KALEIDOSCOPE*

The kaleidoscope image holds a special significance for me. The first gift I remember receiving was from my grandmother - my father's mother - Alice Crippen Brewer - when I was about five. Her present: a kaleidoscope! It was magical, whimsical, and I never tired of looking into the cylinder and seeing the endless combinations of colored glass or plastic, or jewels - as I imagined them.

The kaleidoscope became my metaphor. Bright colors, accessories, represent the real me, who is also the me I present to the world. The colors and patterns change, yet the effect is always luminous. Modest, aren't I?!!

In selecting a symbol to represent the spirit of PLORK (PLAY + WORK), the kaleidoscope became a natural choice.

The PLORKSHOP is a journey to help you access or connect with your Creativity. This process involves being open to see things in new ways, see things differently. Surely, the kaleidoscope is a reminder that new possibilities exist!

Plorking is a practice, and Plork exercises help you form new habits. It's a joyful process.

When I had a serious accident/fall in June, 2007 - six fractures - I decided in the emergency cubicle at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, New York, that if I could find ways to Plork through this experience, I could Plork my way through anything.

My healing journey was a long one, but I did accessorize it with the spirit of Plork!

In the hospital, I had a wonderful pain-management doctor who assigned a tune to me to help him remember my name. My song was "Put Another Nickel In, In the Nickelodean" - made famous by Teresa Brewer - no relation! Every morning, Dr. Gary would whistle that tune as he approached my room on his rounds. When he found out I was a poet, Dr. Gary always took time to discuss different poets with me. He liked Robert Frost. So, I began each day in the hospital with music and poetry. PLORK!

I wanted a way to motivate myself to make the difficult transition from my hospital bed to my wheelchair to the sink in the early morning. With a broken shoulder and pelvis, this transition was slow, awkward, and painful. Plus, I'm not by nature a morning person, but in the hospital you have to be. I called my friend, Terry, who is an Arbonne consultant. Arbonne is a line of Swiss skincare products I like. Terry brought an orange travel kit with a cleanser, toner, eye cream, serum, day cream, etc to my hospital room, and placed it near my sink. Each morning, when I woke up, I saw that spot of bright orange and went for it! Sometimes, it took me a half hour or more to get there. My reward was a glowing face to offset my broken body. PLORK!

Once I got home from the hospital in mid-July - I also spent several weeks recuperating with friends - I faced an entire summer in my 3rd floor apartment, except for trips to physical therapy. This seemed dismal, when everyone else was outside enjoying the sunshine, vacations, etc. I decided to focus on decluttering my entire apartment, one item at a time. Three friends came over to help get me started, and then I was on my own. The result was very satisfying. Eliminating physical clutter eases the mind in so many ways. I also reviewed all my poetry and writing materials, which was a huge task. I focused on examining all my poems and putting together a new manuscript, which I am convinced led to my book, A Little Breast Music. When the editors of Passager Books - Kendra Kopelke and Mary Azrael - asked me in early 2008 if I had a new manuscript, I had it ready to put in their hands. PLORK!!

Plork works in all kinds of weather, time zones, and circumstances. My Plork Humanifesto is my lighthouse.

When life situations present challenges, try the PLORK approach. Look through your kaleidoscope, and shake gently.

*With gratitude to my friend, Bonnie Schupp, for the kaleidoscope image pictured here.

Me, Shirley, the Goddess