We MUST Live, Live, Live Until We Die......

Well, today I turned 43 years old.....

Yep, 43 years old and I have had conflicting feelings about turning 43...

Can I still go to bars for happy hour? Can I still run and jump and be silly? Can I still laugh until tears run down my eyes? Can I still wear shorts and tank tops? Can I wear low-rider jeans? Can I still listen to rap music extremely loud in my car?

For just a little while, these are just a few of the things that I was pondering. Just for a minute, I was putting myself into this huge BOX that was created by me. At first I wanted to blame society, but I had to point the finger at me, because I have NEVER listened to society before.

I had to have a heart to heart talk with myself, and let myself know that I can still do all the things that I love to do like laugh, run, jump, skip, crack jokes, get really silly at Homecoming, go out on a school night, or do anything else that my heart so desires.....

My people, as stated by Toni Morrison in Song of Solomon, “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” And so, My People, I had to give up the age limitations that I was about to put on my life.....

With my new mindset, 43 is all right with me!

We MUST Live, Live, Live Until We Die.......

Birthday Love!

Stand Still and Know That I am God!

The great poet, Nikki Giovanni, stated that there is no such things as writer's block. She believes that, sometimes, a person just may not have anything to write about. So, let me share my experience with what may or may not be write's block.

My writings come from my muse, my Guiding Spirit. I know that may sound crazy, but it is the absolute truth. Normally, I will sit down to write about a book or anything else, and the words just come to me. I never have to ponder how or what to write, the words just typically flow. And, that is why I have to do a lot of editing, because I allow my muse to use me, and then I go back and fix the problems that I can see.....

Since my last post, which was on October 17th, my muse must be taking a nap, because I have not been able to write. Yep, I finished reading Song of Solomon, and I had lots of incredible thoughts this time around, but for some reason, my muse has been telling me that it is not time to put those ideas into words, and I have obeyed. I know that the Song of Solomon post is coming, but I am not quite sure when. 

I have had some quite incredible things happen, some very good and some not so good, but I have been told to "stand still and know that I am God." So, I have been standing still. There are some things that I have been wanting to shout from the mountain top, but I have been reminded to "stand still and know that I am God."

So, I am sure that my muse will 'rise up' and summons me to write, but until then...

Know that I LOVE You!

"Stand Still and Know That I am God!"

How to Talk So Your Husband Will Listen and Listen So Your Husband Will Talk by Rick Johnson

So, I think that everyone may benefit from having someone in her life whom she share information with. Someone who listens, offers advice, shares, solicits advice, encourages.....

Well, that's what my sister, Tracy, and I do for each other; We are constantly evaluating ourselves, giving and receiving advice, encouraging one another etc.

Tracy is a sucker for books that are discounted. She saw this book on the sale racks and decided to read it because it sounded interesting, and she also thought that she may be able to use it as an aid to counsel people. (Yep, she's a minister who counsels people.) After she started to read this book, she sent me a text to tell me that it was really good, and she wanted me to read it so that we could discuss it.

You know that I am a sucker for a good book, so I downloaded this book, and I found it surprisingly enlightening.

Tracy and I both agree that this book should have been given a different title. Yep, the title is misleading, because this book is about sooooo much more than how to talk and listen to your husband. We tried to come up with a more appropriate title, and as of right now, we have not come up with one.

This book uses quite a few scriptures to explain the qualities of a good man, gives women the opportunity to reflect on their relationship with their fathers, and also provides insights about men and women that gave me a lot to think about.

I definitely think that this book would be great for married women to read, but I also think that single, dating women would benefit even more from this book. This is one of those books that I will reach for over and over for help with navigating through dating...

I know that there are women out there who are reading this post and thinking "I would never read something like this," but I challenge you to open your mind and grow....

Happy Reading People!!!

By the way, I also just finished reading Song of Solomon for the 1 millionth time, and my thoughts about this go around will be coming soon.

Knowledge is Power...... 

This Note Gave Me a Boost Today!

On 'Back To School Night,' I asked the parents to write anything on a note card that they wanted me to know about their children....

Well, today I opened my desk drawer and came across the above note!

This note gave me the boost to strive to do some of my best teaching today and everyday!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope that all of you, My Readers, receive something today that inspires today.....

Oh, What A Night!

My Toni Morrison Collection!

Yesterday, after work I went for a run, went to the grocery store, cooked, and then I decided around 8pm that it was time for me to read... I went to look for my Nook, and lo and behold, I thought that I had left it at school. For a brief moment, I almost went into panic. I only watch the news, and I had already watched enough. I am not fond of talking on the phone at night, and there was no way I was going to read another book when Song of Solomon was on my brain. Soooo, I was desperately trying to figure out what was I going to do from 8pm until I fell asleep.

I decided that I could read Song of Solomon in book form until I could get to my Nook. I checked the Toni Morrison section of my bookshelves, AND I have eleven Toni Morrison books on my shelf, but no Song of Solomon. (What the HELL, No Song of Solomon!)

So, I was forced to watch TV until I fell asleep!!!! (HATED IT!)

This morning when I got in my car to go to work, there was my Nook, sitting on the front seat!!

Oh, What A Night....

Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas

One of my students did a presentation on Funny in Farsi. The presentation was so entertaining until I felt that I must read it, and I did.

Funny in Farsi is a memoir about an Iranian family's experiences of moving to the United States....

This book has a lot of humor and was quite enlightening in so many ways.

For instance, she explains that "Unlike America, where only the wealthy have live-in servants, in Iran even middle-class families employ full-time help," and that "as a group, Iranians are among the most educated and successful immigrants in this country."

This is such a great story of a family who really appreciates being in America. Firoozeh's father was a quite wealthy man in Iran, but in American he was not wealthy at all. However, he stated that "I'm a rich man in America, too. I just don't have a lot of money." My people, what a great way to look at life......

I am planning to pair this book with Under the Feet of Jesus by Maria Viramontes in order to look at immigrant experiences in the United States, and I hope that my seniors and I walk away from this pairing with a lot to think about....

If you want to learn about an Iran's family experience of migrating to the United States, then I think that this is a good book to read.

My people, "Literature is a Big Sea Full of Many Fish." There are so many books out there that need to be read .......(Gosh, reading is like running a race with no finish line!)

Firoozeh Dumas

Next week I will be discussing Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison with my seniors, so that is my next read. This is only my 1,000,000,000,000 time reading this book, and I am still excited about!!!

Read, Read, Read... My People!

Seagull Century #2: What a Difference a Year Makes!

2013 Seagull Century Riding Partner:
Floyd who is 75 years old!

Last year, I showed up for The Seagull Century Ride, and I did not know anyone. I just knew that I wanted to ride the Seagull Century. Well, if you read that blog about that weekend, you know that I took one step, and God opened the doors wide, literally.

Well, what a difference a year makes.....

This year, I showed up, and I knew a lot of the other riders. This past year, I’ve met so many riders from all over the place.

The Friday before The Seagull Ride, I had the honor of riding with a group of cyclist who represented different cycling clubs, and My People, I was happy to be in that number!!

The Seagull Century Ride, itself, was just as awesome as last year's, complete with great people, food, weather, and scenery....

This year, I thought a lot about happiness, peace, and the NOW. And, I really believe that it is important that we all find things that bring us complete joy, and we must do those things. Also, what we love to do can not be dependent upon one person; the world is full of people so, why would we depend upon one person?

I can not even began to tell you how happy and at peace I am when I cycle with people. My happiness levels goes to the roof, and I know that happiness is medicine for the heart.

I sat on the beach the day after the ride, and the words that I continued to say over and over were "Thank You." I was saying these words to my creator, because I am so thrilled that I am in the place where I really, truly and deeply appreciate Right Now. On that beach, sitting with a friend, is exactly where I was suppose to be at the moment, and I made sure that I was present by appreciating every detail that surrounded me.

I noticed this man with two small children whom I assumed were his. One of the girls did a cartwheel, and then the dad did a cartwheel. Something about a grown man doing a cartwheel really made me glad.

This is a cartwheel!

Then the dad proceeded to stand on his head, and the girls were saying "Don't do that, you might hurt yourself." This made me chuckle. However, when this man stood on his head, this made me laugh OUT LOUD! I just happened to catch the headstand!

When we are present in every moment, JOY shows up everywhere...

My people, I will be doing The Seagull Century Ride for years to come, because it is good for my heart, body, and soul...

Get to living, My People...Tomorrow is not promised!

Sold by Patricia McCormick

I was in the school's book room with two other ladies who just happen to love books, and we were literally like kids in a candy store; we were touching the books and excitedly and loving talking about them. Well, one of the ladies picked up Sold and stated "I love this book," and you know that I had to read it.

Well, I went on this lady's words, and I read this book without finding out what it was about like I normally do.....

I started reading this book, and my heart was instantly with the main character Lakshmi.

Laskhmi lives with her family in a small village in Nepal:

Laskhim has a strong compassion for her family and is willing to do almost anything to help her family to live in some level of comfort.

Laskhim's village has rain for a very long time, and it wipes out all of their crops and Laskhim was told that "your stepfather has said that you must go to the city and earn your keep as a maid." Laskhim's agrees to go, thinking about the things that she can provide for her family.

Laskhim is thirteen at this time.

However, instead of going to the city to work as a maid, Laskhim is actually taken to India and sold into prostitution.

Laskhim is thirteen at this time.

My heart went out to Laskhim and all of the other girls in this book. McCormick tells their stories very plainly but in a manner that made me feel extreme compassion for these girls.

In the middle of this book, I finally did a goggle search and learned that this book is based on research of how "every year, 12,000 Nepali girls who are sold by their families, intentionally or unwittingly, into a life of sexual slavery in the brothels of India" as stated by the author.

After reading this book, I thought about the idea that there are people who consistently, unnecessarily complain or play the victim...."somebody did me wrong, I hate my job" etc, and I thought about these young girls and many other people who believe and live by the idea that "simply to endure is to triumph." My people, many of us have a lot to be grateful for even while going through "IT!"

This is an awesome read that I highly recommend..

Patricia McCormick

My next read is Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Duman!