A Thanksgivukkah Mash-Up

   Thanksgiving and Hanukkah have collided.

 

   I’m paraphrasing an article in USA Today siting the rare convergence of the traditional “festival of eating” with the “festival of lights.” The newspaper called it Thanksgivukkah. The article highlighted the relevance of the new holiday to retail sales, but I’m interested from a cultural perspective.

 

   This combining of words is a telling trend in today’s mash-it-all-together, create-a-new-word-for-it generation. The dictionary calls that linguistic maneuver a portmanteau:  a word formed by blending sounds from two or more distinct words and combining their meanings. Lewis Carroll was the first to write about it in Through the Looking-Glass, in 1871. Since then it’s been done thousands of times and frequents our everyday language; take “brunch” for instance, the combination of “breakfast” and “lunch.”

 

    It’s more than simply combining words, however. The new word usually represents the best parts of the original two words and, when combined, is exponentially better—expanding and capitalizing off two ideas as opposed to one. Who would argue that lazy weekend morning aren’t better thanks to brunch? 

 

   In the case of Thanksgivukkah, it’s the blending of people, cultures and traditions that creates true meaning behind the new word. It’s a respectful mixing of behaviors and beliefs that honors both distinct holidays. Thanksgivukkah represents two sides coming together to form a synergistic approach to celebration–and life! A distinctual (portmanteau intended: “distinct” mashed into “instinctual”) meme to this generation and time.

 

   Let Thanksgivukkah 2013 be just the beginning! It’s time to combine tried-and-true ideas with new-to-the-market technologies. It’s time to bring opposing forces together and create something even better than the two wholes. It’s time to mash-up all areas and avenues of our lives to move the world forward.

 

   This Thanksgivukkah week we move it forward in peace, celebration, and appreciation.

Commit to a Crappy First Draft

Commit to a crappy first draft.

Those words sparked my spirit, paused my brain, and pushed-in a new understanding of “process.” The process of writing a book. No end in sight; just characters running melodramas, Young and the Restless style, in my psyche, lassoed and defined through my fingers and on to the page not often enough. I wasn’t committed to a deadline–or a timeline for that matter–except for the voice that kept pressing me from inside…”write the book, write the book.”  The problem was, I was editing the book before writing it. Concern for what others would think had stopped me from writing. I’d lost site of the story in my head for the worry of what others would think. “Not the problem, write the book,” the voice said. Hemingway made it possible. It didn’t need to be good.

Not only can I commit to a crappy first draft and the process of writing, I can commit to Gandolf’s philosophy, “All good stories deserve embellishment,” and just tell my story, in any order, in any way, in any fashion; it is fiction after all. I am a product of all I’ve experienced. It’s not an autobiography. It’s a story; a romance. The characters will appear when it’s their time to speak. In the meantime, the word is “intent.” What do I intend to do?  

Get to the end? Yes, eventually. Enjoy the process? Yes, it’s cathartic. Serve a purpose? Oh yes, for those that love has turned upside down, held under water, and made gasp ravenously for a freeing thought, this love story is for you. My intent is to write it, and to write it every day with that intent—to get to the end. The timeline will take care of itself. I’m committed to taking action.

Action is a crappy first draft.  

Chase Your Dreams: Lead Your Dreams

Why follow your dreams when you can chase them? Why chase your dreams when you can lead them?

 

I like that you can “chase” a dream, as opposed to “follow.” Sometimes followers lag behind; can be thought of as slow. Chasers, on the other hand, move at a faster pace…and when chasing a dream, the faster the better. Most people want to catch a dream quickly.  

 

But why do either, follow or chase, when you can take charge of the dream and “lead”? Notice I didn’t say “take control,” I said “take charge.” Control is an illusion. We think we have it, but what we really have are “outcomes.” And outcomes happen whether you’re in control or not.

 

“Leading” is a category and mind-set of its own. Set a direction on a dream, set an intent, and a desired outcome; help propel yourself towards it. Imagine the outcome, see yourself doing the work; let life work with you to help you succeed.

 

 

The quicker, the better.  

Drop the F-Bomb

When most people drop the F-bomb, they add the word “f*@k” to the sentence. When I drop the f-bomb, I mean I’m dropping it from the sentence.

 

            I used to use the f-bomb all the time. It is, after all, every part of speech, pronouns to adverbs. The Peevish Penman’s blog site spells it out, adverbs to expletives, The Nine Parts of Speech and the F-Word. It’s funny, worth the read; my favorite example is prepositions. J

 

            But I read once that using the f-word was a sign of hidden anger. A quick analysis of the times I was inspired to use it confirmed that. I’m pretty passionate when I use the word, and yes anger has been part of that word selection at times.

 

            I also use the word when I’m excited—or surprised! It’s more about the intensity of the situation. It’s like the word “douche.” You only call someone a douche when they’ve done something extremely lousy and crass. F*@k is kind of the same way. It represents an extremeness; intensity; a uniting of energy released in a word that invokes a myriad of reactions.

 

            Being a speaker/trainer, I don’t use the word professionally. Too many variables and interpretations; too many people with time to be offended. My friends, however, have heard me use the word plenty. Too much, I think. So I’ve dropped it from my vocabulary. (Except for today when I had a minor relapse and used it in every sentence on a 10 minute tirade. Phewh…that felt good.) And now I’m dropping it again.

 

            There are plenty of other words to choose.  

 

A Conduit with a Can-Do-It Attitude

   A conduit is a “means of access, communication” states the World Dictionary. It doesn’t list examples or show pictures, but if it did, I’d be there, you’d be there, we’d all be there. Isn’t communication, after all, an essential part of who we are and what we do as living, breathing human beings on the planet?

   Aren’t we all conduits of some sort, passing information from one person to another, one situation to another?  When problems arise it’s because communication breaks down, which usually means a “conduit” has been mocked, ridiculed, or chastised in to silence. Don’t let that happened! 

 

    It’s the steady flow of information that keeps people on task, projects on time, and the world spinning reliably on its axis. A person with a passion, purpose and a “can-do” attitude will continue to relay information because that’s what conduits do. Especially after a communication breakdown!

 

   We are all conduits for each other. It’s our job to keep the information flowing, like a global game of the kids party game, Telephone, except today we have cell phones, text messaging, email, and the social platforms to help in our quest.

 

   What can you do to keep the information flowing? Be a conduit with a can-do-it attitude. 

Quantum Surprises begin by Breaking the Habit   Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself

by Dr. Joe Dispernza.

 

Dr. Joe’s a master at simplifying quantum physics so we can understand HOW energy creates our realities. I’m half-way through the book and I’m excited to get to the “how to” exercises. (There are a few realities I’m planning on creating.)

 

As Yoda would say, “You must unlearn what you have learned.” Breaking the Habit is teaching me why my heart, mind, and body hang on to past experiences—especially the hurts—and continue a feedback loop of stinkin’ thinkin’ that cripples my progress forward. Dispernza refers to it as “re-mind”; when your mind plays the same story again and again.

 

“The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.” Who said that?

 

Dipernza’s view is that change creates quantum surprises. And quantum surprises are the Universe’s way of honoring your intention. But you can’t be too specific. You have to anticipate in thought and with feeling specifically what you want, but then you have to let the Universe fill the need.

 

Break the habit of old thoughts, become very clear in your intent, and stand back and let the energy fall together.

 

“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might get what you need.” That was Mick. J

 

The best way to do yoga—3x a week.

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   It’s a commitment thing really.

   If you’ve done yoga, you’re probably nodding your head, but if you never have, you just don’t know…

   There is real growth in all that stretching; not just your body, but your mind. It’s like the brain cells elongate with the stretching of the body cells. I reach over my head in Vrksasana (Tree Pose) and I feel every part of my brain expand. I’m able to think farther.

 

   Goodbye stinkin’ thinkin’ and hello brighter tomorrow. A better tomorrow. And that’s just from one class!

 

   Imagine what good I could do with that kind of positive vibe 3 times a week! Why wouldn’t I want to do it 7 times a week?!!

 

   (Yes, I know, a body needs rest. And so does a brain.)

 

   3 times a week…it’s like compound interest on good vibes, where the principle keeps increasing and so does your well-being.

 

   The best way to do yoga? 3 times a week, this week, next week, and every week after.

 

   Who knows where a good stretch could lead me?  😉

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Home in Colorado, watching the snow fly from the comfort of my own office chair, I KNOW leaving a buck behind paid off. Over 5200 flights canceled, millions of travelers stranded (plane, trains, and automobiles), 650,000 in the Northeast without power, 15 deaths L … and I made it home. As Nemo, pummeled the East Coast; I made it home. *

Is there a direct correlation? Probably not; but the common law of averages might apply. I was lucky to be training in Texas when the storm went through. Given my travel schedule I could just have easily been on the East Coast at the time. The odds were 50-50. Luck of the schedule-and Mother Nature’s will-found me in Houston.

I flew United out of Houston on a humungous plane and arrived exactly as scheduled at 8:52. I was only minutes from home (about 120 and counting). I’d been gone two weeks and as fabulous as it was, it was time to be home.

Did leaving a buck behind bring good travel karma? Well I know for sure it didn’t hurt!

 

*  A big shout out to all my peeps on the East Coast. All y’all okay? You dug out yet? Hope you all stayed warm. J

Leave a Buck Behind

I left a dollar last night, on the sink, in the bathroom of the Fort Lauderdale airport.

It’s an experiment of sorts. Although my Sweetheart would argue that it’s not scientific enough. He says the hypothesis itself is extreme and unprovable. There will be no connection and therefore a waste of time.

His theory is that I “just want to spend money.” (How funny; money has nothing to do with it…other than, I’m leaving a buck.)

It’s about karma and luck and paying it forward on a whim. It’s knowing and trusting that when I give without expectation of receiving, just KNOWing that my karma is in good standing, good things will come to me.

Sooooo, that’s the premise. And the task?  Leave a buck behind at the airport and see if good airport karma comes back to me.

But more importantly, my friend Tami West, inspired me to put it into question form. She’s completing her PHd with the study of “how women talk to each other about stress.” So, inspired by that question, and the hypothesis, once again, that a dollar left behind will bring multiple blessing back to me, the question is:

How will I benefit from leaving a dollar behind?

In the category of “being explored”? What financial benefits will I received? Will someone buy me a drink? Will I find a $20 bill lying on the ground? Will I win the airport lottery—the 3 brazillionith (a private joke with crazy co-trainer, Tami West) traveler to pass through the gates?

Will I get a first-class upgrade? A chance to co-pilot the plane? Ok, even I admit that one’s pretty extreme.  But aren’t the possibilities endless? I’m sure they are.

The test lies in relating one thing back to another. How can landing a speaking gig in Paris be triggered by a buck, left behind? I have no idea.

I hope I’m about to find out.