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 I was in a time crunch, as usual. It was Monday, June 24^th. My opening performance was July 1^st I still wasn't finished with the puppets and had not yet practiced with the soundtrack. While in ToysRUs with my grandchildren, (no deadline interferes with Meema Day), I stumbled across a display of dolls on sale. I could see they were the right size so I grabbed up four of them. Ninety-nine cents apiece, what a deal! I took them home and lovingly dismembered them, using only the poly molded heads, hands and feet. I quickly made the bodies, clothing, rods and strings. Saved so-o-o-o much time. But while I was giving one of the dolls a hair cut, (as well as sex change) I had a serious flashback. I saw myself arguing with my mother. I could hear myself telling her ever so sanctimoniously I would never, ever cut my new Christmas doll's hair. My mother's expression was a classic one of disbelief. You see, my track record on this issue wasn't so clean.
        

I don't know why I was compelled to cut the shiny curls of every doll I ever owned. I wonder now if my mother might have worried if I had a destructive streak and was headed for a life of crime. I swear I was never cruel to animals, I simply couldn't resist the sound of the scissors crisply snipping through that nylon rooted hair.
        

Whatever the reason that drove me to practice hair sculpting as a child, I'm glad my mom was patient with me. For now, no matter what my creative endeavor might be, from designing crafts to puppetry, I have been able to dip into my reserve experiences, time and time again, to beat my deadlines.
        

It never fails, someone will ask me with incredulity, " You built this theater yourself? You made these puppets yourself? How did you learn to make this ......" I'm stymied by this because I know they aren't looking for a life history, but the truth is, it has taken a lifetime for me to learn how to create. I have a degree in life earned bit by bit over the past five decades.
        

I worked for years in a variety of jobs, designing everything from wood furniture to quilted clothing. I can't say I can do anything but I can say there isn't much I won't try. My first sewing machine was an old Singer treadle. I was thirteen. I needed a pair of peddle pushers. I bought two yards of blue chino, a pattern, thread, a zipper and said to myself, "How hard can it be?" This attitude has seen me through a myriad of learning curves. The years I worked as a professional photo stylist required that I learn to design and paint sets. I also learned the art of illusion which was great training for perspective and visual effects. We were sponging walls long before the home decor industry discovered the art form. Though seemingly unrelated, everything I pack into my experience data files is a resource for future referencing.
I realize now, I'm never going to graduate. Thank goodness.
        

I can now look back at myself gleefully stripping my dolls of their golden locks and laugh out loud. I guess if you're gonna need a skill someday, you gotta start somewhere. If we are the sum of everything we have ever experienced, it stands to reason it is our responsibility to the future of human development to continue growing by putting ourselves in constant learning curves.
Lord knows, I'm peddling as fast as I can.