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Parnassus on Wheels
By Christopher Morley
published in 1920
Synopsis:
Roger Mifflin intends to sell his traveling bookstore to Andrew McGill the author. But when he arrives at Sabine Farm it is Andrew’s sister Helen McGill who impulsively buys the bookstore on wheels to prevent her literary brother from leaving her alone to manage their farm yet again. This sets in motion the adventure of Helen’s life.
Review:
This book was an absolute delight to read!!
Travel, adventure, suspense, a story of a woman going out on her own, a love story in more ways than one. It made me laugh out loud and made me cry. I could hardly stop turning the pages. It was a wonderful break from every day life and a great period piece.
The first time I ever had to study and prepare to take a test was in the third grade when we had to memorize the multiplication tables.
I remember the anticipation, the excitement and the anxiety; the butterflies in my stomach.
I had a newly sharpened #2 pencil and I was ready.
I remember the test being handed out and the teacher telling us to leave it face down on our desk until she told us to turn it over and start. Some kids peaked, but I didn’t. I wanted it to be a real test. I knew there were 100 multiplication tables on the sheet and the test was timed.
I wanted to get all of the answers right and I wanted to be the first one done. It didn’t always happen like that, but the test was given several times and I usually scored a 100% the second time out and I would finish either first or within the top five.
I’ve never had any patience for studying. Once I felt like I knew the material I wanted to take the test to prove it. The test also pointed out what I didn’t know so I could just focus on that material for the next time.
I started thinking about test taking recently when a friend and I were discussing her daughters test anxiety.
This led me to review my own test taking history and I realized the same experience I had in the third grade had repeated throughout elementary school, high school and college.
High school was rarely challenging and I never really had to study. I looked forward to taking tests so I could see where I was and what I had to do. I hated wasting my time reviewing and studying material I already knew when I had other things I wanted to do.
In college it was the same way. Even if I was with a study group, once I felt I knew the materiel I wanted to put my knowledge to the test and move on.
More recently I realized this is how I still operate. I want to jump right in and test my knowledge.
That’s how this blog was started.
I had been thinking about designing a website and a few friends suggested Wordpress as a platform. I did a little research and then just dove in. I started with a Wordpress.com site, testing my knowledge and know how as I went along and then moved to a Wordpress.org platform for this site. The next test is to design and write the code for my own Wordpress theme.
Since returning from Follow Through Camp a few weeks ago I have felt restless, unsettled, on edge. Then it dawned on me. I have been doing a lot of prep work, a lot of studying over the last eighteen months and its time to start putting my knowledge to the test.
To me, this is what life if all about…continuous, life-long learning, putting my knowledge to the test and then starting again from a new point, building on what I already know and then repeating the cycle.
I am going to be doing a lot of ‘test-taking‘ over the next few months. Its time to see how much I’ve learned and see what I still need to learn.
The anticipation is stirring. I feel excited and a little anxious. I have a few butterflies in my stomach, but I’m ready.
It’s Thursday and I normally post a book review today. I have been so busy lately I haven’t even finished reading one book in the last few weeks.
It’s such a sad thing! But, I am doing a lot of other exciting things, so in a way it’s okay. Like they say, “there is a time and place for everything”.
I haven’t stopped reading. I just haven’t had the time to sit down and go from front cover to back cover in a single setting like I used to.
You can see what I am currently reading by clicking here: Sandy’s Current Reading List”
And, as always I have a wish list. Check them out…
I have a passion for stories and entrepreneurship, so here a few books to fill this need:
The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit: How to Find and Grow Your Side Hustle in Any Economy
by Kimberly Seals-allers
The Richest Kids In America: How They Earn It, How They Spend It, How You Can Too
by Mark Victor Hansen
And, research for my own book business:
The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site
by Steve Weber
And, something new I want to learn:
Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed
by Jennie Bourne and Dave Burstein
Producing with Passion: Making Films That Change the World
by Dorothy Fadiman and Tony Levelle
You may wonder why I link to Amazon…one of my mini ‘profit centers’ is earning affiliate commissions if you follow one of these links and purchase a book I recommend. So, thank you in advance for your support.
If you missed The Dreaming Cafe’s weekly newsletter or you haven’t signed up yet, this is reprint of Sunday’s message. If you don’t want to miss another one, sign up today. Subscribe.
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Number 18, “ABC’s of Following Your Dreams: 26 Keys That Worked For Me” was “Relationships…it is extremely difficult and lonely to try and succeed on your own. Take the time to build a circle of support.”
Returning from Dodge City, Kansas and Follow Through Camp last week I realized again just how true this is.
My interests are many and include entrepreneurship/self-employment, writing, creativity, personal growth & development, software & technology, the environment, nutrition and vegetarian/vegan lifestyles and many more.
Not everyone in my circle of support shares all of my interests. But, what we do share is a passionate desire to know ourselves, an honest desire to make a difference in the lives of others and the world, and to live an honest, passionate, authentic life.
But, finding and building a circle of support, sometimes called a community or tribe, is a not passive activity. It’s not just about meeting people and hanging out. You have to do more than just show up.
You need to actively seek out and engage and interact with others. This includes sharing, learning and teaching.
Follow Through Camp wasn’t a lecture type workshop. It was a hands-on, give and take, raise your hand, move around, talk and share workshop. We worked together and we helped each other.
The Storytelling Workshop in Las Vegas, Nevada last year was a similar experience.
After that workshop we took the time and effort to stay connected via email and a few phone calls to share, support and help one another.
Joining an organization or group, taking classes or attending workshops/seminars are all ways you can begin meeting and building a circle of support.
But, meeting people doesn’t just occur face to face, in person. The new social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Ning, LinkedIn and others give you an opportunity to meet and interact with people from all over the world.
I’ve met a number of people in the virtual world who I consider part of my circle of support, my tribe. I’ve introduced you to many of them on The Dreaming Café’s website and here in the New Friends section.
Together all of these people, those I have met personally and those I have met online, form my circle of support and I actively support them.
Most of the work we do as we pursue our dreams and goals is done alone. Sometimes it is hard to keep going. An email from a friend, a brief conversation, a blog post or 140 character quote or helpful link on Twitter, is all we need sometimes to remind us we are not alone and why we started down this road in the first place.
This interaction is about giving and taking. It is often very easy to give, to share information with others and to offer support. The other side of the coin is to ask for help and support when you need it, to be willing to take the helping hand that is offered to you. To stay balanced support and encouragement needs to flow in both directions.
As you begin building your circle of support ask yourself:
Are you actively or passively seeking out and building a circle of support, a community, or tribe?
Do you know yourself well enough to recognize someone from your own tribe? If not, be patient. Take the time to get to know yourself. You are your own best friend and support.
Are there people in your current circle of friends and family that support you and share your enthusiasm for your dreams?
How often do you meet others that share your interests or vision? Do you belong to any organizations, groups or clubs? Do you take classes, attend workshops or seminars?
Do you actively participate in any form of social networking?
How do you give help and support?
How often to you ask for help and support?
You may not have realized it, but when you chose to subscribe to The Dreaming Café’s newsletter you took a step toward joining your tribe, a community of like minded people; people on a creative journey to self discovery; people actively pursuing their dreams and goals.
To help you meet your community, your tribe and to help you build a circle of support I have created an online social network, The Dreaming Café Community on Ning.
For more information: About The Dreaming Cafe Community
Or Join right now.
Today’s Guest: Lynn Girardi
Lynn’s Follow Through Camp Adventure:
The Dodge City Follow Through Seminar was truly an adventure for me…one that paid off tremendously! This worthwhile deal of a small investment TOTALLY got me back on track with my stalled business dreams and goals. It also turned out surprisingly well despite my hesitance about my personality being a match to the seminar’s Kansas location. You see, this time the seminar–at first–had me feeling a bit like I was on the tv show, Wife Swap. That’s the “reality show” where 2 married women switch lives and families for a week or so. The catch is that they are put in totally opposite environments and lifestyles than they are used to at home. However, when these women go past their comfort zones to live in someone else’s environment…despite their frustrations with change from their routine…they ALWAYS come back with lessons learned; an appreciation for the lives they have….AND changes they now wish to incorporate into their old lives based on the new lifestyle experienced.
While, I am single and I didn’t swap lives with anyone, my going to Dodge City, Kansas…AT FIRST…was like WifeSwap.
It was taking one beach-loving; health-food eating (almost vegetarian); Brooklyn, New York “city-slicker”…who loves mostly ballroom and pop music…then, bringing her to a town where restaurant menus consisted of delicious dishes, but often included steak, cheese and shellfish…all of which she and her family rarely eat for low fat / low cholesterol diets. It’s a place of country music…and a place where, it seems, some outdoor activities are set up indoors due to, I believe, their weather…when not sunny…windy and with the rare tornado (ala Dorothy and Toto in the Wizard of Oz). Yes, much was opposite of what this Brooklynite was usually drawn to…except for the sincerity, kindness and hospitality she loves in people. For, that was never more evident than in the friendly people of Kansas, in particular, Charla, the owner of the cool Dodge House hotel where the seminar was held.
My intention for this trip was to attend another Barbara Winter/Alice Barry event which seemed to always feed my entrepreneurial soul. I signed up to experience the enthusiasm I felt when Barbara and Alice introduced the event on a teleseminar. I signed up to bond with old kindred spirits and to meet new ones. I signed up for the ideas, encouragement and support I needed to take my dream business goals off of the back burner I’d had them on for several months. I signed up to GET OUT OF TOWN for clarity, since leaving one’s routine and environment often clears the mind enough to be able to remember one’s dreams and think creatively again. I signed up to get re-energized after feeling drained by “the job,” by life’s challenges and by the fearful thoughts that were keeping me in anxiety rather than in positive possibilies. Going to Barbara’s seminar always delivers all that for me and more…only this time she was going to make me travel 10 hours out of my state and comfort zone to get it!
I’m so glad she did. I learned so much. It was, once again, inspiring, creative, practical and lots of fun! It was thought-provoking, encouraging, supportive (teachers to students and students to another). It taught me new things about my dream business goals and about myself.
This seminar experience got my business passions back on track with practical advice for me to take action on at home. It cleared my head … helped me to bond with student-pals…and expanded my support network. This farm-animal-themed event location convinced me that my dream-business motto now needs to be: “NO MORE ‘BULL’! Just do it, already!” (A kind of Brooklyn version of the Nike slogan!)
Today’s Guest: Jami Yanoski
Jami: What I learned at the Follow Through Camp:
I came to Dodge City because I had a couple of specific ideas that I needed to pursue. I knew I’d have time to work on them this summer in between some other projects. When Alice asked us what our goal was (or I think the question might have been “What do you want from this?”) that was a really hard question for me. Really hard to think about- and I don’t know why. But ultimately, my answer was money. I am purely motivated by income at this point- for this particular idea that I brought with me. For other ideas, it’s not about money because my ultimate job would be to not have a job, just be able to do charity work for “work.” So I learned that YES, sometimes it is about the money and it’s okay to vocalize it and want it.
My other learnings: I think most of us in the workshop this weekend said this at one point or another- we need our people, we need our tribe. I don’t have a good support system here at home, and it’s unfortunate. And I NEED a support system. We all need a support system. It’s really easy for me to give support to other people, but hard for me to say I need it too. I want my tribe, I need my tribe, and I wish I had one here in Colorado. Over the weekend I purposefully did not call anyone at home, or return any phone calls. I did this for several reasons:
1/ No one understands what I’m doing
(“What do you mean you’ve quit your job after 12 years? What do you mean you don’t have health insurance?”)
2/ No one understands WHY I’m doing it
3/ My friends and family don’t GET me or GET where I want to go
4/ I think some just don’t care
Here’s a couple of examples of what’s happened in the last couple of days. I asked my mom to help me with a prototype for my aqua cuffs, because she sews. I specifically said to her “I need to get this done in the next 90 days, if you cannot help me with this, please tell me now and I will ask someone else.” She said “sure, get me something I can rip apart, measure, etc and we’ll see what we can do.” Well, I proceeded to tell her about the weekend and she made all the right comments, then had to get a little dig in at the last moment. And I know, it’s totally automatic and she probably didn’t mean it, but still, she had to just stick that knife a little bit and let the wind out of my sails. She had to bring me down from the little cloud I was on. I was so PISSED, and am STILL pissed. And I don’t even think she knew she did it.
THEN-I went to lunch today with one of my best friends from High School and some other people to celebrate my friends b-day. I was talking to them about being in Kansas last weekend and doing foster care for the Humane Society. NO ONE at the table asked me WHY I was in Kansas, WHY I do foster care- nothing to fuel further conversation. The conversation drifted to their kids, and what their kids were doing, school, etc. So I sat at the table pretty quiet, other than to coo at my friends brand new niece, who was cute as a button. I could have been at home working and saved myself a really crappy meal at On the Border.
Not to brag, but I’m a pretty interesting person. I travel to a lot of places, I do a lot of things, I have an active social life, concerts, dance, plays, I read- there’s A WHOLE HELLUVA LOT I can talk about. I was deflated coming home from lunch because I thought “what a waste of time. I have nothing in common with these people.” And guess what–They aren’t members of my tribe. So if ANY of you can offer any insight on HOW to find like minded people close to home, I would appreciate it. Because I meet a lot of people and I still am having a hard time finding MY PEEPS.
Some of you might know I do foster care for the local Humane Society. I take in kittens that aren’t old enough to be adopted and take care of them until they are ready for adoption. I got a group of 4 kittens last night, they were dropped off at the Humane Society in a plastic box with no holes in very hot weather. Luckily, the person that dropped them off made an anonymous phone call to say the kittens were outside. They were all panting and dehydrated by the time they got in the building (How stupid can people be? Seriously!). As I’m typing this, I can hear one of them crying, because he/she can’t find her other siblings or me. She’s lost without his/her tribe!
It is critical to get our support systems in place and to surround ourselves with like-minded people. Our dreams matter. Our ideas matter. Our desire for whatever we are seeking matters. No idea or dream is too big, too small, too dumb, too easy. It all matters and most of all, YOU matter.
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