Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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August 1, 2008

Stopping Time

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 6:52 am

No Crowds of People, No Streams of Words

Glasses-in-the-tree_by_Liz_Strauss

Early in the morning on Twitter yesterday, I wished I could stop time for an hour. Marc Pitman asked if I did, how I would know the hour was done. We didn’t explore the conversation much further. Networking with social media takes time.

Two hours later, I met up with Melissa Pierce and her camera woman, Sarah. We walked over to Belmont Harbor together. We were out to do an interview for Melissa’s movie, “Life in Perpetual Beta.” The walk to the scouted location took longer than we’d projected. We were still 100 yards away, when already we were discussing the time would need to leave.

I stood by a tree and talked to Melissa while Sarah worked on setting up the camera in the right spot. I took off my glasses and placed then in a nook that seemed carved out of the tree just for that. Unfortunately the sun hadn’t waited our delay in arriving. We decided that the location had to be rethought. We ended up some 30 yards closer to the water, facing the opposite direction to meet the sunlight at that time of day.

The delays and the extra time might have compressed our dispositions as they might have compressed our time line. But out by the harbor we were drowning in a luxury of space — beautiful views of trees, city, and sky . . . and so much green, green grass with no crowds of people and no relentless streams of words.

As I look back it seemed we had all of the time in the world.

Walking back from the location, a guy on a bike turned a corner and almost hurt himself and us . . . He wasn’t really nice.

I guess we knew then that time wasn’t stopped any longer.
But it sure had been fine when it was.

This weekend, I’m going to stop time again.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |




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20 Comments to “Stopping Time”

  1. August 1st, 2008 at 6:57 am
    Karin H. said

    Ah, the ‘elasticity’ of time: always seems to stretch further than you hold possible - until it ’snaps’ you back to your daily schedules time ;-)

    Karin H (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  2. August 1st, 2008 at 7:04 am
    Rick Wolff said

    The way your blog template forms this page, right after you give us your intention to stop time again this weekend, you invite us to buy an eBook that will teach us to “write more effectively in less time.” Inadvertent poetry.

  3. August 1st, 2008 at 7:29 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    It’s that snapping back that can cause a pain in the neck. :)

  4. August 1st, 2008 at 7:30 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Rick,
    Thank you for noticing. :)

  5. August 1st, 2008 at 7:32 am
    Karin H. said

    Knew I’d forgotten one word:
    ouch ;-)

    Karin H

  6. August 1st, 2008 at 8:00 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    Sending over meds and good, spacious thoughts. :)

  7. August 1st, 2008 at 8:00 am
    Karin H. said

    LOL

  8. August 1st, 2008 at 8:11 am
    Janet said

    “Stopping time” That is soooo perfect for August. How many of us “stop time” when we are in the depth of our passion and creativity?? I sure can!

  9. August 1st, 2008 at 8:31 am
    Vicky H said

    Thanks for my morning optimism and what a great photo for this post! I see your glasses right there.

    I have such a serene picture in my mind. I’m going to try to stop time and hold it for a few moments…

    Great post!

  10. August 1st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
    Karen Swim said

    I’d like in on that “closes eyes, wiggles nose.” Oh darn, I guess that only worked in Bewitched! LOL! Ah, I suppose I will have to settle for living in the moment and stopping the frenzy that accompanies the passage of time. Wonderful post Liz, the clock ticked on as I read, but I didn’t care. ;-)

  11. August 1st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Janet,
    Yeah, that sense of flow makes time go away. :)

  12. August 1st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Vicky,
    It was every bit that serene and there was a breeze. :)

  13. August 1st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karen,
    I’ve often wished for that wiggle your nose thing too. :)

  14. August 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 am
    Marc A. Pitman said

    Karen: LOVE the Bewitched reference. Oh the times I’ve longed for that!!

    Liz: I think I’ll give the goofy philosophy a break and stop time this weekend too. :)

  15. August 2nd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
    Todd Jordan said

    Beautiful share Liz. Thanks for the smile you brought.

  16. August 2nd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Marc!
    Good for you, we only get one short weekend a week. :)

    Enjoy!

  17. August 2nd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Todd!
    It was truly nice to have space and not need words to fill it!

  18. August 2nd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
    ann michael said

    I feel more relaxed just having read that post, thanks!

  19. August 2nd, 2008 at 9:20 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Thanks for saying that, Ann.
    It made me go back to read it again. I’m feeling relaxed now too!!

  20. August 8th, 2008 at 2:00 am
    Walking Through the Time Warp of Your Quilting World said

    [...] I read Liz Strauss’ blog entry, Stopping Time, over at Successful Blog, I thought about quilters and their quilting heritage.  In a way, as we [...]

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