I'VE MOVED!

While you all were on vacations and at the pool, I packed up and moved! I just moved in so nothing is unpacked yet or arranged just so, but stop in when you can.

Come see me at my new place:

http://she-talks-2.blogspot.com

Glee-esque Mash-up

I've talked before about Rosie's Broadway Kids...a non-profit organization that helps kids in New York City. To learn more you can go to http://www.rosiesbroadwaykids.org/ But before you do that take a look at what these amazing kids do in their spare time. Beats hanging out on street corners getting into trouble.

If you're a Glee fan you'll get this video right away. If you're not a Glee fan...become one! It's a wonderful wholesome show about high school kids. (My favorite!!)

Enjoy!


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Sundance Shoes

I bought these last week and just love them! I feel like I'm walking in warm mud. They last all the work day with no hot spots or pinching toes. They come in a few other colors that are beckoning me.

I'm a happy teacher when my feet feel good. :)

Stuffed Artichokes

Many years ago when I was fresh out of college and a newlywed, I had a friend of Italian heritage. She was born and raised in New Orleans and we became friends as our new circle of young married couples formed. She married a good friend of mine who joined the Navy fresh out of college. (I like to say "fresh out of college":) He was trained to fly F-4 jets and during his time in the Navy our vacations centered around wherever they were stationed.

One of the things I remember most about our visits with them in Virginia Beach, Pensacola and New Orleans was the food. Between her Cajun influences and her Italian upbringing, she would make wonderful meals that I still think about today.

Here's just one. If I had never met her I would never have made...

Stuffed Artichokes

The ingredients are simple and making them is a bit time consuming, but the result is worth it. Here's what you'll need:


Artichokes, olive oil, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, celery, green onions, flat leaf parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.


Chop off the top of the artichoke.


Using sissors snip off the sharp tips on each leaf.


Add a tablespoon of salt to a pot of boiling water.


Drop the artichokes in the boiling water and boil them for about 10 minutes. They should brighten up and turn a nice shade of green.


When the artichokes are done put them upside down to drain. Prepare the rest of the ingredients for the food processor. I don't know the exact amounts of each vegetable, she never got around to giving me a written recipe. I guess it's about 10 green onions, 7 stalks of celery, a half of a cup of flat leaf parsley, 3 gloves of garlic, salt and pepper.


Don't process it to a liquid, just process it enough to make it looked chopped really well.



In a large bowl prepare the dry ingredients. I use equal parts Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. I add salt and pepper as I mix the two together.




I combine the wet ingredients with the dry.


I put the wet and dry in a large bowl so that I can put the artichoke in the middle and stuff them in the bowl. This makes the stuffing easy and much less messy. My friend taught be to pull back every leaf and gently stuff each one with the mixture.


By stuffing each leaf, every serving (leaf) has the tasty mixture as well and the tender bite at the end of the leaf.


Now this is the part that just amazed me. She put the stuffed artichokes in a pan with a bit of water and then......she poured an entire 32 oz. bottle olive oil over the artichokes and let them simmer on low all day. (I've found that putting the artichokes on a rack in the pan keeps them from burning on the botton.)

I was speechless and awestruck at the same time. In all my 28 years I had never used olive oil and I had never seen anybody pour an entire bottle of anything over food. It's the Scotch/Irish in me I guess. Cooking was never a big part of my day to day life growing up.

Well, needless to say I was hooked and wanted to know more. Over the next few years she taught me how to make gumbo, shrimp creole, bread pudding with rum butter sauce, red beans and rice, lasagna, hot tamales from scratch, and meatballs, to name a few. Sadly, our friendship didn't last and I haven't heard from her in years. Still, her cooking tips and recipes remain and I use them often.

Here's to my Italian friends, old and new. :)

Summer guests '09

This is Eddie. Eddie visited us for three days in June. He was one of our all time best house guests ever. He was quiet and slept most of the time. When he wanted to go out he let us know in a very family-friendly way. Outside he ran, jumped, barked and ... slept. He found a frog that he tormented until the frog got smart and dashed under the deck.


This is one of the many fawn that grace our backyard in the spring. They're lots of fun to watch as their mother watches closely too. She snorts and stamps her foot when she wants their attention just as any mom would do. They romp and play for a while then in an instant they're gone for the day.


I have no idea where this guy came from. He was alone so I guess he got away from his gaggle.


Here's Eddie's frog just before he took shelter under the safety of the deck.


Our fav. house guest again....relaxing. :)

Two of my favorite Penguin fans

These kids were students of mine and are children of one of my best friends. They've just finished their first year of college. This is how most of Pittsburgh felt Friday night!!

And guess what? They are twins! They have an older sister who I also had in class a few years ago and the three of them are as different as night and day....each special and talented in their own way.

I love to talk about my students.

Pittsburgh Penguins win The Stanley Cup!

Even though I'm a fair weather fan, it's lots of fun watching your hometown team win the championship.

CBS Sunday Morning - Rosie's Broadway Kids

No more flu shots!

I rarely take a sick day from school. If I do it's a mental health day because I'm sick of school. :) I usually have one of those a year. I just don't get sick very often. At least I didn't get sick very often until two years ago when I started getting flu shots. I got my first flu shot ever in November of 2007 and in February 2008 while I was at a conference in New Orleans where I was to speak at one of the sessions, I came down with horrible cold, cough, and sore throat. What was supposed to be an exciting adventure turned into something I had to drag myself through.

This year I got another flu shot and last weekend (Easter) I got sick again. Same thing, cold, sore throat, and cough. And this year we were in New York City. We arrived in NYC to visit our daughter and both my husband and I became sick as dogs. We didn't feel sick as we started our journey, it hit us suddenly and simultaneously, and once in the city it was clear...sore throats, feverish, headache and bad coughs. It's impossible to be sick on Easter weekend when visiting your daughter in NYC. So, each morning we'd put on our happy healthy faces as we dragged ourselves out of bed, showered, shampooed, makeup (me:) and dressed to begin a fun-filled, action-packed, non-stop day in the Big Apple.

But each night back in the hotel we'd collapse on the beds. The room took on the look of a hospital ward with Kleenex, Robitussin, cough drops, NyQuil and bottles of water strewn everywhere, and the two of us completely zonked on our beds, wheezing, coughing, moaning, groaning.

This was an important trip. We were meeting the new boyfriend and he was hosting us at his home for Easter brunch. He made a great impression, brunch was both delicious and lovely. But as for us, our first impression...not so much.

We managed and didn't die, although there were a few subway rides where I thought I might. :)

So here's what I've decided, Boyfriend :) ... Flu shots :(

There are ALWAYS signs

A tragedy occurred last weekend in Pittsburgh. A woman placed a 911 called asking for help with her 22 year-old son. He came home drunk again and his dog left a mess on the floor. She'd had it and wanted him out of the house. Police arrived. They entered the house and two were shot in the head. A third was shot as he came to their rescue.

All three police officers died. Two others were injured. So, so, sad....

According to the first report from a high school acquaintance this was a nice, quiet, smart kid. Soon the public learned he was kicked out of high school and later enlisted in the Marines. He lasted a few months and was thrown out when he got mad and hurled food at his Sargent.

Back at home he began to stock pile weapons and post messages on hate websites. His looks changed drastically as he posted pictures of himself...head shaved, tattoos representing all sorts of evil things. There are many more pieces to this puzzle unfolding as the sad week strains on.

There are always signs. This didn't happen over night. There are always signs.

As a high school teacher I see kids who struggle to fit in all the time. They come in many shapes and sizes....the signs and the kids.

The signs are there in middle school and even elementary school.

I'll bet you think I know the signs.....and I'm going to list them here. Well, no. If I knew the signs, so would the Columbine teachers.

What I feel compelled to write about is what I've observed and learned about what works with [some] kids.

1. Kindness Sadly some kids rarely hear a kind word, or a compliment, a real genuine compliment. It doesn't have to be elaborate or fancy. Good job ... You look nice today ... You did that? Wow! ...I think.

2. Consistency Kids need some consistency. Some of the same things will happen everyday. Someone will be home everyday after school. There will be a dinner of some kind every night. There will be an alarm every morning to get up to and go to school. Stuff like that. Not knowing make kids nervous. ...I think.

3. Consequences Kids need to know there will be appropriate consequences for their actions. And when the consequences are over....case closed, a new day. If you smack your little brother after we told you not to, you will be in time out. When time out is over you will sincerely apologize, hug and then go play. If you come in at 12:30 and your curfew is 12, (and I've been sitting here for half an hour waiting for you) you will not go out for two weekends. ...I think.

4. Listen I'm big on being a good listener. It's so easy and so many adults don't it. Just shut your mouth and listen. Then watch what happens. Silence (and eye contact) speaks volumes. It says, I care about you and what you are saying. I do not have to comment on every little thing. I don't have to hear my own voice. Look them in the eye when they start to tell you something. Don't rush them. Just look at them with your best, I'm listening look. Add when necessary...And then what happened? ... or... really? ...so they know you are listening. I found if they ask me what they should do, or for advice, I say, "hmmmmm" and wait a second or two....because they already know the answer. If this starts in elementary school it creates a safe secure place for kids to go and share at home. ... I think.

5. And...Snoop. Yep, I said snoop. I know, I know, respect their privacy. But until they are 18 they are your responsibility. You are responsible for turning out a decent human being. How are you ever going to know what they're up to if you don't fold the laundry and put it away in their drawers? Or, suddenly lose your favorite shoes and wander into their room looking for them. Or have a question about tomorrow's lunch menu, etc. ... I think.

BUT, if you snoop you have to be ready to deal with what you find. If say, you find a note to your kid from another kid saying another kid doesn't like your kid, put it back. Or, if you find a drawer filled with Hershey Bar wrappers, leave them alone. There are many things much worse than these that still fall between the normal bars on the, Is My Kid Normal, chart. Be careful to freak out about the right things.

Starting early in elementary school become aware of what kids are/should be into. Know their friends and their friends parents. Make sure those parents' values and rules are similar to yours. Invite their friends over after school. Ask them to stay for dinner on occasion.

Finally, if you find drugs, drug paraphernalia, suspicious magazines, or weapons of any kind do not walk away respecting privacy. Do not! Privacy goes out the window. Tell your kid you love him/her with all your heart as you pull out the incriminating material and listen a bit, then start talking. It's your house, your rules, and your love.....above all your love, which is never, never negotiable. It's always there.

So, child of mine, here's what's going to happen...

Oh and while I'm on my high horse, pleeeeeeeeeese don't be the "cool" parent who lets the kids drink at your house because you've taken all the car keys and will let them sleep it off in your basement/family room. First of all, it's I.L.L.E.G.A.L. to serve alcohol to minors EVEN IF IT'S IN YOUR OWN HOUSE. AH-HUH! You could (and should) be arrested. And second, those pre-pubescent, pubescent, post-pubescent bodies cannot handle the alcohol the way you can. They could die or suffer irreversible brain damage after five or six beers. (I saw that on ER last week and I also happen to know it's true.)

I have no idea what happened in the childhood of the young man who shot the Pittsburgh Police officers. He is so young to be so angry. It just made me wonder.

I'm not an expert and I know many wonderful parents who have done all the stuff I've mentioned here and more and still have problems with their kids. Who knows....this is just me and my thoughts from what I've seen as a teacher.

Happy Birthday!

...if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours...

Happy Birthday Mike! :)

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"

...Arthur Carlson, WKRP in Cincinnati

The above quote is from the famous "WKRP in Cincinnati" episode where Station Manager, Arthur Carlson (played by Gordon Jump), arranged to have live turkeys dropped from a helicopter as an advertising stunt on Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be a serious miscalculation. The poor birds plunged to earth, never even having a chance. Their tragic "last flight" was relayed to WKRP listeners by reporter Les Nessman, played by Richard Sanders:

"It's a helicopter, and it's coming this way. It's flying something behind it, I can't quite make it out, it's a large banner and it says, uh - Happy... Thaaaaanksss... giving! ... From ... W ... K ... R... P!! No parachutes yet. Can't be skydivers... I can't tell just yet what they are, but - Oh my God, Johnny, they're turkeys!! Johnny, can you get this? Oh, they're plunging to the earth right in front of our eyes! One just went through the windshield of a parked car! Oh, the humanity! The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement! Not since the Hindenberg tragedy has there been anything like this!"

Click here for a short clip of audio highlights in RealAudio.

How popular was the WKRP "Turkeys Away" episode? In a poll asking fans to rank the episodes they enjoyed the most, the most current results put this one at #1.

WKRP in Cincinnati was a great comedy back in the day and from that particular show I was convinced turkeys could not fly. As if a weekly sitcom could be a reliable source for information. Seriously though, after hearing that, what would you think?

Turns out they can fly ... a bit. They're not gathering all their friends together in the classic V formation and heading south each year, but since they perch in the lower limbs of trees for the night they can get up the speed and the lift to get to their night time branch.

The ones in our backyard definitely do not fly. I mean, I've never seen them fly. They always walk on to the lawn from the woods and scratch at the grass. They flap their wings and run real fast if we chase them off the grass, but no soaring above the farm looking for small rodents.

And Thanksgiving turkeys, Butterball or Honeysuckle White? Those gobblers never feel the wind beneath their wings. They just sit and eat all day so that you can sit and eat all day.

Give this photo a name!

Photographed yesterday coming out of our woods.

Three Amigos? Three Muske-turkeys? Strutting their stuff? :)

Can anyone think of a clever name for this photo?

The Academy Awards

"I still hear people asking: What have we artists to do with oil and economy, survival and honor? The answer is : everything. Our truth, if it is heartfelt, and the beauty we produce out of it, may perhaps be the only real guidelines left, the only clear beacons, the course for renewal of vitality in various cultures of our world. Where economists squabble, we can be clear. Where politicians play political games, we can move hearts and minds. Where the greedy grab, we can give. Our pens, voices, paintbrushes, pas de deux; our words...can reinforce us against moral deterioration. Perhaps, after all, it is only the artist who can reconcile the mystic with the rational, and who can continue to reveal the presence of God in the minds of men." - Leonard Bernstein

This is my daughter in a wig and bejeweled glasses as Mama Mae Peterson from Bye Bye Birdie, her last musical during her senior year in high school. She chose to channel the Mike Myers Linda Richman character, a stereotypical Jewish middle-aged woman, when deciding on costume and voice for the part. She was a riot. (I thought:)

I sent her this picture last night, wishing her happy Oscar night, because I knew she would be glued to her TV as I was. The Oscars are my Super Bowl. Yeah, I talk a good game about the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the truth is if they hadn't made it to the Super Bowl I wouldn't know what their record was, who Antonio Holmes was or what sunglasses what's his name wears when he cuts his grass.

But Oscar night is wonderful. The Red Carpet, the gowns, the jewels, the music, the extravagant set, the clips, the friendly banter on stage between announcements. Wasn't the Hugh Jackman/Anne Hathaway thing cute? The awkward moment when someone yelled "open the curtain" from off stage. The acceptance speeches, hurried, tearful, sincere, genuine. I love it all.

The poignant moments really got to me this year... Heath Ledger's family accepting for him. "Milk" screenwriter Dustin Lance Black ... couldn't resist an emotional moment when shedding a tear, he said, "Harvey gave me his story, and it saved my life."

But, I think Penelop Cruz accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress said what I feel about this arts. "... And I, always on the night of the Academy Awards, I stay up to watch the show and I always felt that this was, this ceremony was a moment of unity for the world because art, in any form, is and has been and will always be our universal language and we should do everything we can, everything we can, to protect its survival..."

Shining Through

He left the house at 7 AM. He sat in traffic for an hour. He walked a mile and sailed across a river. He stood with 300,000 others in the bitter cold until noon......to get the shot. :)

:) Steelers 27 Cardinals 23

Man's Best Friends

No Steeler party is complete without the Steel City's favorite beverage. A Steeler fan from Queens, NY sent this picture.

After searching all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, he ended up in Clifton, NJ for this hometown brew.

Thanks Steeler fan from Queens! :)
PS You have a fine looking dog, too. :)

Inauguration Anticipation - Part 2

I can't get enough of the Inauguration. The pre-Inauguration activities, Obama's trip to the Lincoln memorial, the girls going off to the Sidwell School for their first day of school in DC, the controversy over the guest speakers, the mother-in-law scoop, the choice of first puppy, the unprecedented security measures, the Bible, Hay-Adams Hotel, Blair House, the train ride from Philadelphia to DC, all of it. Like the Olympics, I'm glued to the TV.

But, what I'm really looking forward is Michelle Obama's fashion; the parade suit and the gown. I'm anxious to hear the Inauguration speech of course but, call me shallow or superficial or irrelevant if you will, I'm eager to see what Michelle Obama will wear on Inauguration Day because so far, I like her style.

Michelle Obama, former associate dean at the University of Chicago; a member of six boards of directors including the prestigious Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and Tree House Foods; and Vice President, Community and External Affairs at the University of Chicago Hospital a position where she was responsible for all programs and initiatives that involve the relationships between the hospitals and the community as well as management of the hospitals' business diversity program.....

Yes, I like her style.

Inauguration Anticipation - Part I

NieNie Recovery - Buy the Book!

This cute little book is a compilation of funny blog posts from blogs all over the US. The proceeds from this clever book will go to the NieNie Recovery fund. A very sweet and funny blogger got the idea and did all the work to put this together. You can thank her here.

And here's some interesting news, I'm in it!! I won't tell you which post I submitted, but I'm in the book. It's not quite the 15 minutes I'm looking for, but that's just fine because it's not about me, it's about them. :)

So go here and take a look. If you feel compelled to help....buy the book!

Winter Irony

A snow storm blew in from Chicago late last night.

It started coming down heavily around 2AM with a light dusting, escalating to a dense downward flow and continuing with a hard, non-stop deluge of small but powerful little flakes with no end in sight. It was very cold and there was a good four to five inches on the ground so that by 5AM if a decision had to be made, administrators would be calling the bus garage to get the news that the roads were too dangerous to transport students and they would have to call a Snow Day!

Except today is Saturday! :(

A Horticulturist, I'm not

Remember when I said this:

It will bring joy to the recipient for a long time. January and February will be delightful as the bulb grows taller and taller. Late February and March will be amazing as the flower pod begins to form and open, and by the beginning of Spring your gift will be in full bloom.

What did I know? I'm a horticulture idiot. This bulb grew its little Amaryllis pants off and was in full bloom in only 22 days. Each day there was noticeable growth and now we're enjoying the beautiful red flowers. I think I did do something wrong however, because there are still some little parts that didn't grow at all. I think I stunted it when I moved it around for the picture. Oh well, it was fun.

To make up for my horticulture error, I'm announcing my first contest/giveaway. It will start tomorrow and the recipient (winner) will be announced Sunday. I want to give all my seven readers a change to participate. :)

Check back tomorrow afternoon for my first exciting giveaway. Here's a hint: It's something I've talked about on this blog, and it's NOT an Amaryllis bulb.

The Penultimate Gift Idea - #4

This may come as a surprise to some because I'm sure nobody else does this, but I think about my weight a lot. Over the years I've gained and lost weight many many times. Like Oprah. I'll lose a boat load of weight then become the spokesperson (to my friends) for whatever program worked at the time. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, Cambridge, Slimfast, Bariatric, you name it, I've done it and usually quite successfully. However, I have about two million less friends and about fifty million less dollars than Oprah. :) I would have done a commercial if anyone had asked. (I think about my fifteen minutes of fame a lot too.)

Lately I'm thinking about overall good health and weight loss. Yes, I know...but better late than never. Exercise is an important part of overall good health but ... you know ... it's ... h.a.r.d. I've done all the classes: Aerobics, Jazzercise, Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, and my personal favorite Sit and Be Fit. They all work as long as you go to class.

Now I think I'm on to something. This isn't new and I'm certainly not the first person to ever do this, but I've found that wearing a pedometer makes me MOVE! And moving is a key component to burning calories and keeping your heart healthy. Who knew?

So, I put this little gizmo on my pocket or belt loop everyday and watch my steps go up and up and up. Before I know it I'm at 8500 steps and it's only 2 PM. Before the pedometer and I became friends, I'd get home from teaching high school and zone out on the sofa for a few hours. Now, I look at my little gizmo and think, I'll go up and down the steps a few times or walk to the mail box a few times and viola! I'll have my 10,000+ steps in no time. I'm aiming for 20,000 a day in the new year.

It's a personal challenge to get the steps. It's me against me. No twenty-something spandexed blond Zumba-ing beside me, or smarty pants kid stretching her legs over her head and touching her toes to the floor ... of the next room. Nope, it's just me pushing for the 10,000th step. It's fun. I don't count calories, I'm too busy moving. I don't snack as much, I'm moving. Really! I know it sounds too easy and believe me I'm all about the easy. But it is....it's easy.

I bought a good pedometer, but there are hundreds of different kinds out there. One of them even talks to you. That's a bit much for me, but anything you like will do. They cost anywhere from $5 to $75 (that's the talking one.)

So here's my next to last gift idea for a friend, preferably your best friend. The person you've had countless conversations with about losing weight and exercising. The one who would really appreciate this little gift. The one who will move with you if you ask. A pedometer!!

Get moving! Get walking! Get healthy! And who knows maybe someone will call (me) and ask you (me) to do a commercial.

For the close readers and purists: The picture was taken on a Saturday and I didn't put the pedometer on until around noon.

Amaryllis Update

Just in case you were wondering, here's how the Amaryllis bulb is doing.


December 8, 2008


December 14, 2008

If You Fill It, They Will Come - Gift idea #3

Bird seed and bird feeders are fun to assemble and fun to watch. Kids just love to see the variety of birds that begin to flutter around the seed, and older adults who can't get out as often as they would like find joy in watching the birds feed.

Our feeders had been empty for about a year. I have a short attention span and as soon as a new project is working, I'm bored with it and have to move on. Then a while later I become interested again and a crazy cycle begins. I do that with a lot of things.

Anyway :), I bought a new feeder for the picture, and filled one with expensive seed, on the left and filled the other with the inexpensive seed, on the right.

I hung them Saturday afternoon and by Sunday morning the birds had returned to our feeders. No hard feelings, I suspect.

I thought I'd do a little experiment to see if I had discerning birds. Would the expensive seed attract the more elite birds, the cardinals, blue jays, red-headed wood peckers, or the yellow finch-like birds? Would the cheap seed be enough to satisfy the ordinary less colorful birds? The finches and those other little brown non-descript ones? As you can see I'm not a real bird watcher. I don't know their names I just like to watch them eat. I should get a book.

So did they flutter around one feeder more than another? You decide.

Here's the expensive, "Ruth's Chris Steak House" birdseed feeder.



And here's the "McDonald's" birdseed feeder.



I kid. :) The birds fluttered around both the same. The cheap seed cost $5.99 and the feeder for elite seed cost about $15.99. You can find lots of bird feeders and accessories all over the Internet and much better pictures of birds at those feeders than I have here. But you get the idea. And that's what this is all about, gift ideas, not award winning photos, yet.

Gift idea #3 ... done!
.

2008 Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony and Rosie's Broadway Kids

Amaryllis Starter Kit - Gift idea #2

This little gift serves a number of purposes. Most of my friends are ready to purge things from their house and downsize to a more manageable environment. Nobody wants another glass bowl, or picture frame, or gloves, scarfs or hats. We have dozens of these items in our basement already. Consumables are the best bet for Christmas for us.

But, you can get rid of some of the items that are cluttering your basement or garage with this little idea. You'll want to give this to someone younger than me who still finds joy in the knick-knack it will come in.

First, go to your basement or garage and find a container, crock pot, vase, or bowl that you've stored because you can't part with it yet. Bring those to your work area where you've place an Amaryllis bulb you purchased at the Garden Store for $9.99. You can use Paper Whites, Daffodils or Tulip bulbs if you want. I like the Amaryllis for the single stem and two or three flowers look.

Next go out to your driveway and gather a few rocks, or buy some river rocks at the Garden Store for about $5.00

The next and last part is easy. Fill the container of your choice with a few rocks, put the Amaryllis bulb on the rocks, the add a few more rocks to secure the bulb. Put water in the container just to cover the roots and in no time at all you'll see the start of a plant.





It will bring joy to the recipient for a long time. January and February will be delightful as the bulb grows taller and taller. Late February and March will be amazing as the flower pod begins to form and open, and by the beginning of Spring your gift will be in full bloom.

Gift Idea #2.....done!

And sure there are plenty of sites online that you can order the same exact thing, but what fun would that be, and how will you get rid of your junk? :)

The Republic of Tea - Gift idea #1

It's December and the media is reminding us of the number of shopping days left until Christmas. "Shopping days...." ugh. Considering the economy this year what we should be saying is there are 18 days left to select, or create a thoughtful, moderately priced treasure for the people we care about.
So, I'm on a mission to post a little gift idea each day or so that's around $20. I'm thinking about items I've gotten and loved, or given with great success, or I'm using now and know that someone would love it too.
Here is my the first gift idea. A few months ago I decided to reduce my caffeine consumption. No specific reason really, I thought it would be a healthy choice since I began noticing I couldn't function without a least 3 big cups of coffee; one had to be Starbucks venti, quad, white chocolate mocha, skim with whip. It was becoming expensive, not to mention, fattening.
So, at the suggestion of a sales person in a gourmet food shop, The Fig Tree, who said this was the "Cadillac of Tea", I bought my first Republic of Tea tea bag. (You had to buy it by the bag in this shop.) It was very good.
I went to the Republic of Tea website and discovered they had quite a selection of tea and gift ideas. I bought four cans of 50 bags each. Each can was $10 and each was a different flavor. I bought green tea, orange-cranberry tea, mango tea and passion fruit tea. I like them all. The gift ideas on the site are reasonably priced and most important, the tea is delicious. The Cadillac of Tea indeed!
I plan to order more and give these attractive cans of delicious tea to a few of my co-workers along with a mug I'll buy at Target later this week.
Gift idea #1 ... done!

Brady and Lilly - A Labrador Retriever tale

These are my sister's dogs. I've chosen not to show you their faces, this being a public blog and all. :)

In an earlier post I said she talks to her dogs as if they were human. Well, she does and it works.

Case in point: Last summer she was having her house painted. The painter squatted by his tools to put something back and the chocolate lab, the younger more energetic, the "I never stop moving from one thing to another all day long, nope, nope, nope never stop moving" chocolate lab, came rushing up behind him, grabbed the red bandanna handkerchief from his back pocket and in a flash took off up the hill and into the woods.
My sister screamed, "Lilly, bring that back!" Nothing. She yelled again, "Lilly bring that back!" Nothing. The painter continued painting and about fifteen minutes later Brady, the older, wiser, "I wish that kid would leave things alone and why do I always have to pick up after her" yellow lab, came sauntering down the hill with the red bandanna in his mouth and dropped it at the painter's feet.

Seriously.

Nie Recovery - Mr. Nielson

A lovely young couple with four children were in a serious private plane accident in Arizona. The pilot, Doug Kinneard did not survive the accident. The children of the couple were not with them. This couple's recovery will be long, painful and expensive, and their family has set up numerous ways wonderful friends in the blogging community can help...prayers being the number one request.

If you've been following the NieRecovery saga like I have, (on the young wife's sister's blog) and thousands of bloggers around the world have, you will be heartened to hear and see this.

Rosie O'Donnell

Rosie O'Donnell was once called the Queen of Nice. She had a daytime talk show and everyone loved her. She went on to do The View and suddenly everyone didn't love her.

The public rarely knows anything about celebrities except what they read in the tabloids, and it's rare that the public sees the human being behind the makeup.

Take a look at this film clip. Watch the whole thing. This is the Rosie we rarely see. This is what she's about. I'm a huge fan. Can you tell? :)

And after you watch the clip, consider donating a few $$ to Rosie's Broadway Kids, or the Maravel Arts Center. It's for kids, and it's all good. :)

Here's how you can donate:
Go to Rosie's Broadway Kids and first watch some of the performance posted there. Then find your options for donating and decide which one is best for you.

Even if you don't want to donate anything I guarantee you'll be entertained for a few minutes.
Remember, it's all about the kids.

A Good Cup of Coffee

Some days nothing else will do!

John Williams is the Man

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I love this!! I know it's not really the kid singing. The a capella group is called Moosebutter and they gave this kid their blessing when he pitched his idea to them. But still, I love it. Four part harmony, humor, Star Wars and John Williams....just the best. :)

The Underbelly of Activism

I am not an activist, yet I am passionate and loyal to my cause. I'm a lioness, a wolf, a swan...dedicated to the deep connection and unconditional love of family. My family. Yours. The woman who migrates each night from bus stop to bus stop wrapped head to toe in her white blanket. I long to be loved by my own mother still.

And that is why I am so taken by this side of the election. It is, to me, the heart of what is to come. As joyful as parenting is, the ultimate intention, so too is it the most humbling of experiences. And that is what we need at the core of the president of our country.

" Malia Obama probably wasn’t sure if her Dad would make it home from work to watch her soccer game this past Friday night. He’s been pretty busy lately. But her Mom and her little sister would be there. The flow of the kids moving the ball down the field, under the lights of a chilly night in October. The families chatting on the sidelines. The starlight glow of downtown Chicago rising up from the north.

Malia Obama at mid field shouts “Mom!” And the smile, grace, and presence of the woman whose eyes never once leave her daughter---no matter who else she speaks to, waves back and sends a radiant smile. In that one wave and smile, you see hope come alive before your very eyes.

Then just a few minutes after eight; something like a shift in earth’s gravity occurs. To the casual observer, nothing in this scene has changed. That pull of the earth’s power must have been imagined. The true city dweller will feel it first, before they even see it. Blink your eyes and they appear. Ringing the shadows of this soccer field are people with guns. Serious people with guns. Like oak trees that move. The phrase, “Not on my watch” flashes through your head. You have to look hard to make sure they are even there. You never really see a gun. You’re not even sure they are moving. But when you blink your eyes, somehow their positions have changed. Something about the way they just appear calms your breathing. Instinctively you know. These are the good guys.

With that feeling of true safety pressed firmly in your very soul; you can remember the real secret at the heart of the city: we of the city are just a million small town kid's soccer game scenes all strung together. So the kids laugh and kick the soccer ball. Then some guy in a blue cap walks out of the gym next door. Hands in his pocket, face down, by himself. He walks over to Malia’s Mom, who has 3 conversations going on simultaneously with folks on the sidelines. The quiet guy in the blue cap puts his arm around Malia’s Mom. Shakes hands with a couple of the people. Talks with Malia’s Mom for a minute or two.

Just then a small miracle occurs. The quiet guy in the blue cap who nobody in the crowd of really paid all that much attention to; scrunches down so he is face to face with Malia’s little sister Sasha. He lifts up the brim on the cap. And then, standing 15 feet behind Sasha you see what she’s seeing up close. You see that smile. That smile that resounds with the very power and the glory of the city lights behind it. That smile now almost ready to take it's place in American history. You can’t hear, and are happy not to hear, what he’s saying to his youngest daughter. But you do hear her giggle. Then the father takes the daughter’s hand. The younger daughter. The one who is not in the game. The one who by all rights and purposes and measures any of us know at this time in our history---was destined not to get a lot of attention tonight. They move back in the shadows, behind the sideline crowd. Seen only by that quiet show of force here to keep them absolutely safe. Then the miracle: they have a foot race. While the soccer game is still going on. Just the two of them. Sasha and her Dad take off together, both running at full speed, as fast and then faster than either of them could ever imagine. Sasha laughing, and laughing at the finish line. Her Dad swoops down and picks her up. Then that smile. This time only for his daughter. No one else was looking. It was just for her. His youngest daughter’s giggle. It’s the music of his promise to make sure that everyone’s included.

And this past Friday night in Chicago: Malia Obama’s team won the game."

This is not mine. I copied and pasted it here from Busha Full of Grace and she copied and pasted it from Misplaced Mama.
She encouraged readers to copy this to their blogs.
It moved me. It spoke to me. The election is over. We have a new president. A man, a husband, and a father who sees the value of family more clearly than we've seen for a long time. Let's embrace this and see what happens.

OnStar

The last three Chevy Blazers we've had have been equipped with OnStar. I love having OnStar in my car. It makes me feel safe and more connected with services I might need in case of emergency. When we travel I can easily find things like hotels, restaurants, points of interest, less congested routes, and local radio stations. In addition, I can talk on the phone hands-free to whomever I want. It's comforting.

I like it so much that in my fantasy camp mind, I've imagined myself in one of their radio commercials. You've heard them, actual taped conversations with an OnStar operator talking with victims of an accident. The commercial ends with the OnStar client thanking OnStar and wondering what they ever did without it.

I thought my 15 minutes of fame had come one summer when I needed OnStar for the first time. I was working on a Mission Project with my church. Families from our church were building a home for a family who lived in the heavily wooded mountains of Pa.

Our group traveled to the area and set up camp for a week. Everyone, no matter how young or old, had a job. Kids and adults hammered nails into the studs, guided the roof frame into place, drilled holes for the wiring, rolled on and attached the insulation, hung the dry wall, shingled the roof, installed the windows, laid tile on the kitchen floor, installed appliances, carried the supplies, etc, etc. You get the picture. Many hands doing many jobs.

So, what was my job? Feeding all those many hands three meals and snacks daily. And I was happy to do that. I can't hammer in a nail straight and I end up wearing more Spackle than I put on the walls. People laugh at me when I try any of the jobs...with a smile on their face and love in their heart, I'm sure.

Anyway, on this particular day, our first full day at camp, my friend and I were up at the crack of dawn preparing breakfast in the kitchen of a youth camp nearby. When everyone had eaten we cleaned up and began preparing sandwiches, drinks and snacks for lunch, all the while driving coolers of water, lemonade, and ice tea back and forth to the workers. Around noon, with lunch for 125 hungry workers securely packed in the back of the Blazer we headed to the work site to feed the masses.

We arrived on the single lane mountain road in front of the work site. Our plan was to stop there, unload the food and then park the Blazer out of the way so we could set up lunch. We jumped out of the Blazer and slammed the doors, quickly going around to open the hatch and get the lunches out of the back. When I slammed my door, I heard a very quiet almost inaudible, click and I knew immediately that all the doors had locked automatically. The keys were in the ignition, my bag was on the front seat and lunches for 125 hungry men, women and children were locked in the back as the temperature inside the Blazer on that hot summer day began to climb.

Lots of bad words were flying through my head, but since this was a church trip that's where they stayed, unlike the Mouse in the House incident of a few years back.

So instead, I remembered I had OnStar! Great! But, the number and my OnStar card were in the locked car. Luckily my friend had OnStar on her car and she did have the brains to take her bag with her when she hopped out of the passenger side. She had her cell phone and the OnStar number with her.

The conversation between OnStar and me went something like this:

OS: "Hello, this is Kelly from OnStar how can I assist you?"
Me: "Hi Kelly, this is LJ and I've locked the keys in my Blazer"
OS: "Okay, you've locked your keys in the Blazer and you want us to unlock it for you?"
Me: "Yes"
OS: "No problem, LJ, we do this all the time."
(Whew, I thought, I'm not the only idiot and they can fix this and I can do their next commercial. That fantasy camp mind of mine works 24/7.)
I gave Kelly all the information she needed to unlock my Blazer.

OS: "LJ? Just step away from the car leaving about four feet between you and the car and in about five minutes we'll have the car doors unlocked." And thank you for using OnStar. If we can be of assistance in the future please don't hesitate to call. Have a nice day! Goodbye."

About now the kids began to realize their lunch had arrived but there was a problem. Nothing makes kids hungrier than knowing the food is near but they can't have it. Suddenly about 50 starving kids began circling the Blazer like hungry tigers circling wounded prey, peering in the windows to see what they couldn't have.

My friend announced in a big, booming voice, "Step away from the Blazer boys and girls, so the OnStar satellite can unlock the doors."
The kids were intrigued and immediately became quiet as they backed away from the car. I could see in their eyes they were thinking a beam from the Mother Ship was about to descend on the Blazer, light it up and unlock the doors.

So we waited, and waited, and waited. Nothing. No Mother Ship. No beam. No magical door opening.

We called OnStar again and the kids began to move towards the Blazer.

OS: "Hello this is Donald from OnStar how can I help you?"
Me: "Hello Donald, this is LJ. I just called a few minutes ago about having locked the keys in my car. Do you have my information in front of you."
OS: "Let me look and see what I can find. Please hold.
Oh great, I'm on hold, the ice is melting, the lunch is getting warm and Elvis's "All Shook Up" is playing in my ear. How appropriate.
OS: Thank you for holding LJ. I see you've locked your keys in the car, is that correct?"
Me: "Yes, keys are locked in the Chevy Blazer. All doors are locked. Yes, everyone is standing four feet away from the Blazer. We're still waiting for you to unlock the doors."
OS: "Okay, Please hold."
(In my head I'm practicing my lines for the commercial while I'm on hold with Donald. Kids are inching closer to the Blazer.)
OS: "LJ may I ask, where exactly are you?"
Me: (Giving detailed information about our location.) ..."and we are on a small single lane road surrounded by the tallest most beautiful trees in the state of Pa. It's pristine and beautiful. (You can hear a script forming here for the OnStar commercial, can't you?)
OS: So, you are in the woods, surrounded by tall trees?
Me: "Yes!" "Yes we are, we're building a house for... (This was going to be in my commercial script too. A mention of our church and all the good things we do.)
OS: Interrupting..."LJ, The OnStar satellite can't find you if you are in the woods. We're sorry. Thank you for using OnStar. If we can be of assistance in the future please don't hesitate to call. Have a nice day! Goodbye."

And goodbye to the commercial in my fantasy camp mind as it disappeared with the click of the OnStar person hanging up."

There was only one thing left to do and why didn't I do this first?

Me: "Okay," I shouted, "You two older boys over there, get a crow bar out of the tool truck, plus a few shims. Does anybody have a coat hanger? Let's get these doors open the old-fashioned way so everybody can have lunch."
Big cheer from the starving masses and in five minutes everybody was eating.

Do I hear Hallelujah, Amen?!

Skeletons in the Closet

Note: This was my very first post on my blog four years ago when Bush was running for his second term against Senator John Kerry. It's worth repeating because the same thing is happening now. This time it's not so much about a military record, but rather actions in the distant past that candidates are using against one another. I want to say, "Please, stop it already. Each of you just tell me how you'd run the country differently than it's being run now to make things better.

I was a teenager and college student during the late 60s and early 70s. Most of the presidential candidates during the last 10 years have been my age or a bit older. So often these candidates are judged on what choices they made during the 60s and 70s when they were impressionable young adults, who really had no idea what they wanted to do or where they would be when they were 50-60 years old. They were active participants in their decade and culture as we all were and they did things that kids did at that age. Of course now a student at Harvard (or Hawaii Pacific University or North Idaho College or University of Idaho or Matanuska-Susitna College) who has aspirations to be president or the very least a public servant may think twice about being offered a joint at a party on a Friday night after a long week of classes, tests, papers and labs, but in the 60’s this kind of behavior had yet to be used against anyone.

On December 1, 1969, the United States began a new method* of drafting young men to fight the war in Vietnam: It held a lottery. It worked like this: Each day of the year was printed on a piece of paper. These pieces of paper, representing each potential draftee's birthday, were placed in blue plastic capsules. Then all 366 capsules (one for each day of the year, including leap years) were placed in a large glass jar. As millions watched on TV or listened on radio, the capsules were drawn from the jar, one by one. The first date drawn was assigned a draft number of "one"; the next date drawn received draft number "two"; and so on, until each day of the year -- each potential birthday -- had been drawn from the jar and assigned a draft number. After the lottery, draftees were called for duty in order of their draft number, beginning with number "one," proceeding to number "two," and so on, until the military's manpower needs were met. So if you drew a low number in the lottery, you were likely to be drafted; if you drew a high number, you probably wouldn't be. In this particular draft**, anyone who received a number lower than 196 was eventually called to report; anyone who received 196 or higher was not. (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/13/the.draft/)

On that night I was watching the lottery with my boyfriend and his fraternity brothers and their girls friends. You have to know....and I do, since I was there...that almost all of them were hoping for a high number. Meaning if their birthday was May 1, they prayed that the May 1 ball was 366th ball drawn. There were tears and cheers that night and the conversation groups that formed, (high number groups and low numbers groups) had topics ranging from enlistment, to staying in college for as long as possible, to moving to Canada, to having a friend of someone's Dad make a call, or having Dad make a call to see if there was a way to avoid the draft. That night the feeling was that nobody thought any less of anyone in any group. If you were lucky enough to have the grades and the dollars to stay in college that was great. If you could move to Canada that was okay, too. If your Dad was a retired General and could get you in the reserves that was okay...or if you had to go and you figured out a way to get sent home by being wounded enough times without getting killed, then that was okay and if you wanted to enlist the next day that was just fine, too. My point is...it didn't make a difference what your choice was, because it was your choice. Nobody thought any less of these articulate, intelligent young men. We just didn't want them killed in a seemingly senseless war. Sound familiar?

So why do we chastise candidates for their actions of some 30 years ago? I think we should just look at their political record from the recent past. Look at things they've done in their job working for a better America and make decisions based on that.

Five Friends

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Happy, Happy Birthday!

This beautiful woman will be celebrating her birthday tomorrow.

When she was a little girl she never ventured far from home. While her older brother was enjoying the outdoor life at camps and retreats, she could be found performing to an audience of forest animals from the driveway of our house. Or, sitting in the comfy chair reading a book, or changing the outfits on her Barbie dolls. Sleepovers weren't her thing and after two attempts at summer camp, they became out of the question, too.

To Everything
There is a season
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

She lives in New York City now. Her job in the Arts fits her to a T, and she's talented, funny, smart, sweet, sensitive, conscientious, and caring.

This picture? was taken in Prague, Czech Republic last month when she had 4 sleepovers there. :)

Happy Birthday, sweetieface!

The Blog Book

Check out this link to a Blog Book being developed to help raise money for the NieNie Recovery Fund. You could be a published blogger and make the world a better place.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

Let's re-think this favorite movie line thing, shall we? A frivolous hobby? A party pleasing parlor game? A clever pick up line at a bar? Or, a life saving mantra between a father and his autistic son as they drift perilously close to a certain death in the ocean. You decide. :)

Movie Talk

Ask any adult if they have a favorite line from a movie and most will say they do.

"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."

"Go ahead, make my day."

"I'll be back."

"Play it again, Sam."

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”

"I'm gonna' make him an offer he can't refuse."

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

"You'll shoot your eye out."

"I'll have what she's having."

"There's no crying! There's no crying in baseball!"

"Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal."

"Nobody puts baby in a corner. "

...or the less popular quote from the same move,
"I carried the watermelon."

I'll bet anyone over the age of 20 who is reading this (both of you) can name the movie the above quotes are from.

But, can you name the movie these quotes came from?

"To infinity, and beyond!"

"When life gets you down do you wanna' know what you've gotta' do? Keep swimming. Just keep swimming."

"This isn't flying. This is falling, with style!"

"I create feelings in others that they themselves don't understand."

"I'm H2O intolerant."

"Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave."

"Okay, he either said, "move to the back of the throat," or he "wants a root beer float.""

"I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food."

"You've got to move it, move it, move it."

Did you get them all right? If you need help with any of these just ask a five-year old or a seven-year old. My adorable niece and nephew and my daughter and I sat around the pool one day this summer and talked. Yes, talked. For once it wasn't, Aunt L. watch me! Or, Aunt L. look over here at me, I can swim on my back. Or, look Aunt L. I can do a flip now.

This time we sat in a circle and shared lines from our favorite movies. These two little geniuses could match us one for one with lines from their favorite movies. Turns out we've seen some of the same movies. Pixar, Disney and Sesame Street got it right when they made movies adults and kids could watch together.

My niece and nephew don't watch much TV, but when they do, they remember! Those little minds are blank hard drives waiting to be filled with sights, sounds and dialog. My nephew will run through the house chattering away with the Buzz Lightyear action figure in his hand. Sometimes he's making up his own story, but sometimes he's quoting the movie almost word for word.

My niece will dress in her princess gowns, complete with high heels. She'll grab the microphone from the Karaoke and sing her little heart out to the tunes from Beauty and the Beast or Lion King. She even knows the words to most Hannah Montana songs.

Of course their lives are filled with other activities too, like gymnastics, soccer, karate, swimming, all the things kindergarten and elementary school kids are into these days. But my tumbling days are long gone, so I'm loving the fact that there's still at least one way we can have fun together.

So how about you? What's your favorite line from a movie?

Nie Recovery

You'll notice I have a new box on the side of my blog called, Nie Recovery.

Two weeks ago I learned through reading someone else's blog, that a lovely young couple with four children were in a serious private plane accident in Arizona. The pilot, Doug Kinneard did not survive the accident. The children of the couple were not with them. This couple's recovery will be long, painful and expensive, and their family has set up numerous ways wonderful friends in the blogging community can help...prayers being the number one request.

I haven't any idea why I feel compelled to do something, but I do. Go to her sister's website and read their story. Or, go to this New York Times article and read it.

If it touches you like it touched me, you can do something too, by clicking on the Donate to NieNie box on my blog.

Back To School

"Don't you love New York in the
fall? It makes me want to buy school
supplies. I would send you a bouquet of
newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your
name and address."
You've Got Mail.

I love You've Got Mail and this quote from the movie was one of my favorites.

It's back to school time around these parts and for me it's the best time of year. Of course, I don't like seeing the end of my summer, but September, I love September.

Here, let me count the ways:

1. High School Football! Pom-Poms, majorettes, confetti, Friday nights, hot dogs, cokes, marching bands, dance teams, cheerleaders. The enthusiasm is contagious and even though I'm well, well, well, (okay enough!!) past those years, I still get emotional with the first drum cadence of the season.
One time we had a Superintendent who said, a winning football team can carry you all the way through the first semester. Clearly this guy had his priorities in the right place.:)

2. Dry Air! Yes, I said dry air. For a few frizz free weeks in the fall the humidity goes down and the temperature stays warm. Naturally curly unruly hair becomes manageable and darn near straight, a dream I've had since I was fourteen. In the summer humidity after a day at the beach, or just outside in the humidity, I looked like a Carmen Miranda impersonator. You know the picture, a woman with the fruit on her head as an adornment? In the '60s and '70s I longed for Joan Baez hair or hair like Mary Allin Travers from Peter, Paul and Mary. Parted in the middle and long and straight, no matter the weather. I also yearned for their vocal talent, another gift nature didn't bless me with. What I got instead was hair so unpredictable that I never went on a swimming date. A long walk in the moonlight was misery for me because when the walk was over and the lights of the dorm lobby hit me I had gone from Mary Travers, (a look I'd achieved after hours of work under a hairdryer bonnet with juice cans for rollers. Then a straightening iron that had absolutely no high heat monitor or automatic off switch. You could get 3rd degree burns on the side of your face and burn your dorm to the ground if you weren't careful) to Angela Davis in less than an hour. Dry air is my friend.

3. Colors! Red, Orange, Yellow, Apricot, Asparagus, Bittersweet, Brick Red, Burnt Orange, Burnt Sienna, Atomic Tangerine, Copper, Gold, Golden Rod, Indian Red, Mahogany, Dandelion, Neon Carrot, Olive Green, Vivid Tangerine, Radical Red, Raw Sienna, Razzmatazz Red, Sun Glow, Sunset Orange, Torch Red, Scarlett, Outrageous Orange, Laser Lemon, Unmellow Yellow, Sunset Orange, Torch Red, Scarlett.
If a trip to Maine or other parts north are out of the question, come to Western PA during the first two weeks of October. The Allegheny Mountains are awash with the colors of fall and splash against the sky an artist's palate of reds, oranges and yellows...and variations of those colors as mentioned above from the 64 count box of crayola crayons. :)

4. Pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, and corns stalks. Who doesn't like to hike through the pumpkin patch and find the perfect one on which to carve a scary face and frighten the beejeebers out of the little kids who come to the door?

5. Apples and Apple Cider. Simmer a pot of cider on the stove with a few sticks of cinnamon and guests will think they've walked onto Walton's Mountain in the fall.

6. Did I mention dry air and straight hair. :)

7. Fall clothes! Love, love, love fall clothes. Just enough coverage to hide troublesome spots, yet still light enough to be comfortable and fashionable.

8. Chrysanthemums....pots of these fall beauties all over the porch and deck. And do you know you can smell the seasons? Another reason to love the fall.

9. New students. Teaching is a great profession and I love it. Kids are funny and nice and each year I get a whole bunch of new ones. Oh sure, there are a few here and there who curl my hair... Ha!... as if. But for the most part, they are wonderful.

The first day of school and September and Fall are like New Years' day for me. I start fresh and reinvent myself when September rolls around. All the missteps of the previous year are forgotten, and promises are made to myself to do an even better job in the new year.

Besides all the wonderful advice from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture that I plan to use in my classes this year, I found this on the web and will use it as my personal mantra for this school year:

"YOU MAY BE THE ONLY BIBLE SOME PEOPLE EVER READ. IF EVERYONE YOU MEET CAN NOT SEE GODS LOVE THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, THEN YOU HAVE FAILED HIM"