Tag Archives: email/comments assignment

MIA Mav

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If you’re wondering where I’ve been for the last few weeks, picture something like this:

Where's Mav?

Yeah, its been a pretty intense few weeks at work as we transition to an entirely new and electronic system of charting and documenting.  I will spare you the gory details; just know that I have missed This Front Porch and the good times I have hanging out with you!

I’ve also come to learn just what a toll stress takes.  Sure there are the bags under the eyes, the sheer dread of Monday, the neck tension and the realization that your shoulders now stay up by your ears all by themselves, and the fantasies of calling in sick…so you can catch up on all your paperwork.  Wait, WHAT?!?  I believe this last one is the most deranged symptom of Hyper-Stress Syndrome, or HSS (something I’ve totally made up but am thinking of nominating for the DSM V).

All amusement aside I have also discovered that my creativity quickly goes on lockdown when I am overwhelmed by stress.  As you can see, I haven’t written anything new for quite some time–partly for lack of time but mostly for lack of creative inspiration.  I have continued to nourish my creative side attending weekly Open Mic at Tia Chucha’s, but my ability to produce thoughtful, witty, engaging, inspiring, and provocative combinations of words has suffered severely.

I’m going to try desperately to revive this part of me and get back to my semi-regular writing routine.  Its what I call CPR: Creative Process Rescue.  This means that no matter what, I will commit one hour a day to something creative whether cooking, reading, crocheting, writing, photography, drawing, dancing or a combination of several.  This is a vital part of who I am and who I enjoy being and sadly, it usually is the first to be sacrificed.

So here is to new attempts at old challenges!

Email/Comments Assignment: How about you?  How do you maintain your “non-professional” parts of yourself?  Whether its creative, industrious, physical, heady…how do you keep a discipline of investing in such activities and outlets even in the midst of the most stressful and strenuous times?

Wardrobe Wonderlands and Other Adventures

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My grandmother kept a wardrobe in her basement (which was actually more like a child’s-dream-playland than it was a regular ol’ basement).  As I type this I inhale deeply catching the faint aroma of cedar lingering in my mind’s olfactory memory.  Gram’s wardrobe was complete with wool coats, fur coats, and other creatures formed into hats, stoles and wraps.  Growing up listening to the Chronicles of Narnia read to me at bedtime, I believed with my whole heart that if I just kept at it, one day I would push through those cedar and perfume scented coats out into a Narnian wonderland of my very own.

At some point down the road, my mother acquired the wardrobe and it served as additional storage in a Spare Oom down the hall.  Even throughout my highschool years I beheld the thing with a twinkle in my eye and a quickened pulse…and there may have been more than a few occasions on which I peeked inside just to check. 

No Narnia here, only a flat-screen TV...

No Narnia here, only a flat-screen TV...

My imagination has always been vast; I’ve never wonted for amusement with this wild and creative mind to keep me adventuring through time, across galaxies, and into magical worlds.  To this day, there is a part of me that holds fast to that childlike awe and wonder and yes, even to the magic the world has to offer.  Its there in the sparkling diamond-studed white-out of a Christmas Eve snowfall; its what makes me get up and run outside to seach for the rainbow as the sun breaks during a rainfall; its in the deep orange moon rising over the city skyline that just takes my breath away; its in wind that whispers sweet peace as it dances tendrils of hair ’round my face.

Recently my friend posted this quote from the book, Good Omens:

“You grow up readin’ about pirates and cowboys and spacemen and stuff, and jus’ when you think the world’s all full of amazin’ things, they tell you it’s really all dead whales and chopped-down forests and nucular waste…hangin’ about for millions of years. ‘Snot worth growin’ up for, if you ask my opinion.”

–Adam, Good Omens

To which I replied,

“…And you learn that through the coats all you find is the back of the wardrobe; and that the only wrinkles in time you will find are the ones worn on your skin; and that fireflies are just bugs with glowing bums, not tiny fairies dancing…That is, unless you refuse to relinquish that childlike wonder, that carefree abandon, that disregard for logic and instead, choose to embrace the hope that the world really does possess some kind of incandescent ethereal enchantment!” –Mav, Live Experience ;)

Email/Comments Assignment: So what about you? Do you still believe in the magical? Are you still able to be awed by moments of wonder and splendor? Tell us about it!

Dreamkeeper’s Guide: Basic Starter Kit

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And when I write “basic” I really mean, basic. 

One of the things that has helped me incredibly throughout this process of dreaming and striving toward that dream is to purchase a few basic supplies that you can find at your local office supply store or any other location selling officy/papery type goods.

Because I’m a dork who loooOOOOoooves office supplies, and the ritual purchasing of new ones, this is a super fun errand for me.  I recently outfitted myself with a whole new set of supplies.  What are these mysterious supplies, you ask? 

Simply these: Office Supplies
A 3-ring notebook w/ a package of lined paper (I prefer college rule), dividers (at least 8), a set of pocketed folders/dividers, and a set of pens and pencils.

Why these particular supplies?  Well, years ago I started out with a spiral notebook just as a way to keep my thoughts and ideas all in one place.  But as time went by I started to collect fliers, business cards, and other things that I thought would be useful as resources, contacts, or ideas so I needed a place for those things as well as my thoughts.  So I upgraded to a binder with pocket folders (I like the clear plastic ones so I can see all the assorted goodies I keep therein).  Then I realized I had different categories of things I wanted to write down such as: list of people to invite onto my board of trustees; drafts of mission and vision statements; names and logos; list of people (along with their skills/talents/expertise) who might be interested in contributing their time and abilities; information about other organizations that inspire me; and of course, all the brainstorming about the details and inner workings of my dream…hence the dividers.

Now I realize this system may not be the perfect fit for everyone, but this is how I have chosen to organize my thoughts.  I really do believe that there are many benefits to getting some tangible materials that will help you organize your thoughts and put them down on paper where you can read them in black and white…or whatever color ink suits your fancy! 

I challenge the urge to get freaked out by the idea of writing stuff down.  Its not like I’m encouraging you to sit down and write a final draft of a grant proposal right off the top of your head.  Shoot, I don’t even know how to do that at this point.  But what I am encouraging you to do is put down your ideas–whatever they are and however raw or refined they are, just get ‘em down.  List people, books, and movies that inspire you; jot down places that have served as a model; take down information of websites and physical locations that are important to you and your dream; and definitely keep a list of people and their contact info who have influenced you and/or who want to be involved in your dream.

If you are at the beginning stages of the dreaming and visioneering process, you’ll be surprised at how much you know about your dream already.  Also, this writing down and organizing process will help you know how to better define and articulate your dream.  Because let’s face it, most dreams require funding that we ourselves rarely possess and that means grant writing and pitching your idea to the people with the bucks.  If we’re gonna sell our dream, we want the vision to be contagious.  That contagion results from your unwavering passion and your ability to articulate your dream and all of its components.

Email/Comments Assignment:  What are some basic very primary tools that have helped you get started?  What system has worked for you?  If you’re not the binder-with-cool-see-through-dividers kinda person, what’s your style of compiling thougths and ideas?  Remember, if you email me (at: thisfrontporch [at] gmail [dot] com) please specify what part of your content and name, if any, you are okay with me sharing on this blog.  Thanks!

Dreamkeeper’s Guide: “Don’t Stop Believin’”

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Okay I know, super cheesy reference to a Journey song.  But what can I say?  When I was trying to think of a title for this post, that song popped into my head so I thought, “Why not?!”

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever gotten was from my college chaplain way back in…[someyearmorethantenyearsagoshesaidmuffledunderherbreath].  He told me,

“Two things you should never forget about dreaming: 1) Never stop dreaming–no matter how hard it is, how long it takes, how impossible it seems; 2) Never stop talking about your dream because you just don’t know who you’re talking to and who they might know or what resources they might have.”  –Dale Cooper

I have held fast to this advice and feel that I have pretty faithfully obeyed his wisdom.  I talk to people on airplanes, share with people in professional circles, express it through my poetry, write letters to people–pretty much if someone is willing to lend a listening ear, I talk about my dream.

striving toward dreamsThis weekend I had several awesome conversations with people I know about my dream and about dreams in general.  So many times these conversations serve as an opportunity to keep my passion alive and current regarding my dream.  This is so vital as many times our dreams are years–even decades–in the making.  Furthermore, these conversations not only provide well needed dream nourishment but they usually generate the sharing of rich resources and insight.  One of my conversations this weekend yeilded this resource: The Idea Camp.  I checked it out and it looks like a pretty sweet FREE networking and mentoring resource for people who have or are hoping to begin some kind of non-profit organization.  If you’ve got an idea, check it out.  For any of my readers who are on the Eastern seaboard, they have an upcoming FREE conference at the end of August–don’t miss out!  And did I mention its totally FREE?!? :)

So my dreamkeeper friends, what is the lesson for today?  Never stop dreaming and never stop talking about your dream!  Yay!  Good job class, now go forth and stay hopeful!

Email/Comments Assignment:  Tell us about some of the advice you have recieved that has proved invaluable to you as you have travelled along the path to realizing your dreams?  I’d love to hear about helpful quotes, thoughts, words of wisdom, and advice you have appreciated along the way.  Remember, if you email me (at: thisfrontporch [at] gmail [dot] com) please specify what part of your content and name, if any, you are okay with me sharing on this blog.  Thanks!

On Drafting a Dream

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On Drafting a Dream

What does it take to make a dream a reality?  How you capture the ideas swirling in your head to put them on paper and then, to put those thoughts into action?  Is there a how-to manual for making your turning your vision from a dream into a tangible project/building/organization/service/etc?

There are certainly some fabulous resources out there.  Some of the books that I have read or that I am still in the process of reading include: Hearts and Hands: Creating Community In Violent Times by Luis J. Rodriguez; Visioneering by Andy Stanley; The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey; How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein; The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership by Steven B. Sample; and Passionaries by Barbara R. Metzler.  As I reflect upon this list of books and authors, I see such a diverse collection of perspectives, beliefs, motivations, and priorities but I also see a collection of wisdom of those who have gone before me and have shed their blood, sweat, and tears to see their dreams realized.  I cherish this wealth of insight and consider these as some of my mentors—most of whom I may never meet, and some of whom I just may have the chance to learn from in person.  Furthermore, I’m not entirely convinced that any one book could really do justice to providing a step-by-step practical guide for realizing dreams because just as each person’s vision is so fabulously unique, so too is each story of how said vision came to fruition.

At any rate, as I continue down this path to making my visions concrete, I will offer up my meager contribution as I strive to document my process and some of the practical steps I have taken and will continue to take to make my dreams real.  Stay tuned for various installments on this theme.

Comment/Email assignment: If you are at any point along the path of realizing a dream, I would especially love for you to post a comment or send me an email at: thisfrontporch [at] gmail [dot] com.  I’d love to hear about what is your dream, what steps you have taken to pursue your dream, what resources you have found helpful, what wisdom/insight you’d like to share, what were your most difficult challenges, what were your sweetest victories, and anything else you want to write!  If you email, please be sure to let me know how much, if any, of your content and name I can post on my blog to share with others.  Thanks! :)