#alphabiography

Photo by Camilla Coffey

Z is for Zippy*

  We Americans like things fast

Speed of light, full throttle, move like lightning, fast food

I move quickly by default

preferring to zip about, and get things done

but it’s in the moments when I consciously s-l-o-w d-o-w-n

that I feel the most grounded, relaxed and content

    *part of my alphabiography project

On Love and Life

X is for Xeriscape*

  Succulents and needles,

Sand and stone,

In this arid land

I’m not alone

  Quail eggs, scorpion and snake on the floor

Wren, dove, and hummingbird above

All of us move unruffled and unrushed

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

*Part of my alphabiography series

Ahhh! Bliss…

Photo by Andre Mouton

V is for Veracity*

Truth —-> Self-Awareness —> Integrity —> Self-Contentment —> Peace

Which would you prefer: to be happy or to reach xyz goal?

When I find myself starting to worry or getting wrapped up in achieving xyz…The question, Isn’t it important to be happy?  realigns my focus.  The truth is, it’s not what I do that’s important, it’s HOW I do what I do.

  *Part of my…

Photo by Gaelle Marcel

T is for Teaching*

  Slim wallet but exubertantly rich life

      *part of my alphabiography series

  R is for Ridiculous

  Here’s a shiny new bowl,

with crushed ice and filtered water

She snubs it – actually walks away –

and seeks water from the murky plant bowl

that captures rainwater,

soil and dead plant parts

daft dog!

  Q is for Quiet*

If I could say anything to my students, I’d say:

“Hi, my name is Mrs. Wyatt and I like it very quiet.”

But alas, my last name is Wipff

(origin: Alsace-Lorraine) Yes, Swiss

I chose this name! I married it.

My surname is Chung but not Chinese, Korean

It is pronounced “Jung” – not “yung” like Carl (who was Swiss, by the way)

  What’s that you say?

Oh yes, I love the Quiet

    *Par…

Do You See the Monster?

photo by Creativebloq

N is for Negative Space*

In third grade, my art teacher instructed us to never have too much white paper in our art. “Fill the white space!” Ah, Mrs. Raims.  She was great. She gave sound art advice. If you have a small figure on a large canvas of white, it ought to be small for a reason.  It ought to be making a statement. 

Negative space, however, is not all bad.

“Negative…

Show a Little Tenderness

K is for Kindness

To be kind means to be benevolent, to be compassionate and caring.

I am kinder on some days than others. When I’m not as kind as I’d like to be, it’s always because I am not being so kind to myself. Being hard on myself because I didn’t eat as healthy as I should have, or skipped my work out, or said or did something “dumb”…can lead me to show not-so-kind behavior to others.

If…