Ok, I admit I haven't done 1 lick of yoga since the last post. (and for those really concerned, nope. Not even 1 bit of yogurt either).
As for the writing 800 words per day thing...?
Nope. I don't think I have actually managed that every one of the past 12 days. I've probably said 800 words each of those days. Heck, there were 3 days where I was performing in an empty lecture hall to a vast audience of invisible (but highly attentive) folks.
I heard them cheering at all the right moments, laughing at mostly the right moments. And, get this, only 2 people threw bagels at me. (Tomatoes would have made too much of a mess I suppose). Oh, I did have 1 heckler, but that was me pretty much throughout the presentations. (That's for another story at another time).
As for the actual presentations themselves, they went well. Folks came out of there feeling better than when they went into the room. I just hope it isn't because they were glad they finally got to leave or something like that. I feel that everyone in the room learned a lot.
First, don't count on technology working perfectly. Computers can log you out in 2 minutes if you are not paying attention and then you keep entering the wrong password to stay logged in because you forgot who ou signed in as until it's too late.
Second, notes are helpful, especially if you were counting on your PowerPoint presentation to be your notes and it up and doesn't work at a given moment when the computer kicks you out. (see previous sentence).
Third, it's probably better if you have stuffed animals sitting in the front row to play the role of people instead of the invisible. It gives you the actual ability to have eye contact with your audience this way.
Finally, kinda like this post, it helps if the topic you were presenting on started and ended relating to each other. Here I am, ending this talking of a presentation when it began with not doing yoga, yogurt, yachting, yodeling or playing Yahtzee. Notice I didn't say yacking. :-)
Photo courtesy of Luriete
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David Stoddard
The Unmotivated Motivational Writer
Follow me on Twitter twitter.com/djstoddard
Pick up the Kindle version of 200 Writing Prompts
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ride Your Bike Like Nobody's Watching
(Published on Happy News) Link to online article
Ride Your Bike Like Nobody's Watching
by David Stoddard
A couple of weeks ago, I took my bike out for a ride. Not that the bike needed the exercise, but I thought it would like to pal around with me for a bit. Plus, I could use the lift.
Our journey together was fairly brief. Hand on handlebar, along the paved trail behind the house, we rode. Up hills, around turns, over fallen leaves and twigs and through a few deep puddles we rode.
We passed a few kids, who were also palling around with their own bikes. Of course, they were more interested in the dirt roads others had created than being concerned about whatever I was doing.
When my bike and I were passing them, we couldn’t help but think about things. I can’t speak for the bike, but I questioned, would these kids ever lose their sense of wonder? Will there ever come a day when they will choose to stay on the paved trail instead of going on their own adventures? When will they become (gasp!) adults?
Looking back, as kids we had chores to do, such as cleaning our room, raking leaves, washing dishes, cleaning our room again, cutting grass, vacuuming, making the bed (which I still don’t really understand) and maybe cleaning our room for the third time the same day.
Despite it all, we found time to have fun. Even during our busy “work” schedule at school, we made time to do lunch, have recess and even work out in gym class.
After our day was done, we may have taken work home with us, but we still squeezed in a few hours without friends, some television watching and even played our records (round plastic disks about the size of a hubcap that normally had musical songs on them).
We would eventually finish our homework at one o’clock in the morning under the covers or on the school bus the next day. But that’s not the point.
The point is, somewhere along the way, we lost the ability to play and act a fool. Sure, the need to have a job, make money, buy food, support the economy, buy some clothes and maybe a CD or two (round plastic disks, about the size of your opened hand, with the same musical songs on them), has something to do with that.
I also suppose the need to fit in with other adults who get up, go to work, eat at their desk, get back to work, leave work, bring work home and eventually get to sleep is important to prove we are adults as well. After all, these other adults are doing it; it must be what adults do.
I just have one question, and you know what I am about to ask. If all these other adults jumped off a bridge, would you bake a cake and celebrate your freedom because you no
longer had to be just like everyone else?
Who says just because we are a certain age we have to give up doing things like running through sprinklers, rolling around in the leaves or crawling out of part of an airplane, shimmy though a man-made twisted metal tubes, make our way to another part of a plane, squeeze out of there only to end up atop a 90-foot slide that leads to the back of a fire truck at the St. Louis City Museum? (I did it, but I digress).
We have gotten to a point as adults, where we are so busy working for the weekend that once we get there, we have nothing but more work ahead of us. From cutting grass to changing light bulbs, to repairing that hole in the wall we made when the Cubs gave up the eight runs in a single inning a few years back during the playoffs. (And no, I haven’t gotten over it yet).
So, needless to say, it’s time to lighten up a bit. So let’s get started today. Get that bike out of the shed, fill up the tires (get new ones if necessary), climb aboard and pedal yourself crazy.
And if you feel the urge to pop a few wheelies, be sure to wear a helmet.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(c) David Stoddard
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ride Your Bike Like Nobody's Watching
by David Stoddard
A couple of weeks ago, I took my bike out for a ride. Not that the bike needed the exercise, but I thought it would like to pal around with me for a bit. Plus, I could use the lift.
Our journey together was fairly brief. Hand on handlebar, along the paved trail behind the house, we rode. Up hills, around turns, over fallen leaves and twigs and through a few deep puddles we rode.
We passed a few kids, who were also palling around with their own bikes. Of course, they were more interested in the dirt roads others had created than being concerned about whatever I was doing.
When my bike and I were passing them, we couldn’t help but think about things. I can’t speak for the bike, but I questioned, would these kids ever lose their sense of wonder? Will there ever come a day when they will choose to stay on the paved trail instead of going on their own adventures? When will they become (gasp!) adults?
Looking back, as kids we had chores to do, such as cleaning our room, raking leaves, washing dishes, cleaning our room again, cutting grass, vacuuming, making the bed (which I still don’t really understand) and maybe cleaning our room for the third time the same day.
Despite it all, we found time to have fun. Even during our busy “work” schedule at school, we made time to do lunch, have recess and even work out in gym class.
After our day was done, we may have taken work home with us, but we still squeezed in a few hours without friends, some television watching and even played our records (round plastic disks about the size of a hubcap that normally had musical songs on them).
We would eventually finish our homework at one o’clock in the morning under the covers or on the school bus the next day. But that’s not the point.
The point is, somewhere along the way, we lost the ability to play and act a fool. Sure, the need to have a job, make money, buy food, support the economy, buy some clothes and maybe a CD or two (round plastic disks, about the size of your opened hand, with the same musical songs on them), has something to do with that.
I also suppose the need to fit in with other adults who get up, go to work, eat at their desk, get back to work, leave work, bring work home and eventually get to sleep is important to prove we are adults as well. After all, these other adults are doing it; it must be what adults do.
I just have one question, and you know what I am about to ask. If all these other adults jumped off a bridge, would you bake a cake and celebrate your freedom because you no
longer had to be just like everyone else?
Who says just because we are a certain age we have to give up doing things like running through sprinklers, rolling around in the leaves or crawling out of part of an airplane, shimmy though a man-made twisted metal tubes, make our way to another part of a plane, squeeze out of there only to end up atop a 90-foot slide that leads to the back of a fire truck at the St. Louis City Museum? (I did it, but I digress).
We have gotten to a point as adults, where we are so busy working for the weekend that once we get there, we have nothing but more work ahead of us. From cutting grass to changing light bulbs, to repairing that hole in the wall we made when the Cubs gave up the eight runs in a single inning a few years back during the playoffs. (And no, I haven’t gotten over it yet).
So, needless to say, it’s time to lighten up a bit. So let’s get started today. Get that bike out of the shed, fill up the tires (get new ones if necessary), climb aboard and pedal yourself crazy.
And if you feel the urge to pop a few wheelies, be sure to wear a helmet.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(c) David Stoddard
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Writing AND Yoga? Am I Serious?
I want to thank, (or this could end up being blame), Angie of Motiational Musings fame for posting about this on her blog today. For some reason, I went ahead and added my name to the mix.
The catch for me is just my whole unmotivated nature when it comes to things. So I wonder just what in the world I am thinking by taking this on.
Yes, it started earlier in June, so I am well behind the actual start date created by Bindu Wiles. The 21 day experience includes writing and yoga. Writing, most likely not a problem.
Yoga..... I am wondering if I can substitute yogurt instead. I can try to enjoy the yogurt with a downward facing dog as a companion perhaps.
So, beginning today, June 17, 2010 and continuing through June 38, 2010, I will write the 800 words and contemplate the yogurt.
Join me, won't you......
One more thing... As an aside while we are on the yoga and writing thing, Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant has a book Yoga for Your Funny Bone you may be interested in.
--David
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
David Stoddard
The Unmotivated Motivational Writer
Friend me on Facebook by clicking here.
Pick up the Kindle version of 200 Writing Prompts
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The catch for me is just my whole unmotivated nature when it comes to things. So I wonder just what in the world I am thinking by taking this on.
Yes, it started earlier in June, so I am well behind the actual start date created by Bindu Wiles. The 21 day experience includes writing and yoga. Writing, most likely not a problem.
Yoga..... I am wondering if I can substitute yogurt instead. I can try to enjoy the yogurt with a downward facing dog as a companion perhaps.
So, beginning today, June 17, 2010 and continuing through June 38, 2010, I will write the 800 words and contemplate the yogurt.
Join me, won't you......
One more thing... As an aside while we are on the yoga and writing thing, Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant has a book Yoga for Your Funny Bone you may be interested in.
--David
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
David Stoddard
The Unmotivated Motivational Writer
Friend me on Facebook by clicking here.
Pick up the Kindle version of 200 Writing Prompts
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I've Been Busy Doing - umm - Stuff
Do you remember me, for I remember you. (Sorry. no singing by me).
Ok, I admit, it has once again been a while since I posted on here. But I can explain. I've been doing stuff. A lot of stuff as a matter of fact. It is all this other stuff which has kept me from getting more done, moving forward, posting here, adding things to Facebook and providing more entertainment for folks to read or look at.
So now I shall open the floor to questions:
Question #1: Yes, you have been away a while David. But what kind of stuff have you been doing instead of sharing your unique and almost useful information with the rest of us?
David's long-winded response:
Great question. Just this month alone (June for those who like me didn't notice until recently the year is nearly half over), I have done the following stuff(s):
Question #2: David, that's great you did so much. It even gives me the urge to drink some water and find my Super Nintendo game system (but that's a different issue). But aren't those things you had done just excuses for not doing something more beneficial, substantial, and some other words that end in "ial"?
David's shorter response..
Um. Well I like to think that returning the books to the library was beneficial (saved me 10 cents per day per book if they were overdue). And the sleeping thing is important. (Tried to get in 8 hours).
Question #2b: Well, yeah. I suppose. But shouldn't you have been doing more writing? More creating? More making funny (or at least sillyish) stuff up to share? Maybe even just taken time to read your own 200 Writing Prompts ebook and done some of those?
David types his answer here...
Oh writing... yes. I remember it now. I am a writer. I do type and put letters together to form words which hopefully become semi-accurate sentences and paragraphs. You are so right. But I was busy.... Umm, see question #1... Duh!! :-)
Question #3, 4 & 5: But why haven't you written (dare I say) anything? I know you just said you were busy. But isn't writing something important to you? Something you are pretty good at? Something you have done throughout the years though it may not have been part of what your "job was about?
David's shortest answers of the year...
Yes.
Probably
(sobbing).... yes
Kick in the tail #1: Then get busy writing. Get your tail in that chair, or some other chair, or a bench or a tree stump or an ottoman, or a counter, or a picnic table or the top of a slide, or a boat, or an old tire or the top of a minivan, or the hood of a 1965 Chevy truck or just stand there even, and get to writing. Better yet, get to typing. No one can read your handwriting.
David coming to his senses...
Good point. (well, mostly about the handwriting part). But yea. you are right. Getting myself in gear again to share stuffs on here is important as well as putting longer things together is a pretty cool idea as well.
But I am a bit busy at the moment getting dressed to go to the park so I can sit on that slide you talked about. So can I start a little later? Or can I count this blog post as when I got my tail back in gear and wrote something useful, or silly or funny or just wrote something that is something written?
Question, I mean reply #1: Sure. Just stick with what we, I mean you, started.
David's conclusion...
Boy, you sound somewhat like that One Minute Manager guy I read about a few years back. In it, the guy the manager guru guy was working with shares his thoughts and observations at the end. So I guess I need to do that here.
In all honesty, I have written things here and there. Just nothing for the world at large (or large world).
As for future projects (and yes, I am torn about sharing or not sharing), so I shall share the really high view of things coming out down the road.
Hope to talk to you in less than 2 months from now. That question guy was getting to really be a pain. But I suppose he/she/it is right. After all, there is a duty.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
David Stoddard
The Unmotivated Motivational Writer
Friend me on Facebook by clicking here.
Pick up the Kindle version of 200 Writing Prompts
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ok, I admit, it has once again been a while since I posted on here. But I can explain. I've been doing stuff. A lot of stuff as a matter of fact. It is all this other stuff which has kept me from getting more done, moving forward, posting here, adding things to Facebook and providing more entertainment for folks to read or look at.
So now I shall open the floor to questions:
Question #1: Yes, you have been away a while David. But what kind of stuff have you been doing instead of sharing your unique and almost useful information with the rest of us?
David's long-winded response:
Great question. Just this month alone (June for those who like me didn't notice until recently the year is nearly half over), I have done the following stuff(s):
- Cut grass 3 times
- Washed the car 1 time
- Walked up stairs in some fashion 184 times
- Walked down related stairs in some fashion 373 times
- Taken an elevator unknown times
- Typed on the computer a lot
- Turned on the laptop computer at home 8 times
- Did something useful on the laptop computer 1/2 time
- Played Mario Kart on the Nintendo DS probably 14 times
- Checked out a book from the library 4 times
- Returned said books to the library 3 times (1 still not due yet)
- Ate way more than I care to admit
- Had a glass or 2 of H2O
- Had more sodas than my mother would prefer me to have
- Went to the day job thing (almost always on time)
- Drove home from the day job thing
- Went shopping for a lot of unnecessary stuff
- Looked at files containing ideas of the past for will be worked on in the future
- Closed said files containing ideas of the past for what will be worked on in the future withoug doing anything with them
- Went to sleep nightly
- Woke up usually in the mornings
Question #2: David, that's great you did so much. It even gives me the urge to drink some water and find my Super Nintendo game system (but that's a different issue). But aren't those things you had done just excuses for not doing something more beneficial, substantial, and some other words that end in "ial"?
David's shorter response..
Um. Well I like to think that returning the books to the library was beneficial (saved me 10 cents per day per book if they were overdue). And the sleeping thing is important. (Tried to get in 8 hours).
Question #2b: Well, yeah. I suppose. But shouldn't you have been doing more writing? More creating? More making funny (or at least sillyish) stuff up to share? Maybe even just taken time to read your own 200 Writing Prompts ebook and done some of those?
David types his answer here...
Oh writing... yes. I remember it now. I am a writer. I do type and put letters together to form words which hopefully become semi-accurate sentences and paragraphs. You are so right. But I was busy.... Umm, see question #1... Duh!! :-)
Question #3, 4 & 5: But why haven't you written (dare I say) anything? I know you just said you were busy. But isn't writing something important to you? Something you are pretty good at? Something you have done throughout the years though it may not have been part of what your "job was about?
David's shortest answers of the year...
Yes.
Probably
(sobbing).... yes
Kick in the tail #1: Then get busy writing. Get your tail in that chair, or some other chair, or a bench or a tree stump or an ottoman, or a counter, or a picnic table or the top of a slide, or a boat, or an old tire or the top of a minivan, or the hood of a 1965 Chevy truck or just stand there even, and get to writing. Better yet, get to typing. No one can read your handwriting.
David coming to his senses...
Good point. (well, mostly about the handwriting part). But yea. you are right. Getting myself in gear again to share stuffs on here is important as well as putting longer things together is a pretty cool idea as well.
But I am a bit busy at the moment getting dressed to go to the park so I can sit on that slide you talked about. So can I start a little later? Or can I count this blog post as when I got my tail back in gear and wrote something useful, or silly or funny or just wrote something that is something written?
Question, I mean reply #1: Sure. Just stick with what we, I mean you, started.
David's conclusion...
Boy, you sound somewhat like that One Minute Manager guy I read about a few years back. In it, the guy the manager guru guy was working with shares his thoughts and observations at the end. So I guess I need to do that here.
In all honesty, I have written things here and there. Just nothing for the world at large (or large world).
As for future projects (and yes, I am torn about sharing or not sharing), so I shall share the really high view of things coming out down the road.
- I am working on another book of writing prompts. It will be somewhat like "200 Writing Prompts" but with more prompts and even introductions to the different sections of prompt type entries. (so yes, there will actually be some writing in this one instead of just a list of 200 sentences - or non sentences in some cases).
- I will be cleaning up this blog to have things relate to the new ideas floating in my head as to what this actually is about. Is it about writing? Is it motivational? Is it humorous? Is it all of the above hopefully? We all shall see whenever that works itself out.
- I have several titles in mind for upcoming books (see, told you it was a really high view). Despite all the talk about ebooks someday taking over and paper books being kinda gone, I do wish to have an actual paper book available. So that is a goal for this year or somewhere along the way for next.
Hope to talk to you in less than 2 months from now. That question guy was getting to really be a pain. But I suppose he/she/it is right. After all, there is a duty.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
David Stoddard
The Unmotivated Motivational Writer
Friend me on Facebook by clicking here.
Pick up the Kindle version of 200 Writing Prompts
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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