Today, on the Jungle of Life, I talk about one of my annual backpacking trips with my sister-in-law. Nature always brings lessons to me, and that is why I am in constant battle with online-offline balance in my own life. I thought it would be nice to visit the very first trip we took into the wilderness, the summer of 2009. ENJOY! And I hope you will hop on over to the Jungle of Life to read my latest: Lessons from the Rock Cairn. Happy Spring!

Recently I had the pleasure of backpacking into the Jewel Basin with my sister-in-law.  It was the first time I had been able to backpack for years, and between the two of us we left behind six children, two husbands, and a Marley dog!   The experience was amazing…..from the freedom to finish a conversation without being interrupted by kids, to just having a deep connection with the beauty of Mother Nature.

We hiked six miles in with approximately 30 lbs of essentials contained in our packs.  The landscape was diverse….from subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, bear grass that looked as if it came directly out of a Dr. Suess book, waterfalls ,and ever changing views from above the Flathead Valley.  We made it up to Crater Lake, which  has to be hiked into from a rocky upper path.

Camp was set up above the lake in a well protected area of trees and soft ground.  As we hiked down to Crater lake we found a little peninsula only to realize we liked the  spot much better, so we decided to grab our gear and reset camp right next to the lake.   Instead of packing everything up, I suggested we just carry the tent (already set up) down the steep path.   I didn’t take into consideration the wind factor…..watching us almost fly off the mountain would have been hilarious to any bystander!

The rest of the day was filled with laughter, swimming, fishing, reading and relaxing.   I caught a beautiful rainbow trout, however, being the good law-abiding citizen she is, Mo took a little too much time checking the fishing regulations and it slipped out of my hands before we could cook it for dinner.   I’m quite sure the fish warned his school of friends:  “Lesson of the day.  Don’t take bait from strangers!”   We had no more luck with the fish!

After a tasty dinner of rice and lentils (sans the fresh trout), my eyes wandered across the lake to the steep, rocky path.  I spotted something white and big meandering slowly around the lake toward the only other campers.   We watched in amazement and amusement as a big mountain goat made it’s way within 20 feet of the two men who were fishing.  We hollered over at them to watch out.   They informed us the goat had befriended them the previous day and had spend quite a bit of time hanging out with them.  The goat then proceeded to continue on the path getting nearer to our little peninsula.   I watched in bewilderment as Mr. Goat crossed over into our camp and came right up within 10 feet of us.   I have to admit, I was a little nervous about this creature making himself at home.  This was never the way I have seen goats behave in the wilderness and it was a little unnerving!   However, after glancing our way a few times, he just went about the business of eating roots and ground cover as we patiently watched him and waited for him to move along……but he wouldn’t.  We finally gave up, as it was dark out and we were ready for bed.  I rationalized that if he hadn’t harmed us yet, Mr. Goat really had no interest in inflicting any harm.  My sister in law was way more calm than me throughout this escapade, perhaps the result of growing up in the great state of Alaska!

As I lay in my bed listening to Mr. Goat I must say sleep did not come easy.  I finally dozed off, after visualizing Mr. Goat as the comfort measure that was keeping the bears away!  Ha!  Only later did I learn that the saying “get your goat” was apparently derived from this story:

The saying “Get Your Goat” supposedly originated from the early horse racing days, where goats were kept with nervous race horses to keep them calm before the race, and if you wanted to beat the competition you would get their goat causing their horse to become agitated and unable to race. (from: http://goathavenfarm.tripod.com/)

Anyway, kind of ironic, don’t you think?  So, I slept most the night with one eye open. Very early in the morning, I heard very LOUD noises right outside the tent.   I was a little freaked, so I woke Mo up and she grabbed the bear spray.   We opened the flap to see this:

Mr. Goat was there to greet us in the morning.  He had grown on me…..I must say.  He hung out for a while longer and then went on his merry way.    What an experience!  That day, we hiked further up the mountain and spotted another goat and her kids…..very skiddish and running as they caught sight of us.  That is the way I am USED to seeing goats.

I will look forward to a follow up trip one day to Crater Lake.  I sure hope Mr. Goat is still around to keep our peninsula a safe haven!

LIFE LESSON:

Find your peninsula of Peace…………..

………..and don’t let anyone ever get your goat!!!

Water is a huge theme in my life, as I am surrounded in the beautiful mountains by amazing high elevation fresh water lakes, rivers, and streams.

Today, for Free tune Friday, I made a little video, set to that old tune: the Water is Wide, off my Cellobies album.

I hope when you feel the need to take a break during your busy day, you will relax, sit back with a cup of tea, and reflect on the beauty of water.

Water also signifies emotion. Without water we would have no tears of joy or sadness. Life wouldn’t exist.

For that reason, it felt perfect to combine the two life sources that play such a huge role in my life: Water, and Music.

Speaking of tears of joy and laughter, this week was my last week writing for the amazing Mamalode Magazine. My platform for the last two plus years was writing about parenthood and the very trying tween/teen years. But about a week ago, the Universe hit me over the head. I knew that it was starting to make my kids uncomfortable and my decision was made quick as lightening. It was time to close that chapter in my life, for now anyway. I look forward to what the future holds. I know parents need a connection with other parents about this stage, but the issue of privacy is very tricky indeed!

It has been a wonderful experience, and the platform of the magazine is one I fully embrace and respect. I sure hope you will go over and say farewell by  reading my last post and leaving a comment about how YOU navigate social media and children.  And I look forward to more writing and developing on my own blog, as well as my monthly columns over at the great Jungle of Life!

But until then, enjoy Free tune Friday, and as always be

In Harmony,

Jen ♫

I had trouble with my recording yesterday, but I am working on a looped cello piece right now.
Here is just a small snippet of the first part of the melody:

fridaysnippet224

I am not sure what the title was. There is a specific melody line I am working around, and the big motivation for the piece is HEARTACHE.

So, if you have ideas, please share. You know that feeling when you get when you are experiencing loss? And it feels like your heart is actually ripping in two? We have all been there. But this vision of that came to me in music. Let me know your thoughts….

Around the web:

My post at Mamalode magazine this week was all about meat. Or lack of! My teen is experiencing a meatless 30 days…and so am I. So come on over and check out my article: Where’s the Beef?

And I am SO excited to be a guest on my friend Betsy’s fabulous page: The Zen Mama!  Check out my guest post HERE and comment (on her blog) to win a FREE COPY OF CELLOBIES! Thanks for having me over, Betsy!

Other than that, I had a fabulous, spectacular week playing with my local community Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra. Our instructor from Bali was in town, and we had some great lessons and a fabulous all-day performance at local schools. I feel truly grateful to celebrate world music in a small Montana town! Who would have ever imagined? Our community gamelan is one of only 300 in the USA.

Until next time, see you on Facebook, and stay IN HARMONY! ♫

Jen

To keep you up to date on my latest music projects, I will be posting snippets of my latest tunes on Fridays. Sometimes it may be little “works in progress” and other times more complete pieces. I will bring you a variety of styles so you can see what I am up to in words and music.

Because I am trying to be more diligent about composing music on a regular basis, my blog posts have mainly been focused on the other websites I write for. You can always find me every Tuesday over at Mamalode Magazine.. This weeks writing is on TRUE LOVE. It isn’t always roses and wine, is it? You can read it HERE

I also contribute at the beginning of every month at the wonderful Jungle of Life. If you haven’t visited Lance’s page, you will want a good chunk of time and a hot cup of tea! It is worth staying for a spell….

Now on with the tune! My Friday Tune this week is a snippet of a new Waltz I just wrote. I am calling it “A Waltz for Grandpa Gene.” Grandpa Gene is a good friend and an “adopted” dad and grandparent to my kids. His wife and my dear friend Vonnie have been married 53 years. He has Alzheimer’s and it is a devastating illness. This song came to me when I was thinking about how he is now a new man, yet the same good ole’ Gene. When we are dealing with letting go in life, it is about accepting the present, but it is okay to cherish and honor the past. In this tune, you will hear the music change in the second section. A little minor key, a little more intense. Such is life, and challenges, and Alzheimer’s disease.

I hope you enjoy this work in progress.
waltzforgrandpag

May you have a beautiful weekend!
In Harmony,
Jen

1. Bob Dylan   A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.

2. Neil Young     I just do what I do. I like to make music.

3. John Lennon  If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it.

4. Bruce Springsteen Your success story is a bigger story than whatever you’re trying to say on stage. Success makes life easier. It doesn’t make living easier.

5. Joni Mitchell   You could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you are having, but it would not be a good song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it’s just complaining.

6. Joan Baez You don’t get to choose how you are going to die or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live.

7. Mary Chapin Carpenter  I kept thinking, I went to college and I have to get a real job!<

8. Ray Charles I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me-like food or water.

9. Stevie Ray Vaughan You see, we are here, as far as I can tell, to help each other; our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our enemies. That is to help each other and not hurt each other.

10. Bob Marley Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!

How do these quotes fit into the life you lead? Are you living your full potential? Are you being creative and allowing time for play?

Do you have times when you feel like you are energized, in EXACTLY the place you need to be, doing EXACTLY what life is beckoning for you to do? THAT, my friend, is your heart talking. Do not ignore it!

I had that feeling last weekend, as I led a monthly group of children and adults in a lively music session. It was a good reminder of me to listen to my heart, even at times where I question my path. Please hop on over to Mamalode and read my latest HERE. I really love your comments and contributions to my writing. My articles are a path for discussion, not a means to an end, so leaving comments creates the dialogue that helps others grow and learn. YOU and your contributions matter.

I leave you with a picture of another influential musician who inspired my entire family.

In Harmony,

And while your at it, Thursday is a great day to check out my other regular writings around the Web.

Read my latest Mamalode post on one AMAZING teenager who is fighting a brain tumor. Her desire to meet Tim Tebow and her story drew our entire community together. Talk about inspiration!

Grab a tissue and head on over to the Den Chronicles!

And for you musician/artsy/story teller types. How many of you are big huge fans of BILL HARLEY? I am, and I was thrilled to hang out at my children’s school, where he was a guest of honor an entire day, had performances, and basically inspired the entire group…old and young alike. And OH, He told me he wants to learn the CELLO when he turns 60! Now I am even a HUGER fan. Check out my story here!

Have a great Thursday, friends. And thank you for all who have shared on my Facebook Page. which I encourage you to visit often for extra inspiration. Take a picture, leave a picture, find synergy with amazing people. Just make sure to give credit on any photos or shares of others who work hard to bring creativity to you.

In Harmony,
Jen

But what happens when life is rough? It is so easy to find harmony through the lens of rose-colored glasses. What about when those glasses are fogged up with illness, or pain, or life events you haven’t expected?

I talk about my own struggles with this that have hit me hard the last few weeks. You can (and please DO) head over to Mamalode.com and read my weekly article.

It has made me really think about what I can do, though, during the rough times to find harmony. Here is a few things ideas I have:

1. Keep your perspective! Betsy from Zen-Mama had this post up today on her FB page:

This was the perfect reminder for me to think of possibilities. I may have had to hang up my precious running shoes for a bit, but there are OTHER things I can do.

2. Expand your thinking. Along those same lines, I am attached to running. It has been my therapy for over seven years religiously! But life is not going to let me run for a while, and now is the time to LET GO and look into other new exciting activities. By expanding my thinking, I will have more options, stay healthier in the future, and perhaps find another sport I love just as much!

3. HUMOR. It is so good to just get outside what you are dealing with and laugh. I know Laugh Yoga is getting big, and that is probably for a reason! It is important to keep your humor when life gets rough. The other day, I took my son out and did a photo shoot for a new fad spreading like wildfire around my town. It is when you pretend it is summer in the winter. Here are a few shots I took:

"pogo-frosting"

"Uni-frosting"

4. MUSIC and ART. Listen to music, create music, paint, draw, sketch, color crayons with your kids. Get creative. Sometimes I find that when I am working on creative projects it helps my brain find a way to creatively solve challenges, thus finding my harmony again.

5. MEDITATE, PRAY, OR BE STILL This one is tough for me, being a Go-er, and a constant Do-er. But when my body is ill, I know that perhaps my spirit is trying to tell me to slow down. And I need to listen!

There are many more, I am sure. What do YOU do to find your harmony in difficult times? I would love to hear from you.

In Harmony,

Jen

Happy Thursday, everyone! And if you want my latest post on Parenting, check out my SIGNS post on Mamalode.com HERE.

I’m a newbie in the world of computers. Up until the last six months, my time on the computer was limited to checking email and Googling a few things. I am ashamed to say my kindergartener was more adept than me at getting around cyberspace.

My older sister, Kati, continued to hound me to sign up for Facebook and I kept telling her that I really had no desire to catch up with people from my “former” life. Not that I have anything to hide, but I definitely went through therapy for a reason! After a few months of pondering and continued email invites from my family I finally decided to sign up. My main goal was to have more ways to easily communicate with my sister in Jakarta, Indonesia and to be able to see family pictures.

At first I could barely get around the site. I navigate perfectly on a fingerboard or fret board, but a computer keyboard is a little more of a challenge! Kati gave me a little lesson, and I slowly started adding on a few friends. I am from a huge family, and pretty soon I became aware that I had tapped into a great resource for communicating with long lost cousins. You know what? I even became friends with people I went to high school with that I didn’t necessarily hang out with. The funny thing is I really have learned to appreciate and LIKE these people. Wow, what a pleasant surprise!

As I became more involved in Facebook, I began contributing comments to posts. It became obvious to me quite early on that this networking site is also a form of support and socialization for many people. Six months ago, I would have been skeptical, but after experiencing the way people seemed to put down their guard and just “bare it all” on Facebook I was convinced that this nexus of cyber touch was very useful for many.

I also noticed there was a plethora of abbreviations people used in the cyber world. I assumed that my experience working in both the medical field and education for years would prove useful and I could understand most of them by process of elimination. So, it was at this time that LOL became my favorite signature.

Since so many people were using LOL too I was so touched! Why weren’t we all so open in high school? So LOL it was. When a friend’s grandmother died, it was LOL. When a friends pet got run over, it was LOL. I was sending LOL to everyone, all the time. So, as you can imagine, it was to my greatest horror the night I saw someone using LOL inappropriately….two people in a fight just didn’t jive with sending love.

Yes, I was sending Lots of Love the whole time. My apologies to my friends for “Laughing out Loud” during your losses……….Boy, do I have a lot to learn. (LTL!!)

Life Lesson: Words (and abbreviations) may have double meanings. Communicate clearly and ask when you don’t know.

]]> http://www.findyourharmony.com/2012/01/19/lol/feed/ 7 http://www.findyourharmony.com/2012/01/19/lol/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/findyourharmony/~3/XlZ-Q2eUeDU/ http://www.findyourharmony.com/2012/01/06/find-your-harmony-in-2012/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:23:34 +0000 Jen Slayden http://www.findyourharmony.com/?p=2174 Please help me name this piece of music in the works!

I have added a video as well….enjoy.
In Harmony,
Jen

I have been very reactionary. Because both my teens think they are right. All. The. Time.Every day I find myself  in the court of teenage law, deliberately debating and trying to state my point. But in their minds they have already won the case! So I react. Perhaps a little trashy. I’m not as nice as I used to be. I know how to meditate, and luckily I have a few very wonderful zen friends who’s books I find myself looking to for guidance.

Zen-Sational Living Sheila Burke

Betsy Henry and the Zen Mama!

I need more practice, though. For now, I am practicing reaction formation. Probably not quite what Freud had in mind…..

The Urban Dictionary defines the term Reaction Formation as :

The lesson for me is to find a proper receptacle for my emotions. I am an emotional being. Still, even in my forties, it is important for me to recognize which emotions serve me and others in productive and peaceful ways. I want my pro-active emotions like joy, empathy, gratitide and HARMONY to runneth over! I hope I can continue to practice trashing reaction, and reaction formation, to be more authentic and loving. And I am good about saying YES!