Sonya Elliott

Back on the Court

AUTHOR & BASKETBALL FANATIC

LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Chasing Waves with Amy Waeschle

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Today’s Life Inspired Fitness guest is author Amy Waeschle. She is a perfect example of a woman who stays healthy and fit by doing what she loves. I first met Amy at the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Conference when she was working on her memoir Chasing Waves: A Surfer’s Tale Of Obsessive Wandering. I was struck by her love of surfing, as it echoed my feelings about basketball. Chasing Waves is a collection of stories based on Amy’s surfing adventures. After traveling from Morocco to Fiji to Canada, Amy’s exposure to diverse cultures and experiences expanded her love of surfing as well as her view of life. Amy published the memoir in 2009 and since then, has written seven more books. She is the author of the  #1 Amazon Bestselling mystery series featuring Dr. Cassidy Kincaid and the novels Going Over the Falls and Feeding the Fire. The final book of her Cassidy Kincaid Mystery series, Cassidy’s Crusade, was just released and can be purchased at AMYWAESCHLE.COM, where you can also get a free copy of her novel Rescuing Reeve.

Amy, who inspires you?

As an athlete? Probably my high school rowing coach, Eleanor McElvaine. She was the one who sparked the fire inside me to work hard and have big dreams. Before rowing, I was kind of a couch potato, but rowing with her as my mentor changed all of that. As a writer I’ve been inspired by a lot of influences, from teachers to authors, and it’s changing all the time. My husband was my inspiration to try surfing, and that experience really motivated me to become a writer. He’s been my number one fan from the start.

When did you first learn to surf and what was it like?

My first experience was in Mexico. My husband (at the time we were just dating) tried to teach me. I’m sure you can imagine how that went! It was frustrating for both of us, but something about the combination of skill, strength, and harnessing Mother Nature’s energy stuck with me. I spent the next two years committed to learning how to ride waves, and the experience was so complex and rich that I wrote a book about it called Chasing Waves.

Can you share how surfing makes you feel?

Surfing is actually a lot of sitting, watching, and waiting. Those still moments can be very peaceful, or they can be nerve-racking. If the waves are really big it’s easy to feel intimidated. So sometimes I have to go through a pretty intense self-talk session so I can get over that and enjoy the challenge. The moments I’m actually riding a wave are hard to describe. The ride usually only lasts seconds, but I am completely in the moment, and nothing else matters. I’m one with the ocean. The gliding of my board on the silky water is like flying.

Why do you like to surf and are there things that you don’t like about surfing?

I like to surf because I love water and the beautiful scenery I get to enjoy from my board. I love using my body that way too, the paddling – that probably comes from my time as a rower. And of course the payoff of riding a wave after paddling out and waiting your turn is truly magnificent. What I don’t like about surfing is wearing a wetsuit (if I’m in the PNW or cold water), and the territorialism. Just about everywhere we surf, there’s some local crew who try to dominate the lineup.

I understand that you run trails. Besides surfing and running, what other activities do you enjoy?

I love to mountain bike and hike in the mountains when I can. I also love to swim and something I love but don’t do enough of is restorative yoga. That’s been hard to do during covid so I’m looking forward to studios being open again.

How to do you keep surfing a part of your life, with writing and family?

Well…these days I don’t get to surf as often as I like. But now that my kids are old enough, we all surf together. In the summer we’ll take camping trips to the beach in Oregon and Washington, and everybody plays in the water. Each year, my husband I take a trip just the two of us to surf and play in Mexico. It’s a wonderful way to reconnect with the waves and my love of the sport. But the balance thing with family and writing is tricky. It’s all about making a commitment to myself. I hear the phrase “self care” a lot these days, and that’s probably what it’s like. Prioritizing my mental health.

Did your love of surfing change when you had children? If so how?

My love for surfing didn’t change, but because I didn’t have the ability to do it the way I used to created a pretty big hole in my heart. I was ready to be a mom, but I still had to go through an adjustment. That feeling actually inspired my first novel, Going Over the Falls.

My daughter went surfing recently for the first time. Twice actually. The very first time the surfing was terrible but the instructor encouraged her to come back when the waves were good. She did, and she loved it. Any suggestions for newbies hitting the surf that will help them to have a better experience?

Yes! The first thing is to be patient. Surfing is so much more than actually catching waves. You have to learn all the pieces – how to paddle, how to sit on your board, how to wait for a wave, and timing. The second thing is to find a good teacher. Someone patient and stoked too. And then you have to practice. Over and over and over. If that’s still fun, then you’re likely a lifer.

Do all of your books have surfers in them?

Going Over the Falls is a family saga that’s set deep inside a surfing community, so yeah, everyone surfs. In Feeding the Fire, my hero, Zach, surfs but it’s only a very tiny part of the book. My main character in my bestselling mystery series, Cassidy Kincaid, is a surfer but only some books have actual surfing scenes. Surfing is a great way to show action and build tension.

What was your favorite surfing scene to write?

The climax of Going Over the Falls. It still gives me chills.

What has been your favorite book to write, and why?

Jeez, no way I can answer that. That would be like trying to choose a favorite child. My first book, Chasing Waves, the memoir about my surfing experience, was probably the most FUN book I’ve written. It felt like storytelling at it’s most pure. I didn’t worry about being judged, because it was my own experience, right? But the most REWARDING book I’ve written is my most recent, the finale in the Cassidy Kincaid mystery series, Cassidy’s Crusade. So many incredible pieces of the series came together, plus I added my FBI agent’s point of view to the story, meaning I was able to write from his and Cassidy’s perspective. The result was pretty magical.

How do you encourage your kids to stay fit? Do they like to surf?

My kids like to be outside just like I do, but to them, things like hiking is work. When they were little, I’d bribe them with gummy worms. They are getting more interested in things like skiing now, and we take long walks at our local trails. My youngest is getting really into dance, and my oldest is a swimmer. I think it’s important to recognize their interests and not try to force mine on them. If they don’t become surfers, I’m fine with that. They have to pave their own way.

When did you start writing and what inspired you to write?

See question 1! Surfing made me a writer. When I learned to surf, the experience of going through so much frustration and desire…I just couldn’t keep all of that inside. I had to share. So I started with little short stories and journal entries. Then an editor contacted me about my blog and asked if I would write a book. The rest is history!

Learn more about Amy and find her books at AMYWAESCHLE.COM. And if you haven’t already done it, get out there and give surfing a try!

PEN TO PAPER: Writing To Save My Life

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Several years ago I wrote an article about how writing literally saved my life after my fiancé was killed and I felt as if life wasn’t worth living. I never published the piece, but I hand it out when I speak to grief support groups, hoping that my experience with recovery will inspire others who are struggling. And now, I hope that by sharing it here, it will find it’s way to those in need…

 

“Writing to Save My Life”

Sonya G. Elliott

I wouldn’t have thought it could happen. Getting hit by a train and losing my fiancé just days before our wedding for one, but actually recovering from such a thing seems altogether unbelievable, even a miracle. And, of course, the fact that I survived was a miracle to my family and friends, but for me it was a death sentence that left me alone and struggling to go on with life. Had it not been for my journal, my writing, I may never have found my way.

I had played basketball for the Eastern Washington University Screamin’ Eagles from 1984 to 1988, then after graduating I moved to Seattle where I began working as a fashion model. Not the typical career choice for an athlete and honor student, but I had been a walking contradiction since I was a child, when I sat alone in the tall grass picking clovers and then quietly pushed myself to a stand and began walking for the first time. In high school I was the jock that sang solos in choir and did my homework. (I thought of myself as a well-rounded person, my classmates called me a nerd.) When I met Mark, I was still living a life of contradiction. I’d spend afternoons sashaying down the runway with my long blond hair piled high upon my head, then I’d rush home to scour the dark lining from my eyes and the red from my lips, and hurry to the nearest open gym to play basketball.

When I first saw Mark, I was running my fingers impatiently over my soft leather basketball waiting to play in the next game at Shoreline community center.My stomach fluttered as I watched him move swiftly around his defender with a hesitation dribble, and take the ball to the hoop. Laying the ball gently against the backboard, he made a quick pivot as the ball dropped through the net and then sprinted down on defense. A smile flickered on his lips. I held the ball tight in my hands. My mind was no longer on basketball.

I hadn’t really noticed a man since my boyfriend and I broke up three months earlier. But Mark, with his strong build, thick dark hair and smiling emerald eyes, had an unguarded confidence that demanded my full attention. As he glided effortlessly up and down the court, he hypnotized me with his command of the game. When I stepped onto the court to play against him, Mark was wearing a white cotton t-shirt with a blue Nike across the chest, and on his face he was wearing a broad smile.

“I’ve got her,” he said, bringing his lips together and looking me in the eye.

Playing basketball against a man tells me more about him than any date. I got to know the real Mark that afternoon. He didn’t give me a break. He took me to the hoop, crashed the boards, and stole my passes. He used his body to move me out of the way and get loose balls, and then he’d flash me a smile. Mark captured my heart with his intensity and teamwork each time down the court and my admiration was deepened by the chance to be near him. His unmistakable masculine scent was enhanced by the warmth of his body and became permanently ingrained in my mind as we moved on the court together.  I craved it like chocolate. I wished the game would never end.

When it did, Mark asked me to dinner and a Sonics game. Three months later we were engaged to be married. Basketball had been my life; now there was something better to live for, Mark. Inseparable, Mark and I mapped out our future. Our wedding, our home, our family and our life together. On our way home from our last wedding shower, eight months after our first date, the car that Mark and I were driving was hit by a train.

***

GAUBINGER IN INTENSIVE CARE

Gaubinger, Former University High School and Eastern Washington basketball player, remains in intensive care at Deaconess Medical Center with injuries sustained Sunday in a car-train accident near Ritzville.

Gaubinger, 25, was a passenger in a car driven by her fiancé, Mark Overholt, that was struck by a Burlington Northern train at a crossing on Snyder Road.  She was thrown through the rear window and suffered multiple fractures and a punctured lung.  She underwent six hours of surgery on Sunday.

Overholt, 25, died from internal injures at the site of the crash.

The article from the Spokesman Review detailed the obvious; what it couldn’t tell was the real story. By the time my parents rolled me out of the hospital in a wheelchair two weeks later, my broken body and mind had withered away. I couldn’t walk, let alone play basketball or strut down a runway. All I could do was cry and think of Mark. Mark and the future we had lost. The home, the children, the life we had foreseen was gone. I was a 25-year-old unofficial widow, drowning in sorrow. I had no reason to live.

But I lived. As much as I hated it, as each day passed, I lived. However, I lived with my parents, not my husband. I slept in a hospital bed in my parents’ living room. They cared for me, fed me, and bathed me. They wheeled me from room to room. The home’s circular path – dining room, kitchen, living room, bathroom, where I once chased my brother and dogs – now became my path of grief. While traveling this path of grief, my tears wore their own salty paths. Without my wanting or knowing, with the drop of each tear, my journey of recovery began.

I spent most days in Dad’s La-Z-Boy watching vivid memories of Mark play over and over in my mind. My mom was unsure of what to say or do to help make things better for me.  When she asked if she could help, “No” was my reply. Then a day came when she didn’t ask. Instead she pulled out a small book, with blue and white floral fabric for the cover, and rested it gently in my lap. It was a journal.

“I hope you’ll try writing in it,” she said cautiously. “Remember, the counselor thought it might be a good idea.”

I looked at the journal. Skeptical. Unsure if I could write at all, but more so, unsure if I dared follow the feelings deep in my heart. I set the journal aside.

“Thanks Mom,” I said, with no intent of ever dirtying the journal’s soft white pages.I was still hoping this was all a nightmare, that I might awake one day and have my life with Mark again.

More than a month after the accident, after Mark had died, and after getting rid of the contraption in the dining room that doubled as my bed, I moved to my old high school bedroom. The first night that my dad wheeled me in to go to bed, I noticed the floral journal across the room and asked dad to wheel me to the desk and get me a pen. Dad returned with a blue Bic and gave me a goodnight kiss. The scent of pine followed him out the door and when the door was closed, I reached for the pen. Gripping the pen awkwardly with my weakened hand, I was barely able to hold the journal in place while dragging the pen across the page with my broken limb. But once I began to write, all the pain I’d held inside flooded the pages. I wrote the obvious. I wrote the unthinkable. And as tears streamed down my face, I wrote to save my life.

The truth was out. It was in writing. Mark was dead and my life was over. How could I live without him? That was a question that couldn’t be answered, couldn’t be faced; instead it was the writing and the motion of life itself that kept me moving moment by moment, day by day, in the direction of change. Swimming through a pool of vivid memories that flooded my mind, I lived in the past, as my life moved forward. But I wasn’t ready to let go of the memories, to let go of Mark. I couldn’t say goodbye. Instead, as day turned to night and I was wheeled to my childhood desk, I grabbed my pen and left my heart on the page. I wrote of the pain in my heart and I wrote to Mark to keep him a part of my life.

Days became weeks. My wheelchair, left in the corner for long excursions, was replaced by a quad-cane. I walked to my desk under my own power. I continued to write. The pain in my heart wouldn’t stop, nor would my crying. I wrote about my pain. Then I wrote about Mark. I started a list that had everything about Mark that I could remember. The list grew quickly, but it seemed stale and empty. My words couldn’t emulate the vibrancy that was so much a part of each story found on the list. But once I realized this list was the only way each beautiful moment with Mark could be remembered and forever replayed in my mind, I made myself continue to write.

In time I exchanged the quad cane for a cane. I moved more quickly and with less pain. My scars faded. And with that shift came a new reality that I struggled with daily. How would I live without Mark? No longer did I write, I cannot live without Mark, but instead asked, how will I live without Mark? A subtle shift, gone unseen by me at the time, but a shift all the same, that kept me moving forward. As I wrote of the pain, and allowed that part of me to escape, new words hit the pages that began to fill the emptiness in my heart with hope.

I said goodbye to my cane and my parents. I found a job as an apartment manager which allowed me to live alone. I modeled for clients who were willing to work around my scars. Life had possibilities. Not of happiness, of course, that was out of the question, but of living. And part of living now was writing. When I wrote, the pages were still left wet with tears. Each time I set down my journal, the writing had pushed me forward and pushed me to live.

I began dribbling a basketball. My arm hung by my side like a stroke victim’s but I dribbled the ball. It was like being seven again. An awkward seven learning a new skill, and with that “new skill” came feeling of accomplishment. I wrote in my journal, I will play basketball again. Life continued to move forward.

I filled a second journal quickly. People were surprised by how well I was coping but my journal held the truth, the pain and the loneliness. All the things I didn’t dare let go in public for fear the tears would never stop. I was walking the road of grief and it was hard.

Eight months after the accident, a friend of Mark’s invited me to watch his high school baseball team play.  “You’ve gotta see this one kid. He looks just like Mark,” he said. I went to the game. I wasn’t sure how well I could handle seeing someone that looked like Mark, but I took a chance. And when I saw the right fielder flash Mark’s smile, it was like seeing just a small piece of Mark, and it was worth it.

Near the end of the game, an opposing batter swung at a pitch and sent a foul tip flying up behind the catcher.  The catcher whipped his mask off and spun around in search of the ball.  I stared in surprise. The catcher looked just like Jason. I had met Jason in college. We were both athletes and ran into one another frequently in the corridors of the athletic pavilion. We had been close friends in college but I hadn’t seen him in years.

I thought of Jason. And because of it, I suffered. Thinking of another man weighed on my soul. And then there came a moment when I did the unthinkable, a moment when there was a lull in my guilt, and I called Jason. Talking to him was like talking to my best friend.  Weeks passed, we spoke on the phone often, until I agreed to meet for lunch. I kept Jason a secret, afraid of what family and friends might think. But slowly, without pressure or promise, our relationship grew. And as I worked through my grief and guilt, and filled more pages of my journal with writing and tears, we became a couple.

Something I believed could never happen, did happen. I had met a man who was so warm and caring that I began to hope I might find love again. And as I made journal entries, happy times that I shared with Jason appeared on the pages mixed with painful memories of Mark. When I struggled with the guilt, guilt that I had survived, guilt that I was beginning to enjoy my life again, and guilt for having feelings for another man, I turned to writing even more. And as I soaked more pages of my journal with tears, my heavy heart lifted until I began dreaming of a future, a future with Jason.

The night Jason and I entered the cemetery, hand in hand, moonlight broke through the darkness just enough so that we could read the flat tombstones that led like a garden path to Mark’s grave. We walked in silence, and then came to a stop at the spot where Mark lay deep in the ground. Tears filled my lower lids. My grip on Jason’s hand tightened. Then I knelt to the ground and placed roses in Mark’s vase. Jason knelt down next to me, and we stayed that way for a long time before we moved on to our backs. Lying side by side on Mark’s grave, our hands intertwined, we gazed into the star-filled sky.

“What was Mark like?” Jason asked. I took a long deep breath and then let it escape, unsure of how I should answer. Then I gave a lengthy answer no new boyfriend or lover would want to hear.  An uncensored description of the man I had loved so dearly and, after this night, a man to whom I would finally have to say good-bye. Jason asked about Mark until the night grew cold and the closeness of our bodies could no longer keep us warm. The stories spilled out, one by one, finally giving way to my pent-up sorrow.  Jason pulled me in against his chest and held me while I cried. Though my relationship with Jason may have come too soon and at a time that was difficult for us both, I had found another man who loved me, and now I needed to slowly let go of the past and find a way to return that love.

It was my writing that allowed me to do that. I had waded through layers of sadness and guilt each time I wrote, forging a road to happiness and to a new life with Jason. On November 8th, 1993, I wrote in my journal, and with my writing, I spoke to Mark.

 It wasn’t until just now, when I wrote the date, that I realized that two years ago Mark and I were to be married.  It came as a shock to look at the date and think back to a time that seems so far away, yet in a breath feels like yesterday.  Tears come to my eyes as I think of Mark and all I’ve been through.

      I see more than ever that my life has changed.  It will never be the same, but once again I’m sharing my life and my love with someone very special. I love Jason, and I don’t want to lose what we have together. On this day, a day that was supposed to be so special 2 years ago, it is good to know in my heart that I want to be married to Jason and I am not afraid. I love you, Jason! Life is so worth living, especially when you have someone to share it with.

     Mark, I will always love you, you hold a special place in my heart. Thanks for all your strength.

It was on that day, over twenty-five years ago, that I realized the strength of the written word. The words that filled my journals guided me toward living, to a point in my life where I was strong enough to move forward, to marry Jason, to have children, and to live a life filled with love and hope. I have never forgotten Mark, but I have learned to let go, to remember the energy with which Mark lived his life, and to use it as an example for how to live mine. I am forever grateful for the short time I had with Mark, the life I now have with Jason and my family, and the written word that helped me find my way.

The End

 

Grieving is hard.

Journaling was an important piece of my recovery, but there are many things that can help you find your way through the hard times. If you are struggling, take care of yourself and allow yourself time to cry, but also get out of the house from time to time and do things that you enjoy, or used to enjoy, because just trying them can make a difference. Write down your thoughts, take time to breathe, ask for help, and again, don’t forget to cry when you need to and even when you don’t. Be good to yourself, as with many things in life, grieving is a journey, so keep moving forward one step at a time, and you will find your way.

Has writing helped you during your lifetime? What other things have helped when you’re struggling?

 

 

PEN TO PAPER: Be Specific

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Putting down on paper exactly what you want to share, being specific, is an easy way to bring more depth or color to your writing. Instead of tree, tell the reader what kind of tree. Instead of flower, give the reader a rose, a carnation, a lily. The reader will see, and smell and feel the difference. What kind of dog? Boxer, bulldog, jack russel terrier, shar pei or mutt. Show them. Let the reader see the furniture; chaise lounge, broken wooden stool, over-stuffed sofa. There are times when a basic word is all you need, but think about how you are painting a picture for the reader.

Let me show you what I’m talking about. Let’s start with a basic sentence:

The dog ran across the grass to the woman under the tree.

You could make a simple change to:

The beagle sprinted across the grass to Elizabeth who was standing under the pine tree.

Or you might try:

The white poodle skittered across the tight green grass to her owner who was sitting in a pale pink tennis skirt under the shade of a giant oak.

Or maybe:

The bullmastiff lumbered across the dry grass and up to a frail woman who was sitting on a wooden bench. He nuzzled her hand with his muzzle, and leaving her raincoat wet with drool, waddled over and peed on the stump of an old cedar.

These aren’t perfect, but I hope you can see how being more specific can draw a totally different picture?

For today’s writing prompts, let’s give it a try…

WRITING PROMPT 1: Use the example above, the dog ran across the grass to the woman under the tree, and write one or two examples of your own being specific.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Choose your own basic sentence to expand upon.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Samantha was learning to be more specific in her writing but…

 

PEN TO PAPER: Picture Not-So-Perfect Writing

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I like to freewrite from a picture. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just something that inspires you to sit down and put your thoughts on the page. The picture might send you down a personal path, bring back memories of the time you and your brother built mud houses for hours in the back yard or it might jump start your new novel. You never know. Just take a look at this picture or grab one of your own and get to work!

WRITING PROMPT: Use this photo or one of your own, set a timer and write!

PEN TO PAPER: Keep It Simple

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Sometimes I want to do a quick free write, so I keep it simple. I grab the nearest book, open it up and put my finger down on the page. The first word I read is my starting point. Right now the closest book to me is The Everything Learning German Book (I’m working on learning more than just Hallo and Auf Wiedersehen). The word my finger hit is ALONE. Had it been a German word, I would have used that as my starting point. Occasionally I pick one or two more words to use as well. Do whatever feels right, just WRITE!

Another simple way to find a writing prompt is to act like a three-year-old and look around the room and then pick out an item that speaks to you. For example, looking across my kitchen right now, I see my daughter’s cactus sitting in the windowsill. I have been babysitting it since she left to Taiwan a year and a half ago. She has stayed there because Covid19 is controlled in that country and she can live safely. Not only does that plump little cactus make a good story all it’s own, I now feel all sorts of stories ready to escape.

Don’t make it hard on yourself, pick out a word or an object, and just sit down and write.

WRITING PROMPT 1: Choose a word (or two or three) from a book or magazine, and write.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Look around you, what object speaks to you? Use that object as a starting point and write.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Jasmine set her book, The Great Pretenders, down, looked around her room and…

PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: The Art of Rebounding

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The Art of Rebounding by Charli Elliott

“I’m hungrier than those other guys out there. Every rebound is a personal challenge.”

                                                                                                      -Dennis Rodman

As a 5’8” power forward at Pacific University, I led our team in rebounding and our 4’11” point guard was often the 2nd or 3rd leading rebounder. You know what that means? Rebounding has a lot more to do with determination than with height.

REBOUNDING IS THE KEY TO VICTORY

Every rebound is a possession. Every possession is a chance for your team to score.

I’m sure you’ve heard your coach harping on it. I’m sure you’ve heard, “block out!” screamed from the sidelines. And maybe you’re a decent rebounder. You know the basics, how to call “shot”, how to turn and block out, make contact with your player. But how do you take your rebounding to the next level?

BECOMING A LEADING REBOUNDER

First, know where the rebound is going.

There are statistics on where the rebound will go based on where the shot is taken. A long shot usually means a long rebound, a shot from the left side of the hoop often bounces off to the right, this sort of thing. It’s important to know these basics facts, but who’s thinking stats in the middle of a game? No one. You need to develop a sense of where the ball is going, before it even leaves the shooters hand.

How do you get this sense? 

Practice. When you’re rebounding for a teammate during drills, pay attention to the flight of the ball and then go after it like you’re in a game. Track the shots and try to keep the ball from hitting the ground. When you’re on the sidelines in practice, watch your teammates shoot. Before the ball even hits the rim, try to figure out where you would need to be to get the rebound. The more you understand the flight of the ball, the better you’ll be at positioning yourself for the rebound.

How do you get yourself into position?

Box out. Block out. Whatever you want to call it. Put a body on someone. You’ve heard it all before. How many of us actually do, legitimately find someone every single time a shot goes up? If you put your hand up, you’re lying. But a solid block out every time should be the goal you’re striving for.

Create space for yourself by pushing your man either out of the key or under the basket. (But don’t get stuck too far under the hoop). And if you end up behind your man, make a swim-move around your player, and get your position back. And then go get the ball.

How do you get the ball?

Rebounding is all about hustle, heart and determination. You have to be willing to chase after Every. Single. Board. You’ve got to be scrappy. Watch the flight of the ball and then go after it. You have to take pride in your rebounding. It sounds trite, but it’s true.

How to get even more rebounds?

Work as a team. If everyone blocks out, you and your team will get more rebounds. If you’re a post player, I’m sure you know the feeling of working hard to block out your player, and then having some little guard come traipsing in to steal the rebound because your teammate didn’t block her out. Nothing is worse. Everyone must make contact, and then release and go after the ball. When this happens, you will be better and so will your team.

I spent my entire college career guarding women who were at least five inches taller than I was, and often larger. Yet even with that disadvantage, there were many times throughout my career that I led our conference in offensive boards. I knew I wasn’t going to be the best shooter, the best playmaker, or the best ball handler on our team, but I knew the one thing I could do, was out-work and out-hustle every other person on the court. I could become a great rebounder. I got stronger in the weight room. I paid attention to my teammate’s shots in practice. I learned little tricks, like tipping the ball to myself, or swimming around an opponent. And when push came to shove, I was willing to give everything I had to get the boards.

If you have the heart and the desire to become a better rebounder, and are willing to put in the work, whether you’re tall or short, you too, can learn to dominate the boards.

Charli Elliott was a 4-year starter for Pacific University Women’s Basketball team as well as a Captain and 4-year starter for the West Seattle girls basketball team (2015 Metro League Champions/ 5th in WA State). She is living in Taiwan, studying Chinese, blogging about her travels and writing her first novel.

PEN TO PAPER: Look At The World Around You

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It’s pretty drab in Seattle right now. Grey skies, drizzle, drizzle and more drizzle. When I walk my pup to the view of the water, the clouds and fog are so thick, that on many days there is no view. This can be a downer, but if you think like a writer you can put your environment to work, even on the darkest of days.

There are always interesting things to write about. Look close. Go on a walk and watch as steam seeps out and rises from under the deck of the house you pass, notice the twisted trunk of the Italian Plum tree and the moss that creeps and covers it’s limbs. Feel awakened by the cool air that chills your sinuses each time you breathe. Be grateful for the splash of unexpected color when a blue jay drops onto the sidewalk in front of you and then flits away.

Go beyond your first reaction to the day and go deeper. Even when it’s bright and beautiful, really look at the world around you. I’m not the best at this. I tend to walk and listen to my audio book or think to myself, but sometimes it’s a way to appreciate the little things, and an even better way to start off a writing prompt.

WRITING PROMPT 1:Take a walk in your neighborhood. Look closely at everything and everyone that you pass, and then come home and write about it.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Look out your window. Describe in detail what you see.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Monica stormed out of the house, down the street and…

 

PEN TO PAPER: Reach Out

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…And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us 

but what stands before us

We close the divide because we know, to put our future first

we must first put our differences aside

We lay down our arms

so we can reach out our arms

to one another…

                  – Amanda Gorman (excerpt from  “The Hill We Climb”)

Today I’m talking poetry, something I know nothing about. I appreciate it and occasionally make an effort at it, but that’s about it. And I really like it as way to start a freewrite. In fact, after hearing Amanda Gorman read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the Presidential Inauguration, my writing partner Jenny and I, were inspired to write poetry. Read the “The Hill We Climb” in its entirety to get inspired for today’s writing prompts, and then take a deep breath, and go…

WRITING PROMPT 1: What inspires you? Write a poem about it.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Put the word UNITED at the top of the page, then write.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Grace wasn’t a poet, but she sat down at her desk, pulled out a pen and…

 

LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Happy Hill Day

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I’ve talked about how I like doing stairs. It’s a good way to get a workout in a short period of time and the set near me has a beautiful view of the city.

Yesterday I ran (okay maybe jogged is the right word) to a spot where I planned to do a few sets of stairs and run some hills. Well as I was doing my slow warm up jog, I came to a hill and it was so hard to go up it that I stopped and walked. And let me tell you, the hill was not steep!

I’m not sure what it is for me, but it’s easier to go a shorter distance at a faster speed, even up a hill, as opposed to a longer distance at a slower pace (except walking). That’s probably why marathons don’t sound very fun to me. The crazy thing is, last year when I saw the RedBull 400 Race, where you run 400 meters straight up a ski slope, I thought, wow that looks awesome, I want to do that! My family thinks I’m crazy, but it’s on my list of things to do. Wait, did I just put that in writing? Yikes!

Anyway, a short fast run is more to my liking. So even though I couldn’t even jog up the hill on my way to run hills, when I got to my chosen hill/stair spot, I sprinted (this may be an exaggeration) right up the hill, five times, with a couple sets of stairs in between.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, we are all so different, and we have different likes. Likes that even change and grow over time. So celebrate the things that you love and get out there and do them. And if you feel like it, find a slope that’s right for you, and try a few hills.

Happy Hill Day!

PS: be sure to warm up good first

PEN TO PAPER: Fingers To Keys

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It’s been a while since I’ve written by hand. I wrote the first draft of my memoir, Back On The Court, by hand. At least a majority of it. I wrote it in journals, the cheap black and white ones that college students get for class notes. It worked great, because as I transferred the writing from the notebooks to my computer, I edited the work. I even felt that I was more creative when I was writing by hand.

Now I write almost exclusively on my computer. Maybe I’m just lazy, or maybe it’s because it’s so hard to keep up with my thoughts when I write by hand. Or it could be that because my writing is so sloppy these days, I can’t read half of what I’ve written. I’m not sure, but even though I do enjoy writing by hand from time to time, other than some freewrites, I stick to writing on the computer these days.

In the end, I think that you should do what works best for you and which ever helps you to get words on the page.

What method do you use when you write?

WRITING PROMPT 1: put these two words at the top of the page, I WRITE, and then put your pen to paper or fingers to keys and go for it.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Pick the method that you use the least, and write a few paragraphs that might be used in a piece that you are currently working on.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Emily closed up her laptop, looked at her blank notebook and…

 

PEN TO PAPER: The Trash Can Is Your Friend

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Do you ever think, my writing sucks!

Well, you’re not the only one. I think we all feel that way from time to time, I know I do. And sometimes my writing does suck, and that’s okay. You can’t expect your writing to always be perfect, or even good. It is all part of the process of getting better.

I love the quote, “The Trash Can Is Your Friend,” by Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale, because it gives you the go ahead to give up. I don’t mean on your writing, I’m the queen of never giving up when it comes to writing and life, but there are times when what we’ve written, is just there to get us better. It’s our practice.

And just like any other practice, (let me use basketball as an example since it’s my other love), it’s not always perfect. There were practice days, as both a coach and a player, when I was grateful that it wasn’t a game day. Days that were terrible. But you know what? I still learned from those days. Just like you learn from all the hours that you put into writing.

Sometimes our writing just needs editing (actually it always needs editing), and sometimes a piece of work should just be tossed into the trash (like the first two chapters of my novel).

Trash can or not, each minute spent writing means you’re one step closer to being the writer that you want to be.

WRITING PROMPT 1: Write TRASH at the top of the page and start writing.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Take a piece of writing that you are not happy with, toss it in the trashcan and start on something new.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Jacob walked down the alley, kick over the trash can and…

 

PEN TO PAPER: Animal Inspiration

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Today’s writing prompt is an easy one. It’s about animals. Do you have a favorite animal? A favorite pet? Maybe you love going to the zoo and watching the giant hippos glide through the water and then plod across the shore, maybe you are inspired by the graceful neck of the giraffe. Maybe you don’t know what you’d do without your pet tabby cat that you rescued when Covid hit or maybe you are attracted to a dog that sheds non-stop, farts more than your husband and slobbers on your pants every time he walks away from his water bowl and sets his jowls on your thigh. Or maybe you are not a fan of animals at all. Whatever the case, animals can be great writing inspiration.

Pick one or more prompts and let your pen and mind get to work. Write on!

WRITING PROMPT 1: Write about your favorite, or least favorite, animal. Think about why you chose this animal. Maybe there is even more for you to write about?

WRITING PROMPT 2: Choose an animal and then write for a bit from their point of view.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Cassandra opened the door and called for Casper again. It wasn’t like him to…

PEN TO PAPER: New Year’s Goals

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I’ve never been one to set New Year’s resolutions, but I am a goal-setter, which I suppose isn’t so different. I guess my tendency to shy away from New Year’s resolutions comes from my long held belief that they are unsuccessful. In fact, a quick Google search on history.com confirmed my thinking, while as many as forty-five percent of Americans say they usually make New Year’s resolutions, only eight percent are successful in achieving their goals.

Still, setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation, so if a New Year’s resolution does that for you, go for it. Or if you’re like me, don’t put so much pressure on yourself and simply call them goals, that happen to take place at the beginning of the year.

Many wishes for a healthy and happy New Year! Write on!

WRITING PROMPT 1: Write down your writing goals for this year

WRITING PROMPT 2: Write about what you are looking forward to in 2021

WRITING PROMPT 3: Olivia pondered her New Year’s resolutions, then she…

PEN TO PAPER: Be Present, Connect & Listen

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Last Thursday when my friend Jenny and I did our freewrite, we chose three words from her Anchored Card Deck. The words were Presence, Connect and Listen. My fingers flew across the keys, what powerful words to focus on during the holidays, and especially during a pandemic.

It can be difficult to be present. With bills and work, and these days the constant worry about everyone’s health, stress levels are high. And my to-do list seems to get longer everyday. But, this is also when I use my past, my history with loss, to remind myself to slow down, to be present. If you’ve lost people you love, you know what I’m talking about.

Sometimes I have to have a little conversation with myself. Sonya, who cares if the house is a messy, hang out with your son, he will be back at college soon. Enjoy walks with your husband and watching basketball when there are dishes in the sink. Forget about the other stuff, be truly present.

Yes, presence is worth writing about and thinking about and doing.

And who doesn’t need to connect right now? Most of us are living within our bubbles, working to keep others safe. So for ourselves, and others, we need to look at how we can connect with our friends and loved ones, and maybe even people who we don’t know as well. Set up a zoom meeting, text or just pick up the phone and call. These are difficult times, look at how you can connect.

Listen. Ah, what a word (And it fits so well with the other two). A reminder to listen, just listen. Listen to your spouse, listen to your friends, listen to your kids, listen to the teller at the grocery store, listen to your favorite music, and listen to the rain on your rooftop. There is so much to the word. A perfect word for writing inspiration.

When pulling cards from the deck of inspirational words, Jenny often says that you pull the words you need most (even if you don’t realize it at the time). I can tell you one thing. These three words were not only great as a writing prompt, they were definitely ones that I needed to be reminded of.

Try putting these words to work with the writing prompts below, and think about how they can enrich your life as well… Presence, Connect and Listen.

WRITING PROMPT 1: Use one or all these words, and start writing. Presence. Connect. Listen.

WRITING PROMPT 2: incorporate presence, connect and listen into a poem

WRITING PROMPT 3: With his airbuds jammed into his ears and the hood of his black AC/DC hoodie drooped across his forehead, nearly covering his eyes, Adam sat in the corner…

PEN TO PAPER: Food For Thought

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I love food. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just good. Still, as I write this blog I realize that I’m known to take pictures of my food. Do I just want to remember how good it was? Do I want a picture to remind me of that time and the experience? I’m not sure, but I do know that food is a huge part our lives and that’s why it can be a great starting point for writing.

Our meals not only give us nutrients but they become a bigger part of our lives in different ways. For some people, one of the best parts of a meal is putting it all together. I enjoy cooking, but I certainly don’t love it. My friend Kathy, on the other hand, loves to cook and bake (Instagram @lick.the.plate). She baked the beautiful Bolo Polana cake in the photo above (Recipe from “In Bibi’s Kitchen” by Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen). I’m inspired by all the amazing food and drink recipes she makes and shares. I’ve made several and have a list going for future endeavors.

Along with cooking the food, there’s the savoring of it. How it touches our senses as well as our hearts and souls. Past meals bring memories of sadness, laughter and pure joy. Meals are a part of us and make us who we are. Think about the foods that you love. Does a ripe mango make your mouth water or do you dream of fillet mignon? What are some of the best meals that you’ve experienced? Are they quiet meals alone or have they been giant spreads shared with extended family and friends? Consider your meals and your relationship with food and then put your pen to paper, and go!

WRITING PROMPT 1: Write about your favorite, or least favorite, meal. Describe how the meal looks, tastes, smells. Where were you? Who else was there? How did the food, the environment make you feel?

WRITING PROMPT 2: What does food means to you?

WRITING PROMPT 3: Louisa set down her fork and…

Photo credit: @lick.the.plate – recipe from “In Bibi’s Kitchen” by @hawahassan and @turshen

 

PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: Make The Little Things Count

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Living through a pandemic makes for hard times, and not being able to play basketball makes it even more difficult. Playing basketball has always helped me when times were tough. But full court basketball is not possible, and not safe, in most places right now. Still, with many gyms closed and a lot of outdoor courts unusable due to winter weather, you can always find ways to work on your game.

The number one thing to do is to stay in shape. You can do basic home exercise: sit-ups, push-ups, burpies, etc. on your own, or there are a lot of workout routines online to help you stay motivated. If you’re lucky, you may have a basement or room where you can dribble a ball and work on ball handling skills. (My kids dribbled balls and played catch in our house, but that was never allowed in my childhood home, so this may not be an option for you.) But, even if you can’t dribble in the house, there are a few things that you can do to help your ball handling.

One is to use your non-dominant hand to do things around the house. If you’re right handed use your left hand, and visa versa. Do this when you brush your teeth, drink your water, open a door. Everything that you can possibly do with your non-dominant hand, do it. This can help your ball handing by developing strength and coordination in your weaker arm. I know from experience. I spent months with my broken right arm in a sling and my left hand took over and grew much stronger. Adding some hand, wrist and forearm exercises can help too.

So if you’re stuck inside this winter (keeping you and others in your community safe) control the things that you can control, and work on your game in little ways. Use your non-dominant hand around the house and after you finish your schoolwork (or work), or during a break, do a basic workout and add some hand strengthing exercises to your routine. (links below) Even if you can’t play basketball right now, doing a few little things will pay off for you when you get back on the court.

What suggestions do you have for improving your game while in quarantine?

Hand, Wrist & Forearm Strengthening Exercises Dr. Levi Harrison (orthopedic surgeon)

Yoga For Hands, Fingers, Wrists | 11-Minute Yoga Quickie | Yoga With Adriene

 

PEN TO PAPER:  Mining Memories

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When I was working on my memoir Back On The Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return To Life, Love & Basketball, parts of my life that I had forgotten, came back to me while I was writing. For example, while writing a scene that took place in my roof top studio apartment near Green Lake, I was transported back to that time and place, and then remembered talking to my mom about getting engaged that day. I had totally forgotten about the conversation, but the memory just moved through my fingers and onto the page.

It’s interesting how the mind works. How it store memories, good and sometimes a little scary, in its nooks and crannies. Below are a few simple writing prompts to work from, to see what you might discover. Fiction or nonfiction, let your mind have some fun.

WRITING PROMPT 1: I don’t remember when…

WRITING PROMPT 2: I forgot…

WRITING PROMPT 3: Tanner relaxed on the bed, closed his eyes and let his mind wander until…

 

LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Wonder Walk

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With shorter days, inclement weather, and a pandemic, sometimes it’s hard to find inspiration (and a place), to workout. I walk my dog, which gets me out moving, but he’s older and his walks are shorter, so they don’t do a whole lot for me. So recently, I decided to take a second walk each day, and it’s been awesome.

You might not think that walking is a workout, and granted it’s not like playing a game of basketball. But it is something that most of us can do, even if we need to get some snowshoes to do it. It’s helped me feel more fit, and just getting out of the house for some fresh air, has been good for my mental health.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a brisk walk can help you live a healthier life. It can help you to maintain a healthy weight, prevent or manage conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, help strengthen your bones and muscles, and improve your balance, coordination and mood.

A 2014 Stanford study, Give Your Ideas Some Legs, found that walking increased creative output by an average of 60 percent. They found that, “walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.”

Who can’t use a little more creativity? I know I sure can.

So on those days when you don’t feel like doing a “workout”. Give yourself a break, go for a walk and let your mind wander. You’ll actually be getting a workout and who knows what wondrous idea you’ll come up with.

 

PEN TO PAPER: Plotter vs Pantser

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Have you heard of Plotters and Pantsers? Well, I’m a Pantser, with a touch of Plotter. A Pantser is a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, just sits down and writes without much detailed planning. A Plotter is a writer who plans out their novel before they start writing it. Most people fit more into one category, but really both processes take place during the writing of a novel.

For example if you’re a Pantser, you normally have at least a vague idea of where you’re going before you start. With my current novel, I was driving home from a writing conference when the concept came to me. I imagined the storyline, and made a storyboard with pictures that I cut from magazines and pasted along a timeline, to help me see where the story was going. So you might call this some minimal planning, but when I started the novel, I just sat down and wrote, unsure of where it would take me.

Now that I’m nearing the end of the book, I’m starting to look at what’s missing and am beginning to weave bits and pieces back into the writing. Last week I decided to make changes to the first chapter, so I went back and edited and edited and edited. Now I need to make adjustments throughout the book. It’s the first draft, so it’s simply part of the process. I worked this way when I wrote my memoir too. Of course I had a basic understanding of what was going to happen in the story, it was a memoir after all, but there were a lot of different directions that I could have gone, so it took a lot of writing and editing and reworking to get the story the way I wanted it.

When I’m writing, I see the story happening like a movie in my mind, but the details don’t always make it onto the page. My finger’s don’t seem to be fast enough to keep up with the story that is traveling through my head. In my novel, what I missed in world building and character development the first time through, is getting filled in during edits. And in both my memoir and my current novel, I eventually cut the first few chapters and the books started in totally different places than I first envisioned. As a Pantser, the writing process needs to be fluid.

If you’re a Plotter, you know what direction you’re going. You have a detailed plan. You’ve charted out plotlines, developed characters and designed and built the world where your novel will happen. Still, once it’s time to write the novel, Plotters are Pantsers too, because when they sit down to write, they have to do just that, write. And whether your book is all planned out or not, when the writing actually begins, all kinds of ideas and twists and turns take place that you may never have expected. So even most Plotters allow themselves to go down side roads along the way, because that’s when the magic happens.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Plotter or a Pantser, what’s important is to simply write.

WRITING PROMPT 1: If you’re a Pantser, take a few minutes to look closer at where your book is going as far as the storyline and plot, or write a character sketch of one of your main characters. If you’re a Plotter, just sit your butt down and write and see what happens.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Can being a Plotter or a Pantser help you in your daily life? Maybe writing down more goals (Plotter) or being more spontaneous (Pantser). Write about it.

WRITING PROMPT 3: Lilly never broke the rules, and she was afraid of heights, so as she stepped to the cliff’s edge, where she was now trespassing on the Anderson’s property, and looked to the water below she…

PEN TO PAPER: Audio Inspiration

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I’ve been re-reading, or should I say listening to, my favorite books on writing. When I take my pup on his daily walk I put in my new AirPods  (No more fighting with my tangled ear buds as I head out the door), load my audio book and go. While I stroll the sidewalks, the red and orange leaves that scatter my path help transport the words and their inspiration into my mind. Thoughts on how to establish a more consistant writing schedule, how I might make adjustments to a character, and even thoughts on a new twist for my ending, drift around in my head. I always walk away with new tidbits to chew on.

I’ve got three books going at the same time right now (probably not a great idea, but they’re all quite different), so I just continue on with whichever I’m in the mood for that day. One that I love is On Writing by Stephen King (I’m not into horror novels, but I totally connect to King’s thoughts on writing). I’m also listening to Save The Cat by Jessica Brody, which is helpful to me because I’m not a planner, I don’t start with a tight structure in mind. I started my novel with an overarching idea, wrote a lot of scenes and then brought them together. Her book is helping me, by getting me to look closer at the structure. And the third audio book that I have going is This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley. It’s got me putting my butt down in front of my computer more; hence my novel is into its final chapters.

I plan on listening to the rest of the books from my list throughout 2020. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve read some of them but I’ve kept them around in paperback for a reason. They inspire me. I hope you find inspiration in some of them as well, and I would love to hear about writing books that you might recommend.

Write On!

WRITING PROMPT 1: Write for 5 minutes on how you will commit to your writing.

WRITING PROMPT 2: Candice set her book, If You Want To Write, on her milkcrate side table and…

Books On Writing

PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: Connect With Your Teammates

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Is there a player on your team who drives you crazy? That is too serious or goofs around too much. Maybe teases you or doesn’t pass you the ball. Or maybe there is some other reason that you don’t see eye to eye. If you have one of those players on your team, it’s time to look for a connection.

You may not care to make a connection. You may think that you have nothing in common with the teammate, but I think you’d be surprised. You can often find common ground if you make an effort, and doing so is one of the best ways to make your team stronger. Hopefully your coach is helping you and your teammates to get to know one another better by doing teambuilding activities and spending fun time together, but if not, try reaching out to your teammates more and see what happens.

It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture; simple comments on the court can make a difference.  Nice job. Thanks for the pass. You can do it. This type of communication brings players closer. Kindness goes a long way. You can ask them how their day went, or if the time is right and you’re feeling brave, delve deeper, into family and life experiences. You may find you have more in common than you think. Maybe you’re both Lady GaGa fans or you both love county music. You might learn you both have little brothers who drive you crazy or that you both have a parent from Italy.

As you get to know and understand one anther a change will happen, not only in your personal relationships with your teammates, but also in the way your entire team communicates. You might begin to understand that your teammate makes jokes or quits trying when they’re nervous, which gives you insight on how to support them, quell their nerves, and make your team stronger. When I was coaching I told my players that they didn’t need to be best friends with their teammates but that they should learn to respect and care about one another. Finding even small connections can help build a stronger team and make your time together on the court a lot more fun.

If you’re a captain, I’d recommend getting the team together to do some team building activities. If you’re not a captain, but your coach or captain hasn’t done any team building, it doesn’t hurt to make a suggestion to do so, or organize an activity yourself. There are tons of good activities. One easy and fun one is making Dream Boards. Just gather a bunch of magazines (that can be cut up), get paper, scissors and glue sticks (Ask your coach for help or have your teammates bring what they can) and then sit down and get to work having fun. Dream boards are simply that, creative posters that are plastered with your dreams. Any and all dreams. Just have fun.

When I was coaching I asked the players to share their Dream Boards and their dreams when they were done with them, and then we hung them on the locker wall right where we entered the locker. There are many ways to get to know your teammates better (More blog ideas…Team Building & I Like You’s), but the key is, as a team you all have a common goal, you want the team to get better. So the more you get to know one another, and the closer you become, the more likely it is that that goal will be accomplished. And you’ll have a blast along the way.

 

PEN TO PAPER: Deep Kindness

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I recently read the book Deep Kindness by Houston Kraft. It made me think about my life and how I can be more kind. It made me look at what real kindness means and how it can effect others and the world. What a great concept to write about…

WRITING PROMPT #1: What was the last kind thing that you did? Write about it. How did it make you feel?

WRITING PROMPT #2: Put the word KINDNESS at the top of a blank page. Start writing.

WRITING PROMPT #3: The second Daniel sat down at his desk something was wrong. Every morning for five years now, a note from Ellie had greeted him. The swirly heart dotting the “i” in her signature always made him smile, but this morning there was nothing. Daniel looked around the room and…

LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Keep It Handy

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I bought some dumbbells a few years ago. For a majority of the time they’ve been in a basket, on the landing at the top of the stairs. I envisioned doing yoga and exercises there in the cozy space, but for some reason that space, and the weights, rarely got used. During the summer I put the dumbbells, along with my yoga matt and a few other exercise gadgets, outside on the back patio and a used them a lot. But when the fall weather hit, up they went to the landing, where they sat.

Last week, I decided that I need to lift weights again. Although I would like to lift heavier weights, I don’t feel comfortable going to a gym right now with the pandemic, so I stationed my tiny bit of workout gear on our kitchen floor. It’s not the perfect place, but they are visable, and accessible, which in my case, makes working out, much more likely. It’s hard to ignore the pile when they stare at me while I’m standing at the kitchen island making breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.

The pile may not look that great sitting there on my kitchen floor, but gaining more tone is more important, and it’s not like I’m having company over with Covid anyway. However, when I can have people over again, maybe I’ll be a little more buffed. Whether it’s weights, your yoga matt, or your indoor bike trainer, try to store, or set up, your workout equipment where it’s handy, a place that is easy to access or maybe a spot in your house where you really enjoy going. Sometimes we need every little bit of help we can get to stay on track with our workouts. I know I do.

What helps you to stick with your workouts?

PEN TO PAPER: Missing You

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With Covid-19, many of us can’t be with the people we love. And if we do get to see them, we need to be careful. My daughter is safe in Taiwan, but she is far away. And I’ve only seen my parent’s twice in the last eight months, at a distance. Today’s wiritng prompt is for those who we miss. It can be kept to yourself, or better yet, mail it.

WRITING PROMPT: Write a letter to someone you miss right now.

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