To Dr. Huberman's quote, "...reorder them into novel combinations that are useful or meaningful in some way,” I would add the word "playful." I like the questions you pose at the end of your piece.
I love the name change. I was thinking of changing mine and perhaps reading this is what I need to just do it.
My grandparents, when they were alive, were friendly with the Carters. Jimmy and Rosalyn wrote my grandmother a beautiful letter when my grandad died in 1989.
Sue, I appreciate your thoughtful posts! The journal prompts are inspiring and good food for thought!
Creativity brings me joy and the most obvious creative outlet for me is the garden. I too, am having to offload the beds I didn’t gopher proof. So I can relate to the ‘exercise’ involved!
Thank you, Sandi. Yes, there are always lessons from nature! Last summer, a grey digger found her way to my shed, dug a massive den UNDER the flower bed and concrete floor of the shed, had two adorable kits and the three of them plundered my spring garden, eating my entire lettuce bed in one day, almost all of the ripe strawberries!. We trapped and relocated them/.
Your new name is lovely; both descriptive and eye catching for those of us of a similar age. The journal prompts are thought provoking and I plan to spend time with them. Another compassionate elder is Terry Tempest Williams. I can add my Mom to the list, but she is (as she prefers) incognito! I think you should be on the list also, Sue. Thank you for this!
Thank you Jenny! Terry Tempest Williams is one of my favorite writers and truly a soulful person who lives her values. She's on the list! I will also put a generic Mom on the list and maybe compile a list of compassionate offerings from our moms.
I would add the wonderful, joyful Dick Van Dyke to your list of elders. He brings love, humor, dance, and positivity to all of us as he always has. Cheers to 99 years!
Interesting that you mentioned the connection to my rural move - weeks after I decided on the name and set up my Substack, I made that same connection!
Creativity can be a powerful force. Thanks for commenting, Lisa.
Hi Sue, I appreciate your comments about Jimmy Carter's passing. He certainly made good use of his time and energy to contribute to our world. I can think of two local compassionate elders. Bill Weiler for all his time teaching children and adults about the wonders of the natural world. Barbara Robinson for protecting, planting and preserving land and wildflowers. There are many more, we are fortunate to live in a generous and caring community.
Excellent local recommendations! I have watched Bill educate our region for 15 years with his enthusiastic storytelling about the wonders of the natural world (as well as his musical pop-ups). And Barbara's legacy is huge - I thank her silently each time I walk the Klickitat trail. They are on my list. Thank you, Beth.
Sue, I appreciate your posts. They're well-researched and well-written, and very pertinent to my stage of life. One other potential issue with the title "15 Years and Counting," despite being intriguing - it sure sucked me in- is the question of what do you do as you approach the 15-year mark? And what if you live to 90? Another unrelated question - do you ever see monarch butterflies? My sister has a small patch of milkweed next to her house near Appleton but in the 6 years I lived there, I never glimpsed a Monarch or their caterpillars.
Thank you, Deb! Those are good points about the former title. I plan to rewrite my About page this week to explain a bit more about the change.
This area is not really in the Monarch flyway, though they are occasionally sighted along the Columbia. But my milkweed patch is always busy with various bees, wasps, ants, swallowtails, and hummingbirds. And the flower's scent is beautiful!
They are. Milkweed is one of the plants I will feature in my new Wild Stories section. It has a fascinating history of co-evolution with the Monarch butterfly and human uses. Stay tuned.
To Dr. Huberman's quote, "...reorder them into novel combinations that are useful or meaningful in some way,” I would add the word "playful." I like the questions you pose at the end of your piece.
Wonderful newsletter and I like the new name!
That’s a helpful name change. I can’t remember how I came across you, but the old name didn’t help. This one would.
Thank you for confirming this! This is what I learned in my weekend workshop. Thanks for comment, Felicity.
I love the new name Sue 😍
Thank you Maria! I think it serves my writing far better. I see your new name, too. Congrats!
Thank you, Sue! Long overdue.
I love the name change. I was thinking of changing mine and perhaps reading this is what I need to just do it.
My grandparents, when they were alive, were friendly with the Carters. Jimmy and Rosalyn wrote my grandmother a beautiful letter when my grandad died in 1989.
Thank you for writing! 💚
I learned in the workshop that the title should be more literal - tell people what it is. I will watch for any changes you make.
The Carters were such incredible people and left a legacy of compassion. Thanks for commenting, Katie.
Sue, I appreciate your thoughtful posts! The journal prompts are inspiring and good food for thought!
Creativity brings me joy and the most obvious creative outlet for me is the garden. I too, am having to offload the beds I didn’t gopher proof. So I can relate to the ‘exercise’ involved!
Thank you for being here! ❤️
Yikes! 😳
Thank you, Sandi. Yes, there are always lessons from nature! Last summer, a grey digger found her way to my shed, dug a massive den UNDER the flower bed and concrete floor of the shed, had two adorable kits and the three of them plundered my spring garden, eating my entire lettuce bed in one day, almost all of the ripe strawberries!. We trapped and relocated them/.
Your new name is lovely; both descriptive and eye catching for those of us of a similar age. The journal prompts are thought provoking and I plan to spend time with them. Another compassionate elder is Terry Tempest Williams. I can add my Mom to the list, but she is (as she prefers) incognito! I think you should be on the list also, Sue. Thank you for this!
Thank you Jenny! Terry Tempest Williams is one of my favorite writers and truly a soulful person who lives her values. She's on the list! I will also put a generic Mom on the list and maybe compile a list of compassionate offerings from our moms.
Thank you for adding the Moms to your list! Compiling a list of their compassionate offerings is a great way to acknowledge and honor their wisdom.
I would add the wonderful, joyful Dick Van Dyke to your list of elders. He brings love, humor, dance, and positivity to all of us as he always has. Cheers to 99 years!
What a great choice! I grew watching him on The Dick Van Dyke Show but saw him first in Mary Poppins. He's on the list. Thank you, April.
Sue, I'd interpreted your previous Substack name as something around your leaving urban life for rural life. So perfectly reasonable.
But I also appreciate the idea of embracing a creative life, now as older people reinventing their lives.
I certainly have embraced that, however imperfectly.
Interesting that you mentioned the connection to my rural move - weeks after I decided on the name and set up my Substack, I made that same connection!
Creativity can be a powerful force. Thanks for commenting, Lisa.
Hi Sue, I appreciate your comments about Jimmy Carter's passing. He certainly made good use of his time and energy to contribute to our world. I can think of two local compassionate elders. Bill Weiler for all his time teaching children and adults about the wonders of the natural world. Barbara Robinson for protecting, planting and preserving land and wildflowers. There are many more, we are fortunate to live in a generous and caring community.
Excellent local recommendations! I have watched Bill educate our region for 15 years with his enthusiastic storytelling about the wonders of the natural world (as well as his musical pop-ups). And Barbara's legacy is huge - I thank her silently each time I walk the Klickitat trail. They are on my list. Thank you, Beth.
Sue, I appreciate your posts. They're well-researched and well-written, and very pertinent to my stage of life. One other potential issue with the title "15 Years and Counting," despite being intriguing - it sure sucked me in- is the question of what do you do as you approach the 15-year mark? And what if you live to 90? Another unrelated question - do you ever see monarch butterflies? My sister has a small patch of milkweed next to her house near Appleton but in the 6 years I lived there, I never glimpsed a Monarch or their caterpillars.
Thank you, Deb! Those are good points about the former title. I plan to rewrite my About page this week to explain a bit more about the change.
This area is not really in the Monarch flyway, though they are occasionally sighted along the Columbia. But my milkweed patch is always busy with various bees, wasps, ants, swallowtails, and hummingbirds. And the flower's scent is beautiful!
The milkweed pods are stunning, too.!
They are. Milkweed is one of the plants I will feature in my new Wild Stories section. It has a fascinating history of co-evolution with the Monarch butterfly and human uses. Stay tuned.
Great news name! I love that you're taking this project seriously and being even more strategic. Fine work here.
Thanks, Janisse! I am definitely motivated.