Miss Pamyla's Parlour

On Writing, Twitter & Connections

2011-03-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

I have a friend.

His name is Kevin Pauls. (shameless plug for an amazing talent, but I digress...)

Said friend has always jumped on every new social networking avenue. He then posts that he has joined with these different venues. In order to see what he's posted, you have to create an account, or sign up, or whatever. So basically I have accounts and half-done profiles on all kinds of social networking sites, just so I can see what he's up to these days. (I should say a quick 'Thanks' to the artist formerly known as Kev...aka @LiveProducer for dragging me along to keep up with what's current...obviously would never have gotten there myself!)

Twitter was one such animal.

I had an account. It was only because he had posted something on there a year ago, or something like that. I never visited again.

Then one of the coolest women I know @CountryDuncan (my sister) joined Twitter and my life has never been the same.

I have to say that I'm kind of happy that this was not around through my teenage years. I would have been lost in my room twittering like mad to every famous person I thought I could be best friends with.....like Lisa Welchel (I actually went so far to write her a letter saying that because we both played the piano I'm sure we could be the closest of friends!!! )

These days, I'm no less star-hungry to find out about people I enjoy, or am interested in from afar. However, I am a bit more realistic about everyone finding in me their new kindred spirit.

Over the years, I've also wanted to try my hand at writing. I dabble, scribble, rip up, shred, journal and outline ad nauseum. Afore-mentioned cool woman, Rebecca, listens patiently year after year as I whine and lament about how I should be writing, why am I not writing, here's my new writing-what do you think? It really is craziness.

So, this is the year. The writing happens. Whatever is clamoring for a voice inside must get out.

What pulls this all together for me is when I discovered that I can connect, be encouraged, and spurred on by other writers via Twitter. So in one day, I'm standing in the bookstore, pretty much overwhelmed at how EVERYONE is writing something or other...where would my voice fit in. Shaking my head, I go home to find writers and authors and publishers are still at it. Still writing. Still finding voices. Still grinding it out day after day. Even the frustrating, non-writing days. Amazing.

So...the voices are calling. The bookstore shelves are full...at least for today. Tomorrow is a different story, however. Tomorrow there will be room for my voice and then maybe I can be that voice of determination and endurance for some poor up-and-comer who laments how all the stories have been written already.

Whoever that might be, they'll find me as @misspamyla

....and I'll still be writing.

The Choice for Today

2010-11-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Today is a Gratitude Day......

Today there is a choice to be made.
No one can make it but me.
My choice may effect others, but it also may just effect me, doesn’t matter.
The choice for today is Gratitude.

Today I am grateful for women who surround me each day.
I learn from them. I watch them to see if the chinks in their armour are in any way similar to mine. Some days they are, and some days they aren’t, doesn’t matter.
Today I am grateful for my women.

Today I am grateful for finally being able to know my limits.
I am getting to the place where I’ve given myself permission to say that I am not going to do this or that. This is a work in progress, not always figured out until too late, doesn’t matter.
Today I am grateful for knowing myself better.

Today I am grateful that I am loved.
Those who surround me, who haven’t been pushed away, still love me.
I don’t always feel it, don’t always place the proper value on it, doesn’t matter.
Today I am very grateful to be loved.

Today there are many choices to be made
No one can make these choices but me
My choice will effect others, and also effect me, it completely matters.
The choice for today is Gratitude.

2010-11-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last blog date......August, 2009
Today's date......November, 2010

Clearly it's time to sit, have a coffee and visit the Parlour again.

So much life happens in between postings that sometimes the words are incomplete, awkward, .... sometimes just not enough.

Sometimes though, pondering is necessary, vital even, in order that seasons of life do not go by unnoticed, undocumented or unobserved.

So, gonna run now, grab a pumpkin spice latte and be back later.
Observations galore......

Be Brave Buckeroo!!-

2009-08-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

Lately, I just can't seem to shake this thing in my head!! Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone else ever wonder just how much imagination it takes to come up with Yoda? I mean, really. Just dream him up, out of thin air. With no prototype, just sort of have some sort of story that is so fantastic, so creative, so imaginitive....something no one else every thought of before.

I've been thinking about that a lot lately. What kind of person does it take to create something new? How brave do you need to be to let your imagination guide you, and put that to paper? Or to research that thing that no one else really believes in, but you know in your heart it's there...just not quite yet.

I think that way about many things. Music, for example. Back in the day, it was just live. Some records, some tours, a bus or two. Fast forward to today...artists can't even release a cd anymore before four or five songs are already downloaded and people have moved on to something else. That kind of evolution takes vision......I remember when music videos first came out (including that forward thinking ditty...'Video killed the radio star...'), transitioning from casettes to cds...and now mp3 format. Who thought of making music fit onto cd's?

What are those kinds of people like? Like the person who designed hot air balloons. I guess that's the nature of inventive mind. My brother-in-law is an inventor. I can't tell you how impressed I am with that. Someone who saw a problem and came up with a solution to solve that problem. Then passed it on. When I think about it, it blows my mind.

Another example is when someone writes a book about things such as Hobbits, and Rings and Kings who need to return to their thrones. Middle Earth was something created in someone's mind and put to paper, then shared with the world. Amazing.

I sense I'm rambling. Not really making a point, but I guess my real thought is that courage and bravery and strength are all strong character traits, not usually given to the creative souls of our world. But lately, I have been impressed with how strong and brave and courageous one has to be to believe in oneself enough to let the world see your passion. It has to be put out there.

To all the George Lucas's and Tolkien's out there.........be brave and strong and courgeous. I, for one, can't wait to see what you have to offer.

My new little corner

2009-08-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

I have a new little corner of the world.

It's a pretty amazing place really. Lots of people, but nobody in particular.

I race out of the office to take my lunch break as if my life depended on it. The actual timing changes every day, but it's still as important as ever. I have a new little corner where I can see everybody. Parents with children, children with parents, those who use wheels, those who are ambulatory. All shapes and sizes on the their way here, and there, and nowhere in particular.

There is one woman who comes every day. Even though she's there over the lunch hour, she never eats anything, just buys her coffee and sits in the same chair. Every day.

You can tell she loves it there. She's in my corner of the world. She sees all those people. She just watches them. Listens to the snippets of conversations that pass her by. It's amazing all those people with all those plans, all heading somewhere in particular.....while she sits.

She doesn't talk to anyone but the coffee barrista. She always smiles, pays her money and then finds her chair by the window. One day there was someone in her usual chair. It seemed to throw her off, but after standing for a moment, she rebounded and found another spot, a different vantage point for a different kind of day.

Sometimes I wonder about it. I wonder about her and I wonder about all those people who are walking to and fro.

I'm guessing that what makes this tiny corner of the world so special is that it's a cross-section. It's a place where common and uncommon meet. A place where lives are changed, made better, muddled through, and where some are gainfully employed. I'm guessing why she likes her spot so much is because she has a chance to watch all of that movement, all of that universal energy and engagement come together in one place. She can watch other people's lives, even just for ten seconds and imagine their world. Their comings and goings. Their passions and their bitterness. All picked up from snippets of ten second conversations. Their burdens walk by her, and their celebrations as strollers hurry through. Busses drop off and pick up. Husbands help wives from their walkers into their cars. Tender smiles, kind touches abound.

She sees it all.

And she wonders.

And then, just as quickly, she snaps out of it, and wanders quickly back to work, ...patients and co-workers alike, waiting for her to return......

.......from my little corner of the world.

More about characters....you know who you are!

2009-08-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

You know what kind of people I really love? I love characters. People who are different....they think differently, dress differently, act true to themselves....characters. Usually I find people are either manipulated by their own genius, or simply just manipulated. Those would be the 'cookie-cutter' people who you find along the way who are just like everyone else. The ones who leave an impression are those who capture my interest and my imagination.

To me, genius is not measured by the status of a person, or the perceived worth of their possessions, or where they are on the societal food chain. In my mind, true geniuses are those who do not live in fear to be their own person. They are the characters. Their sphere of influence may be small or large, but they have one and they know it,...and are true to it.

Most of the people I have gravitated towards are those kinds of people. My closest friends are characters in that way. In all honesty, they all teach me something powerful. I watch them, how they handle their lives, how they interact in challenging circumstances, how they allow their true heart to lead them instead of outside forces.

Out of all the gifts that God has blessed me with, I think that in the bigger picture, it's the exposure He has allowed to all those 'characters' who have freely given a piece of themselves to me. My heart feels like one huge cement sidewalk piece where others have stepped in the wet cement and left their footprints as a reminder of things that are important.

Some characters have passed away. Some live very close to me. Some I haven't connected with for a long time, while others I talk to every day. I am a sponge to those who would pour something good into my life, I just can't seem to get enough.

To all of those characters who might end up reading about yourselves here.........thank you......from the bottom of my cement, foot-print covered heart. What you have shown me and given me will be guarded and treasured and hopefully passed on as I learn the art of giving myself away from each of you.

Thank you.

The Important Players

2009-08-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Remember that old Elvis song about life being a stage and all of us are playing our parts? I was thinking about that last night. The important players in my world.

There are lots of people of influence over the years. People who have left HUGE impressions, who have been there just at the exact hour of need, those who manage somehow to come along side for a time.

The two pictures in the prevous post are two of my important players. I had written a big huge thing to accompany the pics but it got erased when I tried to post. I didn't retry to put those thoughts back into words.

Now though, I can't get out of my head how life changes so fast. Years come and go. These two women bring my life into balance in a way I could never do on my own. God knew what he was doing when our little trio was created. Even though they represent greater things to me than just one word each but if I was to try to explain it, Wendy represents all that is safety to me, while Becky is all things freedom. One gives me wings and the other gives me roots. How unbelievable is that! The really amazing thing is that you never know when you're going to need your roots or your wings. There is a time for everything.......roots and wings. Today I need them both.

Life is changing quickly.

Meet 2 other amazing players.

You know how you have 2 sides to your brain - and there are people who tend towards one side or the other - left-brain people and right-brain people?

Somehow I have a heart like that. It has developed into my left-side heart and my right-side heart. One side is named Mike, the other side Sam.

Good solid strong names for good solid strong boys.

It's unbelievable how God made us with the capacity to totally envelope another human being, sometimes more, in that unconditional love. That love that allows us the freedom to give roots and wings, which we all need at one time or another.

In all honesty, I have no idea what kind of parent I am. All I really do know is that if one of those sides of my heart didn't exist, my whole world would be out of balance. I didn't know that 16 years ago. I didn't know it 11 years ago. I know it now.

What I am most thankful for is that no matter where life takes them, they carry a piece of my heart with them forever. Their own half!!

I am an incredibly fortunate woman.

Remembering my sisters....

2009-05-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

I'm Back

2009-05-16T03:29:00.001-07:00

Am I back??
Back where....
Back to the blog? It does appear so.
Back home? Well, yes, in a manner of speaking.
Back to the good?......(I actually love that phrase...stolen from someone else's amazing blog)....hmmm....not sure, but I'm thinking that's a worthy pursuit.
Back to what matters? I'd like to think so.

Actually, it feels more like I'm just back.
Not here nor there.
Not bad or good.
Not home or away.
Weird.

But.....I'm back.

Going Home

2006-08-29T02:47:00.000-07:00

I do believe that I have mentioned that I went back to Ontario at the end of June. I've been harping on that one for a while now!! While I was there, I got to do something I haven't done for ages. I got to go back 'home'.
I know. It's only brick, and mortar, and trees. We all have that place I'm guessing. For me it was Caledonia. That big old house symbolizes a ton of stuff for me. It's taken me this long to actually be able to think about looking at the pictures and finding words to go along with it.
Many things are important about that town, that bridge, that street and that house.
The town reminds me a lot of Charlottetown. Maybe that's why I feel so comfortable here. There's an 'older' part of town, which boasts of the most beautiful, character-filled homes ever. There's a newer part of town, further from the water, just like Caledonia. You can walk down the street and people honk their horns at you. It just somehow has that feel that people know you and you should know everyone. My kids run to the corner store, just like my sister and I ran to the 'Magic Mart'. It just feels homey.

The night that the picture of the bridge was taken, it was the perfect weather. Dusk was just coming on, and that is an amazing shot of the Caledonia Bridge. Town was divided by this side of the bridge and 'that' side of the bridge. That is my high school, and in order to get to it, I had to cross the bridge every day. I remember when I used to cross it on my lunch hours too, in order to call my first boyfriend on his lunch break. Crazy kids!! hahaha
That house used to seem like a mansion. I had two windows in my room, one of which is the top left corner when you look face on at the house. We did puppet plays for the neighbourhood kids over the banister of the verandah. I remember the living room was huge. At least it felt like it to me. I remember practicing my piano lessons and imagining people dancing like in a ballroom. Silly now to think that way, but I guess whatever gets you through those long practice sessions.
Anyway, that was home. Still is, in some way.
Tons of great memories. So glad I had the chance to live there. I think this would be the closest I can come in trying to give my kids the same opportunity. I can't do it justice, but at least I will have tried.

So, here is where the thanks go. I have to thank my dear friend Paul, who got dragged through town, listening patiently while I kept saying, "You're not tired yet, are you?" and "This is where I did this", "my babysitter lived there", "Theresa lived right there!!" hahaha Patience of Job. Paul is also the kind soul who taught me the proper way to take a picture. I did not realize that you must give yourself whiplash (in reverse) by pulling the camera tightly away from you, while the strap is around your neck, and hold it very carefully so that you don't get the fuzzy pictures. Who knew that all you photographers out there actually had such strong necks!! I appreciate your time Paul. Thanks so much.

The Summer

2006-08-29T01:21:00.000-07:00

It's funny how it happens. The times you go into thinking the worst somehow ends up being salvaged and being the best after all. Like this summer. On the tail end of six months of upheaval and 'I'm packing', 'No, I'm staying', 'Nope, I'm packing again!', here came a summer of experiences. I'm guessing that this would be God's gift to me throughout the chaos.

I'll try to summarize with clarity, but some moments are just moments. Words can't really do them justice.

After my 'Almost 40' party, I came back to the Island while the kids stayed in Ontario with all the amazing supports I have there. .....mostly my mother! I tried to make good use of the time and re-did the boys' room. It was a total shock to them both. Here is the end result.
Picture #1 is the room when you walk in the door. Picture #2 is Michael's side, complete with Pirate poster and Christmas lights for ambience! Picture #3 is Samuel's side, fully furnished with Spongebob! Behind the white dresser in Sam's part is a small desk hidden away, and under his bunkbed, I created a little fort for playing, which he loves. Michael has a table in his section where he has been building and painting a small birdhouse before bed each night. It's all worked out beautifully, but kudos must go to those who actually made it work for me.
Marlene, the amazing, made the drapes, almost before the thought had made it into my mind! Ken and Lori-Ann worked tirelessly at hanging the drapes from chains and steel pipe from the ceiling. It created a very masculine feel, which the boys appreciated, I'm sure!!

I read a blog recently and there was reference to the 'Top 10 list' of things they wanted to do. I guess I've sort of made my own twist on that and called them 'PEI Moments'. Sort of like things I wanted to experience in PEI. I do have a separate list of places I want to see and experiences I want to have before I die, but these are specifically Island things. I can be walking down the street and see a 4-pc jazz band playing at dusk, and that is my PEI Moment. One of the things that I really have wanted to do was go out on a boat. I love the water, and it did seem fairly pointless to move all this way and never get out on the water. So I snuck aboard the 'Golden Moments' trip (the senior's group at the church) when they went Deep Sea Fishing.
This would be 'Charlie' the first mate. A true Islander, a true fisherman and the craziest guy on the planet! Doesn't the water look nice and calm?? Doesn't it appear to be the perfect evening for deep sea fishing?? Well, all I can say, without ruining this lovely picture, is that by the end of it all, 8 out of 18 of us were hanging our heads over the side of the boat feeding the fish! The swells were extremely high and in my defense, even those who have been avid boaters were 'losing it', so I didn't really feel so bad. All in all, I did get out on the water. I would love the chance to try it again on a night when things were a bit calmer, but I still love the water and still would jump at any chance to be out on it.

A couple more pictures. Michael and I.
Yes, that would be me, CLIMBING A ROCK WALL. Surprisingly harder than it looks. Michael, of course, did very well, but I think he was secretly happier with my effort than even his own! He tends to be very pleased when I am a good sport and try something new. Funny thing about the climbing that I didn't realize before, how all your body is supported by the tips of your fingers and the balls of your feet (if there's even room for those, sometimes just your big toe!!!)

Many more moments over the summer were fantastic. I heard some pretty amazing live music this summer. For me, that is what embodies most of the PEI experience. Walking down by the water and some French man playing his guitar and singing quietly over by a building. So peaceful.

Samuel has had an amazing month of camps in August. He went to Seggie (the local church camp) the first of the month and just got back from Oak Acres in Murray River on Sunday. Michael left that same day for Seggie, and he'll be back just in time for school to begin. Both boys have relished the fact that they get 'Mom' all to themselves for an entire week. Nice that that still means something to a 13 yr old.

Anyway, I should actually try and post more often, and I will try and do better at that. Off to get ready for the day now.

Take care.

Turning 40.......Almost!

2006-07-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

HAPPY SURPRISE 40TH BIRTHDAY PAM!!!

Imagine my surprise while visiting Ontario a couple weeks ago, to open a door and find all kinds of people in a house, ready to celebrate my birthday!
So kind, don't you think?
Of course, anyone who is actually paying attention to the details in my profile, my birthday isn't until the middle of October. Now normally I'm a pretty easy-going kind of person, so this would not be that much of a problem, but as can be seen from the number on the cake, this year's birthday is a biggie! I was very surprised and very touched that everyone would do this for me while I was home. The thinking was that I won't be home for my 40th....ughhhh....just saying the number is weird!.....so the woman who threw the party wanted to make sure that whenever I got home this year, I'd have one. And it worked! I now feel 40! I was feeling 25 before then, probably just ignoring the numbers, but everyone who came also contributed with birthday cards with that number on it, so now I am convinced I am 40! And I'm not even there yet!!!

Oh well, any excuse for a party! It was fantastic. People just kept walking through the door. I don't think I stopped smiling all night long! My sister Wendy was probably the happiest to see me. I had been home for a few days and this was the first she'd seen me that week. The next night I had her home to Mom's place for a sleepover! She was wild!

Some amazing fun was had, I can tell you that!

Blogging every six months

2006-07-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

Last blogged Jan 21. That is almost seven months ago.
The previous pet peeve has been replaced at least a dozen times since then.
New pictures have been taken.
New thoughts have been... um ... thunk?? ... thought.

However.

No one can now say....."Ever consider blogging AGAIN???" "Do you know that you actually have a blog??"

Okay, the picture of the kids and I is a TAD blurry.
The woman who took the picture remarked on it, and true enough. There needs to be something better there.
So, if I can remember how to post a picture, so it shall appear. This was taken at my friend Holly's wedding. Her and Terry were remarkable. Probably more about that later.

More later, I suppose.

Latest Pet Peeve

2006-01-21T02:52:00.000-08:00

So, here's the latest pet peeve.
Does no one remember the rules of sidewalk etiquette?? This TOTALLY DRIVES ME NUTS!!!
Samuel, my 7 year old, and I walk to school/work together every morning. It's a lovely time for bonding, chatting and such. Except for when I'm frustrated with the other walking public. When we started this routine at the beginning of school, I taught him that if someone was walking toward us, it is very important to SHARE THE SIDEWALK. He needed to either walk ahead of me or fall in step behind me until the person/people passed us by. It's only polite. We don't own the sidewalk, we ALL HAVE TO SHARE!!!
Apparently, walking public have changed the rules for walking together as a harmonized body. Old ladies walk down the middle of the sidewalk and don't move for nothing! Both of us end up scurrying off the sidewalk to let them pass. Teenagers assume I should walk on the road for them, so they can walk together, 3-wide, taking up WAY more than their share. There is one mother who walks with a stroller every morning, with about three other kids in tow. Do you think she would move to her side of the sidewalk with the darn thing so we can all share? Not on your life, buddy! The morification of this is that she is now training the other 4 or 5 children in her care, that it is unnecessary to be polite and share.
Samuel moves quickly and now without even a second thought to share the sidewalk. It's just what he does.
He's a good boy.

2006-01-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Miss Pamyla

2006-01-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

So, I tried to be very creative in all the descriptions on my profile. It cut me off.
I even tried to separate each word with a comma so that it would all show up.
It still cut me off.
I totally hate that.

Blogging

2006-01-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

It's odd to me that we are now a generation of people who write on a computer instead of writing letters to keep people informed about our lives.
Here's my latest pet peeve.
I like to collect books of people's letters that have been published. Do you realize that this whole generation will miss out on people's private moments because letter-writing is at an all-time low? Where will the books come from that contain the letters to author's friends, or some public figures' private relationship, or some military figures' written thoughts back to his wife. If Winston Churchill had had email, we would not know anything about how the man thought. That TOTALLY bugs me. I don't know why, but it just does.
Perhaps it is because I have friends with whom I correspond with completely through email. Once that email is deleted, the only remembrance of it is my own perception. Some day, I will be an old woman, and I will wish I had a stack of envelopes from some secret love, wrapped in a ribbon, so that I can re-read them and remind myself of distant times.
Ah well, times they are a-changing......

2005-11-16T01:14:00.000-08:00

All dressed up, looking fairly angelic....

Original Post

2005-11-16T00:15:00.000-08:00

I only actually made up this blog because I couldn't respond to Kevin's blog without it!!
So here I am with my own blog......who knew?
More later, I'm guessing.