The first day of school, even after this many years, is always a day (or evening in my case) of hope, of some excitement to learn something new (even if it is about taxes), of the anxiousness of meeting new interesting people and where there is an expectation of doing well.
No problem. I can tackle this.
Easy. I'll have lots of time to dig into the readings and be a good student.
And then the prof says to expect at least 10 hours of work outside of the 3 hours of class to do well.
Dang. {brushes off a bit of disappointment, knowing this will be a full attention course}
No problem. I can tackle this.
Moments enjoying your first day of class.
Moments knowing that the hard work you put into it will show in the end.
(just like most things!)
Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
Moments D620: Big ol' TRUCKS
Me, I like little sporty cars. I miss my Tink! (Yes, I named my car!)
Too bad because EQ has a big truck. I haven't driven a boat that big ever. (Though I did drive a fairly big car way back in my teens.)
Tonight I had my second opportunity to drive the truck and this time, it wasn't easy highway driving. (Otherwise known as freeway driving here in the states!) No no! This time I was driving us around town running a few errands this evening. That meant driving in some tight spaces and from one (small) parking spot to another.
At first, I was a nervous nellie, after all this monster is the biggest thing I have ever driven. That said, with every parking job I made, I found the next to be a little easier. By the time we made it home, I was ready to back in the truck into its parking spot.
EQ wasn't feeling so confident about that (at the time), but I proved that I could do it. Slow and steady I slipped his beast back into its cage.
Beautiful. I love stretching my world.
Moments learning something new.
Moments finding confidence.
Too bad because EQ has a big truck. I haven't driven a boat that big ever. (Though I did drive a fairly big car way back in my teens.)
Tonight I had my second opportunity to drive the truck and this time, it wasn't easy highway driving. (Otherwise known as freeway driving here in the states!) No no! This time I was driving us around town running a few errands this evening. That meant driving in some tight spaces and from one (small) parking spot to another.
At first, I was a nervous nellie, after all this monster is the biggest thing I have ever driven. That said, with every parking job I made, I found the next to be a little easier. By the time we made it home, I was ready to back in the truck into its parking spot.
EQ wasn't feeling so confident about that (at the time), but I proved that I could do it. Slow and steady I slipped his beast back into its cage.
Beautiful. I love stretching my world.
Moments learning something new.
Moments finding confidence.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Moments D459: Nerves and pushing through
Before today I've played golf, on a golf course, exactly twice.
Today, I took the day off of work and joined three of my baseball buddies to go golfing. They all golf. One actually went to school to become a golf course designer. Golf is his passion. Another golfs frequently and will be doing much more of that next year as he has decided to shed a baseball team to make more time for his golf. The third, he's out golfing often in the summer. And then there was me - this was to be my third time on a golf course.
As we made our way to the golf course (together in one vehicle) the two avid golfers discussed golf. I was nervous as I drove to meet them for our carpool. This did nothing for my comfort level! Now I was even more nervous. I spoke up, explaining that this was my third time playing a game, that sure, I'd been mini-golfing (NOT the same) a zillion times and to a driving range a few times, but this would be the third time playing on a course. I asked the course designer to feel free to share some tips and tricks with me as I'd likely need them and I promised them that I would do my very best not to be an anchor to the team.
But underneath, I was a bundle of nerves. I didn't want to be an anchor to the team. Playing best ball, it wasn't likely to happen anyway, I knew this, but I'm not very good at not being good at something and this crew won the tournament last year. I feared I would be a distraction to their game. I was quieter than my normal self as I tried to quell my nerves so that I could, at the very least, just enjoy the day away from the office and have some fun without putting too much pressure upon myself.
But, I am who I am. I like to do well. I like to be a contributing member of whatever team I'm on. I am not typically that person that needs to be pulled along. I was a fish-out-of-water here. Nerves.
And then, the moment I was most nervous about arrived. Tee time. The first drive. The fist time I'd be swinging a club since last fall. Top that off with the fact that my foursome asked me to go first. WOW. Talk about nerves.
I took my time walking up to my tee. I breathed deeply as I placed my ball upon its tee. Stepping back from the tee, I took a few practice swings and tried to remember all the little points to a good swing. I visualized connecting with the ball and I reminded myself to breathe. And then, I stepped up to the little white ball on the bright red tee, I breathed in deeply and as I exhaled I began my swing.
I connected with the ball well enough and my ball ended up nearly smack dab middle on the fairway! Phew. What a relief that was. Perhaps I wasn't going to be a total distraction after all! In the end, we ended up using my drive for the best ball on hole one. That was a good boost in confidence.
As the remaining holes came and went, I had my ups and downs in my golf game. I learned tips. I learned that I didn't like to clip the ground and make a divot and how that messed up my swing. (apparently golfing is about clipping the ground!) I learned that over-thinking my swing didn't do me any favours. I learned how to do a proper pitch (and managed to do two really well! Better than the boys even!) I learned a lot about clubs and when to use them. And, I learned that even those who play the game with a lot more experience make stupid silly mistakes. That this sport is all about perfecting a skill that is not easy to perfect. There are so many subtleties that can go wrong. (e.g. a slight twist of the club (open or closed) has serious consequences to how the ball is hit.) It is definitely a game of skill, concentration and patience.
In the end, it was almost meditative to me. I enjoyed being outside in the beautiful sunny summer day. I enjoyed pausing and breathing and ensuring that my body was aligned just so, so I could hit the ball just so. I liked being overly self-aware of how I was swinging and understanding how fast the greens were or countering the winds.
It was an incredible day. One filled with nervous energy. A day of learning, laughing and growing.
Moments pushing beyond one's comfort zone.
Moments learning and growing.
Today, I took the day off of work and joined three of my baseball buddies to go golfing. They all golf. One actually went to school to become a golf course designer. Golf is his passion. Another golfs frequently and will be doing much more of that next year as he has decided to shed a baseball team to make more time for his golf. The third, he's out golfing often in the summer. And then there was me - this was to be my third time on a golf course.
As we made our way to the golf course (together in one vehicle) the two avid golfers discussed golf. I was nervous as I drove to meet them for our carpool. This did nothing for my comfort level! Now I was even more nervous. I spoke up, explaining that this was my third time playing a game, that sure, I'd been mini-golfing (NOT the same) a zillion times and to a driving range a few times, but this would be the third time playing on a course. I asked the course designer to feel free to share some tips and tricks with me as I'd likely need them and I promised them that I would do my very best not to be an anchor to the team.
But underneath, I was a bundle of nerves. I didn't want to be an anchor to the team. Playing best ball, it wasn't likely to happen anyway, I knew this, but I'm not very good at not being good at something and this crew won the tournament last year. I feared I would be a distraction to their game. I was quieter than my normal self as I tried to quell my nerves so that I could, at the very least, just enjoy the day away from the office and have some fun without putting too much pressure upon myself.
But, I am who I am. I like to do well. I like to be a contributing member of whatever team I'm on. I am not typically that person that needs to be pulled along. I was a fish-out-of-water here. Nerves.
And then, the moment I was most nervous about arrived. Tee time. The first drive. The fist time I'd be swinging a club since last fall. Top that off with the fact that my foursome asked me to go first. WOW. Talk about nerves.
I took my time walking up to my tee. I breathed deeply as I placed my ball upon its tee. Stepping back from the tee, I took a few practice swings and tried to remember all the little points to a good swing. I visualized connecting with the ball and I reminded myself to breathe. And then, I stepped up to the little white ball on the bright red tee, I breathed in deeply and as I exhaled I began my swing.
I connected with the ball well enough and my ball ended up nearly smack dab middle on the fairway! Phew. What a relief that was. Perhaps I wasn't going to be a total distraction after all! In the end, we ended up using my drive for the best ball on hole one. That was a good boost in confidence.
As the remaining holes came and went, I had my ups and downs in my golf game. I learned tips. I learned that I didn't like to clip the ground and make a divot and how that messed up my swing. (apparently golfing is about clipping the ground!) I learned that over-thinking my swing didn't do me any favours. I learned how to do a proper pitch (and managed to do two really well! Better than the boys even!) I learned a lot about clubs and when to use them. And, I learned that even those who play the game with a lot more experience make stupid silly mistakes. That this sport is all about perfecting a skill that is not easy to perfect. There are so many subtleties that can go wrong. (e.g. a slight twist of the club (open or closed) has serious consequences to how the ball is hit.) It is definitely a game of skill, concentration and patience.
In the end, it was almost meditative to me. I enjoyed being outside in the beautiful sunny summer day. I enjoyed pausing and breathing and ensuring that my body was aligned just so, so I could hit the ball just so. I liked being overly self-aware of how I was swinging and understanding how fast the greens were or countering the winds.
It was an incredible day. One filled with nervous energy. A day of learning, laughing and growing.
Moments pushing beyond one's comfort zone.
Moments learning and growing.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Moments D382: Contemplation Redux
Today was a bit of a strange day for me. I started this blog earlier, but wasn’t really sure, or able to find the words. Today, after a day spent sitting with the sadness and unease that fills me, I think I can explain.
I can sum it up by being a day of contemplation once again.
I suppose that’s what happens when things shift in your life and one is faced with the bigger questions in life. What’s the point? What’s my purpose. What is a need and what is a want. (Oh, my Mom would smile at that. She always asked us as kids to stop and consider if our request was a need or a want.) It’s that moment, after deep musings within, that you realize, or perhaps you are reminded, that every day is special. Every day is an opportunity to seize growth and learning and to push a little bit forward. To pause and be thankful for learning opportunities given to us, for without them we are stale, lost in the mundane day-to-day drudgery.
Yes, every day is special. How easily we forget this. And yet, how quickly we are reminded of that when a loved one faces an unnerving surgery.
That’s the moment when pieces of your past fall away and you realize that your present is everything. Every moment is special. And tomorrow, well, tomorrow is a gift. A gift of another opportunity. Another chance to do things better, more lovingly, more soulfully.
Sometimes sitting back and contemplating things is valuable to one’s perspective. Contemplating can (and did) stir up a flood of emotions. (Lost time, lost growth, missed opportunities, etc.) But what perspective it brings about what is most important.
Today - I celebrate that moment. That moment of meditative revelation of what’s most important in my life. And I turn to the universe and share that love out, in the hopes that it will be reflected back upon those I love most a million (or more…is that selfish?) times over.
Moments to dig deeper.
I can sum it up by being a day of contemplation once again.
I suppose that’s what happens when things shift in your life and one is faced with the bigger questions in life. What’s the point? What’s my purpose. What is a need and what is a want. (Oh, my Mom would smile at that. She always asked us as kids to stop and consider if our request was a need or a want.) It’s that moment, after deep musings within, that you realize, or perhaps you are reminded, that every day is special. Every day is an opportunity to seize growth and learning and to push a little bit forward. To pause and be thankful for learning opportunities given to us, for without them we are stale, lost in the mundane day-to-day drudgery.
Yes, every day is special. How easily we forget this. And yet, how quickly we are reminded of that when a loved one faces an unnerving surgery.
That’s the moment when pieces of your past fall away and you realize that your present is everything. Every moment is special. And tomorrow, well, tomorrow is a gift. A gift of another opportunity. Another chance to do things better, more lovingly, more soulfully.
Sometimes sitting back and contemplating things is valuable to one’s perspective. Contemplating can (and did) stir up a flood of emotions. (Lost time, lost growth, missed opportunities, etc.) But what perspective it brings about what is most important.
Today - I celebrate that moment. That moment of meditative revelation of what’s most important in my life. And I turn to the universe and share that love out, in the hopes that it will be reflected back upon those I love most a million (or more…is that selfish?) times over.
Moments to dig deeper.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Moments D87: Learning & Reflecting
Recently a dear friend and I were discussing life and the process through which we, as individuals, experience life. The subject of change was prevalent in our discussion.
Change. Why is it so challenging for most? Isn’t that why we are here? To learn? To Grow? To evolve? How is it that we become complacent and comfortable with people and situations that aren’t really best for us? How is that acceptable?
Tough questions without easy answers. For me, that’s what life is all about IMHO. Learning, growing, evolving into better versions of self. No one said it was going to be easy, but it is necessary. It takes time. It takes analysis of self and time to reflect. In such a fast paced world, we lose the ability to take a step back and reflect without forcing that moment of reflection.
As I told my girlfriend - I will learn until the day my last breath escapes my lips. And I vow to make more time for myself to reflect upon myself and how comfortable I really am.
Moments of learning.
Moments of reflection.
Moments of GROWTH.
Change. Why is it so challenging for most? Isn’t that why we are here? To learn? To Grow? To evolve? How is it that we become complacent and comfortable with people and situations that aren’t really best for us? How is that acceptable?
Tough questions without easy answers. For me, that’s what life is all about IMHO. Learning, growing, evolving into better versions of self. No one said it was going to be easy, but it is necessary. It takes time. It takes analysis of self and time to reflect. In such a fast paced world, we lose the ability to take a step back and reflect without forcing that moment of reflection.
As I told my girlfriend - I will learn until the day my last breath escapes my lips. And I vow to make more time for myself to reflect upon myself and how comfortable I really am.
Moments of learning.
Moments of reflection.
Moments of GROWTH.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Moments D61: JUST DANCE!
Today’s smile comes from a video sent to me in the wee hours of the morning. It was unexpected. It had no supporting comments or information included with it in the email. Just the URL. I had no expectations, but as the footage unravelled itself, I couldn’t help but smile.
As I continued to watch nearly 5 minutes of footage I realized Matt had accomplished quite a feat. Imagine just how many lives he has touched. How many smiles he has brought to strangers faces. How much love and positive energy was born from this social experiment. Not only has he learned new dances along the way, you can see in the video that he’s teaching moves as well.
Moments of learning and moments of teaching.
Moments of dancing, smiling and laughing.
What a perfect way to start one of my favourite days of the year. The day that my family and I celebrate one of our own. One who, ironically enough, loves to dance and sing and joke around. The timing of the video was perfect and the sender couldn’t have known that.
So today I say - GET OUT THERE AND DANCE!
As I continued to watch nearly 5 minutes of footage I realized Matt had accomplished quite a feat. Imagine just how many lives he has touched. How many smiles he has brought to strangers faces. How much love and positive energy was born from this social experiment. Not only has he learned new dances along the way, you can see in the video that he’s teaching moves as well.
Moments of learning and moments of teaching.
Moments of dancing, smiling and laughing.
What a perfect way to start one of my favourite days of the year. The day that my family and I celebrate one of our own. One who, ironically enough, loves to dance and sing and joke around. The timing of the video was perfect and the sender couldn’t have known that.
So today I say - GET OUT THERE AND DANCE!
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