Have a Seat

Today is a long post.  Prepare.

Welcome Newcomers!  Hopefully there are a handful of you joining this remarkable community for day ONE of year TWO.  Highlowaha is a gathering of people from around the world, willing to share their energy and creativity for the good of community.  You're in for a fun ride.

Returners, you've noticed some changes.  Most obvious are the bright and shinning faces joining me at the table on the front page of our NEW WEBSITE.  If one creative and committed person could host so much good in a single year, then just imagine what the five of us will do!

Cheryl, Heather, Katie, (and you) will join me at the table this year, in delivering the new ideas, engaging activities, and thoughtful projects presented to you each morning (except Sunday).  In case you think I cooked up this idea last week, not a chance.  This idea has been in the works since September.  I bent the ear of many a friend and confidante, as I evaluated the pros and cons.  Ultimately I concluded, that when it comes to creativity and community, there cannot be too much of a good thing.

That's what I present to you today... A LOT of a good thing.  

Weekly planning meetings began in December, so we could begin thinking through, not only a seamless transition, but one that I think will knock your socks off.  So committed are we to spreading Highlowaha's Spirit of #218, that weekly phone calls often occurred under all sorts of imperfect circumstances.  To say they are like postmen, faithfully delivering in spite of rain, snow, sleet, or shine seems, particularly appropriate when in the company of this Snail-Mail-lovin' group.

Before I get down to the business of formally introducing our new and improved Highlowaha Team, a few more points to kick off the new year.

• Now we're a website and a blog!  This is great news for all of you who have lost hours searching old posts for a particular announcement or pieces of information.  Over time, we will use the website to better organize all the happenings of our active community.
  
• Don't want to bother with all the "other" stuff?  Get right down to business by clicking on the button labeled, "Blog."
• Don't get ahead of yourself by exploring all the tabs... yet.  Most of the links will not be activated until we touch on the subject during Orientation Week, next week.  Newcomers, you won't want to miss this week, as it is everything you need/want to know to in order to jump right in.
• You will notice the archive of posts from 2/18/08 - 2/18/09 is gone.  That's the beauty of surrounding yourself with so much collective creativity.  Who needs last year's old ideas when we can generate a whole new year's worth.  In love with a particular post?  Have no fear... we are looking into creating a Best of 2008 Highlowaha book.  
  

Now, introductions (even for those who think you already know us)...  

We represent a range of perspectives which, I am certain, will make daily posts more fun and interesting to read (though you will never know which of us will be posting on a given day).  The variety means Anon and other readers who can't relate to me, because they think my antics are over the top, will find a friend in one of the other three carefully selected women.  Our differences were never more clear than the the week we ended up talking about my Annual Sweet Cereal Day.  

I thought it could be fun to introduce each of the new Highlowaha Team members with a short introduction and then a snippet from our Sweet Cereal conversation.  It will give great insight into what you can expect from us throughout the year.

Me (Claudia): I am a 43 year old mother of three boys (Ricky, 16; Matthew, 4; and Jack, 1).  My husband (Richard), my boys, and I moved to Grapevine, Texas about a year ago.  Originally I am from New York (but have lived in a variety of places over the past 20+ years).  After a two-year hiatus, I have returned to my former career working in higher education, at the University of North Texas.  I must have been an event planner in a former life, because I see everything through the lenses of a party.  Me on sweet cereal...  

"No.  You can't just willy nilly let your kids eat sweet cereal every day.  In my house it an annual tradition.  We eat it one day a year - January 13, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I make a really big deal out of it.  I use special bowls, special spoons, and we talk for days in advance about what kind of cereal we're going to eat.  If I was really good, I get balloons and have a banner in the kitchen too!"

Cheryl: Cheryl is a 38 year old, single mother with two boys (Drew, 8 and J.B., 7), who works.  She is a scanner-artist, which is to say she dabbles in a lot of creative ventures, but claims never to finish any of them.  Cheryl grew up in Texas, did a short stint in Utah, and returned to Texas a couple of years ago, where one fateful night we met at a neighborhood Bunco.   Cheryl is the swift hand behind the creation of our beloved blog friend, Ray Wattson.  Unlike me, Cheryl doesn't bog herself down with a bunch of needless rules.  Instead, she embraces the stress free spirit of "live and let live."  Her response to my description of Annual Sweet Cereal Day...

"What, you don't let your kids eat sweet cereal for dinner?  Gosh in my house it's a staple."

Heather: Heather is a 28 year old working mother of one little girl, Lily (20 months).  Heather and her husband, Bal, recently moved to Grapevine Texas, so Heather could accept a position as Director of Judicial Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington.  Heather and I met while working at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  As an added bonus, Heather's husband works with my husband (what do you think they talk about over lunch?).  Heather grew up as one of seven children, in a single parent household.  I say that to help explain why "Frugal" could very well be Heather's middle name.  Here's her thought on sweet cereal...  

"In my house, when you eat sweet cereal is determined by when it is on sale in the grocery store.  Period."

CSPgrad: Katie is a 22 year old graduate student at James Madison University, in Virigina.  She recently graduated from Bellarmine University, where Katie, Heather, and I all originally met.   I keep trying to convince Katie she should change the spelling of her name to "Catie."  That way whenever she had to participate in fun Student Affairs icebreakers (yes, she is also headed for a career in Student Affairs), she could introduce herelf as "Conscientious Catie."  Among some of Katie's "favorites" are: being conscientious, music, driving, Reeses cups, and thinking (so, thinking, while driving in a car listening to music and eating Reeses might very well be Katie's nirvana). She loves to reflect and, in fact, has been faithfully emailing me her weekly "high," "low," and "aha," since freshmen year - 5 years ago.  Here's her take on sweet cereal...

"Actually, you each kind of have a point.  I can see the value in all three of your approaches.  Really it just depends on the situation." 

You:  You are the fifth valued team member seated at our table.  We fully expect that, each day, you will use the comment section to share your ideas and perspectives. How about starting today by telling us your take on eating sweet cereal.  

In closing...  

This change to Highlowaha represents my desire to test the theory that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  By intentionally sharing the helm, instead of protecting my place at the helm, I expect our community to grow in big and inspiring ways.  We will meet far more people, embark on far more interesting adventures, swap more creative ideas than could ever be implemented in a year, and create ripples of kindness that will multiply exponentially.

If you believe it's possible, then meet us here again tomorrow.

Signing off until tomorrow, when guess who kicks off Free For All Friday...

Row 2, Seat 18

AnniversaRay

Alright people.  You know the drill.  Cell phones off, kids and dogs muzzled and get your butts in your seats.  I'm going to fix myself a cocktail and enjoy.  Where's my visine?

With no further ado, let the show begin...

http://gallery.me.com/balsnow/100031

The Big One

Announcement about tonight's festivities at the end...

Thanks for...

Happy Anniversary!

I wrote a post then deleted it.  I wrote another post then deleted it too.  I paced the living room floor, read books (and calendar pages) for ideas, scrolled through old posts for inspiration, listened to music lyrics, and even asked von Oech to whack my thinking.

Nothing.  

Today feels like it should be the grand daddy of all posts.  The pinnacle of this whole crazy year.  I feel like I should have something really profound, really funny, or really inspiring to say.  But, I don't.  Part of the reason is because the real celebration  is scheduled to happen tonight during the Highlowaha People's Choice Awards, beginning at 8:00 CST, right here in this very location.  I think the other reason I'm conflicted is because a big "to-do" or major departure from our normal routine would, in many ways, run counter to who we are and what this space stands for. 

Highlowaha is about honoring the beauty of simplicity.  It about using our creativity to turn simple moments into lasting memories that can be shared by family and friends.  It's about the security of shared rituals and of living the spirit of #218.

No.  Today is the 18th of the month and while it would be tempting to fill this blog space with inspiring quotes, a brass band from You Tube, or a virtual ticker tape parade, we will resist the urge and return to the very ritual for which this blog is named.  

In usual form we will use the 18th of the month to join in community and to share our "high," our "low," and our "aha" (something you've learned).  Maybe we'll allow for a slight adaptation.  Normally we focus on the events of the past month, but maybe today, you will consider the events of the past year.  And, if you're feeling really festive considering sharing the "high," "low," and "aha" of your experience on this blog site over the past year.

Another ritual.  In September I began drawing the name of a person who participated in our "high," "low," "aha" monthly ritual, so that one person could win a free Highlowaha t-shirt (winners to date have been AZLori, Peggy, Kelly, Heather, and Cassie P).  Another adaptation.  Beginning today, the monthly winner will have the option of either ordering a Highlowaha t-shirt OR a t-shirt bearing your favorite picture of Ray Wattson (If I won today, I'd have to go for either HemminRay or AmoRay).  How about you?

So let's get on with it.  I'll start

High:  So many highs on the blog this year.  Making new friends like Cheryl, Peggy, Julie, Brian, Kristen, and Robin (to name a few); reconnecting with old friends like Tera, Cassie P., AZLori, and Maureen (also to name a few); staying current with oldies, but goodies like Susan, Cristine, Heather and Katie (and, yes... to name a few); the birth of Ray; Virtual parties; service projects; and keeping my promise to post a new idea every day (except Sunday), while never repeating the same idea twice.  

Low:  Unfinished, unfinished business; losing readers like Jayme, Chaotic, and Anon who once frequented our site; and never tracking down Julie A. Cole from Lincoln, Nebraska.

Aha: Lots of people enjoy receiving Snail Mail, just like me.  You can't mail a cake and have it arrive in tact.  The Gettysburg Address was only 22 words.  Dueling is still legal in Paraguay.  I have the discipline to do something every day (except Sunday) for an entire year! 

An announcement and then it's your turn...

Announcement:

Red Carpet Preview: A few important notes about tonight's much anticipated award ceremony.

• As with any respectable award show, we'd like to you to take your seats beginning at 7:45 CST.  The show will be broadcast via video.  It will take approximately 15 minutes to upload (depending on connection speed), once you've clicked on the link.  So... begin uploading at 7:45 and you should be ready to go by 8:00 p.m.
  
• Incidentally, the video will begin playing as soon as you click on the link.  Refrain from watching until 8:00, so we are all watching at the same time.
• The show is 34 minutes long.
• Regardless of whether or not you win something, we'd love it if you would post notes of celebration.
  
• If you are lucky enough to be an award winner, please post your acceptance speech.  We'd love to hear what you have to say.
  
• Email me pictures of you in celebration mode (cbeeny@lslog.com), by midnight, and be entered in the drawing for a prize.
• As an added bonus, a series of three words - in yellow text - have been hidden throughout the awards show.  Gather them, read them in order, and get a clue about the fun awaiting you bright and early Thursday morning.
  
• This is not an exact science, so be patient.

See you on the carpet.  Signing off until then...

Walk Like an Egyptian

Who knew?  

It started out as a lark.  A simple idea, mostly designed to keep me sane while waiting for Jack to start preschool and for me to find the right job opportunity at the right time.  While living in Louisville, reader Jess, introduced me to the world of blogging.  She shared her fun family blog with me and even told of the pocket money one could earn by subscribing to Adsense and then hoping people clicked on your ads.  Technology is not my thing, but I could relate to the idea of journaling and, of course, effortlessly earning pocket money was a no-brainer.  

CSPgrad met me at Starbucks on one fateful Sunday to set up my blog and try to walk me through the basics.  Heather, whose house I stayed at that weekend, helped me chose my blog template and "temporarily" dropped in a picture - you know, just long enough to return to Dallas where I could replace it with a more current picture of the whole family.  I pause to mention this factoid, because 364 days later, you are still greeted with the same old picture of me and Matthew (yes, Matthew - not Jack). 

I decided on a creative-idea-a-day, because frankly, I'm not qualified to write about much else.  People have frequently commented on my creativity and when Stephanie, my friend and former intern, read my palm years ago, she said two things: One, "You're very creative" and two, "You'll work hard your whole life."  I'm not sure how I feel about number two, but I knew I could have fun with number one.

To be honest, I never thought a second about who I would be writing to or for how long my blogging adventure would last.  I had no idea whether, when push came to shove, I could come up with an idea-a-day, but it was of no concern.  Looking back, I don't know why it was of no concern.  A creative idea-a-day, for an undesignated period of time and regardless of where I was or what I was doing, should at least have warranted a second thought.  

But it didn't and that's what I want the focus of today's post to be.  What happens when we jump into something without over analyzing it, without too much planning or consternation and we simply trust.  We trust that, by putting one foot in front of another, day in an day out, our efforts will amount to something.  If I would have given this venture too much thought, the inconvenience of making posts while working 16 hour days at Leadershape would have overwhelmed me.  The practical realities of sick kids, conflicting schedules, technical difficulties, and sheer mental fatigue would have discouraged me from committing. 

I 've learned some things this year.  The first thing is that I have the discipline to commit to something and then, regardless of circumstances, to make it happen.  I, like you, might have hoped this was true, but now I have 338 posts to prove it is so.  And, guess what.  All of you readers who have been with me from the beginning and who have continued checking in daily... you get to say the same thing.  It feels good and I can't help but wonder what else I... we... are capable of if when we apply this same level of discipline to other areas of our life.

Here's the second thing I've learned and I love it, because Matthew has heard me say it enough times in the past couple of days, that now he is repeating it.  I've learned that, "If we do a little bit every day, we can do anything."  Last night Matthew was playing in our study.  When I pointed out that it was late and that he should start putting Lincoln Logs away, he was quick to tell me why he intended to leave them exactly where they were... "No mommy, if I build a little bit every day, I can make a house."

What have we built by simply giving HLA a little bit of our attention every day?  I might be biased, but I think we've built a pretty remarkable community.  I say remarkable, because in one short year many of us have gone from (literally) virtual strangers to friends with whom we exchange Snail Mail, compete for prizes, and patches, share holidays like Halloween, Christmas, Talk Like a Pirate Day, and National Tug of War Day.  We completed four service projects and raised over $1,000.  Heck, we've even been to the Olympics together.  This Highlowaha experience has underscored my core belief that with a little bit of action every day, we can accomplish anything - even building pyramids that stand 5,200 years later.

So, let's review and then I have a question for each of you.  

Spending this year with you has taught me two things.  I hope you find them as empowering as I do.  

First, no matter how many new year's resolutions we've broken, how many times we've started and restarted a diet, or how many times we've promised ourselves we'd break an old habit, all humans are capable of sustained effort when the outcome is something that genuinely matters to us.  

Second, a little bit of effort each day goes a long way.

Think about it.  If I promised to write a page a day, I could have the rough draft of a 365-page book by next February 17.  If I vowed to jog one mile, I would have run the equivalent of 14 marathons.  If I paid just one just compliment each day, I would be responsible for 365 smiles.  Learning one new Italian word each day means I could order dinner next time Richard and I are in Rome.  Saving one dollar a day could result in enough airfare to visit a friend.  One visit to Highlowaha nourishes my soul and gives me access to an international gathering of creative minds.  You see what I mean.  One gesture, of even the smallest kind, will amount to something of substance, provided you sustain the effort over time.     

So in celebration of our one year anniversary, let's answer this question...

If every day for the next year I..., then I....

Signing off until tomorrow's BIG DAY...

Daily Dose(s)

Announcements at the end...

My girlfriend gave me a calendar titled, "For Women Who Do Too Much."  I'm pretty sure she authored the calendar based on her own high-achieving, never-stops-moving, I-am-woman-hear-me-roar life.  I love the 365 days - each page filled with fun facts, quotes, and other inspirations.  I like to read the daily thought and then try to figure out why I might be crossing paths with that particular message on that particular day.

This morning's is a cinch. 

SPA DAY: For your spa hour this month -  get a loofah, one of those wonderful Japanese scrubbing cloths, or even a good vegetable brush.  Then give yourself a complete dry scrub, removing all dead, dry skin and increasing circulation.  Don't neglect any part of your body.  Then take a long shower or bath.

The past 7-10 days has worn me out!  Red carpet, staging, lights, and cameras; finishing touches on the carefully crafted People's Choice Awards; shopping for just the right number to wear; and planning a menu commensurate with the occasion.  Life in the fast lane is exhausting.  Then of course there was the whole week of bearing my soul and the admitting guilt.  Throw in the creation of 44 kids valentines, two parties, and a traveling husband and - come to think of it - I know why I'm tired.  And you're tired too, I am sure.

But this is a big week and we should be ready and rested for all that is to come.  The excitement will mount each day this week, as we celebrate the one year anniversary of Highlowaha.  By now your calendars should be marked (in bright red pen) with our Red Carpet event, taking place this Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. CST.  Then, immediately following on Thursday morning a big announcement will be made - one you won't want to miss.

That's why today's thought-of-the-day seemed so well timed.  A Spa Day on a Monday in the middle of the month.  What could be more appropriate?  I'm doin' it... loofah and all.  How about you?  Is there some tip or trick of the trade you use to make yourself feel like you've been treated to an afternoon at the spa?  Share your creative tips so we can feel like the rich and famous. 

Switching gears...

You may or may not remember my small obsession with presidential historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin (in my next life I will have her job).  Anyway, the closest I'm going to get right now is the other calendar given to me by a friend who knows of my obsession.  Each of these pages is filled with a fun fact about former presidents and first ladies.  Normally, I might not subject you to the daily quips and quotes from this calendar, but today's Presidents' Day and I'll feel better knowing I did my part.

He had charm, insight, a way with words, and - eventually - greatness.  But Abraham Lincoln didn't have looks.  "Barnum should buy and exhibit him as a zoological curiosity," said one New York newspaper.  True to form, though, Lincoln was the first to admit his shortcomings.  During the famous debates of 1858, Stephen Douglas accused him of being two-faced.  "I leave it to my audience," replied Lincoln.  "If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?"

Announcements:

• First to admit his shortcomings: Here I go one last time and then truly I am done for the year.  Yesterday was a supposed to be a slide show of pictures from the Olympics and Pen Pal Weekend.  Here's the deal...  I literally held onto the Olympic photos and emails for months and months.  Somewhere along the line, I must have tried to rid myself of all the guilt, by purging my files of all the pictures.  I literally cannot find them anywhere in my electronic files.  So it's done.  Final.  There was not, nor will there ever be, a slide show of Olympic pictures.  I am truly sorry.
  
• There's Still Hope: for the COOKBOOK.  Saturday many of you posted recipes you loved, along with short statements about what makes the recipe meaningful.  Keep them coming, because Tera has volunteered to compile them into a Highlowaha Cookbook.  All you Olympic and Super Bowl participants, dig out all those winning recipes and pass them along to Tera - either by snail mail or by email.
  
• One more announcement: For those of you who have been following my professional path, in addition to my Highlowaha and family path, this announcement be of some interest.  One week from today I will begin a new position at the University of North Texas.  The University received a federal grant, studying student retention.  I will serve as the grants director, coordinating all the moving pieces between Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Student Affairs.  I waited a long time for a position that genuinely felt like the right fit, so this is very welcomed news. 
  

I'm off to my in-house SPA... ASAP.

Signing off until tomorrow...

Psst...

Amoray

Like a big pizza pie.....that's amoray.  Love is in the air and yours truly is on cloud nine.  This cute little low wattage thing from the little Italian place around the corner has taken a shine to me.  I'd still be with her but once again Claudia has disappeared and left all the work to me.  What is it with her and holidays.  I've got a reputation to uphold.  If word gets out that I left her Marsala when she was just starting to get all hot and flicker, Ill be ruined.  What was I thinking.  Oh my god, I've got to go back!

Alright, let's make this quick people.  There's still a chance.  Here's the deal.  I'm supposed to make sure that you wrap up some unfinished business then I can go wrap up some of my own.

First:  Recipes for the cookbook.  Not just any recipe.  Not some random Wednesday night throw it one pot and be thankful there isn't a big mess to clean up recipe.  But something with spirit.  In fact the Spirit of 218.  What recipes have special meaning?  What's the story behind it and why is it worthy?  You know like Julie's Championchip bake off cake.  That cake would not have tasted nearly so good had it not been so carefully mixed, baked and decorated then placed in a box, tossed about like a frisbee, kicked by the mailman, sniffed by the dog, shaken by curious kids and then finally poured lovingly into a bowl and served.  Capture that in a recipe.

Last:  Tell us what your Valentines plans are.  I think you know where I'm headed.  What are you up to?

Amoray Out.

Free For All Friday: Question Mark Queue

It's been a long time since I've been so anxious for a week to end.  In part I'm excited to finish the business of Unfinished Business.  Of course ending this week also means the arrival of Valentine's Day, as well as next week's much anticipated Anniversary Week!

For all you newcomers, highlowaha is less than one week away from celebrating our One Year Anniversary.  It's going to be a week of excitement, reflection, celebration, and even a few surprises.  The festivities peak on Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. when we host highlowaha's first ever People's Choice Award Show.  It's a red carpet event, so dust off your cumber buns and boas and get ready for a night of recognition.  If you're a veteran, it will be a nice way to recap our year.  If your new to our site, it will be a great way to find out what you've been missing and to jump right in to the fun.

Tuesday, people.  Wednesday, service initiatives.  Yesterday, programs.  Today a few miscellaneous items and then space for you to Free For All.  It is a chance for you to go directly to the source and get answers to whatever question marks you have about projects undertaken or ideas shared over the course of this year.  Hopefully all the usual suspects will tune in today, so the maximum number of questions can be answered.

I have quite a few items to cover, so I'll keep my updates honest, but brief.

Flat Stanley:  Flat Stanley, an initiative started early on in Highlowaha's history, made it from Texas to Canada.  He got lost in the mail, so a clone was hatched and resent from Texas to Pennsylvania (by way of CSPgrad in Kentucky).  He got to Pennsylvania just in time for Tera and Treye's wedding.  That's the last Stanley was heard of.  Truth is, once Ray hit the scene we became way more enamored with him and I was a.o.k if his competition went MIA.

Sugar Ray:  Soon after Ray hit the scene, he became restless and decided he couldn't be content living a life in the boring Beeny house.  He wanted to spread his wings and travel the globe spreading our good word (in the form of light bulb cookies to be shared with people in our communities).  He did a stint at the Yochum house in Euless, Texas where he got the chance to talk about Highlowaha with women at Lifetime Fitness.  From there Sugar Ray went to Ohio where the Johnsons hosted him for a period of time and introduced him to Treye's co-workers.  From Ohio he went East, ending up at Maureen's Peres's house, where I think he was scheduled to meet up with a troop of Girl Scouts and their mothers.  In fact, I think that is still where Sugar Ray is hanging out.  I'm guessing he doesn't want to miss Krysten's Sweet 16 bash, coming up next Thursday night.  Can you blame him?  From there Sugar Ray is supposed to board a plane and head straight for Erie, Pennsylvania where he will be the house guest of loyal reader, Kristen. 

Craft Closet: Inquiry was made about my craft closet.  The funny thing is, I don't ever remember talking about my craft space - though I'll take any excuse to do so.  Instead, I think it was my friend Nicole who, was in the process of redoing a craft closet in her house, and who wanted to pick our brain for favorite nooks and crannies.  I emailed Nicole in an attempt to get an update, but she is weeks away from delivering her second child, so I suspect she is otherwise occupied.  Nicole... if for some reason you are out there, we love to hear what - if anything - you've done.

In the meantime, I don't mind sharing a picture of my craft space.  I like to call it, "My corner of the World."  It is literally a corner.  On the wall opposite these cabinets are the washer and dryer.  Walk through one door and you're in the kitchen area.  Walk through the other door and you're in the garage.  It's small.  It's not glamorous, but it's mine and I love it.  Incidentally, the space wasn't there when we moved in.  My wonderful husband had it built for me as an anniversary present!  One more thing.  Because it is my "corner of the world."  I am seeking an artist willing to come in and paint it (walls and cabinets) to look like a globe.  If you're out there and you're willing, you can stay with me free for however long it takes!

Enough from me, at least for now.  

How about I get us going with a question posed on Monday and then a few of my own.  Here we go...

Cristine Struble.  Monday a reader posed a question inquiring about what you ended up naming Matt's 40th birthday party.

Heather.  What did you pack as a gift for your mother, when you met up with her in Florida last week?

Lindsay Marie.  What, if anything, did you end up doing for your homesick friend who is studying abroad? 

Cassie P.  What did you end up doing for your mother's 40th birthday?

Your turn.  What question marks do you have about unfinished highlowaha business?

Signing off until tomorrow...