Despite my fears, my journal made it through the transfer process with only somewhat minor problems. I can live with the items that are missing... many photos and all the videos. Perhaps I can come back later and edit each entry one at a time and add all the missing photos. I kind of doubt it, but it's possible. The time it will take to do this makes me think it won't get done until I retire.
So this is my absolute final entry in Wanderer at blogspot.com. From this day forward, this journal will be kept only as an archive, in order to retain all the entries I've written during the past three years.
Thank you aol and blogger for doing all that you could to save my (our) journals. It's a technical miracle, isn't it? I mean, I don't even know how many journals are being transferred, but it must be a few hundred? Does anyone know?
My new journal is called A New Bridge and can be reached at this link:
http://anewbridge.blogspot.com/
Friday, October 10, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
My final entry here as wanderer
I've moved on to blogspot.com just like most of the others. The closing of aol journals precipitated that move.
I would never have moved otherwise. I liked it there.
For three years I've liked journaling at aoljournals. I liked my neighbors there... I liked what I learned from everyone there... I learned about blogging, and downloading pictures, editing the same, making videos, and posting them to the internet.
I learned that a friend can be someone you have never met in person. And that sometimes, you do meet them in person, and what a special friendship that is. I can see how online dating can lead to healthy, long-term relationships.
But I wasn't there for dating... I was there for writing, and for learning. AOL Journals was a venue for teaching as well, and you let me step into that place without a question.
There is trust there. Great trust. We found encouragement there, and pats on the backs, hands given in support, words expressed in entries and comments that made a difference to both the reader and the writer.
We discovered others living in pain, with grief, with horrible memories... and we sat at our monitors sharing the happy events as well, the births, the marriages, the family reunions, and graduations. We offered comforting words when others were too sick to walk, after their surgeries, before their surgeries.
We were there for people who didn't think they had a friend in the world, and when we felt the same way, they were there for us.
Every day (well, for me it wasn't as often), we came to our computers and went straight for our email alerts, reading the long list, picking and choosing the order in which we'd read them. Sometimes the list was long, and we had to make a cup of tea or coffee before we sat there. Sometimes we quickly clicked on a particular journal because we knew what was going on in that person's life, and we were following it. Other times, we'd see a familiar name that we hadn't heard from in a long time, and we'd be happy that they were still blogging.
Once in awhile we pondered when a blog went silent. Sometimes a family member would take a person's journal over and tell us what was going on, usually bad news. Other times, we would never know what became of him. We will just never know.
That's the territory we were in.
I hope that where this move takes me is as great a neighborhood as J-Land has been. That's why I'm calling my new blog A New Bridge. I don't know where it's taking me, I don't know how difficult it will be learning a new routine of posting, but I do know that it is going to take me to new territory, yet undiscovered by me. I hope you'll join me there...
http://anewbridge.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 2, 2008
WHAT? No more AOL journals????
And now it seems that I'm having to make another transition, take another detour... we all have to.
AOL journals is not going to be after October 31.... I don't know where to go just yet... I understand that I need to back up my journal pages... which will take a long time. The pictures, the entries, the photo albums, the Hometown File Manager... all will be gone.
I feel like I've woken up and someone tells me I have to move because the neighborhood is being torn down.
Well, I can't stress over this... but I will have to do something, make some changes. Sounds like another bridge to cross... I need to find out where all my journal friends are going... I am not happy about this change. Not one bit. Especially knowing I will either lose three years' worth of entries and photos, or I will be spending the next month downloading or backing it up on my computer.
I could just use this as an opportunity to start over... you know, let it all go. I was thinking of changing the name of my journal anyway... perhaps a new start is the way to go... hmm, something to think about.
I guess we'll still have the same email addresses, so we can keep in touch that way until we find a new location.
I'll be looking for your emails, then, to find out where you are.
I'm still in shock.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The bridge
The bridge.
My friend calls me and says "Let's walk to the bridge."
I say to my husband, "Let's walk down to the bridge."
This is a new thing in our lives, this bridge. We never paid much attention to that bridge before. Well, Misty did. She always barked at it as we crossed it. At least, in her younger days she did. Max cared less. It mattered not to him.
The bridge is less than a mile from my home. It's being rebuilt (the bridge is, not my home).
Work began on it August 4th of this year. The official word is that it won't be completed until near May of 2009. I don't know why it will take that long. Most of my neighbors are flabbergasted by this time estimate. It's such a small bridge, crossing a very small creek.
I wish I had had the foresight to take a picture of the bridge in its 'before' state, for comparison purposes. But I didn't think to start shooting pictures until nearly ten days after construction (rather, deconstruction) began.
The above photo is the first in the series that I plan to follow up on as the bridge is rebuilt. There's a giant shovel and an outhouse on the bridge. This is the old bridge, before it was torn down. You can see my husband walking toward it. We were surprised that so much land had been cleared away. We've heard (in the way that neighbors hear such things) that the road adjoining will have to be built up higher to accommodate the new bridge.
Same day photo, from the other side of the bridge. This is the side which we live on. At the time I took this photo, we could still walk across the bridge. We have been completely displaced by this bridge reconstruction.
Small as the bridge was, it did enable us get to town, and to our jobs every morning in the shortest distance/time possible. Now, with the roundabout detour, it takes us about five miles out of our way. Roundtrip, that's almost 10 miles of extra driving a day. No, we aren't too happy about this change.
Notice the addition of new equipment in the bottom right corner of the above photo. This one was taken about a week or so after the first ones. I don't know enough about road equipment to name these machines, but they are incredible to look at up close. At this stage, we could still walk onto a portion of the bridge. A section of it had been removed so we could no longer walk all the way across.
On the day I took these pictures, last week, my friend and her daughter and I had walked to the bridge. It's a nice walk in the cooler temps of the afternoon (when it's not so humid) or early evening while there is yet enough light to walk without a flashlight. We were fascinated with the change that had taken place. We clambered about the creek banks and studied the remains of the bridge foundation. Amazing what goes into building (rather, the tearing down of) a small country bridge.
See that metal I-beam in the lower left of the above photo? It was the only way to cross the creek without getting your feet wet the day I took this picture. While Alyson and Marlene removed their shoes and walked across the shallow creek, I side-stepped across the beam, thinking myself quite bold and daring. We explored the other side of the creek before crossing back again, pausing to take a picture from a nearby rock.
The symbolism of the bridge cannot be ignored. Often, we don't pay attention to the signs that appear to us in our lives unless we encounter them in a dream. However, I like to read the signs that appear in my waking life as well.
That bridge down the road from our homes has caused us all to make a change in how we get to our jobs, and to town. It's a change that we are not thrilled about, but I think we've finally gotten into the habit of turning left at the end of our street instead of right.
Changes have occurred during the past five months that have greatly impacted my life. Not in a devastating manner, but a major change just the same. My friend also faces some great changes in her life.
We are both crossing bridges this year. For me, it was when my son graduated and moved to Baltimore in May and June, then my puppies died just two months apart. For me, these were huge changes emotionally. My friend's oldest son is in college, and her youngest son has joined the Coast Guard. Two thirds of her children have moved away from home... yeah, that's a major life change. I know it's been a difficult transition, but she is crossing that bridge in her life bravely.
Bridges join places, they help us get to where we are going. They offer a way to move from one place to another, to journey from one place in our life to another place. They help us transition from what we know and what's familiar to what we don't know. They take us to new territory. Bridges allow us to make transitions in relative safety. They cross wide rivers, and span deep waters. A well-built bridge holds us securely as we cross. We don't have to fear crossing a solid and sturdy bridge.
Maybe that's why we enjoy walking down to the old country bridge these days. While we complain about how the bridge construction has inconvenienced us, we can't help but notice how nice the weather is, or recount our day at work or school, or Marlene's school day, or how my son is doing in Baltimore, or her son's latest letter from New Jersey. We ask each other about our neighbors, how they are. Have we seen this one or that one? Not gossip talk... genuine concern. The kind that leads us to visiting someone who may need a visit, bringing food or a kind and encouraging word. We have a great neighborhood... we have good neighbors.
It is good that they have removed the old bridge. So what if it takes nine months to rebuild it? Like a pregnant woman, we are expecting a wonderful event when that new bridge is opened. We'll be able to once again drive our usual routes to work.
We don't know for sure where we will be next May. We don't know what's on the other side, what waits for us down the road, what the future holds for us. We can't know.
But this is for sure... The Bridge is going to get us where we need to be.
Monday, September 1, 2008
First Days and Words of Wisdom
I've seen four of my classes in each grade level. We have six classes in kindergarten, five classes in first, second, and third grades, and four in fourth and fifth grades. There are also three Separate Setting EC classrooms. To accommodate the number of classrooms that go to specials (which is what my art class is. Music is a special, PE, library, etc), we are on a six day schedule. This means I see each class once every six days.
It took me awhile to get used to thinking in terms of six days, but I've got the hang of it. The best way for me to keep up with it is to write down which day it is in the calendar. For instance, tomorrow, Monday, happens to be Day 5 on our schedule. Tuesday will be Day 6, and Wednesday will start over at Day 1, followed by Thursday as Day 2, and so on. So the Day changes from week to week, but it doesn't matter. I no longer think in terms of Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday etc, but in terms of Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc. But only in regards to teaching.
That was just a side note. FYI. I don't know how other schools handle their week days when they have large numbers of children. We have over 650 students... it works for us.
Every class has to have a first day with me, and first days are generally the time a teacher goes over the classroom expectations, rules of behavior, and so forth. By the time the third day rolls around, they've heard all the rules. So during my first days, I let them sit where they want to, go over the rules quickly, and give them a task that helps me get to know them, and they me.
As the Kindergartners continue to draw pictures of me while I pose for them (I added two more in this entry), the third graders are working on something that goes a bit deeper.
They're making Words of Wisdom Banners. I thought it would be helpful if they started the year thinking of what they had learned last year... important thoughts they can pass on to the current second graders.
To introduce them to the concept, I first read them some words of wisdom from Chicken Soup for the Kids' Soul. Then I let them share out loud some they could think of on their own.
Finally, I gave them a card and a pen to write their own words of wisdom. I checked their spelling, then they copied it onto the bulletin board paper banner with a Sharpie marker. There were enough banners for 3 or 4 kids to work on one. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the banner to show today.
The only criteria I gave was that they had to check to make sure that it wasn't already written on the banner by another child, and 2) write neatly. Oh yeah, a third rule: no drawings on the banner. No flowers, no rainbows, no hearts. I set this criteria because I'm certain there would have been lots of drawing and very few words of wisdom on the banner. And then it wouldn't have been a Words of Wisdom banner!
Some of their words were serious, and some were funny and cute. Some paraphrased what they had heard me read from the book because they couldn't come up with one of their own, but that was okay with me. Sort of what I had in mind when I read them out loud in the first place. I accepted them all.
There will be plenty of time for drawing next time they come to me.
Did you know you can order a device that will speak words of wisdom for you? It's a Life Learning Device! I didn't know there was such a thing... sounds just like my cup of tea. Here is a website that sells them. At the touch of a button, motivating words jolt your kids to think smarter and develop a better attitude about school and life in general.
It would come in handy when the wise words aren't hanging from the tip of my tongue. You know, those kinds of days.
In this kinder class, I held an inflated globe while standing on a stool. See, doesn't it look just like me?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Portraits of the CSI teacher and Cicada
It's great to be back in the classroom! I think many teachers feel like I do... they enjoyed their summer time with their families, they hated to see it end (who wouldn't?), but at the same time, when they walked back into their classrooms those two weeks (or sooner for many teachers) before the kids returned, they probably felt a mix of mild anxiety and contained excitement. The anxiety level probably increased in the days just before the students returned, but then the first day arrived, and we felt the thrill of being a 'new' Teacher (to the students) once more.
I can't speak for all the teachers... but I hear what they say, I see it in their eyes, I feel it in the vibes they give off with their walk, their posture, their gestures, the look in their eyes. Yes, they're glad to be back in their classrooms.
The first things kids will see when they walk into my classroom is the top of a bookshelf on which I've placed some interesting things. A feather collection, the rock, a balancing eagle, and a bug barn. All things they can look at and touch if they want to.
The Chinese writing on the rock says Tau (pronounced Dow, like in Dow Jones)... The Way. I love the word, the symbol of its meaning. I can't remember where I found the rock (several years ago), but at the time, I was experiencing a spiritual change... I had finally accepted the most important Truth, which I had known all my life, but had forsaken as a young adult. I had found The Way to a new life through Jesus Christ. I learned of the Chinese character, and painted it on the rock... I keep it with me at all times... either in the classroom or at my home... as a reminder of who I am.
The little wooden box is a Bug Barn. It's a great place to put larger insects for a few hours so kids can view them. Lately, it has housed three cicadas (on separate days), but they were all in their last hours of life and laying upside down by the time I found them.
Today I saw my first group of Kindergarteners for this school year. I had found an activity on the internet that was sure to be a great icebreaker for them as well as giving me some valuable assessment (through observation).
Read the 'letter' I typed up for the parents. I wish I could find the link to the website where I found the idea. But here's my version of it below, with a very detailed drawing of ... me! I was impressed by the student's work... she even drew me standing on the stool. I was holding a T-square. Awesome! (btw, CSI stands for creative subject integration)
I took pictures of three of the renditions (colored pencil, btw). I thought the kids were very observant. The picture above shows me wearing my beaded lanyard... there are two very large blue glass beads on it... I'm thinking that's what the child was illustrating. And she has put glasses on me!
I like how this girl shows me in red hair. You don't know it yet, but I had highlights put in my hair, and low lights... a touch of auburn. I'll try to get a photo of the new me. One of the kids noticed how the T-square looked like a sword. I think this little artist agreed with that image. Again, she included the stool!!
Finally, the child who drew the picture below has drawn my other hand, complete with five fingers, and a simplified T-square grows from my left elbow. I seem to have lost my legs, unless those two yellow appendages are them. Then I must be footless. Bless her heart! She has drawn my lanyard as well.
This activity went really well. I think I'll do it with each of the other five kindergarten classes.
Finally, a parting shot of one of the littlest visitors to my classroom.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Back to school and The Prayer
Where do I begin? I returned to school officially Monday, and today is Wednesday. I am thrilled to be back in the classroom, but also a bit apprehensive as I consider the changes I want to implement in my instruction.
The big word in our school district this year is engage. The Mirriam Webster Online dictionary includes, among others, the following definitions for this word:
4 a: to provide occupation for : involve <engage him in a new project> b: to arrange to obtain the use or services of : hire <engage a lawyer>5 a: to hold the attention of : engross <her work engages her completely> b: to induce to participate <engaged the shy boy in conversation>
This year our teachers are going to be more engaging in the classroom! Including me. More about this later.
For now, I want to add this video of one of my favorite male singers... Josh Groban. Oh, and Celine's voice is beautiful as well. There are many folks to pray for out there, you know who they are. I know folks who are in the hospital, who work in hospitals, people who are called into dangerous work, or who work with people in the margins of our society ... these people need our prayers. Both the ones who do the work, and the ones who benefit from their efforts.
"The Prayer"
I pray you'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your Grace
To a place where we'll be safe
La luce che tu dai
I pray we'll find your light
Nel cuore restera
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarci che
When stars go out each night
L'eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c'e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe.
Sogniamo un mondo senza piu violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita
La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E'il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child
Needs to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera
[ www.azlyrics.com ]
I dedicate this post to River, and pray that he is safe as he ministers to the homeless people of Las Vegas.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
We've Got the Power!
Back in March and April of this year, people from several local churches gathered together to begin working on a common summer outreach mission. It's called Vacation Bible School.
I had not experienced Vacation Bible School as a child... I grew up Catholic. I don't know if other Catholics ever attended VBS, but I didn't know what it was until about thirteen or so years ago when I became a VBS adult volunteer. I was 42 years old. Kind of old to be starting Vacation Bible School for the first time, but it's never too late.
I fell in love with the concept from the start. It's a fun way to introduce kids to Jesus, and to tell the stories about God's love for them, about their relationship with Jesus, and about God's relationship with them. At VBS, kids generally sing lots of praise and worship songs, make crafts, play games, and eat snacks... all the while hearing the rich stories about Jesus and his disciples, stories about the faithful, the struggles, the miracles, the tragedies and the joys of living in Christ.
I attended those first few workshops back in the spring, helping to draw, cut, and paint the props we wanted to use as a background to help us tell our stories. The program we used this year was PowerLab (by Group).
I was inspired by the vision and dedication shown by the people I met last spring. They were excited about the mission of VBS, displaying enthusiasm and purpose in all that they did. I was thrilled to be part of the team.
In the above photos, you can see us painting the beakers (cut from thick sheets of styrofoam)... and in the photo below, you can see the results of those early spring preparation sessions. I included them to give you some idea of the size of this set. These eight feet tall, twenty feet wide styrofoam laboratory shelves sit in our Fellowship Hall this week. They serve as a backdrop to emphasize how Jesus gives us power to be thankful, helpful, and brave.... to live for eternity, and to tell the Good News.
Each night this week the kids sat in the foreground, or stood and danced and sang the songs right in this very room... each night they tossed balloons into the giant beaker. They look like giant blue and white bubbles. The balloons represented not only their attendance each night, but their answer to a question our pastor asked of them.
Our PowerLab VBS began Sunday, the 10th... it's been a great week!
If you've ever wanted to volunteer for VBS, but was afraid to because you had never done it before, let me encourage you to get involved. There's nothing more satisfying, nor more important, than teaching children about God.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Sweetly Broken
Sometimes you hear a song that really hits the mark of your heart. When I was a teenager, I remember I loved listening to a variety of rock, pop, and bubble gum music. I fell in love with the voice of Neil Diamond, then Barry Gibb (and his brothers) ... this was pre-disco days, folks. Think late sixties).
In college (early 70's), my tastes matured, and I followed Harry Chapin's ballads, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Young, the Doors, and Neil Diamond. Yeah, I guess he was my first love ... his voice.
Later, after my son was born, I heard Pink Floyd and bought a few of their albums, which I played over and over again. Early nineties I woke up to the voice of Bono and U2... yes, Bono replaced Neil easily.
"With or Without You" was the song that captured my attention in the 1987/88. It was Bono's sultry voice, and the bass guitar that seemed to mesmerize me whenever the song came on the radio. I had wondered what Bono looked like. We didn't have cable or dish tv back then, so I had never seen the videos that went with music. Until a couple of years later while on vacation at the beach, MTV was on ... and I saw the video. I found a very sexy man behind that sexy Irish voice. Watch it and tell me it ain't so!
Over the years, Bono has proved to be more than rock star. His talents have extended into political and humanitarian activism... he has spearheaded efforts to bring awareness to AIDS in Africa as well as other Third World issues. You can read all about him here...
But that's not what I wanted to write about today. In fact, I didn't really want to write at all... I just wanted to play the following video over and over again... this voice is my new love, the voice of Jeremy Riddle. I can definitely see that U2 has influenced his music.
I don't know too much about Jeremy Riddle... in fact, it's very much like what happened when I first heard the music of Bono... I fell in love with the voice, the lyrics of his songs first. Today I decided to find out what Jeremy Riddle looks like... my goodness, he's just a boy! LOL!
There are two versions... the first one is a video someone made to go with the music. I think it's well done, the music is loud... turn it up! The second one shows Jeremy singing on stage, but the volume is too low. However, you can see what he looks like. As if it mattered!
It's not his voice that really interests me as much as what he sings with his voice. The words to this song, Sweetly Broken, are below. I'll let the words of his song of worship and praise do the talking... er... singing.
Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle
To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing
For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just
Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered
What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified
You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled
Chorus
In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness
[ Sweetly Broken Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]
There's nothing more to be added. Except maybe 'Amen'.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Spontaneity and J-Land Photo Shoot
Today marks my third year blogging here at aol journals! YEAY!
I'm linking this entry to the JLand Photo Shoot because I wanted the photos to be part of the photo shoot event. I call these photos "Sunrise at Carolina"... and there's a video to boot! If you would like to participate in the JLand Photo Shoot, click on the above link for details.
Wednesday morning my husband and I had a moment of spontaneity. It was about 10 a.m.
After his first cup of coffee, I saw him step outside onto the front deck. That's his favorite thinking spot. He loves being outside on a beautiful day, and it was such a day. He leaned back into the old wooden chair, his eyes scanning the yard.
He had the next three days off, and we'd made no plans. I asked him what he wanted to do with his time off... he said he didn't know. Sometimes that's his answer when he doesn't really care. It's like a stall answer, saying nothing, remaining uncommitted.
But it was the way he said it that made me think that he really was wanting to do something, but needed to hear what I thought first. That was my clue to jump in and tell him.
"We could either go to the mountains... or to the coast," I suggested. The coast is about 300 miles east, the mountains the same distance west. I would have chosen the mountains, but I knew he loved to visit the coast. Our boat has been out ofcommission for two years now, so that wasn't one of our options.
He was silent for a few moments as he thought about it. "We could go to Beaufort or Carolina Beach... we haven't been there in years." I reminded him. It was true. Neither of us could remember when we last walked on any of the beaches of Pleasure Island (Kure, Carolina, or Ft. Fisher).
"Yeah... we could spend a couple of nights at Carolina Beach." He liked that idea.
"We could pack what we needed right now, jump in the car, and take off... nothing keeping us here. In three days, I'll be getting ready for VBS, and then school starts... summer is almost over," I reminded him.
His summers are not like mine. His workdays are longer than mine. He needed a break as well. We'd just gotten back from a family visit in Georgia and Florida, which was a great deal of fun. But we were both ready for some alone time. Middle of the week. It shouldn't be any trouble getting aroom right on the beach.
"Yeah," he said again. "Carolina Beach... we could go there. Relax. Walk around the beach..." he left the remainder of what he was thinking open.
"Then let's go pack the bags, load up the car and get on the road!" I said as I stepped in front of him. "Right now, let's go.Let's do something completely spontaneous!"
We packed everything we'd need for two days, and then some, and were on the road by 11:30 a.m.
It was fun... leaving like that. No cares, no responsibilities for the next three days and twonights. Just like those first three years of our marriage, before we became parents. Only this time, we could afford to take off. We didn't have to count pennies this time.
Responsibility and work and obligations were just three days away. But these three days would be ours.
I took probably fifteen minutes of video... but shortened it to five for my journal.
If you would like a five minute respite, may I suggest visiting this aol uncut video anytime you desire to get away? I'd be honored to have you join me there.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
For all the dog lovers
This video will make you feel warm and fuzzy. I think even cat lovers will love this. Puppies respond to the man as he sings to them... his voice lulls them into sleep. Too sweet! I love it.
I found it in an email from a dear friend of mine today. Thank you, Alan! I just had to share it with all my readers and friends.
(Closed Caption: As the man leans over the box, the pups are all making whiny puppy sounds, like they want some attention. He chuckles, then says, "Okay, let's go to bed...let's go to bed," and then he begins to sing... his voice has a deep sound, but he is singing low, gently. Imagine singing softly to your baby.The words are "Goodnight sweetheart, well it's time to go.... Do do do do doo.... I hate to leave ya but I really must go... goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.... do do do do do dooo... and then he repeats it. As he walks away, a woman's voice says "They're waking up," and so he returns to sing another verse, almost in a whisper, until all the pups are sleeping. Then you hear a man's whisper "Let's go to bed." )
The little white Boxer puppy with the brown patch over its eye reminds me of Hermione, Marlene's dog.
Here is a picture of Hermione with Marlene, taken a few years ago. If you recognize the name as one of Harry Potter's friends, you are correct. That's where her name came from.
And thank you for all the birthday messages. I've had a lovely day, thank you!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Randy Pausch's legacy
Sadness. The first line of news I read as I logged onto AOL this morning was the news that professor Randy Pausch died today.
Just a month ago I had read his book,The Last Lecture. The book came about following a lecture he gave at Carnegie Mellon University where Randy taught. That was in September 2007. He looked healthy at the time. Healthier than the average guy.
Many professors have given last lectures. Generally, they are asked to think about their own mortality, and pass on valuable wisdom to their audience. What do we think is so important that we would want to pass it on?
Randy had to seriously think about it as he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer three months earlier. The book is his legacy, which he intended for his children to read, but which has no doubt inspired millions already. He wanted his kids to remember him, to know what was important to him, and to help them achieve their dreams. He knew he wouldn't be around to help them grow up for the next twenty years of their youth. The lecture and book were the answer to how to teach them to cope with life's challenges, to share the important stories that shaped their dad, and to present it all in a non-boring manner.
Randy is anything but boring. On the written page or on video. He talks and writes about playing football, being Captain Kirk, riding in NASA's vomit comet, creating virtual reality, being an imagineer at DisneyLand...much more. There's no "feel sorry for me" attitude in his lecture.
His funny, entertaining, and inspiring lecture, is on YouTube. It's over an hour long... remember it's a lecture, but it is far from boring. There's probably as much visuals to emphasize his words. Watch it when you have the time! You don't have to watch it here, though... you can click on the YouTube logo in the bottom right corner of the window and it will take you to the YouTube location. I read the book first, but what I like about the video are all the pictures and images that he uses to illustrate and punctuate his stories.
If you don't want to hear all the stories he tells, and would rather just hear the final words of wisdom that wrap up the lecture, just fast forward to the last eight or so minutes. I watched the entire lecture... like I said, it's over an hour, so bring your lunch and a drink! It's well worth it. Right up to his last two statements.
You can also read about Randy Pausch here.
He was only 47 years old, and leaves behind his wife and three young children.
Most of us will never be asked to stand on a stage, facing an audience of hundreds, and speak on an important matter as what matters most in life. But I don't doubt that any one of us could sit down and write our own personal 'Last Lecture' for our own children and grandchildren. After you watch this, you'll want to write yours!
Sometimes I think that's what the journal will be for me. Amidst all the words, somewhere in here (and amongst my paper journals) are a few pieces of really important stuff. Granted, someone would have to wade through some murky areas, or the trivial entries, but I'm certain that from time to time, I let the reader inside my heart and mind.
Randy lived a full, exciting life of learning and relating to others. Proof that you don't have to live a long life to live a full life.
Drummer Boy
I've not done well keeping up with daily entries this month. I can say the same thing about going to the gym to work out.
I need to be at the gym for an 8:00 workout called Genesis... it's an hour long. And here I am up at 1:30 a.m.
But today is my birthday!!! I just remembered. Born in '53, you do the math.
I haven't finished editing the photos I took at DisneyWorld last week, and I haven't even made the first movie... so many movie clips to go through. I did want to add music to them, like I usually do. So it may be awhile.
I'll keep in mind what Patrick said about video lengths on YouTube (keep them short, within a couple of minutes).
But for now, since I love drum music, most kinds, here is a video I found featuring young Tyler Hudson, drummer child prodigy. This YouTube video spans Tyler's young rise behind the drums from age two through age eleven. He's thirteen now, and is a member of a band called Mindwalk.
I thought you'd be impressed with this youngster's talent. You can read about him at this website.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Back from family visit...good times!
I am back from my family trip to Florida and Georgia, and have lots to tell and show you.
I had a wonderful time with my sister and her family ... whether we were standing in line for a ride at Disney World/Epcot Center in Orlando, sitting around talking on the back deck of her home in Georgia, or riding around the lake on their new pontoon. That's my sister Joy on the right, and her oldest daughter, Tammy. Tammy has four boys. I'll show and tell more later when my eyes are more open.
This is my nephew Tim, Joy's oldest son, with two of his nephews, Casey and Cru. Cru is Tammy's youngest son.There is no better uncle for these boys than Tim.
Altogether, we were ten adults and seven kids... quite a crowd, but great fun. Two of my sister's children, four additional grandkids, plus our son, could not make the trip. They were missed, but I can't even imagine an outing like this with everyone. Well, maybe I could.
The weather was exceptional in Orlando... unbelievable considering it is the middle of July. I expected unforgiving heat, heavy humidity, and a searing sun... but the days were relatively comfortable, with very little humidity. Possibly those storms off the coast kept us cooler? It rained a little bit each afternoon, but not enough to stop anyone from enjoying the theme parks. There was only one day of major cloudiness and heavy rain, but that was the day we stayed in the motel room and just puttered around the resort. A day of rest, you could say.
I've turned on the alerts. Back to my daily journal entries.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Hiatus
Don't be alarmed. I'm taking a hiatus from the computer to be with family for the next week or so. I won't be posting entries, nor sending emails. I'll be turning off alerts so I won't be inundated when I turn the computer back on.
I guess I could have said that in fewer words, say six words or less....
Taking a break. Be back soon. <grin>
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Six Word Memoirs from J-Land
Here are your Six Word Memoirs... Thanks for participating!
I was impressed by the number of you who wrote them in. I'm going to post them in the order they were given. Links to the author's blog are included where possible.
#1: Nature lover, happily hitched, found contentment. Beth
#2 Into adventure living a full life. Sybil
#3 Once a romantic, now a realist. Barry, oddbodkin
#4 In recognition of our shared differentness. Mary
#5 Learned to behave. Now regretting it. dbdacoba
#6 All her wisdom was hard-won. chaispice
#7 I am here for a purpose. Marie, A Year at Oak Cottage
#8 I walked dry creek beds endlessly. Russ,Toonguykc
#9 Never felt better or had less. Barbara, bhbner2him
#10 I aggregate, synthesize and dispense information. Karen
#11 She felt totally out of place. lilhoneybee81
#12 Think something positive and do it. jonh8m
#13 This moment changes life forever. jonh8m
#14 Do I know who I am? jonh8m
Thank you all for leaving your mini-memoirs... as I reread each of them, and thought about the person who wrote them, I knew if I had mixed the memoirs and the authors up, I could easily have matched the names to the memoir. What each of you wrote in six words is reflected, at one level or another, in your journals as a whole... I thought that was pretty darn interesting.
I enjoyed reading your memoirs... they are quite profound, actually. Simple and profound.
What I learned from this is that I should be able to say more by writing less.
I just don't often do it.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Family visit
Just a reminder about the Six Word Memoir I wrote about in the previous entry... if you would still like to submit your Six Word Memoir, it's not too late. I'm going to post them as an entry with links to the authors by Saturday (tomorrow) evening.
So please, think of six words that summarize some aspect of your life, your philosophy, a period of your life. If you would, post them in the Six Word Memoir entry, not here. That'll help me out a bunch when I'm compiling them.
My goal to write one entry every day this month is going to end Saturday night due to some time I am taking away from the computer. Don't be alarmed that I'm not posting, but I will be back soon.
If you haven't been by Caroline's journal,A New Adventure, do stop by and give her a big hello. She has moved into a new-to-her home, and is thrilled with it, as I was when I saw it a few weeks ago. I really love the yard... her new home is surrounded by trees, a pond, and a variety of plants. I know that once she gets settled in, she will feel like she has gone on vacation.
I bought a 4 GB memory card for my camera... you might think that way more memory than I need on any given day, and it is. I learned real quick that a 1 GB was not enough to make more than a few short clips. A 2 GB held me through two days in Baltimore with my son about a month ago. I'm pretty sure I have close to an hour of footage all total on that memory card.
When I learned that I'd be visiting my sister and her children, and her grandchildren, I knew I would need a bigger memory card, so I bought a 4 Gb card today. And if that gets full, I can always fall back on the 2Gb, and the 1Gb... I'm all set for making family movies.
And I'll probably take a few pictures. Like this one of my nephew Tom and his three boys, triplets. They are only three years old in this photo, the last time I saw them in person. Nineteen months ago, Tom and his adorable wife Becky visited us. Tom has a twin sister who will also be with us, and her four kids. I've only met two of her children... at Tom's wedding several years ago... she has been good about sending me pictures of her kids over the years. Tom also has an older brother, Tim, a younger brother, TJ (he has three kids), and a younger sister, TC. You can imagine that this Aunt Bea has lots of catching up to do with her nieces and nephews and their kids.
One of my favorite reality shows to watch on TV (The Learning Channel) is called Jon and Kate Plus 8. It's about a young family who first had a set of twins (girls), followed a couple of years later by a set of sextuplets (3 girls, 3 boys). Eight kids all under the age of 7 years old. My, my! I watch it because it reminds me of what Tom's house must be like sometimes with their crew of three: Avery, Brody, and Casey. Well, it's probably not quite as intense as J and K + 8, but I'm sure there's never a dull moment.
But more than anything, I'm looking forward to seeing my sister again. She makes me laugh.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Six Word Memoirs
Six-Word Memoirs: The Legend Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
________________________________________________________________
This is a fun exercise in brevity that I first read about at Teacher Magazine. in the story The Short, Happy Lives of Teachers. The author of that story got the idea from a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure.Won't you join in and participate? I haven't seen this one around our 'neighborhood' so I'm hoping it's a new activity. If it has been around, and I'm just ignorant of it, please forgive.
Everyone has a story. Can you tell yours in six words? It doesn't have to sum up your life, but could reflect a period of your life, a moment, or where you are right now.
If you are having trouble thinking of six words to sum up your life story, check out the examples others have written at the link provided above. Here's a few examples to get you started:
Got sidetracked. Still playing catch up. (artm)
never felt worthy, now feel thankful (kzf)
Read the map. Still got lost. (thunderfire)
And here are three that I wrote. One reflects my life since I was an adult, the other a year in school, and the last my life as a whole:
Married, gave birth, worked, laughed, wrote.
Ten months tense. Two months relaxed.
Once dead. Now alive. Thank God.
Now you give it a try. Either write it up in your journal/blog, then come back to this entry and leave your journal link. I want to put them all together and link back to your journals. Or, send me an email, also with your journal link ... or leave them in my comment section for this entry only, with your journal link if you have one.
Deadline for this is Saturday morning, July 12th... I want to post the results by Saturday night. Thanks!!
Good luck, and I'm looking forward to reading your Six Word Memoirs.
If you need aditional inspiration, which most of you won't, because you all like to write, listen to this BBC interview with the editor who first called for the Six Word Memoirs, which became the book mentioned at the start of this entry. There you can click on the icon for the interview, and listen to the first 4-5 minutes of this broadcast, as the rest is news.
Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act
July 9th. That's the date I wrote it. I just realized my clock is off by one hour, so it's showing up as a July 10th entry. Bah!
It seems my journal topics are all over the place this month. This entry will focus on the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act. I want to do my part to help bring attention to this bill that could/should be a law. (Now you know where I stand right up front!)
The Pink Ribbon Review has a great article explaining what this bill is all about. The bill was first introduced to Congress 12 years ago, but ever since then, it has remained a bill. Every year Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro reintroduces the bill, hoping to pass it into a law.
Remember that as a bill, it needs to continue through the legislative process. First it goes "to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills never make it out of committee. Keep in mind that sometimes the text of one bill is incorporated into another bill, and in those cases the original bill, as it would appear here, would seem to be abandoned. [Last Updated: Jul 4, 2008]"
To hear a young lady's perspective on this topic, there is a YouTube video. Meandmsc, her screen name, is a three time breast cancer survivor who has had a double mastectomy. Be prepared, though... she has not lost her sense of humor, as she advocates for changing the aforementioned bill into a law. Her language is blunt, she will show you her scars, and she makes a good point when comparing how insurance companies view the surgical treatment and follow- up care of men with testicular cancer who undergo surgery versus the care of women facing breast removal.
Twenty states have already passed the bill, and made it a law that women having mastectomies or lumpectomies would be offered a hospital stay as needed. Where it is not a law, insurance companies require that the patients be sent home just hours after having their breasts removed, regardless of what their doctor thinks of their condition. Advocates for this law want it to be nationwide.
I agree with Meandmsc. She asks: "Why should the women being diagnosed with breast cancer have another fight on their hands against the insurance giants when the only foe they should be fighting is cancer? " narrative accompanying her video at YouTube.
It seems to me that it should be a case by case decision, but that the insurance companies should provide complete coverage if a woman needs to be hospitalized for more than a day or two. If a woman doesn't need to stay in the hospital, let her go home!
I received an email today requesting that I click on the link and go to a website where I could sign a petition to send to Congress asking them to make the Breast Cancer Patient Protection bill into a law. It's the Lifetimetv.com petition. You may even have already signed it yourself.
But I am wary of email or on-line petitions. I don't put much confidence in any of them ever reaching their intended destinations. I don't know for sure if anyone is going to pull all those 'signatures' and present them to Congress, or even if Congress will accept them for what they represent. Couldn't anyone make a fake list of people for an on-line petition, complete with fake emails and fake zipcodes?
I think it would be better for anyone who wishes to advocate for this issue to personally send their Congressmen/women and Senators an email, or a letter sent the old fashioned way, or even calling them.
Tonight, I emailed all of my district's representatives to let themknow how I felt about this matter.
If you want to be an advocate, and I strongly urge you to do this, it doesn't take long toget the email or office address of your Representatives. Just go to FormsHouse.gov and type in your state. You'll need to know your nine-digit zip code. They'll show you how to find those last four digits if you don't know them. Or you can do a Google search for your state's representatives. There will be a home site you can go to get a list of all of them by district or by county.
I think if you just sign the petition and don't write the personal letter, you are taking a chance that your action could be meaningless. Besides, if you want to be an activist, even a stay at home activist, you must do something other than sign an online petition.
DO something!! Go for it. I've provided a couple of links to heolp you get the information you need to decide if this something for you. A simple Google search using the words Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act will provide you any number of articles and resources.
Please help this worthy cause and write the people in your legislature.
Thank you!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
I Can Only Imagine
One of my favorite songs has been playing in my head all day. I had been listening to it on one of those wondrous little music pod players while working out at the gym earlier this evening. It looks like an iPod, and acts like one, but it's not as expensive ... it's called a ZEN V, and is so small, but holds boat loads of music. I had copied several of my favorite CDs onto it. Hooked up my earphones, and my workout on the Elliptical machine and bicycle was much more fun and productive.
It occurred to me that YouTube would probably have a video featuring that song. I was wrong... YouTube has probably a hundred of them. It was hard to choose just one to post in my journal tonight. I narrowed it down to two, though.
Even though both are the same song, you will enjoy each of them for their unique message and presentation.
This one is by Dick Hoyt. You might recognize him from Team Hoyt, a father-son marathon/triathlon team who have been racing for the past twenty-five years. If you click on this link , you can read all about this amazing duo.
When I read about them, I thought of Patrick and Patti, another amazing duo. Although Patrick hasn't entered any triathlon races that I'm aware of, he is all about educating the general public about the physically and cognitively challenged every day, and about integrating them into life with able-bodied people. You can watch (and be entertained) by a variety of videos Patrick has made at his YouTube video website, or find information and links to other blogs and resources regarding caregiving by checking out his Caregiving Website.
As I mentioned, I had found Team Hoyt while I was looking on YouTube for one of my favorite songs, "I Can Only Imagine," by Mercy Me. If you get a chance, and if you like this song, go to YouTube and type in the name of the song in their search bar, and you will get possibly a hundred different versions.
I selected two of my favorites from the many videos, the Hoyt Team one mentioned above, and the one below, by someone with a screen name of Meowmixeater. Disregard the name he chose! This young man is amazing to watch as he signs his way through the song with passion and feeling. I chose this one because I wanted Indigo to hear the words through the expressive hands and face of this young man.
Words to I Can Only Imagine, by Mercy Me
I can only imagine what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus,
Or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence,
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Halelluja,
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
I can only imagine when that day comes
And I find myself standing in the Son
I can only imagine when all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
The song repeats itself, gaining in volume and passion, then tapers off at the end, softly and gently.
There was another signing version by a six year old, but I'm not putting it here. Here is the link to the little girl who signs the song while her mother films it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
