The Parish Family Blog

Living in the New Year - 2007

I enter this year with excitement and hope. This, in part, from the amazing support and love from the community of readers on this blog for Sharon and for our family.  You have been gracious, patient, forthcoming, loving, articulate, authentic, generous and persistent in your love for us. Thank you.

In short, thank you being a such a unique spiritual connection that pulled me and the family through a difficult year of loss. I just cannot thank you enough.

I was watching ABC News this evening. There was a tribute to people around the world who had died, from our cherished military men and women to all the the people in the news. So many famous authors, news people, actors, entertainers and more died this year. Sharon is in good company.

What I know is Sharon would want each of us to see how we can find more and more of our humanity, authenticity and lovability for our "selves" and others.  Always discoverying new and unique ways to get unstuck, one more time, and infuse new-found higher qualities of ourselves to expand our creativity as a human, to make life better for the world.

I honor and cherish the light and life within you and give you my good will.

All the best for 2007 for all of us.

Love
Tom
-- I'm wanting to be there for you as you are for me.

New Blog for Tom

I'm gearing up for a new start in 2007.

I have in the making a new blog site at http://www.LeverageSocialMedia.com, where you'll find some background on my experiences in leveraging social media-based technology, systems and marketing strategies over the last few years.

It's a bit rough and just sputtering along, trying to get some steam up. That's how it all starts, though. I'm feeling excited about having a new direction defined that incorporates all of me, in a sense. My focus on media creation and my experiences with building communities online, blogging, RSS feed strategies, podcasting ... now it's all related.  Oddly, there is a new trend called social media optimization which is a kind of off-shoot from search engine optimization. So, it's looking like this is all part of my path as it's meant to be.

Now for 2007 how should I proceed with the SharonParish blog? Hmmm, I'm still wondering about that. I'm open to your ideas. Should I rename it The Parish Family blog?

Tom

PS It's noon on Sunday. I'm sitting at the kitchen table in the new robe Lily gave me. The sun is out and it's very cool and crisp outside. Doors are slightly open. The two Sharon chimes are just chattering away out there, making music and talking with all that surrounds them. Looks like Lily has plans for tonight. I'm thinking I'll stay home. I have some invites. I think, though, I'll circle the wagons and just be home alone to think about these new directions and new feelings emerging in me about life.  I am thankful for all the invitations.  For me starting the new year with some tasks cleared off my to-do list, my work space cleaned up and the house in order means a lot to me right now. 

Gifts for Sharon

This weekend I want to get some posts up to summarize how I'm doing and find a way to thank so many wonderful people for having stayed connected with me and my family over the last 8 months.

This picture shows Sharon's Christmas stocking with the two 'wee people' peeking out from the top and the printed acknowldgements for Sharon (printed in red and green by Lily).  I reread them out loud to Sharon when I took them out to her chimes.

This next picture shows the acknowledgments and a new chime. It is quite cute. We found this little guy for sale for 50% off so I thought it would be something Sharon would like to have next to her. You know how Sharon just oozed motherly energy. I thought she's like have a little chime to be there with her. And symbolically for me, it's a kind of turning point.  That new little chime represents a new beginning both with Sharon in spirit and physically without her.

It's Saturday night December 30th. I'm home alone tonight. Lily is out with some friends for a sleepover, and I'm catching up on various little things I've been wanting to do around the house. I'm just giddy with excitement about some of them. This is one.

Best to you

Tom

BluestoneJones Original Electronica - Matt Jones Musician from Montana

Matt sent me an email a couple of months ago, talking about his fond memories of Sharon. He wanted to know how I was doing.  I had forgotten that Sharon taught the More to Life "Sexuality" course in Montana a couple of years ago. Apparently Matt was married about two years ago and he and his wife took the course.  Matt mentioned how much he liked Sharon's choice of music, especially the drumming-oriented music in the breaks. Sharon did enjoy teaching that course and was quite charged up upon returning on Monday after the weekend.

Anyway, after a number of emails with Matt Jones, I learned more about him and his passions. He creates quite extraordinary electronic music. I became very curious about his motiviations and creative drive in this area, so I decided to interview him.

If this sounds interesting, then make your way over to http://www.talkingportraits.com and download the Matt Jones podcast.

Enjoy
Tom

Listening to the Talking Portraits Show

Your Christmas Acknowledgments for Sharon

           Please leave a comment here on Sharon's blog or send me an email with your acknowledgment(s) - either is fine. Leaving them here on the blog is a wonderful gift for everyone to see. Each Christmas the family traditionally creates acknowledgment(s) for each other (life, others and family) with slips of paper hidden in our stockings.  We want to include Sharon this time like we've always done in the past.  See the video! Do leave a comment if you can. I'll be sure to copy those over to slips of paper and get them into Sharon's stocking Christmas Eve.

Love Tom, Lily, Justin, Juliet, Lauren and Ryan
               
               

Lily Shows Sharon's "Little People"

     One of Sharon's favorite pasttimes was to hand-make these "little people," as she called them. She would name each one. I recall her making dozens and dozens of them, then selling all of them at the Waldorf Fall Festival. I also recall her talking about how much she missed them and how difficult it was to see them go. Sharon just seemed to treat everyone and everything in life with such reverence.                

Lily Takes Dad Bowling for his Birthday

    

We played three rounds, sets, or whatever it's called in bowling. Had a lot of fun just being there together even though neither of us are very adept at bowling. It didn't matter. We even ate some bowling alley French fries and shared a Coke - a real walk on the wild side.

Tom
               

It Finally Hit Me - Christmas and No Sharon

I had a dream last night that was so tangible I felt a rush of emotions all morning.

Here is what I dreamed:

I received word from the hospital that a mistake had been made. It turns out Sharon wasn't dead after all. It was someone else that had died. Sharon was alive and has been in recovery and was ready to come home. I was delighted, to say the least, and was scrambling to get up there. I found Gerry and took her with me because I wanted Sharon to see her mom first. Then I was looking for Lily.  I'm not sure if the dream made it that far before I woke up. I didn't want to get out of bed when I reaed my mind had tricked me.

I was so bummed and sad. I had to get up early for a 7am coaching session at 24Hr Fitness. I left without eating and that only aggravated my mood, so the workout was really tough.

So, today started out rough.  I'm better now but feeling rather lonely. Lily is at Fred's, and Julie with Anna. She returns tomorrow. Basically, I'm home alone. I went shopping for some little things to wrap and put in the stocking for Lily and under the tree. A few small surprises.

I'm already looking forward to seeing her, but she'll be going to Aunt Dreena's for an early Thursday-morning run to Houston to meet the cast of the Houston Ballet behind the stage. The lighting Director for the Houston Ballet is someone I know and Dreena knows. I meet her at Sacred Path this year, and this trip has been in the works. Lily is VERY excited, as you can imagine. It will be a wonderful trip for all.

I'm here working and getting some Podcasting editing done. I've set aside time to hang with folks coming over and to talk on the phone. The mess in Sharon's old office is lurking and the 'to do' pile is starting to grow legs. Kinda creepy-looking through those glass doors in there. It's a mess and needs attention. I want to get that in shape for the near year.

I have a number of little creative projects and some GREAT movies to see this week and next. Looking forward to those, to meeting some new people along the way and connecting with the family as December 25th nears.

Tom

Tinkerbell's New Coach Purse

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Well ,not really ... it's Lily's Coach purse. She did a lot of babysitting and managed to get a few gift certificates for her birthday. I'm not so sure how happy TInker is, but Lily sure is giddy with excitement. It's a girl thing, I guess ... Dad

Rohn Bayes on Texas

This is a 'rough' edit taken out of the video interview I did with Rohn recently. I've been too busy to complete the editing so I thought I'd just push this little piece up on the site for your entertainment.

We discuss a poem about Texas that Rohn wrote some time ago and I put music to it.

Tom
PS - yes, I'll be posting more on gratitude ... stay tuned.

Christmas at Home in Austin, 2006

Yes, we have a tree. Thank you, Grandma Gerry, for helping Lily get our tree up and the house feeling like Christmas around here.

After all these older videos, I figured we needed to get some present-day shots up. So here you are.

This time of year is when Sharon always asked us to think about the things we feel gratitude for.  During this last week I started reminding myself of all that occurred this year and what I want to say in the next few days.

If you're still checking in here, now would be a good time to chime in. I'd like to hear from each of you. go ahead, don't feel shy. The topic doesn't have to be about Christmas I reae this isn't a universal holiday. Just share how you're doing as this year ends and what you're looking forward to for the new year. And what do you feel grateful for this year in your life.

I'll be adding mine soon.  Typically, on Christmas Day, Sharon would hand out little sheets of paper and pens for everyone at home. We'd all put notes of gratitude in each other's stockings.  Then during the day we'd each take some time to read the notes, to let them soak in and wonder who wrote what. It was a loving experience that couldn't be matched by any gift with wrapping paper and ribbons.

So with that, tell me about the gratitude you're feeling for life and others in your life. Share that with the rest of us. As Sharon would say, take three conscious breaths and let it roll.

Tom

The Emerald Ring - Surprise Gift to Sharon, 1991

    

I'm not sure I recall all the details but seeing the video helped me with some of the story. Right after Lily was born we (Sharon, Lily, Justin and I) visited Pam and Fred at Christmas.  Lily was, well, barely a few weeks old as you can tell.  At some point we carefully placed an emerald ring for Sharon around Lily's neck with a pretty ribbon as a surprise gift.  It sure is wonderful hearing Sharon's voice in these videos.                

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Sharon Parish 1989 Christmas at Grandma Tischler's

I'm going through video of the family from years past. This weekend Lily and I were in Plano meeting with Fred and Pam and Paul and Dreena and the girls and ... many many many of the Tischler relatives. Back in the late 1980s and early '90s, we would drive on up to Pilot Point and spend the night with Fred's mom - Florene Tischler.   We took video of Lauren and Justin, and I hope to get that up soon. How darling it is. 

For now please see this real short piece of Sharon combing her beautiful blond hair.  You'll see Justin as a tiny tot right toward the end.

In case you're wondering - yes, I am missing Sharon over the holidays. She's just everywhere I look and so much of me wishes, every day, that she were here to share this Christmas with us.

Loving you, Sharon
Tom

My Other Blog ...

Thought I would do a bit of shameless promotion here. First, if you don't know this, Jenny Meadows is my friend and editor - see MyCopyEditor.com. Though she's not always happy about me posting and then telling her it's already up, she manages to not quell my enthusiasm and will come along and update my writing later. Thank God for that, because I'm just not a great spelling and grammar expert ... . Bless you, Jenny, for your kind and gentle way and your unparalleled expertise in editing and coaching.  You truly are a miracle person when it comes to building confidence in writing.

Now ... for me ... I'm finally pulling ahead with my new blog. It's at http://talkingportraits.blogspot.com/.

It covers a number of things, from commenting on various interviews I conduct for EnterpriseLeadership.org and of course Talking Portraits.com, to Internet strategy topics around the use of social media in the enterprise.

What's coming? More use of video. I'm inching my way into using video in the Talking Portraits podcasts. In fact, I recorded an interview with Rohn Bayes (my favorite poet) in the studio this week, in audio and video.  I'm working on a few teasers to get up for you on what this will be like.

Tom

The Journey - Acknowledging, Loving, Protecting and Transcending Our Inner Self

To me this is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

The French - so - ethereal and metaphysical.

Just watch it ... from your heart, not your head, and see what you see.  You will want to have your speakers on and turned up.

The piece is a work of genius on so many different levels.

He executed four phases of archetypal energies: sovereign, lover, warrior and magician - well, that's what I see. You tell me what you see. Sharon would have loved it, I just know.

Tom

jerome murat
Uploaded by segalier

Lily - Dressed Up for German Christmas Carols

Pretty cute, eh? I heard Lily sing Christmas carols in German on Saturday with her classmates at the Austin German House.

That afternoon we went to a friend's home who has an annual cookie-making party - and we had a grand time being creative. We took ours home to eat!