About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Day of Listening


Did you know that this day after Thanksgiving is being promoted as National Day of Listening by the oral history organization StoryCorps with support from NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting? So I learned from a brief article in Wednesday's newspaper. The event is meant to encourage people to break away from the madness of black Friday and take a few minutes to really talk with family members and friends who are together for the Thanksgiving holiday. That is, really talk on a more intimate level. Go a little deeper than the stock "So, what have you been up to?"

If you're interested in this project, check it out at: www.nationaldayoflistening.org. The website includes a down loadable do-it-yourself guide with directions for selecting someone to interview, possible questions, handling the interview itself, and sharing your conversation.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the quality of communications I have with my own family and friends. And frankly, I'm not satisfied with what I've been able to do to keep our relationships more informed and connected. I'm going to give this project a go with a few people that are in my inner circle. I want to know more about their lives--things they've never shared, probably because I haven't asked.

Coincidentally, this is my 99th blog post, one short of a significant marker, since starting Summit Musings in May '07. I've really enjoyed communicating with other bloggers, learning your everyday stories and sharing mine. In fact, I'll start my Day of Listening by throwing this question out to you:

"Is there something about yourself that you think no one knows?"

I'll look forward to hearing your answer to this question. Remember, if you care for someone, listen to what they have to say.

7 comments:

KittyHawk said...

To answer your question, yes. :-D

But my question is, in the picture who's doing the listening and who's ding the talking?

Faye said...

Kittyhawk--but for how long? You've got my detective juices going now. As for who's talking--the four-legged one, of course. He's telling her, "Now here's how we're going to win, you just follow my lead. . ."

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I'm sure there probably is something, but I can't think of what right now.

Happy 99th post!

Faye said...

Debs--I'm beginning to think my "listening" question should have a part 2, as in ". . .and are you willing to reveal what the unknown is?" In my own case the answers would be "yes" and "no"!

Lane Mathias said...

Is there a secret (or more than one)? Yes. Will I reveal it/them? Course not:-)

Listening properly is a skill and I know I'm as guilty as the next person of not investing enough time to really listen to nearest and dearest.

Swampwitch said...

Happy 99th birthday post.

We have two ears and one mouth...hmmmm.

swampy
http://anecdotes.typepad.com

Hootin Anni said...

A 99th post! How wonderful. I don't even KNOW what # I have done.

Your question, my answer - probably, yes.

Happy Monday