Articulate: Missed Steps

Two things happened today that reminded me of the things we miss.

My kid is getting an award and the presentation is happening over Zoom. The original date was deep in the quarantine period and so very canceled. It is lovely that it is finally happening, tonight as it turns out. The coordinators have been busily making sure all of it works and creating a great experience. They just forgot to tell us when and where. No worry, we've caught it but it was funny.

My husband had an important work call to India this morning. The call was moved to an earlier time - at 12:30 am EDT while we were sleeping. Again, by luck, he was able to get on the call.

These types of things happen every day. Often they happen in our speech. We miss a step. Sometimes a crucial step.

At its core, articulation is about breaking things down to the impulse and the gesture that makes an action complete. Sometimes that is following a /t/ with sufficient air energy. Sometimes, that is taking a minute to slowly run through the steps and make sure they are all there. We are all in a such a hurry, so very busy, it can be helpful to remember that the journey is the point.