Living in the Moment

As I was sitting at my computer earlier today writing for my blog, I received two emails telling me with remarkable specificity that two packages had been delivered to my side door.  I walked the 22 steps it takes to get from my home office to the side door and sure enough two large boxes were setting in my breezeway and the UPS guy waved at me as he was getting into his truck parked at the end of my driveway.

I have been practicing yoga for 33 years, since I was 15 years old – yes, I will pause while you do the math.  I am pretty sure that the technological wonders of today do not really represent the yogic teachings of “living in the moment.”  Yet, there is no doubt that the instantaneousness with which we live these days can be both helpful (it was good to know those packages, which are Christmas gifts, were outside before the kids got home from school) and distracting (it took me away from my task at hand).

But what truly took me away from writing today was the rescue of 33 miners who have been stuck a half mile under the surface of the earth for 69 days.  I admit that I have been mesmerized by this event since it began last night, even choosing to miss my painting class today so that I could watch the live feed.  And as each miner was reunited with their family, I lived in the moment with them, something I could not have done that without the instantaneousness that today’s technology brings.  That was a distraction worth living in the moment for. 

Congratulations to the miners, one and all, and congratulations to mankind, who has finally found a way to meaningfully live in the moment, en masse, in a very positive way. 

A Queen is born

So, I’ve started a blog, but I am not yet entirely sure why? It’s not that my life is uber-exciting, not at the moment anyway! Oh, I have had a grand olde time over the last 30 years since HS graduation, reinventing myself and doing all sorts of fun stuff - did the army thing as a photographer; finished college; lived in Nashville for a while; went to law school in Chicago (the greatest town on earth!); did a 7-year stint as a litigation attorney with the Federal Election Commission; worked in the virtual world of creating websites; started my own business; adopted two fantastic girls from China; and in the last few years became a total gym rat. It has been loads of fun, and my personal philosophy all along has been that when I get to a fork in the road, I generally take it. Things usually get a major overhaul with me about every seven years just for kicks. Honestly, I think I have a recurring, acute seven-year itch, well, except with my husband, who I remind every day how lucky (or perhaps unlucky) he is to have survived more than two cycles already and is showing no signs of escape. So what now? Now, I am just coasting and enjoying it, doing some painting, photography, gardening, writing, dancing, biking, and still living much of my life in the gym. I think I really like being the queen of dabbling. In fact, that is how I arrived at my new official title...

- Tonda, Queen of Dabblin

Welcome to Dabblin

Not exactly sure where we are going with this, but strap on your sluzzy finky boots and journey with me anyway.

-- Tonda, Queen of Dabblin


(Sluzzy Finky:  Something or someone who is Slutty + Sleazy = Sluzzy and Funky + Kinky = Finky; but all in a good way.  As in, "That's some sluzzy finky boots you got there.")