Thankful for

The Gratitude Wall on FACEBOOK Invited people to post 100 things they are grateful for this year. Here is my list:
1. Family
2. Health
3. Having a job...actually two jobs in this economy
4. My coffee maker
5. My church...a thriving spiritual community
6. A few day's break from work
7. Visiting relatives from Canada who traveled far to be with us
8. Cell phones, smart phones
9. My car
10. Road trips
11. My education
12. Teachers
13. Nurses and doctors
14. The Healing Arts Department at Radys San Diego Children's Hospital
15. Louise Hay
16. Wayne Dyer
17. Alan Cohen
18. Science of Mind
19. Sled dog racing
20. Friends
21. Food and farmer's markets
22. Being able to volunteer at the homeless shelter this week
23. Singing
24. The YMCA and working out
25. Digital cameras
26. Laptops
27. The Apple Store
28. Steve Jobs
29. National University
30. Travel
31. Friends in other places
32. FACEBOOK
33. Storytelling
34. Tellebration
35. Neighbors
36. Peaceful home
37. Military service members
38. Massage
39. New babies
40. Candles
41. Christmas presents
42. Sharing what we are thankful for
43. Books
44. Libraries
45. Literacy
46. Professors
47. Numbers
48. Passing difficult classes
49. Seaworld
50. Ethical zoos
51. Baby elephants
52. Giraffes
53. Tour guides
54. Email
55. Learning how to text
56. Ipods, Ipads
57. Scissors
58. Staplers
59. 3 hole punches
60. Good pens
61. Gas stations
62. Driving with a friend
63. Having dinner waiting when I get home
64. Taking a kiss break
65. Movies
66. Traveling with my aunt and uncle
67. The next generation
68. Being an aunt
69. Going to my niece and nephew's classrooms in MN
70. Christmas with the whole family
71. Our Christmas tree
72. Vacation, holiday and sick leave (paid!)
73. The Rose Parade
74. A sleepover with my friend
75. Time together with couples who are lovely to be with
76. Beautiful skies
77. Native American culture
78. Divine right action
79. Newspapers delivered to your house
80. Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens ;-)
81. Old movies
82. Great naps on a rainy afternoon
83. The Shake Shack
84. Calendars
84. Old friends
85. Birthdays
86. Talking to my mom
87. Wonderful parents-in-laws who have died, but were such a gift in my life
88. Museums
89. Money in the bank
90. Prayer support in a difficult time
91. Taking classes
92. E-cards
93. Morning quiet time before a busy day
94. Listening to someone speak from the heart
95. Random acts of kindness
96. Powerful quotes
97. Drumming circles
98. Collages and vision boards
99. New Years
100. Spirit

Send Beauty: One Teacher's Response to 9/11

This story mean so much to me ten years ago after the 9/11 crisis. I so admire this teacher's quick thinking positive response to help her students and the world in a difficult, crazy time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm5y14WsJxU&feature=channel_video_title

www.youtube.com

The Plot Thickens: A Night of Mystery at the Library

The Intermountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue Dept. Auxiliary a.k.a “Hot Spots” Presents:

THE PLOT THICKENS..... A Night of Mystery at the Library
Saturday JULY 30TH
From 6pm to 10pm Tickets: $50 per guest

It all plays out at the
New Ramona Library 1275 Main Street
Dinner, Entertainment, Auctions, Costume contest,
Wine Tasting provided by the Ramona Valley Winery Association We encourage you to come dressed as your favorite literary character or author For more information call Lora at 303-502-4226 or email: hotspots2011@live.com www.ramonahotspots.com
This is a fundraising event in support of our local IntermountainVolunteer Fire & Rescue Dept

Goodbye Borders Book Store

I got a lot of my very first storytelling opportunities telling stories at this Borders bookstore. I did a preschool storytime every Tuesday at noon for a couple of years....and they paid me in $40 Borders gift certificates....I bought a lot of books there. Built my basic storytelling library and told a LOT of stories. Very sad to see it close. (Even though they haven't hired storytellers there for YEARS!) I'll miss you, Borders!

Yaking and Yarning

The South Coast Storytellers Guild has done this series every year for the past five years. Guild members share song and stories
Sundays: July 10, 17th, and 24th, 2011, 4:00-5:30pm.
Heritage Hill Historical Park, 25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest, CA
949-923-2230 or 949-923-2232
714-482-9843 or Linda King Pruitt at storytaler@hotmail.com
Cost: Free
http://www.ocparks.com/heritagehill/

This year I was able to participate on July 10th and the 24th. Getting to tell stories in this fabulous outdoor setting in Orange County CA is such a treat. Thanks to Linda King Pruitt and her husband Bob Pruitt for doing the organizing, hauling all of the equipment and holding down the fort for all of these years. Thanks to the Orange County Park Service for allowing us to do the concerts this year at no cost to the public. Getting to tell stories with old friends is always a joy!

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas! I have been enjoying sharing Christmas and Chunakah stories this last month.

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas quotes:

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas. Dale Evans Rogers

Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends. Margaret Thatcher

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge

At Christmas, all roads lead home. Marjorie Holmes

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful.
Norman Vincent Peale

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. Agnes M. Pharo

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. - Oren Arnold

Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone. - Charles Schulz

Cities I have Visited Around the World

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Love Letters From students in China

Here are some of the love notes and thank yous that my 4th and 5th grade students at Yucai#4 in Shekou, China wrote at the end of our three week American Scene Summer Camp:

China: Day 33: August 6, 2010 Friday

It was a terrible night trying to sleep, and when I woke up and talked to Dick on Skype he suggested that I see if I could change my plane ticket and come home today instead of late on Sunday. I spent an hour on hold with EVA Airline trying to figure out if this was possible (actually, I taped the phone to the computer microphone so Dick could listen to the recording while I frantically packed.) When we never got through, Jenny suggested that I just pack up and go down with her and several others who were flying out today and see if I could change the ticket. This was a frantic two hours of changing arrangements, who would room with who, who was planning on getting a ride home from the airport with me, etc. but I was ready at noon for the hotel check out.

Five of us then undertook one of the silliest processions anyone had seen, with each of us having at least 4 suitcases and backpack, and couple hats.

We went through five subway lines, many escalators, a few elevators, and many times of bags falling over, nearly knowing people off escalators….several times nice people offered to assist us getting bags

off the subway train.

By the time we had made the hour+ride and arrived to drop off our bags, it was ridiculous, but we did it! (And saved about $12 each…WHAT a deal!).

I held my breath at the express airline counter for check in. At first they couldn’t find me in the system, but then they did and was a able to make the change of flights without it costing me any more money, and I ever got on aisle seat on the exit row for the long flight home.

I was thrilled! I was going home. My coughing and sinus headache were getting worse, but I was headed home to recover.

We spent some time in the afternoon going up one of the world’s longest escalators (strange! And we were VERY glad to have checked our bags!!!!) Then we went to a bookstore. Everyone, it seems, in Hong Kong speaks English and so the books store had nearly exclusively books in English. What a chance form the store in Mainland China, lonely about 20 miles away where we could hardly find an English book at all!

We had some little treats and then on to the airport for the flight home.

I had a slight scare when, once we were on the plane in Taiwan, I had a coughing fit and the woman next to me went to tell the stewardess that I needed a glass of water. Immediately after that, they made an announcement that there was seriously ill person on the place, and were there a doctor or nurse on board. I froze, imagining that I would now be in quarantined limbo in Taiwan…..it wasn’t me that they were referring, to, however, but someone who was indeed seriously ill. Whew! We took off and I was sooooo glad to be heading home.

I slept most of the night/day on the plane, and was really happy to arrive in LAX at around 10pm Friday evening with a very happy husband there to pick me up.

I am home. It was fabulous! But indeed, there is no place like home! I’ve been to China…and now back again. What a trip!

China: Day 32: August 5, 2010 Thursday

Today we had the chance to do some serious sightseeing in Hong Kong. First, a large group of us took several subway lines to get to the Tram above the city. Then we rode about 30 minutes on the tram. This gave us a view of how Hong Kong is many small islands.

Once we got to the top, it was the funny combination of tourist mall and monetary. It featured one of the world’s largest sitting Buddhas at 85 feet tall on top of a hill. This was stunning. Jenny and Holley decided to use the opportunity of being in front of these beautiful sculptures to do a little acro-yoga.

We wandered around, having had a delightful lunch in a Japanese restaurant.

Then we went to a truly lovely monastery, the Po Lin Monastery. I bought our group some incense and we all had the chance to light incense for our prayers.

It was so peaceful there. Then we were invited into the lovely grounds inside the temple. A high quality recording of chanting played which just filled the room with sounds equally as beautiful as the art. “Besides as the must-go destination for prayers, Po Lin Monastery is also a top destination for tourists to experience the natural and cultural side of Hong Kong.

The Monastery was initially a small temple constructed by three buddhists in 1924. Over the years, more structures have been added, such as the big temple) and the world's largest Big Buddha.”

After this lovely time above the city, we caught a bus to go to the small fishing town of Tai O. Here is a description:

“This little place is sometimes called the "Venice of Hong Kong," though it is just a little village with many houses built on stilts over water. People get to their houses by walkways or by boats. Unlike Venice, few people would travel far to visit it.. But a lot of Hong Kong urban residents make a short trip to visit it for an excursion and a break from the norm. People go there as part of a hike on Lantau Island and can eat there cheaply, or they take motorboats. Dolphins are seen in the area, and tourists ride out in motorboats hoping to see them. It is unusual to see Hong Kong people living in houses on stilts.”

We took a quick boat ride, which included being able to see many of these houses on stilts and a very quick glimpse of the endangered pink dolphins. Then we shopped in the market. It is amazing that such a tiny village is so close to the mega city of Hong Kong.

Going back by bus and ferry, we hit a spectacular lightening storm, which was really stunning as we drove along, a long with a heavy rain. (Of course, I didn’t bring my umbrella, again!)

For dinner, we wandered around a VERY fancy mall looking for a moderately priced place. This mall could have been in downtown Dallas or Los Angeles. VERY nice and VERY pricey.

We finally settled on going to a Subway sandwich place, where we all truly enjoyed eating subways just the way we do at home.

By this time I was getting pretty sick, coughing like crazy. Several of us decided it was time to head back to the hotel, while others stuck around for the night market. It was a really nice day around Hong Kong.