à la carte spirit by ilona fried
ilona fried
Improv as Spiritual Practice
I just passed the half-way point of an improvisational acting class. It’s my first in many years, this time at Boulder Improv Collaborative, coached by Myles Goldin and Zac Chase. I enrolled out of a desire to have fun and practice spontaneity. While “practicing spontaneity” might sound like an oxymoron, it’s not. Some of us, … Continue reading
On the Importance of the Right Container
Imagine you’re handed a precious elixir that requires immediate refrigeration. All you have is a used plastic supermarket container. You wash, rinse and wipe it dry before transferring the elixir. The next day you notice a leak from a pinprick in the bottom. Quickly, you tape it. Shortly thereafter, you observe that the amount of … Continue reading
Ratatouille for Two
“That smells really good,” said my house-mate’s boyfriend the other evening while I stirred ratatouille in a small pan. He was leaving and she had escorted him to the door. “Are you using a recipe?” she asked, returning to the kitchen. “No,” I said, because I wasn’t following someone else’s instructions. But I was relying … Continue reading
Can a Mammogram be “Fun”?
Mammograms can be a real pain in the boob. Although recommended as a screening tool, they are not foolproof. Mammograms failed to detect cancerous tumors in at least two women I know, including a family member. Still, each fall I schedule my appointment, a cross between a medical and psychological ritual. Even if imperfect and … Continue reading
When the Landscape Changes
If you’re lost along Colorado’s Front Range, just look for the mountains. They are to the west, their craggy outline an unflinching and unfailing navigational aid. When I moved to Colorado, just seeing the Rockies’ profile against the huge sky helped me feel more oriented as I adjusted to my new home, my internal compass … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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