Monday’s Pen to Paper: The Write Place
Where is your favorite place to write? I’m enjoying testing out different coffee shops in my neighborhood. And it’s interesting that each one has done its job and helped me to sit down and focus on writing. I don’t allow myself to get on the Internet; I just grab some tea, find a table, open my computer and write. It’s a beautiful thing.
Last Tuesday when a table behind me got really chatty I found that the noise melted away as I began to write, when I got chilly at another place I simply asked for more hot water for my tea and wrapped my scarf around my neck and last Friday when the only spot left in my chosen café was a battered old sofa, I thought about driving to a different location but instead curled up with my computer on my lap and got to work.
Each day I put in some good time writing. I finished an article that I’m going to start submitting this week, I wrote my blog and I added some pages to my novel. And although I know that some locations are more conducive to writing, I’m finding that the key component is the commitment to get the writing done.
Where are some of your favorite places to write?
WRITING PROMPT: Helen loved the beach, but today…
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Keeping The FUN In fundamentals!
Are you coaching young kids? Ones who don’t know anything about basketball? This can be a challenge, even more so if you played basketball at a higher level, because honestly it’s hard to remember the little parts of the game once they’ve become second nature.
I remember when a friend asked if I would coach our girls when they were in third grade, first I asked my daughter if she wouldn’t mind having me as her coach, then after accepting the position, I sat down and thought a lot about how to best use an hour of practice time with these young ladies. I had played basketball through college and had coached high school for many years, so I knew the game (and I was competitive), but I wanted these grade school girls to learn the game and have fun.
I started with the fundamentals on the court, doing my best to keep a basketball in their hands a majority of the time while I coached dribbling, passing and shooting, and added an emphasis on hard work, defense and togetherness. But I also taught some of the basics that are often forgotten, because I remember being frustrated when I went to high school and played volleyball for the first time. I didn’t understand the terms and rules of the game. I learned the rules of the game and how subbing worked the hard way, by doing it all wrong and getting yelled at. My coach even thought I was joking when I asked what side-out meant. I was not joking. I wanted the girls who I coached to understand all aspects of the game of basketball.
But most of all I wanted them to have fun. I love basketball and I wanted […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Set New Goals To Live Your Best Life In The New Year
Photo: Tim McGuire
It’s a new year and I’m starting off 2016 with some new goals. I’m not one to make New Year’s Resolutions, but I like setting a few goals, things to work toward in the new year.
2015 was a great year and I did my best to enjoy it up to the very end. And that doesn’t mean I partied the nights away up until New Years Eve (though that could have been fun), it means I simply relished uninterrupted time with my family. My daughter was home from college, my son was out of school on winter break and my husband was off of work for the last ten days of 2105. We played board games together, went for walks, had friends over, watched basketball, watched movies, ate a lot of good food, played basketball, played music, and just plain hung out. My kind of fun, though nothing got done.
Now it’s 2016, and it’s time to get back to work and start the year off right, because during my relaxing winter break, I didn’t write, I rarely worked out, I barely cleaned, and my Inbox went through the roof. The break was awesome, but it is time to get back to real life. Which brings me back to goals, my goals, the ones I set last week and had planned to implement today, Monday, January 4th, 2016. Well, guess what? I implemented what I had planned for the start of 2016!
I won’t tell you about all of my life’s goals, but I will tell you that one goal is to put into action a scheduled weekday writing time (one that’s a little flexible, because I know myself and I know if I don’t have some flexibility in […]
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Inspired to Work Hard
Last week I talked about hanging up my basketball shoes. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to play the way I want to play. And though I’ve found that this is how it works as I get older and don’t practice much, this feeling would hit me on occasion even when I was young. I LOVE basketball, but there were many times during my career when I went through slumps, times I literally feared the free throw line because I knew that my shot wouldn’t go in. One slump was so bad that during an overtime game against Idaho State, the entire opposing bench (including their coaches) yelled out, “foul number 10,” when they needed our team to go to the line so that they might have a chance to get the ball back.
I was #10.
It took a long time to recover from that, but the one thing that I found helped the most was, to do my best to clear my mind of the negative thoughts (that were mostly coming from me at that point), and simply keep working hard. Basketball is not an easy game and there are so many pieces that need to come together in a constantly changing environment, that it takes a lot of practice. And even with a lot of practice, you can never get everything perfect, just better. So if you’re struggling and wondering why you play this game, instead of stepping away from it, put some more time in on the court and you’ll not only improve, but you’ll find what it was that drew you to the game to begin with, why you play. It’s there that you will find inspiration.
The first time I went to see a basketball game when […]
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Preparation is the Key to Success
It’s that time of the year. Yes, it’s fall, but more important, it’s almost basketball season. And if you are an athlete, this means it’s time to get ready to get on the court. To get in basketball shape.
Nothing but playing basketball and doing basketball drills truly gets you in shape for running the court, but there are a lot of things that can help. If you are in a fall sport like soccer, you may still be in running shape but you might want to look at finding a couple of nights a week to shoot the ball, lift weights or play at open gyms. If you are in a fall sport, like golf, you might need to do a bit more so you can start the season in good condition.
I’m a proponent of young athletes playing different sports (read more in […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: What If The Zebras Lost Their Stripes?
This week my writing partner Jenny and I were talking about our favorite books for kids. One of my favorites growing up was Dr. Seuss’ McElligot’s Pool. Jenny had never heard of it so I ran to the basement and grabbed it. “I didn’t read much when I was young.” I told her, “but I loved this book.” And though I didn’t realize it at the time, McElligot’s Pool is about believing. Believing and dreaming of the future. And as I listened to Jenny read little Marco’s words out loud, I had forgotten how strong and clear I hear that message. I paged through the book when she was done. I had read this book a million times, and though I couldn’t have told you the little boy’s name, the one who sat holding a stick as a fishing pole, peering wide-eyed […]
PeaceLoveBasketball: Defense
I miss the gym. Basketball season is just around the corner and I’m chomping at the bit to get near a court. Both to watch and play. It’s been part of my life for so long it just doesn’t seem right to have been away for over a month.
My son had a pre-season rec-game last week and when I said I wanted to come watch, he whined and complained. He doesn’t realize that since I stepped down from coaching, I’ve been going through withdrawals. And they’ve been even worse since I injured my rotator cuff this summer, and haven’t been able to play. I miss the sound of the ball bouncing. I miss the sweat and the hustle and I miss watching and playing defense – my favorite part of the game.
Most think defense is boring, it certainly doesn’t get […]
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