à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Courage
Facing Stage Fright at Story Slam Boulder
“The whole world is a narrow bridge, and the essence is not to be afraid” – Rebbe Nachman of Breslav In mid-December I attended Story Slam Boulder, an open microphone event. Audience members could put their name in a hat to share a personal tale by heart, on stage. The evening’s theme? “Naughty or Nice”. … Continue reading
The Vagina Monologues and My Narrow Escape from the Age Silo
A few weeks ago I saw an announcement about auditions for “The Vagina Monologues” to be staged at Naropa University in Boulder, CO. Anyone with a vagina was welcome to try out. My normally still, small voice within shouted “Yes!”. My heart pounded, so I knew I was on the right track even if I … Continue reading
A Tribute and a Request
In March, I wrote about the passing of Robyn Richey Piz, a fellow writer and co-founder of Salon Denver. She and her friend Christy Bailey invited me and a dozen others to this monthly gathering of writers to share works in progress and inspire each other. Some ‘salonistas’ who read that post had lovely things … Continue reading
Authority vs. Authenticity
I recently enrolled in a workshop called “Claim Your Voice.” As an introvert, my tendency towards formulating a response and finding accurate words sometimes trump instantaneous communication. Fast-moving conversations often drown out my voice, or people misinterpret my pause as meaning that I have nothing to say, so I am overlooked. By the time I’ve … Continue reading
Swimming to Celebrate
Yesterday at 7:16 a.m. I waded into the local reservoir with Boulder Aquatic Masters. It organizes private swims before the main beach opens: without motorboats and crowds, the area is relatively silent, the water calm. At that hour, the air is still cool. It’s a bit like being on a watery Camino de Santiago: instead … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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