Fun Monday #15 On the pursuit of dreams ...

Take time for Small Reflections

At last! I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to sign into Blogger since EARLY this morning (like around 4:30am) ... but miraculously I'm suddenly 'in' ... though I'm not sure which (if any) of the things I've tried 'worked' or whether Blogger 'straightened itself' out on its own. No matter how ... I'm relieved to have 'access' again I'm creating (a bit later than expected) my Fun Monday post and hope to visit others soon.

Scroll down for Manic Monday

Irish Coffeehouse is hosting Fun Monday and asks three questions: "As a child day dreaming of what your future would hold for you, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you ever pursue or achieve it? If you could be trained and placed in any career beginning tomorrow, what would it be?"

I've given considerable thought to these questions all week and shared my process at Sacred Ruminations yesterday. I intended to have today's post ready to go earlier than usual, but somehow it didn't quite come together as planned. As a child, I don't recall having specific ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I lived in my imagination most of the time ... riding a 'pony' my dad made for me out of a long pole ... creating indoor 'environments' with blocks in which I 'traveled' in my mind ... and vanishing into books as I read avidly. Perhaps that's why my parents tried to teach me to be 'practical' and apply myself to my studies ... something I learned to do early and excelled at throughout life.

If someone had suggested I might become a writer of stories (and/or ideas running through my mind), I suspect I would have pursued that creative path earlier in life and be a 'published' author by now. Instead ... good student and compliant soul that I am ... I allowed myself to accept the invitation that DID present itself and became a teacher ... a career I practiced for 34 years before retiring happily in 2001. The best parts of teaching revolved around helping others acquire skills and pursue their dreams while being a lifelong learner myself. Those were good years and I'm grateful for them.

I'm equally grateful for the years that came after, and that brings me to the 3rd question for the day. At 63 I'm no longer seeking 'training' or a 'new career' ... instead I'm allowing myself to remember and dream again ... trusting that Dreams are Whispers from the Soul ... and that's why I'm delighted to share this little 3 minute video-clip (from Simple Truths, discovered yesterday as I cleared a backlog of email messages) with any and all who pass this way. It speaks to me ... and may resonate with you as well ...(or not).

Click for others participating in Fun Monday this week.
This is my 4th ...

Here are the answers I left in 'comments' earlier at the Manic Monday site. I'm glad to have access to my blog finally so I can share ... just because.

What's your favorite beach in the world?
The beaches in Hawaii and the Caribbean are lovely, but nothing beats Southern California beaches since they’re close to home ;--)
What's the next country you want to visit?
At this point in my life I’m not sure how much traveling I’m likely to do … but Australia, Africa, and the Mediterranean countries beckon when I dream.
What one thing are you craving today?
Access to my blogs!!! Blogger won’t let me sign in, so I can’t publish anything (though that doesn’t keep me from creating posts to publish when/if access is restored) and I’ve only been able to successfully comment on one blog thus far (though I’ve tried many & keep getting the same Blogger error repeatedly). I have access to Gmail, Google Reader, and can SEE my blogs (and the blogs of others) … I find myself wondering if anyone else is affected? Sigh!

I'm relieved to have access (as I've indicated above), but I'm wondering if anyone can shed light on what happened to me earlier. Did others have 'issues' with Blogger too, or was my inability to 'sign in' using Mozilla unique to me ... indicating an issue with my new laptop and/or Vista configurations? Inquiring minds want to understand if at all possible.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Dreams are answers to questions we haven't yet figures out how to ask." X-Files

Fun Monday #11 - Manic Monday #3

I've 'borrowed' Hula Girl's Fun Monday Logo for today.
Isn't it lovely? I need to make one of my own soon.

Hula Girl of Growing Older But Not Up is hosting Fun Monday today and writes:

"I used to be a journalist you know, and I love prying information out of people...and I’m really nosey….ridiculously nosey. After much thought and consideration I’ve come up with the following topic….clothing…specifically clothing you can’t get rid of. We all have at least one or two items of clothing that we can’t part with, even if we can’t or don’t wear them. I want to know about yours. Show us if you have pictures or describe it in detail. Model it for us if you dare. Nothing naughty please-we don’t want to see your backside (or your front side) in that thong you foolishly bought in Cancun on vacation. Is it your old FFA jacket from high school (which my husband has)? A Grateful Dead concert t-shirt from 1978? A shirt from an old lover or that size *&! pair of jeans you hope you get into again one day? Or maybe the really large pair of jeans you wore before you lost 100 pounds or your grandma’s vintage wedding dress. Dig around in your closets and find something you want to share with us Monday. I can’t wait to see and hear about your choices."

My challenge today is to decide what to choose from many options because I'm not only a recovering pack-rat ... my sister tells me often that I'm "true to my clothes" ... meaning I keep them a LONG TIME and wear them even when they're 'well-worn' ;--)

First ... I have MANY pairs of comfy and colorful shoes, but these two get worn most frequently even though they're old and well-worn ... just because. The sandals on the left are Merrills
(at least 10 years old and possibly older). The clogs on the right are Keens (probably 7 or 8 years old).

Although I own the Keen clogs in 3 other colors, I've never been able to find the Merrill sandal again after purchasing this pair at REI years ago. It's a testament to the way these shoes are constructed that they're still comfortable after all this time.

The jackets in the collage below are old favorites too. I've show the front & back of each ... just because. All 4 jackets are much too large for me these days and I can't remember the last time I wore any of them ... but I love them all for various reasons.

I purchased the warm jacket top left while in Alaska to take a bicycle tour down the mountain (after riding up on a train) in the rain because it was just too cold there for any of the winter clothes I brought with me. Not surprisingly, it's NEVER been cold enough for me to wear it here at the beach in Southern California ... though I have worn it a few times in the snow when visiting the mountains close by.

All 3 of the other jackets are from Chico's ... what once was my favorite women's clothing store for about 8 years. The warm jacket on the right is just funky & fun. The two at the bottom are both velour-type 'dress up' jackets ... but can also be worn with jeans. I'm not quite sure why I keep them now that I've gotten rid of weight ... except that I loved them when I bought them and feel 'attached' as I do with many 'things' in my life ... for they bring back memories.

If I had time ...(and my computer was being more cooperative)... I'd share more, but methinks this will have to do for now.

Click for others participating in Fun Monday this week.

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This is my 3rd ...

Questions for Manic Monday #122
1. Are you a talker or a listener? Is it ever possible to really be both? I suppose I've been a 'talker' most of my life ... (what teacher isn't?)... but over the past couple of decades I've evolved into more of a 'listener' ... so I believe it's possible to be both. Actually, I always listened to my students ... and asked lots of questions too ... so maybe I've been both always.

2. Do you think God has a sense of humor? Actually yes ... and the older I get, the more I believe this to be true ... however I also believe God weeps at some of the things mankind does (and doesn't do).

3. Do you believe in love at first sight? Have you ever experienced it? When I was young, perhaps I did ... though then I didn't really understand love as a verb. These days I'm less inclined to be swept away spontaneously by my feelings.

Click for others participating in Manic Monday this week.

Did you know that Wimbledon starts today?
I can watch TENNIS when my
laptop overheats today.

Thought for Today
"Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody." Moms Mabley

Fun Monday #10 ... Manic Monday #2 & More Musings of My Marvelous Mind

Addendum on Tuesday (6-18-08 at 3:10pm)
On the 1st day of the Intermediate Photoshop class (today), we learned to use a variety of Color Enhancing 'tools' ... so this afternoon I revisited a few of the photos I shared yesterday and added them to this post. I figure few folks will SEE these changes, but for those who happen by in the future, I'm interested in your opinion about which photos YOU like best. I still have lots to learn about this and look forward to future experimentation to refine my understanding of how these tools work and my skills employing them. As I look at the walls of my home, the 'enhanced' photos seem 'truer' to the actual colors than the original (darker) images.

Jan is hosting Fun Monday today and writes:

I will host Fun Monday on June 16th. The subject is walls. We all have walls of some sort. What I want to hear about and see, if you're going to show off your amazing photo skills, is what is on your walls, what color are your walls, what is special about them, what is your favorite or least favorite, is it inside or outside. You get the idea, let's show and tell about walls. Leave a comment to let me know you're playing on the 16th.

Well ... this took MUCH longer than I anticipated. The biggest problem I encountered was dealing with darkness in my family room (where the walls are natural or stained wood & there are minimal windows) ... 'glare' in my living (where my walls are white and I've got lots of windows) ... and the light from skylights in my upstairs bedroom. In addition, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing because I tried to use Photoshop to 'fix' them (with varying success) ... but here goes what I have to share.

This is the fireplace in my living room ... one of the first things I fell in love with when I found this house almost 30 years ago. Originally the 'mantle' was stained 'walnut' ... but about 12 years ago I painted it white to brighten the look.

Here are a couple shots ...

of a few things on that mantle ...
(brightened with Photoshop and added Tuesday)

(brightened with PSE 6 on Tuesday)

(as originally shared Monday)

a plaque on the wall nearby,

this Welcome Sculpture by the front door
(a gift from my mom)
some framed 'sheet music' of my mom's,
(brightened with PSE 6 and added Tuesday)
(original photo shared Monday)

a clock on my family room wall ...
(brightened with PSE 6 on Tuesday after class)
(as originally shared Monday)

a closeup of the latticed Redwood surface ...

(another thing I fell in love with in this house)
(brightened with PSE Tuesday after class)
(as originally shared Monday)
a giraffe painted by a frienda ship's bell above the closet door ...
(brightened with Photoshop on Tuesday)
(as originally shared Monday)

the stairwell ...

this dream catcher next to my bed

a few stuffed giraffes &

a paper mache elephant I made in college
atop one of several tall bookcasesand a picture of me at 3 weeks of age ...
(seriously ... the photographer propped me up like this)

So ... although I have other things on my walls, I'm going to stop here because it's 2:15 Monday afternoon ... two hours later than promised. I look forward to seeing what others have shared ... and hope you enjoy this glimpse of my walls.

According to Jan, next weeks Fun Monday Host will be
the fabulous and fun HulaGirlAtHeart.

Click to visit all of this weeks Fun participants.

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This is my 2nd ...

If your personality had to be summed up as a sandwich, what kind of sandwich would you be?

Methinks I'd be a 'BLAT' ... (that's bacon, lettuce, avocado & tomato on whole grain toast to those of you who don't live in Southern California) ... with an occasional slice of onion for added zest!

If you knew that someone was dying, but they didn't know, would you tell them the truth or deceive them about it?
This one is tricky and I suppose it would depend on several factors ... like who the person was & how well I knew them ... where they were in their own life journey ... and my own motivation for telling them this information. I honestly don't know, but I'd like to think that whatever action I took would be motivated by love and arrived that through prayerful consideration.

Do you dress the same when you are depressed as you do when you are very happy?
I'm a casual kind of gal for the most part and go for comfort over style. With that in mind, I've been known to give up my usual 'sweats' around home for something more 'upbeat' to get myself out of a funk now and again ... and wearing bright colors CAN lift my spirits when I'm down ... so I'd say that sometimes I use clothes to modify my moods when appropriate.

Click for others participating today.

How about that Tiger Woods on the 18th hole yesterday ... forcing a playoff today? I've got the TV on and am trying to watch he and Rocco ... but it's most distracting so I've got the DVR set to record it as well. That way I can catch up on anything I miss and continue to 'multi-task' with my post here. I did manage finally to figure out the 'spacing' on my BYBS/SSS post at Sacred Ruminations earlier this morning. That's really what threw off my 'timing' today. Check it out if time permits because it's pretty nifty (if I do say so myself). I hope you're all having a marvelous Monday!

Thought for Today
"Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity; it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all." William Faulkner

Manic Monday#1 ... Musings and More ...

It's clear to me that I'm doing too much
and need to slow down
somehow ...

It's late in the day ... and I'm uninspired, but thought I'd try my hand at Manic Monday for the first time. Apparently this is #120, so it's been around a while.

1. What is your ideal age?
Methinks it's right now (and always has been) ... so for me
that's 63 ... Retired life is pretty kewl ;--)

2. What is your best excuse for being late?
I don't often NEED an excuse, because I'm usually early wherever I go ... and alway have been. When I am late, honesty seems like the best policy.

3. If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?
Hmmmm ... I've dubbed myself 'storyteller' here in the Blogosphere, and methinks it suits me for now, so I'll stick with it ... though I do like being 'a nonny mouse' too.

Click for others participating in Manic Monday today ...

The French Open Men's Final

Sadly ... the Men's Tennis Championship match wasn't nearly as exciting as the Women's Final this year. I had great hopes for a highly competitive match between Rafa and Roger given their last match in Hamburg ... ('best of three sets' ... won by Federer) ... but Nadal played magnificently from the first point and Federer looked 'flat' from the start, and 'stunned' within a few games. Both men's semi-final matches were more exciting to watch. One wonders whether Roger's extended bout of Mononucleosis has some lingering effects on his energy levels or whether Rafa has improved that much in such a short time? With Wimbledon just two weeks off, I'm hopeful Roger gets some rest and regains his energy levels and finesse ... or we're likely to see a new champion there.

Ana Ivanovic with French Open Trophy
Photo source Yahoo Sports
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It's been a while since I've shared a Blogthing ...
and since it's 'beach' weather here
I chose this ;--)

What the Beach Test Says About You?

You like people, but you're careful about who you get close to. Friendship is important to you... so important that you aren't just friends with anyone. (This doesn't seem terribly accurate to me because I'm friendly with just about everyone I encounter.). You don't fall in love easily. It takes you a long time to get used to someone. Intimacy doesn't come easily for you. (Once upon a time I did 'fall in love easily' ... but life has taught me to be a bit more cautious in love.) You are a passionate person. You are free wheeling, fun loving, and ruled by your emotions. (This is true to a certain extent, but I'm not RULED by my emotions ... though I am 'attuned' to them.) Your sense of humor is goofy and silly. You are good at making almost anyone laugh. (I've never been good at telling jokes, but folks around me do smile and laugh often ... and that's a good thing because laughter is healing).

The Beach Test
Come on ... you KNOW you want to find out and share
either in comments below, or on your blog.
Just leave me a link if you
do the latter ;--)

Thought for Today
"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." ~ e.e. cummings