Author: Lolita Allgyer

In Honor of National Puppy Day

I love puppy breath. Yes, it smells like skunk scent, but it’s different somehow.
National Puppy Day made me nostalgic.

I miss the feeling of tiny wet tongues licking my face. I used to experience that every day. It was perfect heaven.

I miss the sound of roly-poly bodies tumbling after me.

I miss laughing till it hurt, because of the pups’ repeated attempts at learning.

They were as round as they were tall, and every time they tried to run they rolled over themselves.

I miss cuddling a 2-week old baby in the pocket of my sweatshirt while doing school.

Weirdly enough, I even miss cleaning the puppy barn.

It was hard work raising dogs, but the puppies made it worth my time and energy.

There’s something to be said for the unconditional love of a baby animal that trusts you implicitly. It changed me, I know.  Happy Late National Puppy Day!

6 Things I Learned from Facing Tragedy

Tragedy changes a person, no matter how you look at it.

It can harden your heart or tear it to shreds. It makes you seek the comfort of people one moment and loathe their company the next.

Many times people use the tragic situations in their lives as crutches to excuse their behavior. Instead of focusing on the hard part of tragedy, I am reflecting on the lessons I have learned because of facing tragic situations.

  1. I have learned that no matter your situation, there is someone in the world that has it harder than you. This realization taught me not to pity myself, and to face life head on even if it’s hard.
  2. I have found that I am stronger than whatever comes my way. That’s something you don’t understand to a deep level unless you have faced a heartbreaking situation.
  3. I have learned to appreciate the little moments. I don’t take anything or anybody for granted anymore.
  4. I have learned that it’s always worth it to give everything you have. You don’t have nearly as many regrets if you make the choice to
  5. I know that it’s not worth the energy to wallow in hurt. Getting back up and making your best attempt at life will always heal you faster than feeling sorry for yourself.
  6. I empathize with others who have gone through tragedy. I can understand the deepest level of the pain of loss, because I have walked that road. It gives me the ability to understand others and help them grow through the process of their lives.

Whether a tragedy takes you down or grows you is your choice. In the height of pain, it’s hard to feel like it will ever get better. But I can promise there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Lone Wolf

I was looking over previous writing that is stashed away in my computer and laughing at myself. But one of the pieces got me to thinking. Enjoy:

“Written by Daniel Defoe in 1719, Robinson Crusoe has fascinated readers for years. The book covers the adventures of a young, headstrong sailor through his journeys and finally the 28 years that he is stranded alone on an island near the mouth of the Orinoco River in the Americas. Themes in Robinson Crusoe include colonization, redemption, and individualism.

Is Robinson Crusoe a lovable character? Some look at the brat that forsook home at a young age. Others see a shiftless sailor who flits from one ship to the next. Still more criticize the domineering master who takes it on himself to civilize a savage. The statue these ideas sculpt is rather on the dislikable side- even repugnant.

Yet there is another side to the character- one found by those who look past the human flaws to the heart of the story. This aspect is the one that has caused Robinson Crusoe to flourish for almost 300 years. The brat disciplines his faulty character, experience balances the shiftless sailor, the teacher eclipses the domineering master. Meet Robinson Crusoe: the rugged lone wolf.

Everybody likes to read about a lone wolf. The character Robinson Crusoe is lovable for three reasons: his rugged individualism, his ability to recover from seemingly impossible situations, and his destiny of adventurous experiences all endear the reader to our protagonist.

What is possibly the greatest thing that reels a reader into the book Robinson Crusoe? It is the fact that he is a lone wolf: a rugged individualist.People love the fact that he figures out how to use the spoils from the shipwreck to build an empire on the island. He depends on no one and survives quite happily on his own.He digs a cave for his own house, domesticates animals for food, sews his own clothes, and grows food out of a couple random seeds that happen to sprout. Who doesn’t absolutely fall in love with a man who can care for himself?

What keeps the reader enthralled with Robinson Crusoe is his ability to escape from crazy situations. He escapes slavery and multiple shipwrecks, saves a man from death by cannibalism while risking his own life. Most would have died in the first shipwreck: nay, most would never have been on the first ship! So they revel in the life of one that cannot seem to die, for all life seems to throw at him.

The experiences of Robinson Crusoe are what make the book what it is. Who else builds up from slavery to plantation owner, then on a journey in which he only survives, to living and learning 28 years on an island, to going back to England with a personal companion to continue adventuring with? All readers love this because it is different, and because he became a self-made man.

Back to the brat, the headstrong sailor that has no fear of his parent’s desires and remonstrances. Give the guy a break, okay? He learned by experience what his father tried to teach him. And he gained more by the experience than he ever could have by simply living the normal life of an English gentleman.

Or, critics may claim that while a lone wolf sounds good, Crusoe was proud and unsociable.Then why has the book lasted for 300 years? Something about individualism endears anyone to that individualist.

In conclusion, why do we love Robinson Crusoe? It is because of his individualism, his narrow escapes, and his life full of adventure.

Everybody loves a lone wolf.”

I still think that everyone loves a good book about an individualist. But if Crusoe lived in our time, many would reject him.

So there is an addition to my essay: Everybody loves a book about a lone wolf. Today, we would drag the man out and call him crazy for his purposeful estrangement from society.

But we still love to read about him. At least, I do.

What are your thoughts? Would Robinson Crusoe survive the critiquing of people today?

 

Emotion: the Spark of Memory

 

I have so many memories of my childhood. The ones that stick out the most in my mind, however, are the memories that are attached to strong emotions.

In fact, my earliest memory is linked to sheer terror. I remember 9/11. Many people recall the exact place they were when they heard the news of the Twin Towers. But not everyone was under two years old when the attack occurred.

That’s right. I was just 21 months old. We were traveling with friends. My dad was in the passenger seat of the 12-passenger van we were traveling in. My mom was beside me, and I was enjoying the ride in my car seat.

Then dad got the call. I have no recollection of anything he said. I remember the look on his face as he told my mom what had happened. And I remember the stab to my heart that makes the moment stand so clear in my mind.

I don’t know if I picked up an emotion from my parents, or if even at that young age I realized that this event was much, much bigger than what anyone imagined.

Regardless, it’s interesting how fear makes memories stand out. Because the emotion puts your whole body on full alert, your senses are extra sharp, ready to make a quick run or to stand guard and fight.

The memories stick out because of all your senses being fully receptive to surroundings.

If I want to remember a moment for years, I take this perspective and act on it. I wear certain scents of perfume or chapstick on days I don’t want to forget. Or I take a moment to observe my surroundings, drinking in my environment.

Try it: open your eyes wide, to take in all you can see. Take long, deep breaths, letting the smell of the moment flow through your lungs. Stay silent and listen for the smallest noise that may spark your memory later Touch your face with your hand, or run your fingers through some sand nearby. Taste raindrops as they fall. Live the moment to the fullest extent possible.

Choose to alert your senses and train your brain to remember the good things in life. Try it: it’s pretty fun!

Map it Out

When explorers set out on a new adventure, they always have tools. Two of the biggest are a compass and a map. Together, they give the explorer a guide to the trail he is conquering.

Even if he walks into uncharted territory, the explorer keeps his map close by, changing details or adding landmarks as he presses forward. He constantly compares the compass and the map with his environment.

Your goals are your compass. Your schedule is your map.

You may not be the type of person who needs a detailed schedule to get things done. Yet even a simple map is a huge advantage in the hand of an explorer. Likewise, setting priorities for the days ahead helps make your ideas reality.

I sent this week’s goals to a mentor as an accountability practice this evening. I am exhausted. I know I need a long night’s rest to prepare me for the week.

But something about taking the couple moments to plan the week gives me energy. I now have a priority for each day.

It’s amazing how even twenty minutes of thinking and can put even the biggest projects into perspective.

My compass for the next while is my podcast. My map is the weekly plan I lay out.

And it’s great to be compared to an explorer. You’re welcome for the simile!

This week, check your compass and your map. Are you moving in the direction you want to?

Press on, adventurer!

Hidden Benefits of Daily Writing

 

They told me writing every day would benefit me. I could understand the discipline that would come. I knew there would begin to be a flow of ideas once I stuck the writing out for awhile.

Those were the benefits I knew would come before I even started. But there were so many unseen blessings of sitting down, every day, and putting my thoughts on my blog. Continue reading Hidden Benefits of Daily Writing

Stop Networking- Start Being

 

“Hey, what can you tell me about podcasting?” I asked a friend one day when the idea behind Edcuationeering was new in my mind.

“Actually,” she replied, “I just did an episode where I covered the basics of creating your own podcast. Check that out, then we can do a quick call.”

I did, and fell in love with her podcast, Photosynthesis, immediately. I began putting the ideas in my mind to use, and before I knew it I was hosting my very first interview.

Later on, after searching all the free music download sites on the internet, I came across an article by a fellow Praxian about his music project. I reached out to him about possible intro music for my new idea.

Immediately, he jumped on it, and late one night, he sent me a beautiful soundtrack for the podcast.

But what about a logo? At just that moment, another friend posted on Workplace about a project he was doing: creating logos. He wanted actual projects if at all possible. So I messaged him my abstract concepts surrounding the podcast. He developed the fascinating bow-and-arrow logo which has become the face of an idea that birthed itself in my mind only two months ago.

All of a sudden I realized: this is networking! Before, it was an elusive concept that every entrepreneur around me attested to. Now, it was a real process coming alive in my personal experience. I looked around me: all those emails and phone calls promoting my idea were building social capital. Each interview I host gives me one new connection built over an hour-long conversation.

And I couldn’t help but laugh at the big deal most people think networking has to be. I am by no means an expert, but haven’t humans connected with each other for thousands of years?

Yet there are tips from gurus everywhere: Go to this conference, or do that one simple trick that will solve all your social issues.

The idea of “networking” has become so overused that we have lost what networking power we may have had. Instead of building relationships based on mutual goals or common ideas, we have created a formula which we employ to robotically reach out to others.

Don’t miss the chance of genuine friendships because of being so focused on finding the perfect connections. Stop networking and start being:

1.Be excited about what you’re doing.

Alec Steele is a famous Youtuber who makes videos that document his process as a blacksmith. He dropped out of school at age 16 to focus on his passion.

He’s found his niche in an area not many Youtubers frequent. But the reason his videos get so many views is due mostly to his love of the trade and general zest for life. It comes through in everything he does.

Show your work. Document the process. Do what you do with passion; people are naturally drawn to those who love their life.

2. Be genuinely interested in other people.

Jesus’ parents found him in the temple at age 12, after searching for him for three days. What was he doing? Networking. He was engaged in the deep questions of rabbinical discussion that were common in the Jewish culture. He simply threw himself into the topics at hand, and the people around him were amazed at the wisdom of his questions and answers.

One of the most influential men to walk this earth, Jesus didn’t have a special 3-step formula for getting people to like you. His networking advice was, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  

This concept is a good one for everyone to ponder. We love when others show interest in our lives. We gravitate toward people who like us. We love people who listen to our thoughts and dreams.

Want networking advice? Be the person who cares genuinely about others.

3.Be a Value Creator.

A local company called Knightly Creations had a stand at the lumberjack festival my family went to recently. Their stand with its sparkly customized objects attracted my younger sisters, who were my charges for the day. They got caught up with the idea of the raffle being held. After I explained the concept of probability and warned them of the risk involved, both girls decided to invest two dollars into the raffle.

The day wore on. I didn’t expect to ever receive a call. The odds were definitely stacked against us. But I was surprised to pick up my phone and realize that the owner of the very stand where we had bought the tickets was calling me.

“Hey,” he said, “We drew the tickets recently, and your sisters’ tickets were unfortunately not drawn. But I wanted to make them each a mug anyway.”

I was honored, and my little sisters were thrilled. A week later they had their customized pink mugs, complete with unicorns an sparkles.

This random act of kindness had a huge impact on me. Because the owner of that stand noticed my little sisters, he created immense value for me. He didn’t have to ask me to post reviews all over social media highlighting the awesome customer service of the company.

I’ll bet he had no idea that he was networking. He was just creating value for other people, being genuinely interested in the learning process of my sisters.

Networking is much easier than you thought.

It’s not about doing everything just right. Be yourself, create value for others, and reach out to people. When you get down to the basics, it’s achievable.

 

For more resources on this idea of networking, check out:

 

 

 

The Lolita You Didn’t Know

Cool facts about me that most people don’t know:

  1. I was born in Paraguay, South America. Yep. Down in the red dirt in a little hut. My parents were missionaries down there for several years. They moved back up to the States when I was a year old.
  2. Consequently, Spanish was my first language. I only really started speaking English when I was around 4 years old and started preschool. We slacked off with the Spanish later on, but all of my siblings can understand the language.
  3. I spent most of my life in Texas. I grew up on a small country property. I bottle fed calves and raised chickens. We had to travel half an hour to get to the closest grocery store.
  4. I love the piano. I taught myself everything I know, and I play for myself and the people I love. It’s the way I express emotion
  5. I love playing anything that will make music.  I have been known to compose pieces of music on park toys. My latest cheap instrument of choice is the tin whistle. I also have been playing around on a ukulele. If it makes music, I’m in!
  6. I’m always up for a game. Raised in a large family, there is no end to the games I love to play. Board games, card games, party games, word games… Some of my favorites are Scattergories, Mancala, Phase 10 Dice, and Quirkle. (I have never played with anything but 100%. Some people call it competitive; I just say I’m extremely passionate.)
  7. I crochet when I have spare time. I have to keep my hands busy, and I love making little gifts for family and friends. My latest creations have been arrow headbands and bookmarks. (Follow me on Snapchat: country_anne15. I post random pictures of creations.)
  8. I love to read. My dad collected old books, and I have a fascination for the classics. Socrates and Shakespeare each have their separate places in my heart, although I am always up for a good read on psychology or business.
  9. I write poetry. Sometimes, when I am in the melancholy or sentimental side of my nature, I express myself through free verse or other versions of poetry. I love the way poetry flows, and the mystery that it speaks with.
  10. I love kids. I’ve been around them all my life. I’ve watched many as they grow up, and have been in charge of large groups ever since age 12. It’s given me awesome perspective on parenting, and I love the challenge of reaching the heart of each individual child I work with.
  11. I am passionate about teaching. Teaching anything to anybody. I love trying out new ways of teaching: visual versus kinetic, for example. I love seeing people’s eyes light up when a concept finally makes sense. I live for moments like those.
  12. My spirit animal would be either a wolf or a lion. I’ve heard both. I tend to be a lone wolf in many situations, and I will kill for the people I love.  I am fierce but gentle at the same time: lionhearted.

May your aim be true! On to the next adventure…