Pre-Ramble:

I’m sure they’re breathing, but the heron’s carriage is steady, movements barely detectable, as they wait to catch a glimpse of a fleeting fish or bug.

At least that’s what I think they’re doing – I could be all wrong and they could actually be deep in thought, … engaged in some kind of genetically-driven innovative exercise, … planning a new strategic migration route, ways to expand into promising new turf, or blocking out that book they are going to write.

The herons could be dreaming up their next big bird thing.

No.  I am not willing to consider that the lone herons are merely gazing absent-mindedly into space … their tiny bird-brains completely blank.

On the way to looking for a nice photo of a heron (above), I came across a blog post about herons written by someone named Heather MacKenzie-Carey.  It was about a deeper, symbolic meaning behind the nature of the heron that I thought was pretty compelling …

“As a totem animal, the heron signifies self determination and self reliance. It is said that the appearance of a blue heron is a symbol to follow your own unique wisdom and self-determination. The heron is about following your heart and your soul rather than popular opinion or the latest “bandwagon” … Herons have those long skinny legs so they can wade out into deep water while keeping their balance but still maintaining the ability to soar to great heights.”

She goes on to note that while the heron may be a loner, its demeanor conveys an important message,

“When I see [the heron] in the reeds by the water, he’s always alone. When I see him flying overhead, I never see any other birds with him … Herons are pretty solitary creatures. The lesson to take from them is that there is strength to be gained from spending time with yourself away from the crowds and opinions of others. There are times when following a solitary path or non-traditional role to create your own circumstances may be [the way to go] … maintain your own connection, your own source of strength and stand firm and balanced secure in your personal power.”

The Take-Away:  She is right – herons do project an almost Zen-like sense of personal power in their serenity and balance.  Like the heron, we might want to consider a vigilant but patient stance as we listen — often through significant noise and distraction – for our own unique wisdom and direction to become known.

Lately, most of my prime blogging time has been consumed by packing and unpacking boxes, learning how to use the new washing machine (there seriously needs to be some kind of webinar about it), and staring out the windows at the fabulous new views.

The Take-Away:  Today, I thought I’d share a little bit of my new view with you — !

Pre-Ramble: 

“Gahoowllay!! … “  As a minor cast member in the long-running Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry RFD and a show starring his goofy cousin “Gomer Pyle,” Lindsey was consistently daft.  I couldn’t have been older than 7 or 8 when “Goober” was establishing the persona which would define his acting career, but even then I was pretty sure that he was one of the most tedious and annoying characters I had ever encountered (closely followed by Floyd and Otis).  I distinctly remember leaving the room, or actually skipping an entire episode of the folksy show if the plot line featured more of Goober than I could tolerate.

What’s in a name?  After all these years, I have to wonder whether the Goober character was a matter of blissful type casting, or if Lindsey himself grew tired of playing the hapless role.  The professional parameters must have been challenging.  If your character’s name is Goober, as opposed to say, Mack, Dex, or Raylan, you pretty much know how that is supposed to go … lots of “golly, gee-whiz” lines, misplacing things, and tripping over stuff.  Once you’ve got that down, where is there to go?

The Take-Away:  Lindsey’s bio mentions his work on several other shows … “Gunsmoke,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” … etc.  But, frankly,  once a Goober, always a Goober.  Who wants to be known throughout what qualifies as a Hollywood career as “that stupid Goober character”?  Sure, it probably more than paid the bills (guffawing all the way to the bank), but I wonder whether, if given a different moniker and attitude, George Lindsey the actor could have gone on to distinguish himself as another Bogart or Heston.

“Judy, Judy, Judy … “ ….. maybe not.

Pre-Ramble:

For the past several weeks, we have been packing up all of our belongings and moving them to a house just a mile or so away from the one we’ve lived in for 15 years.  We’re talking about a pretty significant accumulation of furnishings, clothing and random other stuff (for example, in spite of the fact that we can never find them when we need them, we have 14 pairs of those orange Fiskars scissors).

While wrapping and placing every item in its appointed box, I couldn’t help but think of the importance of knowing strategically not only what was in each box, but also where the boxes themselves would be unloaded.  A box full of whatever, taken to wherever would be a nightmare to integrate into the new place.

What was “in-the-box” needed to be considered as strategically as what was “outside-of -the-box” … Turns out, the same is true in creative thought circles …

Tony Schwartz, president and CEO of The Energy Project and the author of “How to Be Excellent at Anything,” wrote a piece for Harvard Business Review titled, “How to Think Creatively.”  In it, he articulates what he considers a predictable process for creative thought …

Over the past hundred years, researchers have reached a surprising degree of consensus about the predictable stages of creative thinking. The stages move back and forth between right and left hemisphere dominance:

1. Saturation: Once the problem or creative challenge has been defined, the next stage of creativity is a left hemisphere activity that paradoxically requires absorbing one’s self in what’s already known. Any creative breakthrough inevitably rests on the shoulders of all that came before it.

2. Incubation: The second stage of creativity begins when we walk away from a problem, typically because our left hemisphere can’t seem to solve it. Incubation involves mulling over information, often unconsciously. Intense exercise can be a great way to shift into right hemisphere in order to access new ideas and solutions.

3. Illumination: Ah-ha moments — spontaneous, intuitive, unbidden — characterize the third stage of creativity. Where are you when you get your best ideas? I’m guessing it’s not when you’re sitting at your desk, or consciously trying to think creatively. Rather it’s when you’ve given your left hemisphere a rest, and you’re doing something else, whether it’s exercising, taking a shower, driving or even sleeping.

4. Verification: In the final stage of creativity, the left hemisphere reasserts its dominance. This stage is about challenging and testing the creative breakthrough you’ve had. Scientists do this in a laboratory. Painters do it on a canvas. Writers do it by translating a vision into words.

According to Schwartz’ model then, we have an “in-the-box” activity (Saturation), … followed by an “out-of-the-box” activity (Incubation), … followed by another “out-of-the-box” activity (Illumination), … then wrapped up by a final “in-the-box” activity (Verification) … The relationship between the realms of ”in-the-box” (left brain) and “out-of-the-box” (right brain) are symbiotic.

The Take-Away:  Whether you’re packing precious dishes or high-potential ideas, attending to what is happening “inside-the-box” is as crucial to a successful outcome as working/thinking “outside-the-box.”

Post-Note:  If anyone can tell me which box my golf shoes are in, I’d be very grateful.

Pre-Ramble:

“The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees renew one of the greatest rivalries in sports this afternoon, but the focus will be on the ballpark, as Fenway Park celebrates its 100th anniversary … Today’s matchup is the same as the one that christened the stadium 100 years ago to the day … both teams will be wearing replicas of the uniforms they wore in that inaugural game.”

I’m not a big baseball fan; the games are too long and 9-times-out-of-10 you end up squinting and frying in the stands under the sun.  … But, it turns out, Fenway Park is a whole nother ballgame.

Two summers ago, one of my daughters was doing an internship in Boston. Being the dutiful mother that I am, I went along on the move-in trip to help trouble-shoot, schlep, chat, eat, and generally have a grand old mother daughter bonding time.  So, after most of the heavy lifting was done, daughter and I began knocking around Beantown … “Isn’t that a neat building?” … “Look at those goofy boats shaped like  ducks!” … “Check out that preppy guy … “ … Then, “Hey, what’s going on over there?  What are all those people lined up for??”

With nothing more pressing to do, we meandered over to see what was up, and finally noted that the line was winding around the outside walls of a big green structure in the middle of the city there.  Then it dawned on us that this must be that baseball field …. “What is the name of it? … Oh, yes, Fenway. This was that Fenway Park that everybody is always talking about.”

We hesitated on the curb to soak in the sights and sounds around us.  These people were all fired up … just standing there was an experience.  We decided to stick around and be a part of the action, and then we decided as long as we were there, we may as well go to the baseball game.  We could enjoy a nice cold beer and a dome dawg and call it a day.

So, we waited in line … and waited … and waited … and waited.  We chatted with the folks ahead of us in line and we chatted with the folks behind us in line.  We started to speculate with our new friends as to whether we would actually get into the game, or if it would be sold out by the time we got to wherever the front of the line was.

We waited some more and waited some more.  Eventually, we could hear the unmistakable sounds of bats hitting baseballs, fans cheering and the general commotion of an event happening on the other side of the wall.

Rats. The fence near the front of the line had closed.  No baseball game for us that day.

But, for some reason, we didn’t leave. We just stood there in our spot in line, people watching and thinking about thinking about what we should do next —- when suddenly, … the fence near the front of the line opened.  A busy guy with a clip board came out and gestured to our section of the line, “Players’ tickets have been released – I need the next 25 of youz to go to the ticket office.”

?????? – We hustled over to the ticket office where the gal behind the counter slapped two tickets down and said, “$50.”

I paid $50 and we walked through the gates to find our seats —– 25 rows back behind home plate.

Yep – home plate.  You know — right where the guys step on that flat white thing to score a home run.

As we settled into our seats, I turned to ask the guys in the blue and red shirts in front of us who we were playing.  They gave me a long exasperated look and then answered with every form of “DUH” they could muster (which in Boston, is considerable), “Da Yankees.”

The Take-Away:  We had a nice cold beer and an excellent hot dog, and we cheered for the home team.  We had a very fun day watching baseball in Fenway Park.

Pre-Ramble:

??? – Of course, I had to ask what the Clover blend was, and why I might want to consider it, which is when I realized that I had just taken the bait.  I felt like the oblivious jungle animal who steps on the hidden ground-net-trap and ends up dangling by its ankles from a coconut tree.  I was quickly handed off to a shiny young man in a crisp green apron, who was literally rubbing his hands together with “Welcome to my laaaa-bra-tory” delight.

According to a corporate press relesase, (no pun intended) the “ultra-premium, single-origin, limited-edition” Starbuck’s Reserve is a transformative coffee experience,

“For nearly 40 years, our coffee buyers have traveled the world discovering the most exquisite tastes to appear in a coffee cup,” said Dub Hay, senior vice president of coffee and global procurement, Starbucks Coffee Company. “Only three percent of all the coffee grown around the world is good enough to make it into a bag of Starbucks® Coffee. Sometimes we encounter a truly rare and special coffee and we can only purchase a small quantity. Starbucks Reserve™ represents our heritage as a purveyor of the world’s finest coffees, and we’re thrilled to offer our customers passage on this journey of discovery.”

But that’s not the best part – the java du jour is prepared using the new high-tech single-cup vacuum press Clover Brewing System – !

“The Clover® brewing system uses innovative Vacuum-Press™ technology to create your cup right in front of you. You watch as a stainless steel filter lowers into the brew chamber. Hot water is added at a precise temperature to brew your coffee for an ideal length of time.

The Clover® brewing system controls brew time and temperature digitally, as even small changes here can dramatically affect the outcome you taste in the cup. A thermal blanket surrounds the brew chamber to keep water within 1 degree Fahrenheit of the ideal temperature.

After the coffee brews, it is pulled through a 70-micron filter. The resulting grounds are pushed out of the top of the machine. The coffee itself flows into your cup – hot, aromatic and amazingly flavorful. We’re pretty sure it will be the best cup of coffee you’ve ever tasted.”

Perky, professional, personable and highly informative, our coffee specialist Tyler delivered a five-star tour of the Clover system (think Tom Cruise in Cocktail … ). He demonstrated each highly calibrated step of the process, pointing out key features; noting the exclusivity of the offering (there are only three Clover machines – running $16,000 per — in Minnesota and we were standing in front of two of them!); and promoting the comparative advantage of the end product — a super smooth, better tasting cup of coffee.

We watched, rapt, as the beans made their way through grinding, soaking, steaming, pressing and vacuum-sucking (there’s probably  more appropriate brand-speak for that last part) before making their way, drip by drip, into my small paper cup.

The Take-Away:  As purveyor of what could easily be a ubiquitous cup-o-Joe, Starbucks continues to push its ambitous brand into all sorts of interesting places.  The Clover coffee experience was neat – the set up and delivery had a hip, micro-brewery feel; the process didn’t take as long as my chippy description would imply; and the final product was, as promised, “hot, aromatic and amazingly flavorful.”

Check it out at the Washington Avenue Starbucks on the University of Minnesota campus (right behind McNamara Alumni Center). Ask for Tyler and tell him Kathie sent you … (don’t remind him that I’m the one who asked if all this hoo-ha was just a hopped-up Keurig machine.)

Pre-Ramble: 

The work, called “Untitled” (shown right), is made of four massive boulders, each weighing eight to 13 tons and faced with veneers of high-gloss stainless steel in a variety of colors—pink, blue, gold and lavender.  It was recently acquired by the Walker Art Center in anticipation of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden’s 25th anniversary in 2013.

According to the Walker’s executive director, Olga Viso,

“Created by one of the most important American sculptors working today, this grouping of monolithic stones, which have been deftly transformed by the artist, seem to defy their massive weight and materiality, especially as the interplay of natural light and reflection activate their gleaming surfaces.”

“Untitled” will be installed on the four-acre stretch of green space adjacent to both the Walker and the Sculpture Garden …

“We hope that the boulders will, like the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry in the Sculpture Garden, become a beloved destination in our city for people to visit and experience from dawn to dusk and throughout the seasons.”

The Take-Away:  I love this piece.  It’s big … it’s shiny …  its unique combination of grit and glamour is compelling.  ”Untitled” ( … it needs a name) will be dedicated on April 26th at the Walker Art Center.

Pre-Ramble: 

Like Malcolm Gladwell and others before him, Rhone ponders singular concepts and capitalizes on the minimalist movement in a big way, owning to an affinity for Apple products and designing his “petite white volume” of a book to be simply and irresistibly perusable.

The book – a collection of essays on family, business, technology, relationships and personal productivity – is centered on the concept of balance and moderation. Rhone is convinced that,

” … A successful life is largely driven by balance and moderation … not too much of anything.  Not too little, either.  Just enough.”

Just ask Goldilocks - So way easier said than done.  … (Has the guy ever been stationed next to a full bowl of Annie’s Kettle Corn? … It’s called “crack” at our house for a reason.)

According to Rhone,

“Enough is a very personal metric. Like our center of gravity, each of us must find what is enough by swaying from less to more until a comfortable medium is found.”

“Having clarity of purpose and intention helps me to eliminate needless items from my life and keep such things from entering in the first place.”

The Take-Away: Actually, I was planning on being all dysfunctional and sarcastic and mocking Rhone for being “that guy” …. the kind of Mr. Picture of Perfection that we all love to hate. ( … Ok, maybe it’s just me … ) … But, being in the midst of the Big Downsizing exercise of moving into a smaller space has made me not only experience, but embrace the concept of “less is more” (a closely related cousin to “enough is enough”).

In weeding out my closet, I am now able to ask myself … “Kath, how many black turtlenecks does a gal really need?” (Especially since we all know that there is one “go-to” shirt that gets worn 99.9% of the time anyway?) … And, what is the point in saving stuff that you never — ever — touch, see or remember that you have?

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure Mr. Rhone would corroborate - having just enough stuff is very, very freeing.

Pre-Ramble:

Universe cookies – The technological equivalent of that would be where you do a Google search on something – say mini chandeliers – and suddenly every snip of advertising that sprouts up alongside your various Internet activities features … (wait for it) … mini chandeliers. I’ve been told that this happens as a result of little sensors or “cookies” that sneak into your computer to record and relay your online activity and preferences, … your digital profile.

This phenomenon is both amazing and daunting.  The fact that your computer, and the allied forces on the other side of the digital curtain, know exactly what you’re up to can be helpful (“Gosh, mini chandeliers right here on my homepage, how convenient!”) …

Or, CREEPY … (Whoa !!! … I just searched for a mini chandelier one nanosecond ago … Did a Pottery Barn sales associate slip a micro chip into my head the last time I stopped in for pillar candles?)

Well, so, these last couple of months I’ve been on a downsizing kick.  Downsizing the house (we bought a new one with half the square footage of our current place) …, downsizing clutter (half the space means half the stuff) … Basically, downsizing my life.

The Take-Away:  I know I’m not unique in this respect; it has just taken me a while to embrace the concept of “less is really more” …  And, let me tell you — It feels great!  In all of the sorting and cleaning and boxing and schlepping, I have found a renewed sense of energy, clarity and freedom.

Post-Note:  In the schema of the whole “Universe is answering” thing, today in the mail I received a huge, neatly bundled set of Restoration Hardware source books … each one eerily keyed in on various pieces of my downsizing master plan.  The bundle also included a freakishly relevant idea starter booklet called “Big Style, Small Spaces” …  All of the stylish vignettes were shown in my exact new-tiny-house-color-scheme — Squirrel Pelt Brownish-Grey (not what they are calling it) …

… Yikes – !!

Pre-Ramble: 

Thats’ her above, tandem jumping in the Florida Keys …

… hurling toward the Earth at 120 mph …

… the whole thing captured on film by her personal “professional skydiving videographer.”

What color is your parachute? … In doing a little research into the sport, I came across some actual skydiving FAQs; here’s a random sampling:

1. Which parachute is right for me?
2. What type of clothes should I wear on my first jump?
3. Is it safe to skydive after having a stress-related heart attack?
4. Where can I get health insurance to cover skydiving accidents?
5. Where can I find a packing manual for an old Para-Innovators Wedge 3-pin bailout parachute?
6. Are there any DZ’s that would allow a group of men to do a tandem in the nude?
7. What in the life span of a skydiver?
8. Is there a database of antenna towers?
9. Where can I find a lawyer to sue a DZ (Drop Zone)?

… Yipes!!

The Take-Away:  Yay Ann — you go girl!!!  … As a life coach and dedicated adventure seeker, what a great way to step out and experience life from a whole new perspective!

Post-Note: All dressed up in the jumpsuit (literally) and gear, she reminds me of that beloved, retro-hero, supersonic speedster, Rocket J. Squirrel … (… it’s totally the aerodynamic hat and goggles).