Brandi J. Clark

Hi All,
I am back. Consistent…I know..just like a weed.

Well. Today I saw an article on “Mindful Writing”, I would like to expand on that.

How about? “Mindful Living”.

I am no expert on dying, but living…pretty good.

I have:

1) Fallen down the stairs in my walker (18 months old)
2) Poisoned (age 2)
3) Drowned in a pond (4 years old)
4) Fell off a 10 foot stand at a …get this…wheelchair basketball game…do you sense the irony?
5) Had Cancer but was a Libra. (What’s with that?)

SO I do realize that life is in peril constantly and I am in no control at all!

But seriously, we need balance people!

What is with the oversecheduling of our kids and ourselves? I am not alone in this. Check out Geek Dad.

I have said no to scheduled “fun” and replaced it with enriched family time.

What do we do on weeknights and weekends?

1) Visit parks.

2) Have a weeknight picnic.

3) GO on a family date night to the leisure center (pool).

4) Watch a movie.

5) Go to the farmer’s market.

6) Craft up a storm.

7) Go on bike rides and long walks.(in the community or explore your own city)

8) Ask your kids, “What would you like to do?” (This did backfire once. My daughter asked if there were Mermaid classes to become a Mermaid.)

9) Sign them up for short periods of activity. (ie Art classes, 5 saturdays, 90 minutes). Notice there are not weekend Art tournaments…

10) Develop life skills such as swimming, golf, skiing and self-defence arts.

As my husband said…
Kids remember moments…we need to create moments not schedules.

Until Next time…

Ok…Lit Maven…are you joking? Where would we find the dancefloor? Would we have to use local celebrities? Could we fly the dancers in?

No…not literally of course.

The idea…is…MENTORSHIP…

Dancing with the Stars is successful for a number of reasons. But when you look at the dancing development of the stars…it’s amazing! even Kate…
An eager to learn star is paired with an expert (mentor). Both of the partners put in long hours for a 5 minute presentation. It works because:

1. The mentor is passionate about what they do.

2. The mentor is aware of ZPD and knows that they have to meet the learner where they are at, to bring them up.

3. The learning is supported by a predicatable framework (Tango, Mamba…etc)

4. There is a gradual release of responsibility to the learner.

5. There is a sense of audience for the final product.

Lit Maven, you amaze me…

Thank you…but there is more.

This is how I apply this concept to my blog writiing.

1. Seek out blog mentors. My favorites are Chris Brogan, Seth Godin and ThoughtWrestling. I chose these for their content and process.

2. Seek out books on writing. My favorite authors are Brenda Ueland, Ralph Fletcher, and Donald H. Graves.

3. Read books written in the style you hope to emmulate. My current favorites are Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman and The Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

4. WRITE EVERYDAY! Those dancers…even Kate…practiced everyday. You can’t wish yourself a better writer, you have to write…shocker! I know!

5. Support each other. You are a mentor and teacher throughout your whole life…embrace it!

Until Next time…
Lit Maven Out!