I admire many bloggers that I follow. They regularly post and all their posts shine with their individual style and content. They inspire me to return and add my voice.
As I sit here and look out at the zero degree blue winter sky, I am smiling a little. I have never felt anything else but encouragement from the readers on this blog. That’s the kind people you are.
After all these months without posting, I feel like a swimmer who has dried off and now the lake feels cold again.
I am hesitant to get wet, and back in the lake but I know, in my heart, that I will be glad I got off the beach. Even if I question myself as I slowly enter the shallow cold water.
Every time I swim in one of our beautiful lakes, I look forward to the plunge when my head goes under the water, but still I am hesitant to plunge and only tip toe in and that cold water makes me jump when it hits my warm tummy! My toes won’t lift me any higher and my legs won’t get any longer ! LOL
It’s time to plunge in !
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What Matters to You?
Isn’t that an interesting question? I think it might be the best question to ask anyone.
I think so because it opens up what is really important to the light and to be shared. That leads to really knowing and understanding others.
If conversations started that way, what would we learn about each other?
What would you want others to know about you?
Plunge into a real conversation and what will you reveal, what will you learn?
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Radio Play 2024
Valentines Day this year I had an unexpected experience and opportunity. I was asked to be one of the voice actors in a small radio play on the public radio channel here in Penticton.
I nearly said I couldn’t, but that wouldn’t have been true. I nearly said no because I felt unqualified compared to many others I know but instead I said yes. (My inside voice was saying What?)
I said Yes because No leads to nothing, but Yes leads to stories, and adventure. No is easier, but Yes holds promise ♥
On the day of the radio show there was no rehearsal.
I met the author of the play and the other voice actors and I liked their voices, accents and I was thinking “what am I doing here? – these people have nice voices and my voice isn’t.” I certainly doubted myself.
We all moved into the small radio booth, microphones on booms came down close to our heads and we recorded/performed the play on Peach City Community Radio – CFUZ – the play is 5 minutes long and named “My Grumpy Valentine”
It was done, a quick plunge!
We all enjoyed ourselves, myself included and smiles were in abundance !
What made me really happy was that I said yes to trying something new.
If you want to hear the play and my short interview “Way higher than Zero! ” just after the play is completed – you can download and listen to here on Episode 52 – link to episodes on Local Matters –
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Thanks for reading today – I’ve missed all of you. – David ♥
Life and Random Thinking 
So good to see you again, David. I love, “I said Yes because No leads to nothing, but Yes leads to stories, and adventure. No is easier, but Yes holds promise ”
That’s so good! I’m so glad you took the plunge – with the play and with posting! Here’s to stories and adventure!
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Hugs Wynne, I liked doing the play and also having the opportunity to be interviewed. I never turn down an opportunity to share a chapter of the miracle of my third kidney transplant and that 2 percent story is fun to share! – Thank you!
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Welcome back, David. You have been missed!!
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Hugs Jane, I have been enjoying being a grandpa and it truly is special and priceless. thank you!
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Oh my, yes, grandparenthood is the best! Congratulations!
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I’m glad you decided to jump in the water again. Congrats on the fun project! You are so right, no leads to nowhere but yes leads to adventure. I love that attitude.
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Thanks Darlene, maybe there is a little hobbit in all of us. We love our cozy little holes in the ground. You never know what “precious” adventure you might have if you go out the front door. ♥ hugs
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I love the analogy. This hobbit recently travelled to Thailand from Spain, on her own, to visit a brother she hadn’t seen for 10 years. It was a ‘precious’ adventure!!
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♥♥♥
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Glad to see you back, Dave. It’s exciting and a little scary to try something new, isn’t it? But it’s important and challenging ourselves matters. Congrats on dipping your toe into a new venture. So what will you try next?
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Hugs Debra, it’s interesting that you interpreted it that way because I have never been a DJ on radio and I remember at SFU it was something I thought about. – Thank you
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Glad to see you back … I hope you’ve been writing while you were away. A writing coach I had about 100 years ago said to write SOMETHING every day, even if it’s only a grocery list.
It is so difficult to say YES to new experiences when we’re unsure but we never know what we can do until we try AND take a chance. I was deathly afraid of speaking in public until I went through breast cancer treatment & was offered the opportunity to speak about it at seminars. I didn’t hesitate, surprisingly. I found out that passion dissolves fear. When I speak about something I am truly passionate about … like getting the word out to women about early detection, treatment & all that goes with the breast cancer diagnosis, there is NO fear. What an additional life lesson that has been & what rewards I’ve gained from helping SO many women on their own frightening journey.
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Thank you for the encouragement. I think there is wisdom in that. I often wake up early in the morning and jot down ideas for speeches for toastmasters, some of them are actually legible in the light of morning 🙂
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LOL … I do the same thing & keep pen & paper by the bed. Some of my best ideas seem to come to the surface when I’m half awake. I keep telling myself AND my husband that is an asset …
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like my invention – the sundial with glow in the dark markings?
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I think you’ll find it’s nice in here. Welcome back!
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Hugs Linda, it feels good!
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Only problem is WordPress’ variabilities. Most of the time I can’t “like” and I have to do work arounds to comment, but the community remains great!!!
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Good to see you!! Hmmm…what do I want others to know about me?! I guess that I say things to make you think outside of the box. Most don’t appreciate that, but that’s just who I am
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I agree that you are a person who asks questions. You also ask your readers to ask themselves questions and that leads to discovery and insights. I think it’s easy to drift along and lose track of what is important, and awareness of life and so I thank you for your blog. – David
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👍👍
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I wonder what friendships would emerge if conversations started with, “What matters to you?” rather than “What do you do?”
Welcome back; you’ve been missed!
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Hmmm…wonder what friendships would evolve if first conversations started with, “What matters to you?” rather than, “What do you do?”
Welcome back; you’ve been missed!
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You are so kind Pam. I agree with you completely. It’s funny how people expect to asked what they do. We hosted a lady here for an arts festival and after 5 days she asked me why I never asked her what she does. It was revealing to me how often that is the first thing we ask people. – thanks for commenting and reading today. – David
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It was fun reading this Dave.
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Thanks Ernie, I stopped writing but never stopped thinking about blogging and enjoying the creative writing of many bloggers.
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So lovely to see you show up in my reader today. Life just gets busy sometimes, and that’s okay!
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Thanks Lynn, yes I do admit to being distracted but after awhile I think I felt shy also and doubted if I had anything to offer. I appreciate your understanding and warm message. hugs, David
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Hello David, I always enjoy your thoughtful posts with the beautiful photos. Keep it up. Carolyn Wilker
https://www.carolynwilker.ca/ http://poetpotter.blogspot.ca http://www.editors.ca/profile/2667/carolyn-wilker
“When your words count most, hire an editor.”
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Thank you Carolyn, I appreciate your encouragement. I hope you are well. I just got off the phone with relatives on the prairies. The winter there is so different than the Okanagan, and by that I mean much much colder. How has your winter been? – David
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Hi Dave,
I am so happy to see you back!!!
Your posts are always full of life, hope and inspiration – and this one didn’t disappoint.
I love, love, love this: “No leads to nothing, but Yes leads to stories, and adventure. No is easier, but Yes holds promise”. I am going to borrow that and also share with others.
How cool was to be a radio actor!! I am going to go listen to it now.
What matters to me? I have to say family (blood and some chosen) is the most important thing to me at this point, specially the health and well being of my parents. I also care that I am not wasting life, that I am living as much as I can.
When I think of you, I think of someone that is fully enjoying life and fully embracing family.
Welcome back my dear friend! Many blessings to you!
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I really appreciate your response for a number of reasons. I smiled right away when I read it and all the way through what you shared. I heard your genuine voice and it touched me. I am appreciative that you share in particular what spoke to you and am happy you will use it.
Living life consciously is very important. Literally and figuratively I feel people wake up realizing that their lives are nearly over and there is so much that they still want to do, people that they want to cherish longer.
Thank you for this gift today, Hugs and sweet kiwi fruit to you tonight – sweet like you!
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You are a gift!! You are a reminder that life is a gift and it is fleeting. You are a reminder that we can be friends without ever meeting. Hugs to you!!!
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Abso-tively true already ! hugs – David
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