"Potter Speak"-You know what I am saying?

Do ever get this look from a friend or your best furry friend, like Jimmy Jack above?  Those sad eyes and look of bewilderment with a dose of "what the heck are you talking about?"  I experience these on a very regular schedule from students and colleagues.  I guess I speak a foreign language at times-"Potter speak".  My friend, another Todd (the tother-Todd) says that is "Todd being Todd."  That is all good, but I want my students and colleagues to comprehend.  It is so important in the process of communication and task accomplishments.  If you have no clear course of action how can you finish with a sense of "well done".  Frustration sets in and then you follow a path that is not true and full of detours only to arrive at your destination in an awkward way.

Well I just want you AWL to know that I am trying hard to break it down so you can get the information and go about your business.  If I don't understand something I ask and I try very hard to transpose it into my thought process and "Todd speak".  But as I tell people, "you don't want to try to understand how I think and process things.  Take what you can and then develop your own process which arrives at the same destination in the completion of a task.  The way I learned how to read a scale ruler in Stage Craft Class was so backwards, but I still could measure and read the drawings.  The scenery did not suffer.  Finally my Brother asked me what I was doing and I explained.  He said, "try this" as he rotated the scale rule to the correct side/scale.  It was, like a HUGE light bulb went off in my head.  And a feeling like, why did I not understand that in the beginning.  As they say here back east- "you know what I am saying?  You know what I mean?"  Oh and it is about 12 times in 2 minutes they say that phrase.

So next time you do understand "Todd speak", let me know and I will try to break it down in a way you can understand and feel confident.  You know what I am saying?  You know what I mean?

Your Reward Points Need to be Redeemed

Well another email today about how many reward points I am stacking up.  But yet, it takes a life-time to figure out how to cash in these rewards on items posted on a website associated with the financial institution. Why is it so hard to actually obtain the items. Find the item in very general categories, then select it, go to your "cart" and then type in the points needed.  Oh then you need to give your mailing address and choose a shipping preference. 

And, the things you want most are just a few reward points away.  So you need to spend more money to generate  those points.  Frustrating to say the least and not even worth it in the end.  As I say "going broke saving money."

Life is simple with our dog. Treats are rewards and rewards are treats.  The Pupperooni is not dumb and she knows what to do to get her cookie (low calorie and healthy) or carrot stick.  Most of the time all I say is "what do we do?" She sits down like it is a musical chair competition.  And really it is not the words she understands so much as the tone and rhythm.

I would love if getting these reward points cashed in was associated with a simple command like- sit, speak, beg and give us your user name and password to your online checking account.  Because in the end, they have their hand in your pocket-Yikes!

So the next time you or I get an email about reward points, just ignore them and spend time teaching your pet tricks-it is way more rewarding in the end.

p.s. Jimmy Jack above understands the process, which will be fully realized in the book I am about to publish.

Theater Tech is an Endurance Sport

Boy am I tired!  Some of you know I work in the "thee-ate-ore" as a Set Designer; my REAL job. Oh, side bar-that is not how you spell Theater.  But back when I was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Central Missouri University, a student stopped and asked me how to spell Theater; they phonetically said it like "Thee + Ate + Ore".  So I guess it is "re" instead of "er".  Anyway I love to say it that way-remember I am  "T" with and "Odd".

Back to being so tired.  I thought I was "really spent" after doing 2 days of the KMC Cyclocross Festival here in Providence.  I had no idea that Theater Tech was an endurance sport.  There are no places to find recovery; no long straightways and not many down hills.  It is ALL technical stuff that keeps you on the "gas" from 8:30 am to sometimes 12:30 am.  It is a combination of physical, mental and psychological.  In this sport the "fly-overs", barriers and short steep ascents are HUGE and demand much energy.  There are no intervals that can prepare you for such an experience.  Yet each day after so little sleep I wake up and head towards to the local coffee chop to get caffeinated and some "fuel".  I am then ready to take the new "course" on again.  

I would love to be able to sleep perchance to dream like my little friend above-"Jimmy Jack". Nothing like a good rest with your favorite things and loved ones near.  I am looking forward to that "sleepy-sleeping" time next week.  My recovery plan is eat well and get hydrated.  Because in 2 more weeks I will be doing it all over again in another part of the country.  So I better get rolling today, go to the hardware store and then enter the Stage Door for another day of expending energy.  I guess I need to inform those in charge of this production that Masters 55+ Theatre is only a 45 minute race, not 14-16 hours. WE all finish on the the same lap as the leaders.  So, Mr. Potter needs to get to "Werk" and endure until I hear the bell for "one to go".

Rewards!?!  I have so many reward points for Credit Cards and Hotel Clubs and never cash these in.  Why?  Well it takes so much time to find something that fits the price range and they always show you something you really want, but no enough points to purchase.  This is such a scam.  But I sign up because I supposedly am saving money.  Well I say as I check out at "the Art Store on Bond Street Dick Blick slash Utrecht", "going broke saving money".

The Pupperooni hears the word Reward and she thinks Treats and so did 'Jimmy Jack' you see above.  We AWL look forward to Rewards/Treats in life and they are hard to earn and slow to cash in for the goodies.  Life is full of Rewards/Treats if you slow it down and breathe.  Take for instance a lazy day with your significant other or good friend, enjoying the slow pace reading the  NY Times and sipping coffee; a leisurely morning.  Or the hour after work at night when AWL are home and just relaxing sipping a glass of wine and talking about plans for the weekend or accomplishments at work. 

Life can be a huge Treat and Reward when you take the time to slow the pace down and enjoy the simplicity of it all.  It is like fishing early in the morning and it is you, nature and the sound of the water that lulls you into a zen state of mind.  The air is cleaner as you breathe and all your cares in life are miles away.  Now that is the way to travel through life.  Amen.

If  you like the illustration above, it is one of 30 in a book I wrote for children soon to be out for the public.                                  "Jimmy Jack Gets a New Job"