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Finding your Why: a little graduation advice…

May 13, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner 7 Comments

finding your why

When my son graduated from the University of Arkansas last May, the commencement address was given by Donnie Smith, CEO of Tyson Foods. His inspirational, “go get ’em” message challenged the graduates to do great things and change the world. He quoted Mark Twain. The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

Heck, quote Mark Twain to me and I’ll be inspired all day long.

Finding your why. Those three little words are weighty.

For many years, I felt my “why” was to be the best parent I could be to my two children. And at the same time, while I was raising my kids, I worked in banking. I started at the bottom and slowly worked my way up to senior vice president in the commercial lending department. Was it my “why”? I didn’t know what that meant. It was my job, and for the most part I enjoyed it and paid my bills and saved some money and if we’re being honest, which we are, I loved the wardrobe that went along with such a career, too.

There seems to be an idea in this country that one should only do what feels 100% fulfilling. If a job isn’t your fantasy job, don’t do it. Don’t waste a single moment doing something you don’t absolutely love.

This mentality makes me want to poke myself in the eye. Grunt work is part of the deal. Sometimes grunt work means working for someone else. A corporation that makes profits. Oooooohhhhh noooooooo.Continue Reading

Playing the Air Trumpet instead of Writing

November 29, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner 15 Comments

 

trumpet

morgueFile

 

Last night I dreamed I was back in high school with my best friends—Becky and Anita and Norma and Judy—and we sat crammed together on a bus traveling somewhere to march with the band in a Christmas parade. The bus was cold. We wore matching red and gray uniforms, our school colors, and tall white plumes extended from the tops of our headpieces. The bus noise level made talking difficult so mostly we just laughed. Laughing was easy and normal and what we did best. But the whole time I thought you don’t play an instrument. Why are you pretending to be in the band?

Thankfully I awoke before faking my way down a parade route playing the air trumpet.

Whew.

Tired from that dream.

But now I’m analyzing each piece of the dream because it’s a game I play and something I find interesting.

The first part is easy.

At the Razorback basketball game last night, I kept one eye on the band. They jazzed up Bud Walton Arena and looked to be having a blast.

Inserting myself into the high school “dream” band is more complicated since my only musical training has faded to Chopsticks on the piano. I believe this dream was a pathetic reflection on how I feel right now about myself. As a writer. Attempting to be part of a group that I’m not confident I belong in.

I know this sounds woe-is-me. And I realize this feeling is only temporary and probably attributed to a particular chapter in my manuscript that I’ve been struggling to edit combined with too much Thanksgiving food.

Doesn’t everyone feels this way from time to time?

Say yes.

 

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Yes. Everyone has “woe is me” days. [/tweetthis]

 

Musical Pairing:

Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock playing Chopsticks

 

Connect the Crazy Dots

December 20, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 10 Comments

Take a look at the following list of random things.

Can you guess what they have in common?

squirrels
driving a car
brilliant sunset
gallon of white paint
a lagoon
Hillary Clinton
camera
eggs
skyscraper
shelves and shelves of Little Golden Books
installing a kitchen countertop
rocks
an easel
pine trees
Craig Barnett
moving boxes
Lady Gaga
Arkadelphia

Pine Trees of my dreams




Give up?

Scroll

down

to

see

the

answer…

?

?

?

?

Answer:  These things/people were all in my dreams last night!

Do you have crazy vivid dreams?

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Dreams, if they’re any good, are always a little bit crazy. – Ray Charles

Musical Pairing:

Dreams, The Cranberries
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Talya Tate Boerner


Hi! I'm Talya. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

Click to BUY NOW!

Talya Tate Boerner books
Gene, Everywhere

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