Author: Christine

Christine http://www.mombie.com I'm a writer/storyteller/director/creativity & lifestory coach with a black belt in ITF Taekwon-do. I read voraciously and I write like my fingers are on fire. I'm the founder and Co-Chair of the Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl and I'm the current president of the St. John's Storytelling Festival. I bake a mean chocolate chip cookie.

In my element

Last night when I was telling stories onstage, my husband captured this perfect ‘getting the precise details’ gesture of mine. I recognized how it feels from how it looks.

A blue-tinged photo of me telling a story onstage at a storytelling festival.
A blue-tinged photo of me telling a story onstage at a storytelling festival. The back of several people’s heads can be seen at the bottom of the photo. I’m a middle-aged woman with short brown hair wearing a blue tunic, I have my right hand outstretched with the palm downward and my left hand has one finger outstretched in the ‘let me tell you one thing’ gesture.

Early Morning

It’s 6:14am and I have been awake for at least an hour.

This is the second time this week that I have been lying awake in the early morning listening to my husband sleep and just letting my mind wander wherever it wants to go.

I’m not distressed about being awake and there’s nothing bothering me, I’m just…not asleep.

I know this is pretty common for women my age and if it starts happening regularly I will work on some habits in hopes of sleeping better.

But, for now, I’m perfectly happy to lie awake musing until I either fall asleep or I feel the need to get up and make tea.

This morning, I’m sitting up in bed with my Moroccan Mint tea brewing in a cup next to me on one side and himself sleeping on the other.

Not a bad start to a day, really.

On an adventure

A close up photo of a dark pink flower.
A close up photo of a pink flower with a yellow centre. The edges of the petals are tattered but it is still bright and cheery.

My husband and I are off on an adventure – me to a storytelling festival and him to a cycling race…which happened to be on the same weekend in two places less than an hour from each other.

So we are taking a 4 day weekend to hang out, relax, and have separate adventures from the same home base.

This is our first vacation in years and I am absolutely thrilled.

Do the easy thing, Christine

A small drawing in blue ink of a star in a frame.
A small drawing in blue ink on a piece of index card propped up on a placemat. The drawing is of a smiley face star inside a rectangle. The rectangle has a frame of lines made of alternating sets of four downstrokes and four horizontal strokes.

My daily to do list includes ‘draw something.’

Sometimes I make something elaborate, sometimes I do the easy thing and just draw a quick little thing on whatever paper is handy.

Guess what kind of day today is?

Storytelling week!

Last week, I was organizing events for other people’s fun.

I had fun, too, of course but when you have to remember all the details, it’s hard to really sink into what you’re doing.

This week, though, I’m telling stories at two different festivals and I’ll have to do is show up and tell.

I don’t have to figure anything out.

I don’t have to remember any details.

I don’t have to make sure we have supplies.

I just have to tell stories.

I’m really looking forward to it!