Author Archives: Gert

The Million Dollar Meal

29 Monday Jul 2013

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Big Mac and FriesOver the past few weeks McDonald’s has managed to reel in hundreds, or maybe even thousands of customers who don’t usually patronize their restaurants, just by resurrecting one of their tried and true marketing efforts. I’m being purely speculative – and most likely conservative, about the numbers, but I happen to fall into this category of hopeful diners. I say hopeful because I was lured back in by the tantalizing promise that I had a “1 in 4” chance of being a winner. That’s better than the odds over at the Lotto office any day, and quite a bit tastier. And how can you resist the prospect of getting a prize with your meal that isn’t wrapped in plastic?

I have a little confession to make: I have visited my local Mickey D’s more in the past two weeks since they started this latest round of the Monopoly game than I have all year. I must also admit that when I was younger I probably spent a lot more time hanging out with Ronald than I should have, and in recent years we just seem to have drifted apart. It was me, not him.

My first visit back was at the urging of my daughter – very reminiscent of when she was a little girl – and it was a good day. I ordered one of the meals from the combo menu, and two of my four tickets were winners – talk about beating the odds! Of all the items on the menu, a fresh, hot order of fries has always been my favorite, so I really felt like a winner with two of them.

A few days later I was back, alone and of my own free will. I didn’t want my hot winning streak to go to waste. But this time I only ordered a sandwich. I don’t really care for fountain drinks and my jeans had gently suggested that I pass on the fries. I couldn’t wait to rip the tickets off the box, and I must say, I was more than a little disappointed that there were no instant winners this time. I consoled myself by recalculating my previous winning stats: two of four was now two of six – still better than the officially predicted odds.

Shortly after that visit I learned there was a million dollar Big Mac out there somewhere. It was time to change my strategy. With my winning streak still lukewarm, I figured my third trip to the golden arches would surely yield a golden ticket. It was time, time for a million dollar Big Mac. In fact, I was so confident about my chances of winning that I decided to splurge and have a large order of fresh, hot fries on the side.

When I arrived home with my booty, I decided to savor the winning moment and resisted the temptation to pull the little tickets off the box right away. Instead, I enjoyed dipping the fries into a mound of ketchup and contemplating what I would do with my newly acquired fortune. I always eat my fries first because I’m not a big fan of cold fries – ever. After I worked my way through the last crunchy morsel I started on the Big Mac. It had been a while since I had one, and the anticipation that had been building from the moment I decided to go on my little excursion made each bite special. Finally, my meal was finished and my prize was waiting. I gently peeled the tickets off the box, noting the slightest tremble in my anxious fingers. Slowly, I turned them over to reveal my prize…the fact that I’m not writing this post from some exotic island tells the rest of the story – my winning Monopoly streak has dropped to an average of 1 in 4. I haven’t won anything since my first visit, and this is why I don’t play the lottery or frequent casinos. Oh well, I did enjoy those fries.

NACI: The Making of a Reflections Doll

25 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by in Creative Therapy

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Reflections DollI’d like to tell you that this is a story about NACI, and the making of a “Reflections Doll”, but in truth, it’s mostly a story about me. Which is odd – I’m usually a pretty private sort, almost to the point of being anti-social at times. Nonetheless, here it is – a story about me, thinly veiled as a craft project.

Several years ago, I signed up to participate in a Deco Doll Round Robin along with several other members of an organization known as the Society of Craft Designers. If you’re not familiar with the Round Robin concept, it’s where one person starts a project and others add to it until it comes full circle back to the creator. (Hmm, very much like living one’s life.) For the creative types in this particular scenario, we were assigned to small groups and each tasked to create the foundation for a doll and a travel journal. We then sent our NACI at CHA Showcreations off on a special journey to “visit” each of the other members in our assigned group, picking up special contributions and adornments before being passed along to the next person on the list. After making her rounds, NACI finally returned home with wonderful treasures and fabulous stories to share. But NACI’s journey didn’t end there, our Deco Dolls and travel journals were featured in a special display at the Craft and Hobby Association 2005 Spring Show (they were a big hit). After the show, NACI was featured in a related article that appeared in CNA Magazine. Those were exciting times for my little deco doll.

NACI was carefully packed away when I moved later that year – the beginning of one of my own travel adventures. Over the next several years I would often find myself thinking about her, but life was happening, and I wasn’t especially inclined to dig through box after box trying to find her. Yes, I still had unpacked boxes occupying my space and openly defying the “one-year rule” of most professional organizers.

One day I woke up with a feeling that I knew exactly where I would find her. I don’t try to explain these things, I just go with them. Sure enough, she was right there, waiting to be freed from the box I had put her in – the box I had used to keep her safe. Finding her again was very much like finding myself. So, if you’re up for it, I would like to share her with you in this story, and in essence, share a bit of “me”.

The Making of a Reflections Doll…
My NACI PurseOne of the first things to pop into my mind with the Deco Doll assignment was to create a doll that was also a purse of sorts – I definitely have a thing for purses (more on that in a future post). Purses always seem to hold such an amazing collection of special treasures and important stuff.

I didn’t write step-by-step instructions when she was created, this was a “just for fun” project. So, I will attempt to describe her key features and give you an idea of the process.

Her head is a painted wooden ball wrapped with a scrap of fiber trim that just seemed to lend itself to becoming hair. Her neck is a decorative glass bead, and the copper wire is there for an extra measure of support and stability. This is all attached with a finishing nail. While her face appears to be blank, if you hold her close you can actually see your reflection, hence, a part of the reason I call her a “Reflections Doll”.

The arms and legs were created from the same collection of decorative glass beads and 28-gauge wire. They were attached to the body with eye pins that I fashioned from 18-gauge wire.

Her body was made using a wooden frame box that I sanded and painted. I replaced the glass insert with a piece of reclaimed plastic that was cut to size. Glass would have been a bit too fragile for this particular journey. I printed “Creativity the Window to My SOUL” on a window decal sheet and applied it to the plastic insert. I didn’t worry about the bubbles, they gave her character.

Textured cardstock was used for the red background. To create the compartments, I covered medium weight cardstock with satin fabric. When NACI started her journey, only two compartments had been filled. Looking through the opening in the little gold frame in the middle compartment I see a cross, and behind that, a mirror with my reflection in it – part two of the reflections theme. It is a reminder of my faith, and to keep God at the center of my life. In the top compartment to your right is a heart behind a clear cover. That serves as a reminder that my heart needs to be protected, but not hidden. And, much like a sword in a stone, the key is there – waiting for the right person to come along.

When NACI returned home from her Round Robin journey, I happily NACI Treasuresdiscovered that my fellow Designers had captured the true essence of my Reflections Doll in their contributions. Each of her wonderful little treasures reflecting a special message of hope and inspiration.

The crystal figurine reminds me that I have an inner child who needs to come out and play from time to time. It keeps my imagination alive. The beads remind me that it’s OK to enjoy some of the finer things in life, and that I don’t have to wait until I’m old to wear purple. The bottom compartments hold the cutest little handbag, one of my favorite things, and the word “wisdom”, which is something I have prayed for on more than one occasion. If wisdom is truly linked to gray hair, I have a lot – of wisdom. Although you can’t actually see treasures in the remaining compartments, I don’t think of them as being empty, but rather, yet to be filled. It’s a reminder that I still have room for growth, and discovery, and for living life.

Thanks to one of those rare moments of near-perfect clarity, my doll had finally escaped the constraints of the box she was once in. I sat her in a place of honor on the dresser near my bed so that she would be one of the first things I saw when I woke up, and one of the last things I saw at the end of my day. On my most recent move I kept her with me instead of packing her away. The dresser is still in storage, but she sits where I can see her. She is a reminder of my spiritual center and my creative soul. And, when things get a little crazy, she’s there to remind me that life is indeed a journey. A journey that has led me to the special treasures that fill my life today; a journey that holds the promise of so much more that is yet to come.

Well, there you have it – that’s my story about NACI, my little Reflections Doll. I know her name may seem to be a bit unusual, but it comes from a character in one of my short stories that you can read here.

So, how would you like to make your own Reflections Doll? There are no rules – just follow your heart, and enjoy the journey.

The Longest Move

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

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The Long RoadThis has been my longest move EVER – and it isn’t over yet. I’m not actually referring to distance, that trophy would go to my Germany move back in the late 80’s, and returning stateside in the 90’s. What I’m referring to for this move is the amount of time invested.

Earlier this year, near the end of January, I started to feel compelled to hit the road again. I had finally emptied my nest and figured the best way to keep it empty would be to move it. I love, love, love my little birdies, but I want to discourage any ideas they might have about moving back in. Don’t judge – it’s for their own good. Besides, after nearly eight years of aging in place, I was more than ready for a change of scenery.

My family has always referred to me as a “road warrior” because I would pack up and hit the road at the drop of a hat. Sometimes it was a permanent relocation, sometimes it was just a road trip to see what I could see. I loved the excitement of a new adventure and I didn’t care if I had to roll solo. In fact, I rather enjoyed those trips with just me, myself, and I. It gave me time to think, and I didn’t have to deal with anybody’s needs but my own. For an added sense of security I would occasionally dress one of my large Teddy bears in a shirt and tie, slap on a hat and sunglasses, and strap him into the passenger seat. And yes, we (meaning me) would talk off and on during the trip if one of us happened to be in the mood for conversation.

But I digress. In the past, I always had a solid plan in place before I hit the road, even if it was a spur of the moment thing. This time I only had a vague idea of where I could end up if nothing better materialized in the interim. This was both disconcerting and exhilarating, but it allowed me to keep my options open. Initially, I figured I would land on the West Coast until I could decide on something more definitive and permanent. So, for two months I packed, and sorted, and discarded, and packed some more. That whole down-sizing thing was a lot harder than I expected. But, I finally got the things I couldn’t part with stashed in a storage unit, sold a lot of stuff at a moving sale, and donated the rest – almost two truckloads. It’s amazing how much “stuff” gets accumulated over the years, especially for a border-hoarder such as myself.

Finally, after months of preparation, and packing, and storing, and tying up loose ends, I crammed my little HHR to the roof with my “necessities” and hit the road. Picture a covered wagon headed west during the land rush, or the Beverly Hillbillies heading down Santa Monica Blvd – minus the loaded bank account. For the past three months I have been living out of my car, heading westward on my latest adventure. Thanks to the generosity of family and friends, I didn’t have to live in my car. So, I meandered through my list of “places in Texas where I might like to live instead of going to California”, stopping here and there to see what I could see. For a while it seemed as though every time I managed to wedge a door open, it unceremoniously slammed shut, right in my face. I was beginning to think that it was time to accept reality and make my way out west – do not pass GO, do not collect $200. Then, I happened to find myself in the South Plains of Texas. Definitely not on the aforementioned list, I was just passing through on my way elsewhere. I decided that since I was in the area, I might as well see what I could see. And the doors opened. In fact, doors are opening all around me, no wedging required. In a few weeks I will go back to Bama and retrieve the rest of my things from storage, and this move will be complete. Finally. Meanwhile, I’ll be roughing it – foraging for food in the nearby woods, writing my posts by moonlight, and sending messages with a smoky blanket. Just kidding – a little.

To sum it all up, and make a long story longer, I guess I just want to say that I’m glad I was open to unexpected opportunities. God has blessed me above and beyond my expectations and I am grateful. I don’t know who originally said this, or remember where I heard it, but there really are times when you think things are falling apart, and they are actually falling into place.

Larks and Owls and Hummingbirds? Oh My!

17 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Notebook Pages

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Lark, Owl, Hummingbird
When it comes to personality traits surrounding the sleep-wake cycle and internal clocks, “normal” depends on your point of reference. In our Western society, and most other societies for that matter, we tend to gauge normal by something I refer to as “larkish” standards. That typically tends to be a diurnal, or two-part, cycle that is divided into day and night, where you are expected to be active during the day, and rest or sleep at night.

That doesn’t happen to be my normal. I march to the tock of a different clock, and I am of the mind that my particular clock is absolutely normal – because I am decidedly “owlish”.

Now that I’ve made reference to being larkish and owlish, I should probably explain. I don’t know which brilliant observer was first to identify these bird-like traits in our human behavior, or what prompted the comparison, but we’re going to just go with that train of thought here.

Lark

Let’s start with the Lark, also known in many circles as an Early Bird. This label is assigned to those early risers, up at the butt-crack of dawn, children of the cor – er, children of the light. The scientific term generally used to apply to this group is diurnal, as mentioned earlier – meaning they prefer to be active during the day and rest at night. It has been reported that Larks tend to reach their peak performance before noon, and begin to feel drained shortly after dinner, winding down in preparation for an early bedtime. Most Larks like to retire as early as they rise, calling it a night by nine, ten at the latest. A quick query using your favorite search engine would most likely lead you to the studies that report one out of every ten people can be classified as a Lark. You may also encounter a missive issued by Ben Franklin that says something about this particular behavior leading to health, wealth, and wisdom. Most people don’t realize that Mr. Franklin was probably leading a ‘do as I say’ lifestyle, as it is rumored that he had a fondness for “socializing” well into the late evening hours.

OwlAs far as sleeping habits are concerned, Owls tend to be almost the opposite of Larks, and are often referred to as Night owls – a nod to their proclivity for nighttime activity. The scientific term applied here is nocturnal – meaning this group tends to be active into the wee hours of the night and rest (if they can) during the day. For many Owls, the best part of morning is noon, and they are very likely to become more energetic as the day progresses, reaching peak performance in the early evening. True Owls find it difficult to fall asleep before midnight, routinely staying up until two or three in the morning. It is not unusual to hear them say they rarely get into bed on the same day they got out of bed. If you were to continue reading the results from your previous search engine query, you would find reports that claim two of every ten people can be classified as Owls. Question: if Larks represent the norm, why are there twice as many Owls? Just asking. There was a time when Owls were thought to be lazy and of lesser intellect than Larks. Current reports debunk this myth, and in fact, show that as a whole, members of the Owl category tend to be at least as healthy and wealthy as their Lark counterparts. And let’s face it, how would one actually quantify wisdom?

HummingbirdHummingbirds, known only as Hummingbirds, is a term used to apply to everybody else – the remaining seventy percent of the population. Hummingbirds don’t actually have a scientific term assigned to their activity and rest cycles, but I don’t want them to feel left out, so we will call them ambiurnal – meaning they may oscillate between preferences for daytime and nighttime activities as needed, and rest whenever they can. Hummingbirds have the ability to move between morningness and eveningness at will, although some may show distinct “larkish” or “owlish” tendencies by hovering closer to one end of the day-night spectrum or the other.

If you were to place these three birds on a continuum that stretched from morning to night, you would find Larks on the morning end, relishing their worms, and Owls on the evening end, exploring opportunities for a bigger payoff. Hummingbirds would flit back and forth in-between. This is generally of necessity – if they don’t flit, they don’t eat.

I realize this report shows a definite bias, but, as a certified Night Owl, I can’t apologize for that. Blame it on the DNA – I hear that the whole Early Bird/Night Owl thing is genetic, but I will explore that issue in another report.

Not birds of a feather

End entry .\ /.

Coffee Therapy

13 Saturday Jul 2013

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e.m.PD mugs
For many years it has been a widely held belief that coffee – or some other highly caffeinated beverage – is the treatment of choice for early morning Personality Disorder (e.m.PD). In fact, the consumption of coffee – and by some reports, copious amounts ingested over extended periods of time – may prove to be palliative therapy at best. That means treating the symptoms, not the condition.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Take, for example, someone in the general population who wakes to find he has succumbed to the common cold. Colds are caused by a virus creating physical and mental havoc in your body. Once you contract this vicious little condition you’re obligated to let it run its rampant little course, and in about a week to ten days you usually feel better (unless it’s not that virus but something totally different). Even if you endure every cold remedy on the shelf of your local pharmacy, it is still going to take about a week to ten days for the common cold virus to declare victory and move on. (FACT: Antibiotics will NOT cure a cold and should not be used all willy-nilly, it just makes things worse down the road.) Meanwhile, to make yourself feel a little better while you’re waiting, you can treat the symptoms that generally accompany your cold – the coughing, sneezing, runny nose…

e.m.PD is a tiny bit like that – the episode has to run its course, and then you feel better. The people around you usually feel better too. Treating e.m.PD is a lot like treating a cold, you’re not treating the condition, you’re treating the symptoms. Enter coffee. That scintillating nectar that soothes the raging beast. That aromatic potion filled with the promise of tranquility. That intoxicating elixir of hope. Although the medicinal effects of coffee are still being debated, many e.m.PD members will swear that they are completely dependent on the drink’s therapeutic properties to get them started on the road to a positive personality adjustment.

For those who aren’t sucking their Java straight from the bean, the mere act of preparing a cup of coffee is almost as important as drinking it – beginning with your favorite cup or mug, or, in a pinch, an acceptable substitute. You catch your breath a little as that first steaming splash hits the bottom of the cup, transforming the cold void into a sea of deep mahogany bliss. You softly exhale, as if the process of breathing is the catalyst causing your brew to rise higher and higher in that magnificent vessel of joy. OK, enough of that.

The act of drinking coffee is actually akin to the universal sign for choking – or any of the other universal signs we’ve grown accustomed to – most people will recognize it and respond accordingly. Sipping a cup of coffee appears to be an indication to others that says, “Look, I need a second here. Let me finish this one sip and then we’ll talk.” I have found that many e.m.PD members use Coffee Therapy in conjunction with Avoidance Therapy to create an environment conducive to working through their personality adjustment phase.

CASE STUDY 580311: Wayne is an office manager from the Boomer generation whose duties require him to be on the clock by eight a.m. Although he exhibits a natural affinity for nocturnal activity, he tends to retire fairly early in the evening, usually around nine – ten at the latest – in order to be sure he’s able to get up and get to work on time. He admits that he usually goes to bed much later on weekends, often staying up until eleven or twelve at night. Here he describes the routine that helps him cope with his early morning workday: ‘I like to wake up around five a.m. because it’s dark and quiet. I like to make myself a cup of steaming hot coffee and sit out on the balcony to drink it. There’s something about having that first cup of coffee out there. The stars and planets are still out and you can see them sparkle on that black background. Sometimes I see shooting stars and meteorites. Sometimes I see other stuff – especially one of those stars that stops moving in mid-air and changes direction really fast. [He laughs] I believe! But to sit there and watch as the darkness starts to fade and the sun starts coming up – the colors are so magnificent. And to see that transition as things you couldn’t see in the dark start to transform and take shape. It’s beautiful. It’s relaxing. Seeing the sun rise just as I’m finishing that first cup of coffee helps me deal with the fact that now I have to go in and get ready for work, and for dealing with the knuckleheads.’

Wayne goes on to explain that he’s not particularly interested in sharing this part of his day with anyone. He thinks of it as the “me time” that allows him to prepare to face the rest of the day, and the people in it. He’ll pour the remaining pot of coffee into a thermos, admitting that he usually has another cup during his commute to work, and may start a third cup when he gets to his desk.

End entry .\ /.

e.m.PD mug collection