Scheme of Things
Scheme of Things
What Makes A Captain?
A favorite game with my granddaughters, ages 3 and 6, is an imaginary
one they call, "Princess Pirates." In the early days of its evolution
they labeled it "Pirate Ship," but this year it evolved to have a gender
slant.
May 5, 2013 - 6:48:40 PM
Scheme of Things
What You Have
It was an early flight the next morning from Toronto back to Montana, necessitating a 3:30 a.m. wake-up call. Before heading to an early dinner with my husband, I decided to expedite what packing I could. In the process, I don't know how I managed to miss the briefcase compartment and launch my PC into a dive to the floor, hitting the corner of a table on the way down. My PC didn't take it well. A cracked and inoperable screen awaited.
Apr 8, 2013 - 12:04:26 PM
Scheme of Things
Luck Isn't Chance
When I was twenty-something, I thought I was ready for what the world had to offer me. But, with an undergraduate degree from Stanford and a masters from the University of Michigan, I was fired from my first professional job. What I learned next has served me well all these years: luck isn't chance.
Mar 3, 2013 - 8:34:41 PM
Scheme of Things
Lessons from a Handbag
Shopping alone, I spied the handbag on a sale table. My closet was
already packed with suitable options, so I didn't need a handbag. And I
certainly didn't need a red one. At the time, the only handbag color I'd
ever carried was black. But like a person possessed, I felt my spirit
soar as I placed the soft leather strap over my shoulder and looked in
the mirror. I was smiling. Not a big-grin-everyone-can-see smile, but an
inner-knowing private kind.
Feb 13, 2013 - 4:58:21 PM
Scheme of Things
The Essence of Green Grapes
It started as curiosity. Using five-year-old fingers to press a large
green grape against the side of her bowl, my oldest granddaughter
managed to squeeze out a tiny bit of juice. Taking up a spoon for
leveraged pressing, she extracted a bit more. Working the spoon and her
fingers together she encountered even more success, adding a second
grape to her labor-intensive juice-extraction experiment.
Jan 7, 2013 - 11:33:56 AM
Scheme of Things
The Morning's Best Gift
Similar to any new family, when our son was born thirty-six years ago, holidays, and especially Christmas, took on an intricate dance of inherited family traditions, blended customs, and grafted offshoots of differing styles.
Dec 6, 2012 - 2:05:34 PM
Scheme of Things
A Different Kind of Gratitude
As I reflect on it now, there were hints it was coming. Still when it happened, the vice-grip of embarrassment, the numbness of shock, and the adrenaline of fueled anger made being fired from my first professional job devastating.
Nov 10, 2012 - 11:42:05 PM
Scheme of Things
Small Pleasures
Only a few miles into Glacier National Park, a momma grizzly, followed
diligently by three first-year cubs, briskly walked across the road a
few yards ahead. Even in northwestern Montana this kind of sighting is a
rare treat.
Oct 11, 2012 - 6:21:51 PM
Scheme of Things
The Art of Nature
The Grand Canyon. The Northern Lights. Glacier Park from Going to the
Sun Road. It's easy to be awed by these natural wonders; to be amazed
and inspired when we encounter speculator sights. These celebrity-level
natural phenomenon are captured by our cameras and our hearts.
Sep 10, 2012 - 6:23:04 PM
Scheme of Things
Mileposts
I like to travel. I've been to forty-seven states, seven Canadian provinces or territories, and bits of Mexico. I've walked the hills of Scotland, explored England, studied in Austria, sailed fjords in Norway, been on safari in Botswana, seen wonders from Denmark to Portugal and Finland to Turkey, stayed in the shadow of the Matterhorn, been to the Arctic Circle, snorkeled in the Caribbean, walked on the Great Wall of China, and met kind and helpful people everywhere.
Aug 13, 2012 - 7:05:12 PM
Scheme of Things
Those Pitch-Black Mornings
I woke at 4:00 a.m. for a final practice before delivering a morning
keynote at a professional conference. But my normal speaking
preparations, including a mindset routine, changed abruptly when I found
myself showering in total darkness as three bathroom lights suddenly
went out. It wasn't just dark, it was pitch-black. Not even a
light-sliver seeped under the doorway from the bedroom where my husband
slept soundly.
Jul 1, 2012 - 9:38:15 PM
Scheme of Things
Growing Perspective
There are piles of rocks on the hillsides of Scotland. Cairns, they're
called, created centuries ago by men leaving for battle. When passing
the trailhead, each man put a rock on the pile, to be collected by him
when he returned home. Thousands of rocks remain in piles, unclaimed,
dotting the hillsides with a perspective on sacrifice not captured in
the history books.
Jun 4, 2012 - 11:50:13 AM
Scheme of Things
Being a Writer
This month, a glossy white book with large, bold orange and blue
lettering which reads, The Titleless Leader, will arrive in my mailbox,
just like it will arrive at various booksellers across the country.
While this is a third book for me, reflections I've been struggling to
understand are emerging at its birth; not about the writing of it, but
about the writer
May 7, 2012 - 6:41:48 PM
Scheme of Things
The Best Version
One hundred and twelve days and counting. That's my current record,
overshadowing my previously tallied count by sixty-five days. Granted,
I've only tracked my behavior for twelve months, but still, I'm making
progress on my goal of cooling my temper and averting its eruption.
Apr 3, 2012 - 9:54:15 AM
Scheme of Things
Living in the Age-of-Me
Whether it's a restroom chatterer in the stall next door or a texting
phenom in a darkened theater, we're regularly reminded that we're living
in an age of me-ness. From personal YouTube channels to picture-posting
Facebookers obsessed with documenting their day versus experiencing it,
let's face it, we're enthralled with ourselves.
Mar 5, 2012 - 12:15:11 PM
Scheme of Things
Experiencing Magic
There was no particular reason why I thought five was the correct
number. But, it seemed an appropriate age to take my granddaughter to
her first Nutcracker. So, right after her fifth birthday, she and I, and
her mom, went to a matinee performance of the Colorado Ballet.
Feb 1, 2012 - 2:39:13 PM
Scheme of Things
Saying No to New Year's Resolutions
I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions. Sure, I've made dozens, all
with good intentions and a bit of magical thinking, believing this time
the resolution will stick, this time I'll lose the weight, balance my
life, or achieve the goal. This time things will be different.
Jan 2, 2012 - 11:22:17 PM
Scheme of Things
Life Is Like A Buffet Table
Watching them piqued my curiosity. I started noticing each diner emerging from the buffet line, eyeing their tray for choices. There were similarities, but no two identical.
Oct 7, 2011 - 2:48:46 PM
Scheme of Things
Seeing the Mountains
Bits and pieces of the man's life story emerged as two strangers, seated
directly behind me, visited during the flight. After overhearing the
reason why he was traveling to Montana, I was surprised when we landed
to notice that the robust middle age man behind me looked like everyone
else.
Sep 2, 2011 - 9:51:29 AM
Scheme of Things
A Bit of Reflection
A carved sign on a wall in a country store caught my eye. "All because
two people fell in love," it read. It got me thinking in this, our
anniversary month, how that saying relates to our lives.
Aug 14, 2011 - 7:06:20 PM
Scheme of Things
Life's Doors
Promising value in excess of the price, my little girl imagination saw each wrapped box as a treasure waiting to be excavated. I picked up one, then another and another, pondering which grab bag was the one for me. With my mom's warning of potential disappointment unheeded, I seized the largest from the basket and pulled allowance savings from my pocket to pay for my prize.
Jul 1, 2011 - 9:57:30 PM
Scheme of Things
Dueling Frames
Like dueling pianos competing for attention at Jellyrolls, a fun piano bar on the Boardwalk at Walt Disney World, the digital frames in my office are competing as well.
Jun 2, 2011 - 10:10:57 AM
Scheme of Things
Natural Inspiration
The hints commenced with the changing landscape, traversed by dramatic colors and intriguing rock formulations. I should have expected it. Although the travel guide provided a glimpse of what was coming, I was still not prepared for the majestic beauty and expansive, as-far-as-you-could-see, dramatic terrain of Bryce Canyon National Park.
May 2, 2011 - 2:36:32 PM
Scheme of Things
Failed Expectations
It wasn't the weekend expected. Following a couple weeks of complicated travel to multiple cities for several speaking engagements, I was eager for much needed renewal time to write and relax in our off-the-grid wilderness cabin near Glacier National Park.
Mar 24, 2011 - 6:38:54 PM
Scheme of Things
Killing Time
It was our first day of our family's vacation in Disney World, and the morning of our granddaughter's fourth birthday. We were an extended family doing a bit of exploration at Epcot before the reservation for her big surprise: brunch with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Snow White, and other Disney princesses.
Feb 1, 2011 - 10:54:00 PM
Scheme of Things
A Different Friendship
Technical savvy is not among my best traits. So, when attempts at using a wireless printer continued to fail, I was gratified that I enticed the printer to finally print. Expectantly, I went to retrieve my queued pages, only to discover just one sheet in the tray. The error message on that page read: "Unsupported Personality."
Jan 4, 2011 - 9:58:55 AM
Scheme of Things
The Journal
Twenty-some years in the making, it wasn't a typical Christmas present. But it was, truly, a gift of a lifetime. Our son, the recipient, knew his father made periodic journal entries about the joys and challenges of raising him, about family events and world happenings, peppered with memories from his own life.
Dec 2, 2010 - 8:28:48 PM
Scheme of Things
Predicting Life's Weather
Where we live in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, more days than not, reading the day's weather forecast and experiencing the reality of that weather, makes me question how the prediction came to be. Today, for example, we're supposed to be "sunny with a few clouds and 68." Out my office window as I write this, rain has filled the day with a persistence and is not leaving anytime soon. Low hanging clouds have eliminated my view of a near-by lake, and the weather-bug gadget on my computer reads 49 degrees.
Nov 3, 2010 - 4:53:19 PM
Scheme of Things
Scary Voices
It was the year I first heard the kaleidoscope of voices. They harassed me for weeks over what I should be that night, providing ongoing commentary like: "Stupid idea;" "Boring;" "Not scary." Even the lure of Milk Duds, Good 'n Plenty, and Sugar Babies wasn't enough to make this shy seven-year-old decide it was fun to dress up, knock on doors, and speak to neighbors, let alone strangers. I hated Halloween.
Oct 2, 2010 - 6:30:23 PM
Scheme of Things
Thank You Mr. Jones
His deep voice and quick-firing speech left me uncertain and wondering if I'd understood his directions. It was clear he wasn't going to repeat them. It was also clear he expected his new eighth grade class to quickly engage in his topic of choice - social studies. Mr. Jones intimidated me.
Sep 1, 2010 - 9:46:00 PM
Scheme of Things
Like A Good Casserole
Anyone who knows me well knows I'm not into cooking. It's not that I'm a terrible cook, but you wouldn't confuse me with someone who was good at it. I've never had a culinary interest other than the eating part, and the joy of cooking personally eludes me.
Aug 1, 2010 - 10:03:56 PM
Scheme of Things
Different Stories
After a long weekend celebrating my husband's milestone birthday, we waited for our delayed flight home. With a tight connection in Salt Lake City, the odds were not in our favor as we boarded the regional jet in San Francisco.
Jul 1, 2010 - 6:58:53 PM
Scheme of Things
A Sense of Balance
Occasionally challenged with balance issues after three knee surgeries, I'm fond of the Wii Fitness program. It lures me to improve my balance with multi-dimensional ball-in-hole puzzles, obstacle courses, and snowboard runs. So, I was looking forward to my Wii encounter after an extended absence due to business travel.
Jun 1, 2010 - 3:18:45 PM
Scheme of Things
Weighing Our Coals
It was the morning session of a weekend developmental workshop a friend of mine was facilitating, and she'd asked me to sit-in. So on a Saturday morning when I'd normally be sleeping, I was instead listening to Chad's rant about his lack of success, his inflexible boss, and his ill-intentioned coworkers.
May 1, 2010 - 2:08:19 PM
Scheme of Things
The Way of the Lobster
Shell-less and hiding from predators for nearly two months until a new shell is formed, growth for a lobster is risky business. Yet instinctively the lobster knows it must endure this process again and again to survive. Recent life changes have me feeling a lot like that lobster.
Apr 1, 2010 - 9:43:22 PM
Scheme of Things
Seeing The World
Connecting with our two granddaughters via web cam makes a pleasant Sunday afternoon event. So it was last week, hearing about the excursion to the zoo and an upcoming playmate's birthday party from the just-turned-three-year-old. Noticing her sister in the background I asked, "So how's your sister doing?" "Okay Nana. But she's still not walking!"
Mar 1, 2010 - 4:45:28 PM
Scheme of Things
Heart Stories
The picture sits on my desk. I'm not sure why I like it near me, but I do. Accidently discovered in a tattered box in a shed at my mother's house, my great, great grandfather's picture brings more questions than answers.
Feb 8, 2010 - 11:51:07 AM
Scheme of Things
Celebrating Birthdays
Spoken like a seasoned life traveler, the words from my three-year old granddaughter came as an assumptive statement of fact following our shopping excursion. "I don't like old people," she told me. "Well, I'm old and you like me," I said. "No Nana, I don't like old people." I know what she means. I don't like old people much either.
Jan 3, 2010 - 3:06:53 PM
Scheme of Things
The Camera
It wasn't any camera. It was the revolutionary Kodak Instamatic, housed in a shiny black case, with a built in flashcube, using a 126 cartridge. All my high school friends had one, or so it seemed to me. I told my parents it was the only gift I wanted that Christmas.
Dec 3, 2009 - 11:28:35 AM
Scheme of Things
Casual Comments
"Nana, when I get older I want blue eyes," my nearly three-year old granddaughter remarked, prompting a discussion about eye color followed by praise for her dark brown eyes. Still she persisted in her wishful thinking, telling to her grandfather, mother, and father that she was going to be getting blue eyes soon.
Nov 1, 2009 - 7:29:24 PM
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