T.F.T.D. #25 (Uni-Tasking)

A friend of mine wants to know what people think of this article: http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article4362950.ece

This is what I posted in reply:

"I am in love with uni-tasking! I read an article similar to this a couple of years ago and felt soooo much better after reading it. You know, that part of you that feels it should be concentrating is battling the part that lies that what society tells us about multi-tasking is best (get more done!). It just feels more natural to uni-task...more peaceful, calming... One of the best nights of my life was a night spend with the electricity out. I actually began wishing the electricity would permanently go out in my house and office. Aw, breathe... :) God certainly doesn't want us burdened."

What do you think?

T.F.T.D. #24 (First Ride)

Hey out there. When was the last time you observed a child, other than a family member or close friend, learning how to ride a bike (training wheel-less!) for the first time? Walking down the Iron Horse Trail this evening, I watched a mother and daughter experience that exact experience. It was priceless. The mom, with her blouse blowing in the breeze, held one strong hand in a solid grasp on her daughter's purple bike while jogging and pushing...careful not to let the her little blonde fall. "This is a milestone," she urged softly in her daughter's ear, never letting her eyes off what was in front of them. "It takes baby steps..."

Shortly after I passed them by, and understanding what a beautiful moment I had witnessed between this young mother and daughter, I glanced back and smiled. The girl had veered off into the weeds, but she and her bike were both still standing. This wise mother knew the exact moment to let go. In her care, she gave her daughter the confidence and encouragement to overcome a big feat--successfully.

I was looking for God on this trail, and I found Him speaking to me, through this little girl's first ride.

T.F.T.D. #23 (Where They Are Now?)

Ever wonder what your favorite childhood stars are up to now? Flipping through the channels this morning, I caught one of my favorite childhood shows on and, since I hadn't heard anything about them since their screen days, immediately wondered where these actors are at now. Here are a couple: :)

Mindy, Mork and Mindy (Pam Dawber): No longer acting, but is involved in Big Brothers, Little Sisters and "EyeQ" (assists reading speed and comprehension). Dawber is married with two sons, Sean and Ty.

Punky Brewster (Soleil Moon Frye): Still working in the film industry (even directing), has been married for about 10 years and just had her second daughter, Jagger Blue (first daughter: Poet, talk about them names! Well, her name is Sun Moon).

Nicholas Martin in McGee and Me! (Joseph Dammann): Still acting and working in reality T.V. production (including The Bachelor--strange to think of him doing that ;) ).



Mr. Belvedere (Christopher Hewitt): He died in 2001 from complications with diabetes. :( However, I am currently reading Julie Andrew's amazing biography and was very surprised to find out from this research that she and Hewitt both debuted on Broadway together (My Fair Lady, 1956)! :)

Webster (Emmanuel Lewis): This childhood star brought his own record label, Emmanuel Lewis Entertainment, to the scene in 2000 and is now jumping back into acting (Doesn't Texas Ever End).

Vici the Robot, Small Wonder (Tiffany Brissette): No longer acting, Brissette, enjoys horseback riding and is a counselor in San Diego for children and young adults.

Ted McGriff, Hey Dude! (David Lascher): Still acting and is married with two kids.

Michelle, Full House (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen): J/K!

Stephanie Tanner, Full House (Jodie Sweetin): Sweetin is no longer acting, but is excited about teaching. Recently married (2007), Sweetin just had her first child, a baby girl named Zoie.

T.F.T.D. #22 (Engagement)

My sisses' engagement photos from the Presidio (San Francisco) turned out SO cute! She's a good little model and this one's totally classic. :)

For more, view:
http://happenstancephotography.com/slideshows/hollydaniel/

T.F.T.D. #21 (Luxury)

Driving is now a luxury (fit in everyone you can! :) ).

T.F.T.D. #20 (Thinking)

A couple cool quotes for the day from Thinking for a Change by John Maxwell: "...stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible." A belief in the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible." 29

" ...call it what you like: the will to succeed, belief in yourself, confidence in your ability, faith. It's really true: people who believe they can't, don't. But if you believe you can, you can! That's the power ..." 170

T.F.T.D. #19 (The Bachelor)

I cannot believe that I actually got sucked into The Bachelor. I had only ever seen one episode before. Through watching the ads and that one show, it appeared that most of the ladies seemed extremely superficial and, while I surprisingly noticed that the show actually had some depth, you can't help but think, "Who in their right mind would put themselves through that?!" And I'm talking about the guy or the girls, take your pick. Blak! (It seems kind of barbaric, too.) However, as much as I kind of hated to admit it, the show did intrigue me.

Then, as today was my last "official" day at work (remember, I'm a teacher and it's now summer :) ), I took a few minutes to sit back and enjoy flipping through some channels. Extremely unfortunely, there was a Bachelor marathon on... After 10 minutes, I was hooked and, after a couple of episodes, my roomie had to go to sleep and I had to turn the lights out. and then the TV somehow switched off the Bachelor marathon channel. "Oh no!" I thought as he was down to only three girls (one had just gone off in a sea of tears--ugh...). That's when I found myself frantically searching for the right channel and, fhew, found it. I put the DVR on record and will find out tomorrow who will become Mrs. Firestone. I can't wait!

Pathetic, isn't it? :)

T.F.T.D. #18 (Here we go!)

Here we go! This one's perfect (except that it's a guy, of course :) ). That is exactly how I feel.

T.F.T.D. #18 (Paperwork Procrastination)

Whewww... When getting through paperwork (esp. paperwork you've procrastinated about for endless months), it feels like a boulder falling off your back. Cliche, yes, but oh so true!!

P.S. - I think this blondie should look even more in angst than she does...

T.F.T.D. #17 ('80s)

You know, after watching movies like 13 Going On 30, The Goonies, etc., I'm really starting to think that the '80s were a better time in history than I realized. Thinking back to my own childhood, it/they were quite magical... Life now is too computerized and T.V.-oriented.

Sure, it was a time when mohawks, neon tresses and girls with only half a head of hair were common sites, not to mention crazy punk rockers, but it was also a time when life was much more simple. We were creative kids. I remember my group of neighborhood friends, etc., always dreaming up imaginary worlds to play in, like "lost kids in the forrest" (of course, it helped that I grew up in the country). We were kids who, if we put our whole selves into it, could do anything ("kid power!"), like save our homes and communities, make sure right prevailed and become anything we wanted. We were inventive (think Data in Goonies [I actually was friends with a kid kind of like him] and Elliot's "phone home" invention) adventurous, and much more outdoorsy.

At that time, in many regards, life made so much more sense to me. The times were fun and life was more...real...more organic in feel.

T.F.T.D. #16 (Holidays)

I've always loved celebrating (or at least being aware of) weird daily holidays. However, today I am at a quandry... How on earth do you celebrate My Bucket's Got a Hole in It Day (May 30)??? Right. Any ideas? :)

T.F.T.D. #15 (Perfect Class)

They say there is no such thing as the perfect class. I beg to differ... I had it this year.

P.S. School ended yesterday and I have already been missing my kids for the past two weeks. :(

T.F.T.D. #14 (They're Ba-ck!)

They're drawing pictures of them. Playing with them at recess (and in class...). They're watching them on T.V. They're talking, talking, talking about them... And they're robots in disguise! Yes, the mighty Transformers are back! Isn't it funny how the world works? That's one thing from childhood that both my students and I will have in common. And it's thanks to Steven Spielberg. :)

T.F.T.D. #13 (Stumped)

As a teacher, I am constantly asking kids questions about all sorts of things. Even if they ask me a question in return, I always know the answer--until yesterday... You would think this would be one of the easiest questions on earth. It's not even academic. Two of my students were trying to figure out, if they could get me anything, what they should get me for my birthday (they rock) and asked many questions: "What is your favorite color," "What is your favorite this and that..." Yet what they stumped me with was: "What is your favorite thing [as in something that could be purchased or bought]?" It had to be my absolute favorite thing in the whole world. Wow, what an easy question...or not. My favorite thing? Clothes? No... "Earrings?" one asked. They're very cool, but no... Then what?? When you're a kid, I can see how that question would be easy: "An iPod!" "Transformers!" (yes, they're back!), "Littlest Pet Shop sets!"

The question bugged me all day. Why could I not figure out what my favorite thing was? Did I really not know myself as well as I thought?? No, that couldn't possibly be--I'm analyzing myself all the time...

Finally, at the end of the day, I decided upon a camera. Well, my favorite "things" on earth are people, time spent with them, good memories and scrapbooking. So, I realized the material thing that would be most important for that would be, presto!, a camera.

Fhew... Glad I got that figured out. What's your favorite thing? Ha! Take the challenge...

T.F.T.D. #12 (Mother Whale)

Went to the beach with friends for a beautiful Mother's Day and, surprise of surprise (as if hanging out with our own mom's wasn't cool enough), a mother and baby humpback whale swam in around the shore for a very extended and playful visit. Seriously, they were so close they were playing in the waves! The whole beach full of people stood in awe for about 45 minutes of magic and beauty. Happy Mother's Day! God is good.
(pictured from l-r: Holly, J.J., mua)

T.F.T.D. #11 (house cleaning)

You know, it may take one second to muss up your car and 10,000 years to clean it up, but it seems to be the opposite with the house for me. It takes a couple days to muss it up and about 1 minute to clean. I like that... :)

T.F.T.D. #10 (con't.)

... Olivia thinks that some, however, are pretty amazing...

TFTD #9 (Guys)

To borrow the Myspace.com and Facebook.com format:

"Olivia thinks that guys can be so cruel... :( "

TFTD #8 (Meatloaf)

Meatloaf for breakfast sounds totally disgusting...

T.F.T.D. #7 (SAT's)

I discovered that I could stop saying, "BE quiet..." all the time if I could only get my students to understand that EVERY day of school is as important as an SAT day... Oh what a quiet class it would be! God bless these tests. hehe :)

T.F.T.D. #6 (Homeschooling)

When the kids came piling into class this morning, only five piled in. I wondering for awhile if they were going to be the only kids to show up. Where were the rest? Were they all sick? There were so few kids present that the ones who were began to laugh because the "sparse" room felt so strange. I suddenly felt like I was homeschooling and thought, "Wow, to only have five kids to be responsible for would be amazing! I could get use to this..." Then, most all of the other students wandered in one by one. And, I realized, I wouldn't ever want to give them up. :)

Thought For the Day #4

Sometimes you're just too busy or overwhelmed to have a unique thought... But, hey, that's a thought! :)

(Second) Thought For the Day #3

Trail

Funniest thing I've heard on the trail so far- an about six-year-old boy to about the same aged girl as I was walking by a baseball field: "Jus' MAWY him then!" Then, "bladeeblahblahblah." And again, "Then jus' MAWY him!" Twenty minutes later I saw the girl walking down the field looking a little bewildered, but very deep in thought... I think she should just ask. What about you?

Thought For the Day #3

It's Friday!!!

Thought For the Day #2

They Can Make Ya Feel So Young...And So Old (Before Your Time!)


It's crazy how kids can make you feel both young...and old...even when you're still in your 20's! On a typical day, you can find me plopping up on a desk and dangling my legs over the sides, checking out cool new stories with my second grade girls at recess. That makes me feel young. They respect me, but also declare that I am one of their friends. My kids last year kept telling me how young I was. Today, however, one of my boys came up to me and asked, "Did they have computers in your day?" In my
what?! Isn't this still my day??? Ee gots. Seriously, these people can make you feel old, too. God bless 'em... :/

P.S.- While today's icons my have better fashion sense, they're still about the same. Don't you think? :)

Thought For the Day #1

That's Where the Guys Are!

Recently moving into a penthouse in a nice city in the Bay Area (no, I don't own it, or lease it, I only wish...), I took up walking the trail that runs behind our tennis courts and putting green and stretches through the majority of Bay Area cities. It actually motivates me to get out and exercise since runs through beautiful parks, canals and country nooks...and provides you with fresh air (no cough, coughing as that old truck that needs a smog check shakes past you on the road). If you want, it can even take you through the Broadway Plaza district of Walnut Creek (rival to New York's fashionable shopping districts).

In fact, I found out that's where all the cute guys are. After trying my hand at an eschelon of clubs, singles groups, churches, etc., virtually all I could ever find were 110-year-old divorced men who seemed to be more active than any guys...or girls...my age. Crazy. Anyway, I finally gave up, deciding that it was just too expensive for young people to live in the East Bay and...hmmm...maybe I should move, too. That was until 4,325 young people, most of them guys, whizzed past me on bikes and jogging shoes, just on my first day on the trail. Success! The only thing is that it's too bad they're too focused to socialize as they whiz by... Otherwise, this Champs-Elysées (which boasts a bazillion "strollers" between 5-6p) of the Bay would be perfect. :)

Let's Do the Hokey Pokey!

My former co-worker Matt Turner's (an awesome guy!) new book, Hokey Pokey: Curious People Finding What Life's All About, just hit store shelves yesterday! From what I've read of my advanced copy, between my two last-minute moves and job search, it is a very engaging and humorous book about figuring out how to live this crazy thing we call life--with passion and purpose--while living the way God meant for us to live. After I get my boxes sorted, I'll flip it open and finish it, because I'm dying to read more. Totally check it out here at Amazon.com. Happy reading!

P.S.--Oh! And don't you love the cover?! :)

I'm Back

After my long hiatus as a writer, I decided that enough is enough and I need to get back into my own world again. I've missed it. I don't know why I ever stopped--likely because my cloudy brain and very low energy level caused by adrenal fatigue and Crohn's, but I am not going to let that keep me away anymore. :) I feel more whole when I'm writing.

I am currently working on a book, a composite of inspirational and/or humorous true stories about things school kids do and say. Being a teacher is really a gift. I am also about to take a "sabbatical" and open myself up to the world of children's literature, in the form of story books. Once I am well underway there, I plan to take up magazine article writing again (my true writing passion!). For now, I will be penning my reflections on the crazy life I lead and what is going on all around it.

Since I have been away for so long, I'm not sure anyone will read it, but it's a good discipline, it's out there, and I AM ABLE TO EXPRESS MYSELF!

Ta ta and happy spring!