either driving somewhere to look at beautiful Carolina mountain scenery, or hitting some cute, little shop that just couldn't be missed, or checking out the food at a restaurant that the locals swore was simply the best in the South. We found ourselves at home just long enough to sleep, shower, wake up, and do it all over again the next day. By the time we made it back to Florida, we were always more tired than when we had left. While we were in Carolina, we recognized the laid-back nature of the place, we felt the sense of calm that permeated the air we breathed, but it just seemed like there was too much we "had" to do to ever sit still long enough to breathe in very much of it.
Finally, last year, something changed. A switch flipped in my head, I guess, I don't know, but something was different. For starters, this trip was just me and Dad, instead of the whole family. We hadn't done a father-daughter road trip since my senior year in high school when we went to New Orleans, but that is another story for another day. Anyway, for the first time ever we got up in the morning and asked the question, "What do we have to do today?" Much to our surprise, the answer was, "Nothing." It was seriously disconcerting. I tend to have almost every minute of every day scheduled in my regular life, so to say, "I have no place to be today and there is nothing I have to do," totally threw me for a loop. Then I decided to embrace it. I knew that opportunity would only exist for a short period of time, so I grabbed it with both hands and held on for dear life!
A couple of the days we just stayed in our pjs and hung around the house reading and watching tv. I introduced Dad to my favorite series, The Wire, on DVD, so we watched a marathon of that. Each day seemed more amazing than the next! We ventured out to Terry's, my favorite roadside produce stand, where we bought Hillbilly Stripeys, the most delicious heirloom tomatoes I have ever tasted. The first bite actually made me cry. I made them into tomato sandwiches, a Southern staple. When we felt like it, we went into town and ate our favorite burgers at The Coffee Shop, or pizza at Mill & Main, or our very favorite, vegan chili and sandwiches, at Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro. We went to lunch whenever we felt like it, we came home and took naps if we were tired. One afternoon we washed dishes and rolled silverware at the Community Table. Another afternoon we drove out to the new casino to have lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant. It was fabulous!
At that point, Baby Sister was early into her first pregnancy, so when we did venture out into the local shops, we inevitably found things that were so cute, the baby (we had yet to learn his sex) just had to have them! We caught up with our favorite potters, Zan, Brant, and Karen Barnes at Riverwood Pottery, the only place in Carolina that I am guaranteed to spend money every time! Their work is seriously beautiful! We drove into Cashiers one day and ended up on a quest for a big, metal chicken named Beyonce' like TheBloggess' for my friend, Julie. We also got to spend some time with my godparents up at their house on Dick's Creek. On that trip I photographed the water in a few really beautiful Carolina creeks, which I love to capture on film more than almost anything. We went where we wanted to go whenever we felt like it. The freedom was intoxicating!
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| Deep Creek |
Afternoon Cocktail Hour was celebrated with fun, fresh appetizers and Bloody Marys. In the evenings I played Chef in our kitchen to my heart's content, and Dad was seriously appreciative of the food I made. I even started writing down what went into some of the dishes I created, knowing that someday I wanted to do something with them, even though I wasn't sure yet what that was. I felt all of the stress and tension of the year melting away a little more each day. The magic the mountains were working on me was palpable. I couldn't remember when I had last felt so relaxed, and I knew, Dad and I both knew, that we wanted to do it again this summer. In fact we started planning our escape for this summer before we drove away from the house last summer.
Photos and details of this year's trip are coming soon.
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| Green's Creek from the bridge |
Hemingway Homage: Six Word Story
It's positive!
Finally dreams come true.
This post is in celebration of Hemingway Week at studio30plus. I combined both prompts, "It's Positive" and "Obsessed with Earnest" in creating this six word story, inspired by his. And no, I am not pregnant.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
No Choice
As his final breath left him, the rain began to fall.
This post is a reponse to Trifexa's weekend challenge "give us a 33-word opening line to your book. That's it. Make us want to read the next 333 pages of your work."
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
What a waste!
Sydney's ordinarily tiny toes were swollen sausages, red and aching beneath giant cankles that threatened to split the soft, tender skin of her previously perfect legs. Sydney had been on her feet since first light, chopping, mixing, sautéing, tasting, adding a pinch here, a dash there, until every bite was perfect. They finally sat to eat; her heartbeat was audible. Louis slowly chewed his first bite, inhaled deeply, and wiped his mouth. "Not bad," he exhaled.
"Not bad?" She seethed. "That pretentious little, bow-tie-wearing, wanna-be-epicurean sonofabitch! He wouldn't know good food it he choked on it!"
This piece was written as an answer to this week's One Hundred Word Challenge from VelvetVerbosity to tell a story using the word epicurian which has changed quite a bit since it first came into use. I chose to go with its more modern, common usage.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
On the magic of salon therapy
I can be in the worst mood, ready to knock someone into the middle of next week, but the minute I cross the threshold of the salon, whether it is to see my brilliant hairdresser, Mags, at her own salon or to see one of the nail techs at my neighborhood pedi place, all of stress and irritation is out the door. It is crazy! How does that happen? What is in those chemicals?
Mags and I have been friends for over ten years now. We were friends first. We met doing a play together, she rescued me from a hairstyling disaster, and the rest is history. Since we have been friends for so long, it makes sense that I should feel great just having the opportunity to go in and hang out with her. Plus, she is a rock star at her job, so I always leave looking so much better than when I arrived! Conversely, I am challenged to understand more than a few words from the miracle workers at the nail salon and yet I still feel a rush of euphoria every time I walk through their door.
What is it that makes those hours so relaxing, refreshing, recuperative, rewarding, REQUIRED to keep me from wanting to shake people senseless? Perhaps it is the fact that I am an absolute captive for those precious few hours that my head is covered in chemicals, or my feet are soaking. I can't go anywhere or do anything else (except apparently blog) so I have no choice but to relax, read trashy magazines that I never get too see, and enjoy! Bliss!
Whatever it is, I know that I will do anything it takes to make sure I can continue to relish these visits. I am really doing it for the rest of the world, if you think about it. I'm a giver like that. After all, it these infrequent visits that allow me to continue to be the smiling, pleasant, patient person you see here. Isn't that better than the alternative? I think so, too!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Leap!
This post is in response to this weekend's Trifextra Challenge:
Forty-three years ago today, Neil Armstrong became the first person to ever walk on the moon. In celebration of Moon Day we want you to write 33 words about someone who took a giant leap. It can mean whatever you'd like, just make sure you write exactly 33 words.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
On Fear
I hear these questions on a continous playback reel in my head lately. I assure you this is nothing new. I am a girl who, for the most part, likes to play things safe. I was a rule follower in school because I was pretty sure I'd get caught and get in trouble if I didn't. And getting in trouble at school meant my parents finding out, and even worse, having to explain to my grandfather, my idol, the horrible thing I had done to bring shame upon myself and the family name. No pressure. So I tended to be a pretty good kid. If I wanted to do something I knew I wasn't supposed to, I usually asked my parents first. Keep in mind, I had fairly laid back (if somewhat overprotective) hippie parents. As long as I was unlikely to get hurt, hurt anyone else, or end up in jail, they were pretty cool. They let me try things, make my own choices, make my own mistakes, and supported me throughout it all.
So what is my challenge now? What AM I so afraid of? Change. Even when I am fairly certain it is a change for the better, the idea of changing from the proverbial Devil That I Know to step into any new situation with a Devil That I Don't is absolutely paralyzingly frightening to me. It isn't like I haven't successfully navigated innumerable changes before in my forty-something years. I have, but have I ever done it without a feeling of nausea and impending doom? Not that I can recall.
This change even includes the change of meeting people in a new environment. Attending a social gathering in a place where I know next to no one can be almost crippling to me at times. For those who know me, this may be hard to believe because, on stage, I am fearless. If it is in the script, or will improve the show in some way, I am 100% balls-to-the-wall ready for anything! I always have been. But on stage, I get to be someone else. When I have to be me, around people I don't know, I am terrified. The whole meeting new people thing represents a change to my little bubble of comfort where I know everyone and they know me. They get my jokes, they know I am a big bag of crazy, and they love me anyway. What will I do with new people on their own turf? Panic!
Does any of this mean I don't try? Does it mean I don't step out of my Hermit Crab shell and try to feel the sun on my face? Sometimes it does. Sometimes I curl up in a ball in my pjs and stay in bed cursing my own cowardice. But other times, other times I feel just a little bit strong and just a little bit brave and decide to give it a shot. Those days I realize that the worst that can happen is I fail at whatever it is I wanted to try. I end up right back where I started. I fall on my ass trying to Rollerblade, I crash into a tree trying to learn to ski, I nearly pass out trying to jog half a block, (Notice a theme?) I draw a total blank in the middle of the monologue at the audition, I don't get the part, I step out of the car at the party and end up with my pants on the ground when the drawstring breaks then have to hold them up as I walk in the door to ask the hostess for a safety pin (Mortifying!). That was an ice breaker for sure! And the party was a lot of fun.
What's the big deal? Chances are pretty good I end up with one hell of a funny story out of it, maybe a few scars, maybe a few tears, but almost always a good story.
This was written in response to the Weekly Prompt "What Are You So Afraid Of ?" at http://studio30plus.com/forum/topics/of-sales-and-fear
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