Clicking Our Heels – Personal Success and Failures Beyond Writing
Clicking Our Heels – Personal Success and Failures Beyond Writing
Gang is a creative group of women who excel at many things, besides writing,
but even the most perfect of us have found that not every craft, hobby or sport
is our cup of tea (or we its).
AB Plum – Aerobic dancing and power walking challenge me most days. I’m
about to add poles to my walking – just for fun. I sink to the bottom of the
pool and hate getting my face wet. Swimming is not my “thing.
(fortunately my husband is!).
In the past, I was a horse person (and still have
one) but now my hobbies are piano and martial arts. I studied Aikido for
several years and after a 30-year gap, decided I wanted to try again, so now I
am studying Aikayama Ju jitsu. Wouldn’t say I was good and can’t take the falls
I used to, but I’m working on it and having fun.
part of their
homemaking skill set, so I learned to do those things so I could
hem my own pants or sew a button on, things that seem to be lost arts today. I
do love the feel of yarn and am looking forward to teaching myself to crochet
this winter, but I’m not particularly crafty. My creative outlet is dance – I
love dance in all forms from Zumba to country line dancing to the ballroom
dance classes I drag my husband to every winter.
Linda Rodriguez – I spin, knit (including commissioned original design in the
past), crochet, weave, embroider, and at times make art quilts. I cannot draw
anything beyond stick men. I can’t do any kind of carpentry.
I play the piano reasonably well. Some of my other encounters were a different
story: baton twirling (oops), ballet (after two lessons, it was suggested
mother spend her money more wisely on something else), knitting (mother taught
every Brownie to knit except me – she sent me to the knit shop and was quickly
told her she could spend her money elsewhere more wisely), sewing (I sewed the
skirt I was making to the one I was wearing and cut a hole in both causing
mother to spend the money she saved on cancelling my other lessons), and
singing (5 notes on key but not in order). When it comes to exercise, I claim
an allergy to excessive movement and avoid anything that might cause
glistening. I’m also limited in the culinary arts – which is probably why my
new Sarah Blair series contains recipes like Jell-O in a Can and Stouffer’s
Spinach pie.
student and instructor and I used to enjoy painting and drawing before having a
kid put the kibosh on extracurricular activities.
scrapbooking photos and genealogy research. I played fullback for my coed
soccer team in my younger days and loved the sport.
in a corner reading – or talking to a friend – never moving. Of course
therefore sports are not my thing. The only two I was ever any good at were
volleyball in gym class and golf. However, in recent years, I let my Fitbit
dictate my life so I make sure that I do MOVE enough every day. It is no
overstatement to say that in the last three years wearing a Fitbit has changed
my life.
light through the completed pieces. While I love to sew, smock, and embroider,
I never learned to knit or crochet. (I’d would like to learn.) Sports? I was so
involved in competitive sports in high school I’ve backed away from organized
sports and these days, I hike, kayak, and run instead . While running marathons is on paper
competitive, for me, it’s simply a challenge about completing the
race.
jewelry. I have an on-again/off-again relationship with needlepoint (currently
off). And I’ve been known to knit.
to stick with one for very long. Since I also have a 40+ hour week day job,
most of my spare time goes into writing. But I have been known to get lost in
playing video games as well. The ones I play are often just another way to
engage with a well-built world and create interesting characters.
at knitting and crocheting. I’m also excellent at watching horror movies.
Everything I’ve learned by watching them – I look out for.
would be putting a considerable gloss on my level play. I’ve run 4 marathons
and countless ½ marathons, though these days I’m more of a 5k (3 mile) type of
runner. I’m hopeless at racquet sports.
to take tap dancing lessons and smile my way through recitals. All of that
practice probably helped me in seeing patterns I use in directing plays, a
collaborative experience I love!
I love the variety of interests and talents, and I'm sure they help to enrich the writing . . . or at least provide a much-needed break. <3