[Dialogue] Happy New Year from Cynthia Vance

[Sunny Walker]

Such a delight to catch up with you. I do wonder when you sleep! Star is so
precious. I have my own Marley (shepherd Husky mix - BIG, a misjudgment on
my part).He snuggled up under my armpit in bed last night when the midnight
fireworks began. He ordinarily won't sleep on the bed. I must wiggle around
too much.

May 2024 be filled with more magical miracles!
Sunny

*Sunny Walker *
*She/her/hers*
*On **Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux)
tribal land*

Certified Facilitator (Also Certified ToP Facilitator)
ToP Methods Mentor Trainer - Upcoming Courses
<https://www.top-training.net/w/>
Virtual Facilitation Collaborative Senior Facilitator
sunny.sunwalker at gmail.com
303-587-3017

For diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging inquiries:
sunny at diversityinnovators.com
www.diversityinnovators.com

For virtual facilitation inquiries:
sunny at virtualfacilitationcollaborative.com
www.virtualfacilitationcollaborative.com


On Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 12:44 PM Cynthia Vance via Dialogue <
dialogue at lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:

> Happy New Year to all my family, friends and colleagues.
> Jan 1, 2023
>
>
> May you continue to be curious, to learn and to respond with clarity to the pressing challenges of our time.
>
> My Holiday Gift to you is a quote from Kurt Vonnegut which was given to me and one that I’ve embraced for myself:
>
>
> “Go into the arts. I'm not kidding...They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art,
>
> no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the
>
> radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will
> receive an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
>
> Now, here's my annual report.
>
>
> CONTINUING ACTIVITIES:  I still perform with Sarasota Earlye Musicke Consort on various recorders, performing
>
> courtly, baroque & jazz music.  It's all so much fun!  I also perform with The Venice Chorale, singing classical and
>
> pop music as a tenor.  Our new Artistic Director is awesome; he makes us love music so much, encourages us to
>
> study it in depth, and creates delightful surprises for our audience. I'm still growing orchids and enjoy taking
>
> photos at our Venice Area Orchid Society -- plants which are awarded monthly by our membership.
>
>
> Of course, I must play with my Star and when she barks, we start fetch and catch.  However, she won't return
>
> the rubber bone to me -- so onto the next one in my pocket. I hike with dear friends in Pineland Park several times
>
> a week and continue to kayak with my kayak girl friends -- around the mangrove isles in the Intercoastal Waterway.
>
> We take hundreds of photos of nesting birds -- Roseate Spoonbills, Pelicans, etc.  When their juveniles exercise their
>
> wings I can make some delightful shots. My SonyRX10m4 camera with the 600 mm lens inside continues to delight,
>
> taking 24 shots per second. I can take surprising photos that the eye misses!  Some are even artful and I post many
> on Facebook.
>
> NEW ACTIVITIES:
>
> I've been watching 2 brilliant directors at our Venice Theatre direct rehearsals of 3 plays including Jeff Daniels’ new
>
> play, ‘Pickleball’ which was a hoot.  I'm also taking acting lessons (learning play analysis & character focus) and
>
> receiving positive encouragement (stay tuned for when I put what I've learned into practice). I did write an essay
>
> after viewing the profound drama, Black Pearl Sings, and my acting teacher said it was of such excellence that he
>
> sent it to the playwright!  Sometimes, one's being is touched so much, it compells one to write.  I plan to do this
> more often as I study this engaging artform.
>
>
> I'm now using my new (3rd) IPad 12.9 and ForScore software to download music and use PageFlip Firefly Bluetooth
>
> Pedal to turn pages with my foot during recorder performances. Do I tap on the beat - or in between- this does take
>
> some coordination!  I've also been helping 2 friends with medical research and taking them to appointments and
>
> surgeries.  Though I've been avoiding politics, I did ask people to sign petitions for the Florida Clean Water and the
>
> Women’s Healthcare Rights both which will be now on the ballot next November.  They MUST Pass.
>
>
> For more exercise I now attend 2 cardiac classes per week on Zoom, led by a friend I admire who lives in NYC.
>
> I've also joined the Venice Isle Book Club and am reading the amazing novel, ‘A Land Remembered’ by
>
> Patrick Smith about the struggles and bravery of Florida’s early settlers.  I'm sure glad I've always had
> air conditioning while living in Florida!
>
> So, there we are.
>
> I'm thankful that my health is good and that I have housing and food unlike so many in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza,
>
> and other places. I naively thought there would not be any more wars, and now we face the horror daily.
>
> Let's hope that peace will be restored soon and that the rebuilding will begin.  In the meantime, we can support
> organizations which are helping such as World Central Kitchen (
> https://worldcentralkitchen.org).
>
>
> I hope you all have an interesting, challenging and delightful New Year.  There's so much to learn and enjoy,
> so many ways to help others, and new thrills around the corner.
>
> My best,
>
> Cynthia Vance and Star (Check out some photos above)_______________________________________________
> Dialogue mailing list
> Dialogue at lists.wedgeblade.net
> http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
>
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