three strikes doesn't necessarily mean im out

i am a chameleon. i can always fit where i am. i can find happiness.

switching time and even though it took a little longer than i expected i have switched. beauty in the waves - beauty in sunsets - beauty in the white of the sand is now replaced in beauty of the city.

counting your blessings name them one by one. we went on a blessing hunt over thanksgiving with my class. hunt for those blessing, keep your eyes wide and treasure them when recognized. it's time for a beauty hunt and the city is my playground.

i take the train to work now. i love it. i anticipate it. i grow from it. tonight on the way home i had to remind myself to put my book down and take in everyone around me.

i love people watching. i believe that we grow through each other - my train ride is growing time. "why does that person seem so sad." "that person must be talking to the love of their life." "this must be the best day of that person life." "everything in that persons day must have gone wrong - the worst day of their life." train riding has brought me to the conclusion that there are more miserable people than happy in this world and there is nothing right about that.

my corner grocery man comes out every morning to feed the pigeons with his day old bread. i made rachel slow down the car the first time i saw it so i could take in the beauty. now i can't wait to walk by it each morning. one morning i think i might be very late for school so i can take part.

i love when people just sing. i don't consider it a sign of craziness. i consider it a sign of freedom. today i got to walk with a guy that sang to me for a good block and a half. i smiled the whole way. beauty.

christmas shopping is a must. last week i hated the thought of it. this week im looking forward to it. im ready to buy things. im ready to warm hearts through gifts. this years theme will be "a picture isworth a million words." if i had to choose an elf friend to go shopping with, one that would bring christmas cheer yet still desire christmas savings it would be jill renee weber. she is way on top of her game.


come walk with me in humboldt park. sit with me by the water. feed the pigeons with our day old bread. fill your lungs deep with the crisp air.



the city is my playground. chicago is home base. i think that im going to sit on home base for a little while.

i was sitting, waiting, wishing

i think that i love to be alone. i think that i forgot that because there was a while there that someone was always around. i think it's good to be just you and your thoughts. turn the off the noise and just rest. it might just make us a little stronger.

i forgot who i was for a second and i didn't have alone walk on beach so the waves could whisper their reminders to me. people ask if i miss the bahamas. everyday. i honestly don't miss teaching... i miss the abandoned nature of it. the adventure of it. the slow pace peace of it. mornings drinking tea and reading on my back porch as the sun rises over the water. my mornings that the dolphins stop by to say their hello. i miss my treasure hunts for shells and sea glass. i miss laura and i solving the problems of the world, or at least the problems of this girls heart, with white sand between our toes.

i can commit - i committed to a whole bag of fig newtons just tonight. i think im going to wash it down with a hot cup of cinnamon ginger root tea. my ginger jar just came for me - with love from india. don't worry i will be there to give the love back one day.

im sitting right in front of my kitchen window which looks directly into my neighbors kitchen. at one point i caught myself no longer grading papers but grading my cute neighbor as he took his rug and hung it over his banister. that's right im staring right at you...and yes, im still eating my fig newtons.

del barber - who the heck is this guy and how come im not his supportive girlfriend. thanks ellen for leading me his way. check him out - im not saying he is anywhere near getting in the way of jason mraz for a virtual romance but i have spent all evening listening to his myspace page.

welcome to my apartment...

my bed is big enough for at least three four or five if we want to make a snuggle puddle - super sleepovers are on my top favorite things to do on a friday/saturday/sunday/monday/tuesday/wednesday/thursday night.

19 days till christmas. i count down for the kids which would be the only reason i truly know. what do i want this christmas. how about a romantic walk in the snow that ends with a hot cup of tea.

it's hard to be soulmates with an international superstar.

it does not feel like i have just had four glorious days off, let me state that just off the bat.

thanksgiving comes thanksgiving goes. thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

isabella wins for best thanksgiving spirit and around the table ideas. i tried my dang hardest to be the winner of thanksgiving cheer but that little girl has a competitive spirit that i haven't seen since i peed my pants so i wouldn't have to move to win a hide and seek game at the age of 6. hats off to her.

friends - love them - need them.

i never thought that leaving a "thanks for letting me crash on your floor in a coma like state but now im going to slip out the door in the wee hours of morning so i can make it to church on time" note could be considered a booty call note. p.s thanks for watching out for my out of the trash picnic table - i will be there soon to pick it up.

moving time next weekend. helpers please contact me asap. mandatory no shirt rule for all boys. just kidding that's gross...cough.

jill weber - keep up the good fight. the fight for good music. the fight for free music. the fight that will bring you through the cold lonely nights and bring rest to your soul. don't let a small memory space get you down.

jason mraz had a winner of a blog the other day. check it stat. www.jasonmraz.com.

on a serious note. checking out churches is the past time of my sundays. one thing i have recognized is that we truly are a family of god. i walk into different churches each week and though there are different levels of comfort and styles that appeal to me one thing remains true and that is we have a common bond and it's recognizable.

i would like these to be my next students. im have started to seriously research this.




joe your wicked because you gave me a challenge that i can't forget. i feel like i can't let you down - i must quite my job.

jazzit cafe has the best ginger cinnamon tea i have ever had.
one day i am going to adopt husband or no husband.
i think that my shirt is to tight today.

stay tuned.

new baby - old friends - country living - antique finds - with a sprinkle of emmaus time.

there are a lot of times in my life when i am overwhelmed with blessings. i felt that this weekend.

welcome to the world jorja grace. i can't even begin to imagine how much fun and love this baby girl is going to get.

emily and mark are my favorite go to visit pair. shopping for antiques and then completely taking them apart and refurbishing them was the theme of this weekend - with chili and coffee in the middle.

i love small town living. i love driving down winding roads listing to good music on our way to see a favorite tree. i love the fact that my friends have favorite trees and know that sharing those trees with me will bring me joy.
















i don't feel good tonight. i don't want to go to school tomorrow. i think that we should all quit our jobs and search the world for favorite trees with coffee in hand, good friends and good music. just my opinion.

thank you for understanding derek - shopping - he gets it.

i have heard that you are not suppose to go shopping when you are hungry because you will end up buying everything that you never really needed or wanted.

i have decided that this is a basic rule when dealing with the opposite sex.
don't go shopping when you are hungry because at some point you are going to come home and say "how the heck did i end up with this."
make sure that you are full folks so you don't come home with crap.

got the new damien rice cd 9 - thanks colby - i just want to stay home from school and listen to it over and over. putting a person into a trance and giving them the desire to neglect their job might let you consider the cd a success.

a love tuesday night volleyball - period -

ellen moore will be entertaining oprah this evening with her piano playing.

leaves are almost gone - it blows my mind that i missed this for two years. fallen leaves have a mighty smell.



picture taking is back on. i don't know what i was not doing it for a while. derek are you going to find me a real man's camera soon?

If we don't change direction soon, we'll end up where we're going.

i will now have moved four times in three years.



my pen is still warm from signing my 6 month lease.

falling leaves. low ropes courses. lack of flexibility. two asleep on a loveseat. peace to my soul.

"to be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."
e. e. cummings.