Red Artichoke Stories

08/17/2019

06/14/2018

I love Blue Puppy.
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Blue Puppy
I was a healthy child. I was a kid before many of today’s vaccines were available. I had the mumps when I was very young, and I don’t remember being sick. I was old, 15, when I got the chicken pox. I remember that illness well. It was a terrible 2 weeks. It was February 1984. I missed a band concert and a bunch of school. I had tonsillitis a few times a year for a few years and my pediatrician told my mom that if I got it one more time they would need to take my tonsils out. I’ve never had it since. But that’s about it – other than colds and the occasional flu.
One thing I do remember about my childhood illnesses is that I would often get something special. Nothing big, but something to help me pass the time while home ill. We’ve been really lucky with our boy’s health too. (knock on wood) There has been strep, and pink eye, and once Michael had croup, but overall my kids have been healthy. One time when Ben was sick, I stopped to get him something special. I came home with Blue Puppy.
When I was in 5th grade, January of 1979, I had tonsillitis bad. I missed two weeks of school. Ok, so part of that was the snow dump of 1979, but that’s for another story. I was really starting to get into pop culture around that time and would ask to buy Tiger Beat Magazine – is that still a thing? But while I was home sick this horrible January, I asked for, and got Rona Barrett’s Hollywood Magazine. Rona Barrett was TMZ of the 1970s. During that month, I read Rona Barrett’s Hollywood Magazine over and over. It was full of Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar Galactica was a favorite. Who was cuter, Apollo or Starbuck? That’s a hard one to call. And now that I think about it, Boomer was nice to look at too.
Michael was really sick once. It was when he was a few days old. We brought him home from the hospital after his birth and then, a few days later, he had a fever. Newborns aren’t supposed to have fevers. We ended up at Primary Children’s Hospital getting a CAT scan and a spinal tap. They checked for meningitis and I don’t know what else. We spent two nights in the hospital and then they sent us home. He was fine. It was the scariest few days of my life. I cannot imagine what it is like for parents whose kids spend weeks or months in the hospital.
When my kids were little, whenever they had a fever, they got to sleep in my bed. I did this because I wanted to know if, and when, the fever spiked, or broke. I never slept when they were sick and little. I was hypervigilant because of the hospital visit at a few days old. Luckily all has turned out well.
Blue Puppy has become special to both Ben and me. Whenever he, or I, feels down, we bring each other Blue Puppy. Somehow this little stuffed dog has a way of making us both feel better. I love Blue Puppy.

Blue Puppy I was a healthy child. I was a kid before many of today’s vaccines were available. I had the mumps when I was very young, and I don’t remember being sick. I was old, 15, when I got the …

06/12/2018

I like this story. Tall- Please read and let me know what you think.
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Tall
When I was a freshman in college, just a couple of weeks into the fall semester, my roommate Tina and I were approached by some members of the women’s crew team asking us if I wanted to come to an informational meeting. Being new on campus and still trying to figure out where we fit in, we went to the meeting. When we walked in we saw a room full of women as tall as we were. I’m 6 feet and Tina slightly taller. It was refreshing to be around all these tall women.
My whole life I have been tall. I was always one of the tallest in my class. I’ve been 6 feet tall since I was 14 years old. Most of the boys didn’t start to catch up until well into high school. And by then I felt all kinds of awkward.
I think I would have been a good athlete, but sports for girls in the 1970s and early 1980s wasn’t what it is today. I always liked sports – volleyball, basketball, softball – but I never played beyond gym at school. I’ve always been self-conscious about my height, especially around other women. The average height for an American woman is 5’ 4”. I’m even taller than most American men who are 5’10”.
So, I’m not really surprised when the crew team approached me in college. Looking back, I wish I would have joined the team. Tina did. But way back then, the thought of getting up at 5:30 a.m. to run was not something I could even fathom.
Dating was always difficult for me in high school and college. I could never see myself with a guy shorter than me. Again, it’s probably because I wasn’t comfortable with my height - I didn’t own it when I was younger. And most tall guys I knew always seemed interested in the girls a foot shorter than them. I kept looking for ways to meet guys taller than me. I found – back in the days before the internet - Tall Club International and went to some of their meetings – they would be called meetups now. Women had to be taller than 5’10” and men taller than 6’2” to join. I had fun, but all the men at those meetings were much older than me. I stopped going after a few months.
I then met my husband, Joe. He’s 6’2”, and we started dating. I didn’t fall in love with him because he is tall, but, I have to say, I only went on a first date with him because he was. I’ve heard it said that if you want tall kids, guys should marry a tall woman. Joe and I have two very tall kids. My oldest son is 14, and he is taller than both Joe and me. Michael is almost 6’3”, with no signs of stopping.
Michael plays basketball and, no surprise, plays center. He plays in many AAU tournaments each year, and I clearly remember the first one I went to. Inside a convention center were 30 basketball courts, with hundreds of people milling around. Almost every adult person was my height or taller, including the moms. I felt like I belonged, like I had found my tribe.
As I’ve aged, I have gotten comfortable with my height. It’s still nearly impossible to find shoes, although Nordstrom Rack has a good selection in size 11-12. Pants are hard to find, but there are some online stores that specialize in tall women’s clothing. I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable on an airplane. But being tall does have advantages. I can reach the top shelf in my kitchen. I can see over the crowd at a concert. I’ve never had to kneel or sit on the ground in a group picture.
So here I am approaching 50 and I love being tall. Someday soon, I will be the shortest in my family because my youngest is catching up fast. I’ve never been the shortest anywhere. That will feel strange. Even though I sometimes still have awkward moments and get self-conscious, I get over it pretty quickly. My friends like me. My guess is that they look up to me. And if anyone needs something from the top shelf in their kitchen, I’m there for you.

Tall When I was a freshman in college, just a couple of weeks into the fall semester, my roommate Tina and I were approached by some members of the women’s crew team asking us if I wanted to come t…

06/12/2018

49 days until my 50th birthday.
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Smart
My youngest is a bit of a math wiz. When he was younger, before he could even talk, he would put together puzzles faster than everyone else. He is able to compute math problems in his head when most kids his age need paper. He soared through his math assignments so quickly that his math teacher this year didn’t want him getting bored, so they worked on a project he could do using the skills he had learned this year. However, I hesitate to use the word smart when it comes to him and his math skills.
I was labeled as smart when I was young. I remember being in 4th grade and being bored. I was so much farther ahead of the other kids in my class in reading and math, that I would go to the 5th grade class for lessons. It didn’t help that I was new to that school after having just moved from Bay View to the northwest side of Milwaukee. I didn’t have any friends, but the ones that I did make, I rarely spent time with in class. The next year I changed schools again, this time to be part of the SAP at 81st Street School.
SAP, Superior Ability Program. It was an awful name. Why would you ever think it’s ok to tell ten year-olds that they were superior to the other kids? We were called saps. We were labeled smart. We were a group of about 25 kids, who didn’t know each other, many of were bussed to a school not in their neighborhood, so they could get a “better education” geared to their learning level. We were outliers. None of the other 5th graders in the school liked us. We rarely interacted with anyone outside of our class. As a matter of fact, when we were in 6th grade and the other 6th grade classes went on a camping trip, we weren’t invited. I think it is part of the reason I have a hard time feeling like I should be included, even today.
My experience in elementary school led me to look for alternatives for my kids. I never wanted them labeled, smart or dumb or troublemakers, or anything. Where were they going to fit in? The traditional pre-school we started with wasn’t a good place, not for who they were at 3. Sitting still with your legs crossed and your hands in your lap, “Criss cross Applesauce” was what the teacher said every time they came together. It was meant to bring them into line. But I didn’t want them to change who they were, I wanted them to grow into who they were going to become – discover it in their own way, but still learn to be kind and respectful.
We found a new preschool, that encouraged parents to be a part of the learning experience. We were hands on in the classroom on a weekly basis. The philosophy of the school is to teach the whole child. The school didn’t assign homework and didn’t focus on standardized test scores. The kids get to learn at their level and at their speed. They emphasis self-directed learning. This concept works, if the kids and the parents work at it. It’s not for everyone, but I felt it was right for our family.
I wish I had had more control over my education when I was younger. I have a hard time watching kids today work to get the work done. I know it’s important to understand deadlines and doing your best work, but what good is that when they can’t problem solve in real time or be thinkers? I have some pretty amazing conversations with my kids. They often choose to watch educational programs, things I would have never thought would interest them. When I catch them doing that, it makes me happy. One thing that I want for my kids is to have a lifetime interest in learning. I want them to like school.
I liked school from high school on. I still love learning today. I seek out opportunities to learn new things every day. I ask questions. I care about what other people think and want to learn about their lives. I think those are the things that make people smart.

Smart My youngest is a bit of a math wiz. When he was younger, before he could even talk, he would put together puzzles faster than everyone else. He is able to compute math problems in his head wh…

06/10/2018

I turn 50 years-old in 50 days. As this milestone approaches, I want to share reflections of my half century. Thanks for reading and for sharing.
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Lasts

My oldest son graduated from 8th grade. Now to many of you that might sound like a big deal, but for me it is. It is the last time he will be a student in the school he has been attending since kindergarten. This month has been a month of lasts. And all of these lasts are life-changing.
This month we chaperoned his last field trips, watched him present his 8th grade project and just last week watched him and his friends graduate. They are all moving on to different high schools and they won’t see each other on a regular basis. There have been many tears, mostly from me, as all these lasts have happened.
For last past few years, I have been watching him grow.
He’s grown up. He is now a few inched taller than me, and I am 5’12”.
He’s grown smart. He gives me information that I never knew. He fixes things I had no idea he knew how to fix. He seeks out information on diverse topics and forms his own opinions which he shares with me.
He’s grown independent. He sets an alarm, makes his own breakfast, does most of his chores without being reminded. He doesn’t always need me to anything for him, except drive him places, but he keeps reminding me that he will have his learners permit in 6 months.
But lasts don’t always mean an end. The last of something often results in a first of something else. Something new and life-changing.
As I am approaching my 50th birthday, I have spent a considerable about of time thinking about my lasts and firsts. Over the next month and a half, 50 days, I will explore things that make me uniquely me. Some things I have learned over the last 50 years. Some things that have taken me to my lowest lows and rocketed me to my best days ever.
I hated 8th grade. Middle school can be a terrible time and all the clichés of middle school I experienced. I wasn’t comfortable with who I was. I had no idea who I wanted to be. I was happy to be done with 8th grade. I couldn’t wait for the last day.
My oldest hasn’t had that same experience. His middle school was so very different from mine, but he’s told me that he is ready to move on, and I truly know that he is. I loved high school and I have a feeling he will too.
I know that there will be things that he will miss about is old school - his friends, the teachers - but he has so many firsts ahead of him and I cannot wait to see him soar.

Lasts   My oldest son graduated from 8th grade. Now to many of you that might sound like a big deal, but for me it is. It is the last time he will be a student in the school he has been atten…

05/23/2018

I'll be at the Story Crossroads Festival tonight - South Jordan Community Center 5-9 pm. Stop by and say hi!

Join us for the 3rd Annual Story Crossroads Festival on May 23, 2018 with free performances May 21-24, 2018 in Salt Lake County, Utah. Go to http://www.story...

05/01/2018

Time to check some items off the bucket list. Catalina Island had been a place I have wanted to visit for ages, and this summer I'm going. I'd love to know what's on your bucket list? Share a picture with us in the comments.

Catalina Island Hotel Packages, travel information, tourist attractions, and restaurants. Plan your wedding or corporate event on Catalina Island.

04/02/2018

This came in today's mail. My first letter from a friend, Cory, during National Letter Writing Month. She told me in the note that "letter and note writing makes me feel more connected to the recipient." I would have to agree. It takes effort and time to send a letter. And during all that effort and time, I think about the recipient of my letter and choose my words carefully. I feel like I am spending real time with them. What are your thoughts on feeling more connected to people when you write letters?

04/01/2018

Today is the start of National Letter Writing Month. Pick up a card, or a piece of paper, or even a napkin, and write a quick note to someone you love, or are thinking about today. It will make their day when they get it in the mail.

Challenge time: April is National Letter Writing month - Real live snail mail- something meaningful that you can hold- something that arrives in the mailbox that isn't junk or a bill. Time to get my address book up to date and make sure I have enough stamps. I plan to write one letter a day in April (yes I know it's still March) - I'll just write to whoever pops in my head that day. And I'll use these cards- pictures my family took and printed. I give cards to my clients because sharing our appreciation and love for someone is so much more powerful in our own handwriting. Won't you join me in this challenge? If you will, give this post a like, share this post with someone you love, and update your address book too. I'll remind you when it's time to start.

03/14/2018

Today is National Write Your Story Day. It's also Pi Day. So why not celebrate with your favorite pie and tell the story about why you love it. Mine is Banana Cream. For my ninth birthday, which is in July, instead of cake I had a banana cream pie with sparklers for candles. We celebrated at my parent's friends house in their backyard. I got a tiny pink whistle necklace. Tell me your favorite pie story.

Words have ways to trigger memories, so tell your story in written form! Commit to writing your story on & watch as your words fill the page.

03/13/2018

This quote is so true. Make sure you tell your story.

03/12/2018

March is Women's History Month. These adventurous women have had a huge impact. What impact will you leave? And will it be remembered? It will be important to somebody, so make sure it is recorded.

Women have been a part of the great outdoors since the beginnings of humanity, even if history books aren’t always filled with their names. For Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at four women who reshaped the landscape of the great outdoors. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are...