#reverb10 Days 3 through 7

You never realize how much you use the internet until you don't have it for a while! Blogging from my phone is not something I see happening so I am currently camped out at my favorite cafe, drinking coffee and enjoying the free wifi. I'm also taking advantage of the opportunity to do some online holiday shopping and to avoid the part where I have to walk home because something terrible happened to the transmission in Mike's car yesterday (of course it was when I was driving it, up a hill no less) and he took my car to work.

December 3&4 Combo

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)


December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

I felt that these two went together well, for me personally anyway, and since I'm doing a bunch of the prompts at once, I feel like I can bend the rules even further by combining them. I had two occasions in my life this year which made me feel alive and helped me to cultivate a sense of wonder. I feel like the latter is so important, even though it may sound cheesy at first read.

The first was driving Route 66. This journey, being a long time coming, felt amazing. I can't even explain what it meant to me to have the opportunity to do it. The best parts weren't even the funky signs, but rather the long stretches of road that reminded me of this quote from Cars:

Sally: Forty years ago, that interstate down there didn't exist.
Lightning McQueen: Really?
Sally: Yeah. Back then, cars came across the country a whole different way.
Lightning McQueen: How do you mean?
Sally: Well, the road didn't cut through the land like that interstate. It moved with the land, it rose, it fell, it curved. Cars didn't drive on it to make great time. They drove on it to have a great time.

It felt just like that.



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My second occasion was at the Balloon Fiesta, in the early morning, when the balloons were being inflated for the morning ascension. You are able to stand right under the inflating balloon, and watch it lift off, along with about a hundred others. The colors, the cheering, the general feeling of being a kid again, all a great natural high.

December 5

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

I really think I can't answer this one on the blog, it is too personal. Trust me when I say that I am thinking about it. I swear this isn't a cop-out.

December 6

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

The last thing I made were some napkins for the online sewing class I tried to take, but mostly failed because of commitments to moving, other courses, house-hunting, living in a hotel, etc. Materials obviously include my ancient sewing machine (so old, the instruction manual includes a letter that begins "Dear Homemaker,"), fabric, and thread. They were the first things I have sewn in a looong time so trust me when I say they were awful. I'm really hoping to finish the course (and get much better at sewing) after the holidays and I plan to make some of my Christmas presents this year.

December 7

December 7 – Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

I really loved the sense of community I got from the participants in the Blogging Your Way e-course. It felt more like we were working together, instead of competing with each other, and the information I got from the course itself was pretty invaluable.

The blogging community is one that I would like to connect with further in the next year. I love reading blogs, but I am a rather poor commenter at times. One of my goals is to really work on that. A person who is really good at building a blogging community is Kam from Campfire Chic. She is a great one to emulate. Another great example would be Susannah Conway. She just opens her heart in a way that I still can't bring myself to do online, and her unravelling course was amazing. You can't help but be drawn to her.

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I have to head out of the cafe now and get some unpacking done. Expect some more reverbing either tomorrow or this weekend!