10 October 2012

Dump the Unhappy!

I am delighted to help this video receive the widest viewership possible.



Visit The Real Bears, watch what soda really does to those super cute polar bears, and then share the video widely, on your blog, via email, and with your Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn networks.  Or, just TELL someone about it!  Radical!

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08 October 2012

A Little Perspective

This is how you know your kids are over-exposed to public radio.

V: "Mom, this dinner would be a lot better if you didn't include the chicken."

pause

V: "With a perspective, I'm Vincenzo Alatorre."

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This probably only makes sense to Bay Area readers.  Trust me, it means I've successfully indoctrinated him. 

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04 October 2012

Remember the Butts, Mom?

When my oldest was small, probably around 3 or 4, we were at the family pub one afternoon, enjoying some live music and cold beverages.

There was a sign next to a planter box on the patio that said: "Please, no cigarette butts."

My little guy interpreted this to mean: "Please, no cigarette idiots may hang out here."

So when he saw a man smoking on the patio, he said: "Mommy, that cigarette butt isn't supposed to be smoking out here!"

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He's fourteen now, and just reminded me of this story last night.  I had forgotten it.

And that is how I came to chuckle and smile on a day that was otherwise filled with a broken washing machine, a flooded garage, mountains of laundry, too much homework, too much chore-resistance, not nearly enough time, and a house strewn with debris from our kitchen garbage can, spread liberally about by a dog who apparently needs more exercise.

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Take those moments where you find them, friends.

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03 October 2012

Creativity

Until about 20 minutes ago, I was not one of the millions of people around the world who had already seen this TED talk from 2006 by Sir Ken Robinson.  Now, thankfully, gratefully, I am.




I want to start each day with Sir Ken's ideas on my mind and in my heart, in the words I speak to my family and in the words I reserve for myself.

Join the millions: watch this TED talk.

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02 October 2012

Meep Meep!

One sibling's obervation:

"Mom, if you think about it, Little T is kind of like the Roadrunner, and the rest of us in the family are Wile E. Coyote."

It's true: after a battle of wills, I often feel as if I've been smacked with an Acme anvil.

Image source: http://tinyurl.com/9bux784 

Prayers accepted.

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Open A Drawer

Today's 15 minute writing exercise, from The Observation Deck: A Tool Kit for Writers , by Naomi Epel ______________________ I thrust my...