Disequilibrium July 3, 2009

After 5 days of disequilibrium, I am still a little off kilter. I was completely immersed in horses, horse psychology, horse body language, horse herd behavior.

My thinking and boundaries concerning safety were continually pushed and tested. My picture of myself and how I related to others and life in general was being challenged.

In the middle of this, I received an email about presenting at a technology conference. I enjoy technology and get a lot of satisfaction from teaching people how to utilize these tools for education. However, I have been in such an intensive training that required complete concentration and focus that I was a bit taken aback by this email.

“Am I still that person? Do I present technology workshops? Is that me?”

What an odd response….

I am still finding my footing.

Training in Lubbock July 1, 2009

I have just completed 5 days of training in Equine Assisted Growth and Learning.  I am exhausted.  I was continually challenged on several levels.  I stayed uncomfortable most of the 5 days.  I know that is the state in which the most learning occurs, but I am now so tired.  There is a part 2 training for which I am now signed up and will obtain a certification from EAGALA to practice Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning as a member of a 2 or 3 part team.  I will be the Equine Specialist and work with a mental health professional.

The power of this work is overwhelming to me personally.  I look forward to sharing it with others.  I will be using it as a part of a science curriculum this fall for at-risk students, Lord willing.  I’m not sure where it will go from there.

I’m really excited about working with my horses and preparing them for this work as well.

I am in a state of disequilibrium and it makes it hard to formulate my thoughts.  I am growing and changing and can sense it happening, but it will take some time of rest and focus on other things before I will be able to articulate all that is going on inside of me.  I have a blog where I write exclusively about horses and my work with them:  Learning with Horses.

Should Be Laughing April 30, 2009

Frustration.  I know I should laugh, but I’m frustrated for now.  Perhaps by the end of the post things will change.  Here goes…

My children received their year books yesterday at school.  You know the ones, memories of the past year to be enjoyed for years to come.  It’s so fun to flip through the pages and remember what your year was like and how your friends and you spent the time together.

My oldest son has one or two pictures in the book. His nice formal picture and one of him in class with his head laid down on his desk in deep sleep…with pajamas on (Homecoming Week).  Great…this is how he will be remembered his Junior year of high school.

I know – “Get over it, Mom.”  But, yuck!

My next child was absent the day formal pictures were made, so re-take day comes along.  He doesn’t go for re-takes.  He claims re-take means “to take again”.  He never had his taken in the first place, so re-take didn’t mean him.  He has no picture in the book.

Ahhh…memories of the school year 2008-2009.

Country Girl April 8, 2009

I was walking the halls of my daughter’s school last week enjoying the stories that her class had written about their favorite things to do. I came across hers and had to fight the urge to scrape it off the wall and shove it in my purse.

It started out fine…she likes to play with her older brother and wade in the water, go fishing. Great, wholesome, country girl activities, building a long-lasting relationship with her brother, appreciating and loving nature.

About this time, I’m patting myself on the back for raising my children in the country with lots of space to roam, keeping them in touch with God’s creation. Then came the zinger, “We also like to get our slingshots and guns and shoot birds.”

Great…She had to add that. I’ve told them not to shoot birds! Never thought I would have to instruct my little girl who wore bows as big as her head to not shoot birds. This is the same girl who has brought me baby squirrels who have fallen out of their nest to nurse back to health.

She took it just one step too far…I’m afraid she went right from country girl to redneck girl.

Gotta love her!!

Music Just for You April 3, 2009

Pandora Radio. If you are not using this free web service (Web 2.0 tool!), then you are missing out! I love it.

You can type in a favorite artist or song and Pandora searches around and finds other songs/artists that are similar and plays them for you one after the other…no commercials!

Start a new tab on your desktop and you can listen all day without interruption. Occasionally you have to let it know that you are still listening.

Try it out – Pandora Radio

How to start a new tab: PC users – hold the control key down and press “T”

Mac users – hold the apple key down and press “T”

Trust Your Instincts March 25, 2009

In a university’s teacher prep class this week, the professor was talking about caring for your students and showing them that you love them. While no one would disagree that children need to be shown love, one student expressed the concern that some middle school male students that she has worked with in the past have made her feel uncomfortable with hugs they wanted from her.

I didn’t say anything because I was a visitor in class that day, but…tomorrow, I get to teach them some and I feel compelled to go back to her comment.

I want these college women to trust their instincts.  Women, young women, in particular, need the freedom to trust their own instincts without the burden of proof.

A woman doesn’t have to prove to anyone that a man IS creepy or coming on to her to be on her guard or put up some strong walls.

I want my daughter to know that she has my permission to NOT be nice when she gets weird vibes from a man.  And she doesn’t have to prove anthing to me.  I trust her instincts, too.

Trust your instincts and teach your daughters to trust theirs.

They may need your permission to NOT be nice.