Blog Summary #2

Ok, so now i realize why i haven't been blogging as much lately,and why i need to start again on a regular basis. I also have a better understanding of why i am having 'writers block' when it comes to choosing my new leisure activity...listen up folks, this counts. I have had some leisure opportunities but i have not been responding to them as they have arisen. I have failed to respond to the fact that leisure is a topic in and of itself, and i need to address it that way. That means for example, that i need to start realizing that even learning about the new leisure experience that i blogged about being unsure of, is a leisure experience in its own right. I also realize now that i do value leisure education and am becoming more of a leisure educator, even when i don't even realize it. The wife of the patient at the St. Mary's, who i explained Hangman to, and how she can have a great time with her grandkids, was leisure education for me. It may have even been for her, because she then went ahead and explained the game to others. I was educating people about opportunities in their own environment to make their lives better through leisure.

As well, when i educated my parents about how to use the webcam for video calls, i was intrinsically motivated to do so, and i was able to educate them because i was in tune with my knowledge and skill on the subject. I really did get pleasure and satisfaction out of leisure educating them, because i value my experiences on webcam in a positive way and i wanted to take a few minutes out of my day to show them how it can positively impact their experiences as well.

At Gatineau Park, i was being leisure educated by my friend about the type of leaves and trees there, and how just simply eating supper overlooking an amazing sunset was a leisure experience. It was a positive learning experience, and one that i value, because now i look at the leaves changing colours in a whole other light. It used to be that they were a nuisance and just more yard work to do, but now that i have been leisure educated about them, i look forward to the leisure opportunity when my tree will be bare and i get to rake them up and put them into composting.

At the Seniors Residence where i work part-time, i value the fact that i am able to keep them informed and mentally stimulated. I enjoy seeing them come up to me during the day to tell me how they had a wonderful experience, and how they are going to try and find more time in their day to make the most out of their opporunities to leisure. Whether it's Word Games, or discussion groups or sing-a-longs doesn't really matter as much as the fact that i am leisure educating them. The words that i used, such as 'experiential learning' and 'enjoyable, rewarding', indicate to me that i positively value my leisure experiences with them.

Overall, i must say that i am becoming not only a leisure educator to others, but am being leisure educated in ways i could not have even imagined. I believe this is so because i value leisure in a positive way, and want to make the most of the opportunities that i am presented with, in order to make them true leisure experiences. New leisure experience worth 5%, 'HERE I COME!'

Currents Events

This past Sunday, when i was leading my discussion group with Seniors that i work with, it realized that i learnt as much as my participants did. Although it was a one hour discussion group, my experiential learning was enormous. It took me the same amount of time to prepare my lecture material as it did to present it, because i had to know what i was going to discuss fairly well. The best way that i was going to teach them, was to learn it myself. I was learning a leisure experience that was enjoyable and rewarding for me as the teacher, and the 'students', i.e. seniors, as well. The activity was enjoyable in itself, and it was a leisurely educating experience. I valued the fact that i was able to educate the seniors about what is going on in the world, at an age where they may fall out of touch with current events.

Volunteering at St. Mary's

Last Monday morning when i was volunteering in the St. Mary's Dialysis Department, i was playing Hangman with some patients there, and there was one woman in particular, the wife of a patient who approached me during the game. She had never seen Hangman being played before and was interested in learning how. I explained the premise of the game to her and how she needed to try and guess the word i was thinking of, by choosing letters. When it was over, she told me that she was going to play it with her grandchildren because she found that it stimulates your mind and getting the brain pumping. Well, yesterday morning as i was playing Pictionary with the patients, she came up to me to tell me her grandkids had a great time and that she really enjoys playing the game. That made me feel really good, to know that i was able to leisure educate her, and in a little way that was my own personal teachable moment.

The Procrastinator

I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out what i can do for that extra 5% for my new leisure activity, but as you can tell from the small amount of blog entries this time around, i have procrasinated in choosing one. I think the reason is because i lack the motivation and internal drive necessary to withstand my tendencies to laziness. The list that Steve handed out in class is full of ideas that i can try, but i still keep pushing it off. I don't feel like i will truly be at leisure in my activity because if i were, i would have chosen it myself and not relied on the guidance of others to help me choose one. I think i will be leaning towards an opportunity where i can really feel enjoyment and satisfaction in what i am pursuing, and not simply looking at it as an obligation that can get me 5% in class. I need to work on finding my internal motivation that will help make in my decision making process from here on out.

In Our Nation's Captial

Well, i was in Ottawa last Sunday to pick up a friend from the airport and we ended up spending the day/night there. The drive to the airport was fine, except when it came time to follow MapQuest directions. I don't recall ever having to take little rural side roads to get to a major international airport, but if it's on mapquest, it must be true, right?! Nevertheless, it was a pleasant drive west. I have never been into parks and nature trails, but i was very interested to see what Gatineau Park in Chelsea, Quebec was all about, and i am glad i did. The leaves changing colors, the awesome lookout points were great, but nothing beat eating dinner on a picnic bench overlooking a spectacular sunset. I really have a greater appreciation now for nature and how wonderous our little planet is.

Technology At Its Finest

Well, i must say that technology has come along way and i tend to take for granted the fact that i have grown up with computers that keep improving. Who'd have thought that technology could allow people who are thousands of miles away to see and speak to each other from in front of a screen; all in real-time. Such was the case this past Sunday morning when both my sisters called my parents to join them in a webcam conversation on Windows Instant Messenger. I should say for the record, that i actually love doing the whole webcam conversation and seeing my 2 yr. old nieces and nephews talking and singing to us...although translating what they say can be tricky. Oh, to be young again! What i actaully did get a kick out of was being able to show my parents how to connect to the webcam and answer the call for a conversation online. Although it wasn't the first time i've shown them (they claim its too complicated), i still enjoyed showing them how they can have a conversation with their grandkids anytime of the day, even when i'm not there to get them online. And to think, all it took was a few minutes out of my day to sit them down in front of the computer and have them repeat what i showed them and they even wrote down some instructions. It truly was a case of me teaching them about leisure through leisure itself. A job well done...