Moving in Some Direction

When was the last time you moved? And how far did you move?

It’s been 12 years for me, since my now husband and I moved in together in 2014. We just moved 1300 miles (with our timid cat) from Oregon to my home state of South Dakota.

Looking back, I’ve moved far more often in my life than I thought I would. Growing up, I somehow assumed I’d go to college, get a job, get married and have kids, and basically stay in the same house forever. I suspect my mother would have loved it if I’d married a farmer, lived down the road, and we’d get together for morning coffee. And there are many appealing things about that idea.

Yet that’s not how my life has unfolded at all. How about yours? I’d love to hear on the blog.

During the move, a book event I participated in with my eBook Ten Tenets of Authenticity gave me a number of new readers to add to my mailing list. New readers and book lovers, welcome to my mailing list. Please email me at info@laurahandke.com for your free article, ‘3 Bad Vocal Habits and How to Fix Them’. I hope you enjoy my newsletters. Long-term readers, thank you for sticking with me.

I read somewhere (don’t quote me on this – it may have been in a Sociology class back in college) that three of the most stressful life events are 1) the unexpected death of a loved one, 2) divorce, 3) moving. For us, this move was big and stressful. Others weren’t.

Some of my moves have been intentional, planned out in advance. Others haven’t.

When I graduated from South Dakota State University at age 22, I knew three things about where I wanted to live. 1) Big city, 2) warm climate, 3) where I knew at least one person. One of my college friends, Jerry, had moved to Phoenix. Another, Scott, had moved to LA. LA seemed TOO big, so I chose Phoenix. My mother drove me there with a small U-Haul trailer, helped me find an apartment, and bought me a bed, sofa, and kitchen table. I found a job within a week or two and stayed in Arizona for 3 ½ years.

My most unintentional move was in 2010 during an economic meltdown when companies weren’t hiring. I had to choose between Transformational Voice apprenticeship training and a job I hated. I chose the vocal training, even though I was recently divorced and flat broke at the time. My neighbor told me about a woman with a room to rent and I had to rely on my moving sale for the first month’s rent. The sale covered it with $20 to spare. Through what can only be termed Divine intervention, I received a much better and higher-paying job and only had to rent that room for two months. Then came a joyful and intentional move.

And now here I am in Watertown, SD, an hour’s drive from the farm I grew up on, 1.7 miles from my mother’s assisted living apartment. We’ve seen her every day but two since we arrived.

Today we joined Mom there for a movie and then pub, where the residents might have a glass of wine, beer or a soda, chat and play card games or Yahtzee. It’s fun. We like going there and getting to know the other residents. The movie beforehand today was chosen to honor Dolly Parton. ‘The Dolly Parton Story: From Rags to Rhinestones’.

I left the theatre knowing things about Dolly Parton that I didn’t know and felt even deeper admiration and respect for this amazing songwriter with fabulous vocal technique and such kindness, generosity of spirit, and an open heart.

She moved with intention, always. I don’t mean just physically moving from that one-room shack by Little Pigeon River in Tennessee...but through her life. She knew she had stories to tell and that by expressing her talent in the world she would reach and touch others. She knew this from a young age, when the country music world was dominated by men. She made her own way, with her own incredible voice, and direct connection to the energy from whence came her music.

So, still being discombobulated from this big move, I close with words of wisdom from Dolly Parton, a vocal tip on avoiding the throat squeeze, and one of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” – Dolly Parton

“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” – Dolly Parton

Avoid the Throat Squeeze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2-WO-l0lxI

Laura Handke’s Favorite Chicken Salad

-Cooked chicken breast meat

-Onion

-Celery

-Fresh Parsley (flat leaf)

-Dill Pickle – spears or hamburger chips (I like Mt. Olive)

-Pickled jalapeno pepper

DRESSING:

-Mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellman’s)

-Mustard, regular yellow or stone ground

-Couple splashes of dill pickle and/or jalapeno brine from the jar

-Curry powder, salt and pepper

Slice chicken breast meat thinly, rinse and grind on light amounts of fresh sea salt and fresh pepper, on both sides. Let sit until room temperature or close. Cook in olive oil. When cool, dice into small pieces.

I don’t measure, but a good estimate is to add approximately ¼ cup of each of the other ingredients (except for dressing ingredients) per 1 ½ - 2 cups of chicken meat. Play around with the amounts according to your tastes. 

Finely dice onion and celery. Chop parsley with kitchen shears. Lay dill pickle and jalapeno pepper slices from jar on paper towels to dry and blot. Finely dice.

Lightly mix and add dressing ingredients. You want enough mayo for the dish to be creamy but not runny, and a couple tablespoons of mustard for a medium-size bowl. Add a bit of the dill pickle or jalapeno juice from the jar, salt and pepper to taste, and enough curry powder for balanced flavor, but not so much the dish turns deep yellow. Mix well and refrigerate.

Serving suggestions:

Serve chicken salad on a bed of fresh greens with fresh vegetables such as bell pepper, cucumber, shredded carrot, cherry tomato. It’s wonderful with split pea soup, a sliced baguette, chili cheese Fritos and fruit.

Love Your Voice & Voice Your Love,

Laura