Find yourself in the Hoop

That is the tag line for Hoopnotica, and it's true. You do find yourself in the hoop. You laugh when you fumble, you feel a surge of pride when you master a new move, and you giggle from the sheer joy of it all. Moving your body, feeling the rhythm.

Today I began my 15 things to cook before you die goal, I started my sponge for my sourdough bread. Tomorrow, Sunday, I must get up at 5 am to get everything started. It feels good this aliveness, watching the sponge begin to work, caring for it like it is a baby. Is it warm? Is it free of drafts? Taking it personally, making a commitment to the bread, the dough, the promise.

Speaking of taking is personally, we scored our first game of ping pong and I am clearly a sore loser. He killed me without really even trying. I knew that he would still I had hoped I would do better than I did. I wonder if he is bored with playing with someone like me. But he says no and he explains beautifully and gallantly why he is not and that I do challenge him. I believe he is sincere and he is kind.

Writing....is hard, but worth the effort. Thanks to Gretchen, I pulled out the book Writing to Change the World by Mary Pipher. I've had the book for some time and it is very good, I set it aside when we moved 18 months ago and sort of forgot about it. But Gretchen is going to be writing about Harmony Hill and is reading the book. It reminded me that I have it and you don't buy a book like that if you don't feel what you have to say is important. And while I can see that Gretchen has lots to say and it is important and has, does, and will change the world, I'm still not sure that I can see it for me. But of course that is my petty fears looming up. I am doing this blog for just this reason, to strengthen my writing muscles, to get into the habit. To form my ideas, crystallize my vision. It can and will happen for me, it just won't be the same as for Gretchen or Mary Pipher, or anybody else. I have my own vision and my own journey to take.