Pure Imagination

"There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you'll be free if you truly wish to be." - from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

As children, imagination is at the heart of what we do. We all liked to play make-believe as a kid, imagining that that red towel off the clothesline was a cape that would make us invincible to the world and a hero to its people.

We liked to imagine that the blanket fort we built in our living room was a castle, and we were the knights waiting to slay the dragon. We liked to believe that jumping out of a tree would give us wings, if only for a little while.

New Beginnings

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." -Seneca

From the Old English beginnan meaning "to open," a beginning is defined as an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state. Example: "It was the beginning of her life."

The formal definition is as important as the informal. Informally speaking, we tend to think of beginnings as the point in time in which something starts. Beginnings, however, result in an end. We need endings to create new beginnings.

Hopefully I have not confused you yet. Stay with me.

Starting Over

We must take adventures to know where we really belong.

Traveling and life often go together. Moving is often part of that equation. As such, I present the following case study:

A Case Study, or Starting Over

I remember the day my family moved for the first time. 

I was seven. It was a sunny day. I have always found that ironic, because films portray moving as a rainy day scene. The last of our things had been packed, and it was finally time to leave. As a little girl, I did not understand the concept of leaving behind a chapter of life we had occupied for (in my mind) so long. That day I learned what it means to not look back.

For I Shall Not Pass This Way Again

"I expect to pass through this world but once; any good therefore I can do, or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." -Stephan Grellet

I suppose I am just like any other twenty-something: I love my social media. But lately, being on social media frustrates me. While we have many good people who write inspiring and uplifting posts, we also have people who insist upon writing negative opinions about people when it is simply not their place to do so. It saddens me. It hurts me. And above all, the intolerance people show others upsets me to my very core.

When did it become acceptable for people to ignore all basic courtesies in our world?

You are entitled to your opinions. That is a basic human right. But there is a fine line to walk when you start blurting your opinions everywhere - whether it be on social media or in a conversation with people. Just because you want to say them does not mean everyone wants to hear or read them, especially if it is hurtful to others. Words beget action. Action produces consequences, good or bad. It is important to remember to guard our words and actions when the situation calls. It is never good to use words or actions that hurt. Regarding media, I will tell you what I tell my students:

Beauty Must-Haves

It's always fun to mix it up. Today is time for a new type of post, my friends! Today I discovered the gem that is Polyvore. I am having so much fun playing around on this site that I had to share my first creation with you. It is a tool that creates displays of your favorite products, fashion items, home decor - you name it!

Without further ado, I present my "Beauty Must-Haves:"

1. Boots | No. 7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream

It's like a dream, my friends. This hypo-allergenic night cream is ultra-soothing and is my latest discovery in skin care. Perfect for normal to oily skin types, it is a nice way to moisturize in the evening so you don't have to worry about loading on the skin care under your make-up in the morning.

dandelion wishes and escalator rides

 It's time for another favorites post. What are some of yours?

dewy autumn mornings

dandelion wishes

warm mittens

the idea of the healing power of turquoise

ancient Norse mythology

antique stores and their hidden stories

Don't Climb Too Far Or Turn Too Sharply

"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live." -Mortimer Adler

Let's mix it up today. We'll start with a quiz! I love quizzes, so now you do too. I'll keep it short, I promise. Answer the following questions:

1.  What is the definition of the word learn?
         a. To blindly do something, mess up, and never do it again.

         b. To do something by trial and error.

         c. To acquire new skills you may or may not ever use.

         d. Is this a trick question?

2. Scientifically speaking, at what age do you stop learning?

         a. 22, when you graduate from college. Goodbye, rip-off textbook prices!

         b. 30, after you've finished your Graduate and Ph.D degrees (if you're lucky).

         c. 60, when your kids are done with their degrees that you paid for.

         d. None of the above. 

3. What is the definition of the word grow?

         a. To increase in size and form.

         b. To expand one's horizons.

         c. To arise as a natural development.

         d. Can I select more than one answer?

The end. Told you I'd keep it short. After all, 3 is always the magic number: 3 books in a trilogy, 3 wishes in fairy tales, 3 strikes at the ballgame - you get the idea. As for the answers, you guessed correctly: it is a subjective quiz. That means there is no correct answer to any of the above questions. In retrospect, I probably should have led with that information. Oh well. I'm sure you understand. I'd like to break the "rule of threes" by asking a fourth question. You will need some scratch paper to answer this one. Give yourself 4 minutes (because 3 minutes is breaking the rule). And go:

Camping Isn't Easy

Life has been busy for me, dear readers and fellow bloggers. It is August - the time of year that us teachers are once again preparing for a new school year. As such, today's post is once again a case study:

A Case Study, or Camping of Any Kind Isn't Easy

No one is in control of his or her life. As much as we'd love to think so, we have very little control in how everything tends to play out. What matters in the scheme of things is how we react to the circumstances we face.

I enjoy being busy. I like having a daily purpose and activities that make my long-term goals viable. Being busy, however, has its drawbacks. Stress is one of them. My first year of teaching was stressful in that I was teaching five different courses and creating all the prep work for them by scratch. I essentially lived in my classroom that year, as I spent more time at the school and less time at home. I could have pitched a tent and camped in my classroom, hobbit style.

Serendipity

serendipity (noun): an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

I am firmly convinced that every child loves to dig for treasures in the dirt. I was no exception.

Living in the countryside provided plenty of ample opportunities to treasure hunt. With my friends, I would scour the long shelter belts around our property, looking for things that could be considered to be of value. Our various hangouts around the property never gave any indication of having hidden treasures, but it was always fun to imagine.