Maine Mind

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

What Has Been Possible So Far Due to Vacation

Yesterday, I sat on the rocks behind the Ogunquit Museum of American Art (here's a glimpse of what it looks like in back) and began a drawing.

So far, it has my arms outstretched in front of me -- life-size because I have a giant sketch-pad with me -- ready to dive in to...to what? I'll have to keep vacationing till I know the answer and am inspired to finish the drawing.

Yesterday, too, I swam in the pool at the B&B. It wasn't heated and after I got out, my ears felt like they were being poked with kebab-skewers deep inside. Still, it was refreshing otherwise; its chilly temperature reminded me of a natural pool that I swam in with one of my first and second cousins when I lived in Israel for the summer at age 15. It also reminded me of a natural pool that my only boyfriend ever, his brother and his brother's partner and I swam in when I was 19, in Ithaca, New York.

Another Autobiography in a Series?

On Sunday, when we played golf all day in New Hampshire with our friends Lyn and Mary Alice, at Breakfast Hill, I thought, maybe I ought to create "My Golfing Autobiography" like I did with My Swimming Autobiography...but golf hasn't been constant for me the way swimming has, nor do I associate it with my coming of age.

I'll start it and see if it works, but I don't feel motivated like I did around my swimming experiences:

Stamford, the early years - 10 years old

Mortification
As the only lefty in the free, public, kids' class at Sterling Farms, I never felt coordinated and once the class was done, I didn't return to golf until Pat and I got together 17 years later.

The Midwest - ages 27-31

Flirtation
Unbeknownst to me, till after I succeeded the second time around, playing golf was a prerequisite to a successful relationship with Pat; Pat got me five lessons from NIU's golf coach and then a set of clubs for my first birthday with Pat. I told the coach, "I'm a lefty. Should I play left-handed or right-handed?"

"Be proud," she said, encouraging me to play as a lefty. The coach made it fun and helped me put my childhood trauma behind me. We played in DeKalb....Maybe I'll continue this in awhile, or maybe I won't be inspired to....I've been writing while hearing the Republican Convention, playing in the other room. It's getting harder, especially as the time draws near to listen to Sarah Palin. Whoever's elected this fall, there will be more ethnic or gender diversity in the White House than ever before.