Janet Cohen Consulting, LLC

Archive for September, 2010

I’ve been thinking a lot about Hurricane Ike recovery these days. On the two year anniversary since the storm, I wonder how people are doing, really.

There are some responses like, “We’re glad to be back, but we’re still innundated with stuff to do.” And others say they’re still reeling from some of the bureaucracy. Still, others talk about how difficult times are, how they’ve accrued what seems like endless debt, and how business has not been the same since the storm (unless they own a series of large hotels or restaurant chains along the Seawall).

I wonder how the average person is doing, two years later. Are you still having flashbacks of stuff on your lawn? 

How has Ike enriched (yes, enriched) your life?  For example, I now know that I can live with a lot less stuff than I had before Ike. I call that an enriching experience.

How are you still dealing with the after-effects? Are you working as much? Are you still unpacking? Do you still have nightmares? Are you closer with your neighbors if you’ve moved back to the island? Are you living on the mainland now, or farther?  How has your professional life changed?  How have your children changed?

And if you weren’t personally affected, how was your life touched by Ike?  Do you even remember it, or does Hurricane Katrina still stand out for you as the worst one?

If you had one piece of advice for people who need to evacuate before a storm, what would it be?

Share your story. I, for one, want to know.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Hurricane Ike recovery these days. On the two year anniversary since the storm, I wonder how people are doing, really.

There are some responses like, “We’re glad to be back, but we’re still innundated with stuff to do.” And others say they’re still reeling from some of the bureaucracy. Still, others talk about how difficult times are, how they’ve accrued what seems like endless debt, and how business has not been the same since the storm (unless they own a series of large hotels or restaurant chains along the Seawall).

I wonder how the average person is doing, two years later. Are you still having flashbacks of stuff on your lawn? 

How has Ike enriched (yes, enriched) your life?  For example, I now know that I can live with a lot less stuff than I had before Ike. I call that an enriching experience.

How are you still dealing with the after-effects? Are you working as much? Are you still unpacking? Do you still have nightmares? Are you closer with your neighbors if you’ve moved back to the island? Are you living on the mainland now, or farther?  How has your professional life changed?  How have your children changed?

And if you weren’t personally affected, how was your life touched by Ike?  Do you even remember it, or does Hurricane Katrina still stand out for you as the worst one?

If you had one piece of advice for people who need to evacuate before a storm, what would it be?

Share your story. I, for one, want to know.

We are pleased to announce our continued partnership with the Wellness Program at Family Service Center of Galveston County to present the Power of Self Esteem Course to employees of Galveston County nonprofit and government-funded institutions.  Our offering this summer was a huge success!  Want more inforrmation? Click to see a detailed course brochure.

Details

Registration Deadline & Contact

Friday, September 3, 2010

Contact Caitlin Kurz @ (409) 370-3652 or ckurz@fscgalv.org

Course Dates & Times

September 10, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.,

September 11, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. &

September 25, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location

2200 Market Street, Room 608, Galveston, TX  77550 – map 

Just returned from a writing and meditation retreat/workshop with Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.

It’s been a dream of mine to meet and study with Natalie, after reading everything she’s published and listening to all of her audio recordings. This workshop was a delightful combination of studying different authors (Patricia Hampl and Chang Rae Lee, to name two), writing (solo and in groups), reading our writing aloud (with guidelines for listeners), meditation (indoors and out), and learning techniques that aren’t usually taught in traditional classrooms.

Goldberg, best-selling author of Writing Down the Bones and several other books, has a way of teaching people how to follow the author’s minds, be natural about when to follow and when to crack structure, and when to be still enough to let the writing settle.

Goldberg’s work is pure pleasure. My favorite of her books is Long, Quiet Highway; at this point, I’m re-reading Thunder and Lightning. I highly recommend her work.

Johnson, a Zen teacher, master gardener, and author of Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate, led some meditations (both indoor and outdoor) to help ground us in our writing. Her book is a deliciously rich combination of memoir and gardening, but it is oh-so-much-more than that.

Join me for a regular writing practice group in Galveston.  This may be for you if you are at any level of writing, from beginning journal writer to published author. Only a desire to write freely and unleash “Wild Mind” is necessary.

The small group will meet for a series of eight Wednesdays, September 29 through November 17, from noon – 2:00 p.m. in Galveston.  Please pre-register by September 24 and read Writing Down the Bones prior to participating. Cost for the eight weeks is only $120.00.  Are you in?

Just returned from a writing and meditation retreat/workshop with Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.

It’s been a dream of mine to finally meet and study with Natalie, after reading everything she’s published and listening to all of her audio recordings. This workshop was a delightful combination of studying different authors (Patricia Hampl and Chang Rae Lee, to name two), writing (solo and in groups), reading our writing aloud (with guidelines for listeners), meditation (indoors and out), and learning techniques that aren’t usually taught in traditional classrooms.

Goldberg, best-selling author of  Writing Down the Bones and several other books, has a way of teaching people how to follow the author’s minds, be natural about when to follow and when to crack structure, and when to be still enough to let the writing settle.

Goldberg’s  work is pure pleasure. My favorite of her pieces is Long, Quiet Highway;  at this point, I’m re-reading Thunder and Lightning. I highly recommend her work for writers of any level.

Johnson, a Zen teacher, master gardener, and author of Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate, led some meditations (both indoor and outdoor) to help ground us in our writing. Her book is a deliciously rich combination of memoir and gardening, but it is oh-so-much-more than that.

Join me for a regular writing practice group in Galveston.  This may be for you if  are at any level of writing, from beginning journal writer to published author. Only a desire to write freely and unleash “Wild Mind” is necessary.

The small group will meet for a series of eight Wednesdays, September 29 through November 17, from noon – 2:00 p.m. in Galveston. Please pre-register and read Writing Down the Bones  prior to participating. Cost for the eight weeks is only $120.00.  Are you in?