Z (at last!) is for Zelda

I have always found Zelda Fitzgerald to be an interesting person. She had a larger than life personality and lived her life to the fullest. She wrote and painted and was best known as writer F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife. She also has some unique quotes:

• “She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that’s one of the reasons why they did.”
• “I am really only myself when I’m somebody else whom I have endowed with these wonderful qualities from my imagination.”
• “I don’t want to live. I want to love first, and live incidentally.”
• “Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.”

Seven days later and I have finally completed the A to Z Challenge. No one is more surprised than me that I could get knocked off my feet  for nearly two weeks (and counting) The good news is that although I might still be under the weather, my mind is finally coming back to life and writing ideas are popping into my head.

Thank for the get well wishes. I hope to be back soon!

-Kat

Advertisements

Y is for You

• “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” -Earl Nightingale
• “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” –George Bernard Shaw
• “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” -Mary Kay Ash
• “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” –Dr. Seuss

I had hoped to write more with this post but I was prematurely optimistic in my recovery yesterday and my limited burst of energy yesterday pooped out on me.

Hooping for a better tomorrow!

-Kat

X is for …

Note: Due to unexpected illness my last three A-Z posts were delayed (and not completed) so here is the first while I work to catch up while recovering.

X is always tough, isn’t it? I’m making it a wild card day.

Have a great day!

-Kat

#AtoZChallenge W is for Wicked (the Musical)

“Are people born wicked?

Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”

–Wicked, the Musical

This is the 2nd time Wicked finds its way into the A to Z Challenge. Last year, it appeared with D is for “Defying Gravity”.  Wicked is the book by Gregory Maguire and musical based on the book, telling the story of Elphaba and Galinda, the witches from the Wizard of Oz.

I love the friendship between Elphaba and Galinda. They are polar opposites, from different worlds, vastly unique personalities- both quite strong yet vulnerable women. The story touches on many different lessons but I am always drawn back to friendship component. Watching Elphie and Galinda’s friendship grow as they discover all they have in common while learning to appreciate their differences reminds us that this is the foundation on which friendships are made.

“For Good” is about Elphaba and Galinda’s farewell as they each go their separate ways- one presumably good and one presumably wicked. It was written by Stephen Schwartz in 2003.

“I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you…”

“So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You’ll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend…

-“For Good”

While looking for a good recording of the song- “For Good”- from Wicked, I found Out of Oz: Wicked Studio Sessions, a cool series where Wicked performers both past and present using reimagined songs.

I’ll leave you with some of my favorite Elphaba quotes from the musical-

• “I don’t cause commotions, I am one.”
• “I’m the other sister, Elphaba. I’m beautifully tragic.”
• “Well, we all can’t come and go by bubble.”
• “Who steals a dead woman’s shoes? Must have been raised in a barn!”

This song is doing double duty for 51 Weeks: 51 Songs from the Past:Week 17 and A to Z Challenge.

 

#AtoZChallenge V is for Vibes

Have a great day!

-Kat

#AtoZChallenge U is for Unconditional

“Whatever they grow up to be, they are still our children, and the one most important of all the things we can give to them is unconditional love. Not a love that depends on anything at all except that they are our children.” -Rosaleen Dickson

There they were- my three when they were brand new. And below, there they are now- all grown up. I want the same things for them now as I did when they were born- that they are happy, healthy, and loved.

Take care-

-Kat

You can read the rest of my A to Z posts- HERE.

 

#AtoZChallenge T is for Teachers

“There is no recipe to be a great teacher, that’s what is unique about them.” -Robert Sternberg

Rita Pierson dedicated her life to education, following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents. In this Ted Talk, she speaks about the human connection that every child needs and how teachers can provide it. Education is so important to a person’s success and it all goes back to teachers. They can make or break a student’s experience. Teachers don’t get into this business for the money or the recognition. They do it for the love of children, if they are doing it for the right reasons.

Although I have done everything I can to support my children, they were also blessed to have some amazing teachers in their lives- people who made a connection that went beyond the classroom and curriculum. I have been honored to call some of them my friends.

One person in particular stands out. Her name is Jenny and she was my kids’ enrichment teacher. Being my baby, Andrew spent a lot of time at school with me before he was in school when I was doing volunteer work. Jenny knew that she would be working with him as soon as he began kindergarten and she started creating a bond with him early.

Andrew is a tough nut to crack. He’s a lot like me and keeps things inside. I tend to be a bit prickly when it comes to physical contact and personal space and Andrew is no different. Anyone who knows Andrew understands this, as did Jenny. Except Jenny was warm and caring and affectionate and loving. She was always giving the kids shoulders’ a squeeze or a pat and the kids loved her. Andrew did too but he kept his distance.

Now, just to be clear, Jenny taught the brightest kids in the school, enriching their education, pushing them to stretch their thinking, expanding their experiences. These kids did very cool things! And then after having known Andrew for nearly five years, Jenny came to me, more excited than I had ever seen her.  I couldn’t wait to hear what amazing thing Andrew had done.

She explained that she had been working with Andrew’s group around the table and he was sitting next to her. While she was explaining a concept to them, Andrew leaned his head against her shoulder. As she spoke her eyes filled with tears and she laid her hand gently on her heart. “It was huge!” she whispered. She got it. She knew what a major milestone this was in their relationship. This was something most of Andy’s teacher’s didn’t even notice. This was MY KID, the one who stood stiffly in his grandparent’s embrace and moved away from people who came too close. And Jenny got it. I blinked back tears (unsuccessfully) and Jenny hugged me.

Jenny was an educator of the highest caliber. She taught because she loved children and helping them to be their very best. She was a precious gift to everyone who came into contact with her. Her wish was to teach for the rest of her life. She got her wish, but sadly she was taken from us way too early. If ever someone was an angel, it was Jenny. She touched so many lives while here and her legacy carries on in the very schools she taught in.

She was my friend and I miss her dearly. She once told me “Your children are blessed to have you as their mother.” We are the ones who were blessed.

She was the epitome of what a teacher should be.

More Rita Pierson  quotes:

• “You know, kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.”
• “We come to work when we don’t feel like it, and we’re listening to policy that doesn’t make sense, and we teach anyway. We teach anyway because that’s what we do.”
• “How powerful would our world be if we had kids who were not afraid to take risks, who were not afraid to think, and who had a champion? EVERY child deserves a champion- an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and who insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”

Have you or your children had unforgettable teachers in their lives?

Happy Monday! I hope you have an awesome week!

-Kat

You can read the rest of my A to Z posts- HERE.

#AtoZChallenge S is for Smile

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” -Nhat Hanh

Hope your Saturday is filled with smiles!

-Kat

#AtoZChallenge R is for Rainbow

“We live in a rainbow of chaos.” – Paul Cezanne

I am intrigued by this concept- living in a rainbow of chaos. See, I find rainbows to be quite neat and orderly. The colors line up in the same order and while they might blend into the next, each color has its own definition. I suppose that for some it could seem chaotic that there might not be clear division between each color.

Then I look at my life and I can easily see how it might appear to be a rainbow of chaos to outsiders. But it’s my rainbow and my chaos and as long as I like it, I guess that’s all that matters, right?

What do you think?

-Kat

You can read the rest of my A to Z posts- HERE.

#AtoZchallenge Q is for Quiet

“Our culture is biased against quiet and reserved people, but introverts are responsible for some of humanity’s greatest achievements.” –Susan Cain

Famous Introverts-

• Albert Einstein
• Bill Gates
• Steven Spielberg
• Sir Isaac Newton
• Eleanor Roosevelt
• Mark Zuckerberg
• Rosa Park
• Abraham Lincoln
• JK Rowling
• Al Gore
• Mahtma Gandhi
• Michael Jordan
• Meryl Streep
• Charles Darwin
• Frederic Chopin
• Emma Watson
• Courtney Cox
• Laura Bush
• Audrey Hepburn
• Candice Bergen
• Roy Rogers
• Joe DiMaggio
• Elton John
• Lady Gaga

and the list goes on and on.

I consider that an impressive list and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’m very quiet. I can sit at a meeting and never feel the need to speak. I hear things that no one else does because they are all talking. There is strength in being quiet and I think it intimidates those who are not. When I point out something that I heard, people appear shocked, as if my ability to hear and think is directly connected to my participation in the dialogue. It is interesting what you hear when people are talking and they think no one is listening. (I know, why are they talking if they don’t want to be heard? Well, maybe you can tell me!) I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard a comment, not meant to be heard by the entire group, uttered loud enough to be heard. Now, I’m talking about a meeting setting where a group of people are sitting around a table, with multiple conversations taking place at once. Almost always, people are talking over each other and as I look around the room, I wonder if I’m the only one listening. It’s draining and probably a good thing that no one expects me to talk- except sometimes I do have something to say…

“We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly – spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.” -Susan Taylor

And then there is the other quiet. In a world that is filled with chaos, craziness, and sensory overload, I cherish my quiet time. I especially find myself seeking quiet places since so many of my days are filled with an energetic, talkative two year old! There are times when I find myself in complete silence, no tv or music, no talking- just quiet time. And although music is like an instant anxiety reliever, the silence around me really energizes me and gives my batteries the recharge they need.

I’m sitting in my family room right now, my Netflix show having been paused for a half hour now, listening to Ari’s breathing getting deeper and more relaxed as she settles into her nap, hearing the wind blowing,making a whooshing sound down the fireplace. The ice maker just whipped up a fresh batch of cubes and they clattered into their bin. There is ticking from the clock and creaks and groans from the house as it settles, although I’m not sure why it’s still settling after standing here for over 70 years…

I have approximately an hour before my two year old buddy awakes from his nap, and then it’s back to building block towers, pounding out tunes on the xylophone accompanied by singing and dancing, and all the noise and energy that little guy brings. And my quiet time will come to an end until later tonight, when it will be much needed- AGAIN!

Hope your day is filled with quiet or chaos or both- it’s up to you!

-Kat

You can read the rest of my A to Z posts- HERE.