Monday’s Pen to Paper: Escape
Though I’ve been known to write on my lap in the locker room at the YMCA, it often takes the right environment to get me going. A cozy cafe’, Norah Jones on the stereo, a hot latte’, it’s not always easy, especially because life seems to get in the way.
This morning I’m heating up some red wine and mulling spices on the stove top. Not to drink with my breakfast, but to fill the room with, what to me is, the fragrance of fall. And when I finish this blog I will make a cup of “Constant Comment” tea, turn off my wi-fi, and escape to my writing.
How will you construct an environment in which to write, or create?
WRITING PROMPT: Write about a time when you felt inspired to write, or were simply inspired.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Halloween Spirit
Halloween spirit
I finally put up a couple of skeletons, a gargoyle and some pumpkins yesterday to mark that Halloween is about to arrive. It’s almost basketball season so my mind has not been on this ghoulish holiday.
But yesterday, when my husband and I thought about costumes for a party this weekend, I realized that our family hadn’t carved pumpkins and there were no hints of the upcoming holiday to be seen in our house. This is what happens when the kids get older and priorities shift, I thought.
I used to always throw a party for the kids before Halloween. It was actually the only holiday that I didn’t leave out. The focus was decorating cupcakes. The kids dressed in costumes, bobbed for apples, unwound a yarn web that spun through the house and then loaded their cupcakes with candy. I always loved the creatures that they came up with. And now I had I found myself in a house lacking of Halloween spirit.
I don’t put decorations up early, not for any holiday. I like to wait until closer to the actual date before I bring its spirit to the house. But I definitely like to bring about a change.
I’m glad I didn’t let, life and basketball, stop me from this small task this year, because my husband and kids loved the transformation, and I have to admit, so did I.
Enjoy the season, basketball and the ghoulish one!
(below find a link to free Basketball worksheets & information on Halloween Cupcakes, for the upcoming season.)
Links to more ideas for Halloween Cupcakes: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/desserts/halloween-cupcakes-00100000087547/#7
Link to free Basketball worksheets and info: https://sonyaelliott.com/plb-free.html
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Forget and Move On
I’m running behind today.
It started with both cars refusing to start this morning and continued from there. But now I am at the computer with a cup of hot tea, ready to put in some writing time, and trying not to think of the new master clutch slave cylinder, serpentine engine belt and re-wiring for the jeep and the tow I will need tomorrow for the van.
Yep, I’m going to forget it all and move forward with my day.
WRITING PROMPT- option 1: Write about a time when your car left you stranded. (Feel free to share your experience in the comments).
WRITING PROMPT- option 2: Danica chewed on her lip as she walked to her car. She could not be late to work today so she had given herself some extra time. She hopped into her Jeep, set her brief case on the seat next to her and turned the key. Nothing. Her engine wouldn’t even crank. It didn’t make a noise…
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Share
I needed one small duffel for traveling in Africa. No fancy clothes, no make up, no hair dryer, just shorts and shirts. Okay, and a tooth-brush. But my friend and I traveled with two large bags packed to maximum capacity. (which I really didn’t like dragging from place to place.) Clothes, shoes, soccer balls, frisbees, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, journals, books. What ever we could cram into our luggage that the people, and the schools, in africa might need.
And there was a need.
We spoke with one principle in Zimbabwe that explained that her student’s were required to have a uniform to attend school but that was all. She said that kids walked for miles to come to school, most didn’t have food for lunch and many had no pencil or paper with which to take notes. But over 800 students were there when we arrived. All smiling.
We gave what we could.
The frisbees and soccer balls will give hours of exercise and entertainment. The pencils and paper will help nourish kids minds for a time. But our donations were not a permanent solution. I wish I’d had that. Still, I was so thankful I had dragged along the heavy bags giving the opportunity for a few more kids to learn, enjoy, succeed.
Someday, I would like to go back to Africa. Spend more time with the people. This trip I brought many of my PeaceLoveBasketball shirts and baby onesies and gave them away as well as the school items. In the future, I would love to work with the kids, teach them basketball where they have hoops, soccer where they don’t, read to them, and just help.
Share.
What are different ways you share […]
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: Focus On The Good
There are so many great life lessons that can be learned on the basketball court. For example, when my daughter was in middle school, she had a coach who yelled at her, and all the girls, a lot. He even yelled at his own daughter until she cried. I was not fond of this coach, yet I felt the best way to handle the situation was to teach my daughter how to cope. To use it as a life lesson, so that as she grew up she would understand how to work with different personalities in the work place and in life. So I talked to my daughter about focusing on the good, enjoying her teammates and enjoying the game.
There will be times in life when people try to fill the world with hate and drag you down with them. Don’t go for […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Books, Books and More Good Books…
Have you read a good book lately? I was enjoying dinner at our neighbors last night and long with an amazing meal, I got a new list of books to read. Now if I only had more time.
What are some good books that you would recommend?
WRITING PROMPT #1: Casey grabbed the tattered book from the counter and…
WRITING PROMPT #2: Write the first page of a book you would want to read.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: TEDxSpokane 2014
I feel privileged to be joining an amazing group of speakers at TEDxSpokane this month. There will be oncologists, musicians, authors, entrepreneurs, and educators all in one room talking about ideas worth sharing. I would love to see you at the event!
Event: TEDxSpokane 2014 Connections & Intersections
Date: October 13, 2014
Location: Saint George’s School – Founders Theater 2929 W Waikiki Rd, Spokane, WA 99208
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Reservation & more information
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