Jazzy

Introverted

I have always been more of an introvert than an extrovert. This is somewhat unusual in a Leo. Most people are rather surprised that I am a Leo because I am such an introvert. I would much rather be alone with my thoughts than in the center of a crowd of people.

Happy

Here are some random thoughts on 'happy:'

God wants us to be happy.
Don't worry, be happy!
I want to be happy, but I won't be happy, til I make you happy too!
I could be happy!
Walking happy!
Happiness is as a butterfly, which when pursued is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

Graceful

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living,

But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day

Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

This is a traditional fortune-telling poem that supposedly tells a child's character or future based on the day of the week on which they were born.

I was born on a Tuesday. I am full of grace.

I don't particularly think of myself as graceful in the physical sense. Nor am I clumsy.

But looking at the word 'grace' I find that its meaning resonates strongly with my experience of life. I've enjoyed a great deal of good favor. Choosing to focus on its positive aspects, I find a wealth of beauty, good will, mercy, and moral strength (all definitions of grace). Most of all, I see the Love of God throughout. What could be more graceful than that?

Fanciful

Wednesday Hodgepodge 02/23/11

 There is a link to the originating blog, "From This Side of the Pond," to the left....

1. Did you know there is a National Day of pretty much everything in the universe? February 23 happens to be National Inconvenience Yourself Day...when was the last time you were inconvenienced?

Because I don't have a car, I feel I am inconvenienced every single day I have to leave my house, which is pretty much every day unless I choose to become a recluse! So, I decided a while back to treat my tolerance of that inconvenience as a badge of honor. It sure helps me get my exercise, since I have to walk everywhere! 

More often than not, being inconvenienced is a matter of your outlook on the situation.

2. When a room in your house needs painting who does the job?

If it's a small room, I'll tackle it. But soaring spaces, that require a tall ladder, call out for a professional, in my opinion. Or at least someone who is not me.

3. Are you friends with your cousins?

Yes! I am friends with some of my cousins. Others are more distant, but I love them all.

4. Do you use an alarm clock? If yes-is it an actual alarm, music, or something else?

I do use one, but normally awaken before it goes off. Drat! It's an annoying little escalating beeping thing. I prefer waking to music.

5. What do you put ketchup on?

Funny you should ask! Usually, I save ketchup for cheeseburgers, fries and onion rings.

Just last night, I had a hankering for ketchup with the meatloaf we were having. This grossed out my son, who nevertheless proceeded to douse his mashed potatoes in ketchup. This in turn grossed out my daughter, but then again she puts ketchup on hot dogs, which grosses me out! 

6. What smells make you nostalgic?

Scents of the seaside remind me of my childhood.

7. Have you heard about the high school English teacher recently suspended as a result of some things she wrote in her personal blog? You can read the story here but in a nutshell she vented a lot of frustration onto her blog. She didn't mention individual students by name but she did make some harsh comments about kids in general and their parents.

What are your thoughts-If you're a parent is your child's teacher online and are you 'friend' or 'follower' there? If you're a teacher are you on facebook and do you accept or friend students on fb? How about their parents? If you're a student are you friends with your current or former teachers online? Do any of them have blogs you read? If you're a teacher or a parent do you ever use your blog as a place to vent your frustrations with our educational system? So much to discuss...

I think it's fine to be friends with my children's former teachers, but I'd rather keep it professional while they are teaching my kids. I think teachers do have a responsibility to not vent their frustrations about students in a public forum.  That said, I wish more teachers used online resources to provide information about what is happening in their classrooms. In my experience this is an under-utilized tool.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

A friend just sent me an email about the incredible healing properties of asparagus. Who knew?

Ebullient

Now the heart sings....a song of joy. Standing on the mountaintop in Iceland, gazing upon a wondrous, glorious scene spread out as far as my eye could see, I felt my heart sing with joy. I felt the grace of the place. I felt like belting out a tune! Instead, I spread my arms wide, faced the wind, and grinned a huge grin! I was alone, but for once did not feel at all lonely. I felt only joy, joy at being alive, joy at being one of God's children, pure bliss. It is an unforgettable memory, one of my top ten for sure.