Learning to be me one scene at a time

On May 29, 2014 By DGThomaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

What a wonderful approach!

When I was a freshman in high school I signed up for Drama class. Although, I was the toddler waving from the stage during my first ballet performance; in the intervening years I had grown into a shy reserved person. I decided to sign up for the Drama class because my cool older cousin was in the class. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
As myself I was terrified to speak in front of others. On the stage I had the opportunity to become someone else who was not afraid. This was life changing. I realized over the years that not only could I play other people and feel safe, but I could play better more confident versions of myself. When confronted with a situation which terrified me I asked myself how my ideal self would act in this situation. I would create a character of…

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“Fishing”

On May 25, 2014May 25, 2014 By DGThomaIn MusingsLeave a comment

Maggie Mae –

Today I was thinking…. “It’s easy to be a big fish in a small pond, but being a small fish in a big pond is like getting lost in the crowd. Strive to be the big fish in your biggest pond.”

Puzzles

On May 22, 2014May 22, 2014 By DGThomaIn Friends, Musings, WritingLeave a comment

Puzzles…. there are jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, number puzzles, logic puzzles and the list goes on and on. Some people enjoy a nice challenging puzzle and other’s consider them frustrating or a waste of time. Whichever side of the debate you fall on, I think everyone would agree, that people can also be a puzzle.

Often, we think we can predict how people will react and we think we know exactly what the other person is thinking and saying. Watching people interact, I have discovered that people often say one thing but the listener actually hears something entirely different. By bringing our previous experiences to any interaction, we introduce bias in our relationships. Recently, I witnessed a situation, where by trying to protect each other, two people complicated everything. If each of them had just said what was on their mind without filtering by what they thought the other person wanted, they would have prevented a lot of confusion.

So even though I know that sometimes a filter is important, I am going to strive to listen and hear what people say to me. I will resist the tendency to form my answer before they finish talking. Hopefully it will make for a more enjoyable exchange.

Who knows, I might even solve a few puzzles along the way!

The Evolution of Salad

On May 21, 2014May 29, 2014 By DGThomaIn Family, Food, WritingLeave a comment

I love salads! I haven’t always loved salads, though. Growing up, I really disliked salads. Those salads were usually made with iceberg lettuce, pale store bought tomatoes that had been ripened in transit and the whole thing was covered in some kind of heavy dressing. Yuck!

Thankfully, as an adult, I have been introduced to a more diverse variety of salad ingredients. Although I enjoy iceberg lettuce now, I never limit my salads to just one type of lettuce. Organic vine ripened tomatoes are readily available at most markets and taste heavenly.

Although, I have numerous recipe books for salads on my shelves but I rarely refer to them.

Organic vegetables make great additions to a salad. The list of possibilities, is endless but a few options are bell peppers, vine ripened tomatoes, celery, carrots, beets, turnips and radishes.

I start with lettuce, (usually a spring mix) and add additional greens which may include kale, spinach, and any other variety of greens I have on hand.

Normally, I add a fruit. I love to toss in strawberries, blueberries, grapes, oranges, apples or whatever I may have on hand. I mix and match the combinations of fruit dependent upon what is in the fridge.

For protein, I may toss in nuts, including pecans, walnuts or almonds. Alternately, I will add chickpeas, black beans, green peas, shrimp, tuna steak, shark, etc.

I usually end with either feta or blue cheese crumbles for added flavor. With such a variety of flavors, dressing is not needed. If I do add dressing, I choose a light oil and vinegar mix with a fruit essence added such as mango or raspberry.

Yummy!

Collecting…… and letting go

On May 15, 2014May 16, 2014 By DGThomaIn Friends, WritingLeave a comment

I love to wander through books stores, (yes the brick and mortar stores). I get such a feeling of companionship when I hold a book in my hand. I love the feel of the paper and the colors and images on the cover or dust jacket. I easily get lost trying to find a story line that intrigues me.

Although I do love the crisp new pages of a newly released edition from my favorite author, a meander through the aisles of a used book store is an entirely different adventure. Browsing through the pages I often find loose paper used as book marks. Instantly, my mind begins to imagine the previous owner of this book, which has found its way into my hands. I start to visualize the person, securing their reading glasses on the bridge of their nose to begin reading. The door bell rings….. they grab a slip of paper, or bookmark and save the page. Suddenly, I’m creating a scenario regarding who might be on the other side of the door! Such fun and entertainment. What a joy!

As I lug my bags of new-found treasures home I can’t help but wince a bit as I imagine the shelves filled with previously garnered treasures and wonder where the new ones will make their home. It feels like losing a good friend when I have to part with a book. I almost always, think that I may get back to reading it again. However, space and organization dictate that I must set some free in order for others to take their place.

The very best option, is to find a new home for my books with family and friends, but if that isn’t an option, I like to donate books to someone who can enjoy them as much as I do. I know that a book is simply an inanimate object, but the pleasure of turning the pages can make any day a little bit brighter.

“REBOOT”

On May 14, 2014May 15, 2014 By DGThomaIn MusingsLeave a comment

Maggie Mae –

Today I was thinking…. You know how when your electronics aren’t working and everyone says you should just “Reboot”? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if relationships had a reboot button?