#AtoZChallenge — Little Miss Magic

Posted on April 17, 2023 by renbog

When my daughter got married almost 2 years ago, I suggested to her and my husband that the daddy-daughter dance song for them should be “Little Miss Magic: by Jimmy Buffett. They both heartily agreed, and the night they danced to that song was the only time I cried at her wedding. Even though Jimmy Buffett wrote the song about his daughter Savannah’s childhood, growing up in St. Bart’s, he explains that he didn’t write it for himself, but instead, he wrote it for other people to connect with, and it sure did with my husband and daughter! So many of the lines in that song just sound like Jim and Becky!

“She loves to ride into town with the top down, feel that warm breeze on her gentle skin.” — Makes me think about how much Jim and Becky love riding in a convertible!

“I see a little more of me every day.” — Becky is so much like her dad, from his driving (aka road rage) to his sense of humor and quick wit. Plus she looks so much like him, with her big, soft brown eyes.

A picture the photographer captured of me watching Jim and Becky (blurry in the foreground).
Jim and Becky dancing to “Little Miss Magic.” If you thought they were having a nice time reminiscing while they were dancing, you would be wrong. According to Becky, they were, “…saying all sorts of dumb things and laughing about them.”

“Sometimes I catch her dreamin’ and wonder where that little mind meanders. Is she strollin’ along the shore or cruisin’ over the broad savannah? I know someday she’ll learn to make up her own rhymes. Someday she’s gonna learn how to fly. Oh, that I won’t deny.” — Jim was always such a big proponent of Becky growing up to be strong and independent even though he wanted to keep her as a little girl so he could protect her. And now that she’s grown, he is so proud of her. She learned how to fly, just like her daddy wanted her to, and it’s really wonderful seeing the relationship they have!

“I see those big brown eyes just start to lookin’ astray.” — How hard it was for Jim to see his baby girl start to be independent and maybe find a guy she wanted to spend more time with than her daddy, but he knew that’s how it’s supposed to be, so he let her grow up, and now she’s got a husband who is seriously one of the most wonderful people in the world, and he’s just like her dad — it makes Becky roll her eyes when Jim and Ben get going, but I know she loves them both so much!

This picture says it all — Jim’s face is a mixture of pride in his beautiful, grown up daughter and sadness that she’s not a little girl anymore.

Check out this song for a sweet song about dads and daughters.

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#AtoZChallenge — Kicking into High Gear

Posted on April 17, 2023 by renbog

I am wayyyyy behind on my blog posts for April, but I am bound and determined to do them all, even if they’re late, so I am KICKING IT INTO HIGH GEAR this week! In fact, I am kicking lots of things into high gear this week!

Writing: obviously, since I am behind, I am going to have to be doubling up on blog posts until I get myself caught up. I actually love to write, so I really just need to make it a priority in my life. I usually have time — the excuse of being too busy won’t work for me. I mean, I am busy, but I also have time to write when I’m watching TV or right before I go to bed.

Packing: I am in the process of moving out of my house and into my mom’s house, and since the closing on my house is next week, I have to finish packing anything that’s still at the house. There’s not much, the big stuff is done, but the big stuff never seems to be the problem. It’s all the little stuff that makes packing and moving a pain!

Cleaning: gotta get the house cleaned up once the packing is done, so that’s going to be happening very soon!

Reading: I need to get back to my reading! I’m following a syllabus for my ACE preparation, and I am now behind schedule, so I need to get working on that. I am also reading a book on AI in the classroom that I want to get back to, AND my dad sent me a book I want to read as well. I can kick my reading into high gear for sure once the school year is done!

Writing, reading, packing, cleaning — such a life!

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#AtoZChallenge — Joy

Posted on April 12, 2023 by renbog

My aunt Carol says that it must be hard for some people who always live in a pissed off world. How true. As someone who spent some time in a pretty pissed off world for a while, I can attest that it is indeed difficult and miserable. And it’s not just miserable for the person living in that pissed off world — it permeates into those around you to the point that others simply don’t enjoy being around you because you just radiate that hostility.

Instead, choose joy. Yes, CHOOSE.

Choosing joy in your life is going to benefit you greatly — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Joy is not exhausting or taxing. Joy doesn’t give you headaches or upset stomachs. Joy doesn’t leave you feeling like you just want to curl up in a ball or lash out at others or just complain, whine, and cry. Joy buoys you up and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Joy gives you energy. Joy allows you to see obstacles as challenges. Joy relieves pain.

How can you choose joy? Here are some ideas.

  • Keep a gratitude journal. Every day, think of 3 things you’re grateful for and write them down. Even if it’s something simple, like my coffee stayed hot all morning or I only hit 2 red lights on the way to work, by focusing on the things that were good for you that day, you start seeing the good more often than the bad.
  • Reframe your thoughts. When you feel yourself start to get negative, tell yourself NO! I am going to change the way I am thinking! For example, if you get on the scale and discover you’ve gained a few pounds that you don’t want, instead of saying how fat and ugly and awful you are, say that you’ll use this as an opportunity to try a new recipe you found.
  • Change your words. Sometimes, we get caught up in “I have to” but if we can change to “I get to” it makes a difference! Instead of, “I have to skip lunch with my friends because I have to do all this laundry,” try saying, “I get to get caught up on laundry so I can have my night free to sit in the patio and have a glass of wine.” See chores as opportunities and state them that way!
  • Make a conscious decision to see the world through rose-colored glasses. Even if for a short amount of time. Tell yourself, “For the next hour, I am going to look for the good and the positive in all the people I interact with and all the situations I am in.” So when you’re stuck in a really boring work meeting that could have been an email, you can start to think things like, “Well, this meeting is really unnecessary, but at least someone brought treats! Janice is usually so crabby all the time, but today, she’s actually got a smile on her face. Tom’s idea isn’t a great one, but at least he contributed to the meeting this time.” Looking for the good can really help when you’re in a lousy situation.
  • Find a stress reliever. If you get negative because of stress, create a list of things you can do to relieve the stress. Read a book, take a nap, go for a walk, brush your dog, listen to music, paint your nails, put on comfy clothes, say a prayer, watch a video that always makes you laugh, look through pictures on your phone.

Hopefully, this post gave you some inspiration to find and embrace joy in your life.

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#AtoZChallenge — International Travel

Posted on April 12, 2023 by renbog

I am a very, very fortunate woman. I have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit around this country, and I have also had the opportunity to travel internationally. In this post, I thought I would share some of the international destinations I have been to.

I’ve been to Canada a few times. Probably my favorite trip to Canada was in college when I attended Stratford Festival.

I’ve also been to Mexico a few times — basically just Cancun or Cozumel. I’ve been to a couple of resorts in Cancun, and Cozumel has been when I was in port while on a cruise.

I went to Jamaica on a trip I won. Loved it there! It was so beautiful, and the people were so friendly and welcoming!

I’ve been to Europe and visited Switzerland, Italy, France, and England. I also visited Monaco. In Switzerland, I spent a few days in Geneva, then rode through Italy in a bus to Monaco and the south of France, staying in Nice for a couple days. Then I rode a bus and train through Avignon and Nimes up to Paris. That trip was in high school — quite a memorable high school graduation present! I visited London just a few years ago when I was accepted into the Google for Education Innovator program, so I got to do the touristy things in London as well as spend time in both of Google’s London offices! I also met many people there that I can now call my friends.

Probably the most unique international locations I have been to are Mumbai, Delhi, and Agra, India, and Dubai, UAE. My dad lived and worked in Mumbai for a few years, and I was lucky enough to go visit him there twice. The first time, we took a trip away from Mumbai to Delhi and Agra to see the Taj Mahal. The second trip, we took a vacation for a few days to Dubai. I absolutely loved Mumbai in particular. I loved the bustle and the crowds of people — it felt alive 24 hours a day. People were very friendly. I loved the colors around me — from the beautiful clothing the women wore to the painting on the trucks, there seemed to be color everywhere I looked. I won’t deny, though, that the litter, pollution, and poverty I saw was upsetting, but overall, I truly loved my visits to India. I also found myself simply dazzled by Dubai. The word I use to describe it to people is “opulent” because that’s how it felt. Everything there seemed to glitter, and everyone around me seemed to be dripping with money.

On my international bucket list are places like Nepal (I really want to see Mt. Everest), Singapore (I would love to stay at the hotel that’s in the movie Crazy Rich Asians), and maybe even Australia, if I can avoid seeing the huge, freaky bugs they have there! A friend of mine just returned from Banff in Alberta, Canada, and after seeing her pictures, I think I might want to go there, too! I’m sure there are other places I would like to go as well that I’ve seen on Somebody Feed Phil, but they escape me at the moment.

I truly enjoy traveling, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to visit the places I have been to!

Swimming in the bioluminescent lagoon in Jamaica.
Tube stop at Heathrow in London.
On my hotel room balcony in Dubai.
On the hotel balcony in Cancun.
At Google’s office in London.
Outside Buckinghamn Palace for the changing of the guard with my husband.
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#AtoZChallenge — The Host

Posted on April 11, 2023 by renbog

The Host is a novel by Stephenie Meyer. Don’t stop reading. I know, you’re probably thinking that you’re not the least bit interested in reading a book written by the sparkly vampire author. But hear me out: The Host is nothing at all like any of the Twilight books. It’s a little bit romance, a little bit science fiction, a little bit fantasy, a little bit dystopia. The main storyline focuses on a love quadrangle unlike anything you’ve ever read before. It’s not overly science fiction-y, either. So to me, this novel could be considered appropriate for men, women, and teens. There’s noting too graphic in terms of violence or sex. It’s not too focused on romance, and it’s not too focused on the science fiction, either. Personally, I love impossible romances, and that was what initially appealed to me about this novel. I was so unsure how the book would end satisfactorily, so if you enjoy stories that will lead you down a path of curiosity, this would also be a good book for you! It’s also not an overly heavy read, so it makes a terrific summer novel! Happy reading!

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#AtoZChallenge — Genesis

Posted on April 9, 2023 by renbog

One of my favorite bands is Genesis. I have loved them since I was in 8th grade. My boyfriend back then was a bog Genesis fan, so of course, I decided to be as well, and as it turns out, I legit liked the band! Here are links to some of my favorite Genesis songs (in no particular order)if you want to take a listen:

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#AtoZChallenge — Fears

Posted on April 8, 2023 by renbog

Deep down, I am a big, ol’ fraidy cat. I am afraid of a lot of things. Here are some of my fears.

Spiders. Well, let me clarify. I really am afraid of anything with more than 4 legs, but spiders are the most terrifying. It doesn’t matter how big or small, I’m terrified of them all.

Tornadoes. I think this fear stems from my childhood in Nebraska. I had never heard of a tornado before I lived there, and the first house we lived in when I lived in Nebraska did not have a basement, so if we had to take shelter, we had to go to our neighbor’s house. May 6, 1975, there was a terrible tornado in Omaha, and I remember being outside going to the neighbor’s house and seeing the funnel cloud above us. What prompted my mom to hustle us over to the neighbor’s house was seeing the trees in the front of the house blowing in the opposite direction of the trees in the back of the house. I have never forgotten how scared I was outside, and to this day, almost 50 years later, I am still petrified of tornadoes. I start to get uneasy during any storm. I will do anything to avoid being home alone during a thunderstorm.

The supernatural, especially demonic possession. I don’t even like to think about anything supernatural or talk about it. When I was a teen, I watched the edited version of The Exorcist on television, and it scared the living hell out of me. And then I read the novel. I don’t know why I did that because all that did was solidify my absolute terror. If I wake up in the middle of the night and for whatever reason start thinking about this movie or book, I immediately start to pray the Our Father in hopes it will keep me safe.

Prison. I have no idea why I am so frightened by the thought of going to prison, but it scares me to my core. I will make sure I am extra careful about things like driving in the neighborhood because I don’t want to be speeding and hit a kid or a person and kill them and then end up going to prison for it.

Death. Maybe when I am older, I won’t be afraid of death. But right now, I am scared of dying. I have too much in my life to live for and so many people I love, I just can’t stand the thought of not being here with them, and honestly, it break my heart to think of any of them possibly hurting because I am gone. So I will do everything I can to make sure I stay alive for a good, long time!

Maybe my fears are irrational, but they’re fears I have. Some, I have had to face and will likely still face (like spiders). Some, I hope I never have to face, like tornadoes, the supernatural, or prison. Death, I know I will have to face one day. All I can do is hope I’m ready when it happens.

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#AtoZChallenge — Education

Posted on April 8, 2023 by renbog

Let me share a few thoughts I have on education. As someone who has worked in the field for over 30 years and still has a little over a year to go, I feel I’ve earned the ability to speak knowledgeably. I think education is in a bit of trouble right now, and it is going to get worse if something doesn’t change. The problems are multifaceted, but the end result is the same: if things don’t change, there simply will not be enough teachers to educate our children well or properly. Teachers need politicians to stop the fear-mongering. There is no indoctrination happening in classrooms. Teachers also need politicians to do something about school violence, specifically school shootings. The thoughts and prayers just aren’t working. Teachers need parents to realize we are partners with them in their child’s education, not adversaries. Teachers need parents to help their kids appreciate and value education. Teachers need admins to work really hard to remember what it was like to be a classroom teacher and have some empathy for the challenges teachers face every day. Everyone needs to treat teachers like the licensed professionals they are. If changes such as these are not made soon, teachers will continue to leave the profession in droves. Fewer and fewer people will decide to pursue careers in education. And the education system will collapse. Contrary to popular belief, teaching is not easy. Just because everyone has been to school does not mean everyone can teach. Think about what education is going to look like if classrooms have 40 or 50 kids in them. Or think about what education is going to look like when kids have to receive all instruction at home either from online instructors or from parents. Think American students can’t compete on a global stage now? Just wait until there aren’t any more teachers. If you’ve read this and think I am full of it, you’re entitled to your opinion. But I would challenge you to become part of the solution — if you think teachers are getting it all wrong, then I would like to invite you to become a teacher yourself.

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#AtoZChallenge — Discrimination

Posted on April 7, 2023 by renbog

I am a day behind on my posts, but I will get caught up this weekend!

I decided to pick a bit of a serious topic for my letter D post. Discrimination, especially in the form of prejudice and racism and sexism and all the other isms, is something that is prevalent today, whether it is actual discrimination or “perceived” discrimination as some “news” outlets report (saying it doesn’t exist). Honestly, when I was much younger, like in my 20’s, I never thought much at all about discrimination. I was young and white, so it didn’t seem to be something that impacted my life. Ah, to be young, naive, and ignorant again…. But as I have gotten older and accumulated more life experience and increased my own learning and world view, I have come to realize that discrimination is indeed something that exists and it’s something I need to be aware of and do something about, to the best of my ability. What was really a wake up call for me was being able to personalize discrimination. I have friends and family who are black, Hispanic, Muslim, Jewish, Asian, gay, transgender, non-binary, and other commonly discriminated against groups, and when I hear people, either personally or via media, saying things that are untrue, disparaging, hurtful, and offensive, I see discrimination being alive and well, and it’s disturbing because when those rotten things are said, they’re being said about my friends and family, not nameless, faceless, fictional people. It’s sad that I had to make it “about me” to make it understandable, but I am focusing on the fact that at least I came to an awareness. Please don’t think that just because things may seem better now than they used to be socially that prejudice, hate, bigotry, and discrimination don’t exist. They do. And each of us needs to decide on what we are comfortable doing to help raise awareness and combat it.

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#AtoZChallenge — Credit Cards

Posted on April 5, 2023 by renbog

I live in credit card hell. It’s not the kind of hell where I am in deep credit card debt (although I’ve been there, done that). Instead, my credit card hell is having so many credit cards and having to switch off when I use which one where. My husband, a few years ago, learned a lot about how to use credit card points for travel (friends of ours have taken trips to Hawaii, Europe, and Australia — all using credit card points, costing them little or nothing at all). Since then, he has been a credit card point earning freak — he watches for offers, then tells me which card to use so we can maximize the points earned. Sometimes I have one card to use at the grocery store, a different one for gas, a different one for restaurants, and a different one for when we need to book travel. Because see, we have racked up a lot of points but have used almost none of them. The plan is to earn a lot of points and then, when I retire, we can use those points to take an extravagant trip. I suppose when I finally take that trip, I will be happy, but for now, my head spins whenever I have to change up the card or cards I am using. BTW, completely unsolicited plug here for The Points Guy — that is my husband’s go-to source for all things credit card points if you think you want to get in on this for yourself!

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