A Why to Live

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Saturday, January 31, 2009

He who has a why to live

can bear with almost any how.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

German Philosopher

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I am Going to Get There

Well, of COURSE this is the quote that I had to pick for today...

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Friday, January 30, 2009

You got to be careful if you
don't know where you're going,
because you might not get there.

Yogi Berra (1925 - )
Former Major League Baseball Player and Manager

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Well, wrong wrong wrong. Here's what is going to happen today:

1. I am going to calmly drive to the Denver International Airport, avoiding any and all traffic delays.
2. I am going to get through security without being strip searched for the 4th year in a row.
3. I am going to patiently wait in an airport terminal with my laptop plugged in so that I don't lose laptop power on the plane and have to converse with the confirmed bachelor next to me.
4. I am going to successfully land in an ice-free airport in Wisconsin. Not Tennessee. Not Georgia. Wisconsin. You betcha.
   
5. I am going to meet my parents at baggage claim, and proceed to have a pleasant and entertaining 11 day stay in Sheboygan, WI. Yes, Sheboygan.

In Memory of Lavender

Disclaimer: I have Chance's permission to share this story about Lavender, the now-deceased Betta Fish. She had commented on my post about my little fish still being alive, and it made me laugh out loud! Chance is on my mind right now because tomorrow she and her husband Andy welcome a new little one into the world!

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Have I ever told you story about the time Andy and I took our betta with us to Steamboat for Thanksgiving because it was sick and needed daily medicine drops?

Well...it was also the time that we were excited to tell Andy's parents that we were expecting Addison. A time when upon such news, you want to really appear responsible and organized in front of your in-laws.

Lavender was the betta's name...because it was purple...very original...I know. So anyway, Lavender rode up with us in the cup holder of my Rav 4. We get to our cabin and Andy unloads the car. The next morning I go to give Lavender his medicine and I can't find where Andy put him in our tiny cabin...oh that's because Lavender is STILL in the cup holder in the car...FROZEN to death! Great...we were just responsible for giving our fish medicine drops and we are suppose to tell his parents we are expecting a child to take care of! Needless to say...I haven't owned a fish since. AJ has been fine so far though. HA!

"P-r-o-c-r-a-s-t . . ." aw, later

GoodNESS! I have found a million OTHER things to do today, instead of what I absolutely SHOULD have been doing. Brenda Lynn!

The did list:

• Played with an absolutely darling baby - Erin and Ashley came to visit today - what a little sweet pea!
• Watched way too many episodes of Murder, She Wrote - I am seriously addicted to the Hallmark Channel
• Played through my new Ragtime piano book - a ton of songs I had never played
  
• Looked at old college photo albums - feeling a bit nostalgic
  
• E-mailed friends
• Blogging - how else could I tell you all of this earth-shattering news!? Important stuff, I must say.
  

The should of done list:

• Grades, anyone!? Pretty sure that my A Track Grades aren't going to fill themselves in. As much as I wiggled my fingers at the computer. Abracafinishmygradesa! Nope. Didn't work.
• Packed my suitcases for my trips to Wisconsin and my trip to California - capris in one, a parka in the other!
  
• E-mailed the people I was supposed to e-mail
• Yearbook. Oh, boy I'm behind on this one...
• Did I mentioned my grades? And this is only 1 track of grades!

I'm going to go watch some more Murder, She Wrote. While I pack. And finish my grades.

Wrinkles

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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Wrinkles should merely indicate
where smiles have been.

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
American author and humorist

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100% of the Shots

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

You miss 100% of the shots you never take.

Wayne Gretzky (1961 - )
Retired Canadian professional ice hockey player

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Ann and I were just talking about this quote the other day, although I couldn't remember who had said it at the time. It's that give it your all attitude - the you can't possibly complain about what you don't have if you didn't get off your hide and chase it down yourself kind of mentality. I'm up for 100% of the shots!

I feel like I am about to seriously neglect my blog right now, as I'm preparing everything for my trip to the tundra known as the midwest. It scares me when everyone over in Wisconsin is rejoicing at temperatures that have two digits. That's a bit alarming for my outer extremeties.

I am sitting at my kitchen table, surrounded by technology! I currently have:

• DVDs burning,
• CDs burning,
• CDs playing,
• I'm on hold with a customer service rep. on the phone,
• I'm blogging and grading on my Macbook,
• My Garmin Nüvi GPS is charging,
• My cell phone is texting me, and
  
• Miles, the tech man is remotely accessing my computer from PC Tablet from California to install updates and the necessary software I'll need for my Kagan Cooperative Learning training (in a week!)

THIS is how I get 100% of the shots - multitasking and having others assist! HA!

Who We Are

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Happiness is inward, and not outward,
and so, it does not depend
on what we have, but on who we are.

Henry Van Dyke (1852 – 1933)
American author, educator, and clergyman

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I have to laugh at the picture of Henry Van Dyke that I've posted here - doesn't look all that happy! I know, I know...it comes from within. Well, he needs a serious boost of within-ness!

True Measure

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Monday, January 26, 2009

The true measure of a man is how he treats
someone who can do him absolutely no good.

Possibly attributed to Samuel Johnson

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Happy Day

Oh, what an absolutely happy day! I officially became a member at Bethany this morning, had a marvelous lunch with Marie (what a lady!), and then enjoyed a well-needed choral fix. Here are some of the exceptional pieces the choirs performed this afternoon:

• Ave Verum Corpus - Mozart
• O Magnum Mysterium - Lauridsen
• Bogoroditse Devo - Rachmaninoff
• Hark! I Hear the Harps Eternal - arr. Parker/Shaw
• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place - Brahms

These are choral masterpieces, and they were performed beautifully! I haven't sung these pieces since our college trip to Europe in 2000. The middle three songs I listed I sang in France, Germany, and England, and here they were being performed the day I join a new congregation. Unreal. The musicianship exhibited this afternoon was both astonishing and inspiring. The conductors had actually been a part of Robert Shaw's choirs in Atlanta, so they had firsthand knowledge of the man. Personal stories and pictures were shared, and I have a renewed respect for Robert Shaw.
The audience were able to sing the final piece, Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah, along with the choir, which you KNOW I loved. The church was packed - as in 'please move to the center of the pew and would you mind if this nice lady sat on your lap' kind of full. I had no idea so many people in Denver enjoyed choral music so much! What a happy day!

Music for the People

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

If arts have a place in society,
they must be part of a community.

To be an artist is not the privilege of a few,
but the necessity of us all.

Robert Lawson Shaw (1916 - 1999)
American Conductor

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Ok, ok...I admit: today's thoughts may not have originated from the Thoughts in a Bottle container, but they certainly came from the heart. From the man who clearly set the standard for how choral music should be sung. Today is a big day - one that combines my love of both church and choral music. I officially join the congregation of Bethany Lutheran Church at the 10:30 am service, and then attend a tribute concert to Robert Shaw in the afternoon! Somewhere in-between there, I'm having lunch with Marie, which will be wonderful, as we've often been in the same room, just not long enough to chat! Big day!

I've only ever been a part of my childhood congregation back in Sheboygan, WI, so transferring membership was an important deal. I've always kept the faith, always attended church, I just never officially joined my new congregations. It was time, and this was the place.

The weather outside does not match my mood - it's gray and foggy - a bit spooky. I'm going to choose to think of it as...mysterious! Here in Colorado, the sun always breaks through the clouds eventually. I think that is a fantastic metaphor for the day - a symbolic way of showing that when the right thing finds you, it can't help but burst forth in joy!

What else is there?

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

If a man is doing his best,
what else is there?

George S. Patton (1885 - 1945)
Distinguished and controversial U.S. Army Officer

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Doing my best: that's all I could have done for yesterday's inservice. I couldn't possibly have been more prepared, my audience couldn't have been kinder and more enthusiastic, and my students could not have been more darling. Prepping for a workshop/demonstration on Cooperative Learning, Literacy, and Critical Thinking is not an easy task! My brain hurt putting all of those elements together in a logical, engaging way!


That being said, it is DONE! The audience was complimentary, and I really hope they were able to walk away with some practical ideas. If anything, they have some new thoughts and a local resource person they can call/e-mail. I so appreciated my students (eight!) coming in on their day off - that meant a lot to me. I will miss them over the next THREE WEEKS that I have OFF. Thank you, year-round schooling!

With a Care

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Things done well and with a care
exempt themselves from fear.

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
English poet and playwright

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Meeting my Maker

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my
Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of
meeting me is another matter.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, noted statesman and orator,
officer in the British Army, a historian, a Nobel Prize-winning writer, and an artist

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Prevailing from Pain

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Although the world is full of suffering,
it is full also of the overcoming of it.

Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)
American author, activist, and lecturer
First deafblind person to graduate from college

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Older than Jesus

As fate would have it, I happened to tune-in to the national broadcast of the Presidential Inauguration on CNN just as the musicians were performing the new John Williams piece! My kiddos adore Star Wars and Indiana Jones, so telling them that the man who wrote those pieces also wrote this special Inauguration piece was incredible! Here's a photo I found on Flickr.

Back to the performance: there on the stage was Yo-Yo Ma (try explaining THAT name to kids!) and Itzhak Perlman. They wanted to know how old he was, and I told them we needed to look that information up online. While hunting, I mentioned that he was born in what is now Israel, and the kids asked me if he was older than Jesus! I love these kids! The way their minds work!

We were able to watch Gabriella Montero on the grand piano and Anthony McGill playing the clarinet. Talk about a music lesson in the making! Because John Williams used "Simple Gifts" as the basis of his new piece, we were able to immediately connect to the music, as they have the original song in their "Get America Singing" book.

We missed hearing Aretha Franklin sing, but I'm sure I'll be able to find and download it somewhere online! I already found and archived the ensemble performance mentioned above, and found a way to view it during school hours, without having to go through any of the blocked sites (Facebook, YouTube, etc.) Hooray!

The kids were just amazed at the number of people - as was I! I found these satellite images on GeoEye later in the day - unreal!
I LOVE sharing these experiences with young children - they are exited because you are excited, and regardless of party affiliation, they completely understood that this was a momentous day in their lives! I am so excited for the future!

Knowing Where You Want to Go

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

In simplest terms, a leader is one who knows
where he wants to go, and gets up, and goes.

John Erskine (1879 - 1951)
American Educator and Author

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7:00 am: A perfect quote for today's events: the crowds attending the festivities in Washington, D. C. are a true testament to fact that our new leader has gone where he wants to go, and will continue to do so once in office. Much more throughout this historic day!

8:00 am: If I cannot watch today's activities as they unfold, I am happy to say that I will be spending this day with my kiddos at school. Answering questions, singing songs - we will celebrate in our own way here in Castle Rock!

Measured Silence

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Monday, January 19, 2009

I have often regretted my speech,
never my silence.

Xenocrates (396 - 314 BC)
Greek philosopher, mathematician, and leader of the Platonic Academy

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Silence? What's that?! I definitely have the speech part down, and for the most part, I can stand strongly behind what I say. As for being silent, well....something I could begin to work on. I've taken the Strengths Finders Quiz (from Gallop) about 8 times now, and the one strength that keeps popping up in my results is Communication. Their definition: "People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters." I might have to throw blogging in there, too.

So, I guess I would have to balance the power of the quote above with this: say the right thing in the right way, and you'll keep yourself out of trouble. No regrets. If there is nothing to say, however, and no benefit will come of your words? Zip it.

Until then, the only measured silence coming from Brenda will have be monitored this way:

They Just Keep Swimming

HOORAY! My fish have made it past the 5 month mark! My little swimmers have been alive now for 5 months! 5 months and 2 days to be exact. That's 155 days. (How lame is THIS blog entry!?)

If you remember my blog entry in September, keeping fish alive is NOT my forte. Five hours is about my record, so measuring little fish in MONTHS is a Brenda miracle.

I feed them every other day, because that's when I remember to feed them. I change their water more often than I feed them.

I do talk to them (I think we may have just nailed down why I am still single) all the time, so they know I love them. Even if I forget to give them daily nourishment.

Good job, little fish. Way to keep swimming.

I Think I Can

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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Whether you think that you can,
or that you can't, you are usually right.

Henry Ford (1863 - 1947)
American founder of the Ford Motor Company, father of modern assembly lines

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1,000 Hits

Wow! My blog counter just reached 1,000 hits! How amazing to think that so many people have visited The Cheese Stands Alone, whether it was to read, browse, or just enjoy the pictures.

Regardless of what draws you here, thank you
for stopping by, and enjoy what's to come!

Baby Steps

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Saturday, January 17, 2009

A journey of a thousand miles
must begin with a single step.

Proverb

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Or, in my case, a journey of a thousand books must begin with a single page! I find my home filled with lots of wonderful literature right now. The books themselves are nothing new, the READING of them is! There are a collection of books from, for, and about faith, and there are a bunch of books I simply WANT to read. Here is what is staring me down from the coffee table:

• Big Russ and Me - Tim Russert
• Pontoon - Garrison Keillor
• Opening the Book of Faith - Jacobson, Powell, Olson
  
• And One More Thing Before You Go - Maria Shriver
• We Thought You Would Be Prettier - Laurie Notaro
• Kate Remembered - A. Scott Berg
• Disciple: Becoming Disciples through Bible Study
  
• The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
• A Thread of Grace - Mary Doria Russell

Hmm...not exactly light reading. Perhaps that's why I keep having some difficulty when trying to finish reading these texts! Little Miss ADHD here needs to pick one or two, and really focus on completing those books. I think I just might try that!

I can't help but think of one of my favorite movies, "What About Bob?", where the psychiatrist suggests beginning things with 'baby steps'. WHY I love this movie, I'm not quite sure, but it keeps me laughing every time I view it, and wouldn't you know it, now fits into the blog thought of the day! HA!

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Note: The day is finally here! Tonight, I'm attending "My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra" with Ann, Kim, and Kim's mom, Neva!

The show is at the Town Hall Arts Center just up the road in Littleton, and their website has this to say about the show: Great songs combined with witty and charming dialog create an eye-popping and ear-pleasing performance that will leave you feeling like the Chairman of the Board. My Way is not a Sinatra impersonation, but a tribute to the musical legacy this legendary performer left behind. Packed with over fifty songs, the cast of two musicians and four singers share renditions of Strangers in the Night, New York, New York, Chicago, That's Life, and of course My Way. In breaks between the medleys the actors recall quotes from Sinatra and memories other musicians had of the man. Whether you're a Sinatra fan or you just love good music, My Way will have you humming a tune all the way home. Come and see why The Best is Yet to Come!

Those of you who know me, know just how much I love the smooth, lyrical sounds of the Sinatra era. The text of the songs, the line of the melody. This theme was crafted into many written pieces during my Master's Degree coursework at Regis, my final presentation (CAP), my classroom, my iPod - you name it! Oooooh, I'm excited!

What I Know

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Friday, January 16, 2009

I am not young enough to know everything.

Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Irish Playwright, author, poet

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Well! I'm pretty sure that there is NOT an age out there where you actually know everything, although, we've all met people on both ends of the age spectrum who believe they have reached and passed this age already! Wisdom, maturity, experience, and the ability to act upon reason does indeed come as one ages. Innocence, sincerity, and curiosity, while often explicitly displayed in children, are certainly qualities an adult can both learn and benefit from possessing.

Knowing I'm somewhere in between curiosity and experience, it is the 16th of the month. In exactly 1 month, I will enter my third decade of life. I just love how that sounds - so much different than when it was only my second. What a difference 10 years can make in one's life.
One thing I know for sure: what happened in New York yesterday was a miracle. The fact that everyone survived what could have been a horrible airplane landing still amazes me! God was definitely looking out for all the people aboard that plane!

Magical Leaders

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

The great leaders are like the best
conductors - they reach beyond the notes
to reach the magic in the players.

Blaine Lee
Self and organization improvement expert with Franklin Covey

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Be Still

Ahhh. With the way my day began, I never thought I'd be in as much peace as I am right now. The children were an absolute delight today, from fractions to mariachi bands, my job is a blessing each and every day. I think the kids have an inner sense that allows them to know just when to be extra charming, extra darling, inquisitive, thoughtful - you name it.

I concluded my evening at Bethany, where, after a brief church service, I sat next to Marie, and vowed to study the Bible with renewed intent. Tonight, I became part of an almost year-long study into the facts, faith, and foundation of my beliefs. The pastor mentioned Psalm 46 tonight, which mentions 'being still', something I am NOT necessarily known for! We talked about not being a human doing, but rather, a human being. I think that I can work on that!

I can't tell you how important this is to me, and to be embarking on something so meaningful seems like a significant and essential way to begin my 30's.

Inferiority Complex

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)
First Lady, Civil Rights advocate, author, speaker, politician, activist

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I am feeling excruciatingly inferior right now. I woke up from a rottenly vivid dream, where I was completely unprepared for a college choir concert. It involved all of the real characters from my real college, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

(I have a feeling this dream was brought upon by my re-connection with lots of these folks via Facebook - this may be my punishment for spending too much time on that site! If these nightmares continue, I may have to cut off contact with each and every person!)

The stage was 10 times the size of what it should have been. The lighting was obnoxiously bright. There were props on stage that rival the giant tree in the Nutcracker. And people - there must have been a thousand choir members, and THEY knew exactly what to sing, and where to go, and what costumes to wear. I still have a furrowed brow just thinking of how completely unprepared I felt.

I left my piano binder behind the stage, which I've mentioned, was larger than usual. I was hunting for it in the dark, not knowing what to do, where it was, where to go - can you sense the total inferiority right now!? Ugh. I want to go back to bed, and restart the day. By the time I had found it, there was someone else on the bench, playing instead of me. Agh! Is this a sign that I'm afraid to be replaced in my real, day-to-day life!? I hadn't thought so, but I can't tell you how disconcerted I am feeling this morning.

I need to re-start my day, get back on track, and just let this dream go in the category of "Crazy Busy Life + Overactive Imagination + 1/2 of an Ambien Sleeping Pill" category of weirdness, and take Eleanor Roosevelt's word to heart: I am not inferior. I am not inferior. I am NOT inferior!

Young at Heart

"I have never seen a grown woman who keeps candy in her pocket!"

Says the fourth grader who caught me sneaking gummi bears during our book club meeting. Apparently, I'm not as sneaky as I thought! HA!

Multiplicative Seizure

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

Sun Tzu (unknown)
Chinese General and author

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I have found myself to be blessed again and again over the last year - it's been a domino effect of opportunities. A connect-the-dot kind of joys. I believe that hard work accompanies a lot of these opportunities - dedication, commitment, zest, passion. I think that's the only kind of 'seizure' I am comfortable with - one that I have honestly earned and can stand proudly behind.

One last thought: not one of these opportunities would have even presented themselves without the fact that God has really been looking out for me lately. I'm healthy, I'm happy, I'm blessed.

Wisconsin ---> Colorado

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Monday, January 12, 2009

Age considers; youth ventures.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Noble Prize in Literature, Author, Poet, Musician

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Shut Your Zippy

I am smack in the middle of trying to find songs for my next choir concert. A parent passed along the idea of television theme songs, and I love it! I'm trying to find the perfect mix of both songs that the kids already know (Scooby Doo, Addams Family), and then some new songs that the kids can learn (Gilligan's Island, The Andy Griffith Show)! It's always nice for the parents/community to be able to enjoy the concert as much as the kids and I do.

During my search, I came across one of the strangest, most frightening TV Theme Song website, complete with pictures and YouTube clips. It's called "Shut Your Zippy", and I've included some of the highlights for you to enjoy:

Stop It and Tidy Up (toilet bowl cleaners? manners coaches?)

The Moomins (not quite sure how they eat)

Jackanory (with Dame Judi Dench and a really, flat dog)

The Flumps (furry, fuzzballs with no ears)

Bananaman & Mr. Majeika
(what's with bananas this year!?)

Wizbit
(anything starring a chunk of cheese must be a good thing)

Shockingly, these songs will NOT be featured in our Spring Concert! A full list of the real concert songs coming soon!

Say Cheese!

If only we had thought

to bring a camera...!

Spark

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Sunday, January 11, 2009

The work of the individual still
remains the spark that moves mankind
ahead even more than teamwork.

Igor Sikorsky (1889 - 1972)
Russian-American pioneer of aviation

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Share Your Courage

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Keep your fears to yourself,
but share your courage with others.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer

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Mis-Match.com

I cannot make this stuff up: Thursday night, I checked out my matches on match.com (yes, I have a profile on an online dating site - I work with 60+ women! I need to meet some wonderful, single men, and it's not happening at work!). ANYWHO, I'm checking my matches, and I do a quick search that includes the words humor, non-smoker, Christian, wants children, and the search results show about 10 guys. This is good.

Now, I'm always wary of guys who post pictures with women. I can certainly understand why there is a female in a picture if the guy has six sisters or something like that. But, to post pictures on an online dating site WITH women in the pictures?! Not my idea of a great profile! (I've always loved The Bernstain Bears series, and I think the book pictured here fits my sentiments perfectly when it comes to what I'm looking for in a match.com profile!)

SO, I'm checking out Guy #3, and we match on a bunch of great attributes: fun, outgoing, adventurous, Christian, non-smoking, etc. I get to his third picture, and I realize that I am staring at a picture of Guy #3 and a COLLEAGUE of mine! Yes, a friend from my school! Are you kidding me!? As if it wasn't bad enough to have a mysterious female in his picture - I KNEW this person!

I'm still laughing about this one. And yes, I told my friend about the picture so she'd realize she was part of a match.com profile! HA! Too funny. I think I'll keep searching.

What You See

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Friday, January 9, 2009

A pessimist sees the difficulty
in every opportunity,
an optimist sees the opportunity
in every difficulty.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
British politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
noted statesman and orator, officer in British Army, historian,
a Nobel Prize-winning writer, and artist

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A gentle reminder on this long-awaited day of the week! This week has tried my optimistic nature. Attitudes, pettiness - you name it. That being said, I have 25 little reminders each and every hour of the school day, helping me figure out what really counts. They are the ones that guide me during the day, and help me figure out why I do what I do, what matters in my life.

I am VERY excited for tomorrow: I'm attending a new member class at my new church! I'm so excited to learn more about the foundation of my beliefs. While I was raised Christian Reformed (that's always sounds so sad), I've attended Lutheran congregations since my college days in Eau Claire. I've done some reading about the teachings of Luther - we'll receive our own copy at the class (I'm not sure if this makes me an over-achiever or just really curious! Let's go with...informed!) I'm excited to do some more networking at this church, too! Can't wait!

Quick Quips

"Boy, we need to get that hen on an appetite!"

We sang a song about 10 Fat Hens today, and my little singer meant to say DIET!


"You have GOT to stop picking me up early from music class!"

Says the six year old to his nanny, as he was pulled out of music class for the third time this week. Yeah! He likes music!

What We Remember

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Thursday, January 8, 2009

In the end, we will remember not the words
of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 - 1968)
Civil rights leader and clergyman

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I can't believe the timing of this quote! (See January 7th post). I'm excited to see my students, and share this quote with them. They had lots of thoughts about protests and how to appropriately express opinions. This will provide yet another talking point on these issues!

Can do

(Updated: 9:00 pm)

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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.

John Wooden (1910 - )
Retired American basketball coach

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This quote is another wonderful reminder that we should play off of our strengths, not our weaknesses. So many times, we think of the obstacles that will stand in our way, the excuses that will get us out of doing things, and the many reasons why we will be completely unable to complete things. (How general can I get!?)

9:00 pm: What I can do: my kids have this uncanny ability to believe in me no matter what. We had an amazing conversation regarding civil rights today, and they looked to me with curiosity and wonder, as I told them tales of the past. Trying my best to fill in the historical gaps, I really tried to keep this quote in mind as we launched into our discussion. I didn't let my apprehension of the minutia (specific dates, names, etc.) interfere with the fact that I could help them understand the bigger concepts of humanity, equity, and liberty. We were singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing", and their questions and comments were so innocent and intriguing. They are so young! I really hope they continue our conversation with their families, and gain the perspective that they are part of a larger whole.

Let Go

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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

No man can think clearly
when his fists are clenched.

George Jean Nathan (1882 - 1959)
American drama critic and editor

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While I may not clench my fists, I certainly clench my TEETH, and that is my first sign that something is wrong. I will often wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, telling me that I was obviously working through something while I 'slept'. I can physically feel when I clench my jaw during the day, whether it be a frustration with work issues or with an individual. Let go, let God. Working on that... I really do try to figure out how to work through the issues during the day, so my poor teeth can get a break during the night!

1,320 Days Later

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Monday, January 5, 2009

Happiness is good health and a bad memory.

Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982)

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Ah, how true. I couldn't be happier for my good health. It has been 1,320 days since my total hysterectomy, and not a day goes by where I am not extremely thankful for my second chance at life. No more pain, no more medications. I have the energy and excitement needed for my active schedule, and the daily passion that my students and colleagues deserve.

Speaking of that selective memory, I'm choosing not to remember the incredibly stressful performance schedule of December 2008. I'm also choosing not to remember that I'll be standing on a corner each morning now, directing the parking lot traffic. Game on.

Dancing with Delight

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Sunday, January 4, 2009

Dancing is silent poetry.

Simonides (556 BC - 468 BC)

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My heart is anything but silent today - it is dancing with delight! I enjoyed yet another calm and renewing church service at Bethany today. The Christmas hymns were amazing in the sanctuary, as the organist once again impressed me with her skill and musicality. Angels we Have Heard on High, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful - wonderful music!

This Sunday, however, I thought I spied someone familiar in the pews ahead of me. Sure enough, there was Dr. Marie Friedemann, from Regis! She was the kind soul who helped with all the behind-the-scene details of Commencement in December, providing everything from advice on what should be included in my Benediction speech, to the last minute straightening of my hood. I could tell right away she was a hoot, and now I find she is a 30+ year member of Bethany's congregation! Our paths were certainly meant to cross!

Mailboxes in Heaven

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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Then He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored.

Matthew 9 : 29

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Well, any Bible story about the restoration of sight is certainly going to catch my eye! (ha) While I've never known what sight with two eyes is really like, I do have faith that one day I'll be able to know. Sight in both eyes will definitely save a lot of mailboxes on the left side of the roads in Heaven, as I just might finally have that depth perception I so often lack!

I do find it amazing, though, that I currently teach two children with similar eye issues - TWO! I never would have thought that, as a little girl myself. Yet, here we are, brought together, and not by random chance, that's for sure. Amazing what a little faith can bring into your life!

(This Bible story goes on to mention the healing of a mute man. No impairments in THAT department!)

A Wonderful Time

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Friday, January 2, 2009

I've had a wonderful time, but this wasn't it.

Groucho Marx (1890-1977)

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Thoughts in a Bottle

Years ago, my friend (and former student and someone I would consider family) KATE made me a bottle of happy thoughts. Quotes, deep thoughts, wise words. She printed them all on white pieces of paper, cut them into thin strips, and shoved them deep into a glass bottle. The bottle was decorated with those shiny stars from the old days. Kate even made replacement thoughts when she believed I might be running out of thoughts! Too sweet!

I have no idea how many thoughts are actually in the bottle, so I'm going to pull and post a thought each day, until the bottle is empty! Some days, I'm sure the quote will speak to me. Other days, I'm sure we'll all learn a bit more about the author of the thought. Either way, Thank You, Kate, for your kind gift and creative start to my day!

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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Talent does what it can, genius does what it must.

Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873)

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Random Facts (which will most likely be pulled from Wikipedia!)

• Bulwer-Lytton is the originator of the now infamous line "It was a dark and stormy night".
• The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, named in his honor, celebrates deliberately bad writing. Entries are encouraged to be as terrible as possible.
• He was one of Charles Dickens's closest friends and favorite authors.

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Bananagram'o'rama!

Happy New Year from Colorado!

My newest favorite thing: Bananagrams! Described as the 'anagram game that will drive you bananas', Bananagrams is a 144-tile world game where players form words until all the tiles are used. You begin with 21 tiles, and add one tile from the draw pile once you've placed your tiles. Everyone has to pick up a new tile, whether they were ready for the next tile or not. If you are on a roll, and the others players aren't...look out! I LOVE the bag the tiles come in - a banana! Super cute and compact! Portable, too!

What a great game to build your vocabulary - it's amazing how my word length has improved after just one week of playing! There are a couple of tricky letters: J, V, Q and of course, Z. If those letters trip you up, you have the option of tossing it back into the draw pile, but you'll have to grab 3 tiles in exchange. No proper nouns, names, etc. The typical scrabble-like rules. Can you tell I really enjoy this game?! I bought it for some friends, and had to go back to the store and purchase my own bag'o'banana fun!

Here's what a solo-round looks like:
Love it! It's $15 - Barnes and Noble keeps it in stock!

Have a bananagram'o'riffic 2009!