by Heather Plett | Apr 3, 2007 | parenting, rain
Like I’ve said before, few things feed my self-doubt like parenting. In most other things I’m involved in, I’m reasonably sure of myself and believe that I can do the job just as well as anyone else. Parenting though – oy veh. I doubt almost every decision I have to make, and as every parent knows, there are LOTS of decisions. Is it okay to give them snacks before supper once in awhile? Should I get them involved in as many activities as their friends are involved in? Are they doing enough chores around the house? If I say they can’t play soccer during the winter because we can’t afford the exhorbitant rates of indoor leagues, will it damage their chances of progressing next year? Should I let them quit piano or should I push them a little harder? If they have a fight with one of their friends, what’s the best way to respond? Oh the pressure!
Every once in awhile, though, the light shines through, and I know I’ve given them some small intangible gift that makes up for some of the poor decisions I might have made.
Last week, Craig Kielburger was talking about an experience he’d had somewhere in Africa. He’d been visiting a village where they’d helped dig a well, and when the rain started to pour down, the visitors had all run for cover while the local people had run out into the downpour. One of the villagers had come to him and dragged him outside saying “It’s raining! We have to dance! Rain is good! We need rain for our crops to grow!”
While he spoke, I smiled – remembering that just the week before, Maddie had tried to drag me outside. “Mom! It’s raining! Let’s go outside!” I was busy at the time and didn’t really want to get wet, so I stayed inside, but she went and played in the front yard and came inside soaked to the bone and grinning.
Suddenly, as I listened to Craig’s story, the memory of that moment made my eyes fill with tears. Of COURSE she wanted me to go outside – she still believes that that’s what you do when it rains! Last year, when it finally rained after a dry spell, the girls and I all ran outside to dance with the raindrops. (You can find pictures here – check out Maddie’s face!) We followed our dance with a walk around the block where splashing through puddles was mandatory.
The moment of realization was a tiny affirmation that I’m doing alright as a mom. I might mess up now and then, but at least I’m raising a child who believes that when it rains, you really should dance.
by Heather Plett | Apr 1, 2007 | Ikea, Marcel, Minneapolis
(The pencil says Ikea – his souvenir of Minneapolis.) More vacation photos and stories to come when I can find my way out from under this laundry mountain.
by Heather Plett | Mar 28, 2007 | Dallas, travel
Apparently nobody WALKS in downtown Dallas. Correction – nobody even goes outside! At first I thought I was just imagining things when I asked people if the b&b was within walking distance of downtown and they just looked at me incredulously like I’d just asked if I could bite their kneecaps. “You want to WALK downtown?” Hmm…. apparently walking is for sissies.
Not to be deterred, I walked anyway. And, in almost a Twilight Zone surrealness (I’m sure that’s not a word, but whatever) I was stunningly alone on the streets. The first night, I chalked it up to the fact that it was Sunday evening and I was primarily walking through the business district. But even when I walked past hotels and rows of apartment buildings there was NO ONE outside. For most of the walk, for as far as I could look, I was the only pedestrian. Not surprisingly, in the first 10 minutes alone, two out-of-towners stopped to ask me directions because I was the only person they could see. Pity the poor Russian backpacker who was looking for a cheap hotel – he’s probably still looking.
On Monday, I thought surely things would be different. But no – more of the same. Nobody. Anywhere. Okay, so perhaps it’s because it’s grey and rainy today. But Tuesday, when the sun came out, more of the same. I walked through the heart of the business district at lunch time, and you could have shot a cannon and not hit anyone. I sat by a fountain where there were hoardes of benches to sit on (the kind of place that would have been buzzing with hot dog vendors and office workers with cabin fever in downtown Winnipeg on a sunny Spring day), and I was all alone. Not a soul anywhere.
Where IS everyone? They make it LOOK like there are people downtown. There are lots of schwanky office towers and parking lots full of high-end vehicles, but there are no people.
At 4:00, when I walked back to the b&b, I thought “surely now, when people are going home, there will be few people on the street”. But no, other than a few smokers, a couple of people who’d stepped outside to get better cell phone reception, and a few blue collar workers who had to take transit (gasp! practically unheard of around here), I was still alone. I have no idea how people get from the office to the vehicle – perhaps they have underground tunnels.
I headed for the area on the map that looked like the only green space downtown. Maybe in a park… Oops. No more park. Just a massive construction site. I guess they don’t need greenspace if nobody goes outside.
Bizarre. Tonight, I finally found a little more buzz in the West Village (close to my b&b), the place where the well-heeled go to be seen. I found a lovely bookstore and another lovely restaurant, so I’ve had another refreshing evening. But I don’t think I need to come back to Dallas again any time soon. At least not downtown. I prefer a place with a little more pulse. This place reminds me of a story I wrote in junior high about a space alien who arrives on earth and thinks that the vehicles are the earthlings because he never sees any people. GET OUT OF YOUR CARS PEOPLE – there’s life to be lived! What a surreal contrast this has been to my last trip! In Ethiopia, in what seemed like the most remote place imaginable, you could stop the vehicle and within minutes be surrounded by people. Though that can get overwhelming too, I think I’m more at home there.
In other news – the conference was much of the same. A few mediocre speakers, a few really bad ones, and one or two that are worth remembering. Lance Armstrong is much better than I expected. I just thought of him as an arrogant s.o.b., but he’s actually a passionate, inspiring, and easy-to-listen-to speaker.
I’ve lit my little candle, I’ve got some good music on, and I’m enjoying my last night in this lovely room. Tomorrow I meet my family in Minneapolis. Yay! Sweet dreams.
by Heather Plett | Mar 27, 2007 | Dallas, travel
My first hour in Dallas almost made up for a disappointing beginning. The bed and breakfast is delightful and proof positive that it pays to do your homework. Love it. LOVE it! The handmade quilt, the four poster bed, the wicker chaise lounge I’m currently reclining on – I can’t imagine why anyone would choose a big box hotel over this place!
And, just like I’d hoped, I found the perfect out-of-the-way restaurant that wouldn’t have been on any “recommended restaurants” list in the conference handouts. Nikkolini’s Organicity. Perfectly lovely. I almost cried when I sat down at the little round table under the tree and watched the trolley go by. It felt a little like God whispered in my ear “this is a gift to you – be refreshed.” It was perfect – a folksy organic Greek restaurant that serves the most amazing food I can imagine tasting at a restaurant. (Liz – all I had to do was walk to the end of the street to find a place that serves amazing vegetarian food! No steak to be found!)
By the end of lunch, I’d practically been adopted by Gino and Olina, the owners of the restaurant. When I came back later, after attending the first session at the conference, I walked in and Jeff, the very friendly waiter who embraces the world with open arms, shouted into the kitchen “Olina! Gino! Heather from Canada came back!” Gino came out and I said “Hey Gino – I’m tired and I just want to go back to my room to crash. Can you make me something quick and vegetarian to take out?” “Certainly!” Gino said, and disappeared into the kitchen. Five minutes later, he emerged with some amazing hummus and veggie wrap and what I think was polenta on the side. Oh my… all I can say is YUM!
(Gino and Olina in front of one of Gino’s paintings)
I took the trolley downtown, and, just like I expected, the trolley driver was as about as perfect as could be. Charming, funny, and a fountain of information about all things trolley. And to think I would have missed it if I’d stayed in one of the conference-recommended hotels!
And the conference… well, let’s see, what can I say… It’s very big, very corporate, very American (no offence to my American friends, of course – but can you remind your country-mates that you are NOT the centre of the world?), and, um… well, let’s just say it should have been sub-titled “How to manipulate rich people out of their money in ten easy lessons”. So far, it has reminded me that I am not a “real” fundraiser – I suck at corporate networking, I hate doing “the ask”, I don’t want to spend time at fancy galas trying to impress rich people, and I don’t golf. I don’t even know the language these people speak!
Future posts may be called “10 sure-fire ways to deliver a truly awful powerpoint presentation” and “why it’s better to walk a mile in the rain than get stuck in a corporate networking event, even though the denim conference tote bag stains your clothes” (yes, Michele, denim) and “has every fundraiser in this @*&^%!! place forgotten the biblical principle of the widow’s mite?” and “how you can feel more culture shock in a room full of people from your own continent than in Ethiopia”.
Ah, but it’s not ALL bad. Hearing Chip Heath speak was almost worth the price of admission. I would have bought his book, but it was sold out about half an hour after he presented. Craig Kielburger was a close second. Even Brooke Shields surprised me – she’s pretty down-to-earth and she had some touching personal stories to share. Oh, and I had a wonderful moment when a woman looked at me with a familiar “deer in the headlights” look and said “oh my gosh – I had no idea how out of place I’d feel here! That exhibition hall terrifies me! They’re vultures in there!” Yes, even here, there are kindred spirits.
I’d love to be out wandering right now (the b&b is in a lovely neighbourhood with lots of character), but it’s raining and I got soaked when I ran screaming from the networking event. Okay, so I wasn’t screaming, but I did have a mini panic attack after only half an hour of putting on a fake smile and introducing myself to a bunch of people who really didn’t care who I was because I am of no corporate use to them. (It was a Canadian reception, and I thought it would at least be nice to be in a room full of people who didn’t look at me with a blank stare when I said I’m from Winnipeg. Who knew I’d only last half an hour?)
I had no idea this post would be so long. Sorry. Guess I just had to unload a little.
Just one last thing… I think I’ll give this place a pass – it might not look good on my expense acount.
by Heather Plett | Mar 25, 2007 | travel
Cancelled flight. After three hours of sitting in the airport waiting. Groan. Won’t get to meet Vicki. Boohoo. Have to get up at 4:00 a.m. to catch the next flight. Yawn. No stopover in Oklahoma. Bummer. Expecting a long day tomorrow. Good night.
