Seminars & Workshops
Writing & Creative Development
5 Degrees Off Center Line
An intimate, interactive workshop about creativity and imagination. What is creativity? What is imagination? The ability to consider concepts outside the normal patterns of behavior and thought. Making something that hasn’t existed before. Thinking of a solution to a problem. Developing a procedure for an organization. our need to create is part of our larger need to understand who we are and what we feel. In this workshop, we brainstorm ideas, play word games, invent stories behind pictures, discover instant ancestors, make origami creatures, use crayons, maybe even dance, and mostly have fun.
“Reach Out with Your Senses, Luke”
As writers, we love ideas and words, but we need to be fully aware of everything around us if we want our writing to be more than an expanded outline. We live in a visual environment, and it is easy to concentrate on what we see and lose focus of the rest of our surroundings. It takes effort to develop our other senses and learn how to apply them. Using a wide range of visual prompts, musical genres, audio cues, textural sensations, and odors and taste, participants refresh dormant senses and learn how to add details and emotions to descriptions and narratives.
Personal Development
“Care and Feeding of Women of a Certain Age”
Only recently have researchers paid serious attention to the physical abilities of older women. The days of assuming that we’d spend our time playing canasta, babysitting the grandkids, and watching the Cooking Channel are long gone. We are more active than any other generation in the past of the same age. What is not widely explained are the best ways to ensure that we stay as healthy and fit as possible. This presentation delivers the latest findings on easy ways to get the best nutrition, develop exercise routines you *want* to follow, and improve balance – a critical concern as we age. (If the session is in-person, there’s an interactive balance and exercise portion.)
Horse Topics
It’s Never Too Late for Horses
The fastest-growing segment of the recreational horse world is women over 50. Many are new to this arena. They wonder about their abilities, their health, their acceptance, and their fears. This PowerPoint presentation answers those questions and encourages women to try whatever interests them. It’s based on the book, “Riders of a Certain Age,” which was selected as “Best Inspirational Book” by the International Equus Film and Art Festival.
The Best Barn Hacks
Who doesn’t want ideas to make life simpler and easier, and maybe save a little money along the way? This Power Point presentation – adapted for the appropriate season — culls ideas from “The Book of Barn Hacks.” Leaking water troughs? Winning the fight against flies? Streamlining feeding with less waste? Organizing the tack room? Getting rid of mold? Cleaning and storing blankets and saddle pads? DIY mounting blocks? Safer trailering? Practical ways to stack poles and jump standards? Get the answers here.
Barn Fires: Preventing a Disaster
Few things are as frightening to a horse owner as the thought of a barn fire. Barns are tinderboxes waiting to burn. But while barn fires are frighteningly easy to start, it is equally easy to almost totally prevent them. This PowerPoint presentation lists the most common causes of barn fires and how to remove those threats. There’s advice on working with your fire departments to maximize your barn’s safety, developing a fire response plan, dealing with your horse’s health after a fire, and dealing with insurance and other practical concerns.
Money and Manure: The Realities of ‘Stable’ Finances
It’s said that the cheapest part of owning a horse is the cost of the horse itself. That’s largely true. Many people let their enthusiasm for horses override the practicalities of paying the bills. That often leads to financial problems that affect every aspect of our lives, not just the ‘horsey’ parts. This seminar teaches participants how to review their overall financial state, budget for now, and plan for the future. Handouts (or downloads) help participants turn the general suggestions into solid information and usable programs.
Saying Goodbye
Perhaps the hardest decision of owning a horse comes when you must decide when to put him down. Euthanasia is a topic most people want to avoid, but knowing the factors involved in making that decision can help make the choices easier and give you peace of mind. The presentation covers evaluating the quality of life, the health and prognosis, options for euthanasia, and memorials.