For those of you who were around for year one of HLA you might recall Claudia sharing with us her experience at Misty's Potato Soup Party. This party is a time honored tradition amongst Misty's friends and they are allowed to cautiously add women they think would be fun to the mix. Claudia turned out to be the lucky addition Misty selected this year and so she headed into the party only knowing that the invitations were awesome and surely there would be potato soup involved.
What Claudia didn't know was that Misty's friends would use the occasion to play "The Cowgirl Game" or more accurately "Cowgirls Ride the Trail of Truth". The game's intention is to get women to story swap and get to know one another on another level by answering questions in several topical areas. The categories range from "Sex and Body" to "Taste".
While Misty and her friends use this game to reconnect with one another and to get to know new friends I can think of 1001 other uses for a fun game that gets people to share themselves. With that in mind comes today's creative idea. What if you used the Cowgirl game via email (or snail mail would be even better!)? I think highlowaha has been testament to the fact that our communities can certainly be fostered via the USPS and come on, who doesn't like to get mail?
I have to be honest that the implementation of Facebook into my life has reconnected me with friends from high school, college and drum corps that I haven't seen in years not to mention adult cousins and siblings that I get to see far too infrequently. Living far away now creates an added difficulty in getting to see them at reunions or holidays when everyone converges on Northern Kentucky. This means that I am having to rely on my virtual network to maintain those relationships. Thus my suggestion for the Cowgirl Game is born. What if you created a friendship "chain letter" of sorts. Create a list of a circle of friends that are all interconnected...select the first topic and ask the question of the first name on the list...You send them an envelope explaining the directions
#1-Answer the question as truthfully and thoroughly as possible and then select the next question to be answered.
#2-Insert into the envelope with the coverletter and mail to the next name on the list.
#3-The last name on the list forwards their response back to you and the cycle continues.
Ideally your friends would start to get creative and send other notes along with their responses but if not at the very least you are getting to know one another on a deeper level without having to take time out of your busy lives to have a party and even more so allows for friends from across the world to enjoy the Cowgirl Game without having to spend money on airfare.
I'm sure by now your interest is piqued and so let's open our first round of the VIRTUAL cowgirl game. Here's the question for this week hailing from the category "History and Experience":
If I had a daughter what would I tell her?
or
If you have a daughter, what do you want to tell her before she grows up?
Announcements:
Shamrockin! Congratulations to Chaotic who won the Shamrockin' Treat announced on Tuesday by suggesting that she would utilize April 21st as her RAK day. Chaotic expect a treat in your mailbox in the next few days.
RAK Box Winners: Thanks for filling our RAK box for Year Two. Never fear if you haven't yet sent yours as the 18th postcard hasn't yet been received so there is still time (and you can always win when Claudia uses the box for a true RAK!) As promised a drawing was held yesterday evening for another $25 Target gift card and winner was: Peggy Robinson!
Cookbook: Tera hasn't had many submissions turned in yet for the first ever HLA cookbook. Don't forget to send her all your creative (or just scrumptious!) recipes by 3/18 so she can get it pulled together for Mother's Day. Email them to tmichalski05@jcu.edu.
Surprise Surprise!: Our first Surprise Surprise! stunt is just around the corner. Don't forget to create your rainbow that says "Follow "your name's" rainbow to highlowaha!" and drop it in the mail to Julie Schnepp (16630 N. Reems Rd. #1064 Surprise, AZ 85374) no later than 3/13 so that she receives it before St. Patrick's Day. Remember that if your rainbow is followed you will be entered to win a fabulous prize and everyone who participates will get a rainbow patch for their "Patchwork Denim".
9 comments:
Here's my response to the question.
Since I do, in fact, have a daughter I'll tell you what I want to tell her before she is an adult.
I'd like to tell her that I'll support her no matter what decisions she makes...it is her life to live in the way she sees fit. I might not always agree with her decisions 100% but I'll support her and love her regardless.
I'd like to tell her to not worry about disappointing me...I think that would be impossible to do and I don't want her living her life wondering what Mom would think.
I'd like to tell her that you shouldn't let who you are in middle and high school determine who you are in life...geeks turn out to be superstars and superstars turn out to be total losers. Look at college as your chance to re-invent.
I hope I'll teach her this in my actions but I'd like to tell her to take risks. Try new things...experience life to the fullest.
Finally I'd like to give her the advice I've given more than one college aged student...if you find the man you THINK you are supposed to marry and you are still in college WAIT. If he truly is the one he'll still be around when you finish school and THEN you can get married...Her Daddy and I started dating when we were 18 and got married when we were 25 and I am so thankful that I had those years to know that I was making the right decision and I know I don't have any regrets or concerns about the decision I made.
I have six daughters, ranging in age from 17 years to 6 months. I have so much to tell them. I feel like I have forever when they are little and I feel like I'm frenzied about the 17 yo.
I have a journal that I give you when you're 8ish. It's a two way thing and we can go back and forth with it. It's a chance for us to talk to each other, happy, sad, angry or pleased.
One thing I like to teach is don't worry about going against the grain.
I love this question. I grew up as one of three girls in a house where my parents believed girls could do anything.
Ellen played piano, Ann was a ballerina and both of them traveled into Manhattan daily for their lessons. Later they both went to school at the High School of Performing Arts. My parents never let us know if it made them nervous to send their daughters off to the city by themselves, so they we never knew to be scared.
Later Ann, my dancer sister, moved to Yugoslavia where she danced as a professional ballerina. I remember the day we took her to the airport. My parents shed tears of sadness, but again, they never let us know if they were worried. Ann lived 8 great years in Europe, never having fear about being living abroad.
I moved from New York to Arizona for college and again, my parents never tried to dissuade me. I work with lots of college students whose parents discourage their students from pursuing their dreams, because selfishly (and understandably) they don't want their children to move. College in Arizona was transformative for me. I met some of my best friends and learned what I wanted to do with my life. I don't know if that would have happened for me if I was going to school in my hometown.
In short, as a mother of three boys, I realize today how selfless my parents really were. They swallowed their desires and kept quiet about their fears, so that we felt free to pursue our dreams.
The verbal message to my daughter... you can do anything if you set your mind to it. I like to think my actions would echo the message. I like to think I would be so busy creating my own fulfilling and rich life, that I could resist the urge to force them to stay close, and possibly settle, only so that I didn't have to experience the sadness of their being gone.
Thanks for the question, Heather.
Wow! I'm a winner!! Thank you !
I have a teenage daughter, and I might be a wee bit different in the advice department!
I talk about disappointment, life not being fair, smart choices, opportunities, manners, respect and self worth and much, much more!
We talk about giving the gift of a RAK, how much a smile can make someone's day, what goes around comes around, be true to yourself, seek friendships that make you happy, you can be anything you want to be, but it's not just going to be handed to you! You have to work for it, and sometimes work very hard!
In this fast paced world of electronics... computers {my space} cell phones and texting, I'ming and more ... on a daily basis it's difficult to even relate to my teenager's world, her friends know so much more than I do!
All I can do now is repeat my words of wisdom, have her roll her eyes, tell her I love her and push her out of the nest hoping she'll fly and be independent!
Well, I don't have daughters and will only have them if I marry someone that has them but then I'm sure I'll just be the wicked step-mother :) But, as many we have all said if I had a daughter I would encourage her to do what she wanted to do, to develop self worth and value. I would tell her that her value is inside her own being and not in the relationships that she is in. Listen to your gut and be aware of red flags- they're probably right. Work hard for what you want.
And for goodness sake don't take naked pictures of yourself and text them to boys! I just read a very sad case yesterday where a girl had done that, her and her bf broke up and he sent the photos out. I'll just say, it didn't have a happy ending.
On that note, Happy Saturday!!!
BK- I hope you'll share some of your Habitat for Community stories when you get back. Have fun.
PS...
Is anyone else that is subscribed having trouble with their emails?
Cheryl- yes, I received an email today with today's post title, but the content from yesterday's post. Any idea what's up with that?
As far as advice for a daughter? I think I may be slightly under-qualified for that! However, I am having a good time reading what you all have to say!
I just got this emailed and today is Sunday March 8th.
I do have 2 daughters and I have told them things that I thought were important in life like:
1.Go to sleep each night feeling like you made some sort of difference in someones life.
2. You DO NOT need a man to validate you!
3. You are capable of great things if you try.
4. I am here for you no matter how bad something seems.
5. I am unconditional......
6. You are my BEST friend and I am here for you for the rest of my life....
7. Never let anyone make you feel bad. Step back and analyze the situation before holding guilt. If you are guilty fix it if you arent stay away from someone that makes you feel this way for no reason.
I have a 16 yr old and and almost 12 yr old. I know boys will make them cry but I will not be the mom that stands by and doesnt at least warn them. I am way too involved in their lives to allow a boy to come in between us. I know I have taught them well and I love the friends they choose so I am sure they will be fine picking men. I also wont allow my daughters to have boyfriends until they are 16-17. I hate it when girls spend their days and nights wrapped up in emotional crap at 12.
I have taught them that your body is the only thing you truly own and take care of it and be proud of it. Never let anyone abuse it!
I spend every moment of the day pushing education. I want nothing more than my children to be prepared. My kids know that the best "Mother'sDay" gift for me is them making high honors on their 2nd trimester report cards.
I guess we all wish the same for our kids. I admit I sometimes live vicariously through my kids but if I cant who can?
Claudia I read your post and wanted to tell you PROPS to your parents. I am SELFISH and worry. Michael went to Rausch Creek in PA this weekend for the first time alone and I have been sick. I did let him go but not without a fight. He will be home today and I will be happy again! I dont know if your parents would have been as easy in todays society. Krysten wants to go to FIT or PARSONS and I am dreading it!
Have a good day HLA!
If you're reading this Sunday because you finally got your email from Saturday, then well, better late than never I guess.
I think we are having a conflict with our posting time and our emailing time. I will try to adjust. :)
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