I’m fortunate in that I get to rub shoulders with some tremendously interesting people—people who are outstanding in their field because they consistently (1) show up, (2) put their best foot forward, and (3) apply themselves fully to their craft:
Sandi White — Master Gardener
Terrill Welch — Impressionist Painter
Debbie Jacob — Psychic
Sam Juliano — Teacher and Film Critic
Heather Shumaker — Author
Jeff Stroud — Photographer
Sibyl English — Vocalist
Kathy Smith — Film Director
And while this photo is of Len Buchanan out standing in a field, he’s outstanding in his field as well—technology.
Click on Photo to Enlarge
Are you outstanding in your field, or out standing in your field?
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.” — Laurie Buchanan
The Book—Discovering the Seven Selves
The Experience—Life Harmony
© Laurie Buchanan 2013
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Tuesdays with Laurie 
Love the pun. You always so upbeat and informative, Laurie! This Thanksgiving I am thankful for your blog and encouragement along with way.
Marian – Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate YOU!
I feel out standing in my field most of the time. Not good right? Have a great Tuesday Laurie!
The Vanilla Housewife – As a subscriber to your blog, I’m often on the receiving end of your OUTSTANDING wit and humor 🙂
Well how wonderful to see this amazing list of Outstanding in their field persons ! Imagine me on there! and many of the people I rub shoulders with too! Thank you!
Of course Laurie, you yourself, are Outstanding!
Jeff – I’ve known you for an awfully long time now and your OUTSTANDING photography has always been a blessing to me. Thank you.
Have an Outstanding Thanksgiving, Outstanding Lady! Glad to rub shoulders with you.
Joan – Right back atcha siSTAR!
I agree with Jeff–you too are outstanding! Love the pun–love the fun. Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving, my friend!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Kathy – I enjoyed your blog post this morning. It’s fun living vicariously through you and Sara as you venture hither and yon across the globe 🙂
I think that’s a matter for other people to decide. ‘Do you always try your very best?’ would be a fairer question. To that, I would certainly answer ‘YES’.
Fatimasaysell – I’m on the outside looking in (and a follower of your blog) so let me be the one to say that YOU are OUTSTANDING in your field 🙂
You are very kind! Thank you so much! 🙂
Some days I feel like I don’t even have a field to stand in. (Or, to be grammatically correct, “a field in which to stand.”
🙂
However, my wife claims I’m the best husband she can imagine, which is more important to me than all external accomplishments or accolades I may have earned, combined.
Chris
Chris – It sounds like you and your wife landed right side up in your loving relationship with each other 🙂
Such a great and inspiring post. It makes you reflect and think where you really stand. And it makes you want to be outstanding …in something. I think you get outstanding in those things that you do by your heart and with your passion. It can be as a friend, mother, caretaker ,neighbour etc. or at some hobby or anything. As long as you feel that your heart is in the things you do.Thank you so much for this post!
Panikikubik – You named the most important ingredient: “As long as you feel that your HEART is in the things you do.” Thank you 🙂
🙂 Thank you for your kind reply
Laurie, I am pleased and honored to have met your criteria for being outstanding in my field, reason being I am often to be found standing out in the field, gazing at my garden, wondering what to tackle next. That’s exactly why I have placed a lawn chair under the pear tree, I can take a load off while gazing and ruminating. Yes, I have been known to pick the fruits of my labor and enjoy a grazing while having a thought or two tumbling ’round in my head. Yes, you do indeed have an amazing group of friends and supporters, of which I am justly proud of being included. And how did you come to gather such an outstanding group of pals? By being so remarkably outstanding yourself!
Sandi – When I was writing this post I thought, “Sandi is literally OUTSTANDING in her field while she is OUT STANDING in her field. A fine double whammy! 🙂
Great post, Laurie! Thanks. I will remember it and focus on being outstanding…not out standing! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. May you be blessed. Deb
Deb – Thank you for the Thanksgiving wishes. May you and yours be wrapped in the heart of the season as well 🙂
How amazing to know all those outstanding people but it takes one to know one . Over the past few months, that I have been visiting you blog, I can see you are a very sincere person Laurie and that ticks all the boxes making you an outstanding blogger .
I would like to think I am an outstanding poet ( I know I’m not but I love to write it ) Next Wednesday I will be ‘out standing ‘ reading my poetry to my poetry group lol
Cherry x
Cherry – Break a leg (I mean that in the kindest way, of course) next Wednesday as you are OUTSTANDING while standing in front of a group of people waiting to be blessed by your gift of poetry.
Thank you, too, for your kind words 🙂
I am out standing on a ferry ride to Sausalito ! Sunshine amazing sunshine!
I am outstanding in my ability to integrate ideas and understand how to use them. I can see and understand the whole field in a matter of minutes.
Patricia – I’ve been to Sausalito and if you haven’t already, please let me be the first to tell you that you’re going to love it!
And I knew it (just knew it!) all along that you’re a woman who knows how to wrangle thoughts, ideas, concepts and hog tie them with understanding in record-breaking time. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
What a wonderful way to promote your talented friends. Happy Tuesday, Laurie.
Leanne – I’m glad you enjoyed it and always appreciate your visits 🙂
Laurie, you are truly the person who lives next door in my online neighbourhood! In fact, many of your outstanding salutes are what I would call close friends and acquaintances in my online community. However, as the connector that you are there are some new folks like Debbie, Heather and Sibyl who I look forward to getting to know. Thank you for the being outstanding in your own brilliance so that we discovered you and each other in this deep kind of connecting way. Big hugs and hi Sandi, Kathy, Jeff, Sam and can you see me waving Len….. Heeeeelllllooooooo!
Terrill – You’ll enjoy the bajeebers out of Debbie, Heather, and Sibyl — wonderful women, all three.
Isn’t it fun that with today’s technology we’re “just a click away” and really in each other’s neighborhoods? I’ve been in your home, as you have mine, without ever stepping over each other’s thresholds.
You are fortunate indeed to have so many friends with such gifts! I know some of these folks and think they’re first rate. Smiling to see Len out there being outstanding in his field, too. We’re surrounded by a rich bouquet of beings. Happy Thanksgiving to an outstanding you!
Kathy – THANK YOU for painting the lovely word picture of the people who surround us being “a rich bouquet.” 🙂
First I would have to find my field.
Sent from my iPad
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Carol – You’re responsible for the big grin on my face 🙂
With the eight brilliantly talented individuals you highlighted and Len batting in the clean up position? I’d say we could “field” a pretty formidable team. 😉
Lovely post as always!
CultFit – Oh my gosh, I love it! You betcha we could 🙂
Sometimes, I think ‘outstanding’ and ‘out standing’ are the same things. Occasionally, someone who stands outside the field is the one who truly revolutionizes it and raises the bar for everyone else within that circle. Something to ponder…
Dana – Fantastic shift in perspective, thank you!
Laurie, that is quite a compliment from you, having me with such esteemed company! I adore that pun, and acknowledge that depending on the situation I can be classified as one or the other. And I can also see what one reader claims they are the ‘same thing.’ But I can decipher the difference and can only say that we always strive to be ‘outstanding’ at what we do. You and Len have achieved this regularly! Thanks again my friend!
Sam – You are oh-so-welcome. A great big HAPPY THANKSGIVING from our house to yours!
To one very outstanding in your field, Laurie… and Len. I am honored to have recognition and am such a fan. I love all of the comments from all of your very outstanding friends here. Huge Hugs!!!
Kathy – I hold you in esteem. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I love this post. It is all about showing up, isn’t it? It took me a long time to learn to show up for myself, but now that I am, it feels so nurturing and warm. Showing up for myself has finally given me the space to show up for others. Oh! And I just love the photo. It made me laugh. Being Irish, with lots of fields, we always joke about outstanding in our field! Happy Thanksgiving Laurie and I really am grateful for your consistent support for my Mandalas.
KindleTheLight – I’m glad you enjoyed this post, thank you for letting me know. I enjoy visiting your Mandalas 🙂
I think a writer married to a man who is outstanding in the field of technology has chosen very well indeed. A marriage made in heaven. Outstanding! Happy Thanksgiving to both of you!
Shirley – I can’t tell you the number of “technical difficulties” Len’s gotten me out of (many of my own making). Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours 🙂
This is an interesting one Laurie.
I am not outstanding in any field.
My dad had a saying “Jack of all trades, master of none!”.
That seems to be me.
I am a competent:
Computer programmer
Fisherman
Analyst
Administrator
Engineer
Electrician
Carpenter
Artificer
Fitters mate
Diver
Pilot
Cyclist
Sailor
Skipper
Politician
Radio operator
Writer
Futurist
Neighbour
Husband
Father
Friend
Martial artist
Chemist
Physicist
Ecologist
Zoologist
Historian
Logician
Philosopher
Teacher
Policeman
Auditor
Student
…..
Yet I am not outstanding in any of those fields. Competent, yet not far above average.
I am a generalist, a nexialist, an eclectic humanist.
I weave the diverse strands together into a cloak of understanding.
In respect of land, all of the land we own is planted in trees. We don’t have any fields, we have forests.
I have no field to go out an stand in, I have forests and gardens.
If I stand in the forest I am hard to see except by those standing closest to me.
Ted – I thoroughly enjoyed reading your eclectic list of competencies! The way you’ve woven your “diverse strands” together has created a beautiful life tapestry! 🙂
I love the play on words. It’s fun how a space (one word vs. two) can make such a difference.
Sheryl – They say it’s not the words, rather the spaces between the words, that makes writing make sense. I hope that you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving 🙂
whatever I’m doing–it’s in left field…;) Hope your holiday was great, Laurie. Awesome post as ever. 🙂
Charron – Your response made me smile, thank you 🙂
Laurie you are outstandingly wonderful 🙂 I love your play on words that makes me smile and think deeper! Thank you for that! Hope you are enjoying the weekend!
XXX
Anne – I’m glad you enjoyed this post, thank you for letting me know 🙂