2010 - Page 30 of 34 - Heather Plett

Celebrating the brilliance of my friends

by Heather Plett | Feb 16, 2010 | Uncategorized

I marvel, sometimes, at the amazing connections I’ve made online with creative, talented and compassionate people. I have developed real friendships with people I may never meet in real life, as well as some that I’ve had the privilege of meeting – and some that I am determined to meet.

There must be something in the air, because several of my online friends have recently launched some exciting, creative ventures, and I am SO inspired! What’s beautiful about all of them is that they’re not afraid to admit that they fumble sometimes, but that doesn’t keep them from taking bold steps toward their dreams.

In celebration of the success and creativity of friends, here are a few of the fun things going on…

Christine Claire Reed

I was drawn to Christine at BlissChick because of her deep spirituality and her honesty about her own personal journey (and the fumbling she does along the way). This year, she’s chosen “embody” as her word for the year, and she’s been writing some amazing posts about the spirituality of the body. She’s recently re-discovered her love of dance, and she’s got some exciting things going on, including teaching some upcoming YogaDance workshops. I wish she lived closer, because I’d love to join! I can’t get to her classes (though I did have the privilege of learning from her wisdom at the Creative Dig workshop in September in Cleveland), but I AM joining her in 40 Days of Delight: A New Approach to Lent

Vicki & family

I can’t remember when I first came across Vicki Madden’s original blog, but I’m pretty sure I burst out laughing at something she said right from the start. And then I probably got lost in her photos. She’s got such a fun sense of humour that I just KNOW that when we finally meet (it almost happened once and I know it will eventually) we’ll have a blast. Vicki has recently started a brand new photography business and I’m SO EXCITED for her! Check out some of the amazing lifestyle photography on her site.

Stephanie Tombari

My friendship with Stephani Tombari didn’t start online, but now that we are no longer work colleagues, we won’t get as much of a chance to hang out in person, so it may have to shift to more virtual spaces (since we don’t live in the same city). Stephanie recently completed her Masters degree in international communication, and then she took the bold move to quit her job and jump into freelance writing and consulting. She hasn’t quite gotten used to regular blogging, but she’s an amazing writer and I think she’ll eventually realize how much fun it is. Her blog post about “not dying in China” is worth visiting her new site for.

Connie Hozvicka

Over at Dirty Footprints Studio, my friend Connie has been rockin’ the internet with her approach to Creative Juicy Living. Connie is an art teacher and I would love nothing more than for my daughters to get a chance to hang out in her classroom. I got to share in some of Connie’s creative energy at a much-too-short Creative Dig workshop in Cleveland in the Fall, and she’s one of the reasons art journaling has become an important part of my life. Luckily for me (and you), she’s sharing her creative energy and ideas with us through a brand new venture called Art Journal Love Letters.

Darrah Parker

Another person I keep hoping I’ll meet some day is Darrah Parker. She exudes warmth and positive energy and is so encouraging I think I’d like to share a chai latte with her once a week just to give myself a boost. Not only did Darrah get married this past year, but she also quit her job to launch her big dream of becoming a photographer. She’s working on a new site, but for now there’s lots to enjoy at her blog.

There you are – just a few of the amazing people I’ve connected with online. (If you’re not on the list, it doesn’t mean you’re not amazing – these are just some of the ones with new ventures right now.) Go on over, visit, and be inspired!

The thin line and the stories we tell ourselves

by Heather Plett | Feb 14, 2010 | Uncategorized

Insecurity. Confidence. Arrogance.

There’s a very thin line dividing these three things. Sometimes the line is invisible and sometimes there’s such a blur that one can’t be distinguished from the other.

Take writing for example.

I am a writer. I have always been a writer from as far back as I can remember. Writing comes almost as naturally to me as breathing. There are volumes of journals on my shelves, stacks of poems, and reams of essays, articles, and plays with my name on them.

I write when I’m happy. I write when I’m sad. I write when I can’t decide which I am.

I write about hate. I write about love. I write when I can’t decide which I feel.

Writing is my therapy, my hobby, my vocation, my spiritual practice, and – if you boil me down to my very essence – you’ll find “writer” etched on my dna.

When I was preparing to make a major life choice and commit myself to my husband, I wrote and wrote and wrote until (and after) I said “I do”. Whenever I’ve been on the edge of something big, I write it out until I recognize what I want and need. When I was raped, I made my way to a group therapy session, but changed my mind and ended up writing and writing until a play emerged and (a few years later) my therapy-writing had morphed sufficiently into literary writing and appeared on stage. When my children were born, I wrote about all the ways they changed me, and I haven’t stopped writing since. When my son died, I wrote until hope started to appear on the horizon.

You could say I’m pretty confident about my skills as a writer. I believe it’s one of my gifts and that I do it quite well, so I don’t hesitate to share my writing – here on this blog and elsewhere. I’ve gotten jobs partly because of my writing skills. I’ve had stuff published. I’ve seen my plays produced on stage. I’ve heard my words in the speeches of influential government leaders. I know I can write.

Sometimes, that confidence slips into arrogance. When I look at things that are poorly written (some government documents, for example), I have been known to scoff at them. When those government officials have butchered the beauty out of speeches I’ve written, I may have rolled my eyes a time or two. When my employees, co-workers, or even my boss write things that aren’t up to par, I don’t hesitate to edit them, and – gulp – I may not always be very gracious about it.

But then there are also the deep hurts – the insecurity. The time in grade school when my brother and friend both won a trip to Regina for a writing contest and I was pretty sure my writing was as good as theirs. The time my friend Ian – who began writing plays in university because I had and it seemed like a good idea – went on to win the Governor General’s award (the highest literary award in Canada) for one of his plays. The many times I’ve held rejection letters in my hand. The time my first government report was returned covered in red ink. The times I’ve been hesitant to sign up for writing classes because “what if I’m not as good a writer as I think and somebody better exposes me as a fraud?” The times I’ve wondered why this blog doesn’t attract the readers that some of the big blogs do.

We are all complex human beings, aren’t we? Full of complex – and sometimes conflicting – stories that we use to define ourselves, full of truths and untruths that we hold in our hearts, full of self-love and self-hate.

How much of how we define ourselves and how we present ourselves in the world is simply the result of long held stories that aren’t necessarily true? How much of what ends up being my confidence, arrogance, or insecurity is the result of the things I internalize because of what I think others think about me and my abilities? How much do I limit God’s ability to bring beauty to the world through me by believing that I am not good enough?

A few days ago, I watched a short documentary of Nelson Mandela (on the 20th anniversary of his release from prison). The commentator said that Mandela had gone into prison a bitter and angry man, but the years in prison changed him and he began to realize he had to tell himself different stories if he wanted to emerge healthy and impactful. He had to shift from bitterness and anger to hope and forgiveness. He had to believe in his own strength and giftedness and the capacity of love to change the world if he hoped to see a shift in justice. He had to rise above what the naysayers and bigots were saying about him, loosen the hold they had on his life, and believe a different story could be true.

As we all know, those new stories reverberated far beyond Mandela’s own life to impact not only Africa but the whole world.

Can we, like Mandela, share hope, justice, and beauty, if we let different stories shape the way we face the world? Can we be leaders of change if we refuse to let the naysayers sway us from the path?

A patchwork quilt of randomness

by Heather Plett | Feb 12, 2010 | random

As of this morning, I have done yoga FIVE MORNINGS in a row! I’d say that’s a fairly decent start to a new habit. Not only do I walk away feeling a tad self-righteous (yay me!), but my energy flow feels better throughout the day. Definitely worth it.
Maddie is pretty bummed I don’t wake her up early to do yoga with me, but I’m not sure it would have the same meditative effect with a seven-year-old.
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. In the car last night, I was listening to a collage of news bits from the day of his release (on CBC Radio’s As it Happens) and I was moved to tears by the passion and excitement of the people celebrating his release. What an incredible leader he has been in teaching the world about justice, passion, truth, forgiveness and equality! If you haven’t seen Invictus yet, you really should. The story of how he forgave the people responsible for his imprisonment is awe-inspiring and humbling. (And makes me feel somewhat petty for any grudges I’ve held.)
In honour of Nelson Mandela’s release (and what it meant to the African people), I listened to some Ladysmith Black Mambazo (singing with Sarah MacLachlan) on the treadmill last night. Oh my – it gives me chills! And what a yearning I now have to sit once again in the shade of an acacia tree in a little village in Africa listening to the drumbeat and rich voices, while the dancers grin all the way through a tribal dance. Aaahhhhh the memories!
Maasai dancer
Speaking of the treadmill, as I ran, it occurred to me that in a month, I will no longer need to run with the fear of being knocked temporarily unconcious by a flapping behomoth of a breast. I wonder what it will be like to run with small(er) breasts? Maybe I’ll even be able to work up the courage to run outside – in public! (I actually enjoy running and might get hooked when I have less baggage.)
I’m going to a conference in Chicago in April and I’m getting kind of excited. I’ve only spent a few hours in Chicago (on the train trip to Cleveland last September), but I fell in love with it – especially the giant faces in Millenium Park. I want to sit and stare and watch those faces change for… oh… maybe an hour or two. It was quite magical coming across them unexpectedly at twilight. (If anyone else has recommendations for some “must see” things in Chicago, let me know.)
Face sculpture in Millenium Park, Chicago

Introducing… the Fumbling for Words Writers’ Club!

by Heather Plett | Feb 11, 2010 | Fumbling for Words Writers' Club

Okay… so… I’m writing a book! It’s true, I am. I’m not going to give you many details yet, but for now I’ll say that it’s part memoir and part “travel companion”.

As every good athlete/actor/performer/dancer/etc. knows, hitting the mark on the final performance means you have to practice, practice, PRACTICE! In the case of writing, you have to write a whole lot of “shitty first drafts”, and sometimes it’s good to write something completely different from your focus material, just to stretch your muscles.

So here’s the thing – I could use your company in this writing journey! I’m creating a “writers’ club” here on this ol’ blog to help motivate me to practice. On a weekly (or so – I’m not very good at consistency) basis, I’m going to throw out a writing prompt for anyone who wants to practice along with me. What you do with it is totally optional – post it on your blog, keep it in your private journal, leave it in the comments, tweet it in 140 characters – your choice. I’m going to post my response on this blog, and if you post yours in a public place, leave a comment and let us all know where we can find it so we can encourage each other.

There aren’t really any rules, but here are some guidelines:

This is about practice not perfection. Write whatever comes to mind in response to the prompt. Don’t spend a lot of time editing – just try to let the thoughts flow and see what happens when you play with words.
I’ll try to give a time frame (eg. write for 5 minutes without stopping), or approximate length (eg. 2 paragraphs). This isn’t about long essays or dreary writing assignments, but rather about playing with ideas, senses, descriptions, etc.
Since this is a “club”, let’s try to visit the other members to offer them encouragement and let them know they’re not alone in this writing journey.
This is mostly about practicing, so we won’t do a lot of critiquing, but if you want to offer editing advice/critiques (along with encouragement), be sure to do it in a gentle and respectful way. (Note: it may be best to do that via email rather than in public comments, especially if it’s someone you don’t know very well.)

If you’re joining (even if you’ll only be writing once in awhile), I’d be thrilled if you’d grab a button, put it on your blog, and link it to this URL: http://fumblingforwords.com/writing/fumbling-for-words-writers-club/

Without further ado, let’s get on with it…

Fumbling For Words Writers’ Club – Writing Prompt #1

Let’s start with a memory. Think about some kind of food you enjoyed eating as a child. Who prepared it for you? What did it taste like? What was it like to anticipate it while the person was preparing it? Think about the senses involved – taste, touch, smell, sight, sound. Start with “I remember…” Any time you get stumped, just start the next sentence with “I remember…” and keep going. Try to remember the old adage – “show, don’t tell”.

Write for 5 minutes. Go! Write!

And here’s mine… (with no editing, just writing “off the top of my head”)

I remember coming home to the sweet yeasty smell when Mom was baking buns. I remember the big aluminum bowl – black with white speckles – overflowing with bun dough. I remember the edges of the dough sagging like an old woman’s boobs over the edge of the bowl. I remember pinching just a little piece off the nipple, thinking Mom wouldn’t notice the theft. I remember the gooey not-quite-good-but-almost-perfect taste of the dough.

I remember the old checkered cloth and tattered sheet of plastic she covered the dough with while it rose. I remember the way she always pulled the hair away from her face with the blue paint-spattered scarf. I remember her strong hands plunging into the dough, pounding, kneading, pounding, kneading. I remember the expert movement of her hands as each ball of dough squeezed out between her fingers into a perfect symmetrical sphere. I remember every surface in the kitchen covered in baking sheets full of uniform, rising buns. I remember the first pan of golden brown buns emerging from the oven.

I remember plunging a knife into a steaming hot bun, slathering on the butter and sticky strawberry freezer jam. I remember the melting butter dripping down my fingers. I remember the cool fruity sweetness on the warm soft flesh.

I remember the feeling of contentment and “a little too full” after just one more fresh bun.

p.s. Today’s writing prompt was adapted from Old Friend from Far Away by Natalie Goldberg.