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!

Again ... and Again ...

Ever since the early 2000's people have told me, and countless other of my friends, "You have to be content being single in order for God to send you someone." Yesterday, however, was my last straw. While peeling potatoes with me, a very awesome Christian friend of mine counseled me with, what has almost become part of Christian doctrine: "You have to be content..." Although these many friends in the past have meant well, I beg to differ with what they believe to be a "now very obvious" and true philosophy. If being content in singlehood is the key to finding Mr./Mrs. Right, then why ... :

1) ... after many periods of total singlehood contentment, have we never found anyone to fall in love with?

2) ... for this to happen, would God require only that we be content in this part of our life?

3) ... are many perfect Christian relationships born out of two people not content being single...and far, far from perfect? (I know some do happen that way, but not all ...)

4) ... does this sound just like advice Job got from his friends? "Obviously you're sinning if ...." Let's just learn the lesson from Job.

5) ... HELLO! (and my biggest point of all), IS THERE NO BIBLICAL SUPPORT (that I have ever heard of) FOR THIS BELIEF??

Therefore, my belief is that that belief is a bunch of junk (to put it mildly) and needs to stop being touted as some mature Christian philosophy. Thank you!

If you have any true, sage, and Biblical advice on this subject, you can let me know. Until then, I plan to continue growing in my relationship with Christ, becoming more content in each area of my life, but all the time realizing not to play it as some magical key to finding a guy.


P.S.
As I said, these are dear people who suggested this thought, but I just don't want others to be misled, as it can be hindering.

And I Thought It Was All Just A Stereotype . . .

But they really are that...you know. Gotta check this out. Wow!

"But once back at her luxury home, Paris celebrated by inviting her family round.

A pal said she had sent her assistant shopping and arranged for her make-up artist to visit.

The pal said: “It’s so cruel what has happened to her. She wasn’t allowed to wax or use a moisturiser. Her skin is so dry right now.”



(Click here for the full article.)

Back Again

Yau-Man came over to our house again, but this time I got a photo snapped of us! :) We found out soooo much more about his experience, like what went on behind the scenes, more about what we saw, what the cameramen and crew were like...and the secret to how he kicked booty in the maze. :D Wow! Very interesting stuff. He is one SMART, NICE and FUN guy. More on all of this lata. Chia!

Buzzing Around In My Mind

For a long time now I've been dieing to know the answer to two questions my brain just kind of thought of randomly:

1) If atoms race faster the hotter they get, therefore turning into liquids or gasses, why does an egg turn from a liquid to a solid the hotter it becomes?

2) Mmmmmm....I had another one, but my brain is fried due to it being the last week of school (the end of the school year being WAY crazier and harder than I thought it would be--I've been pulling 14-16 hour days), so I'll have to get back to it later. hehe

Peace out!

Okay...So I'm Having Fun ;)

You Should Drive a Saturn Sky

You're sleek and smooth, and you need a car to match your hot persona. Besides, sometimes you want your top up - and sometimes you want it down.

What 2007 Car Should You Drive?

New York...It would have to be Long Island... :)

You Belong in New York City

You're the energetic, ambitious type. And only NYC is fast enough for you. Maybe you'll set yourself up with a killer career Or simply take in all the city has to offer.

What City Do You Belong In?

"Pretty Flower..."

You Are An Iris

You are a unique person who seeks out novelty in life. An inspiration seeker, you often have to change scenery to recharge. You don't deal well with structure or rules. You need to do it your own way. Your ideal relationships are free and flowing. No one can tie you down.

What Flower Are You?

I'm not such a big fan of this particular flower, but what is said about it describes me to a "t". Yae! :D

"Yau-Man Swam Here"

Of course we didn't know it at the time, but the very annimated, Borneo-born, table tennis instructor/pro we use to have over to our house for swim lessons had a secret. A very big secret. He called us up one day to request adult swim lessons in order to hone his skills for a "once in a lifetime trip to the South Seas." The very coordinated 54-year-old learned very quickly, under my dads coaching, to move skillfully and sleekly through the water. He and my dad had a lot of fun together and Yau especially peaked my dad's interest because of his love for, and great skills at, table tennis, my dad's ultimate sporting fave, aside from swimming. After his lessons in our backyard, Yau would hold his towel while we would chat about various things with him in our living room, all the while sharing his very happy and contagious personality, immediately becoming one my parent's favorites (as he is sooo many people's now (his popularity ranking is at 65% and Survivor: Fiji's host, Jeff Provst, said Yau-Man is his favorite Survivor ever.

Having to head to the South Seas very quickly after his lessons, we didn't hear from him for awhile--not until we received an email from him a few weeks ago thanking us for the lessons and explaining to us what his trip to the South Seas truly was--what he was really training for (neither my parents or I have T.V.). They had just received the email as I was walking into their house for visit. Wow!!! After jumping up and down a million times (well, not my parents, but we three were ;) ) and (all) exclaiming "I can't believe it!!!! Ahhhh!!!," we quickly caught up with the entire season from a link Yau gave us in a following email. What an exciting adventure to watch the show already having a amazing person to root for.

We began emailing back and forth a bit about occurences in the show which was very fun. Talk about an athlete (I think the show stereo-typed Yau as "the nerd," but he so isn't--anyone can tell this, too, after watching his amazing feats on the show). However, he couldn't tell us, or anyone, anything about his actual experience until the final votes were cast (Mother's Day). Unfortunately, Dreamz kinda stole the title from Yau, but he is good with it--whata guy. So, now that that has happened (and I'm SOOOO proud of Boo!!), I am hoping we can do an interview with him. Until then, I will say, "Yau-Man Swam Here." :)


P.S.
I could say so much more about this...but I've got to hop in the pool!!

Cootie Catchers and Other Things

"Do you know how to make cootie catchers??" asked one of my students, holding a piece of paper up to me. Cootie catchers? When I was in elementary school, we just wiped them off on someone else's desk. What a fun new development!

Needless to say, second graders are so cool!...And junior highers. I'm a strange sort to like junior highers I'm told, but it's right after the cootie stage, which makes it comical. :)

In the same spirit, my kids often ask me why in the world I am not married yet, or at least why I don't have a boy friend (mostly at the beginning of the year). So, back in January, I answered, "Because I just haven't found the right guy yet." A little boy, who thereafter became one of my absolute favorite little guys, of course, looked up at me with big, serious eyes, "Find me..." he said. How cute is that?!?!

Ah, second graders rock. :)

My Brother's Running for President!

My brother is the first candidate running for the 2028 Presidential campaign! Check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/jonjoh08 :)

Thanks, Bob! -- One For the Board

"I love to go to Washington - if only to be near my money."

~Bob Hope