RSV*P Responding to Life

A Few Photo Collages

2012-01-01T21:21:00.000-05:00

I noticed a few trends when I looked back through my photos from 2011.

Sometimes Lydia doesn't want me to take her picture.

"don't take my picture at the basketball game"

"don't take my picture while I'm texting"

"don't take my picture while my hair is wet"

"don't take my picture"

I like self-portraiture.

during play practice

in winter

at the lake

in the secret garden

in the rearview mirror

in my living room

in Philadelphia

when I'm sick

at the pool

in nerdvana aka our rec room

with a rainbow

in Florida

in my backyard

when it's snowing

my favorite thing to photograph

2011 in Review

2011-12-31T15:56:00.003-05:00

Lots of Snow

Dinner with Friends from High School

Lydia in Thoroughly Modern Millie

My Eldest Turns 16!

Mothers Day Gifts and Hikes on the Mountain

Family Trip to Knoebel's

Dream Vacation to Florida

First Days- Luke in 5th & Lydia in 11th

Flooding

An Afternoon at the Orchard

Lydia's NOT a Zombie in Zombie Wedding

Happy Holidays!

Media Room

2011-12-29T16:25:00.001-05:00

Before I switched to this magazine style for blog posting, I had a separate space for media updates. I kept track of my movie, TV, and book habits. I have since lost those little widgets and when I checked my "media room", I had only kept track up until August!

Since I'm getting a little old, I forget which movies I've seen and which books I've read. It's sad. I know! So here is an attempted end-of-year wrap-up of what I have been reading and watching.

September: I saw Dolphin Tale with Lydia and Luke. I liked it a lot **** stars. I was a little disheartened to learn that a lot of the movie did not happen in real life. I also saw Dream House with Lydia. I liked it. *** and it starred the lovely Daniel Craig.

October: I saw Footloose with Lydia and Luke- which I enjoyed. I liked that some of it was word-for-word the original and other parts had been updated to make things more relevant. Kevin Bacon was a better Ren. **** I saw Paranormal Activity 2 and 3 that month. Those movies scare the crap out of me! They do. ****

November: I saw Tower Heist because I needed something to do while Lydia was at a nearby birthday party. **1/2 This next one gets 1/2 only. It sucked big time, and I'm embarrassed to say I saw it. Hub chose A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas as his birthday movie. It was terrible but I did laugh once or twice. I did see Breaking Dawn and I actually liked it more than the other movies in this series. I'll give it a ***1/2. We all saw and loved the Muppets. *****

December: It is a tradition in our family that the birthday person gets to choose a movie. Since Luke and I share a birthday, we always choose something the whole family will enjoy. We saw We Bought a Zoo as our birthday movie this year. It was a really nice movie. ****1/2 and when I looked it up when we got home, I learned that a lot of the story was true. Today, I saw The Darkest Hour with Lydia. I'll give it **1/2. You can see we like to go to scary movies together even though this wasn't that scary.

Books:
The Dead and the Gone- part 2 in the Last Survivors series. YA ***1/2 stars
currently reading Wildwood and really enjoying it. It's another YA book. Other than those two books, I have not been reading very much other than rereading books that my students are reading like- The Phantom Tollbooth ***** one of my all-time favorite books, Number the Stars ***** a wonderful book that deals carefully with the Holocaust, Artemis Fowl ****1/2 a fun story, and The Midwife's Apprentice ***1/2.

TV:
New favorites include Once Upon a Time, Grimm, and The New Girl. I enjoyed Project Runway and Work of Art and I'm looking forward to Project Runway All-Stars. Old series rewatched include Malcolm in the Middle and Felicity.

How about you?

Sometimes I Hate the Internet

2011-12-27T11:51:00.000-05:00

I am not having a good day.

It's about to be that time of the month, the post-holiday blahs have already set in, and it's raining.

I thought I could lose myself in the internet for awhile, but I just found myself getting more and more angry. Why?

That's the waist of an eight year old on an adult woman.

This is the bedroom shared by a nine year old and a two year old.

People pin stuff like this on boards entitled future home.

So yes... I'm an angry middle aged woman with first world problems. What I really want to do is show that 20-something model a picture of me at 23 and me now- 20 years later. I want to see what that 9yo's bedroom looks like on a normal day. I want to post snarky comments on other peoples' pinterest boards like, "I hope you get those future genetically perfect robot children to live in your future home."

Ugh. I'm a curmudgeon.

2011-12-16T22:05:00.001-05:00

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com
tee-hee... I don't know why Zeke's name is missing. He's the second dog.

I'm a Winner! ( by daughter would tell you that it should say Wiener!)

2011-12-16T07:11:00.002-05:00

About 2 weeks ago, I read about an online auction that was going on to benefit a fantasy writer and her family. Terri Windling is an author/artist interested in myth, folklore, and fairytales.

via

As I perused the offerings, I noticed several names I recognized- Amy Brown, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Brian Froud, Charles deLint, Charles Vess, Cory Doctorow, Holly Black, Kyle Cassidy, Loreena McKennitt, my beloved Neil, and Tamora Pierce. But there were a lot of other authors/artists who were new to me.

When I came upon this listing, I was intrigued:

Offered: The fabulous, urbane, witty and flawlessly coiffed Authoress of Note Carolyn Turgeon will take the winner to lunch in a stylish bistro somewhere in New York City and discuss writing, publishing, and possibly even mermaids. At length, perhaps over fruity drinks topped with tiny umbrellas. This should happen sometime during 2012 depending upon Ms. T's schedule and availability -- she and the winner can discuss.

So I clicked on her link and was even more interested in winning. And I have!

So some time in 2012, I will get to have lunch in NYC with a real author! Yay me!

Things to Share

2011-12-09T07:21:00.001-05:00

Dancing Advent Calendar- I taught 1st and 2nd grade earlier in my career and this is exactly how little boys dance - well with less hip thrusts. These two guys make me smile with their commitment to dancing through the month of December.
via the lovely Vivienne McMaster

awesome designs for Katniss... which is your favorite? I'm partial to Rachel Roy, Charlotte Ronson, and BCBGeneration
I really, really want this for Christmas. (But on the other hand, I really don't want anything but my eventual vespa!)

2011-12-06T07:25:00.001-05:00

Reverb prompt: What is the one thing you finally did this year that you always wanted or said you were going to do, but in your heart of hearts never thought you would actually do? courtesy of Amy Krajek

This year, I was asked to be part of a community celebration that was to include local businesses and crafters. I decided to focus on my photography and had notecards printed of my nature photos. It was scary but I did it and now I have nice cards to send to friends or sell if I get the chance again.

1. full forsythia, 2. wave, 3. glow, 4. new growth, 5. autumn shoot 7, 6. Green Encased

I really want to:

travel abroad
skydive
purchase a vespa

But I don't know if those things will ever happen...

Dear College Bound Me

2011-12-02T20:13:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of Bethany and the other Reverb Broads, here's a post to my college-bound self.

Dear Mim. Yes Mim. Start using this name now because it will feel right. No more Missey or even Melissa. You feel best as Mim. Here are a few pieces of advice...

Apply to more than one college. You are good enough to apply to more than one college.
Break up with your hometown boyfriend.
Study abroad. If he loves you, he'll wait for you.
You are a born teacher, but maybe you should take more classes in other areas.
Buy a camera and take photography classes.
I know you're scared to try new things, but you should. It will be good for you.

Love, Me

I like Scary...

2011-11-13T11:24:00.001-05:00

Two of my favorite shows one TV right now are American Horror Story from FX and The Walking Dead from AMC.

When I saw this post on GeekMom about a Kickstarter project, it intrigued me. I decided to check it out and now I'm a backer.

If you check it out, you'll see it is far from its goal, but maybe you'd like to help. I think it would be an exciting way to interact with a scary story.

Join me in Kickstarting Black Bxx Haunted.

Pinterest Addict

2011-11-09T07:30:00.001-05:00

I held off for a long time. Robayre was pinning and I resisted. Then Mae sent me another invite. Then one co-worker and another started pinning and I couldn't stand it any longer... I caved.

Now 1202 pins in less than one month and I have become addicted.

I loved (well still love to an extent) Tumblr. But would get frustrated by the lack of original information when it came to art that was posted. As a sometimes artist, I wouldn't want anyone to post my work with giving me credit. I would try and travel back through the links to find the source, but sometimes it led me to WeHeartIt which is the absolutely worst place to find origins or it just led to more and more Tumblr streams.

Pinterest is better at that, but I can see that the more popular something comes, the harder it is to find the source. In order to honor those creative souls out there, I am making every effort to go back to the source instead of just repinning a repinned item. Yes it takes a little bit of effort but I feel better knowing I am giving proper credit.

Won't you join this effort?

Happy Pinning!

Best Photo

2011-10-24T21:37:00.001-04:00

ever...

fantastic camera girl, originally uploaded by unexpectedtales.

Mesmerized

2011-10-20T19:06:00.001-04:00

I LOVE AFP...

2011-10-20T07:07:00.001-04:00

everybody is now in agreement: we all love different shit…the mainstream is dead. it’s all niche all the time.

Amanda Palmer rocks the internet. She is an internet goddess.

you don’t need to listen to the top 40 shit on your computer, not when you have a world of music and books to choose from. sure, people will be lazy and simply consume what’s shoveled out before them, but less and less people are doing that. it’s too boring. and artists are becoming more and more expansive with their voice-medium as the world of media expands around them.

And she has lead the way- whether or not you know who she is, she has. Check her out. Even if you don't like her music, read her blog. She'll be just as happy.

I'm Kicking It Again

2011-10-12T18:29:00.002-04:00

Long Time... No Blog

2011-10-11T18:11:00.002-04:00

Not only have I been very busy with a tough start to my school year, we lost cable/internet/telephone service for 5 days due to some hungry squirrels.

But there were a few things I have been thinking about...

I love the scent of Yes to Tomatoes products. I think they have helped cut down on my break-outs and I go to sleep smelling just lovely.
I am so excited that Starbucks has salted caramel hot chocolate back on the menu!
American Horror Story is flipping awesome. Have you seen it?
I am addicted to pinterest.

Lists

2011-09-26T06:42:00.002-04:00

Still missing 20 and 22, but I'll get to them! Click each to read them better.

I've been busy w/ home improvements!

2011-09-22T07:09:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, I decided I was going to take out our old kitchen sink faucet and put in a new one. The problem was my hub didn't think I could do it and that we should just call a plumber. I thought that was a waste of $ and so while he was away for 3 days on a school trip, I decided to tackle the project myself.

I watched several videos including this one where the DIY guy states

In the world of DIY plumbing jobs, replacing a faucet is one of the easiest jobs to tackle.

It was listed as a beginning level project. I knew I was up to the challenge!

I started removing the old faucet before hub returned from his trip. The problem was the old faucet had corroded and it turned out I needed hub to whack the thing about ten times with a pipe wrench before we could finally remove it. There was also the issue of the cold water supply line being not only stripped but attached to some jury-rigged contraption that the guys at Lowe's couldn't figure out! I ended up first hack-sawing through the pipe and then returning to buy a tiny pipe cutter to finish the job properly. But I did things I never had done before.

In the end, it took: 4 days, 5 trips to Lowe's, one thumb sliced by putty knife -which really effected my tightening abilities, 3 large cherry lime-ades, and two melt-downs. But I did it and I could say that 95% of the installation was completed by me!

I have been keeping up with 30 Days but I am a few days behind. Here are the lists I have completed so far...

You'll notice, I've skipped a few. I will go back and do them. Maybe today. Click on each to en-biggen it to read what I have listed.

How has your week been?

Best Coast video love

2011-09-16T21:20:00.001-04:00

Get More: MTV Supervideo, Music, Best Coast

More Lists

2011-09-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

An interesting comment...

2011-09-14T19:52:00.000-04:00

I didn't even remember posting this but it seems I participated in an online tribute for the 5th anniversary of 9/11. It seems someone out there was looking for mentions of this man and left a comment.

He liked to do the Sunday Times crossword and he lived for his beautiful daughter Gina.

I am glad that someone was touched by my post on David T. Weiss.

Anonymous, if you have come back to visit, please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Lists

2011-09-11T18:59:00.000-04:00

Surprise Crush

2011-09-08T07:39:00.000-04:00

I have never been a fan of Maroon 5 or Adam Levine, but I really started to like him when I watched The Voice this summer. I actually became a fan of all the judges on the show. They worked really well with their contestants and I enjoyed the camaraderie.

So not being a fan of Maroon 5 I was surprised when I found myself enjoying their latest release, Moves Like Jagger. Not only is the video great, it's a great sing-along dance around song.

Then came my next new favorite song, Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Adam Levine is the singer on the song!

Have you ever been surprised to learn that you actually liked someone you didn't think you did?

Happy Birthday Freddie!

2011-09-05T15:30:00.000-04:00

Media Room Update

2011-09-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

This is what I have been watching and reading this summer.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon ***1/2 Chris, Lydia, and I saw this one. We decided Luke might be to scared by it; so decided to see it first before deciding. I was glad we didn't take him because later when hub took him, we had already talked about some parts I thought he'd be upset with. This Transformers movie was darker and there was a lot more bot on bot violence with humans being a necessary casualty. However- it was a good action flick. I liked it better than the last movie but not as much as the first.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ***** Saw it with the family. Loved it. Cried often. Favorite scene... when the teachers were getting Hogwart's ready for the oncoming attack. LOVE McGonnigall!

The Tudors Season 3 ****1/2 I loved the last season of this series. I was sad to see it end.

Lost Seasons 5 and 6**** + Finale ***** I finally got Lydia to watch the rest of the Lost series. Seeing it again and knowing where it was going left me even more blubbery! I am one of those people who loved the way they ended it.

Cowboys and Aliens**** Lydia and I went to see this one and we both really liked it. Daniel Craig? Yes please.

The Help****1/2 Lydia and I had another movie date and really enjoyed this movie. I have not read the book, but I thought the movie did a good job of sharing an important story. Yes I realize that it was much harder for black people during that time period, but I think the movie walked a fine line between being total realism and disney-fying.

American Pickers**** This was my next go-to series. I watched all 37 eps available on Netflix on-demand. I love Mike and Frank's banter and seeing all the awesome picking spots they get to visit. Picking for a living is a dream job for me.

Tangled***** I didn't see this one in the theatre and both my kids had already seen it by the time it came to Netflix on-demand, but I watched it one evening with the two of them and I loved it! I loved the frying-pan wielding Rapunzel.

You Again **1/2 Lydia had me watch this with her one rainy afternoon. Nothing great but not too terrible.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark*** I must admit that the original movie has long haunted me. I don't know why I would have seen it in the 70s, but I did and it scared me and thinking about it as an adult still made me get goosebumps! Lydia really wanted to see it with me and so we went. It wasn't nearly as scary this time around. The best part of the story was the beautiful house and the fact that Katie Holmes' character wised up. The father in the story? He was an idiot.

Bookwise:

I have not been very successful in starting and finishing books lately. I started but have not yet completed Behemoth, The Story Sisters, and Rat Girl. I did complete Loud in the House of Myself ***1/2 , Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children*****, Deadline*** which was the sequel to Feed and was an okay follow-up to a better book, and Life as We Knew It***1/2 which is a YA book that I give mixed reviews to.

30 Days of Lists

2011-09-04T10:21:00.000-04:00

I am once again participating in 30 Days of Lists and this time I'm going totally digital.

Noticing a Trend

2011-09-03T14:42:00.000-04:00

I was looking over my tumblr and etsy favorites from the past few weeks and noticed a trend.

via Nature Mandalas on etsy

and this and this.

Lots of grey.

I Would Love

2011-08-31T07:23:00.000-04:00

to be able to surf. It's not even something on my list of things to do before I die. I know I would not be able to actually surf. It's a reality I have accepted. That doesn't mean I can't have fun looking at awe-inspiring surfers. I had goose-bumps when I watched this video.

Aaahh! Amazing ability to be able to even attempt to ride those waves. Read more about the competition here.

And some more amazing surf goodness to start this 3rd day of school...

Now I guess I should watch the movie Soul Surfer. I've heard good things about it.

Though my Spanish is Rusty...

2011-08-24T21:38:00.000-04:00

I love looking through this site! El Blog de DMC is full of wonderfully colorful photos of art and crafts from all over the world. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the site:

here

There are also easy to follow photo tutorials, free diagrams, and artist features.

Visit and enjoy the loveliness collected and even brush up on your Spanish!

Recent Etsy Faves

2011-08-23T08:12:00.000-04:00

classic grey stripe cup and saucer from Jadite Kate

a super cool pink hippo from Bubblegum Belles

fun sticker sheets from Tosya

August Break

2011-08-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

I have been super-busy but I have been taking plenty of pictures.

Vacation Day 4

2011-08-07T16:10:00.000-04:00

The next day, we decided to wait until later in the day to go to Universal. We thought we might avoid some of the tourist group crowds and we knew we'd avoid the noon-time blazing sun.

After breakfast at the hotel, we asked the concierge about some local indoor places to visit. We decided to visit Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium. It was fun, but not worth the $72.00 we paid to visit. I see on the online site we could have purchased cheaper tickets and saved $12.00. Too bad I didn't check that at the hotel before we went!

click to see the amazing oddities

my husband thinks this is funny... he likes to cut us off

we are not very big

After visiting Ripley's and an afternoon swim in the pool, we walked back to Universal. We rode some coasters, shopped, and had fun in the Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon, and Super Hero sections of the park. We walked over to Universal Studios and had just enough time to visit the Simpsons ride and look at the Lucille Ball exhibit. We ended with a late meal at the largest Hard Rock cafe and a taxi back to the hotel.

8/2 Break

2011-08-02T20:19:00.001-04:00

Today is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!

8/1 Break

2011-08-01T22:30:00.001-04:00

A few links...

2011-07-30T12:43:00.000-04:00

I have plenty of real ink, but I love the kid-friendly tattoos at tatt.ly. These are great for kids and adults who can't commit.
Visit the best 404 page ever!
I want to work at Google too.
Visit Amy at Lemon & Rasberry. She has tons of great links each week.
I really like the necklaces at Two Little Moos.

my dog Otto

Vacation Day 3

2011-07-29T16:48:00.000-04:00

Today was the day to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! We could not wait to see the magic that had been created at Universal's Islands of Adventure. The day started with breakfast at the hotel and the shuttle to the park. We made it to the park entrance by 9:30 and easily picked up our tickets from the will-call kiosk.

We worked our way through Seuss Landing and The Lost Continent area of the park, picked up our entry tickets for Hogsmeade and ate lunch at Mythos which was very nice.

Seuss Landing Hipstamatics

Hub Catches Lydia on the Caro-Seuss-el

Luke and Lydia

Lydia & Horton SP

Me with the Lorax

Luke & Chris with Poseidon's Trident

Luke's Dessert Sushi

Lydia Getting Henna-ed

The Finished Product

We entered The Wizarding World at our assigned time to find crowds- lots and lots of crowds. We had expected crowds but not as many as we actually saw. Here is a view of the crowd:

Little did we know when we booked our vacation back in December that we would be going the week the last movie would be released. To add to the regular crowds, Leaky-Con was also taking place which brought an extra 3,400 people to Orlando just to celebrate Harry Potter! We saw a lot of people dressed for the convention and the movie release.

Hogwarts Students

We were in awe of the idea of the park; the details are truly amazing! It really would make you feel as if you were in the movie if you had some room to actually look at stuff. There were waiting lines to get into almost every store. We went into Zonko's and Honeyduke's because they did not have lines to get in- only to pay for purchases. Even with the crowd and the 75 minute wait for The Forbidden Journey, it was a really cool place to visit.

Wizarding World Collage

Greenhouse Mandrakes

the towers of Hogwarts

Some tips if you are going to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter:

Once you enter Islands of Adventure, go through Seuss Landing to get to the entry time kiosk in The Lost Continent.
Be prepared to wait to ride the Forbidden Journey. I read that there is usually a long wait no matter what the day. It really is worth it.
Don't worry about buying souvenirs at the stores. You can buy most items- including wands- at the Port of Entry shop that is located near the entry to the main park.
Buy butterbeer while in the Wizarding World. If you buy a mug, you can get it filled with soda for a buck or so at any drink spot in the whole park. It pays for itself after three refills. Regarding butterbeer... it tasted like a rootbeer float made with butterscotch. It was pretty good.
Use the restroom while you're there. A friend stops by to talk.

Next up... the rest of the Islands of Adventure!

Lately...

2011-07-26T12:05:00.000-04:00

I have been in a bit of a funk. This article sort of explains how I feel about life in general at times. And now is one of those times.

I saw this Bjork video and it made me tear up. It's quite beautiful. I was sad when it ended.

Link to article and Bjork video found via Susannah Conway.

Vacation Day 2

2011-07-22T09:08:00.000-04:00

Today was the day to swim with a dolphin! We awoke early and grabbed our cab to Discovery Cove.

Here's a few tips if you go:

Arrive early. We got to the main building at 8am. We had to wait in a short line and were given a swim time of 9:35.
Don't worry about bringing towels or sunscreen. They provide a special safe-for-dolphins sunscreen. It's very thick. Apply sparingly! Towels are available in every bathroom.
It's an all-inclusive visit. Breakfast and lunch are served along with plenty of available water, snacks, drinks, and adult beverages. My kids were thrilled to be able to walk up to a counter and grab a granola bar or a bottle of water.
Bring an underwater camera or buy one at the Cove. I was disappointed I didn't bring my little underwater camera.
Don't forget you will receive an additional ticket to another SeaWorld property. We actually took a free shuttle over to SeaWorld after we were done with our day at the Cove. Just ask at the main building about a shuttle.

the free photo they take at the start of the day

that bird was hilarious

Lydia took all of these pictures!

all suited up

a little hipsta flora love

walking in

our dolphin swim

Swimming with a dolphin was one of the most lovely things I've ever done. The dolphin experience is an hour long. You see a short film and get assigned to a trainer. Each trainer had approximately 8-10 people in a group. We worked with another family; so there were a total of 9 in our group. We worked with a year old dolphin named Amelia who was in the process of being trained. After her training portion was finished we worked with a more seasoned dolphin named Dixie. That's Dixie with all of us above. She was the dolphin we swam with.

After, Discovery Cove we were taken to Sea World. I had last been to Sea World in 1985. It sure had changed! The kids and I went on one rollercoaster called the Manta. It was very cool. Then the kids also went on one called Kraken. They wanted to go in the front row and so hub and I waited over an hour for them to come back! Even though it was late afternoon/evening, it was still blazing hot and terribly humid. (That was the worst part of FLA- the heat and humidity along with waiting for everything!) We did see penguins, sea lions, and sharks before it stormed and we left to go back to our hotel.

all hipstamatic photos and video taken by me

other photos from Sea World by Lydia

Next up: Day 3 Universal Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

Florida Vacation Day One

2011-07-21T13:14:00.002-04:00

We flew out of Philadelphia at 8:05 AM Monday morning. It was the first time flying for Lydia and Luke. I had allowed Luke to rent a movie for his iTouch (a hand-me-down) and he and Lydia chose to sit together and watch Tangled.

peeking back at mom and dad

We arrived in Orlando at 10:00. It was an easy flight with little turbulence. The Orlando airport was quite lovely and a lot smaller than Philadelphia International!

obligatory feet shot @ Orlando airport

waiting for our shuttle to be called...playing video games and being silly

We arrived at our hotel, had lunch, settled in, and decided to go for a dip in the pool.

well... Luke and I dipped and Lydia caught up on some summer reading

That night we walked to Universal City Walk and enjoyed dinner at Bubba Gump's.

Check in for the next installment when we visit Discovery Cove and SeaWorld.

A Global Art Projects

2011-07-20T08:23:00.001-04:00

Will you play? Sign up here. I did. I'll let you know if I get chosen.

and

from Robyn Love- a yarn project called the Cheongju Avenue of Trees

The project will be installed along what is called The Avenue of Trees - a 5 km long avenue lined with London Plane trees (oddly enough, the very same tree that dominates our neighborhood in Queens). I will be installing squares of colour on each of the approx. 1500 trees that line the roadway to create a kind of rhythmic effect of slowly transitioning colour - think colour for music. Since the roadway really only accommodates cars, the piece needs to work at driving speed.

I'm in. Are you?

more Miss Peregrine...

2011-07-19T10:34:00.000-04:00

I posted last week about the super-cool Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Robyn was taken with it too and posted an awesome link to the author's page. It turns out Ransom Riggs (isn't that the coolest name?) will be publishing a book about his photo collection next year.

And I learned from following Robyn's link that he writes for Mental Floss- one of my favorite magazines!

While we were on vacation, I actually got to read Miss Peregrine. It was great. I highly recommend it- even if you don't normally read YA. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Back from Vacay!

2011-07-18T22:33:00.000-04:00

The family spent last week in Florida. It was a fantastic trip. I have many photos to share soon. I am still busy editing. But here are a few of my favorites so far.

taken by Lydia

I love Popeye & Olive Oyl!

A Few New Favorites for Friday

2011-07-08T14:53:00.000-04:00

* Speights and Faron Boutique- cool totes and coloring books!

* Photo-Jojo's Pop-up Flash Bounce

Buy the The Pop-up Flash Bounce at the Photojojo Store!

* this cute necklace available at feedyoursoulart

*any of these skirts by Sarah Clemens

* these freaking a-maz-ing crochet portraits by Jo Hamilton

*all the cute bento products at Bento & Company

*these fun feather earrings- I like the design your own aspect of this.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

2011-07-07T22:15:00.000-04:00

I must read this!

Now watch this fascinating video about the making of the preview video.

OMG! As someone who has long wanted to do some urban exploring, this is just amazing to me. I really want to scout places like this.

My Daughter Bewilders Me

2011-07-02T22:17:00.001-04:00

It used to be the duckface she (and all her friends) made in pictures.

Now I noticed a ton of these pictures on my Photo Booth...

Ummm... what's up with that? Does she think that by appearing helpless, boys will like her?! I know she's not using these as her FB photo id. I wonder if she's posting them at all. Okay I checked... she has a few in her sophomore year file but hasn't posted most of them.

Okay young-uns... tell me, what is up with all those goofy "I'm helpless" photos?

The Voice

2011-06-29T20:51:00.000-04:00

Have you watched? I didn't at first. I thought it seemed pretty stupid the way they were holding the auditions. And the judges? I couldn't imagine them working together. How would it work? Would each judge choose people who sang like them?

I ended up watching an episode on demand one Sunday afternoon... and then another... and another... and another! After that 4 hour marathon, I was definitely hooked. I was excited when my picks moved forward each week. I have been rooting for 3 of the 4 finalists from the start. I was sad when Nakia didn't move on.

Tonight, I'm hoping Dia wins. I have loved her all along and when I heard this song, I was blown away. I bought it on iTunes. I'm hoping my vote helped!

This article from Yahoo makes some excellent points why The Voice just may be the talent show to knock American Idol off its pedestal. Idol was great at one time, but now it's time for a new competition to rule... Go VOICE!

The End of an Era

2011-06-29T10:58:00.000-04:00

Since 1981, NASA space shuttles have been rocketing from the Florida coast into Earth orbit. The five orbiters — Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour — have flown more than 130 times, carrying over 350 people into space and travelling more than half a billion miles, more than enough to reach Jupiter. Designed to return to Earth and land like a giant glider, the shuttle was the world's first reusable space vehicle. More than all of that, though, the shuttle program expanded the limits of human achievement and broadened our understanding of our world.

from the Nasa site

I am saddened that the last shuttle will make it's flight in a few days.

I was born in 1968. As a child, I remember watching newscasts about the shuttle being built. I remember being at school and watching shuttles take off and land. It was quite exciting. But then the excitement died and the shuttle became a 30 second mention on the news. That was until 1986 when the country became enamored with the Christa McAuliffe and the Teacher in Space Program. Schools everywhere had a renewed interest in the shuttle program. I was a senior in high school, planned on becoming a teacher, and admired McAuliffe. What a wonderful role-model! Many school children were watching the take-off live when Challenger exploded 73 seconds into the flight. We watched in stunned silence. How could this happen?

The program was on hold. There were no missions for over a year. But NASA decided to go ahead with the program and missions resumed. Shuttle activity once again became commonplace- mere blips on the news scene. As a teacher, I am often the person to educate students about this program. Students know very little about this program. It's kind of sad.

The lack of coverage continued until the Columbia tragedy in 2003. Once again, we focused on the shuttle program. Since Columbia, there have been 19 missions and decreasing news coverage. The final mission will take place with Shuttle Atlantis launching on July 8th. It is the end of an era. What will NASA do next? My students last year had some great ideas about moon colonization. Perhaps one of them will grow up and bring those ideas to reality.

What are your memories of the space shuttle?

Quick Links

2011-06-29T09:21:00.000-04:00

See India.
Visual Math
These sandals are to die for!
Neil news! Fit for HBO fans.
Check out these fun projects on repurposing old cameras.

ABCDEFG

2011-06-25T21:27:00.000-04:00

Age: 42
Bed size: Queen- we finally switched to a queen after 17 years of sleeping in a full!
Chore that you hate: Emptying the sink... My family seems to have an aversion to rinsing dishes before they place them in the sink. When it's my turn to load the dishwasher, I hate trying to get the stuck on stuff off the dishes before I wash. I also hate the crud that's left underneath all the dishes. Yuck.
Dogs: Otto, 9 year old beagle, and Zeke, 3 year old miniature pincher. Both were from the rescue.

Essential start to your day: time on the computer
Favourite color: orange
Gold or Silver: silver
Height: 5'5"
Instruments you play: piano and recorder
Job title: elementary gifted teacher
Kids: Lydia-16 and Luke-10

Live: SE PA, USA
Mother's name: Judy
Nicknames: Mim, Missey (in HS and still by family members)
Overnight hospital stays: I have had two related to giving birth.
Pet peeve: bad drivers
Quote from a movie: "My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage!" Practical Magic
Right or left handed: left
Siblings: 1- Amy
Time you wake up: 6:10 during the school year and 9-ish during the summer
Underwear: boy-shorts
Vegetable you hate: onions
What makes you run late: my husband... very often the kids and I will be in the car waiting for him to come out of the house
X-Rays you've had: teeth and foot
Yummy food that you make: lasagne
Zoo animal: hippopotamus

*****

Wanna' play? Tell me in the comments.

Listening for the Answer

2011-06-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

In her latest post, Diane talks about taking a leap and knowing the net will appear. I think we've all been through this and we all deal with it differently. When I have been in seeming free fall and just waiting for that net, I turn to prayer.

I will tell you I pray regularly, but most of the time it is just "thanks for this...." and "please watch over...." But during those truly scary times, when I feel like I am spiraling out of control and am sure I have made the wrong decision, that is when my prayers change. I wait to hear an answer. Yes. Hear.

When I was pregnant with Luke, I was excited to learn from our ultrasound that Luke was due on my birthday. My ~~terrible~~ practical doctor stated that only 5% of babies actually arrive on their due dates. My birthday happens to be 3 days before Christmas. As Luke's due date approached, my ~~terrible~~ practical doctor brought up the idea of inducing labor on my due date. I imagine he wanted to be home with his own family on that day, but if you know me, you know that I believe that a woman's body knows what to do and 90% of the time should just be left to do it when it comes to birthing babies. ~~Terrible~~ Practical doctor knew that too, but he was still suggesting that on my December 21st appointment. I was heart-broken. I wanted to wait and let my body decide when the baby would be born. I had delivered Lydia two days before her due date, but at that December 21st appointment, it seemed Luke was happy where he was. I was actually dilated but that hadn't changed from the week before. I didn't know what to do. Chris and I took Lydia out for dinner, I ate spicy food, and we walked. But there didn't seem to be a change. We went home and later we prayed. I heard -yes HEARD- God say, "Go to sleep." And so I did.

An hour later, I awoke to labor pains. They came quicker and quicker and within an hour, I had Chris call the doctor. As we waited for the service to get back to us, the contractions became stronger and closer. I told hub we had to go to the hospital then! By then, it was December 22nd. After a short labor- 4 hours start to finish- and a few pushes, Luke was born with the help of a mid-wife. Seems ~~terrible~~ practical doctor was at another hospital with another patient! Luke has been my greatest birthday present. What a blessing I was sent!

Two other times in my life, I have been spiraling out of control with fear and dread overwhelming me. I have asked for an answer and twice, I have clearly heard, "It will be okay." I didn't know at the time what "okay" would entail but it was enough for me to know that I could be calm. I was able to do that and everything worked out both times.

So- when I am in a panic, I ramp up my prayers, and listen.

My Latest Project

2011-06-23T11:45:00.000-04:00

I have been taking photos of my little community to be used for a website about said area. These are some of my favorites.

I will let you know when the site goes live.

New Artist Love

2011-06-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

First, I saw this

and added it to my Tumblr.

That led me to find out what it was based on and I found

this amazing piece painted by James Jean.

Now I'm in love.

Media Room Update

2011-06-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Movie Update May/June 2011:
Bridesmaids *** 1/2 I saw this with Lydia. It was very funny but did include a lot body fluids humor.
Thor **** Hub insisted I see this and I must admit I liked this comic book movie. Thor was nice to look at and the story moved nicely.
X Men: First Class ***** I took the kids to see this. LOVED it! Lydia and I thought it was the best X Men movie yet.
Super 8 ***** I saw this twice. I went with hub and then I took Lydia to see it. It was wonderful. It reminded me of growing up. So many of the things they included were things I knew and did. It reminded me of Goonies and ET. Such a great movie!!! See it.
Green Lantern ** I did not like this one. It was slow. The acting was bad and it did not need to be in 3D. Don't waste your money.

I am most looking forward to Cowboys & Aliens, HP Deathly Hallows Part 2, Transformers, and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

How about you? Have you seen any great movies lately? What are you looking forward to for the rest of the summer?

Check Out

2011-06-21T17:44:00.000-04:00

Diane's Anniversary Adventures- she takes such lovely photos. I must ask her which camera/processing she used.
LA's Reader Appreciation- I've been clicking and perusing and looking for some new reads. I see a few of my blogreads are already there. Hello 4eyes Rella and Diane!
Dear Photograph- Have you seen this? I am visiting my parents' next week. I think I may try this.
This Venn Diagram... do you belong there? I am a Geek.

Behind the Scenes

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

found via Lemon and Raspberry

Nosferatu

Metropolis

Mothra

and my favorite photo from the site

Sesame Street

See more here.

Summer Dreams

2011-06-20T20:13:00.000-04:00

Dreamy Vacation Idea inspired by Annekata...

Images and dreams found @ http://www.lesroulottes.com/

Couldn't you dream well here?

Something to Make You Smile

2011-06-17T12:12:00.000-04:00

found via annekata

4 Today This Will Have to Do

2011-06-15T23:49:00.000-04:00

I have many, many ideas rolling around in my head, but I can't seem to get anything completed to share!

So I saw this list on the Tattooed Housewife, and thought I'd play along. I will only post my answers and no extra information (which is really hard for me!!!) If you have any questions about any of these, please ask in the comments. Let me know if you will play along too!

4 Jobs I've Had:

salesgirl

lifeguard

pre-k teacher

bead store employee

4 Movies I Could Watch Over & Over:

4 Places I Have Lived:

Minersville

Kutztown

Reading

Mount Penn

4 TV Shows I Currently Love:

So You Think You Can Dance

The Voice

Game of Thrones

Glee Project

4 Places I Have Been for a Vacation:

Wildwood, NJ

Washington, DC

NYC

New Orleans

4 Websites I Visit Daily:

Langes Fadchen, Faules Madchen

Cakies

Lemon & Raspberry

Bethany Actually

4 Favorite Foods:

cheese

crusty bread and butter

Raisin Bran

french toast

4 Favorite Desserts:

apple dumpling

strawberry pie

chocolate cheesecake

cannoli

4 Places I Would Rather Be:

the beach

NYC

New Zealand

Hawaii

Meandering~ or how I only managed to read one blog from my reader and ended up sponsoring a new company

2011-06-09T07:20:00.001-04:00

My tumblr account is called meandering. I love that word and would have named this blog meandering if it hadn't already been taken all those years ago! Do you meander whilst on the internet? I would imagine people do, but one can never be sure.

This morning, I started out checking my Google Reader. Cakies was up first. That led me to her friend Danni's blog which I then added to my blog reader. From there, I tumbld some photos from Design Sponge (in case you're the last person on earth to know about DS!) of a home I want to have for my very own. From there, I clicked on over to Black Eiffel, bookmarked a recipe for yummy pancakes, and wandered through those pages a bit more until I came to a post about The Burning House. I read through a few posts with interest and thought about what I would include in my list. (Hopefully this will be a future post.) Then I added The Burning House to my blog reader too. When I read Dan Opalacz's post I noticed he had some really cool sandals in his photo. One click later and I was at his Kickstarter page and now I'm a backer and will hopefully receive my pair of custom Bedrock Sandals, stickers, and my name on the blog! It seems likely since his project has 27 days to go and is only $205.00 away from the goal already.

So- I only managed to read one blog from my reader list, added two new blogs to follow, and became a backer to a new company in less than an hour! Now it's time to go to work for my very last day of the 2010-2011 school year!

Yay! This break is very needed.

This Made Me Smile

2011-06-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

Elsie & Jeremy | May 15th 2011 from Goodwin Films on Vimeo.

I used to follow Elsie way back before she became the internet star she is today. I tend to unfollow after someone reaches the "everyone reads this blog" status. I do however still follow her friends LA & Rachel. I have however checked in as her marriage to Jeremy drew closer. This video which chronicles their lovely wedding day made me smile. I think it will make you smile too if you haven't seen it yet.

Back from Duty

2011-06-03T19:13:00.002-04:00

I actually was picked to sit on a case. We heard it from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday late afternoon. We spent 2.5 hours deliberating when they decided to settle!

Here's a quick collage of pics I took with my iTouch.

1. alfred e graffiti on Market St. 2. SP on the Phlash 3. Philadelphia Museum of Art 4. brass gate alongside Ben Franklin's grave 5. summons 6. sky along the street 7. light sculpture at the Perlman

8. SP in the modern art wing 9. the cake shake

Let me talk about the last picture. It is heaven in a plastic cup. The cake shake is available at Square Burger in Franklin Square. It is a butterscotch krimpet crumbled and mixed into a vanilla shake and drizzled with butterscotch caramel! YUM.

My Week in Pictures

2011-05-30T12:49:00.000-04:00

First I had camp...

It was very green.

There was bracelet making...

more bracelet making...

playing with bubbles...

and even time for a quick SP.

Then I came home and took pictures of Lydia who went to her first prom.

Lydia and her friend Zach

Lydia and friends

Then I got to relax for the weekend.

But now...

I'm off to Philly for jury duty!

Time for Camp

2011-05-25T07:30:00.000-04:00

once again.

I plan on taking lots of photos in order to keep my sanity. This particular group of sixth graders is loving but a little lazy. They are not as "worldly" as some of our former groups which is good but they are a bit babied and that's bad. We are supposed to have nice weather for most of the trip. Keep your fingers crossed!

A few more pictures from past experiences.

See you on the flipside.

Current Fascinations

2011-05-23T23:22:00.000-04:00

1:

from GeekMom:

Then, if you want to know more about the science behind it, check out the details page at the website of Harvard Natural Sciences Lecture Demonstrations — they’re the folks who created the video. As they tell it, the video shows:

Fifteen uncoupled simple pendulums of monotonically increasing lengths dance together to produce visual traveling waves, standing waves, beating, and (seemingly) random motion

Symmetry from Everynone on Vimeo.
via Lemon and Raspberry

3:

These tattoos. No one seems to know the origin.

If you know, please do tell.

Ranunculus

photo by Emily Quinton

photo found at BellaSignature

photo found at Willow Creek Gardens

I Want a WhatNot

2011-05-22T16:53:00.000-04:00

Muppet What-Nots

I can't post a picture of the What-Not I created. What fun though! I'd love to get one for my classroom.

Zombie Marie Curie

2011-05-18T23:48:00.000-04:00

You've probably already seen this, but in case you haven't...

You don't become great by trying to be great. You become great by wanting to do something, and then doing it so hard that you become great in the process.

from xkcd and seen on NPR and around the web

Just Bought This Song

2011-05-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

Hiking with the Kids

2011-05-15T18:46:00.001-04:00

Last week, the kids, hub, and I hiked a mile or so to visit a local landmark called the Witches Hat. I realized the trail was part of a larger area and set out to learn more. I found a map that detailed all the local trails. Last week, we hiked from Gate #2 to the Witches Hat and the City Overlook. Today, the kids and I took advantage of a break in the clouds to hike from the Klapperthal parking area past the trestle ruins to the cove trail which led us to the South Slope Overlook. The overlook was only .47 miles from the Klapperthall Trail but it was mostly up hill. It felt more like 4.7 miles to this out-of-shape mama! Even Lydia who is in the best shape of us all said her legs were killing her. I was glad we wore bug spray and brought drinks and energy bars. It was so worth it though.

I love using the timer function.

cheer pose on a log over the creek

At one point Lydia thought the hill climb was over...

it wasn't and she made a rude remark.

Click to en-biggen and see the text better.

at our destination

Luke braved a picture too!

Lydia shot a picture of me.

And then we tried to get one with the timer, but...

had to settle for a silly arm's length!

Seeds of Inspiration a la

2011-05-14T22:03:00.002-04:00

Lemon and Raspberry!

Amy often posts things she has recently watched/done that plant seeds of inspiration. I just returned home from watching Thor at the movies.

It was hub's second time seeing it. He had taken the kids last weekend and liked it so much he wanted to take me to see it last weekend. I wasn't in the mood last weekend, but relented this weekend. I enjoyed it. I did not think it needed to be in 3D (and therefore cost us an additional $6.00) but I thought it was pretty good. I liked the guy who played Thor and I enjoyed the depiction of Asgard.

Seeing Thor plants seeds of inspiration to:

learn more about Viking mythology. I actually have a friend who is an Asatru pagan and they follow the Norse holidays. I know she'd be excited to point me in the right direction.
create some jewelry with the few remaining labradorite beads I have. The rainbow bridge reminded me of that stone.

create some designs like the circle that was created in the desert when the 4 friends came.

And not a seed of inspiration, but something I want to know... why was Ralph Macchio thanked in the credits? edited to add: It seems Ralph Macchio (not the Karate Kid) was a Thor writer for awhile.

Friday Faves

2011-05-13T22:22:00.000-04:00

It's late, but it's still Friday! Here are a few things that I have recently favorited on etsy.

this awesome pin

one of many favorite Swallowfield designs

this cool bee necklace

this meerwiibli tank- no jewelry needed!

****

How about you? What are your favorites?

just lovely

2011-05-11T07:09:00.002-04:00

Kite Hill from Paul Octavious on Vimeo.

Mothers' Day 2011

2011-05-09T18:19:00.000-04:00

It started with my favorite cereal for breakfast.
I shopped with Lydia and bought a fabulous purse.

I took Lydia driving.

I played video games and watched some Scrubs.
We went for a hike. Which included:

my converse,

Luke's converse,

Lydia conquering the rock pile,

the elusive hub,

who likes to take ridiculous pictures,

the goal,

the reason I get to celebrate this day,

the SP where I realize I do indeed have wrinkles!

and lots of photo opportunities

Then dinner at my favorite joint.
Followed by peanut butter chocolate brownies made with Luke and a little Gaga.

All in all- a great day! How did you celebrate or honor the mamas in your life?

So this is how I wander...

2011-05-07T18:45:00.000-04:00

As most of you, I tend to wander from topic to related topic on the internet. Unlike most of you, that's how my ADHD addled brain works in real life too. A lot of my students have this same tendency and I can almost always understand how they bring up some seemingly unrelated topic. I see the connection.

So this morning, I was checking out GeekMom on my feed and read this post. It's very sweet and included the following video.

How cute is that girl? After I watched that video I went to YouTube to check out some of her other videos. And noticed the use of the word "nerdfighter". I had no idea what that meant; so I had to find that out.

I googled the term and came up with this link. Which told me a lot about what a Nerfighter is. And then there was this video which shows where the name came from.

And now I want to know more about the Brotherhood and Nerdfighting!

I am all over something that wants to

increase awesome and decrease world suck

So I'm off to explore the world of Nerdfighters and the Brotherhood and other things totally meant for teenagers.

Think Geek

2011-05-06T07:12:00.000-04:00

As you may have guessed, I am a proud Geek. I am happy my husband is a geek and my son is one too. Our daughter is a closet geek- she is after all a cheerleader. But we love geeky gifts.

Here's a geeky gift list for those I love. All gifts are from Think Geek.

for Lydia

for the Hub

for Luke

Lydia and I actually saw this in action at the Anime convention we went to.

for Angelique as she heads off to college

I actually have a post about Angelique planned for the near future.

Hats!

2011-05-02T07:24:00.000-04:00

I have always loved hats and regret not living during a time period when hats were in vogue.

I so enjoyed watching the royals wedding the other day and the hats were definitely a highlight. Some were amazing!

and my favorite

I love her whole look!

But some seemed to belong in Whoville!

(I actually sort of like the purple one!)

and the worst offender? The would-be mayor of bad-hat Whoville?

Princess Beatrice

This Fantasy World - video by Brad Jonas - the Doubleclicks

2011-04-28T07:04:00.000-04:00

Back in the day (college, early marriage, ...) hub and I played D&D with a loyal group of friends. It was actually a lot of fun, but then Lydia came along (and post-partum +) and I gave it up. Hub continued to play for years just stopping a few years ago. This video is a sweet reminder of those days.

and now I have a new, fun band to check out.

Found via Geek Mom

Wading In

2011-04-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

Do you know Vivienne McMaster? If you don't, you should.

She is a truly inspirational photographer. I fell in love with her self-portraits a while ago and I recently joined her for her Wading In e-course. We are only one week in, but already I feel my creative spirit returning.

Each winter, it hits me. I know it probably has something to do with seasonal affective disorder and yet I do nothing about it. This past autumn, I started working on my babette, but then the holidays came and all progress ceased. During the short winter days, I did what I needed to and nothing more. I stopped reading. I stopped crafting. I stopped most things. I went to work when it was dark and returned home when it was dark. I tried to start a daily photo using my iTouch but that fell to the wayside. Added to the normal winter drears is the fact that aspects of my job are weighing heavily upon me.

Now that spring has supposedly sprung and days are longer, I am trying to spend time in the sun. To get fresh air. But still... that work weight is there. Part of it is the not knowing. If I knew, I could cope. But I have no idea what will happen and that is the hardest.

During the past two months, I was crafting and taking photos through the high school musical. I must have made 40 flapper head-pieces! I also participated in 30 Days of Lists last month. These things got me back in the swing but my mojo was still missing.

This week, even though I didn't feel like it, I turned my camera on myself. It felt good. It felt good to just do it and then edit and share. I am hoping this will get me through the last weeks of school while I find out what will become of the program I so love.

Wading In... I need this.

Lucky Us!

2011-04-22T20:05:00.000-04:00

"Lucky Me" by Project Jenny, Project Jan from sammy rubin on Vimeo.

So cool! Found via Pop Candy

Marbling by Hikmet Barutcugil

Friday Favorites

2011-04-22T10:31:00.001-04:00

this fabric by Bora

this girl who turned 16 this week!

picture by Betsy Gettis

this hat which I cannot find the link for unfortunately

this Wired magazine cover

this awesome vintage photo

this

and of course shoes... always shoes

and if only these fit me!

Life is too overwhelming right now!

2011-04-17T12:14:00.000-04:00

And to add to that, my husband doesn't understand why our daughter wouldn't like this luggage

rather than this luggage

for her 16th birthday.

Friday Morning Loveliness

2011-04-15T07:06:00.000-04:00

7D 1000 fps from Oton Bačar on Vimeo.

Slices of Life

2011-04-06T06:52:00.000-04:00

1 & 2 Morning Routines

3,4,6, & 9 Scenes from School

5 & 14 Around the House

7 & 8 Babysitting a Young Friend

10 & 15 Working on Millie Costumes

11 Seen in a Parking Lot

12 Cupcakes from Sublime... a Monthly Treat

13 She Asked Me to Take This

Sometimes you just need to get it off your chest...

2011-04-02T10:42:00.001-04:00

K over at Neon Moonlight sometimes posts comments to people that she wishes she could have said out loud. I feel like I need to do one of these posts. So here it is:

Your blank smile tells me everything I need to know.
I can't stand how you look me in the eyes and tell me that I should know that you would not let anything happen.
You are a parent who tries but I can't tell you you are good at it.
You need to get rid of your own hang-ups. Perhaps medication would help.
No. You are not an unbiased person. You are extremely biased.
Please do not say one more time, "you understand don't you?"
I don't understand and would love to tell you so.
You should take your family and go there. You won't be missed one little bit.
You are a crazy woman.
You are complaining about something that most parents would love to have for their children.
You are a crazy woman.
You are turning her into a mini version of you.
I feel badly for your other children.

Okay. Now I feel better.

30 Days of Lists~ To-Do List

2011-03-31T12:00:00.000-04:00

Today's To-Do List:

go to Wal-mart to see if they have Lydia's contacts
finish lesson plans for the cycle
create PI day invitation
hold GIEP meeting
clean car so it can be inspected on Thursday

I am actually not very good at keeping a To-Do list. I often find that it is more distressing to see all the things I didn't get done than satisfying to cross things off. I often run into dragons.

found via Google Images here

Do it!

2011-03-29T07:14:00.000-04:00

The Ada Initiative (http://adainitiative.org/) is a newly-formed organisation which aims to support and promote women in open technology and culture. We’ve just launched our first annual census — a broad survey of open technology and culture participants — to find out more about what projects and communities people are involved in, and how they feel about women’s inclusion and representation in the field.
We use the term “open technology and culture” to refer to a wide range of activities and communities based around free/open licenses, and other forms of open, decentralised, and grassroots participation in technology and related fields. This includes:
Open source/free software
Open source hardware
Open geodata and maps
Open government
Open data
Open standards and formats
Open educational initiatives (open access journals, open source curricula, etc)
Open/decentralised social networking (including Diaspora, StatusNet, etc)
Creative Commons and free culture
Wikipedia and other wikis
Open crisis response and humanitarian projects
Barcamps and unconferences
Online/digital activism
Remix/mashup culture
Transformative works fandom, including fan fiction, fan art, and fan vidding
Maker/DIY community
Hacker spaces
Coworking
If you’re involved in any of the above areas, we’d like to get to know who you are, what you’re working on, and your thoughts on how women are doing in your community. We welcome participation by people of any gender, although we are particularly interested in women’s responses.
The survey only takes about five minutes, and can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/adacensus2011-email

******
The survey took less than five minutes. Help them get an idea of women online. I know many of my followers participate in Maker/DIY and some of you also participate in online/digital activism. Don't be scared off by all the other stuff you may not do. If you do something on this list, take the survey please.

30 Days of Lists~ YUM!

2011-03-29T06:48:00.000-04:00

My favorite foods are:

french toast
warm, crusty bread with butter
oranges
feta cheese
potatoes

Notice a trend here? I'm a carb queen which is how I keep my shapely figure!

30 Days of Lists~ Someday

2011-03-28T07:20:00.000-04:00

My dream spots for vacation would be:

New Zealand

Italy

Bora Bora

*****

But if I must stay within the confines of the United States...

I'd like to drive through the US in one of these.

from Maine

to the Keys

to the Grand Canyon

to the Pacific NW

the Golden Gate Bridge

Steamed

2011-03-26T14:50:00.000-04:00

I am slightly obsessed with Steampunk right now. After going to the Anime convention last weekend, I really, really, really want to create a costume and go to a Steampunk convention. I just took a Steampunk Style Test and...

Your result for The Steampunk Style Test...

The Aristocrat

57% Elegant, 45% Technological, 40% Historical, 36% Adventurous and 31% Playful!

You are the Aristocrat, the embodiment of steampunk elegance and poise. For you, dressing steampunk is first and foremost about simply looking good, with accessories and details to follow. However, this does not mean that you ignore the demands of creating a “steampunk look.” Your outfits weave together a balance between technology and style, and between period accuracy and beautiful anachronism. While your fashion inspiration may come from anywhere across the Victorian social spectrum, you always find a way to make your outfit beautiful. You will probably be found in the clothes of the steam age elite simply because of the greater elegance available to them. Chances are you dress this way because you like it, and you would still dress in this manner even if steampunk was not a popular interest.

Take The Steampunk Style Test at HelloQuizzy

I LOVE this!

deLight tomorrow

2011-03-25T07:22:00.000-04:00

Are you familiar with Earth Hour? If you are not, you should be. Check it out and plan to participate on Saturday from 8:30-9:30 PM. Let me know what you do in the dark. wink

30 Days of Lists~ In Spring

2011-03-21T22:59:00.001-04:00

List: To-Do in Spring, originally uploaded by mimsmithfaro.

I took these hipstamatic photos yesterday when Luke and I went to the Reading Museum to see the Planetarium show. Afterwards, we walked the grounds and looked at the flowers that had started to bloom. It was a lovely afternoon.

30 Days of Lists~ Heart Throbs

2011-03-20T11:07:00.000-04:00

30 Days of Lists~ ROAD TRIP

2011-03-19T08:53:00.001-04:00

ROAD TRIP!, originally uploaded by mimsmithfaro.

I liked how some listers were making their lists on photos and decided to try that for the rest of the lists.

30 Days of Lists~Mispelt

2011-03-18T07:25:00.000-04:00

and yes that's an acceptable spelling!

I actually believe myself to be a rather strong speller. I have lots of tricks I use to remember the tricky words like:

there's a rat in sepARATe
I want more dessert so I'll have an extra helping of S
i before e except after C (and I usually catch the rotten rule breakers on this one!)

But even with my bag o'tricks, I still have some words that trip me up.

I almost always spell independence as independance first
accomodate Oops! accommodate
embarrass
judgment (WHY is there no E after judg?????)
~~occurence~~ ~~occurance~~ occurrence
privilege

What are your spelling bugaboos?

30 Days of Lists~ Places to See

2011-03-16T07:19:00.000-04:00

in my ~~town~~ county. My town is small and the only thing you might want to see is the local rec area with a pool, playground, and walking trail around a small lake. It had an amazing history but is now the same as any other suburban rec area.

But my county actually has pretty many interesting things to see.

Crystal Cave
Christmas Village (if you visit between October and January)
Roadside America
Hawk Mountain
The Museum
Daniel Boone Homestead (yes... he was born in Pennsylvania!)
the Pagoda
Berks County Parks and Rec
WWII Weekend (if you happen to come that weekend)

photo by me

30 Days of Lists~ Things I love About Teaching

2011-03-14T20:26:00.000-04:00

While I may complain about paperwork and having to pack up all of my stuff, I really do love teaching. Today, I held my 3rd Annual Pi Day celebration with my smarty pants math classes. I teach two daily math classes for the top students in 5th and 6th grade. I never thought I'd love teaching math, but I do.

Today, there was:

figuring
measuring
competing
eating
creating

Here are a few pictures from the festivities.

*****

By the way, the record for memorization was 123 digits in 5th grade and 170 in 6th grade!

Been there... Done That

2011-03-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

bold is for finished.
italic is for wish-listed.
-----

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in theater
54. Been in a movie
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Started a business
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
61. Gone whale watching
62. Got flowers for no reason
63. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
64. Gone sky diving
65. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
66. Bounced a check
67. Flown in a helicopter
68. Saved a favorite childhood toy
69. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70. Eaten Caviar
71.Pieced a quilt
72. Stood in Times Square
73. Toured the Everglades
74. Been fired from a job
75. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
76. Broken a bone
77. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
78. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
79. Published a book
80. Visited the Vatican
81. Bought a brand new car
82. Walked in Jerusalem
83. Had your picture in the newspaper
84. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
85. Visited the White House
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87. Had chickenpox
88. Saved someone’s life
89. Sat on a jury
90. Met someone famous
91. Joined a book club
92. Got a tattoo
93. Had a baby
94. Seen the Alamo in person
95. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96. Been involved in a law suit
97. Owned a cell phone
98. Been stung by a bee
99. visited Japan

*****
When you get to the end add your own item.

Four Faves from Etsy for Friday Fun

2011-03-11T07:15:00.000-05:00

I don't usually wear gold-tones but I love this.

I love the idea of carrying around something lovely and fresh.

I love this large gem with the black from from a fellow lister!

As much as I love the whole crown, I think the single starlette would work best for me!

********

What do you currently love on etsy?

30 Days of Lists~Wishful Thinking

2011-03-10T07:07:00.000-05:00

(I must tell you that I always think of this when writing a wish post!)

I wish for:

any of the shoes from this post
professional movers to come in and pack up my classroom
a world where education is valued
summer to get here as soon as possible (but not before my classroom is packed!)

Usually wishlists make me happy, but this wishlist is too heavy on the realities of life to make me smile. sigh

30 Days of Lists~I Never Skip

2011-03-09T07:20:00.000-05:00

When going through my blog reader in a rush, I never skip a post from these blogs.

Amanda Palmer
Color Me Katie
Langes Fädchen, Faules Mädchen (confession- I had to copy and paste the title because I didn't know how to make the double dot thing!)
Moosh In Indy
Sisters

I also love to wander the pages of Etsy, Tumblr, and Flickr.

30 Days of Lists~ Goal Setting

2011-03-08T07:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's prompt was to set blog goals and really my only blog goal is to keep up with this list thing. And of course that's the day when I drop the all... because what else could I write! But then today when I went to check out the new prompt, I noticed there were some alternate prompts for those who don't really keep a blog. So here is my list of goals for a project I am working on.

get all my personal items (not including books) out of my classroom by the end of April.
pack all my books by the end of May
have most of my classroom packed so I don't need to stay for a month after school is out to pack up my whole room!

My building is undergoing some renovations and we have been told we will need to pack up our rooms- including closets- so they can move everything out. I am really worried about this because I keep a cluttered, full-to-the-brim room of stuff. One of my Drama Club members was excited to go to my classroom the other day because, "Mrs. Faro's room is a room full of surprises."

It's true. I do. I love to have lots of things for kids to look at and discover. All of this wonderful stuff however must now be packed away and I am dreading the task!

R*S*V*P Responding to Life

A Few Photo Collages

2011 in Review

Media Room

Sometimes I Hate the Internet

I'm a Winner! ( by daughter would tell you that it should say Wiener!)

Things to Share

Dear College Bound Me

I like Scary...

Pinterest Addict

Best Photo

Mesmerized

I LOVE AFP...

I'm Kicking It Again

Long Time... No Blog

Lists

I've been busy w/ home improvements!

Best Coast video love

More Lists

An interesting comment...

Lists

Surprise Crush

Happy Birthday Freddie!

Media Room Update

30 Days of Lists

Noticing a Trend

I Would Love

Though my Spanish is Rusty...

Recent Etsy Faves

August Break

Vacation Day 4

8/2 Break

8/1 Break

A few links...

Vacation Day 3

Lately...

Vacation Day 2

Florida Vacation Day One

A Global Art Projects

more Miss Peregrine...

Back from Vacay!

A Few New Favorites for Friday

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

My Daughter Bewilders Me

The Voice

The End of an Era

Quick Links

ABCDEFG

Listening for the Answer

My Latest Project

New Artist Love

Media Room Update

Check Out

Behind the Scenes

Summer Dreams

Something to Make You Smile

4 Today This Will Have to Do

Meandering~ or how I only managed to read one blog from my reader and ended up sponsoring a new company

This Made Me Smile

Back from Duty

My Week in Pictures

Time for Camp

Current Fascinations

I Want a WhatNot

Zombie Marie Curie

Just Bought This Song

Hiking with the Kids

Seeds of Inspiration a la

Friday Faves

just lovely

Mothers' Day 2011

So this is how I wander...

Think Geek

Hats!

This Fantasy World - video by Brad Jonas - the Doubleclicks

Wading In

Lucky Us!

Friday Favorites

Life is too overwhelming right now!

Friday Morning Loveliness

RSV*P Responding to Life