Brain Bridge

Sometimes I’m amazed how fluid my thoughts are for spontaneous ideas.   Before the hostile takeover of my home/businesses, I woke up every day with some solution or new concept to implement in my wonderful work establishment.   A year after my forced evacuation, I am finally gaining the momentum to reconnect with the creative part of my mind.    My brain was bombed with mind battering. I was chased on a dark side of life with little means to cross over.  I work on activites to build what I call my “brain bridge.”   My brain bridge connects me with the outside world, the community, my customers, my students, my creativity, sanity and safety — a part of my life as I knew it — but most importantly — my new life as I rebuild it.

Here are the ways I build my brain bridge:

• Melodious themes of notes hummm through my head in the morning.  I race to my workroom and press the point of my pencil to my manuscript paper before the moment ends.  There may be about 10 potential compositions ready for developing when I’m ready to fully concentrate on that part of my brain bridge. Music is forever helpful in building the brain.

• Sense, observe, evaluate people, places, products, predicaments around me.  I respond and write in this blog.   My brain bridge is being built with woven words.   You, the reader are part of the process.  I’m not just writing to tap away at a keyboard.  I’m writing to reach you — on the other side.   Are you on the other side?  Are you helping to build the bridge?  Are you half way across waiting for me?  Are you ahead of me?

  

• Drive and discover new communities.  The roads around here are curvy, full of hills, mountains — and are so randomly marked, I can get lost from just turning any direction.   There is certainly much to discover in the small towns.  There is a river nearby and plenty of creeks — so I cross bridges regularly on my treks around towns.
  

  The Susquehanna River

• Learn to understand and speak Spanish.  Right now I’m in infant stages — understanding the words — just not ready to start full sentences.  I’m using predominently audio cds.   I listen and respond out loud —Level II — half way through.

• Study techniques to improve online visibility and sales.   I study online because the hours for learning are best for my brain and my internal clock that operates on “second shift.”  eCommerce is my “job” because there is a broader base for income – and my career with six income producing venues was bullied (the wimpy way to say abused) away from me.

• Spend time with my cat, Carmel.  He is precious, playful and gives me peace of mind.

Well, that’s the beginning of my brain bridge.  There will be more added on the way to stabilize the structure. I will know about that when I get to the other side and look back.

Need-n-Nails

No, I didn’t need them. There’s no long lasting value to getting finger nails polished. But that is just what I needed to do Friday afternoon — very uncharacteristic for my quite practical nature. Yet, after years of servicing others, going without any typical comforts. The “home” prison I evacuated in November was in an unfinished attic — no bathroom door, half a ceiling… Everyone around me was getting tatoos, piercings, new clothes, nails, hair styles. It seemed understood that it was now MY turn to have a common comfort. Repeatedly, I have been told to “take care of yourself”, “treat yourself”, “you need to heal.”

After months of driving by a small town main street beauty salon, yesterday was the day I turned to the right and walked in to get my nails finished into a French-style manicure. It was a luxury treatment for certain — painted to match my car.

Then there’s the conversation that ensues when the manicurist asks “What kind of work do you do?” That’s still an uncomfortable question for me since having my long-standing career taken from me by a cruel abuser. So, I say the truth “eCommerce”. Then there’s the silence. I know I have to add the next description “internet sales.” That is usually where the conversation ends. I felt comfortable to explain a bit further about the destruction of my multiple jobs and awesome career.

The price: the same fee I charged for private art or music lessons that took me decades to be skilled and willing to charge $30 a lesson. My nails do look nice. I’ll consider having them done again in another month — but maybe I can locate a salon with a more competitive fee.  Again, I’m reminded that I’m not a “typical” woman, obsessing about nails, hair, clothing. My nails look nice, but I’d rather be involved in more cerebral activities: writing, reading, performing, discussing, solving, searching, repairing, blogging, learning.