Tinsel Town Adulation

I am sitting here enraptured by the Golden Globes. I love Kate Winslet - she won, by the way. Ricky Gervais is hilarious - spontaneous command of a crowd. He shushed a room and people laughed. How come my students don't laugh when I tell them to stop their incessant chatting? Kidding, I know why. A few hours ago, I had thought of half a dozen things to write about. Now I can't remember anything except the books and movies I want to read or watch and all the fabulous people I need to call (I really need to talk to some of you). I'm going to go so I don't ramble on about more globe moments--
ps. I stood in 70 degree sunshine today - it was absolutely divine and felt like a perfect spring day...and it's January!

Techless Life

I have been anti-technology lately which means blogging and commenting sessions are getting few and far between. I still love the blogworld. I just have rediscovered other things that are keeping me away. I also feel like I have less to write about. I have been so mellow lately, extreme highs and extreme lows don't exist (most writing for me happens in one of those frenzied extremes). I should probably check the side effects of the medication my doctor recently prescribed since I am supposedly on a low dose until February. As always, I hope your lives are happy and peaceful-- I hope too that you're warm. I'm off to go put on better socks.

ps. Happy birthday to my hilarious brother-in-law Brett - can't imagine the family without you.

Nostalgic Wonder

I disappeared mid-December. The reasons for the season were not completed. To do lists were left unfinished. And you know what, the world did not end, and I am the happier and more relaxed for it. Here are a few things that I have fallen in love with or rediscovered in the past couple weeks.

1. Disneyland's Main Street is the closest I'll ever get to living in a musical. I love it. Standing there looking at the 1910 era storefronts or gazing up at Sleeping Beauty's castle makes me feel like I am actually in one of the childhood stories I read or watched over and over again. Being in Disneyland with my family (none of whom are technically even kids anymore) was a Peter Pan experience - truly, part of each of us never grows up.

2. I redid my bookshelves with Tracy's help. Sounds bizarre to more people, but I love holding my books and looking at all the titles on my shelves. Over break, I have read a few - Elder Holland's "Broken Things to Mend" and "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" being the best. Jenessa called me out when we went to Tahoe for three days on having four different books with me. My defense was that one was a play, one was a novel, one was a non-fiction, and one was a young adult fiction. Who knows which type would fit my respective moods? I read pieces of all four and finished two of them while I was cozied up in the cabin.

3. "It's a Wonderful Life" makes every holiday season complete. I finished it today and cried again as the good people of Bedford Falls come to the aide of a dear friend. I love that movie and the hope it inspires. George and Mary Bailey are two of my favorite fictional characters and one of the best silver screen couples.

4. I love my Uggs - I know I railed against them to some of you as a Danville trend, but my feet are warm for the first time in years. I know they are not fashionable, but if I get to keep my toes through another winter, I am a happy woman. And no, I do not wear them on the outside of my jeans.

5. I found my American Girl dolls and an old stuffed puppy named Oliver Gavroche (strange name, I know - I was not a normal child. Gavroche, in case you are completely bewildered, is the name of the little boy in Les Miserables). Talk about blasts from the past holding Samantha and Molly.

6. Better than holding old dolls, I got to hold Mae after Brett and Jewels surprised us at the cabin. Every time we see her, Mae has more personality - more spunk or more beauty. Her thighs are a force to be reckoned with. She has eyelashes that Covergirl models dream about. Can't wait to see her again.
(This is Mae on i-chat on Christmas Day. She was watching a talking Hallmark ornament very intently--she loves her Linus!)

7. This break I got to see perfect sunshine, fog wrapping around every inch of the neighborhood, thrashing wind and rain, and snow. Love it all--

8. Last, but certainly least - I have gotten to spend a lot of time with friends and family. Life is wonderful, as Frank Capra's fabulous movie tells us.
(This is our picture from "Tower of Terror" - I look like I am smiling on a park bench, but the real star of the picture is my mom on the back row. She wins for best photo--)

2008 was a great year. Somehow, I think 2009 will be even better. I just feel it-- Hope you feel the same. Happy New Year!

Reasons 11-13

Life doesn't get any better than this~

Reason for the Season No. 9 & 10

After hours of finishing up my Stanford class (the third and final portion of my six month CLAD program), I am tired of typing so brevity is the order the day.

Reason for the Season No. 10 -

Today is Ellie Beth Collette's 1st birthday. It is unreal to me that a whole year has gone by since that sassy little girl came into the world, but I love her (and her fabulous family) dearly. I can't wait to see what she becomes. Have I mentioned before that I'm hoping for her and Mae to be best friends? Dare to dream!

Reason for Season No. 9 - At the risk of sounding like "omg, like I'm totally grateful for my phone," I have to say I really am grateful for my phone (not to mention a ridiculously large amount of minutes each month). The telephone is in my top five favorite (and essential) inventions because it gives me the ability to talk to all those people that I love so much who live far away. Even though phone conversations are not as wonderful as face-to-face chats, they help make the time in-between much more bearable.


*On a random, sad sidenote - I promised to keep a few of your updated on my student who has been struggling with less-than-perfect decisions. His parents have decided to send him away. I thought things were getting better, but he came in today while I was teaching another teacher's class and told me. To say that I am crushed sounds dramatic, but the teacher version of myself really is-- I think sending this kid to boarding school is like admitting defeat, but obviously (and for good reason) my opinion is not significant. I hope they let him come home soon--

A few more reasons...

Reason for the Season No. 8 - Today is actually my mom's birthday. One of the things I love most about my mom is that she makes everything beautiful. My mom wants everyone to be happy. And she embodies the idea the concept of "girls just wanna have fun."


Reason for the Season No. 7 - Mae just might be left-handed. Now, I am not saying I will love her less if she is right-handed, but I will love her more if she is a south paw. Can't help it. Lefties unite!


Reason for the Season No. 6 - I love temples. They are a constant reminder that God loves us and that there is a plan in place for each of us. We just need to slow down and take a minute to listen. Temples are the perfect place to do that.


Reason for the Season No. 5 - Making plans is one of my favorite things to do. I love planning trips, projects, lunch dates - you name it. Making plans is fabulous. A few of the most recent schemes include a trip to Georgia with Jewels next summer, a grading weekend with Katie to Tahoe, and a craft day with Tracy and whoever wants to come while we watch a few essential chick flicks. Can't wait!


Reason for the Season No. 4 - I love my cousins. Most recently, I saw Chris, the youngest of the infamous Jackson brothers, at a Stanford women's volleyball game. Granted, he does coach for USC, but he makes up for that by being Chris. Without a doubt, the cousin I am closest to. Love him dearly. Also on the cousin radar - Jeff just got married and is having a baby! Eric looks like a grown-up (he is looking like a southern Logan Huntsberger for you Gilmore fans) - what is that? How come he looks like a grown-up, and I still get told to go back to class?

This is Action Jackson competing against Mr. Colby Jackson - Mike's youngest (until baby no. 3 arrives!)

The new Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Holtz - can't wait to hear details on Baby Holtz!

Mr. Blades out on the town in Athens, GA - this guy just gets cooler!

Reason for the Season No. 3 - Nostalgic memories can be both a blessing and a curse, but I was wrapped up in one yesterday that made me relax and appreciate the intricate beauty in the world around me. It goes back to my second winter in college when I was living at Raintree - it had to be early December, that time of the semester where people are scrambling, panicking, and living on a prayer that they make it through the last days of class. And one school day, it snowed all day - big, fat flakes covering everything. Mel and I bundled up to go for a walk - gloves, beanies, scarves - still freezing, but it was so beautiful. I stood outside after our walk and just watched it snow - and I knew in that instant how much God loves us (and that I was a Californian through and through - who else would find frozen water pelting out of the sky so amazing?).

(There's no picture for that one - just the snowy images drifting across my memory lane...)

Reason for the Season No.2

When I came up with the idea of writing the things I am most grateful for this holiday season, I had a few specific ones in mind. All of those slipped away today as I met the new custodian who cleans my classroom each day after school He was optimistic and had an energy that I rarely see in our overworked custodial staff. We got to talking and I learned a bit about Sergio's life as he emptied the garbage cans (and complimented my classroom - extra points ps and by the way, since I just decorated for Christmas). I learned that Sergio works at San Ramon from 3pm to 11pm, Monday through Friday, and works at a local country club from 5am to about 1:30pm to support his wife and baby. Yet, he was grateful for his job and for his new little one. What a humbling experience for me - I thought that some of my days were long. They are nothing compared to Sergio's, and still he greets everyone with a smile.

So my Reason No.2 is two fold - one, I am so grateful for my job--that it's secure and what I want to do. I chose it - I'm not forced into it. I can take time off and not worry about having food on the table or heat in the winter. Two, I am grateful for optimistic, can-do people that help set the pace for rest of us. If Sergio can do it on four hours of sleep and two jobs, I can certainly do it too.