This is cool. I'd like to know what kind of job involves taking an elephant and an orangutan for a walk everyday.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Writing and Nunchucks
What do writing and nunchucks have in common? Well, let me tell you.
A few years ago I found a writing buddy on that fantabulous website Sparkpeople. We met on one of the writing groups and decided to do daily writing check-ins with each other. We'd set our individual goals, then report our status in our emails. If we met our goals, we'd get a "star" or a "thumbs up" or something like that. If one of us was slacking off, the other would threaten a "kick in the pants". It's amazing how accountability, encouragement, and the threat of a virtual kick in the pants can motivate you.
Well, our relationship has evolved over time. Our short, check-in emails are now long letters about everything from cats to movies to depression to religion to what we wore for Halloween. (When I say "we", I mean "her". I didn't dress up for Halloween, but since Evie had multiple costumes, I figure she covered that arena for both of us.)
Our rewards and punishments have changed a bit too. If we tackle a particularly challenging goal, we might be rewarded with three gold stars! If we need extra sternness, well, someone might threaten to pull out the nunchucks, and that generally takes care of the problem.
It was natural, then, that I would think of Evie when I went to the Moon Festival and saw a performance that not only involved nunchucks, but FLAMING nunchucks. Oh yeah, baby. I took this video just for her:
Course, the best thing about my writing buddy is that she's more than a writing buddy. In fact, due to various life circumstances, neither one of us is doing a whole lot of writing at the moment. But lulls happen sometimes and that's okay too. Meanwhile we're still there to offer each other encouragement and support through life's triumphs and trials, and while we may not be handing out too many "Gold Stars" these days, we're still giving plenty of "HUGS".
A few years ago I found a writing buddy on that fantabulous website Sparkpeople. We met on one of the writing groups and decided to do daily writing check-ins with each other. We'd set our individual goals, then report our status in our emails. If we met our goals, we'd get a "star" or a "thumbs up" or something like that. If one of us was slacking off, the other would threaten a "kick in the pants". It's amazing how accountability, encouragement, and the threat of a virtual kick in the pants can motivate you.
Well, our relationship has evolved over time. Our short, check-in emails are now long letters about everything from cats to movies to depression to religion to what we wore for Halloween. (When I say "we", I mean "her". I didn't dress up for Halloween, but since Evie had multiple costumes, I figure she covered that arena for both of us.)
Our rewards and punishments have changed a bit too. If we tackle a particularly challenging goal, we might be rewarded with three gold stars! If we need extra sternness, well, someone might threaten to pull out the nunchucks, and that generally takes care of the problem.
It was natural, then, that I would think of Evie when I went to the Moon Festival and saw a performance that not only involved nunchucks, but FLAMING nunchucks. Oh yeah, baby. I took this video just for her:
Course, the best thing about my writing buddy is that she's more than a writing buddy. In fact, due to various life circumstances, neither one of us is doing a whole lot of writing at the moment. But lulls happen sometimes and that's okay too. Meanwhile we're still there to offer each other encouragement and support through life's triumphs and trials, and while we may not be handing out too many "Gold Stars" these days, we're still giving plenty of "HUGS".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
