I’ve just changed a personal setting here and I have no idea what it will do to this blog.
We’ll find out. That’s what this feature is all about. But apparently, we have to wait.
And, if you want to know a truth about me? I like the unexpected. It revs up my adrenalin.
Handling surprise is all part of resilience training, as far as I’m concerned. Dealing with serendipity in your life ~ the things that hit you out of the blue. Changes that may throw you off your track a bit. Not chaos. Not severe stressors. Not calamity.
Just those little blips that come your way unexpectedly and throw you off your stride and cause you to lose your balance. They may demand a little correction. Who knows? Depends on the nature of the surprise.
Now, this new feature is guaranteed to do this and it’s such a surprise that the powers-that-be at WordPress are not revealing anything about what this surprise will look like. Honest. I haven’t a clue.
But I like adventure, some kinds of adventure. So, let us see. If I hate it, you’ll know.
And if you hate it, please let me know.
On the other hand if it tickles your fancy and makes you come back for more, terrific. I love lots of traffic here.
So, I’m waiting, WordPress.
Surprise me. Surprise us!
Cheers. Have a great weekend, what’s left of it.
Speak soon!
“Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light.” ~ Groucho Marx
Hmmmm, now I am curious as well. I hope it’s a short wait.
Hi, Sheila…
Apparently we’ll see something by Monday and it’s fun.
Good to hear from you again and I hope you’re enjoying your weekend. But oh, the poor spring flowers. It was haling here this morning.
Sending hugs and I hope this surprise is worth the wait!
xox
s
I have really enjoyed reading your posts, I found your site through a comment you made on Waiting For Psyche. Then I read your epilogue post, and I thought I had missed a chance to enjoy your writing, to then find that you were re-birthed here.
So I am looking forward to seeing your posts.
Dave.
Hi David,
Welcome and thank you for your kind and encouraging words.
About my other incarnation, you know, the entire archive of my Toronto Star “Coming Out Crazy” which seems to still be on the Healthzone site, is posted right here under “Heretofore” on the right side of my front page, so you can go back and read to your hearts content, if you wish. Play catch up. There’s lots there.
However, if you choose to stay in the present, I’m thrilled you’ve found us and joined our community. I hope you will continue to comment and keep the conversation lively.
For that’s what we are. A community, here to support each other and “talk” to each other, develop our voices and venture out of our comfort zones, if that’s where we are. Everyone is free to reply, speak up, criticize, support, add your “two cents worth,” question, request we explore a subject of concern or interest to you, or simply hang out. Express yourself. I live for your comments.
This is an open forum. For you, me and everyone who joins us.
That’s how I envisioned “Coming Out Crazy” two years ago, when I was asked to create a mental health and wellness blog – as a dialogue.
So I’m thrilled you come aboard and I hope you enjoy the ride. If you don’t, please let me know and I’ll see what I can do to make it smoother for you.
Speak soon!
sln
You’ve got me curious! So…what is this surprise feature? Do we have to figure it out ourselves or are you going to tell us, or is it obvious and I have missed it? By the way, I like the look of your new website. So glad you decided to stay with us.
Wendy,
I have no idea what this supposed surprise is and if it doesn’t show up soon, I’m disabling it. It’s supposed to be fun. I’ll wait until tomorrow. Then, WordPress will reveal more in The New York Times. Probably much ado about nothing.
As for “deciding to stay with you,” I was bound and determined to make this transition as seamless and possible and from the moment I was told that The Toronto Star was “pink slipping” me as some have called it, I was determined to continue, regardless. You and I are a community. That involves commitment. Passion. Communication. Teamwork. I view us as a team and I was concerned that you wouldn’t follow me. I hope you and everyone will subscribe to this blog. My Networked feed isn’t working and I’m desperately afraid I’ll lose you.
No, it was never my intention, ever, to leave you. I’m hear for the long haul.
Thank you for saying your thoughts and sentiments with us and I’m glad you like the “look” ~ because I did it on the fly. This site was created in four days, while I was teaching, marking essays and writing my final post for The Toronto Star. I did not sleep.
You are like my family. I care about you.
I’m so glad you decided to stay with me!
xox
sln
Well, I don’t “get” it — the surprise, I mean.
But what I do get is serendipity and especially resilience. Resilience probably defines most survivors. It combines “living in the moment” — an essential, but often a difficult state to maintain — and making use of the strengths we acquire from overcoming the nightmares of our past. And I certainly could use some resilience training… So bring on the surprises!
Lori G
Lori,
Neither do I? And I’m not the only one. I checked other responses to this announcement and everybody, it seems, “doesn’t get it” and apparently we will be alerted about something today.
I wonder if it was a ploy to grab readers.
Anyway, I love your musings on resilience. For years, I never thought of myself as “resilient” even though I have the ability to bounce back, which is one definition of resilience. I still don’t call myself a survivor. I don’t like those labels. I just live one day at a time, in the present, wherever I am. That’s what I work on. The word “survivor” implies to me, the past, which I accept but choose not to dwell on.
Right now, I’m doing okay. Good, enough.
My experience is my teacher and as for nightmares, they tend to diminish in relevance for me. They’re useful as “points of passage,” beacons that flash in my memory, when I wish to remember them. I don’t dwell on the details, though. I let their light shine on what those experiences can teach. The emotional lessons.
I’m reading an academic paper right now that refers to resilience and all this as “positive emotions” – though I haven’t finished. I’ll be reporting on it this week.
I’m also going to find out more about Albert Ellis and Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy.
And other approaches.
I doubt this “Surprise me!” business will deliver on its promise. This whole business is teaching me patience.
Sending hugs,
xox
s