Press Pause LESSON THREE The Weaver Bird

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SHORT READ (1,000 words only AND free!)

Achtung Maggots: CovidSurvivalCoach

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WE ARE ALL WEAVING THE FUTURE PLANET
This Weaver Bird has woken up and she is hoping all the birds – seeders and feeders are busy getting to know themselves better and keeping an eye out on neighbours in need. This Weaver Bird is paying attention and thinking how she can continue to self-isolate and continue to maintain social distance and not go off her rocker!!! A challenge that comes second nature to introverts but is very challenging for the extrovert. Some of us forget to eat, some forget to move. How bad? We can stretch for 5 minutes 3 times a day! So this Weaver Bird wants you to know that while things are strange, even scary, remember, this is a time of a great world shift in energy. It happened in the 1960s after the Mad Men time of the 1950s. But this is not a movie. This is not the Truman Show or Eternal Spotless of Whatever Mind. This is not a book. We are not made of paper neither are we made of plastic. We have to clean up our act. Regardless of how this VIRUS started, in China the professionals have succeeded in flattening their curve. Look at the worlds’ POSITIVE results in the charts and remind yourself how quickly the majority of people can recover from what is in effect a FLU. China stopped taking all the rubbish of the world, so they have in effect lead us to this challenge – regardless of what you think politically, montetarily or otherwise. So where is all the trash going in the States? Listen to a 5-minute report on this on NPR . But this Weaver Bird would say, Buy less crap, Eat less crap. Consume less crap. Refine your life. Dine. Drink wine. Drink water. Drink whatever. Drink less. Declutter. Minimise. Use less space indoors and more space outdoors. Motivate. Hibernate. Infiltrate. CONNECT WITH OTHERS by whatever means you have. But limit talk. Think more. Blah Blah Blah. We all know the truth about ourselves and that’s all we need to know. We are the universe. We are our own Gods and Gurus. We are the future. Right now, 3.4 million desperate Americans have applied for monies promised by their government but at the same time hospitals in New York are still pleading for protective wear……… 3.4 million.

What we can do for ourselves? CovidSurvivalCoach

We have to face the music. We have to buy sensibly and learn to grow and cook things – be they craft, food, art or ideas. Whatever is our leaning. Things are changing. We are getting used to this new normal. There are very sad stories flooding in from all over the world but there are also AMAZING stories of people supporting people. Our Irish Healthcare System for the first time ever has merged. Public and Private hospitals are one. This is fantastic news. Doctors, nurses, orderlies, cooks, cleaners all continuing to present to work. So, the Weaver Bird imagines that reading the HSE Corona Virus Guidelines could be a good idea. Thousands of medical staff here in Ireland have come out of retirement and come home from abroad to fight this pandemic. We can do this. We shall overcome this. We can lean on each – from a distance, of course.

stop“We are all individual, not together and never alone. We are all connected and part of this universe.”
Amy Redmond, written in NYC in 1994 on an old electric typewriter someone lent her.

 

Today’s Anti-Social Media Message 
from Singing Sister Mary Josephine who tells us all to keep washing our hands and to read between the lines, always.sr-joSr. Mary Josephine was actually unavailable on the zoom as she is zooming about her house cleaning little by little, as she doesn’t want to do her feckin back in again, she is also getting organised online like the rest of the world but we did nab her on the phone…..

“I’m a bit rusty alright but I’m not afraid to leave the nunnery, go back to school and grab some of those new skills. Or actually, I might even lose this old bad habit and down the line when that feckin curve is flattened and if I have any skin left on my hands, I might do a bit of responsible travel,” she winks in a curiously gamy fashion for a nun – perhaps she had a nip of brandy?!). “Yah, I might even go to one of those free online universities and do a bit of thinking for meself.”

So after interviewing her here is what this Weaver Bird extrapolated:

Technology Self-Check #CovidSurvivalCoach

You’ve got to monitor your own use of technology. You rule it. It does not rule you. Check once a day for updates to focus you to do your best to keep yourself together each day. That is all we can do.

Media Self-Check #CovidSurvivalCoach

Listening to the news once a day, that should be enough – ah sure have a peek at the headlines of your favourite writers but limit your CONSUMPTION of NewMedia as it is developed only based on the negative slant in order to boost ratings, get clicks.  Shock jock, bullshit journalism, not matter what the politics.

Social Media Self-Check #CovidSurvivalCoach

A lot of people are getting their news through this God-blasted anti-social media nonsense and a a few people are making all the money. Habit is the great deadener as our Mr. Beckett with the scraggly face has said. It is time to break our bad habits, god knows, I try all the time.

Mindset Self-Check #CovidSurvivalCoach

This is NOT a time for choosing sides or playing stupid spin city games with friends or foes on anti-social media. Let’s save this DATA for what is really important. THE FUTURE OF MOTHER NATURE. Forget the ISTS and the ISMS. This is a time, to pause and reflect and recollect ourselves. In order to be really free, we must be in perfect harmony with the way things are, this is not an idea, this is reality. You have seen it. You know this. I know this. The master masters nature, not in the sense of conquering it but in becoming it.

FOR NOW, Let’s attempt to give up all concepts, judgements and desires and allow our minds to grow naturally compassionate.

GET OUT IN NATURE WHEN YOU CAN FOR SHORT PERIODS – NATURE CAN BE LOOKING AT A WEED BURSTING THROUGH CEMENT – for now. WE ARE HERE.

Carpe

Press Pause LESSON TWO The Weaver Bird

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SELF-MEDIA ANALYSIS, inhuman behaviour and how some things affect the mood.

The following lines I wrote as soon as I got in from a 1.5 hr cycle and still had not eaten while re-listening to Leo’s address again on fecking YouTube. 

I made an ink and watercolour in my kitchen last night, but I only sort of pleasantly surprised myself because we are in the middle of a Pandemic and apart from the lovely much-needed urban silences that now have been thrown upon us – life is much the same for me – as an artist I have been diversifying my entire life in order to try to exist – you should see the lists of jobs I have done – this is not a time to be precious. Prescience. Can you believe that on that usually filthy canal I actually saw a little mouse eating some lettuce. It definitely was not a coypu. It was a cute little field mouse and I heard so many birds singing this morning. Spring is coming to help us all through this. Here’s hoping the weather stays this crisp and bright and sure if it doesn’t…. we’ll deal with that too. I Hope you enjoy these beautiful colours and this beautiful little weaver bird.

TOTALLY NUTS right?

The following lines I wrote after eating my evening meal and sorting out some more cool #selfisolation tricks – like opening the front door randomly pretending someone has called over, ah no seriously,  I actually started writing these words below as a Facebook message. I’ve always found the interface of FB so luxurious and welcoming to write in but, wo, wo, what did I say in yesterday’s post? Ah yes, curtail, curtail curtail only Twitter and your own Website. You’ve just got to curb your enthusiasm for the anti-social media, the anti-home school – no more lockdown luddite here. I’ve got to get with the  program and figure out teaching online and stop piss-arsing around. I managed to hook up my laptop to my TV so I’m practically euphoric. Now I can work from the living floor and eat on the living room floor because my table is full of lots of other crap I do not wish to notice. 

Say herro to my little weaver bird that appeared by magic in my messy kitchen last night. It sort of came out of the stress of thinking about the entire world having to communicate only online and always indoors and trying not to think about #zeroselfemployment while #selfisolating (which, by the way comes second nature to a very extroverted introvert!) Yes, indeed when life throws you lemons – give IT the finger, not the lemons (sure they’re only feckin eejits) Looks like we will have to learn to channel the rage – I’ve been at it for years…it gets easier folks! It can sometimes be frustrating, other times highly rewarding and believe it or not, in a patchy way, it might eventually even become lucrative……so today I ignored the pandemic and went to the phoenix park, how beautiful, how sweet, the pope’s children alright, jaysus!

In Dublin city centre. We stay away from each other like the viruses we are……….
I question myself all time but the funny thing about this horrendous time – I am learning to trust my gut. Take my own advice. So I’m self-isolating and SELF-ADVISING. I turned off notifications on my WhatsApp groups as the funnies at different times of the day and depending where I am in the city, on my bike or walking and what and who I am looking at are not so funny and seem trite and smug and oh, everything is just mad, mad, mad.

I didn’t listen to or watch any news today. I worked from home. I took breaks. I went outside and basked in the joy that is colour.  I worked. I walked. I talked. I chatted to another neighbour. While it is worrying, very worrying what is happening or could be happening in the world, we have to trust that the leaders, health service workers, the shopkeepers, the drivers will all mind the less fortunate than ourselves.

Time for a well-earned glass of wine and lo, just another lovely message from a friend abroad. #TechnologyHelps even though it does suck too. #PhotographyHelps too. Tomorrow’s self-isolation lesson will be photo-related.

Here is the Little Weaver Bird song by Molly Drake – I think I would probably interpret this more comically…..you better to fall down the rabbit hole with Molly. I’m listening to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol right now thinking about a special chap who hopefully isn’t full of crap (insert favourite emoji)

TAKE YOUR PICK OF HASHTAGS  #staysafestayhome #wearestrong #wehavethevirus #ourimmunesystemsarefightingit #wegotthis #protectchildren #protecttheelderly #protectthesick #meditatemyownway #ImStillHere #awarenessiskey #takeabreaktakeaquickcrap #hopefullyourstoolswillberegularsoon #eatwell #drinkenough #read #library #librarysonline #borrowbox #supportindependentbookstores #write #hum #move #walk #run #bike #seaswim #slowadventure #beaware #beawareofrabbitholes #bewareoftoomuch #alittleofwhatyoufancy #iamlove #iamgod #nolitemere #wearewarriors #weareleefeckingmarvin #litslunchtime #latelunchisbetterthannone #desklunchisforwimps

The i in ILLNESS is ISOLATION and the crucial letters in WELLNESS are WE

Press Pause LESSON ONE The Weaver Bird

DRAWING birds for all ages – take your pick of links – and try not to fall down the rabbit hole that is You Tube and focus on the lesson plan – ha ha ha ha. One fine day I will modernise and make short YouTube videos on my phone but for now I will just ‘make do’ cos that is what I am used to doing for so long (insert favourite emoji here).

  1. This 1st link to how to draw a bird doesn’t automatically embed on my site and I’m not arsed to figure that out today. That is probably how I will start learning to draw my weaver bird.

 

St. Patrick’s Day 2020 in our Post Truth Era
I listened to Leo last night. And I have made a few decisions about how I plan to work and manage myself for the next while to keep myself afloat. First, music. I stumbled across a lovely tune yesterday called Little Weaver Bird and that is the inspiration for today’s lesson which is above. I have also decided to post on @ActTheMaggot on Twitter only. I am personally trying to avoid FB and Insta as I’m so fecking hooked on my phone.

What a different day it was. But that was yesterday and today is today. I often listen to music to help calm myself down but when I am quite stressed I like to listen to music with no lyrics at all so my mind is free to hear the notes and the melodies. But I also know how to Press Pause or to turn down the volume on our inbuilt biases towards others and that is what we have to try to do. Let us see this fecking Virus as a golden opportunity instead of running scared or having knee jerk reactions to matters that are in the grand scheme of things, rather inconsequential.

I self isolated, with my friend. So I guess you could say I bio-isolated. One of my bug bears is when the media latches on to a new phrase but sure I will return to that, I always do. Anyways, we walked, talked, stayed local. When she heard the song The Weaver Bird, she actually knew what the weaver bird looked like and told me and described it – take a peek here – they are so cute and bright and cheery – they come from Africa.  I love birdsong, I love nature. We chatted briefly to a couple of neighbours. We chatted briefly with my neighbour Mairead and later we watched the news in her living room. After the news we all decided to go home to our beds. I also messaged with my family spoke to some of them. I spoke to my older sister who lives abroad. It was great to hear her voice. One friend in particular I am thinking about today is in hospital. May the force be with her. Another dear friend is living with M.E. and has been for over 20 years so I hope he is safe and being minded well or is minding himself well.

So many of us now have to change the usual way we do things. We will do our best. We will lie of the couch or the floor and weep and laugh and escape into our favourite activities but we will dust ourselves off and buck up! We are horses. Time to put my music back on as ye old neighbours’ dog behind me is barking again, how bad? Stuff like that used to bother me ALOT but it’s amazing what a little perspective can do. Speaking of perspective, I might do a little drawing this afternoon. My old teacher, when I was a kid used to say that becoming good at something was 99% hard work and 1% talent.

My friend and I cut up the rug in my tiny living room doing a couple of dance moves. We listened to the Gotan Project on Spotify (cos that’s how I roll – insert emoji of your choice here) – I love Tango music, here  are links to The Gotan Project and a favourite Tango musician of mine Astor Piazolla

Choose Your Own Recipes
In fact, we actually danced for only about 5 minutes as we needed to stop to eat the beautiful food. A saag paneer which I made myself but I sometimes order locally and a sweet potato curry which I also made myself using the very cool easy book I bought in India (Tasty Dishes by Naushad (#ISBN 978-81-264-6427-2). Then I was telling my friend about my new friend Lynn and lo and behold there was the zap ringing – her ears must have been burning. It was great to hear her voice. I find cooking also relaxes me instead of being online and watching ALL the news on ALL the channels, now that’s a total pain in the ass and requires a milliion miles of toilet paper and gallons of coffee – whose gut can take that abominable consumer-driven crap? Some other people I guess but not me. I don’t buy online when I don’t need to. I support local businesses if and when I can afford to. I weigh things up, I decide. Enough of the damn tango music now! Time to get out my pencil and attempt to draw a Weaver Bird. Sure amn’t I full of great ideas. Clap on back. Time to have lunch and then meditate my own way for 30 mins. Today, I’ll chat to a sister and go for a cycle in my ferocious attempt to not kill my neighbour’s dog. (Insert favourite emoji here). God, I’m bloody starving now!!! 14.20 is far too late for me to have lunch but guess what, I just remembered that I forgot to have breakfast today. Oops. Maybe I will do better tomorrow.

Listen to The Weaver Bird
Read The Weaver Bird 

TAKE YOUR PICK OF HASHTAGS  #wearestrong #wehavethevirus #ourimmunesystemsarefightingit #wegotthis #protectchildren #protecttheelderly #protectthesick #meditatemyownway #ImStillHere #awarenessiskey #takeabreaktakeaquickcrap #hopefullyourstoolswillberegularsoon #eatwell #drinkenough #read #library #librarysonline #borrowbox #supportindependentbookstores #write #hum #move #walk #run #bike #seaswim #slowadventure #beaware #beawareofrabbitholes #bewareoftoomuch #alittleofwhatyoufancy #iamlove #iamgod #nolitemere #wearewarriors #weareleefeckingmarvin #litslunchtime #latelunchisbetterthannone #desklunchisforwimps

The i in ILLNESS is ISOLATION and the crucial letters in WELLNESS are WE

 

A Holy Show at The Wild Duck

An Evening of Theatre and Song Showcases

We are descending upon the Wild Duck, We are descending upon the Wild Duck, We are descending upon the Wild Duck.
Yiz are all invited to raise a cheer, a glass, your voice, to the current Level 2 ensemble of maggots who have been working hard on this extra special showcase, which just so happens to coincide with International Women’s Day! So we decided to jump on the ol’ bandwagon and salute our sisters. All of this done fairly, on the fly, we are grateful for the excellent variety of original writing and two wonderful musicians.

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Songstress extraordinaire, Truly Divine will entertain us with jazz numbers and Ealain Fenton will play guitar and accompany Sr. Josephine who has decided to lift her veil (hopefully nothing else).
Our Award-winning writers include:
Novelist & Short Story Writer, Nuala O’Connor (Miss Emilie, Becoming Belle, Joyride to Jupiter)
Writer & Journalist, Aingeala Flannery, Playwright & Content Writer, Joy Redmond, Poet Annemarie Ni Churreain and Fiction wrtier and editor, Ruth McKee.

ACTING ENSEMBLE
Leah Crawford
Katie Daffy
Sarah-Jane Fortune
Eva Hennessy
Aileen Lyons
Ciara Moloney
Aine O Connell
Sophie Van Der Putten

Yup, we are about to make A Holy Show
of ourselves
so do
join us,
stay
for
the
open mic after. You’ll have to come early for that
and find yer one with the clipboard to put your name down as spots are limited.

Where? The Wild Duck, Sycamore Street, Dublin 2
When? Monday, March 9th. Doors open at 7:30pm and show begins at 8:00pm.

Aromatherapy Massage explained

thai-massage-aromatherapyDuring your Aromatherapy Massage, the therapist will choose a selection of healing essential oils to suit you. The massage will last 30 minutes and you will go into a deep state of relaxation. We like to call it an oil dressing more than a massage. So do not be expecting someone to come and knead out all your knots like a sports’ massage! This is the complete opposite. It is continuous touch with light finger strokes – focusing on the back, neck and shoulders only. We also touch the head if clients do not mind getting essential oil in their hair. All oils used are 100% organic from the Doterra range.

Price:
€40 for 25 minutes
€80 for 55 minutes

We offer Friday afternoon sessions in Dublin City Centre
From 3pm to 7pm only

or consider joining our weekend Artist’s Way retreat in May – you can pre-book a slot there.

Enquiries: actthemaggot@gmail.com

Christmas Gift Voucher

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Christmas Vouchers on sale

Christmas Shopping can be quite the ordeal. Some people are very organised and buy their Christmas gifts during the year or order them online well in advance of the delivery dates. Why not make your loved one a MAGGOT by presenting them with the gift of creativity for 2020!!

Can I buy a Christmas Voucher for any course?

Yup, you can buy a voucher for any of our courses starting in January and February 2020.

Are these courses suitable for Beginners?

All of our courses are aimed at over 18 adult beginners. Click on the following links to learn about each of our three flaghsip courses. Give someone a voucher for a Beginners’ Course in Acting or in Pencil Drawing or Creative Writing.

What information is needed for your Christmas Voucher?

When you email us please specify, which course you want, the first name and surname of the person who will receive the voucher and their email address which will need to be added to the class list. Don’t worry we will NOT email them as you will want to keep your gift a surprise, we just need to have their email address for the class – it is a busy time.

How do I buy a Christmas Voucher?

Email us at actthemaggot@gmail.com with all the above details and we will send you payment instructions and once you have made the payment online, we will email you the voucher!

Get out of your comfort zone this Halloween

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The very thought of this will make your blood run cold

Get out of your comfort zone in a new way

Every Wednesday, I try to find something interesting that might be happening during the week ahead for you to try. I have come up trumps this week having found something that gets you out of your comfort zone in several ways.

Get out of your comfort zone: Halloween: method one

Firstly, you have to wear fancy dress! A witch, a devil, a dead schoolgirl, a lion, a president, come in whatever costunme you like. Some people love this, yours truly being one, others find it challenging.

Get out of your comfort zone: Halloween: method two

Secondly, you have to pack your swimsuit, hat and goggles. Did you read that right? Yup. The end of October in Ireland and you are being asked to put on your swimsuit in the great outdoors and show up at Sandycove Beach, Co,. Dublin at 10.45am on Bank Holiday Monday, Oct 28th. 2019.

Get out of your comfort zone: Halloween: method three

Yes, you got it – you’re going to jump into the ocean and do the Annual Vampire Swim! Now there’s a proper scare!

What the hell is the Vampire Swim

This annual swim has been happening for the past four years in locations all over Ireland, England, Scotland and Canada. It was dreamed up as a way to highlight the need for blood donations. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for us to give blood. When people are ill in hospital a blood transfusion is life-changing. I think this Vampire Swim is a genius idea. You can register for this FREE event right here. And hey, even if you are too scared to jump in, you can always go in fancy dress, support the crowd and have the craic!

Keep an eye out for our daily posts. #mindfulmonday, #testimonialtuesday, #whatsonwednesday and #throwbackthursday

Testimonial Tuesday Teambuilding Activities

Teambuilding Activities with Act The Maggot

“Kill two birds with the one stone”

From heading across the country to join teams at their away days to arriving at 8am on site to kick off their conference or hosting a lunchtime event, Act The Maggot is there. Whether it is our signature beginners acting class our fun beginners creative writing class or our relaxing beginners pencil drawing class – there is one common denominator. Creativity. We can redesign any of our sessions to suit the needs of your group.

We can organise teambuilding events that are fun AND beneficial

magicOur teambuilding activities entertain and enlighten at the same time. In the past, companies have asked us to come in and give talks on Wellness, Public Speaking or Mindfulness. We don’t do talk. We do action. If it just a talk, there is less investment. Ever heard of in “one ear and out the other”? In the same amount of time you can reap huge benefits. Act The Maggot can host an improv session, a drawing session, and introduction to mindfulness or public speaking. By creating participatory situations, the takeaways are more layered and long lasting.
Testimonials

“Amy was able to take a diverse group of relative strangers and quickly strip away barriers and build enthusiasm and energy amongst them. Her energy and passion is infectious and she knows that the first step in building strong teams is to build trust and “acting the maggot” together helps build this trust. I would be delighted to recommend Amy for the fantastic work she did through her company, Act The Maggot.” Dan Hayden, Data Strategist, Facebook

I first met Dan out at the Innovation Academy at UCD. He recognised that what Act The Maggot offers teams can be really effiective. By inviting us to come in from the outside and create the permission to play, setting up the right environment the response was brilliant. I’ll finish our Testimonial Tuesday post with a quote. Keep an eye out for our daily posts. #mindfulmonday, #testimonialtuesday, #whatsonwednesday and #throwbackthursday

“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.” – Peter F. Drucker

If you think we might be the right fit for your company, get in touch about what teambuilding activities we can bring!

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Music and thoughts on Mindfulness Monday

Introduce a little mindfulness into your life this week

Greetings everyone this October Monday morning. I am sending you a cool Brian Eno track to play in the background to aid relaxation and hopefully help you get into some meditation. Even just try to slow down at some point today, experience stillness, commune with the power of the world and the power inside yourself. Mindfulness is just awareness. Mindfulness can be as simple as just experiencing your breath. Mindfulness is a way of being. It is hard to begin mindfulness meditation because it seems so alien to us but like everything, with practise it becomes second nature.

Smiling is a Practice says the father of mindfulness

Thich Nhat Hanh has a nice theory about smiling —“Why should I smile when there is no joy in me? The answer to that is: Smiling is a practice. There are over three hundred muscles in your face. When you are angry or fearful, these muscles tense up. The tension in these muscles creates a feeling of hardness. If you know how to breathe in and produce a smile, however, the tension will disappear – it is what I call “mouth yoga.” Make smiling an exercise. Just breathe in and smile – the tension will disappear and you will feel much better.”

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered around the world for his pioneering teachings on mindfulness, global ethics and peace. He is the founder of Plum Village in Bordeaux France. Sadly, he has been ill for some time and most recently at age 92 he has returned to live in his native Vietman where he is comfortable and stable.

artistsway_feat

Come explore mindfulness and creativity tools in 2020

At Act The Maggot, founder facilitator Amy Redmond likes to introduce simple meditation techniques in all of her courses and coaching sessions. Why not come a long to The Artist’s Way Weekend next year and begin to explore your own creativity and well-being journey.

Keep an eye out for our blog posts. #mindfulmonday, #testimonialtuesday, #Whatsonwednesday, #throwbackthursday @actthemaggot

Throwback Thursday maggot backstory

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It’s important to connect and stay connected

This image was sent to me fairly recently by someone who attended my first ever Act The Maggot beginners acting class over eight years ago! Hard to believe. I love how I have been able to stay connected to maggots from previous beginners  acting, drawing or writing classes through social media and have been kept informed of their lives’ vicissitudes. Career changes, babies, travels, successes, losses. It is great to stay in touch with this community and see them stay in touch with one another. I always love when people connect with Act The Maggot and send me on images, quotes and funny videos that I can share on all the platforms.

Possible reasons why Act The Maggot resonates

I think the reason Act The Maggot resonates so much with me is exactly like this picture. When I was a child the world was different. We were to be seen and not heard. We were told everything and our opinions were rarely summoned. I was constantly told to stop acting the maggot and be serious. Stop acting the maggot my teacher would say. Stop acting the maggot my Girl Guide leader would say. Stop acting the maggot, my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older sisters, all would say. Then when I got into my teenage years I encountered mild, existential depression I was told I think too much and to try not to be so serious! I guess I was concerned about where I was going and what would happen to me. The usual concerns of a young person.

Caminante, no hay camino, se hace el camino al andar.
Traveller, there is no road, the road is made by walking.

Anyway, I was never very good at stopping something when someone told me to. I always preferred to find my own way. So I figured out the ups and downs of my life through trial and error and through a process of elimination. Some things I never lacked were curiousity and courage. If I was interested in something I would explore. I’d try something out and if I liked it I’s stick with it, if not, I’d move on. I never stopped acting the maggot! When I went to college, I acted the maggot and failed my first year exams in Spanish. I went to Spain that summer and acted the maggot with lots of crazy fun Spaniards in Seville and San Lucar de Barremeda and as a result, became quite fluent in Spanish within five weeks of acting the maggot. I came home. Did my repeat exams and got an honour. I was beginning to learn how beneficial it could be to actually act the maggot! I was learning that connecting with people and engaging with the world was important. #founderstory #backstory #throwbackthursday

Keep an eye out for our blog posts. #mindfulmonday, #testimonialtuesday, #Whatsonwednesday and #throwbackthursday @actthemaggot