A to Z Challenge Reflections

It's the second day of May and I'm missing the A to Z challenge! I'd never posted on a daily basis so my brain has shifted into writing mode and I hope it doesn't go away! I was excited yet nervous to take on the challenge and was pleased to find it easier and more enjoyable than I had expected. I'm really pleased with the ideas I had and the topics I chose. I also found it easier to write the farther I got into April.

Halfway through March I started an a to z list in my writing notebook and wrote down every idea I had for each letter. Since I only picked one topic per letter, it has left me with a great list to choose from for future posts. The toughest part of the challenge for me was simply making the time to write each day and get the posts scheduled. Most nights I would type up the next day's entry and schedule it to post at 3am the next morning. Each day when I got home from work, I would log on to see how many views and comments my posts had gotten. I truly appreciated the things people had to say, especially strangers who could relate to my posts. My favorite thing about blogging is that I get to share my stories and thoughts with people. I like pushing myself and just putting things out there. The other cool thing I got out of the challenge is discovering a lot of other great blogs/writers. It feels really good to be connected to other people through my writing.

The only downside to blogging through the month of April is that I didn't really get to comment on much that was going on in my life at the time. On the plus side, that gives me more material for future posts!

Z is for Zen

I often think of myself as having what I call a "zen core". Down inside I'm grounded. I believe everything happens for a reason and I have a lot of faith in The Universe and karma. I know everything is always going to work out in the end. I practice kindness and compassion. I think everyone has their own story that motivates their actions and therefore try not to take anything personally. However, in between my core and the rest of the world there's another layer. Sometimes it's a thick layer that hides my true self and causes me to be prone to anxiety and outbursts. Other times it's thin and I feel calm, safe and able to me my true self. I am continuously on a journey to cause that shell to become so thin that it eventually disappears.

According to The Oxford Dictionary, zen is a noun: a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition. The way we use the word today is different. It typically is used to mean a state of calmness, a togetherness of mind and body.

I'm currently reading a book called The Dude and The Zen Master. It was written by Jeff Bridges, who played The Dude in The Big Lebowski, and Bernie Glassman who has been Bridge's Beddhist teacher turned close friend. The idea of the book is that many people see The Dude as a Zen Master. The book is a collection of conversations between the two men  on this and other thoughts on living well and doing good.

What I've come to realize from this and other books I've written on the subject, is that zen is a little different for everyone. For me, it's about getting to that place of loving myself and being untouched by what others think of me or comparing myself to others. It's about staying calm in the face of anxious thoughts and letting them pass because in the end, everything will work out so I might as well not throw a fit. Some days I'm totally zen, other days not even close. But if I can reach it on some days, I know I can reach it on all days. One of the most important things I've learned on my journey is to stop and ask "What would serve me best?". When I answer that question honestly and follow through, I am peeling back my shell and truly being myself.

Y is for YouTube

If I'm feeling sad, stressed or angry, whether it's after a rough day at work or I'm sick or just worn out emotionally, there is one thing that can always break the tension and cheer me up: funny YouTube videos. I have a few marked as my favorites that will make me laugh every time, no matter what is going on with me that day.

I've always felt a special fondness for YouTube because one of it's founders, Chad Hurley, was a year ahead of me at the high school I went to in Pennsylvania. I didn't know him but just because we came from the same place, I can't help but feel a little pride.

At this point, I know YouTube is filled with and capable of much more than funny videos. I've used it to watch videos on roller derby skills, cooking and crafts. It's become a part of our culture now, the go-to place for instructions and information. I certainly appreciate that part of it as well.

As I worked on my posts this month, I knew that YouTube would be my subject for Y so I've been trying to decide which video is my absolute favorite and deserved to be posted. It's a difficult task. I figure I should go with one that's G Rated, in the event anyone is reading my posts at work or around their kiddos. So here's one that never fails to make me laugh. Enjoy!

X is for Xavier Roberts

X is the only letter that really stumped me for this challenge. All I could come up with was xylophone and xanax, neither of which left me feeling inspired. So I did the only thing I knew would work to come up with good ideas: I called upon my FaceBook friends for help. I asked for suggestions and was pleased to see so many of my friends willing to pitch in their thoughts! There were several more for xylophone and xanax and a bunch of other great ones that definitely got me thinking, (some of which I didn't even know the definitions!): xenolith, xenophobia, x-rated, x-ray, xeroform, Xanadu and many more.

Xavier Roberts was suggested by two of my friends. I liked the idea right away but settled on it when my boyfriend was reading the list of suggestions and said "Who's Xavier Roberts?". Since he's almost six years younger than me, my other half was born a little late to fully appreciate Cabbage Patch Kids. He has a sister who is my age and of course she had one, but apparently he didn't realize they were such a big deal. Yes, actually, Cabbage Patch Kids were a really big deal to a seven year old girl in 1985. Once I did some Google research and found this photo, I knew my X topic was decided.

I only had one Cabbage Patch Kid, but man oh man, I sure loved her so much. She was a "preemie", with a peach colored outfit and a smooth bald head. She smelled like baby powder and that scent lasted for years. I'm surprised I can't remember her name but I'm pretty sure she's still in my parents' house, packed away. I know I have a photograph of me opening the box at my 7th birthday party and I've searched high and low but can't find it.

I was surprised to learn that Cabbage Patch Kids are still being made. They're modernized with glasses and TShirts sporting catchy phrases. You can even go to www.cabbagepatchkids.com to adopt your doll or plan a visit to Baby Land General Hospital. I'm pretty sure that would have blown my seven year old mind!

W is for Winter

Winter is not my favorite season. It might make you wonder then, why I choose to live in a place where it typically snows during at least nine months out of the year. Trust me, there are definitely some days when I wonder the same thing myself. Like when I'm shoveling a foot of snow in the dark at 6am or when it's 40 degrees below zero and going outdoors is unsafe due to risk of frost bite. But ask me on a day I'm skiing, with the sun shining in a blue sky or snowshoeing in the mountains to cut down my own Christmas tree and I'll tell you winter isn't so bad after all. Living here does take some getting used to, I'll give you that. The first winter I lived here, after moving from North Carolina, I spent most of the time inside. That makes for a loooong winter. By the following year, I knew I needed to learn how to enjoy the snowy season or I wouldn't be able to last long here. So I took skiing lessons and bought some used gear. Now I own both downhill and cross country skis and snow shoes plus lots of hats, gloves, mittens, long underwear, etc. My car has an engine block heater, which I have to plug in with an extension cord on cold nights so that it starts the next morning. My dogs wear coats and boots. I even have a "Happy Light" to get me through the long months of short days and minimal sunlight. It's not for everyone. I've found that the people who do live here are generally pretty happy and fit because they choose to stay here because they enjoy it. People who can't tolerate it tend to move away.


 I've lived in Montana for six years now and I'm still constantly amazed at the amazing experiences I have and the beautiful scenery I see on a daily basis. Yes, I've had to wear snow boots with fish net stockings to go to a roller derby event and it was cold but it was also kinda awesome. I think it does take a special kind of person to thrive here and I feel so lucky to know so many of them and to be making this my home.

V is for Vegetables

Even though it's late April, it's still not quite spring here in Montana. As is usual for this time of year, my house is full of seedling plants waiting to be transplanted into the ground once it's warm enough. Gardening in Montana is hard work. The growing season is short, summers are harsh and particularly where I live, the soil is not great. But despite all that, it's worth it to us because there really is something special about eating vegetables that you grew yourself. There are so many benefits I get from spending that time outdoors caring for the plants and harvesting. I like weeding the garden barefoot and eating tomatoes and peas right off the vine. There's nothing like it! Fresh veggies are great all summer long but it feels extra good when it's the middle of winter and we're eating eating tomato sauce, salsa and jam that was made with our harvest. We've given some of our preserved foods away as Christmas gifts and it always seems to bring people joy.

Every once in a while, I run across a person who says they don't like vegetables. It always surprises me because I eat so many that I can't imagine what I'd be eating without them. I've never been a picky eater and I've always liked veggies and eaten them readily. Sure there are a few on my Least Favorite list but I'll eat just about anything!

U is for Unexpected

I have several tattoos and some of them are fairly large. When I'm fully dressed, none of them are visible but in warm weather, they peek out from short sleeve tops, capri pants and sandals. There have been countless times when someone first learns that I have tattoos and says something along the lines of "I would have never expected you to have tattoos!"I used to be highly offended when this happened, taking it as an insult. I've never understood what it means. Even when I've asked, no one ever had a decent explanation for what they were trying to say. Many people seem to have preconceived notions about what a person with tattoos looks and acts like and I guess I don't fit that mold.

I recently told a co-worker about my desire to go to taxidermy school soon. The response was similar:
"Wow! I never would have expected that from you!" And that's when I got to thinking that I like being "different" and presenting people with the unexpected. Perhaps I'm giving people a gift by shattering their expectations. If everything happened just as we expected, life would be boring. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a planner and I like to know what's coming and try to prepare for it, but life doesn't always give me what I'm expecting either and sometimes I'm glad for that.