All posts by Nicole
Loving life one day at a time
Today is English day at school. Not the fun part at first, either. I was never a fan of rules myself, and frankly, although important, grammar isn’t fun….normally
I found a great site, TurtleDiary.com and it had so many things to choose from. The different nouns can be confusing. Indeed engaging games were found and learning commenced. We ended with adjectives, a wonderful lunch and reading time on the porch.
We’re reading Tales from the Odyssey, by Mary Pope Osborne. She really makes this classic come alive for the kids. It’s fun to read aloud as well. The best part? Here is the view my son had while listening to me read
As a mother and teacher, I receive so much joy from watching the wistful look on his face, as he imagines, dreams, empathizes and grows inside, learning the morals of the tales. With the sounds of the creek flowing over the rocks, the birds chirping and tufts of cotton (fall pollen is FUN) looking so pretty as the wind sweeps it by….. Nature is always making a movie!
I didn’t want to interrupt his zen moment so I decided to drop the trip back to the earlier lessons of the day. We could pick out ‘non-countable nouns’ and ‘adjectives’ later. All his friends just got off the bus, it’s time to go play 😀
Bewildered and Befuddled
I’m so confused, lost my heart
I know it here somewhere, I felt it tear apart
in a million directions, the pain flowed
Oh no! Oh no! Where did it go?
It’s got to be here somewhere
you have to have a heart
If I could find the pieces
i could mend them i’m sure
I’ll use my best skills
Then again, I know this is not true
I’ll smack it together, hit it with my shoe
Because for some reason when the day is near the end
And I’m trying to assess
who needs what & when
What hat did I drop?
Is it ever going to
JUST STOP
And I’ve still barely managed
to get anything done
It stops
It screeches to a halt
*!*!*!* I think I get it now *!*!*!*
I’ve forgotten to care the most
for the one person
who gets
a toast
those pieces will find
a way back inside
when you hear love agree
NM 09-29-14
Who’s got the code?
Desperation, great advice and a solution
I was stressed, couldn’t even read, or type. Too tired to process anything else, I passed out EARLY, before kids, and slept a whole 9 hours
So I wake up to an intact, quiet house (dreaming?) and begin my day. It seemed innocent at first, a few bumps here and there, nothing major, & escaped to a local park to learn about our watershed issues. It was sponsored by the DEP and there were so many cool animals from the college’s herpetology lab among other displays.
A local water crisis really opened our eyes and hopefully most have not forgotten those many days with out water. Our valley faces many chemical and other environmental issues daily. So pretty, yet so toxic. Crazy
Most fish can not be eaten, or only MONTHLY, yup once a month AT MOST because of, get this, NOT ALL THE RUNOFF AND SPILLS
THE AIR
yup, acid rain. nice. im in lowercase because i feel so small. where to start, what can we do to recoup?
The kids learned about the water cycle and lots of other cool things. Hopefully these types of shows help the next generation make better decisions. Get this, even fruit, thrown out a car window, creates a ripple effect of road kill. the little critters bring out the big ones and next thing you know, SPLAT. I’ve never thought that apple core was harmful.
Oh, and we supported the local library 🙂 They are really having a hard time just keeping the utilities up and the technology running. Sad 🙁 Hope the Levy passes.
Now, I home-school my son and today would have been a fun way to give him credit, BUT, he didn’t see it that way, go figure. Said it was Saturday and he didn’t want to do school.
Enter Homeland DRAMA.
The encyclopedia (yes I have those still) proved less fun while still educational 🙂 He forgets that on a Tuesday we goof off while everyone else is at school and work. Oh, and no android, no youtube, no xbox. and yes, that means NO AUDIO BOOK (he’s 8, reads at a 7th gr level)! Read a real book. WE have hundreds! He hates me, he screams, I’m the worst mom EVER, yadayadayada.. I’m laughing by now, done yelling. “Whatever” is my new answer, oh & just get it done…
It’d frankly ridiculous what they feel is torture these days. Dub a tape off the radio lol or wait for Mtv to play a video & try to tape it on a VCR. Anyway,
..Teenage child lost her phone privilege & mad, did not attend show. She got to stay home and clean 🙂 I know, I’m mean. Life is mean too.
I need to know they will have common sense and accountability,be resilient and handle failure as a challenge, be responsible and contribute to society as adults. The rest is up to them.
Until then, welcome to my kingdom.
I was about to lose it. No one would let me get anything done. The internet was slow and losing connectivity (on a Saturday? no, not the we don’t throttle cable company) & both kids were doing homework so I couldn’t reset the router right then..I hop over to cell service and I get an email from my uncle
“So no doors, huh? I don’t have to tell you this, but it will be very challenging to succeed in business if you cannot get some bursts of focused, private time. Especially in a creative business like blogging, marketing and sales. Maybe you could put up a blanket fort with clothespins like we used to do when we were kids. ;-)”
BINGO
Oh, and my official work mug, courtesy of teenage daughter’s beach trip
The kids still have radar, but at least I feel like I have a work space.
Next, is the glass roof bathroom & sunk-in bathtub ( calgon take me away…..) for star-gazing. I’ve got a great view of the southern sky. Someday…
SEO coffee and a Saturday morning
I was going to post something funny today, but the Universe knows better apparently
I can’t get this out of my head
A lot of people I’ve seen this week are out there like me realizing, finally, there is a way to survive in this world on our creativity. Another group is great at marketing, social networking and sees this as a fun way to help others and make money.
Now, not everyone is this way. Those who are can surely stand out, and do.
The big AH HA is this
Misty M Reverie retweeted
SEO news is out! http://paper.li/EBrondoni/1300221753 … Stories via @hadharm @mistymtnreverie @susanfor
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m learning how to play the SEO / Marketing / Social Media gameI have to, as do we all. But what is great about it is it gives all of us INTROVERTS a meansand a way to accomplish this. We don’t sell, as much as our ENERGY is what draws others in.And out in the public, that can be draining. On the Internet, there is a boundaryand it IS POSSIBLEto convey authenticity, even with that boundary.The KEY is helping each other out, because we know we all have room for inspiration, andthis is a HUGE ocean of possibility. Yes, it helps to know the scientific side and incorporate itinto our mission , and at the same time, still being the person who signed up withNO FOLLOWERS, NO LIKES, NO 1+’S, NO FAVORITESFind your own followers, learn about them, help their cause and be gracious and thankful
The leaves are changing already
I’ve been trying to decide what to post and wanted to put up some drawings…
Until I looked outside. It’s going to be beautiful today, and I’m still plugging away at work. Timing..grrrr
The leaves have begun to change. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty and all. I just am not ready.
This summer went waaayyyy too fast.
So in an effort to preserve the warmth and last bit of summery feel I can
I decided to post pictures of my rock garden
and my first ever rose bush 🙂
Enjoy your Friday
Ode to Life, Art, The Blogsphere and the Twitterverse
Trying to think where to begin. I’ve been super busy, wearing hats of all kinds. Some fit, others are too small, too big, or just can’t stay on. Trying to accomplish too many things at once, fulfilling roles and obligations, working, creating, learning, enjoying, or not lol…our daily grind.
No matter who we are, we all have one. The question in my mind is where do we draw a line? Everyone has a different set of circumstances that require or anti-require our definitive lines=boxes
Some are small, medium or large, square or rectangle or even sometimes you get a circle or oval (bubbles 😉 If I’ve lost you, sorry. I understand. If not, I apologize, because you understand!
Fast forward to today. I am blown away by the world on Twitter. So many interesting, funny, kind, positive and inspiring souls. Who’d-a-thought. But then again, why not? On some level, we all connect. This is just another platform, another way to exchange thoughts and ideas. Yes, we’re promoting many things at times, mainly ourselves. But we’re giving back as well. It’s quite a phenomenon if you stop to notice, really look around. I look at each person, the pictures, the websites and blogs. It’s fantastic! You couldn’t learn this in a class. It is as diverse as you want and as enriching as you choose. My entertainment is gleaned from learning, but more hands on. The internet enables us to connect in a way that evokes a personable feel to what you say and do, if you take the time. And that can be difficult…
I’ve grown to over 100 new followers in just a week. I’m so humbled and shocked. And yet I am bursting with MORE to do! Artists, writers, musicians, actors, (labels…hold on to that thought 🙂 We need each other. We consume more than we put out, I’m sure. We create through inspiration and through inspiration we are rising higher and higher. It’s not liner for me, as I assume is the same for almost all of us. So we also find/look for/seek/embrace/take up something to cling to. Religion, Causes, People, Careers, Parenthood, or we wander in search of our cause, not quite sure where to be…
And that brings me back to that thought,
OUR LABELS
I look at how we have a limited amount of words to describe/define ourselves and manage to still get a point across. New sign of our times
But surely we are more than participants, enthusiasts, connoisseurs, experts, lovers of, haters of, passionate about and fans of, more than THAT, aren’t we?
I sure hope so. I can’t stay in a box. I try, I do it to myself, I just blow it. {I have 4 twitters already:-} And If I have to choose, I’ll decline what some see as “opportunity” or “worthy” or “important” or “meaningful” because it doesn’t flow. I can’t explain, other than it’s the Boulders. That is where I fall short and don’t play well with others. It’s my nemesis.
Go with the flow ~ yeah but who’s flow?! Oh, this is where I sink! I got a small boat with one oar in a stormy sea most days. And my flow doesn’t gel well with most. How ironic is this, seen yesterday @bairesven on his Facebook
I struggle with filling out these online profiles for twitter, facebook, tumblr, linkedin…..and the rest, as much as I do, in life. I am content and intrigued, so much so, I need too much time alone. My processor, battery, virtual memory, RAM (labels) all freeze. I’m that phone you still have that can’t upgrade its iOS, even though it still works! What can you do, but flow?
How is my dilemma. How without failing to fit in between the lines?
What ones are essential and what ones are erasable? And who decides?
You, Your Government, Your Community,
Your Employer,Your Education, Your Up Bringing/Family?
Each of us make that choice so often, without thinking. We have “profiles” on our shoppers cards to save a few bucks, our pharmacies and doctors and schools and ANYTHING attached to one of those little cards on your key ring. Yeah, you know. WE ALL HAVE SOME I do not want to advertise but i know there is a pet store, hardware store, grocery store, shopper’s club, gas card, something on there 😀
That is simply a small part of our daily lives. I desperately try to cling to and gather the rest.
If I ever could afford her, I want Alice from the Brady Bunch to come and live with me. It would be worth it’s weight in gold. Free up my time and I’ve paid my dues in chores ha ha..jeesh
And for every “Alice” out there, may you be sincerely appreciated for your efforts. What a tough job. We all have tough jobs in one way or another. We struggle with all different stressors, as unique as ourselves. Maybe, just maybe the internet can flip, connect us all in a deeper, stronger way. Listen, I grew up with pen-pals. No internet, just bulletin boards and cool movies like Star Wars and The Jerk. SNL ruled and so did Letterman. Mtv was beginning, it was tons of fun. But now we can choose to be distant, close, or in between. People across oceans are instantly friends. Neighbors rarely talk. Email/voice mail reign. We text our kids….
It’s wild, that’s for sure. It keeps getting more and more so. We’re going to Mars, space elevators are coming, we can go soon ( to space ) We can even make food in 3D printers !
Hope you remember to color outside of the lines, at least once in awhile. Or, if you’re like me, try to stay inside the lines for once
NM 09-25-14
Contest Deadline is September 25th. Please vote!!
I’m trying to decide and simply can’t.
I haven’t entered a contest before. one shot deal, so which one?
Leave a comment with your favorite and share with your friends, ask them to vote!
Thank You :-* 😀
NM
This is where I need to submit my poem.
http://www.wildsound.ca/poetrycontest.html
Picture Day!
So, I was thinking of what to post, and couldn’t find the right words.
I decided to post some pictures.
I am home schooling this year and many of our “lessons” will share
this same format, so consider this practice, too. Thank you
Most of the photos are just snippets in time, along the adventure of the day. Not much
planning goes into them. Sometimes, I will specifically set out to photograph an object.
Not often. Much to most people’s dismay, i’m too wrapped up in my bubble
And when I go on a walk up the hollow, I’m apt to become distracted
and when I “see” a picture ~ it seems I see thousands a day ~ some just POP out
So here is more of the walk
Begging to be captured as I step along the rocks and water. Engulfed in beautiful sounds of birds chirping, water trickling, the wind blowing. I feel awakened and calm all at once. I must be alert or I’ll slip or get soaked.
BUT…there is another spot, calling to be immortalized
in our space/time and to continue to exist, to carry on
Hope you enjoyed the glimpses of my walk. This is where I go to reset, recharge.
The rocks and trees the animals and plants
The sun and wind, all the bits and pieces
all exist in harmony. It’s one of the few places that do.