Reinvented - Steven Tyler Style!

Recently I have been fascinated with people who are in the process of reinventing themselves.  Last Sunday at church I was talking to a young couple we know. They were telling me that they are selling their house in the suburbs and moving to a condo in the city.  One reason for the move is they will be closer to work, within walking distance.  The other reason is that the move brings them closer to the people they serve through a local organization that works with homeless youth.  Their work with this group has become so important to them that they changed their entire lifestyle to devote more time to what they love doing.  This young couple is reinventing their lives to be able to provide service to a group of individuals in need. 

It seems I have been surrounded by people who are in the process of reinventing themselves recently.  Some are making changes to simplify their lives.  Others have reached the end of a career and are taking what they know to develop new jobs or work in other fields.

Last weekend I was working around the house and my husband, the Pack Rat, called me.

"Carolyn, there is a new show with Steven Tyler on it.  You should come and watch this!" 

Now I am probably a marginal Aerosmith fan.  I have seen them several times in person but have never been a raving fan of the band or Steven Tyler, their front man. 

"OK, I'm coming."  I reluctantly said.  So I joined the Pack Rat thinking I would watch maybe one song and move on. 

The show was the CMA songwriters series, Front and Center.

(http://www.frontandcenter.com/cma-songwriters-series-steven-tyler/)  Steven Tyler was performing his body of songwriting work but in an unplugged format.  He was backed by a group of young musicians and the songs had a definite country music bent.  

So watching maybe one song ended with me sitting through the entire show and loving it!  I have told several people about it and now am writing about it.  What really struck me was hearing those songs in a new format, performed by wonderful musicians.  Steven seemed to be having a great time working with this group.  Overall it was an experience where I realized that here is someone else who has reinvented himself, and has done it quite well. 

So reinvention is happening all around us.  It can be a young couple changing their lifestyle to better serve their community.  It can be a baby boomer like me who left one career, went back to school and now works with college students, loving every minute of it.  It can be an old rocker, like Steven Tyler, who re-imagines his music in a new format making it fresh again.  

How will you reinvent yourself.  Think about it.  Change is happening all around us.  You can choose to be part of the change. 

Pack Rat has met his match

As I mentioned in an earlier post (Pack Rat gets replacement parts) my husband, Pack Rat, had knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago.  The surgery went well and his recovery, although slower than he wanted, is progressing.  One of the people involved in his recovery is Kelly his physical therapist.

Kelly has come to the house three times a week for the last few weeks working Pack Rat through a series of exercises to help him build strength, flexibility and mobility in his knee with the replacement part.  I have been around for a few of those sessions and have had reports about the others.

Last Friday after adding some new exercises and working Pack Rat a little harder than the previous session he was reporting that he was in pain that night.  He called Kelly to tell her what was happening and asked if he should see the doctor.

Pack Rat, "Kelly, I am in more pain than usual tonight.  I am having trouble resting. Should I call the doctor."

Kelly, "Give me the number for your pain from 1 - 10."

Pack Rat, "It's probably between a 4 to a 6"

Kelly, "I can live with pain from 4 - 6.  We worked a little harder today so it probably will be a little more painful.  Just put an ice pack on it and you will feel better."

Pack Rat, "Ok"  Grumbling of course you can live with pain from 4 - 6, it's not your pain!

I know I really liked Kelly but she won my undying appreciation that evening.  Pack Rat took his pain pills and iced his knee.  It was much better later.

So in Kelly the physical therapist, Pack Rat has met his match.  She will not allow him to give in to pain but work through it.  Good for both of them!

I was thinking after doing this post what does this have to do with technology.  My generation (those of us who are Baby Boomers) are now one of the largest consumers of the medical technology of replacement parts.  Go to dinner with a group of our friends and the talk always turns to who has had what part replaced, knees, hips, shoulders, thumb joints.  Even though the mechanics (the ortho docs) are the ones who do the surgery and real heroes (and heroines) of this work are the physical therapists.  They are the ones who push the patients into healing and getting back to their regular lives. So a big shout out to the physical therapists (like Kelly) who are helping those who have replacement parts get back on their feet.  You all are wonderful! 

Carla Hall, my partner in crime and a welcoming spirit

My sister-in-law, Marty, is my partner in crime.  We both love shopping, cooking and just hanging out with each other.  We have been to New York City, Chicago, Cleveland, Nashville and New Pittsburgh TN (to visit the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet Outlet).  Last week was her birthday.  I happened to see that Carla Hall, chef and TV host, was going to be at the Carmel IN Market District to sign books and meet fans.  I ordered tickets and called Marty to suggest she plan a road trip for her birthday weekend.

So in the midst of cooking, talking and spending time with Pack Rat, who is recovering from knee replacement surgery, Marty and I went to see Carla Hall.  We had seen her do a cooking presentation at the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland in 2014.  It was so much fun and prompted me to purchase one of her cookbooks.  We knew that this was just a meet and greet and book signing, no cooking involved

We arrived at Market District in Carmel IN at about 12:40.  Our tickets were for 1:00.  There were probably 150 people in line already, holding their cookbooks and waiting to see Carla Hall.  She arrived right on time at 1:00 and started greeting people.

Now I would expect a famous chef who bases out of New York to be somewhat stand-offish with us Mid-westerners.  Carla was exactly the opposite.  She laughed, hugged, embraced and was totally charming to this very diverse crowd of fans.  I was totally enthralled by her charm and welcoming spirit.  Within the crowd there were several people in wheelchairs and she was as charming with them as she could be.  She sat on the arms of wheelchairs for photos, she got on the floor to talk to young children again as photos were being taken.

I was completely blown away by her charm and ability to make everyone there feel welcome.  When I had a minute with her we talked about making biscuits.  I am trying to master them.  She told me she had made a video on her method during the recent snow storm in New York and to check it out.

Wow, what a wonderful lady.  Marty and I were both totally thrilled to meet her.  She has two fans for life.  If you have a chance to see Carla Hall in person do it! 

Pack Rat gets replacement parts

This week my husband, Pack Rat, went in for knee replacement surgery.  He had been having difficulty with pain in his knees for several years.  In the last year it has become increasingly more difficult for him to walk.  So after a year of seeing an ortho doctor (who I say is a highly trained, highly paid mechanic) he made an appointment for the surgery. 

The surgery was on Monday about mid day.  He did all the prep and was following instructions for not eating or drinking prior to surgery.  As we were driving to the hospital he almost told me to turn around and go home. 

Pack Rat, "Let's just forget this."

Me, "But we are on the way to the hospital.  Everything is ready to go"

Pack Rat, "I'm not sure if I can do this"

Me, "You told everyone you were having surgery today.  Do you want to tell them you chickened out?"

Pack Rat, "Well, if you put it that way I guess not.  We can keep on driving"

He had the surgery and everything went fine.  The Mechanic (his ortho doctor) said the surgery went beautifully and he definitely needed it.  He would feel so much better once he completes physical therapy and is all healed up.

So now we are in the midst of physical therapy, lots of drugs for pain and other things and he is enjoying all the attention of the people who are calling him and visiting. 

To be truthful I am exhausted.  I came out of this with a renewed appreciation for nurses and the wonderful care they give patients.  (A shout out to the IU Health Saxony Hospital nurses - you are the best!).

We are making it through the week and each day is getting better.  Hopefully I can hold on until Pack Rat is mobile again and back to work. 

Honor and Love

"There is nothing so sacred as honor, and nothing so loyal as love"

Inscription on the headstone of Wyatt and Josie Earp

This inscription was posted on Facebook by another one of my writer friends and I wrote it down to remember.  It seems so fitting to be on the headstone of Wyatt Earp, one of history's great honorable men and his wife Josie.  Wyatt and Josie were one of the celebrated love stories at the ending of the western/cowboy era in the United States.

Pack Rat, otherwise known as my husband, loves the entire Tombstone/Shootout at the OK Corral legend.  He has watched the movie Tombstone (the Kurt Russell version, not the Kevin Costner version) so many times I have lost count.  Often I will walk into the family room while he is watching television and see a scene from the movie,

"Watching Tombstone again?" I say.

"Yep" he replies.  "It's not to my favorite part yet"  His favorite part is the shootout.

I don't think I have ever seen "Tombstone" in its entirety. I have watched portions of the movie and then I usually get distracted or go and do something else and then return later.

Together the Pack Rat and I have visited Tombstone Arizona several times.  We love walking the streets where Wyatt Earp and his brothers walked.   We have watched the re-enactment of the gun fight.  We have also mingled with many other fans, spending the day in the Arizona high desert soaking up the history.  Over the years I have purchased him an entire western outfit, including the hat, sheriff's badge and long duster similar to those worn by Wyatt Earp.

So back to the inscription, I love the words honor and love.   With the addition of the word, faith, they probably can encompass the philosophy of my life.  Treat others with honor, love the people in my life and have faith in the power of God.

It was probably Josie who had the words put on the headstone (because Wyatt passed away before she did) but it is a fitting tribute to two very fascinating people.  I hope I can live my life so well. 

Mucinex has stolen my creativity!

Since returning from Tennessee after Christmas I have been sick with the sneezing/coughing/sinus crud that seems to be going around.  I have been coughing so much that my brain hurts!  The only thing that seems to help - other than lots of sleep and possibly alcohol - is Mucinex.  It dulls my cough and has me feeling like I am slowly on the mend.

The only problem is that Mucinex makes me feel somewhat out of touch with myself.  My mind feels mushy and sluggish and I seem to have lost my creative edge.  I was going to write about this yesterday then read a blog written by several writer friends of mine (www.wordwrangers.blogspot.com) and Liz Flaherty beat me to the punch.  She did a great post about being sick with the same thing and how it was affecting her.  Liz is one of my favorite authors and I have had the opportunity to meet her at a few Indiana Romance Writers of America events.  After reading her post I thought, "I have nothing to add to that!"

So then after hearing about the death of David Bowie I thought I would write about that until I read a post by J. T. Ellison (another of my favorite authors) and her love for David Bowie.  She did such a wonderful recollection of her love for that performer that I thought there was nothing more I could say that would be any better.   Although he has not been in the limelight much in the last few years David Bowie was a pioneer in living on the edge and pushing boundaries with his music and his life.

This morning I was going through YouTube looking for videos for the class I teach and I ran across the video of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury singing Under Pressure.  It took a moment to reflect on these two quirky and eccentric yet very talented performers who are no longer with us.  It just makes the world a little less musical to realize that we are losing many of those very talented people from the 1980's as they are aging.

So back to the Mucinex - I am finding that my mushy, cold medicine soaked brain is just not working right now.  So I will continue to enjoy the work of others who are much more creative and make more sense than I am able to at the moment.  Hopefully next week I will be thinking more clearly.  I just hope I have not lost my creativity totally.  No, it is still there just hiding behind a wall of cold medicine. 

Starting a new year!

I love the holidays.  For me everything surrounding the holidays is wonderful.  I love the decorating, the lights, the food and the events.  I especially love getting together with family and having time to enjoy some time to visit with those people who I love and don't get to see very often.

Yet, once the holidays are over I am over them.  The tree comes down, the decorations get put away.  I clean up the house and get rid of things I am not using.  I was telling a friend that as of right now I am tired of the celebrating, all the hurry, hurry to get things done and all the rich food.  I am ready to burrow in and make it through winter as best I can.

One thing that picks me up is that my seed catalogs start arriving right after Christmas.  So while I am making it though winter I can also look at the photos of beautiful gardens and plan mine for the summer.  Last year we grew cucumbers for the first time and they were wonderful.  This year I plan to expand the garden beds so I can plant more! 

Don't you just love new years also? It is a great time to make resolutions and start fresh.  My husband and I have been on a clean out spree recently.  Yes, the Pack Rat (that's my husband) is on board with simplifying our lives and getting rid of the things we don't use.  I will try to get rid of as much as I can until he starts to get stressed because his stuff is leaving the house.  (Shh, don't tell him that).

How do you embrace the new year?  Resolutions?  Get fit?  I will spend my new year hopefully cleaning out the house and preparing for a garage sale to get rid of stuff we are not using.