Sailing on Dry Land – Audrey Weinberg
Lived an extraordinary life as a kid. My writing is creative non-fiction; any personal history is subjective at best and downright tales at worst.
These past few days my dad and I have had a steady ongoing conversation, something that doesn’t happen that often. After years where he tried to interest me in science, politics, stamp collecting and the like, we finally found the one thing we’re both passionate about: Kimchee. Continue reading The Kimchee Chronicles
His large, rough fingers crept up my thigh, and I held my breath, looking pleadingly at my mother. She smiled … Continue reading A Dubious Friendship – Port Sudan,1978
“Voulez vous des bananes?” asked a wiry built darkly tanned man with very little clothes on, as he jumped out … Continue reading A – Z challenge: B is for Bananas (day 2)
In case you aren’t sure whether to read this or not… I have been dealing with an issue of cooperation in my team. I happened to be at a workshop on Problem Solving, in which I was able to use the method of Intervision to find several ways I could ensure better cooperation. Read on to find out how!
I know that “getting people on board” is the way to accomplish a joint goal. Because as a former sailor, I know that if you leave people behind, while you are the one sailing, they will just be watching from the sidelines and may or may not even know how much fun you are having as you enjoy the cool breeze, the lapping of the waves and the occasional little salty spray that brings a smile to your face as you negotiate your course up the river, across the sea, or even just tacking around the lake.
If they knew what fun I was having on my virtual boat, they’d really want to join in. And I wouldn’t want them to be jealous when there is definitely room for more on this vessel. If they were afraid to get seasick – I’d offer dramamine and life jackets, and a promise to return to the dock as soon they aren’t comfy. You never know how much fun it is to sail together until you’ve given it a try, so why not jump aboard?
My team at work isn’t sure they like sailing at all. Or if they like it, they don’t have time to sail, don’t want to learn how to sail, or would prefer to do other things on their long to-do lists. And yes, if I were sailing a small boat on a lake on a summer’s day, this wouldn’t be a problem. I’d just enjoy myself and stop when I was done. I’d still have fun, sailing by myself.
But in this case, it’s more like I’m crossing the Atlantic ocean on a biggish yacht, where I need to also take off some time for sleep and we have to get to New York by a certain date, when our new passengers will join us. And if I’m sailing, trimming sails, navigating, then who will cook meals, and check my calculations and also take over some of the watches? I can’t do it all – it’s not a summer’s day ‘job’.
Yesterday, I pulled myself out of sick leave, (just got over a mega stomach bug), and was at an Adlerian event – “National Courage Day” (one of the main principles of Adlerian psychology is ‘Encouragement.’ ), where I had chosen to join the workshop “Samen problemen oplossen” [Together solving problems], led by the very experienced Theo Joosten. Secretly, I hoped to find a way to solve some of my own problems, but at the very least, to learn something new that I could use to help others solve their problems.
Do you dream? Of course you do! Some people remember their dreams, but others never do. A good way to remember your dreams, if you want to, is to keep a notebook next to your bed, and to write down anything that comes to mind BEFORE getting out of bed!
In this blog, I discuss two very similar dreams that I had – only a few weeks apart. But while the first shows the despair of being ‘lost’, the second has a more positive direction.
The first dream: Lost in the Highlands
The first dream happened a few weeks ago. I’d been reading Voyager, and so it was no surprise that my dream took place somewhere in Scotland. When I tweeted about my dream, @lidywilks suggested that “Lost in the Highlands” would make a great working title for a new novel. Since I’ve never been there, I guess I’ll have to leave that up to Diana Gabaldon for now!
In this dream, (not yet a novel), I was hiking in the countryside, in Scotland, on a beautiful green hilly path, when I realized that I could not find my way back to my husband and friends, seeing as I had no idea where I was and had only a part of a map. If you knew me, you’d understand how much that would drive me crazy. I like to know where I’m going. I know how to read maps, (yup, back from the boat days), and I hate to get lost.
In my non-dream life: Ultra stressed at work – spilling into home life as well
Like humans all over the work world, I too get super stressed when there are deadlines looming, and too much responsibility piling up on my shoulders. I’d been ‘promoted’ with more hours and more responsibility, but had yet to learn how to delegate tasks or ask for help. It wasn’t an easy time. Who likes to ask for directions when you’re lost?
The second dream: Fishing in the Highlands
Continue reading “Breakthrough: Dreaming my way to Loving my Life”
Sailing on Dry Land - Audrey Weinberg 