Category: Wandering
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Disconnected…
Here’s a secret…keep some content downloaded on your favorite streaming device. Last week our neighborhood experienced outages from our internet service provider. I had several reactions to the inconvenience. The first was arrgghh! And maybe some other choice words. I needed to send emails, upload blogs and do research. The second reaction was to remember…
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Revising Revision Mode…
On Monday we talked about scheduling rest times while working on a big project. The value of this new-to-me practice has been made clear these past few weeks. I credit author Ellen Sussman for introducing the concept of “units;” one-hour segments broken into 45 minutes of concentrated work, followed by fifteen minutes of non-work activity.…
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Dutiful Balance…
Just as there is value in welcoming beautiful art experiences into a crowded life, there is much to be said for adding in a balance of duty. The Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble is one such group to which I’m committed. The word is out. We get asked to play for more events than we…
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What the Heck?…
Beta reading is a tough but necessary process on any publication journey. While staying true to your original intent, protecting your writer’s voice, and reminding your fragile writer’s ego that your work has a purpose and place, you must assess the value of every comment shared. Case in point; I have read through novel number…
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Inspiration Strikes…
I recently traveled to an area where wifi was not as ubiquitous as we’ve become accustomed to. Even though I’d downloaded some content to watch when “powering down,” as is my nighttime habit, I chose to hang with family instead. That media deprivation, combined with no computer or writing time led to a spark of…
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More to the Story…
Reading is a great joy. Give me a stack of books, a comfy chair, and hot coffee and I’m happy. It’s a bonus activity that I schedule time for unless extenuating circumstances overtake my week. I appreciate the expertise shared by authors of non-fiction books and I wonder at the imagination of fiction writers. Lately,…
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Seventeen Minutes…
What brings you joy? What would you choose to do if you were magically given two extra hours one week? For me it would be active music (passive music is always in the background). Perhaps you know the moment you put an instrument aside, promising to return because the learning curve got a little slippery.…
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The Understory….
The Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble has been honored to play at several local events to celebrate Black History Month. Recently, moms and dads brought their kids to a local library to hear our music and learn about the tradition and history of African drumming. What joy to play, to play together and to play…
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Saying Yes…
I’ve been practicing saying yes to things. I don’t always feel adequate or prepared, but in every case, the outcome is beyond my expectation. Saying Yes pushes fear aside and makes room for joy. The Joy of Djembe Drumming ensemble recently played at the Children’s Museum Houston in honor of Black History Month. When our…
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The Learning Years…
What time in your life you would declare the learning years? Personally, this present moment is deeply rooted in gaining new skills. Granted, without formal schooling and real lessons, these years would be muddled confusion. Decades of formal classes, managing life in general and reading shelves of books that educated, entertained and inspired, have prepared…
Patty Mayeux Blog 