Good | Bad | Rad #39 – Ideas, Ease and Mystery

A look back at some of the best, hardest and most surprising parts of my week.

The Good

Overwhelmed by Suggestions. I had this idea that I would celebrate the two year anniversary of Explore & Play by letting you suggest, and then choose the topic for the anniversary call. I somehow forgot how creative and thoughtful and interesting you all are! The ideas poured in, and while it was a hard thing to choose, I’m so glad I asked. There were some definite themes, and some very original ideas. Most of all, I’m thrilled that there continues to be so much interest in these calls! I love doing them, and it’s so good to know that you love them too. (Take a moment to vote if you haven’t already!)

Regular Blogging. This isn’t just the anniversary month for Explore & Play, this month also marks one year of regular blogging. This blog has been around for more than six years (my first post was in January 2007), but I didn’t have a regular posting schedule until a year ago, when I started a one-month daily posting challenge with my friend and collaborator, Janine Adams. I met that challenge and continued for another three months of daily blogging. Then switched to posting three times a week. I just did a quick calculation and about 60 percent of the total posts have been written in the last year.

Running Ease. Despite being a couple months into training for my third marathon, I still don’t really consider myself a runner. While I find that interesting, and somewhat odd, there’s an upside. I get to regularly be surprised by what I manage to do in my training. This week, it was first the thought that I have an easy week, because my long run was only 13 miles, and then the thinking why don’t I just go ahead and get that out of the way on Monday after work, since I have a 10k race on Saturday. Who am I?! There’s something that feels so powerful about being able to do that. I love the feeling.

Blue Skies. Please forgive me, but I have to wax on a bit about the gorgeous weather in Portland. Again. I think we had some gray skies and rain at some point this week, but I blocked it out. When you live in a place where summer generally doesn’t start until July Fifth, these things are worth talking about. A lot. Also, I am hereby reminding myself to not complain about the heat, should that happen, during the actual summer.

The Bad

Scheduling Conflicts. I had to move some things around this week, which caused me to miss most of the group time with my Guild buddies. Despite having an incredibly productive week otherwise, this has left me feeling a little bereft — like my work for the week isn’t quite finished. Plus I love hearing how their projects are going, and what they’re discovering in the process.

The Rad

Mystery. Wednesday was May Day. While it has become a day for labor protests, when I was a little girl, it was when my sister and I, with our mom’s help, would make pretty paper baskets from old wallpaper sample books, fill them with flowers, hang them on the neighbors’ doors, ring the bell and run! We loved doing that every year. This year, someone did it for me! I was working away, my doorbell rang, and by the time I got down two flights of stairs, all that was left on my porch was a beautiful bouquet of tulips and a big bag of mandarin oranges. There was a simple signed note, “Happy May Day! Shannon!”

At first, I was dying to know who left me such sweet gifts. I wanted to be able to thank them properly.

But, as I went through the day, I noticed something very interesting…I was kinder, chattier, smiley-er, with everyone who crossed my path. I wanted to perpetuate this exceptional kindness for no reason. I feel gratitude towards everyone, because it could have been anyone. So thank you, whoever acted on their whim, and gifted me not just with lovely flowers and fruit, but a whole new attitude.

And you?

What were the Good | Bad | Rad parts of your week? Share them here, in the comments, or on the Perception Studios Facebook page.