Each Wednesday I’m recording a Curiosity Journal to recap the past week. Tag words are: reading, playing, learning, reacting and writing.
:::
Some of you have mentioned that you’re keeping a Curiosity Journal, as well. Leave your link in the comments so that we can visit and enjoy your weekly review.
Reading
A few months ago I saw a book titled The Sacredness of Questioning Everything. Intrigued, I thought I should order it—after all, a book about questioning seems appropriate for a person who keeps a Curiosity Journal. But the thought skipped past, and I failed to act on it.Some time later I learned that an author named David Dark was leading a session at the Laity Lodge Writers’ Retreat. I had never heard of David Dark, but, boy, did I love his name! Sounds like the alter ego of some comic book hero who transforms from local television news reporter to powerful, shadowy superhero that swooshes in unnoticed to confound a villain and foil his dastardly plans.Turns out David Dark is a writer of Christian nonfiction.Of course, that might just be his cover: nonfiction author by day, unstoppable superhero by night.Anyway, I finally put it together that David Dark authored The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, which I did, at last, order.Meanwhile, a couple of days ago, while leafing through my daughter’s college reading material, I spotted a quote from that very book, where Dark claims, “Show me a transcript of the words you’ve spoken, typed or texted in the course of a day, an account of your doing, and a record of your transactions, and I’ll show you your religion” (David Dark, as quoted by Jeff Cramer).David Dark, who was completely unknown to me a month or so ago, has practically become a household name.
Playing
I forgot to post pictures from the birthday boy’s gathering a couple of weekends ago. Our friends bought him Blokus.
A game suitable for a wide range of ages.
While four people played Blokus, our youngest guest unearthed some toy handcuffs and latched one cuff around his mom’s wrist. Click. He attached the other to the chair. Click.Ha-ha-ha. His mom was momentarily handcuffed to a spindle of the chair, until, at her request, he released the cuff attached to the chair with the click of a button. The other cuff, however, remained snug against her wrist.
Ha-ha…uh-oh.The click-of-a-button didn’t release the second cuff. It was stuck. She said she wasn’t nervous, but after her husband, a scientist, and the Belgian Wonder, an all-around problem-solver, fiddled with it for twenty-five minutes without success, I felt nervous.
The two men worked together, offering theories as to why it happened and suggestions for how to jigger it loose. Eventually, they figured out its mechanism, so the Belgian Wonder used pliers to turn a lever while the scientist poked a skinny, sharp tool into a tiny hole to trigger a broken release button.The cuff popped open.
But not before leaving its mark.
Learning
I’m learning never to leave broken toy handcuffs out where a six-year-old boy can get his hands on them—his first thought, of course, is to snap them around someone’s hands, which will immediately alter the mood of any gathering.Also—and this is an aside, but—never ever brag about what a good dog you own. That day or the next will be the day he does something very naughty, or very gross.And that’s all I have to say about that.
Reacting
My first progressive lenses are leaving me feeling a little dizzy…and a little old.
Writing
Charity’s call to become masterful intrigues me. Unsure how to proceed, but considering ideas.Come to think of it, I’m invited to submit 1000-2000 words of a complete essay or a work in progress to my Writer’s Retreat workshop leader, so I suppose I should start there. The session is on memoir and the deadline looms.Yes, I should begin immediately.
:::
Credits:Cramer, Jeff. “Keeping Technology in Context.” Computing & Culture-Applications & Context. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2011. Print.All photos copyright 2011 by Ann Kroeker.Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
There’s always more to come: subscribe to Ann Kroeker by e-mail Want to slow down in our fast-paced world? Check out Not So Fast. “Like” me on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter.
Ann — Thanks to you, I am now following David Dark – my very own workshop leader at Laity Lodge – on Twitter. I need to read that book too. Suppose there is time in the next two weeks? Sounds like it would be good for my master training.
Thanks for the links, too. I’m going to read your writing post now.
My David Dark book hasn’t arrived yet, so I doubt I’ll get it read. Maybe on the plane?
Sorry about the hand cuffs. I know the boy enjoyed all the fuss. Good you had such wise engineers near by to do a fix.
Hope your dog is now in good graces with your family.
Hazel, her son is the mischievous face with the toothy grin, peeking through the arms in that one picture.
I’m glad the guys got it off without pulling out a hack saw!
And the dog, yes, we have forgiven him. In fact, even as I type, someone is speaking kindly to him and giving him a biscuit. 🙂
Ann – I love the way you write – so real and grounded. It’s a blessing to me. I love the handcuff story too – as would any mom with boys.
Sue, that is such a huge treat to read your comment, that I write “real and grounded.” That’s pretty much who I am, so I’m delighted to hear that my words match the rest of me!
So did you get into David Dark’s seminar?
Well, wouldn’t you know, I still didn’t have a clue who he was when it was time to send in my request. So I have Gregory Wolfe, instead, which intimidates me. And you?
I feel as though David Dark’s name was mentioned while I was at the Summit. Maybe in reference to The Gospel According to America, but I can’t recall.
You prompt me to add it to my reading list, however, so thanks for that. :]
You are welcome! I get to meet David Dark in a couple of weeks, but I’m not in his breakout group.
After I’m done with his book, perhaps I can loan it out to you? 🙂