Tag Archives: MWF Seeking BFF

a year of Wooden: week 38

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Hi there, everyone! Hope you’re having a great morning! On my agenda for today: run a few errands, finally get a flu shot, go to the gym, and bake something yummy. Tonight I’m going to Dana’s house to watch the World Series game! GO, GIANTS, GO!!

Before I hop in the car and head out, time for this week’s year of Wooden challenge!

a year of wooden

  • January: Drink deeply from good books
  • February: Make friendship a fine art
  • March: Help others
  • April: Build a shelter against a rainy day {financially}
  • May: Be true to yourself
  • June: Give thanks for your blessings every day
  • July: Love
  • August: Balance
  • September: Drink deeply from good poetry
  • October: Make friendship a fine art {new friends}

Our October challenge is a reprise of our February challenge, from Coach Wooden’s 7-Point Creed: Make friendship a fine art. For October, we’re focusing on nurturing new friendships.

Last week’s challenge was to ask a stranger out on a “friend date” like Rachel Bertsche does in her book MWF Seeking BFF. I exchanged numbers with a new woman at church in the hopes of meeting up for coffee sometime. Also, I am slowly trying to become friends with my favorite yoga instructor. We chatted for a bit after class this week, and I definitely feel like she’s someone I’d love hanging out with! But it felt too soon/too pushy to suggest getting together outside of yoga class. I’m going to play it cool and keep building momentum, and maybe in a couple weeks I’ll feel better about asking her out on a friend date! 🙂

are you my friend

This week’s challenge is to nurture and celebrate one of the new friendships you’ve created this month! Send a note, card or email to your new friend or acquaintance. Invite them to do something else together. Tell them why you think they’re awesome and why you’re happy to know them. As Coach Wooden used to say…

to have a friend quote

Question for the day:

  • What new friend will you reach out to this week?

a year of Wooden: week 37

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Hi there, everyone! Allyn’s mom just returned from a 3-week trip to China {Allyn was house-sitting for her, and I occasionally stayed over as well}… it sounds like she had an amazing trip, and we are very happy she’s home safe! She also solved the mystery of my disaster pumpkin pie last week — apparently her oven takes a really long time to preheat, and the broiler stays on for the entire time it’s preheating. So I definitely did NOT let the oven pre-heat long enough, and the broiler explains why the pie formed that weird burned skin on the top. I’m relieved that there wasn’t something wrong with my recipe 🙂

Now, time for this week’s year of Wooden challenge!

a year of wooden

  • January: Drink deeply from good books
  • February: Make friendship a fine art
  • March: Help others
  • April: Build a shelter against a rainy day {financially}
  • May: Be true to yourself
  • June: Give thanks for your blessings every day
  • July: Love
  • August: Balance
  • September: Drink deeply from good poetry
  • October: Make friendship a fine art {new friends}

Our October challenge is a reprise of our February challenge, from Coach Wooden’s 7-Point Creed: Make friendship a fine art. For October, we’re focusing on nurturing new friendships.

Last week’s challenge was to reach out to a friend of a friend you have always wanted to get to know better, and invite him or her to do something fun. I reached out to a young woman friend of my Aunt Annie’s family, and I also sent an email to the wife of one of Allyn’s MBA friends, who happens to be a writer too! Here’s hoping I hear back from them and we get together sometime soon. I’ll keep you posted!

This week’s challenge is to ask a stranger out on a “friend date.” Rachel Bertsche did this all the time during her journey to make new friends in a new city, which she chronicles in her fabulous book MWF Seeking BFF. I find her bravery and positive outlook very inspirational!

I actually used this approach when I met my now-friend Emy, who is a fellow teacher at my Aunt Mary’s school — I met Emy in the teacher’s lounge when I was teaching a creative writing lesson for my aunt’s class. After Emy and I chatted about books for a couple minutes, she had to head back to her classroom. I blurted out, “You seem super nice and I would really like to be your friend. Do you want to meet up for coffee sometime?” {Note to self: zero points for smoothness, gold star for earnest honesty.} Emy sweetly agreed, we met up for coffee that weekend, and later I became friends with some of her other friends, too! PLUS, Emy is the friend who I signed up for online dating with, as a mutual-support thing, and that was how I met my sweetheart… just another reminder that you never know what will lead to what!

The point is, there are potential friends everywhere, as long as you have the guts to put yourself out there and make a connection. This week, why not strike up a conversation in line at the grocery store, or while you’re waiting for your drink at Starbucks, or in the locker room of your gym? Take that first step and see what happens! Maybe you’ll make a new friend!

Question for the day:

  • What new friend will you reach out to this week?