Category: The Cielem’el Survival & Growth Journal

Bernie Sanders got his one-millionth individual commitment today. (And he kicked off his campaign, when? A week ago, maybe?) As part of announcing that millionth-person fact in a booster e-mail, Bernie also summarized the list of challenges that must be addressed and what stands in the way of each. In the e-mail (dated February 25, 2019), Bernie laid it all […]

Whenever Donald Trump manages to control more than one 24-hour news cycle with something baseless and idiotic, I can’t help but wonder: What is he trying to draw attention away from? His failure to get his wall built by legal means through Congress? Investigations into his behavior? His health/mental health? A “secret” plan to take over Venezuela to get its […]

The next 48 hours are critical – can you sign the petition calling on all representatives to back the resolution now? Click here to sign the petition. This morning, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey released their draft resolution for a Green New Deal. It lays out a 10-year plan to mobilize every aspect of American society at a […]

Survival is a Curious Thing Survival is a curious thing. At this time two years ago, I was in my second round of chemo. 32 years old, and I had breast cancer. As if the surgeries before chemo weren’t bad enough, chemo just got worse and worse. I tried to make light of it when people asked how I was […]

For my aunt, Irene Olson . . . I have been participating in the El Dorado County Relay for Life in Placerville, California since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. This September 6-7 Relay will be a uniquely emotional one as I dedicate my fundraising to my aunt, Irene Olson, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just three […]

Music was a source of joy in my Aunt Irene’s life. She shared it with thousands of people through her pipe organ performances and teaching piano lessons. I have numerous stories about my own experiences with Irene and my own musical work with both the piano and the flute, and I was lucky enough to have played a number of […]

My aunt, Irene (Mom’s big sister), died of pancreatic cancer less than two weeks ago. Mom’s received many sympathy cards from her friends and family, but it only occurred to me today that I also have a lot of good friends that may want to send Mom their sympathies. Cards can be sent to: Helen Miller C/O Cynthia Swan, 401 […]

I went to a fund-raising auction for a friend, Cherie Layton, this afternoon. She had open heart surgery a little over a year ago, but now a valve is failing and she has to undergo open heart surgery again. Twice in two years, ugh. Like once wasn’t costly and painful and difficult enough, she, and her family, has to go […]

I just signed up for a (temporarily) free online program called the Ultimate You Mindfest that begins on March 18th. It is a week-long series of short, punchy audio coaching sessions to condition your mind for positive thinking, success, and action orientation. This free online event features 15 audio sessions to help rid you of the bee stings of life […]

So this is neat. I’m going to be a speaker at a local event for writers. I was at the Georgetown library today working on my taxes (using the library’s much faster Internet to use the cumbersome online TurboTax), when Jilian, the librarian, came to my little table in the back room and asked me if I would be willing […]

For me, 2012 was the Year of the Flute. Aside from all the stress and worry and paperwork and phone calls of applying for and appealing an automatic initial decline of social security disability, besides all the time I spent worrying about money and trying to find a way to make ends meet on a third of my previous income […]

Wow, the place was absolutely packed for my solo concert! And everyone seemed to just love it. People seemed truly touched inside, which doesn’t always happen in a concert. The loving energy in that crowd as they experienced that fantastic arrangement of Amazing Grace, the energy the audience gave back to me as I played my flute had that sweet […]

BY RANDY DOCKENDORF randy.dockendorf@yankton.net Published: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 1:06 AM CST For Cynthia Swan, this week’s concert in Yankton will prove agonizing. Swan formerly worked as a professional ballroom dancer and instructor. Dancing was her passion, a major part of her life. “I particularly enjoyed Argentine tango competitions and shows,” she said. “I was a consultant in California and worked […]

You may or may not know that I have been a lifelong musician, starting piano when I was five and taking up flute and voice when I was nine or so. The chemo neuropathy burning in my hands makes it all but impossible to play the flute for any great length of time now . . . I can hold […]

This year I have an opportunity to overcome adversity in the face of pain and disability, and I decided to take up the challenge. I am playing a 30-minute flute solo concert on December 20th! I have two accompanists, one for the pipe organ (Marilyn Nyberg) and another for the piano (Kathleen West). I’m playing high-level professional works that normally […]