tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56132843653838156382024-03-13T13:36:28.544-04:00A LITTLE EACH DAYWife. Mother. Lover of the arts. Libra to the core. Constantly trying to find balance.Rachel Ayers Wallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738051951859113330noreply@blogger.comBlogger988125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-47195091147120543712014-12-25T18:14:00.000-05:002014-12-26T12:15:09.654-05:00Doing What Makes You HappyNumber one perk of celebrating a holiday as a small family of three:<br />
everyone gets a moment to themselves to do whatever makes them most happy.<br />
<br />
My husband's been napping now for a few hours, which is quite possibly one of his favorite things to do on any given <strike>holiday</strike> day. He looks serene and entirely comfortable surrounded by all of those pillows.<br />
<br />
My almost-five-year-old daughter spent about an hour carefully following the directions for a wooden doll painting activity that she received as a gift this morning. She was so proud of her creation - and then <i>asked</i> if she could take a rest while her artwork had time to dry.<br />
<br />
Me? I took the opportunity to soak in that precious quiet moment. The sun was setting. Candles were glowing. The tree was lit up in a way that made me think of my childhood. The only sounds I could hear were the faint rustlings of a wind chime on our back deck, and the friendly honking of geese enjoying our pond on this warm winter day.<br />
<br />
Legs curled under a cozy blanket, perched on the couch with my cup of hot cider, I just... sat.<br />
Sat and listened to the quiet.<br />
Sat and let myself be quieted.<br />
And it was perfect.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GbqCBW_ZcT0/VJ2VKH7c2rI/AAAAAAAAAzo/HXWHfG7wZ80/s1600/photo%2B2%2B(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GbqCBW_ZcT0/VJ2VKH7c2rI/AAAAAAAAAzo/HXWHfG7wZ80/s1600/photo%2B2%2B(3).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view from the comfy couch on this quiet Christmas Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And as I sat and listened (to myself) I was reminded of all the things I love to do that stem from moments like these: reading, doing crossword puzzles, playing the piano and, of course, writing.<br />
<br />
I felt a quick pang of loss when thinking of this little spot I'd carved out for myself on the World Wide Web almost seven years ago... and how this spot, like a forgotten garden, has gone largely untended for months on end. When I began writing this blog, I wrote a little bit each day. Just like the title stated. Back then, I was basically a single woman living alone in NYC. I hadn't even <i>met</i> my husband yet - and now we have this whole other life together. Different town, new careers, super cool daughter. With that life comes increased adventures, and responsibilities, and demands on our time. And those quiet writing moments that filled my evenings when living alone have now been replaced with family dinners, planning activities, bedtime stories, and preparing for the next busy day.<br />
<br />
As I glance back through that first year of my blog (360 posts) and notice the significant drop in the frequency of my writing (until I get to this year's measly 4 posts) I feel a definite loss. A regret for not taking the time to reflect on all the incredible blessings that have come my way since then. I tend to value quality over quantity, but perhaps I'm experiencing a version of the "seven year itch"... maybe I need to get back to that daily writing routine. Need it not for the sake of others, but for my own.<br />
<br />
I hear the patter of little feet above me. A familiar sound to stir me from my silent thoughts. My daughter will sneak down the stairs in a few moments and ask, "Whatcha doin' Mama?" She will have a grin on her face. She will probably be hungry. And as I welcome her onto my lap, putting this computer down, I will try to hold on to my own hunger - for writing - while I make her a snack and continue on with our full and fulfilling life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-34243405651242897992014-08-11T10:17:00.003-04:002014-08-11T10:17:36.064-04:00Until You Know Better<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auCP2jpp6wQ/U-jQTsAT2kI/AAAAAAAAAwU/rMpU0OCUW3Y/s1600/do-the-best-you-can-until-you-know-better-maya-angelou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auCP2jpp6wQ/U-jQTsAT2kI/AAAAAAAAAwU/rMpU0OCUW3Y/s1600/do-the-best-you-can-until-you-know-better-maya-angelou.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-63233252691268162572014-04-16T23:46:00.006-04:002014-04-16T23:46:56.236-04:00Capable of Being<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>"Treat people as if they were </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>what they ought to be...</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>and you help them to become </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>what they are capable of being."</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>- Goethe</strong></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-50826320897886492212014-04-06T22:56:00.000-04:002014-04-06T22:56:36.843-04:00I Love You Too Much<strong>"Do you ever think your heart isn't big enough for a baby?"</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8F7NJI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0770437680&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0922EMHYPCVP6C8G9F9H">THE OPPOSITE OF MAYBE</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8F7NJI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0770437680&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0922EMHYPCVP6C8G9F9H">by Maddie Dawson</a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9e399HM6Asc/U0IIZEUJ3TI/AAAAAAAAAtY/jgvPEb0BC2g/s1600/71rjsiR5s0L__SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9e399HM6Asc/U0IIZEUJ3TI/AAAAAAAAAtY/jgvPEb0BC2g/s1600/71rjsiR5s0L__SL1500_.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></a></div>
I find that my husband and I are now in the stage of our family life when people start asking, "So - are you gonna try for another one?" And whether these people are dear friends of ours, or work colleagues, or mere acquaintances we've only just met, the personal question they're really asking is: Are you going to have another kid?<br />
<br />
I deflect with smiley answers like, "Oh, one's enough for now!" Or, "She's just so perfect, I don't want to push our luck!" Or, "We'll see what fate has in store..." But the truth is, I am not convinced that I could fully handle another child. I don't know if my heart is big enough for a baby.<br />
<br />
Our four-year-old is one of the kindest, funniest, most genuine people I know. She is full of love and light, and she owns so much of my heart. I love her entirely, in a way I have never before loved anything or anyone. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love with abandon. I open my arms and heart to so many people - and it makes for quite a full and joyous life. But the rare and overwhelming kind of love I have for my daughter is... well, overwhelming. It's not just that I love her, it's that she is a part of me. Elizabeth Stone said that to have a child is to "have your heart go walking around outside of your body." I never really knew the <em>feeling</em> of what she meant until I had our baby girl. And I cannot fathom how I would be able to handle twice as much of that feeling with two children. How would it not feel like splitting your own heart? What if I couldn't offer that same amount of overwhelming love to another little life?<br />
<br />
It's hard to write these honest thoughts... and it may be hard for people to read them. I question this feeling inside of me each and every time someone asks if we're "gonna try for another one." There's not an easy answer in there. But when I read that line in Maddie Dawson's novel, <u>The Opposite of Maybe</u>, I felt a familiarity in the question: "Do you ever think your heart isn't big enough for a baby?"<br />
<br />
Maybe a year ago, our daughter started saying "I love you too much" instead of "I love you so much." Now we repeat it daily. It's innocence makes me smile - the funny confusion of language that can suddenly mean something else entirely. But it's the weight of that simple sentence that sticks with me each time I hear myself say it to my little one. <br />
<br />
I am certain that I have a very big heart... and yet, I still wonder.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.borrowingwisdom.blogspot.com/">For more quotes collected from this book, and others, visit Borrowing Wisdom.</a></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Disclosure: I received a copy of <a href="http://www.maddiedawson.com/books/">Maddie Dawson's The Opposite of Maybe</a> to read and discuss as a member of the online book club <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/about/">From Left to Write</a>. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8F7NJI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0770437680&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0922EMHYPCVP6C8G9F9H">Click here to purchase your own copy of this novel.</a></em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-27375377077399709152014-03-17T18:40:00.000-04:002014-03-17T18:40:05.705-04:00Balance as Happiness<strong>"Happiness is equilibrium. Shift your weight."</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/228366/the-divorce-papers-by-susan-rieger">THE DIVORCE PAPERS</a><br />
<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/228366/the-divorce-papers-by-susan-rieger">by Susan Rieger</a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Yd6w2QbAts/Uydygan9ByI/AAAAAAAAAss/8wm1O9tPRG0/s1600/9780804137447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Yd6w2QbAts/Uydygan9ByI/AAAAAAAAAss/8wm1O9tPRG0/s1600/9780804137447.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a>Sometimes I think there might be too many things I enjoy. Does that sound silly? Maybe it's not a case of there being too much to enjoy, but instead feeling like there's never enough time to enjoy it all equally. And, truth be told, there's not. There's not enough time to do all of the things I'd like to do in this life. There's barely enough time to do all of the things I'd like to do in one day! But that's not the point, is it? As my mother said this weekend (about a totally different topic) "Nothing is always equal or fair." She's told me this about work, she's told me this about relationships, she told me this (many times) as a Teenage Libra who was constantly seeking fairness in all things. The point is not to have fairness in your life or to evenly distribute your time between things you love. The point is to enjoy them... perhaps simply, to enjoy.</div>
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And while I believe that to be true, I also am beginning to know myself well enough to recognize when I'm out of whack. Out of balance. Off my equilibrium. It happens when I spend too much time or energy or effort on one specific thing, and unintentionally ignore the many other things that make me happy. I become cranky and I nag about there being dishes in the sink. I eat a bunch of crap and I forget how much I love cooking delicious and healthy meals. I have a shorter temper than usual and I am not as patient and loving as I want to be, as I know I can be. </div>
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While reading The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger, a quote about a third of the way through the book leapt off the page at me and I couldn't forget it: "Happiness is equilibrium. Shift your weight." The quote is actually from Tom Stoppard's play <em>The Real Thing. </em>It's advice from a father to his daughter. And it's good advice. </div>
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I know that keeping a balance between my many loves is what makes my life happiest... it's actually one of the cornerstones of this blog (and my lack of writing here has been something "out of balance" in my life for quite some time now). But the second part of that quote is harder for me to remember to do: shift your weight. </div>
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What I love most about it is how simple a directive it is. Shift. Shift your position. Shift your attention. Shift your attitude. Not "be perfect." Not "be amazing at everything." Not even "make sure to keep it all exactly balanced." Just a little shift.</div>
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With the post inspired by this book, with the projects coming up that excite me, with the adventures that lie ahead this summer... I look forward to the shift already in progress.</div>
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<a href="http://borrowingwisdom.blogspot.com/"><strong>For more quotes collected from this book, and others, visit Borrowing Wisdom.</strong></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclosure: I received a copy of <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/228366/the-divorce-papers-by-susan-rieger">Susan Rieger's THE DIVORCE PAPERS</a></span></em><span style="color: #1d1d8c; font-size: xx-small;"><em> </em></span><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">to read
and discuss as a member of the online book club </span></em><a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/about/"><span style="color: #1d1d8c; font-size: xx-small;"><em>From Left to Write</em></span></a><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">. The
thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own. </span></em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Divorce-Papers-A-Novel/dp/0804137447"><em><span style="color: #1d1d8c; font-size: xx-small;">Click here to purchase your own copy of this book. </span></em></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-75262508429206197512013-09-01T08:49:00.001-04:002013-09-01T08:49:16.179-04:00What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cKaWJ72x1rI" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-31544392929113742132013-07-23T13:21:00.001-04:002013-07-23T13:21:29.610-04:00The Most Vulnerable Moment in Any Artist's Life<a href="http://jasonrobertbrown.com/2012/10/31/how-i-insulted-sondheim-and-the-wisdom-received-thereby/">Advice from Stephen Sondheim to Jason Robert Brown (paraphrased by JRB): </a><br />
<blockquote>
<i>"Nobody cares what you think. Once a creation has been put
into the world, you have only one responsibility to its creator: be
supportive. Support is not about showing how clever you are, how
observant of some flaw, how incisive in your criticism. There are other
people whose job it is to guide the creation, to make it work, to make
it live; either they did their job or they didn’t. But that is not your
problem. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>If you come to my show and you see me afterwards, say only this: “I
loved it.” It doesn’t matter if that’s what you really felt. What I need
at that moment is to know that you care enough about me and the work I
do to tell me that you loved it, not “in spite of its flaws”, not “even
though everyone else seems to have a problem with it,” but simply,
plainly, “I loved it.” If you can’t say that, don’t come backstage,
don’t find me in the lobby, don’t lean over the pit to see me. Just go
home, and either write me a nice email or don’t. Say all the catty,
bitchy things you want to your friend, your neighbor, the Internet. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Maybe next week, maybe next year, maybe someday down the line, I’ll
be ready to hear what you have to say, but that moment, that
face-to-face moment after I have unveiled some part of my soul, however
small, to you; that is the most vulnerable moment in any artist’s life.
If I beg you, plead with you to tell me what you really thought, what you actually, honestly, totally believed, then you must tell me, “I loved it.” That moment must be respected."</i></blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-66112688820358718822013-06-12T06:44:00.000-04:002013-06-12T06:44:00.129-04:00A Revolution of Heart-Based Wisdom<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Hs-WMjQYpkM" width="540"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-77696059713901497442013-06-11T01:17:00.001-04:002013-06-11T01:17:21.927-04:00Alternate Way of Viewing ChurchI like this and agree. Preach it, John Shelby Spong!<br />
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<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5BkP9-HG8-I" width="420"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-38876823219067658612013-04-30T00:28:00.001-04:002013-04-30T00:29:54.431-04:00Sell your crap. Pay your debt. Do what you love."There are thousands and thousands of people out there, living lives of quiet, screaming desperation who work long, hard hours at jobs they hate, to enable them to buy things they don't need, to impress people they don't like." - Nigel Marsh<br />
<br />
"Make a commitment to start collecting experiences and not things." - Adam Baker<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9XRPbFIN4lk" width="545"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-21773182015308181402013-03-26T17:51:00.001-04:002013-03-26T17:51:47.743-04:0024 IS MY FAVORITE<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" id="fullResImage" src="http://d2fef0jhu6cpv1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/581894_10151489432552300_89163332_n.jpg" style="height: 520px; width: 401px;" width="308" /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-4172535038930875212013-03-25T11:07:00.001-04:002013-03-25T11:07:15.978-04:00TOP 5 WAYS TO A BETTER LIFE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BpWgUcXHecw/UVBoCl1FFfI/AAAAAAAAAhU/snSz6lWlWLc/s1600/599628_367053750076821_202972827_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BpWgUcXHecw/UVBoCl1FFfI/AAAAAAAAAhU/snSz6lWlWLc/s400/599628_367053750076821_202972827_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Top 5 Ways to a Better Life According to Dave Grohl </b><br /> <br /> (An interpretation of his Keynote speech at SXSW last week in Austin,TX)<br /> <br /><b> 1. No one is you and that is you</b><span class="text_exposed_show"><b>r biggest power. </b><br /> <br />
“It’s YOUR VOICE. Cherish it. Respect it. Nurture it. Challenge it.
Stretch it and scream until it’s f**king gone because everyone is
blessed with at least that, and who knows how long it will last . . .”<br />
“Who’s to say what’s a good voice, and what’s not a good voice? The
Voice? Imagine Bob Dylan sitting there singing ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ in
front of Christina Aguilera.”<br /> <br /><b> 2. Don’t be afraid of not fitting in. </b><br /> <br />
“I can truly say out loud that ‘Gangnam Style’ is one of my favorite
f**king songs of the past decade. Is it any better or worse than the
latest Atoms for Peace album? Hmmm… paging Pitchfork! Come in, come in,
Pitchfork! We need you to help us determine the value of a song! Who
f**king cares.” Don't be someone who designs their lives to impress
others. <br /> <br /><b> 3. Give a damn about yourself.</b><br /> <br /> It’s about
taking care of yourself so you can be a better human being. A 2.0
version of you is way more equipped to help others in need. Take up yoga
if you’re stressed. Ask for a big raise. Walk away from a relationship
that is abusive or draining. Or just take a nap, for Christ’s sake.<br /> <br /><b> 4. Be humble.</b><br /> <br />
No one wants to go to lunch with a supermodel who says things like, “My
cheekbones, if you’ve noticed, have a similar incline to an escalator.”
One thing I’ve noticed is that if you are good at something, people
will acknowledge it. Appreciate the hell out of those people. Should you
be blessed enough to have the fortitude to work so hard at something
that people celebrate you, your first reaction should be gratitude. And
know that there’s a ton of people out there from all races and
socioeconomic backgrounds who can still teach you something. I don’t
care if you’re Bill Clinton or Jay-Z – always be learning; always be
improving.<br /> <br /><b> 5. Spark a revolution.</b><br /> <br /> Always have the
highest bar for yourself. Wake up everyday and no matter how crappy you
feel, want to change something for the better. Do something that makes
someone happy. Create something that inspires someone. Be someone’s
light when they are hopeless.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-15125948737640186512013-03-22T10:38:00.004-04:002013-03-22T10:38:44.067-04:00LESS STUFF, MORE HAPPINESSLiving with less. It's an idea that I really would like to embrace... but it's hard. It's hard to change anything about ourselves - and it's especially hard when society is beckoning you in the opposite direction. But when I start to think about my own personal debt (which we are working hard to eliminate by using some of the methods on <a href="http://www.vertex42.com/Calculators/debt-reduction-calculator.html">this website</a>) and our country's national debt (which is comically explained in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li0no7O9zmE">this video</a>) I often start to wonder if I really need all of this <i>stuff</i>.<br />
<br />
These two videos inspire me. Graham Hill made more money by the time he was 30 than most of us will make in our lifetime - yet he currently lives in NYC in a 420-square foot apartment. Granted, it's a pretty awesome, highly individualized apartment that was probably very expensive to create. He's on a mission to change the way we think about <i>stuff</i> and his TED talk "Less Stuff, More Happiness" makes me want to join his bandwagon.<br />
<br />
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Visit NBCNews.com for <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">breaking news</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">world news</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">news about the economy</a></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://embed.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_less_stuff_more_happiness.html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-11887696133385837102013-03-18T17:35:00.000-04:002013-03-18T17:35:17.207-04:00LIFE AFTER CELL PHONESStumbled upon this over at <a href="http://thecuriousbrain.com/">The Curious Brain</a>. So true. And I sort of hate it.<br />
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<img alt="" class="alignnone" height="1877" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/550x/87/3d/95/873d95d07a622a758ca21efaa3aa0978.jpg" width="495" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-42171438994853879292013-03-17T23:07:00.002-04:002013-03-17T23:07:56.236-04:00WHAT FINLAND'S DOING RIGHT<br />
Thanks to <a href="http://shaneguiter.tumblr.com/">Shane's Blog</a> for the image (source: slowrobot.com).<br />
This <a href="http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/">article from <i>The Atlantic</i></a> is also an interesting look at Finland's education ideas.<br />
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<img height="3765" src="http://cdn.slowrobot.com/3420131500195.jpg" width="540" /><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-87140478679822875122013-03-07T09:31:00.003-05:002013-03-07T09:31:39.544-05:00TWO MAMAS. 100,000 MILES. <br />
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<a href="http://snapjudgment.org/">From NPR's Snap Judgement ("Storytelling. With a beat.")</a><br />
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-Lug_IxFKo8" width="545"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-22493447029527562802013-03-06T12:30:00.002-05:002013-03-06T12:30:28.062-05:00ALSO AWESOME<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" class="spotlight" height="349" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/184088_472354702817983_1668885254_n.jpg" style="height: 378px; width: 433px;" width="400" /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-70721220539873770792013-02-26T23:13:00.001-05:002013-02-26T23:13:18.379-05:00THE PROCESS OF "MEANING-MAKING"
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"In a global culture that requires creative problem solvers
and craves innovation, schools must cultivate dynamic, adaptive thinking. And
where do creative problem solving, imagination, divergent thinking, and
experiential learning come together every day? </div>
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The fine and performing arts.</div>
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When a child creates a world on a blank canvas, an actor
brings <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Henry V</i> to life on stage, or a
musician awakens the brilliance of Mozart, they not only immerse themselves in
some of the finest culture known to humankind, they involve themselves in the
process of meaning-making. But just as important as the gallery exhibit, the
finished dance, or the choir concert, are the hours spent in the studio: risking,
experimenting, failing, succeeding, and growing. </div>
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The fine and performing arts are the crucible that stretches
one’s potential, expands one’s mind, alters one’s life for the better. It’s the
day-to-day experience of making art on the stage or in the studio that plays a
major role in preparing students for life." </div>
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-Kevin Costa, Director of Fine & Performing Arts at <a href="http://www.mcdonogh.org/">McDonogh School </a></div>
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<img alt="http://www.cytrap.eu/files/ComMetrics/2012/image/01/Guest/2012-01-24-Karen-Dietz-Meaning-Making-Themes-Cloud.png" class="decoded" src="http://www.cytrap.eu/files/ComMetrics/2012/image/01/Guest/2012-01-24-Karen-Dietz-Meaning-Making-Themes-Cloud.png" /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-64559687405642585602013-02-23T23:59:00.001-05:002013-02-23T23:59:14.507-05:00REMEMBERING THIS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-60eLEGhwNLs/USmdvf3W9wI/AAAAAAAAAhA/m58KyIFl8qE/s1600/happylife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-60eLEGhwNLs/USmdvf3W9wI/AAAAAAAAAhA/m58KyIFl8qE/s400/happylife.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-57102261098951643342013-02-20T23:58:00.000-05:002013-02-23T23:58:46.002-05:00PASSIONATELY CURIOUS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-21125180548186912072013-02-18T23:58:00.000-05:002013-02-23T23:58:11.413-05:00YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMiQWihf4pk/USmdqoC3-4I/AAAAAAAAAgo/wkoQVNB_WAg/s1600/universe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMiQWihf4pk/USmdqoC3-4I/AAAAAAAAAgo/wkoQVNB_WAg/s400/universe.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-40294807396765767852013-02-17T22:37:00.001-05:002013-02-17T22:37:37.813-05:00MORE IS LESS<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;">narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"><br />We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.<br /><br />We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.<br /><br />We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.<br /><br />We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.<br /><br />These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.<br /><br />Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.<br /><br />Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.<br /><br />Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.<br /><br />Remember to say 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.<br /><br />Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.<br /><br />Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.<br /><br />And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.georgecarlin.com/">George Carlin</a></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-69730301202427414702013-01-02T09:41:00.000-05:002013-01-02T09:41:00.477-05:00SOUNDS GOOD TO ME<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/1529_10151933257229068_1214385664_n.jpg" /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-74389337339767908462013-01-01T08:39:00.001-05:002013-01-01T08:39:34.641-05:002012 - A LOOK BACKI started this blog on January 1, 2008. I wrote 360 entries that year - almost one for every day, which was of course the original intention for the blog and the inspiration for its title: that I would write a little bit each day.<br />
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This year, I wrote 42 entries. An average of 3.5 blog posts per month, writing not even once a week. And the funny thing is that this past year was a year of huge transitions for me. A year where so many wonderful things worth writing about happened. Perhaps I was just so invested in living in the moment that I couldn't even step outside of myself for a few minutes to jot it all down.<br />
<br />
A resolution for 2013? More writing.<br />
But for now, as I've done each year, a look back at 2012...<br />
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We decided to make a big transition for our family: moving from NYC, where we lived and worked and enjoyed our friends for 10 years, to Maryland. It was a challenging transition but it was definitely the right choice for us. And it was a blessing to have <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-nice-to-have-partner.html">a solid partner</a> with whom to share the burden.<br />
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I start to learn about <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/01/intro-to-peak-oil.html">Peak Oil</a>. I'm inspired by an 11-year-old to <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/01/know-your-farmer-know-your-food.html">know where my food comes from</a>. And I begin to connect with <a href="http://noellephant.blogspot.com/">a cousin of mine</a> who lives on the other side of the country, (bi-coastal kindred spirits).<br />
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<a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-birthday-grace.html">My daughter turns two</a>. We have a birthday party for her at which she is the only child - and she loves every second of having a room full of adults to dote on her. (Complete with a homemade Elmo cake!) I read a book called <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/02/big-changes.html">Animal Vegetable Miracle</a> that creates a deep need in me to start our own garden and confirms our family's decision to move.<br />
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I continue to think about how I want to raise our daughter: <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/03/personify-characteristics-you-hope-to.html">what I want her to be exposed to</a> and <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/03/boy-buddies.html">what kind of people </a>I want her to have in her life.<br />
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<a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/04/our-first-vegetable-garden.html">We start our first vegetable garden</a>. It will never look that nice and neat again.<br />
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To our city folk surprise, our plants in the garden <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/05/vegetable-garden-10-days-later.html">start to grow</a>! And actual vegetables <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/05/vegetable-garden-20-days-later.html">start to appear</a>. Our move to this new town gives me a luxurious amount of one-on-one time with my daughter... but it also gives me pains in my heart because I miss my friends in New York. <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/05/fundamentally-it-is-about-decency.html">Especially this one</a>.<br />
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Six weeks later, <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/06/vegetable-garden-7-weeks-50-days-later.html">our garden is going wild</a>. Our 3 tomato plants have grown a few feet and our peppers actually look like peppers. It is truly amazing. I think about what it means <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-are-you-really.html">to be rather than to seem</a>.<br />
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I get a job <a href="http://www.gfs.org/directory/profile.aspx?pageaction=VPSFaculty&LinkID=26174&DirectoryModuleID=33">teaching theater</a>. And I love it. Within a few weeks I've already started to rethink how I talk about relationships in this all-girls school and I remember that <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-complex-human.html">humans are complicated</a>. I strive to make each girl in my class feel comfortable with who she is.<br />
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I direct <a href="http://www.gfs.org/news/detail/index.aspx?LinkId=2865&ModuleId=346">my first play at GFS</a> and I feel very proud of how hard everyone worked on it. I get the best compliment I could've asked for from my student actors: "Ms. Waller took us seriously, so we took ourselves seriously."<br />
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I feel blessed with my <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/11/giving-thanks.html">abundance</a> of good fortune.<br />
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There is a lot of buzz around the date <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-day-world-ends.html">12.21.12</a> and although I am glad that the world did not end, I do believe it has begun to change. I feel grateful for the relationship that I have with my siblings, both the ones I grew up with and <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/sibling-soiree.html">the ones that came with marriage</a>.<br />
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My <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/you-betta-not.html">daughter continues to sing</a> and it warms my heart. I get to be <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/light.html">home</a> for the holidays. <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-henns.html">My sister got hitched</a>. I registered to run a <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-have-i-done.html">1/2 marathon</a> (seriously?!). And I spent <a href="http://alittleeachday.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-best-kind-of-nye-celebration.html">New Year's Eve</a> with a man I truly adore, a man who believes we are more than just married but joined in spirit as well. Lucky, <i>lucky</i> me.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613284365383815638.post-63481622614655086742012-12-31T23:55:00.000-05:002013-01-01T07:06:14.766-05:00THE BEST KIND OF NYE CELEBRATIONI didn't watch the ball drop this New Year's Eve. I didn't even turn on the TV once to check out the Times Square coverage. I didn't drink champagne, or see fireworks, or use noisemakers.<br />
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I did go out to dinner with my husband. I did have a wonderful, deep, thoughtful conversation with him that lasted all evening and covered several topics close to my heart. I did drink two glasses of a delicious Malbec and enjoyed an overly-filling dinner. I did toast to 2013 with my partner in life - and I did it with a very grateful heart.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0