What she said

So if you check out my post from yesterday I spouted a whole bunch of stuff about being more focused in an area of my life that I have let go for a while. I was very passionate and serious, and... vauge.

Grrr.

So my illustrious twin sister did what she has been doing for a while now. She gave me a nudge. Every few weeks on Friday my sister will call me- seemingly out of the blue- and we'll chat a few minutes and she asks me what I've done... It catches me off guard every time. And every time I have to tell her that, no, I have not done anything about my desire to start doing storytelling in Oklahoma.

So, yesterday she left me a comment using a word I had sort of glossed over. Goals. She means in a specific way. You don't have to go read it, I'll just quote it.

"You only achieve the goals you set before yourself."

So here they are:

1. I will have at least six shows this year (whether they be paid or unpaid!).
2. I will do at least one talk in a professional or academic setting about the value and art of storytelling.

I'm not just setting these before myself, but before you as well. I mean YOU as in all of you nebulous people who read the badly spelled ramblings of a slacker storyteller. It would be useful if you applied peer pressure by randomly asking me about whether I have done anything to achieve these goals, like say in social settings in front of other people. I'm hoping that the fear of unexpected mocking might help create some motivation.

Also, it might be helpful if you could look around yourself and see if there is a way you could help me achieve my goal. If you have a kid in preschool, you could ask the teacher if they'd like your good friend to come do a free show so she can get back into the swing of things (I'm rusty enough that I wouldn't think of charging anyone right now). I've told to all age groups (Preschool to senior citizens), and all sorts of different groups (Christian Christmas party for retired adults to a group of mentally/physically handicapped womem in a day facility). I actually have a decent repretiore if I get out my files and put a little rehearsal time in.

At one point my real goal was to speak to women in Christian settings- ladies days and retreats. I did two speaking engagements, but they did not go as well as I had hoped and I let the whole thing go. I'm starting to think that I was too easily discouraged, so I'm trying to go back to the devotional book I was writing... maybe a goal for a later time.

Let me know what you think- like I said, I'm looking to be challenged.