Oh Brother....Makes My Monday

Brothers.
Brothers who used to put their dirty socks in my mouth.
Brothers who sat on me.
Brothers who put me in the basement and turned out the lights.
Brothers who stand on their toes in pictures to be taller than the others.
Brothers- I've got three.
Nice guys.
Makes My Monday.

Visit Cheryl for more Makes My Monday posts.

Gidget's Not Here...Please Leave a Message

Know thyself....Socrates once said.

Okay.

Myself is becoming a bit of a bore.

My week at the beach has helped me to decide this.

On this particular vacation, I decided to only do what I wanted.

Personally, I had a great time, but I found myself saying things like...

"I don't like ...."

"I really don't want to..."

Bottom line?

I can be no fun at all.

I'm sometimes a big blob of un-funness.

Walking on the beach for more than two blocks makes my back hurt.

I would rather eat worm pie than be in the midst of a crowd in an amusement park.

I like to go to bed at 10:00 PM.

I eat Fiber One cereal for breakfast even though I'm on vacation.

I hide the caramel popcorn so I don't have to share it.

I hate sand on me....seriously.

I only go in the water on rare occasions. (There has to be a considerable amount of begging from the nieces and nephews for me to take the plunge.)

Sometimes I don't even get to the beach until 2:00 PM because I have been sitting around and reading on the balcony.

I will find any excuse to take a nap.

So, I know you were wanting to invite me on your next big family beach vacation, but I am saving you the trouble and frustration.

I'm a party pooper....a stick in the mud if you will.

You'd have more fun with a plastic plant.

Bad Haiku Saturday?

It is Saturday

Too late for my bad haiku

Big loser poet.

Drinking...What Now?

Right or wrong...I don't bat an eye when I see a 20 year old drinking a beer.
The drinking age was 18 when I was young, so to me it seems perfectly normal.
I see some challenges on the horizon, however.
Within my extended family at this time, we have over 10 teenagers ages 13-16.
What will happen during future family beach weeks if some parents give an okay for their son or daughter to have a beer at 18 while others insist that their children wait until they are 21?
I see both positions having some merit.
This could be my challenge too because as an aunt I need to be on board with whatever the parents decide.
To be honest I NEVER want to be giving anyone under 21 a beer, but I still want to know what the families have decided their rules are.
These kids see us, the older family members, enjoying beers and frozen drinks on our vacations and while no one goes crazy, we would be foolish to believe that we don't make drinking alcohol look like fun.
*
In my neighborhood and the surrounding areas, the positions on under aged drinking are varied and passionate.
Some parents would allow and would rather have the teens drink at home since they are going to drink anyway.
Some parents collect keys at parties they host and require the under aged guests to spend the night.
Some parents believe that by keeping their children completely involved in sports and other activities , they will quell the temptation of drinking.
Some parents don't let their children go to parties.
Mixed drinks and mixed messages are everywhere.

We adults are due for a pow-wow.

Don't Forget to Check the Lock

It's a lovely beach morning.

The air is cool and comfortable.

The only noise I can hear are a few cars passing down the road and

the birds tweeting in the trees.

My big plan was to use the alone time to sit on the beach rental deck, to sip some coffee, to write a post about a few things that have been lingering in my mind, to catch up with the genius writings of my fellow bloggers, and to enjoy the morning's simple quiet.

But alas...

Alas my friends...

I have locked myself out of the rental.

Here I sit on the deck with my laptop and a terrible Internet connection but with no coffee to sip.

No coffee?

Seriously no coffee.

I can smell it through the slightly open kitchen window next to me.

The aroma is driving me insane.

My husband sleeps soundly inside while I struggle with the decision to bang

on the front door

or not.

Do I bang?

Do I bang and bang and bang until I wake the neighbors

but score myself a fresh hot cup o' Joe?

Do I sit here and stew for another hour until the hot husband wakes up?

Oh the agony.

Is there a line in our vows about waking up the other person so coffee can be obtained?

No deep thoughts today...I am crippled by a lack of caffeine.

A lack of concentration.

A lack of personality.

What's the lesson?

*

Before you get all jazzed up about your little quiet time moment outside...

Check the lock on the doorknob.

Just check it.

Cousins....Make My Monday

Almost like siblings...

Also like friends...

Mix and match relatives.

Cousin love- a one of a kind thing.

Makes My Monday

Visit Cheryl for more Makes My Monday.

Dipping into the Rebellion Sauce: Fourth of July

I think of myself as a law-abiding citizen but last night I was enjoying a little bit of anarchy taking place in Bethany Beach, Delaware.

Fireworks.

Fireworks everywhere...up and down and all around the beach areas.

Apparently, many of our fellow vacationers are well-practiced in the art of firework display.

These were not sanctioned by the fire department fireworks.

These were not official fireworks.

These were the not-so-legal kind.

Spectacular anarchy....in abundance.

So what do you say to the children as you gleefully grin from ear to ear while illegal sprays of green, blue, and red explode above in the night sky?

We said nothing.

We put our chairs down in the sand in the backyard of my brother's rental, sipped from our beverages, ooohhhhhed and aaaahhhhed, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

No parking hassle.

No having to worry about beating traffic out.

Just oodles of pure fun.

Today we may have some obligatory follow-up commentary.

I was really concerned for the safety of the crowd.

Fireworks are a serious matter.

Those people should be fined.

Yup, yup, and yup.

(But if you had been there, you would have loved it too! It was quite awesome.)

Let freedom ring.

Bad Haiku Friday: Buyer's remorse....

Could have bought some milk....

Eggs, and bread with money spent

On movie popcorn

Life Lessons in Aloha Land

Ahhhh.....Hawaii.

Twas a lovely trip indeed and filled with all kinds of lessons about travel, money, and life.

For example...

I learned that if I think I might be sick right before I am about to take a big trip, I should see a doctor. If I don't, I may be visiting the doctor while on the trip.....which is no fun at all. My little cold turned into an upper respiratory infection in Maui.

Lesson: Take care of your health before your vacation.

Dramamine is amazing. I was afraid to take this helicopter trip because I can become nauseated very easily on amusement park rides, so I assumed that I would feel ill after this ride in the sky.

Not so. I loved every minute of it.

Lesson: Dramamine is my friend.

No lesson here...just a beautiful helicopter view.

Everyone says that a "must-do" on Oahu is to climb Diamond Head. My assumption was that it would be a teeny tiny hike with a few steps. In fact, there are many steps and if you are trying to heal from an upper respiratory infection, breathing may be difficult while you attempt to reach the top. Senior citizens may whiz by you as you wonder if you are going to have enough air. The view is fantastic once you do reach the top....well worth the wheezing if you know what I mean.

Lesson: Read the fine print on hiking literature.

Blowholes are hours of entertainment for an adventure seeking spouse...he watched, he waited, he posed....he became drenched.

However, after this little escapade I read in my Maui Revealed book that you should never, ever stand too close to a blowhole because people have perished doing so.

Lesson: Again, read the fine print so you don't lose your beloved.

A must-do on Maui is to drive to the Haleakala Crater in the wee hours of the morning to watch the sunrise.

It's beautiful but freezing cold.

Lesson: Cozy beach towels work well as blankets.

Get a jeep.

Get a jeep.

When on Maui....ya gotta have a jeep.

The jeep was cute and fun to have, but I would have been just as happy in a little compact car.

I could have spent the extra money on clothes....seriously adorable clothes in Maui shops.

Lesson: I don't "gotta" have a jeep.

Leis everywhere.

On the islands, every celebration includes the wearing of leis.

Graduations....leis.

Confirmations...leis.

Promotions....leis.

Even Saint Teresa Lisieux is donned with leis at her church in Maui.

Lesson: There is much to learn about our island Americans.
****

When all was said and done, the truth is that the best parts of the trip were the things on which we didn't need to spend any money at all.....

Watching beautiful sunsets......

Playing in the cool, clear Pacific Ocean....

Enjoying the gorgeous view from our balcony....


Seeing little Hawaiian toddlers romp around on the sand....



Lesson: Free still wins.

Taking a break....

Back in July....Aloha.

Bad Haiku: Chubby Awakenings

Didn't lose 10 pounds

But real friends will still love me...

Tubby hula girl.

Helpful Hints: Shake and Bake Sandals

You didn't know I was a helpful hint giver did you?
Well, dear, I am.
I know lots of stuff that can assist you with your everyday domestic challenges.

• Don't eat candle wax
• Only shove your hand down the garbage disposal when it's not running
• A knife will cut a steak much better than a spoon.

Should you thirst for more, read this intriguing post.

Today I would like to tell you about a recent experience I had with some pungent footwear.
First, it's important for you to know that I paid 85 bucks for these leather sandals last summer. (I'm not an 85 buck sandal gal if you didn't already know that. I'm a clearance sticker gal.)
Next, I realized that the leather on these sandals had begun to smell.
Smell bad.
Yuk.
What does one do when this happens to 85 buck sandals?
Toss 'em?
No.
Here's what you'll need.

Two large socks (I stole mine from my husband.)
Baking soda
Two rubber bands
Stinky sandals.

After brushing off any debris that might be on the sandal, place offensive footwear in socks. (One sandal in each sock.) Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda into each sock and shake the sock so that the powder distributes evenly. Tie up the end of each sock with a rubber band and leave in the sun for two days.

Remove sandals from sock and sniff. No more stink! Hurrah!!!

Put on used-to-be-stinky sandals and skip merrily down the street while eating a fudgesicle.

The last part is very important or the procedure won't work.

Have a nice day.

Life Lessons: What You Don't Know

I often wonder if some little morsels of advice I pass on to students will ever become useful in their futures. A teacher hopes.

-Look people in the eye.

-Give a firm handshake.

-Don't say "Where's it AT?"

-Write thank you notes.

For the most part, if anything I ever say does turn out to be helpful in their future experiences, I won't ever know about it..

**

In the same way, many parents of my past and present students will never know of changes I have made in my teaching policies and procedures because of "truths" those parents brought to my attention.

• Because of Mrs. G..... I never give quizzes the day after Halloween.

• Because of Mrs. V..... I changed my talking during a quiz policy from an automatic grade deduction to a 2 point deduction.

• Because of Mrs. C..... I regularly tell my students that I like my job.

• Because of Mrs. L.... I try to make a big deal out of my students' birthdays.

• Because of Mrs. M....I let parents know ahead of time that I often copy the principal with my email communications.

I have not always been "open" to a parent's advice offering when it has been given to me. (Sometimes it is the manner in which the advice is offered that stops me from listening at the time.) However, every now and then I find myself eventually realizing that...

Mrs. Soandso was right.

As a result, I make changes.

I can only hope that somewhere down the road a former student of mine will indeed

extend a firm handshake, write a thank you note, or make eye contact and discover some value in it.

Then, perhaps in the back of his/her mind will be lingering a thought...hey,

that teacher, Mrs. Soandso, was right.

Little Funny Co-worker

Colleen is my co-worker. She's funny, smart, and cute.

Oh, and she's only 28 which makes her way funnier and cuter than I could ever be. And, she may not like the fact that I just posted her face here....if you see this photo missing later...you'll know that she put in a special request to have it removed.

Behold the wit of my co-worker, Colleen.....

Colleen: You're going to Mass this Sunday aren't you?

Me: (Wondering why she is asking) Of course.

Colleen: Well, did you hear who was going to be there?

Me: (Pausing.)

Colleen: ...Don't you know?

Me: No. (With building anticipation) ...Who?

Colleen: Seriously, it's awesome.

Me: (Now bursting with curiosity and wondering how I could not have heard about this important big event.) Who is it?

(Pause)

Colleen: ...Jesus.

Do Nothing Day...

... Take one gorgeous afternoon.

...Add 10 bucks for Sandy Point Park entrance fee.

Make sure to bring along some icy cold pop and some Maui reading material.

Add a hot date and ...

You've got one terrific lazy Sunday.

Lazy Sundays....Make My Mondays!

Visit Cheryl for more Makes My Monday!

The Giving Tree People

"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree. I wish that I could give you something...but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry...."
"I don't need very much now," said the boy,"Just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,"Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy. (From The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein)


If you don't know this story, please read it. The heart-warming tale is about love and generosity; a boy comes to a tree for all his needs and the tree hands over whatever is necessary to make the boy happy. The tree could be a symbol for God's love, parental love, and marital love. It's a beautiful story.
I am a devoted wife.
I am a hard worker.
I am a loyal friend.
I am not a giving tree, (but I think in my heart I've always wanted to be one.)

My mother IS a giving tree. From the time I was little I remember her always doing for others and her rarely ever admitting that she might be burdened. Like the tree in the story, if my mother has something and you need it, she will most likely give it to you. She was the mother who drove...the cookie chairman.....the play director....the party hostess. This is all still true today. Occasionally, I worry that she is being taken advantage of , but the truth is that she lives to give. At the end of the The Giving Tree, the tree is happy because it still had something left to give. I believe that will be true of my mother. A giver.

When it comes to me, my husband is also a giving tree. He is very generous, allowing me to have my mood swings and my "big ideas" without consequence. Anytime I think I may have pushed a situation too far, he shrugs his shoulders and says, " It's okay." He wants me to be happy. He is a giver.

We (who are not giving trees) start-out wanting to give generously when needed. Unfortunately, we have breaking points when it comes to giving. After a person has received our apples, our branches, and our trunk, we say- "Hey! Haven't I already done enough?" Then, indignation reaches a steady simmer and the whole generosity thing becomes a big pot of resentment stew.

So, no giving tree here....I'm a "give until I think it may not be a good idea anymore" tree.

All in all, I am forever in awe of the giving tree people....those who live life showing abundant and boundless generosity.

You humble the rest of us.

Thank you.

Thanks for the birthday wishes!
It was a happy birthday.
Life is good.

Laura's Birthday

Greetings all you regular CTM readers! Laura's Husband here...as I write this Laura's asleep and doesn't know that I've hijacked her blog to bring you a special message. June 6th is Laura's birthday and I'm sure you'd agree that a woman as talented, loving, caring, funny, insightful, generous, and BEE-U-TEE-FUL as Laura deserves a wealth of good wishes on her day. So...c'mon everybody - fill up the comment boards with delightful birthday wishes for my gal. Thanks!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

- Laura's Husband signing off

Good Cupcake: Bad Haiku

Thou sweet work of art

Iced proportioned perfection

My friend, the cupcake.

The Movie Martini Solution

Hard day?

Gotta relax?

Gotta shake it?

For some of you that might mean you're going to go out for a 5 mile run.

Not me.

For some of you that might mean you're going to go buy yourself something cute.

Not me.

For some of you that might mean you're going to curl up with a mindless magazine and read about someone else's problems.

Not me.

For some of you that might mean you are going to sip on a cereal-bowl size glass of wine.

Not me.

For some of you that might mean you are going to eat spoonfuls of cookie dough ice cream right out of the container.

Not me.

...oh wait...could be me.

But really?

After I have a hard day I would rather numb my brain with one of my favorite dependable girl movies.

You've Got Mail

Legally Blonde

Working Girl

Devil Wears Prada

Sleepless in Seattle

I sit.

I relax.

I watch.

I know all the lines.

The nice girl wins in the end.

All is right with the world.

Who Wants Gum?

Do you recognize this gum?
Big Buddy Gum was bubble gum that came in a foot long stick. It wasn't very expensive and was available in many different flavors. I was partial to Hawaiian flavor because it tasted like pineapple and it seemed to last longer than other flavors. (Maybe I also knew I was going to be going to HAWAII when I was 47, so I wanted to feel the mood,) My notable claim to fame back in the early 70's would have been my uncanny ability to cram the entire Big Buddy stick into my mouth at once; of course, that would have been immediately followed with a person to person showing of the drippy, slobbery mess being clumsily positioned between my teeth. Coupled with my intermittent giggling fits, it is a mind-numbing wonder that I did not choke to death. Big Buddy gum was a madcap treat to be sure.

But these days, I am anti-gum... nothing personal to gum chewers. Though I can smile at the joyous grin on a child's face while having a Doublemint moment, I don't have the same reaction to many adults as they are chomping down on a big hunk of chew. I am confident that there are people that can enjoy gum in a discreet way, but more often than not, many end up looking as though they are auditioning for a role as one of the Pink Ladies in Grease. C'mon Rizzo, hon, the pizza's gettin' cold.

To be clear, I love many a gum chewer...it's the gum of which I am not a fan.

So there it is...my brief, yet somewhat sinister, admission.

Once I was a gum lover....I am now a gum loather.

My goodness how life changes.....(sigh, wipe tear...breathe)

Yet, there's comfort knowing that some things do stay the same.

I still despise brussel sprouts....contemptible little cabbage beasts.

copyright laura fetters 2008

Keeping It Calm

By the time I had committed to a graduate study program in education, I had already been teaching for more than 10 years. During grad school several inspiring professors taught me some fresh perspectives on teaching while a few others were more or less ineffective.
One professor made a point of saying that teachers should never show too much emotion during their jobs.

She firmly believed that showing too much emotion (positive or negative) is unprofessional and that our primary purpose is to teach; we should be task-oriented and goal-driven. Emotion, she maintained, had little place in the teacher/student relationship.
I disagreed with her, and it was easy for me to do so since I had had more classroom experience than she had.
When children are involved, it's nearly impossible not to become emotionally involved yourself.
A teacher cares.
A teacher worries.
A teacher loves.

Sometimes it would be much easier not to.

The latest lesson I've learned is concerning 8th grade graduates and attitudes.
There are students who are graduating this year with whom I had become extremely close.
Though I don't teach many of them anymore, throughout the year they have visited me in my classroom and chatted with me in the hallways.
I haven't needed to discipline them with very much effort because they have typically respected what I say and have seemed to want to maintain a good relationship with me.
Except now.
Because it's graduation time, suffice it to say that the recent behaviors of these students are not what I have come to expect from them.

So, at one or two instances I overreacted and really did not control my emotions when dealing with their outbursts and attitudes.
To be clear....I got angry.

**
What's the lesson?
Kids are kids.
Even the best and brightest want to know what it feels like to be a little wild, a little irreverent, and a little inappropriate.

I'm the one who has to remember my job....to lead, to model, to instruct, and to correct.
That's what I do.

That graduate school professor had a point- teachers need to keep emotions in check at all times. When we show anger, to some extent we lose our authority.
When we show anger, we lose a sense of clear purpose.
When we show anger, students pay less attention to what we are saying, and more attention on how we are saying it.
We become ineffective.


Lesson learned. (Let's hope.)

Everyone into the Pool!!! Makes My Monday

The pool is open.

(Nine stories below our balcony.)

We only hang out there once or twice a summer.

We like knowing the lounge chairs, the cool water, and the sun

are there for our enjoyment if we want them.

Thoughts of summer, laziness, and the pool we rarely frequent...

Make My Monday.

Visit Cheryl for more Makes My Monday posts.

Life is What You Make It

Life Is What You Make It

When you spend precious days enjoying summer's freedom...

Make it count.

When someone has shown you thoughtfulness...

Make it gracious.

When you spend time with a small child...

Make it loving.

When laughing could lift the spirits of those around you...

Make it funny.

When you are overcome with boredom...

Make it interesting.

When your tendency might be to overreact...

Make it simple.

When you don't get it right the first time...

Make it a learning experience.

When you smile at strangers and consider helping those in need...

Make it matter.

When someone you know is wallowing in darkness...

Make it compassionate.

When you say you are sorry and need forgiveness...

Make it real.

When you are faced with a dangerous temptation...

Make it sensible.

When a hurtful comment scars your ego...

Make it insignificant.

When there are tasks to complete and duties to fulfill...

Make it purposeful.

When you are feeling worried and anxious about the future...

Make it prayerful.

and

When you think that any problem is too big to handle....

Make it God's.

copyright Laura Graham Fetters 2009

Bad Haiku: Climate Control

The spouse turns it down

I slither in ... turn it up

The thermostat wars.

Cheryl's got bad poetry too....check it out.