August Break, day 3 (for me)

August Break, day 7 prompt: 5 Facts About Me

5 Facts About Me
1)  Jeffrey and I are saving for a big 25th anniversary trip in two summers.  This summer we took a tiny and wonderful trip to Kansas City and kept saving.  The picture above is us at The Starlight Theater about to see Mary Poppins.  What a wonderful evening!

2)  I'm a third grade teacher.  This is my first day back to school, which makes it the longest, hardest, and happiest day of the year for me.  I'm looking forward to dinner tonight and hearing all about Sloane's first day of eighth grade.

3)  I just got a new Cannon.  I tutored all year long last year to buy it, and now I am too nervous to start using it.  Silly, hunh?

4)  I love makeup.  I mean, I really love makeup.  Sloane loves it, too, which is a fun thing to share.

5)  I never read just one book at a time.  Currently, I have 6 going.


What about you?  Tell me something.

A to Z

This may well be more than you ever wanted to know about me, but I thought it was fun.  I hope you'll play along.  I'd love to read your answers.  Thanks to my friend, Joanna, for the idea.

 

Age: I am 42, but I feel about 17 or 31 - depending on the circumstance.

Bed size: We have a queen now, but for the first 11 years of our marriage we had a double.  Snuggle, snuggle.

Chore I hate: cleaning the bathroom - Yuck!

Dogs: We have two.  They are a Boxer/ Australian Shepherd mix and are named after characters in two of our favorite books.  We have Miss Maudie and Eliza Bennett.  Can you guess the books?

Essential start to my day: prayer

Favorite color: I love too many to pick one favorite.  I do love black an awful lot, though.

Gold or silver: I regularly wear both, but not at the same time.

House or aparment: Our house is tiny, but lovely inside.

Instruments played: None, but I LOVE to sing!

Job title: second grade teacher

Kids: one perfect daughter

Live: in Clever, Missouri

Married: very happily for nearly 21 years to the most wonderful man

Never again: I will never again let a bully get away with unkindness without speaking up.

Other fun fact: I have only been sky diving once, but in my heart of hearts, I consider myself a sky diver.  It is just so me. 

Pet peeve: When the toilet paper rolls out against the wall instead of over the top.

Quote: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Right or left handed: right

Siblings: one younger brother

Time you wake up: 6:00 a.m. on weekdays

University: I have two Bachelors and a Masters in Elementary Education.  I'd like to get a Doctorate some day.  I also want another Bachelors in Art History.

Veggies you dislike:  It would be a much shorter list to tell you the ones I like.  I love asparagus, artichokes, spinach, and anything that comes in a salad.

What makes you run late: Nothing much any more.  I have been working really hard on that lately.

X-rays: Actually, I had some today when I got my teeth cleaned.

Yummy food: Jeffrey is a marvelous cook so I am especially blessed.  Tonight we are having chicken tortilla soup that is just delicious. 

Zoo animal you love: Giraffes and elephants are my favorites!  Plus, I love grumpy dromedaries and shy, gorgeous zebras.  And the butterfly house.  And the penguin house.  And all the big cats.  And gorillas.  And the octopus.  And, and, and...




The image above was a t-shirt at Target that I fell in love with. 

another 52 lists

Week 1 of the Wednesday Lists, Part 2
I've been missing my 52 lists project.  It took me 121 weeks to complete a 52 week project, but I love every list.  I've been wanting to take up my Wednesday Lists again.  When I saw that Moorea Seal had a similar idea, I knew I was in.  Welcome to my newest 52 lists project. Care to join me? 

Words that touch my soul, inspire me, and remind me of who I am

*prayer *  gratitude *  Sloane *  love * tenderness * passion * hymns * Jeffrey * independence * song * affection * blue * creed * kiss * music * whisper * friend * dance * imagine * fire * memory * capture * peace * journey * America * touch * contentment * Father, Savior, Friend * compassion * Jesus * live* hallelujah * worship* mother * laughter * holy * abundance * magnify * read * magic * poem * sanctuary * art * It is well * create * words * dream * soldier * servant * gift * daughter * teach * listen * learn * curiosity * Yet God... * family * question * alive* freedom * "My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought.  My sin, not in part, but the whole, was nailed to the cross and I bear it no more." * love *

The picture above is a Degas sculpture with a Monet in the background.  I took it at the St. Louis Art museum in 2010.  It is one of my favorite pictures.

one word





I told you that I was searching for my word of the year. 

I wanted a word that would be a continual challenge. 

I longed for just the right word to give me a push, a nudge, a bump into the pool. 

Or off the cliff. 

I am not a timid person.  Not at all. 

That's me skydiving, in fact.

I travel alone.  I don't get scared being alone after dark.

I've been the featured speaker for women's groups.  I'm not timid.

I'm bold.  I'm loud.  I'm sometimes sassy.

No one who knows me would describe me as fearful or timid. 

And yet. 

I am.

I hate introducing myself to someone new -

too much rejection potential.

I never try out for anything - rejection potential again.

I want to be a better photographer, but that means showing my work.

I tend only to do things I already know I'm good at. 

It's safer that way.

I want to be an Artful Blogger - a lot. 

Never tried.  Rejection fear again.

You see?  I'm not as brave as I thought. 

Real courage isn't about self-sufficiency.

It's about risks.  It's about the confidence to fail.

It's about jumping, leaping, diving in, even about failing.

I want this to be a year, not just of brave, but of

FEARLESS. 

I want to live the question, "What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?"

Me?

I'd attempt everything.

I'd

be

FEARLESS.

of writing, books, cars, and kisses...

My friend Ally asked me a few questions on a blogging meme.  If you'd like to play along, consider your self tagged. 

:: The Questions ::

Where do you do most of your writing/blogging?

I primarily write on my computer, which is smack in the middle of the house between the living room and kitchen.  (See above.  It's hidden in that armoire )  I also write quite a bit in my journal with happily colored gel pens.  I do love my iPhone and its notes function, but you just can't beat handwriting for communicating personality and emotion.  

What books were your childhood favorites?

Oh, so many.  I loved Andrew Lang's fairy tale collections, the All of a Kind Family series, the Trixie Belden mysteries, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, the first three Little House Books, Thirty One Brothers and Sisters, and so many more.  

Who is your favorite fictional character?
How do I choose?  As most book lovers would tell you, the characters in a beloved book become friends that you visit and revisit.  I adore Bean and couldn't do without sullen little Mary, or prescient Lottie.  I love my plucky heroines, Hattie and Maise and Lizzie.  I can't forget Antonia or Edmund or Scout.  And, Atticus?  Well, I would have married him.  See?  Can't choose just one.  Maybe it would be Roman - if I had to pick.  Yes, it would be Roman because when I was just 13, he showed me what I wanted in a husband someday.  

What is your favorite time of day and why?
Midnight.  Most of the world is asleep and real quiet descends.  Quiet and a kind of peace that only another night owl can understand.  

Have you ever Googled yourself and been surprised at what you’ve found?

The first time I Googled myself I was looking for the origins of my first name.  It was an interesting exercise.    

Who would play me in a movie of my life?

Ha.  No one.  My life has been far too peaceful and gentle to make a good movie.  Thank God.  

One material possession I could not live without?

I'd hate to think of going back to a time when I didn't have a great camera. 

Have you ever been naked in public?

Yes.  But, not very public.  Jeffrey and I went skinny dipping a few times.  Of course, we made sure there was no one around.  Does that count? 

What is your dream car?
a silver 1988 Saab 900 Turbo convertible

What/who/where was your first proper kiss?

How 'bout I tell you about my first kiss with Jeffrey?  We were in Chattanooga out at the end of one of the dock things at the River Park.  We had been snuggling and flirting all day long.  It was night by then.  The city lights and even a few stars were reflecting in the water behind Jeffrey.  This is no exaggeration.  When he kissed me, I saw fireworks and my knees got weak.  Even now, more than twenty years later, my heartbeat accelerates just thinking about it.  I'll be smiling all evening long from the memory.  

owning my talents

Week a 34 of the Wednesday lists.
I've said before that I think it's important to celebrate our accomplishments. I think it's also important to own our talents and skills.

Things I Do Well

I'm a great audience member. I always smile, clap a lot, and I don't talk.
calculate sale percentages in my head
encourage the talents of others
communicate without words
notice beauty around me
loading a dishwasher
finding a good deal
managing children
public speaking
making lists
recycling
bargain
sneeze
laugh
play
kiss
shop
teach
cough
words
organize
tell stories
intuit people
remember colors
plan great parties
I can get any stain out
remembering song lyrics
create ice cream sundaes
teaching writing to children
doing and not simply acquiring
make our home comfortable and pretty
I can do basic math as fast as a calculator
convince friends to spend their money as we shop
talk to someone when we don't speak the same language

What are you good at?


This picture doesn't really go with anything, but it's one I took ages ago and have never shown you.

The Dreamer by Renoir

I told you a while back that I love art, paintings in particular. I am so blessed to live no more than four hours from three phenomenal art museums. This summer when we went to Wicked, we also spent a day at SLAM. Heaven on Earth for me. Imagine my delight when I discovered that they now allow non-flash photography! When I was in the Impressionist gallery, I was captured by a girl I had never seen. I could tell by looking that she was painted by Renoir, who is a big favorite of mine.

It had happened again. I felt a real recognition as I gazed at this dreamer. Something about her called to me. Something about her was me.

Does that ever happen to you?

August Break, day 14. Photo: I am delighted that more museums now allow you to take non-flash photography. I took this one at SLAM. (St. Louis Art Museum)

Orphans

One of my favorite Tom Waits albums is called Orphans. He said that he had all the songs wandering around loose because they didn't seem to fit with any particular album. Finally he bundled them all up and created a home for them. Their own home - Orphans. This post is full of my orphans. Posts I began, but never finished. Good writing, or at least appealing to me. But orphans all the same.


I believe that it is in the dailiness of our lives that we find real beauty. It is in the ordinary that we really dwell. Much more than milestone birthdays and special moments, our lives are created in the day-to-day moments, habits, and pursuits we choose. I believe it, and I do my best to live it. (4/28/10)

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I love this quote from my friend, Jeanne:
"Babies are such a lovely way to start people." (9/18/09)

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My name is Relyn. As in Ruh-Lynn, which actually sounds prettier than it looks sitting there like that. I get Ray-Lynn all the time. ALL THE TIME. I also get Ray, Ree-Lynn, and most notably Rahh-Lynn. I just answer to anything that starts with an R. I mostly just get a good giggle out of it. But, really, when you have known someone, taught with them, for five years, you really should be able to pronounce their name. (10/11/09)

They say,"It's the thought that counts."
I say, "Think harder." ~ Ebay commercial

And for a bit of fun today, a shamelessly materialistic post. Here's my wish list:
* a gift certificate for a monthly pedicure * huge gold ring; a knuckle grazer * an amazing chronometer * iPhone * tickets to Wicked * another family trip to Disney * a convertible * (11/27/09)

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I believe I've told you before that as a Momma and a teacher I am a firm believer in early bedtimes and consistent bedtime routines. The first makes certain that children get the rest they need. For second graders, pediatricians say 10 or 11 hours a night. The second gives them another constant in their life, which brings peace and contentment. A consistent bedtime routine also cues the body for sleep. (12/8/09)

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I told you already about my best book of 2009. What amazes me is that out of those 259 books, only 27 of them were rereads. I usually have a list of favorites that I reread every single year. Books like The Hiding Place, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Year of Pleasures, Isabel's Daughter, When Venus Fell, The Pull of the Moon, everything by Helene Hanff, Chili Queen, and Secret Garden. It's not a plan to reread them, I just notice that I tend to. I'm not sure why I didn't last year, but it was a year full of new-to-me books. (1/1/10)

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I love your list. I started laughing when I read your comment about a list of what's great about lists. No kidding. Here's my version:

1. Keeping lists give you a record of your life.
2. Marking off lists gives you such clear sense of accomplishment and celebration.
3. If you pay attention, you'll learn what your true priorities are. For example, if something stays on the list for years, you don't really want to do it.
4. It's an easy way of capturing all that's in your scattered, racing mind.
5. Written well, they can be a sort of autobiography. (1/29/10)

I've sat here at my desk and cried my way through lunch. Again. No, there's nothing wrong. It's just that my heart gets so full that it all bubbles out in tears. I was visiting my friend Maithri and ended up crying. Have you heard the story of the day water came to the desert? (10/14/09)

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Magic moments. Magic has been on my mind a lot lately. I guess because this Fall has been so blessed. Jeffrey and I passed a personal milestone a little more than a month ago, and I was so busy I forgot to mark the occasion. Sometime in mid October we passed a date I've been watching for. Jeffrey and I have been together longer than we have been apart. I've spent more than half my life with my heart belonging to Jeffrey. (2/1/10)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I wanted to tell you about my word for the year. I do know it's already February. I told you that sometimes I take a while to warm up to a new thing. I'm ready now. My word last year was YES. I almost kept it for another year, it's such a wonderful concept - saying yes. And I did say yes last year, a good bit. But, perhaps, not as much as I intended; not as much as I wanted to. I didn't take the risks I intended. This year, that will change. In fact, that is already changing. My word for 2010 is LEAP! My post title (Leap as You Run) came from a song by Big Smith. Listen. (2/8/10)


You probably know by now that Team Lawson is big on experiences and not as much on things. Though we make an enormous exception for books and magazines. So, did I ever tell you about Sloane's Christmas present? We bought her an entire hiking kit. Great walking stick, compass, hiking boots, hiking guide to the Ozarks, reusable water bottles, and a fanny pack stocked with everything from band aids and bug spray to granola bars and trail mix. Of course, we also included a series of writing utensils and her first Moleskine to be her hiking journal. (3/27/10)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Susan's pictures brought back a memory of a time when we lived in an old farmhouse on a dirt road out in the country in Oregon. There was a falling down house in a field nearby. The house was absolutely over-grown with lilacs. I wanted them. Badly. So, my four-year old nephew, my husband, my brother-in-law, and the dog all jumped in the back of the truck with pocket knives, buckets, and secateurs. They cut and cut lilacs for me. I had armfuls of them. I smelled lilacs in my dreams long into the summer. I can still smell them now. (3/29/10)

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As an elementary school teacher, I teach every subject every day. Since it's not possible to be an expert in every single subject, a good teacher has to become an expert in her pedagogy, her teaching. If you know how to teach well, it is possible to teach anything. Of course, I'd be spending every night cramming if I had to teach middle school math, but I think you get what I mean. (4/21/10)


My number one book last year was Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell. When I choose it, I didn't know that it had been made into a film by and incredible independent film director. I have to tell you, I was pretty nervous about it. How would these beautiful Ozarks be represented by a director from New York? I got my answer last night at a special screening of the film. I wasn't disappointed. (5/17/10)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Good Things:

• "Fotofenfefish, that's how plants make food for themselves." ~ Sloane, age 8
• I took Sloane and Lauren to pick wild tiger lilies yesterday. I loved it when they both promptly decided to have huge tiger lily bouquets for their weddings.
• Lauren excitedly asked, "Can I please pick some to take to my Mom?" She couldn't wait to share her bounty. (6/10/10)

Do you have orphans, too? I'd sure be interested in reading them.


The images are from the photo day I wrote about a few days ago.

fifth and tenth

My friend Gigi invited me to play along with her. The game is simple, you just repost your fifth and tenth posts ever. Since I'm on my 431st post, I found that intriguing. What did I even write back then? Let's go see. You know what? I liked it and it's still true. So, here it is. The words are the same, but the image is mine this time.

You know how we all have things we are really good at? Well, I am good at fun. That's it. Just fun. That's my skill, my number one talent, the main thing I am really gifted in. I can have fun with anybody doing almost anything. If fun is on the menu, you can bet I'm gonna love it.

Strange how the act of writing brings self-knowledge. As I try to describe what I am good at for you, I realize that my talent is not just fun, but also enthusiasm. I have a great enthusiasm for life and for experiences, which makes me good at fun. Whatever it is, I jump in wholeheartedly.

However, I also have enthusiasm for you. You know, you - the people with whom my life intersects. I just love people, their stories, their experiences, their opinions, their animated faces... just people. This love gives me great joy and pleasure in daily life.

I have been trying to find words to explain how this "talent" works. (See, there I go - belittling a talent, hesitating to call it that.) This is what I could come up with:

• I believe that everyone has a story - an interesting story.
• I believe that when we pay attention, we will find that the world is full of remarkable, magical people.
• I believe that when you learn how to really look, and really listen, you will find that so much of what fills your daily life is so interesting.
• I believe that the retelling of a child's recent dream is as worthy of real attention and interest as a heated discussion between political candidates.
• I believe fourth grade recess play is funnier than a Seinfeld episode.
• I believe that talking to your passengers is more important that finding a better song on the radio.
• I believe that experiences are worth more than things.

Don't get me wrong, I love music and movies, too. It's just that I know that people are more important and more interesting. In fact, if I love a movie or book you can bet the reason is that the characters are quirky, interesting, and feel like friends.


Speaking of people being important.... My daughter is waiting (not very patiently) for me to come play Go Fish. After that, I think I'll suggest we spend some time coloring while we sing along with the Grease soundtrack.

Being Brave

You know, I never would have described myself as fearful. I happily sky dive. I don't scream when I see snakes or mice. I frequently fly in an airplane and do so without a qualm. I feel comfortable driving alone from Tennessee to Missouri. I eat alone in public and go to movies by myself. I walk around downtown at night. I do what I want to do, when I want to do it. Not scared. Just not.

Since I'm among friends, I'll even admit that at times I've been a little smug about this lack of fearfulness. When I am around someone who is a little bit more than cautious, a bit fearful, I would sometimes think to myself, "How silly."

You know as well as I do that it is a dangerous thing to be smug. Soon enough something will come along to knock that smirk off your attitude. In my case, I began to realize all the ways I wasn't brave.

OK. OK... All the ways that I was fearful.

Here's one: I hate introducing myself to strangers. Hate it. I just know I'll do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, or somehow turn them off. I'll have something in my teeth or laugh too loudly or at the wrong joke. Or trip and fall. Or break a dinner plate. (Which by the way, I sometimes do.) I am always afraid that I won't be right somehow and will ruin that potential friendship before it even begins. Silly, huh? Because instead I don't introduce myself at all, and am left with a trail of missed opportunities littering the path behind me.

I am still working on this one thing. Still.

But there are others. Other fears that are more limiting.

Like this one: I've always been either very hesitant or completely unwilling to publicly try something new. I just wouldn't audition, try a sport, play an instrument... Nothing new unless I was already pretty sure I would be good at it. When I was five I waffled back and forth about joining the kids' choir till I was in tears and my mother very nearly was. I really, really wanted to sing. But, oh, I was afraid I might sound bad and get laughed at. My mother finally got tired of all my waffling and told me to choose right now: choir or we would go home. I choose choir and immediately changed my mind. Thank God Mom gave me no choice but to stick with it. I love to sing. And I almost never tried.

There are many other things I didn't try. I didn't try out for cheerleader or drill team. I never learned to play an instrument. I was five foot eight when I was twelve and I didn't play basketball. I was afraid I might not be any good. I was afraid I'd be laughed at.

So many missed opportunities.

It's funny how parenting can change you.

Wanting better for your children can bring home truths you knew but never really lived. Not too long ago Sloane was scared to try something new. So we talked. And I told her about me. And I told her about her Uncle Brett. Uncle Brett never let fear stop him from trying new things. He wanted to play soccer, so he did. And, so what if he was never a starter? He was on the team. He wanted to play an instrument, so he did. He played the trombone in a great jazz band in high school. He wanted to be an actor, so he became one. He had never acted, but he tried out anyway. And earned a part. And eventually was featured on the front page of the Lifestyles section of the Chattanooga Times. "Be like your Uncle Brett," I told her. "Be like him. Don't be afraid to try new things. Don't be like your Momma was. Be like your Uncle Brett."

Like your Momma was...

One thing I am is a truth teller. Like your Momma was is. Is.

Afraid to try new things publicly. Afraid to fail in front of people.

Be like your Uncle Brett...

And so I will. I will try. I will become more like my brother, Brett. I will. I will be brave.

And I'm going to start here. In this place. With these friends.

Tomorrow.

Are you laughing? You are supposed to be laughing. It's funny. But, really, I'm not copping out. It's just that it's late. Really late. Besides, I'm a dramatic sort of girl. I like to build up some anticipation. So I'll be back here tomorrow. Ready to be brave. I hope to see you then.

Good night , sweet friends. Good night.

Circus image found here.

If I Was...

Week 2 of Wednesday Lists.
First spotted here, written with a little help from Jeffrey.
You should try it.

If I Was...

a color, red
a verb, laugh
a day, Thursday
a TV show, Firefly
a taste, savory tart
an emotion, delight
a month, September
a flower, a hydrangea
a holiday, Fourth of July
a movie, Enchanted April
an article of clothing, a hat
a book, 84 Charring Cross Road
a car, black 1969 Camaro 427 convertible
a piece of furniture, bookcase
a scent, old roses and apples
an instrument, harmonica
a store, Reading Reptile
a shoe, cowboy boots
a fruit, pomegranate
an emotion, delight
a song, Say Hey
a tree, magnolia
a planet, Pluto
a tool, a pen

Being Brave

I wanted to show you this.

I made it.
Just me, with my own two hands.

With you in mind.
I'm a little nervous to show you,
in case you don't like it.

In case you don't see my heart written all over it.
But, it's there, I tell you.
My heart.
All over it.

I hope you like it.

Happy February, friends.

Playing Along

My friend Jeanie gave me an award and asked me to tell you seven things you don't already know about me. So, here goes. Thanks, Jeanie, for thinking of me.

Hmmm....

Not easy. I am generally an open book and tend to spill information about myself like a leaky faucet. Here's what I'll do. I'll just spit out the first things I think of.

1. I have a crush on Robert Downey Jr. A big enough one that I'm actually considering watching this.
2. I love Bon Jovi's music. Still. And not just because of the nostalgia factor either.
3. I really, really like makeup and wear more than anybody I work with. But, I don't think I look like I do. (Do I? Those of you who know me in person - speak up.)
4. My Dad had two things he always harped on when I was a teen. It bugged me then, but I am so very grateful for those habits now. His "rules": One, to be late is to steal another person's time. (Sorry, Dad. I'm still working on that one.) Two, if someone can smell your perfume and they aren't hugging you, you have too much on. I'm still paranoid when someone compliments my perfume.
5. With the aforementioned exception of Bon Jovi, I have the musical taste of a very classy 70 year old. OK, maybe I made up the classy part. Still.
6. The first thing I do when I walk in the door at the end of the day is take off my shoes. Next is my jewelry and then my bra. Yippie! Then I scrape my hair away from my neck and face. That usually requires a headband, a ponytail holder, and two tiny barrettes - all at once. Yeah, I look really good at home. Lucky Jeffrey.
7. My friends and I joke about my OCD tendencies. For example, my spice spinner is alphabetized, as are my CDs, my books, and my collections of old magazines. You would never, ever find a sock in the underwear drawer. And, when I shopped I used to rearrange the clothing displays by color on the rounders. Jeffrey's laughter cured me of that. Almost.
   

Wanna play along? Consider yourself tagged.


Of the photos I have taken recently, the image on this post is my favorite. I took it at recess one day last week.

This One Is Me

This picture is of a younger me. Are you laughing now? Stop laughing!

No, of course it isn't me, but it feels like me.

Do you know what I mean?



Do you ever see pictures and you just know that they are of you? Maybe the alternate you. Or the you that you feel like.

Of maybe the picture just captures something in someone else that you recognize in yourself.

You know?



Well. This one is me.


Photo is from an unknown source. I swiped it years ago, before I understood blogging etiquette or ever gave thought to crediting photographers. I am sorry about that. I am. But, I still had to share it with you. If you know anything about the picture, I'd love to hear from you.

... and miles to go before I sleep

I am tired. So tired. My body aches with it kind of tired.

I still have a table full of things to put away/find a home for/straighten. Because I'm a ding-dong. Because I always start one small organizing/cleaning/straightening project and let it snowball into a huge project. Always.

I have about four loads of laundry to do. At least one of them must happen tonight. Sloane must have underwear for tomorrow, you know.

I am tired. The kind of tired that has me writing 50+ words and still not tell you the point of this post. Tell you this one simple fact: I had a terrific day! It was delicious and exciting and encouraging. The kind of day that lets me know I can never stop being an elementary school teacher. Oh, it was a good day.

But, it left me exhausted. So, for now, I'll let the picture speak for me.

It was a good day! I hope yours was, too.

Along the Same Lines...

Yesterday I wrote about the six word stories which reminded me of the six word memoir. I wrote mine back when I first began blogging. Here it is:

Life is Good ~ Sing it Loud!

Have you seen the meme asking for a six word autobiography yet? What a cool idea. What a difficult task. How to sum up a life in a few words and not sound like a bumper sticker? My first thought when I saw the meme was relief that I was unlikely to ever be given such a task. It's funny that I remain untagged, but have written my perfect six word autobiography. I came up with it in less than a minute when I gave a title to this picture. At the time, I didn't have a clear idea for this post. I just knew I had to write about the picture that moved me so much. I thought titling it was a good place to start, even though I can't claim the honor of photographing it. This picture is so me that when I described it, I realized I had described myself pretty well - autobiography well. Life is Good - Sing it Loud!

• I'm a top-of-my-lungs-out-the-car-window kind of singer.
• I'm a cry-at-Hallmark-commercials passionate woman.
• I'm a want-to-hug-you-when-I-see-you-when-I-leave-you-and-any-time-you-make-me laugh kind of person.
• I laugh often and loud.
• I'm a roll-down-the-hill-in-my-Sunday-clothes kind of girl.
• I say "Yes!" and "Why not?" more often than "No" or "We'll see."
• I still ride on the merry-go-round every chance I get, and I race my daughter for the highest swing at the playground.

Life is Good - Sing it Loud! That's me.

And you? What's your six word memoir?

As the Years Pass

My birthday was on Wednesday last week. I turned 39. Thirty nine?? How on earth did that happen? Some days I'd swear I was still 12, stuck in Jr. High Hell. Some days I'm 17, full of life and adventure and excitement, with everything ahead. Most days I've just turned 30, went skydiving on my birthday, am feeling strong and happy and good. How could I be staring 40 in the face?

I have a confession to make. One that doesn't make me proud. I've spent too much time this past year feeling vaguely bothered at the thought of turning 40. Feeling awed by that inexorable march of time. It never ends, does it? Won't slow down for even a minute. Worried about where my life is heading, and feeling far too stunned by mere numbers.

Yes, yes, I know. You are only as old as you feel. Your best years are still ahead. Life is sweet. Old age is better than the alternative. Blah, blah, blah. I do know all that. I do. It doesn't help much when you're the one turning 39. Thirty nine sounds so... so middle aged somehow. How on earth could I be middle aged??? No way is my heart middle aged. Not my mind either. But, well. My body just might be. I've occasionally heard these little groans come out of me when stand up after sitting for a while. YIKES!! I've noticed that I squint and adjust my arm length when I have to read the small print. And, what's the deal with needing to go to the bathroom two or three times a night? MY GOSH! My Mom was right. Getting older's not for sissies.

So there I was up until a few weeks ago. One part of me was feeling disgruntled and sort of lost. The other part of me could hear my internal drill sergeant yelling, Get up soldier. Age is just a number. Get up! Get moving! What's your problem anyway?

I still can't tell you what my problem was exactly. But, I can tell you what helped. Actually turning 39 helped, of course. More than that, friends helped. Christina turning 40 and confiding that it made her feel sexy and powerful helped. Robin being so strong and confident and happy and past 50 helped. Grammy telling me that she's happier in her 60s than she's ever been helped. And Meri. My friend Meri really helped. This is what she told me:

I think the key to growing beautiful old is to keep learning, to stand in awe at the wonder of the universe, to stay open to whatever arises, to do what makes you happy at least once a day, to express yourself creatively in whatever form suits you, and to laugh. It means treating yourself like a queen especially no one else does and always wearing comfortable shoes. It means saying no whenever you feel like it and shedding your guilt at not martyring yourself for the whole world. It involves having friends of all ages and mentoring younger women. It requires taking risks.

There's no choice but to grow old. The challenge is to become beautiful old. Are you up to it? I think you are......

I am. I am up to it. I will become beautiful old. What about you? How do you think we become beautiful old?




I love that picture of me. It was taken by Tangobaby when I was in San Francisco this past July. She's an amazing photographer and makeup artist and I have several very nice pictures from our time together. I probably even have a few that are more flattering. But. I love this one because it is so me. I'm laughing, and talking, and looking up. Looking up. That's the real me. The me I plan to be as I grow beautiful old.

Happy Week, Thursday

Music makes me happy. It always has. Song is one of the constants in my life. Whether I am sad, happy, delighted, wistful, or any mood in between, you'll find me listening. And, you'll likely hear me singing. I have a song for every occasion. I am an unabashed car-singer, shower-singer, front-of-the-classroom-singer. Mostly I'm a grab-a-wooden-spoon-pretend-it's-a-mike-and-let-'er-rip kind of singer. I gain daily joy from singing though I can't play a note. Not on a single instrument. Still. I love to hear musicians create their magic. Live music gives me the happy shivers. I even love high school band concerts. There is just something so wonderful and life affirming in making a joyful noise, in creating music, in raising your voice in song. I cry every time I join with a crowd to sing the National Anthem. I sing Sloane's Song every night when I turn her lights out and say goodnight, and there's not much that I enjoy more than being a part of a choir. Music makes me happy.

Yes, music makes me happy, and this video makes me happier than nearly any music I've ever heard. Watch. Listen. Celebrate.

Life is good. Sing it loud.


The image above is used with permission. It is from the September, 1937 issue of The Etude Music Magazine via takeabreak's photostream.

Catching Up...

Do you like memes? I think they are a fun way to get to know a blogger. Here's one that's long overdue, from my friend, Joan.

Q: What is your current obsession?

A: Organizing. During the school year everything seems to slip sideways. This summer I've been working on putting things back in order. This time, I'd like to do it well enough that perhaps we can stay organized even when school begins again.

Q: What is the very last picture that you framed?

A: A picture for Jeffrey that Julie took of me.

Q: What's for dinner?

A: You'd have to ask Jeffrey. He's the cook around here.

Q: What was the last thing you bought?

A: A butterfly wing pendant at my favorite spot. It is so beautiful but I especially loved it because the creators of these necklaces harvest already-dead butterflies from the rain forest. It's a beautiful form of recycling.

Q: What are you listening to right now?

A: This dreamy, perfect song is a new discovery, thanks to Debi.

Q: What is your favorite vacation spot?

A: Somewhere I've never been before. Always.

Q: What are you reading right now?

A: "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Q: What four words would you use to describe yourself?

A: Passionate, affectionate, enthusiastic, fun

Q: What is your current guilty pleasure?

A: I'm with Lala. Why feel guilty about pleasure? Instead I'll give you four tiny pleasures: blowing bubbles, petting a cat, arranging a vase of flowers, writing lists

Q: What is one thing you hope to accomplish this summer?

A: Learn how to transfer my home videos from tape to dvd

Q: Where are you planning to travel next?

A: St. Louis for a weekend in October. For Jeffrey's birthday, I got all three of us tickets to see Yo Yo Ma. Can't wait!

Q: What was the best thing you ate or drank recently?

A: grilled asparagus with a bit of black pepper

Q: What is your favorite thing about summer?

A: small-town carnies & not wearing a watch from the day school gets out to the day it begins again

Q: What is your one favorite word these days?

A: Yes!

What about you? Play along if you like. I'd love to hear your answers.



Photograph above by Julie Blackmon. Believe it or not, I fell in love with this photograph in a local gallery about 5 or 6 years ago. It was $150, but I didn't have the money at the time. Now, her photographs sell for $2,200 to $4,800. Have you ever just wanted to kick yourself?

I Am

Tonight I am taking a break from San Francisco posts to play along with Gillian. I'm also feeling great, thanks to Julie, who took this photo, and made one of my wishes come true.

I am a ...

wife

mom
believer
skydiver
dreamer
daughter
organizer
storyteller
adventurer
letter-writer
loud laugher
party thrower
frequent cryer
chief laundress
great present-giver
second grade teacher
procrastinating perfectionist
wanna-be photographer
picture straightener
abundant life liver
roller coaster rider
sister, aunt, niece
blessing counter
lifelong learner
encourager
car dancer
cat owner
Yes sayer
traveler
blogger
hugger
reader

writer
singer
friend

Won't you play along? If you do, send me your link and I'll add it here.


Picture, by Julie Michelle, is used with permission.