Wednesday, July 2, 2014

IWSG: Be the Spider

by Kim Van Sickler


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I am a co-host this month!

July's other co-hosts are: 
Krista McLaughlin - http://www.kjmclaughlin.com/
Heather Gardner http://hmgardner.blogspot.com/

Vote for IWSG as one of Writers Digests' Best 101 Websites by e-mailing them at :
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This week I am gathered with family at my sister's place in Lake Lure, NC (home of the famous lift-practice scene with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing.) We've been making the annual pilgrimage here for 12 years now and have become fairly good at boat-propelled water sports. So it seems appropriate to share one of my favorite coaching stories with you now.
Lift-scene practice was filmed in Lake Lure, NC.
A number of years ago, my brother-in-law was encouraging my 6-foot 3-inch husband to successfully complete a deep-water start on the long rope on his slalom ski. A slalom ski is one ski with bindings for both feet. You can either start with your non-lead foot out of the binding and insert it after you're up and balanced, or start with it already inserted into the rear binding. My husband and I like to start with both feet already secured, but he was having trouble transitioning to the long rope behind the boat and getting up. My brother-in-law had him start on the boom, a rod beside the boat, with a little tow rope. Once Steve mastered that move, he moved to a short rope behind the boat. But the long rope transition was hard for a tall guy like him. The longer the rope, the longer your body has to fight to get itself out of the water. A lot can go wrong in that time, usually involving him getting pulled face forward and wiping out.

My brother-in-law Chris, as impressive a skiier as you've ever seen, the kind of guy who thinks it's fun to ski on various inanimate objects like garbage can lids, and blows us all away with his barefoot skiing, knew my husband was getting frustrated. Steve was losing his balance in those last few moments when he had to fight hardest to maintain it. He needed to dig in a little longer before trying to stand.  But his gut reaction every time was to try and stand as quickly as possible.

"Are you the spider or the fly?" Chris asked Steve after his umpteenth spill.

We all just looked at him, wondering where this was going.

"The fly is oblivious, but the spider knows that he must be patient and wait for his time to strike. Timing is everything. If he strikes too early, the object of his desires gets away from him. You have to wait until your weight is balanced on that board before you try to stand. You have to fight that urge to get up too early. Now, I ask you. Are you that lowly fly, ready to get clobbered? Or are you the spider, ready to persevere and snatch your goal?

"Be the spider!"
http://blog.cranialaperture.com/2013_08_01_archive.html
"I am the spider!" Steve yelled from the water. We all cheered from the boat. Chris motored ahead until the tow line was taut, and waited for Steve's signal to start. 

"Hit it!" my husband yelled, a new determination in his voice. 

The engine roared to life. The boat accelerated. At the end of the long rope, Steve fought the slalom ski. Concentration marbled his face. He stayed low, shifting his weight, pushing against the ski that thrummed to take off with or without him. 

Only then did he attempt to go vertical.

With only a slight bobble, he stood.

He was the spider.

59 comments:

  1. Thank you for co-hosting IWSG! Great story - and it can apply to writing, too! Timing is everything. :)

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  2. Timing is so important! When I look back at my own life, it's uncanny how many times I've said, 'Wow, if had never done this, I'd never have known/met/felt/experienced that.'

    Great story! And I'd love to water-ski! Falling wouldn't be so traumatic :)

    shahwharton.com

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  3. I haven't water-skied in years, but would like to. We all need that kind of perseverance in our writing, good story.

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  4. Perspective is so important. A slight change and the world will greet you with a different set of challenges. Hopefully we all rise to the occasion, just as your husband did! Thanks for co-hosting this month.

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  5. Good for your husband! And an excellent lesson in patience. Something we don't always have as writers.
    Thanks for co-hosting today!

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  6. As someone who plugged away for nearly 40 years striving for a publisher to offer me a contract, I have learned how difficult patience can be. But now I am seeing the results of that patience. I am the spider!

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  7. i am not a great waterskiier and honestly i think this post helps me figure out what i might be doing wrong

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    1. Ha, ha, happy to help! After all of these years, I've picked up a thing or two. (And sometimes I'm better at giving advice then taking it.)

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  8. Thanks for hosting today, Kim. Love the story. Never thought about the fly and the spider and life. Timing is everything.

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  9. Thanks for hosting, Kim. I love the pic. We live on a lake and I can't waterski. LOL. I know, weird. But it's the reason why I'm late. Someone was setting off fireworks at 2:30 am to celebrate Canada Day.

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    1. Joylene, I hear you. The party music from the resort 1/2 mile from my sister's place, but directly within line of sight from her house across the lake, is starting to crescendo.

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  10. Very cinematic lol. Thanks for co-hosting!

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  11. Nice description. As writers, I think we all need at least some spider inside us, or we'll never accomplish anything. Thanks for the story and thanks for co-hosting this month's IWSG.

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  12. That's a great metaphor. It's almost like he was channeling Bruce Lee. "Be like water..."

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  13. Thanks for co-hosting!

    I'm going to ignore that *shudder* picture of the spider, and go with saying that's great advice. Of course, if it was in my house, the spider wouldn't live long enough to get up on the ski.

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  14. Love it! So inspiring.

    Thanks for co-hosting! New follower here.

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  15. Your hubby's face is priceless. What great advice! Normally, I hate spiders but this time, it wasn't too bad :)

    Thanks for co-hosting!

    Elsie

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  16. Amazing! I never did get up on skis. I'm think I'm too old to try, now. I'll sit in the boat and be a spotter, and cheer on those who can master the skill.
    Great post. Thanks for co-hosting this month!
    Play off the Page

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  17. Love the story and the pictures. Yeah, go Spider. The spider is an inspiring animal. Love the analogy.

    Juneta at Writer's Gambit

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  18. Excellent illustration of an important concept. How often do we jump the gun because we WANT IT NOW when just a little patience would win us the prize? I'm going to keep that in mind as I set deadlines and expectations.

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  19. wow, they make it look so easy and yet I'd never find the guts to try it... kudos to your husband and great story! :-)

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  20. A good analogy. Btw, I can't look at the spidey pic w/o cringing. LOL.
    Thanks for hosting this month

    Author of Wilder Mage at Spirit Called
    Facebook Wilder Mage

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  21. Spiders are so creepy but I guess I try to be the spider most days. I'm extremely patient about some things but others I'm not. For instance, I can not stand in line for anything.

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  22. Patience + timing... what a combination!
    The expression on his face says it all!
    Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG today.

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  23. Hey, I was on my feet cheering your hubby along. Hooray! He did it! Whew, that took some energy. Great story with an excellent lesson for all of us, not just for skiing. Thanks for co hosting!

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  24. Woohoo! Congrats, hubby, on doing this. Yes, being the spider is a good thing. A fly, ha! I don't want to be the fly. Thanks for this thought-provoking post, Kim!

    ♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

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  25. Cool story and coaching tip. It sounds you and your family really know how to have a good time and aren't afrid of life lessons. I want to be the spider, even if it is hard.
    Thanks for co-hosting today and sharing with all of us.

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  26. This is awesome! . . . even though I'm petrified of spiders o_0 lol

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  27. Thanks for co-hosting. "Be the Spider" I'll remember that one.

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  28. What a great story! Love it.
    I hope you're having fun co-hosting. :)

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  29. Be the spider, I like that. Thanks for co-hosting!

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  30. Nice analogy. Thanks for co-hosting!

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  31. Great post! Thanks so much for co-hosting this month! Eva

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  32. Not only is this a wonderful story, but it's a great lesson in patience . Fabulous photos too! Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG! Happy 4th!

    Julie

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  33. That is a great story and analogy! I want to be the spider now... which I something I thought I'd never say since I'm terrified of spiders, but I want to be the one waiting and acting. :)

    Thanks for hosting with me and the others! It is a fun adventure!

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  34. Awesome post! I try hard to be the spider, but like Krista, I'm terrified of them. Thanks for co-hosting today. :)

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  35. Great story about perseverance and patience, but being arachnophobic, I have to agree with Loni Townsend -- any spider in my house will be a dead one.

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  36. Ha! I can soooo relate to this! I face-planted so many times while learning to single ski. I also prefer to start with both feet in the boots. My hubby is big and our boat is small, so he submarines for a while before actually popping up. Oh, summer fun!

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  37. Thank you for co-hosting IWSG for July, Kim.
    Spiders rule! Thanks for sharing a fantastic success story.
    Also, I voted for IWSG as requested!

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  38. I've got the hesitating bit sorted, it's the pouncing I need to work on!

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  39. Thanks for Co-Hosting :) Love the story - but have you also ever performed the Dirty Dancing lift in that lake?!

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    1. Ha! As soon as I meet my Patrick Swayze, I'd be game to try...

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  40. Thank you for hosting today and what a great story. Patience...
    doreenmcgettigan.com

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  41. Patience is sure a great thing to have indeed, with it much can take seed.

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  42. What a great story. I want to be the spider. I'm a lot more patient than I was when I was young. :) Love the movie too. Thanks for being a co-host today.

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  43. The photo says it! Your husband was rightly proud of his spider success! Thanks for sharing an inspiring story and for hosting the IWSG!

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  44. Awesomes story! Ken Rahmoeller has a spider on his blog. Maybe I should get one to remind me to be a spider too. Thanks for co-hosting!

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  45. What a great metaphor from your brother-in-law. And way to go husband with the perseverance!

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  46. What a fantastic story of triumph! Sort-of reminds me of what I'm working on right now: trying to go slower at the beginning of my runs so that I have the energy left to burn at the end. Patience is key in the first mile and I tend to start out faster and then slow down over time so that by the end I'm running super low on fuel- starting out slow and fighting that urge to sprint will lead me to finish strong! Thanks so much for sharing this- I'll remember it when I'm on the track tomorrow!

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  47. That's a good lesson. I hate, hate, spiders, but I want to persevere and get my goal. TFS!
    lucindawhitney.com

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  48. I love this anecdote! Wonderful life lesson to be learned by all, thanks to your husband. The best things come to those who wait. ;)

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  49. Yay! Go, spider! Thanks for sharing that story.

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  50. Great story and analogy from your brother in law. Thanks for sharing and co-hosting!

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  51. Fun post! Congrats to your husband!

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  52. Water skiing looks fun but I have enough trouble keeping both feet on dry ground. Nice story about patience. Thanks for dropping by my page http://iknewiwould.blogspot.com/ and for all of your hard work keeping up to the ISWG page

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  53. I am playing blog catch up! All I can say is good analogy, but a spider? really? ick. I now have the hebbie gebbies.

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  54. I love that picture of your husband with his tongue sticking out-immense concentration:) Love the spider and the fly thing:)

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