Category Good Reads

Happy Haiku Day!

Intentergy 2 Comments

Haiku Day

A decade ago I began celebrating Haiku Day on May 7th with my students because it is 5-7. Haikus are traditional Japanese poetry that follows a 5-7-5 syllable pattern and are usually about nature.

Luckily the other educators at my school embraced my enthusiasm and encouraged the composition of haikus in their classrooms as well.

Today I am sharing this celebration with you.

Take time to pen a haiku for yourself and document the beauty of something in your life.

Sharing our writing
Brings life to our word and thoughts 
Happy Haiku Day!

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S.
Share Intentergy
Your positive energy
Adds to your intent
  

 

Just One Trash Bag (at a time)

Intentergy 3 Comments

Just One Trash Bag (at a time) via Daily Prompt: Filter

Just One Trash Bag

Recently my friend Cami shared her desire to do a Lenten purge of unnecessary things. Her goal was to filter through her life and remove one bag of unnecessary stuff a day. I thought this was an AWESOME idea, so I borrowed it for myself…

…Only I have failed.

The first day or two of Lent I did alright cleaning out a drawer and a closet, but I have come to the sound conclusion that filtering out unnecessaries takes a really, really, really long time.

How do things add up so quickly? Seriously?!? Continue reading “Just One Trash Bag (at a time)” →

The Creative Power of the Unknown – Wise Words Wednesday

Intentergy 4 Comments

The Creative Power of the Unknown – Wise Words Wednesday

creative-power-of-the-unknown

The personal philosophies found in the This I Believe collection continue to amaze me. One that stood out to me in particular this week came from astrophysicist Alan Lightman.

In his personal philosophy he wrote, “I hope that there are always things we don’t know about the physical world as well as about ourselves. I believe in the creative power of the unknown. I believe in the boundary of standing between the known and the unknown. I believe in the unanswered questions of children” (Allison, 149).

Our brains are so overworked with the little details of everyday survival that we forget to hold onto the magic of wonder. We limit our boundaries for growth.

I love when my children ask me questions that stump me. Those questions demonstrate the tremendous potential my children have for understanding and intelligence. It also reminds me that it’s ok to not be a know-it-all. We always have something to learn about our world or ourselves.

As you embark on your schedule-driven journey this week, leave a little room to learn and explore things that are new or unknown to you. Provide creative energy to your conversations and introductions. Allow the unknown to extend into your personal motivation. Continue reading “The Creative Power of the Unknown – Wise Words Wednesday” →

The Right to be Wrong – Wise Words Wednesday

Intentergy 7 Comments

The Right to be Wrong – Wise Words Wednesday

the-right-to-be-wrong

“I believe that man’ noblest endowment is his capacity to change. Armed with reason, he can see two sides and choose: He can be divinely wrong. I believe in a man’s right to be wrong.” – Leonard Bernstein

This I Believe is a collection of personal philosophies. I am currently reading it and LOVE what I am reading. The history of This I Believe dates back to the 1950’s. The original This I Believe series asked individuals to write their philosophy and then share it on the radio. It was a huge sensation.

As I pour through the philosophies of tremendous individuals, both from the 1950’s and present, I am moved by the similar themes that continue to surface. Kindness, compassion, intelligence, and faith are key elements in all of the entries. Each of these traits requires us to grow and change. Our wrong choices set us up for opportunities to do just that. Grow. Learn. Change. Become better people.

As you encounter the mistakes of others and yourself, remember the right to be wrong is guaranteed to everyone. We cannot develop deeper understanding in our lives, if we don’t discover what works and what doesn’t.

Being wrong is different than being bad. Continue reading “The Right to be Wrong – Wise Words Wednesday” →

An Elephant Over Your Fence

Intentergy 6 Comments

An Elephant Over Your Fence

elephant-on-a-fence

Q. “What time is it when an elephant jumps over your fence?”

A. “Time to get a new trampoline”

We love jokes and riddles at my house. Recently I wrote about elephant jokes, and when my daughter came home with this new one, I knew it was time to add another post about the benefits of jokes and riddles to Intentergy.

Riddles and jokes provide three things:

png 1 humor

png 1 imagination

png 1 problem solving skills

The humor found in silly jokes adds much-needed happiness to our stressful days. They provide us with innocent joy and make us laugh. Laughter is good for the heart and soul.

Q. “What type of dog can tell time?

A.”A watch dog”

The imagination stimulated by jokes helps us break away from the mundane and latch onto the light-hearted. I know you pictured a 2 ton elephant flying over a fence when I shared the first joke. (trunk and ears flapping, elephant cry bellowing, giant feet scampering for solid ground; flattened trampoline crunched sideways with its torn canvas; you have to smile now.)

Q. “What has to be broken before you can use it?” Continue reading “An Elephant Over Your Fence” →

What’s Wrong With a Dictionary?

Intentergy 4 Comments

What’s Wrong With a Dictionary?

via Daily Prompt: Perplexed

nothing-wrong-with-a-dictionary

As I am apt to do, I recently shared a photo with my class of something cool that happened at my home.

To my shock and dismay, two of the students paid no attention to the awesomeness I was trying to show them and were fixated on the idea that I have a dictionary lying around on my counter. The dictionary was in the background of my photo and clearly not the focus, but the class discussion quickly shifted to my frequent use of a dictionary.

What’s wrong with a dictionary?

“Oh, it’s just because you’re a teacher,” they said.

“Just look it up on your phone,” was another’s contribution to the discussion.

“I am too stupid to use a dictionary,” was the statement that broke my educational camel back.

What?!?

No one is too stupid to use a dictionary (or any other education tool for that matter!)

I reminded my students that they are in COLLEGE now. They surely must possess some intelligence and understanding of how to use the resources that are available. We went on to identify times in their lives when they sought knowledge and successfully found what they needed to gain that information. If nothing else, it was a lesson in self-esteem.

In our daily lives, we often forget about the resources that are there for us. So many free and willing tools stand at the ready to serve. Our independent spirits and stubbornness inhibit us from making sound use of those tools.  Continue reading “What’s Wrong With a Dictionary?” →

The Psychology of Making Lists

Intentergy 19 Comments

The Psychology of Making Lists

the-psychology-of-making-lists

Last week my sons tortured my daughter telling her that she was on the naughty list. Hubby and I kept reminding her that their lists didn’t matter and encouraged her to not worry about it. (We also told the boys to stop being pain-in-the-rears.)

This week as I sat under the hair dryer of my magician beautician Abby, I showed her my To-Do list. Abby commiserated with me on the need to make lists and just how quickly those lists grow.

More importantly we discussed how making lists boosts our self-esteem and motivates us to do more.

Are you a list maker?

Well, if you are, excellent! The next few pieces of information will support your productive habit. If you aren’t a list maker, maybe you will find some solutions to your chaotic craziness in the advice provided about the psychology of making lists.

In the Pyschology Today article, “How Making Lists Can Quell Anxiety and Breed Creativity: Six benefits of a small solace-producing obsession,” Dr. Carrie Barron explains some very powerful benefits of list making. Continue reading “The Psychology of Making Lists” →

Irksome

Intentergy 1 Comment

Irksome via Daily Prompt: Irksome

Kids going places.jpg

I love my children. I love when my children play nicely together. I love when my children play outside. Getting my children to play nicely together or to play outside can be a challenge.

The challenge of getting my kids to play is irksome.

Isn’t play what kids are supposed to do? Aren’t they supposed to build forts and play “house” and tell silly jokes? Why is it to hard to get my 5 year-old to ride a bike? Just ride the bike, right?!?

Well, here’s the irksome part. Most of the time my kids don’t get along or want to play outside because they want me to be a part of what they are doing.

Going outside is only fun if Mom or Dad are there to help with the heavy lifting and the bike balancing. Building forts and playing “house” is only exciting if Dad or Mom offer their expertise in the field of sustainable blanket roofs and the perfect temperature for imaginary hot tea. It really irks my kids when I don’t help build their forts or drink their imaginary hot tea.

It is important for us to teach our kids to play. Most of the time they are ok with me leaving them to their play, once the ground rules or foundation have been set. Make sure you are taking time to set ground rules and build foundations with those you love today. Someday they may not be there to bother you.

Put your energy into being active in the lives of those you love. The irksome feelings will wear off and the joy will form memories. Those memories will make you forget what they were ever fighting about in the first place.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. I am sorry to my sisters for all the times I wouldn’t play the games you wanted to play when we were kids. I know I really irked you then. 🙂

 

Meet the Locks

Intentergy Leave a comment

Meet the Locks – Funny Friday

Meet the Locks.jpg

On our recent camping trip, we experienced some embarrassing but funny mishaps. We arrived at the state park on a Thursday. There were very few campers at the park, so we quickly earned the devoted attention of our camp hosts.

We were greeted promptly and provided doggy bags for the puppy, a park map, activities for the kids, fast fire wood delivery, and a wonderfully friendly history of our hosts’ entire lives. It was nice.

Upon returning with the aforementioned firewood, our hosts talked to us about the different types of fire building techniques. As they critiqued our fire building, shouting and banging started inside our camper. The three-year-old had locked himself in and could not get out. Of course we didn’t have a key, so my husband and I tried to talk him through the unlocking process with no luck. Our camp hosts patiently sat in their golf cart and called out advice and offers to go get their camper keys.

The three-year-old soon grew tired of our coaching and climbed up on our bed in the camper, stuck his face out to the window screen, and sang, “Nah, nan, nah, boo, boo.” This received tremendous laughter from our other two children and the camp hosts, but hubby and I were not as amused. The hosts then said they would go get their key for us. In their absence my husband got the idea to send our daughter through the hole under the fold-up couch. He was able to hold the seat up long enough for her to climb through and unlock the door (just in time for the camp hosts’ return.) We thanked them and assured them we were set for the night. We were wrong. Continue reading “Meet the Locks” →

Farewell to Non-Fiction (for a while)

Intentergy Leave a comment

Farewell to Non-Fiction (for a while)

Farewell NonFiction.png

Reading non-fiction has always made me feel smarter. I have not always liked reading non-fiction because I found it to be dry and uninteresting, but for the last six months I have been drawn to biographies, self-help, and historical books. These books definitely educated me on the lives, events, and ideas they captured, but something was missing.

On a recent get-away with my best friend, I read an autobiography and a blogging guide. She read one and a half romance novels. I liked my autobiography and made some great notes on how to improve my blog from the manual. When we discussed what we were reading, it was clear that her reading was much more stimulating for relaxation and imagination. As we discussed her books, I brought up books that I had read in the past I thought she would enjoy, and she recommended a few to me. I realized I missed fiction.

It is time for me to take a break from non-fiction. My brain needs an escape from reality. In the last week I have already plowed through one Nora Roberts novel and a Linda Lael Miller book. My aunt recommended titles from Jodi Piccoult and Sandra Brown. This break from the stark realities of history and technical advice should do my synapses some good.

Consider doing the same for yourself. Turn off CNN or the talk shows. Turn on to something fun and imaginative. Pick up a book, tell ghost stories around a camp fire, color pictures with your kids, paint a painting, play with play-do. Give yourself a vacation from the cold facts of the evening news and soften your heart with creative words and comfortable interactions.

I know I will find my way back to the world of biographies and history soon, but for now I am excited to unravel unreal mysteries and build relationships with the fictional friends only found in books.

Give yourself some time to unwind from the world and release energy from the works and writings of those who know how to tell a great story. It is healthy to let your mind wander every once-in-a-while. You can always reel it back in when you need to. Say, “farewell, non-fiction, if only for a little while.”

By: Melanie A. Peters