Category Archives: channeling gandhi

Don’t Panic!

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I am carrying my towel.  Today marks my 42nd year on Earth.  No, I have not discovered the meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything, but it is still early in the day.  Whatever will I do with myself in the coming year?

  1. Lose 60-80 pounds in the next six months.
  2. Maintain that weight loss for another six months.
  3. De-clutter the dining room table and keep it free and clear.
  4. Choose my own adventures.
  5. Take a photography class.
  6. Learn to appreciate black coffee.
  7. Visit a California winery.
  8. Get another tattoo.
  9. Start an herb garden.
  10. Get a facial.
  11. Digitize our photographs.
  12. Play tennis again.
  13. Make my own wine.
  14. Have my fortune told by a real Gypsy.
  15. Go home for an extended period of time.
  16. Hang the wind chimes.
  17. Reduce (and possibly pay off) the credit card debt.
  18. Read 50 books.
  19. Cook and eat more meals at home.
  20. Write/journal every day.
  21. Volunteer my time for a good cause.
  22. Go on a non-work trip to somewhere I have never been.
  23. Learn to handle disappointment better.
  24. Floss more.
  25. Go blonde.
  26. Reveal myself on this blog.
  27. Attend a parade.
  28. Visit The Mob Museum.
  29. Visit The Neon Museum.
  30. Drink 64-100 ounces of water every day.
  31. Write one letter a week by hand.
  32. Try Zumba.
  33. Tell people I appreciate them. (See #31.)
  34. Buy and wear a little black dress to a social event.
  35. Make our house or another one of our own a home.
  36. Practice mindfulness as a means to stress and anxiety reduction.
  37. Find a way to be happier at work.
  38. Take a hike.
  39. Go to at least one event at The Smith Center.
  40. Complete five or more unfinished crafts/projects.
  41. Be _____ .
  42. Finish strong.

Yea! It’s Monday!

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… said no one ever.  It’s no secret that I am not a fan of Monday nor am I fan of mornings.  Getting up at 5 AM today to return to work after two full weeks of complete sloth was ridiculously challenging.   After making myself a large quantity of coffee and pouring it into my new take-to-work vat, I put on my best fake-it-until-you-can-make-it-home smile and ventured out of the house before the sun was completely up.  Monday, look out, here I come was my motto.  After all, you don’t need a new year to change.  All you need is a Monday.

monday

It is what it is, but it will become what you make it.  Today was Monday, and it was okay.

Today Will Never Come Again

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“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke

today blue

Today is full of possible.   Today I close the door to 2012 and open the door to 2013.  Today I take a deep breath, step on through, and begin a new chapter on this blog.  Today is the day to be who I know I really am.  Today is the day to make new choices.  Today is the day to make a few mistake and learn a few lessons.  Today is the day to look, listen, and trust.  Today is the day to raise hell and change the world.  Today I can and will.  Watch me. Today is the day.

Always Full

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Every year may not be good, but there is something good in every year.  Personally, I am positively thrilled that 2012 is nearly over; however, rather than focusing on the negative, I am going to recount 12 things I learned this year.

1. Make lists … lots of them.

2. Surround yourself with people you love and who love you back.

3. Think outside the box.

4. Go somewhere new.

5.  Say no when you need to or want to.

6.  Sleep in.

7.  Keep your word.

8.  Be bulletproof.

9.  Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.

10. Never miss a chance to tell someone you love them.

11. Write about it … all of it.

12.  Finish something.

It is without hesitation that I can say so long, farewell 2012.  It’s time to move on.  Welcome, 2013, damn you look bright.

Four Little Words

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You should write more.

Someone who does not know me uttered the above a few moments ago, striking an exposed nerve.  Precisely, I should write more.  I know I have the skill even if I do not always have the words or the inclination.

You could write more.

Everyone who knows my real identity questions why I have not shared my true identity with the world. Veritably, I could write more.  I have struggled with the direction in which I should steer this blog for some time now, and I have let my personal demons dictate my writing habits.

You would write more.

No one who truly knows me understands the desire I have to make my voice heard.  Thoroughly, I would write more.  I yearn to fill the empty pages with letters, words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and so much more.  What am I waiting for?

I will write more.

Got Complacency?

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“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild 

I came across this passage from one of my favorite books of all time late today, and it really struck a nerve with me.  The angel on my shoulder whispers more often than not: Follow me.  This way is always safe.   However,  the devil on my other shoulder speaks loudly at just the right time:  Just do it.   

Insert light bulb picture.

I now know what I have to do.

How’s that for a cliffhanger?

The Five R’s of Summer for Exhausted Educators

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It is still August 1st on the left coast.  Yeah, yeah.  I know it has been a while since I posted.  I was waiting until August 1st intentionally.  You know the drill:  new month, fresh start, another chance to get it right.  Blogging is like fishing.  I can leave it for long stretches at a time, but the words and ideas always reel me back in.

It is no secret to my longtime readers that I shut down during times of stress and duress.  The end of the school year was arduous, and I have had the summertime blues ever since.  Record heat has been searing Las Vegas most of the summer and zapping every particle of energy I already do not possess, yet I know I need and want to write.  Likewise, I know what you are thinking.  What the hell is she doing?  Educators have nothing to do in the summer.  She should be posting all day every day.  I bet she’s boozing and napping it up.   I am the first to admit that I do not do much during the summer, proudly proclaiming it time for the five R’s:  reading, relaxing, rejuvenating, reflecting, and refocusing.

Reading for enjoyment is one of my guilty pleasures of each summer.  While I have not read as much fluff as I would have liked, I have curled up with more books than I have in ages.  I have reviewed more informational texts than I have in years.   And, by reviewed, I am not referring to reading up on and watching all seasons of True Blood and Vampire Diaries; however, I have done that too.  Escapism for the win.

Relaxing has been easier since summer school ended.  If it requires pants or a bra before noon, it is probably not happening.  Without a doubt, sleep solves every thing.

Rejuvenating  the body is as simple as eating the right foods and drinking lots of water.   Rejuvenating the spirit is still a work in progress.  My plan is to write more about this during the coming month of posts.

Reflecting equals asking myself many important questions (like those in this poster).  Yes, there will be more posts based on my self-reflection and goal setting.

Refocusing is where I am today.  After a summer of soul searching to uncover my true desires, I am attempting to examine my priorities and set some realistic and attainable goals.  The idealist in me is ever hopeful that the coming school year will open many doors for me.  I know that Opportunity is listening, and I am knocking.

Teachers Matter

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“A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies – just to make a difference. Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. In return, grant schools flexibility: To teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.”

— President Obama

As a former teacher and a current school administrator, I cannot articulate how appreciative I am to live in a country where our leader values educators.  Let us all lead by his example and make a difference now.