Category Archives: Slice of Life

Expect the Unexpected: SOL25 Day 18

After a beautiful sunny day yesterday, I got in the car with a colleague to drive to UCLA for a conference event. We had barely gotten out of the driveway before droplets starting appearing on the windshield. Before we hit Camp Pendleton, it was a full-fledged downpour! And then the ribbon of sunset started to peek out from below the blanket of clouds.

The conference center/hotel at UCLA was tucked away from the freeway, forcing us to navigate narrow streets with cars parked at odd angles…and avoid the abandoned scooter right in the middle of the street. After taking the odd u-turn directed by Google maps, we arrived at a strange stopping place in front of a building that may or may not have been a conference center. Lucky for us Milton was out front–obviously used to confused conference center seekers. He was funny and welcoming and got us situated, checked in, and headed toward an equally odd driveway to a narrow underground parking lot.

When I arrived at my room and peeked out the window, I found myself looking out at a football field, bolding marked UCLA.

This morning after walking on the treadmill before what I knew would be a sitting day, I headed into the shower to get ready for the day ahead. As I was getting dressed I kept hearing a sound. Is that chanting? Does someone nearby have the TV on loud? I looked out the window to find an entire squad of young men in matching uniforms shouting through their calisthenics!

And as if that was enough of the unexpected, as we headed downstairs for the conference, we noticed a strong and visual security presence. We learned throughout the day that there was some kind of protest going on outside. (Although we never did learn exactly what the protest was all about!).

As we left for an oh-so-long and not-really-unexpected-LA-traffic-filled drive back home, the conference center was teeming with security. Men standing at attention, ear pieces in place, barriers everywhere. We actually had to have a guard move a physical barrier to be able to leave the parking area! (After another policeman jokingly told us we’d need to stay awhile!)

Luckily, the event was interesting and felt like worth the time and effort. And I didn’t have to suffer the long and traffic-filled drive home alone, instead my colleague and I were able to talk, debrief our experience, and otherwise entertain each other in the pain of stop and go traffic.

It was truly an expect the unexpected kind of experience–including the somewhat unexpected enjoyment of the event itself. I’m trying to learn to embrace the unexpected, and realize that unexpected is just another opportunity to learn and grow and make a choice to see what surprises me as a gift rather than an ominous talisman of trouble to come!

How do you respond when the unexpected shows up at your door?

I Love…: SOL25 Day 17

16 Replies

It’s Monday and it’s St. Patrick’s Day and I teach 6 and 7 year olds and I’m wearing my pesto-green vans and completed 8 parent conferences today before 3pm.

Like most days I come home knowing I have a blog post to write and still have absolutely no idea what I will write about. And then, in the few minutes I had to check my ever-multiplying email inbox (that tripled–at least–in volume while I taught and conferenced today), I came across a wonderful recommendation from a colleague. My fellow writing project directors share their newsletters — so inspiration can find me with just a click.

She shared a blog post in her newsletter called A List of Things I Love, a wonderful rambling poetic meander through time and the little so-called ordinary things that make life extraordinary. I knew it was special when it began with the 2-word sentence: I love. (Do you hear the strike of inspiration hitting?) I could do that! Although I have no illusions of mine list matching the breadth and whimsy. But here’s an early draft that I hope to come back to later.

I love. I love a Monday afternoon when I come into the house and the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cooks wraps me in a warm and chocolaty hug after teaching and complicated and rewarding conversations with eight families. I love a blue-sky day after a week of rain, when my jacket hangs on the back of my chair and the sun feels warm when I walk outside. I love tulips in a vase, a whisper of spring color and a reminder of the beauty of daring to blossom, even knowing that these cut flowers will soon droop, dancing as they drop their petals.

I love the beach in all seasons, but especially when the tide is low and the beach is wide. I love the egrets and the pelicans and the tiny sandpipers that move in unison with the breath of the sea. I love the treasure hunt of the tidepool and the excitement when orange sea stars appear…a constellation of wonder and hope. I love learning about nudibranchs and finally seeing one in all its colorful glory in its home habitat.

I love books that invite a deep dive and force you underwater in the silence of words, immersing you in an experience so real that laughter and tears are necessary expressions of a heart touched. I love songs that curl into the corners of my ears, bringing long lost memories forward for remembering again and again.

I love when writing pushes time away making room for ideas to explore and expand as fingers and neurons intertwine. I love the mystery of a readers’ response, will my loves resonate and spark ideas and loves in another. What loves emerge for you?

Strike a Pose: SOL25 Day 16

3 Replies

After a rainy week, the weekend was a burst of sunshine! While the temps are still cool, the weather was glorious. There is just something about sunshine that brightens up my mood.

As is typical, we planned our weekend walks around the low tide so we have an ample walking beach. The tides were not particularly low this weekend, and because of the storms earlier in the week, the surf was still in a turmoil.

Teenagers in our area see the appearance of sunshine as an invitation to practice for summer. They arrive at the beach in their bikinis and trunks, play games on the shore, (that smashball game is still quite popular–you know, the one where a group surrounds a mini trampoline like thing, hitting the ball onto it trying to get the next person to miss), and even plunging into the chilly Pacific Ocean. (The water temperature has been hovering around 57 degrees lately…brrr!)

In my jeans and jacket with my camera around the neck, I headed out to walk a few miles and take some photos. I did shed my jacket mid-walk, enjoying the warm sun and cool sea breeze as I opened up to photo possibilities. The challenge at this point is that I have taken probably thousands of photos at the beach. I photograph the surf, the sky, the people, the birds, any sea life, sea shells, rocks–the list goes on. So it’s hard to find something new for the subject of my photo. So instead, I look for a new angle, different lighting…even a new story to tell myself.

I’ve noticed the pelican overhead the last couple of days. They seem to be practicing flying in formation, perfecting their Vs as they glide along the coastline. Today there were also some shorebirds hanging out in groups, searching for snacks as they chased the foam along the edge of the shore. I watched some young girls also chasing the foam…and now and then they would eye the birds and lunge toward them, making them fly up in a group and then settle further along the shore.

And I got lucky enough to move in with my camera just as one of the birds took a moment to strike a pose for me. And voila! A jaunty little bird portrait was the result. I love the tilt of the neck, almost looking over its shoulder at me.

How did you spend your weekend?

Shoes: SOL25 Day 15

8 Replies

I’ve always had a difficult relationship with shoes. I love pretty shoes, the ones with interesting straps, clever cutouts, heels that create an air of sophistication… But shoes do not love my feet. In spite of the struggle, I’ve always sought out shoes that enhance my wardrobe and are somewhat comfortable.

But something changed. I think it was the pandemic that was the instigator. Once the world closed down in March of 2020, there was no need to wear pretty shoes. In fact, most of the time, there was no need to wear shoes at all. As I taught from my kitchen table, most of the time my feet were bare. If I headed into the backyard for breath of fresh air, I slipped into my Rainbow flip flops. At that same time I also began a regular walking practice of at least 30 minutes a day, so athletic shoes were a necessity.

I found myself alternating between bare feet, flip flops, and athletic shoes throughout the day–depending on what I was doing (without much consideration to what I was wearing). And when we went back to school with students, we found ourselves spending a lot more time with our students–including supervising their playtime–and no one needs to wear cute shoes to do that! Meetings were still mostly virtual, so all anyone ever saw of you (if they even looked) what what blouse you had on and if your pandemic hair was standing on end! Again, no need to consider whether or not your shoes were fashionable or flattering.

Sometime between then and now, women began wearing white tennis shoes with their dresses, Birkenstocks made a major comeback (for both men and women), and my own footwear choices have trended to post-pandemic casual.

I can’t remember the last time I wore a heel (actually, I can. It was to a formal family wedding about two years ago) or anything other than flat sandals or athletic shoes on a regular basis.

I realized last week when I attended a conference that my idea of a professional dress shoe is a Vans checkerboard slip on! (I did opt for pants that were not jeans though!)

And just today as I wandered around the outlet mall, the Vans outlet called me in. I came out with some great green Vans lace ups (the ones called “old skool”). I think they might be my new dress shoes! I’m already wondering if they will work as “professional casual” for the meeting I’m attending next week.

Has your relationship with shoes changed since the pandemic?

Exploring Blue: SOL25 Day 14

6 Replies

I’m reaching that point in this month-long blogging challenge where it feels like I have already written about the things that are interesting in my day. No one wants to read more about the rainy days we’ve been experiencing, the state of the streets in my neighborhood, or the outdoor public art at UCSD. So what to do? Weirdly, one of my posts is today’s inspiration for others…so maybe, just maybe, it can inspire me too.

I love to take photos and have an unimaginable number of photos on my phone (some taken with the phone, others taken with my Sony mirrorless camera and transferred to the phone). So today I decided to give myself a prompt and explore my camera roll.

I decided to search for blue, and with that single word as a prompt, so many photos came up for me to examine and think about.

Instead of going down a blue rabbit hole, I picked just a few for a short photo essay…an exploration of some of the blues that caught my eye.

I love to take photos of trees. Sometimes when the light and the background is just right, the photo offers a sense of the majesty and wonder of a tree. I love the blue of the mountains in the distance and the varied blues of the skies in the distance. There’s a moodiness that feels reflective, quiet…like a deep breath.

This Joshua Tree National Park sunset offers the deeper, more intense blues of the desert as dark chases the light across the sky. Once the sun dips, the stars will make their entrance crafting vivid pictures in the indigo as nighttime creeps across the desert.

But as much as I love trees, I am more likely to find myself walking along the shoreline. While it’s common to think about the ocean as blue, in this case it is the blue plastic bucket that stands out in the transparency of the water. I love the way the light and shadow also captures the subtle movement of the water.

I’m always a sucker for a shore bird, and this great blue heron was a wonderful surprise. Blue when it comes to herons is of the blue-gray variety and these tall, stately birds are a study in patience. They embody stillness–unless they are startled and then they spread and flap their enormous wings and somehow those large bodies take flight.

The ocean is never a single color–and that’s true of the sky too. Light and shadow shift the spectrum of blues and greens, purples and grays, pinks and oranges, offering a magnificent palette of colorful waves for surfers to explore (rightside up and upside down).

What will you find if you take time to explore your camera roll?

Ice Cream Anyone? SOL25 Day 13

6 Replies

Cold, creamy, sweet–a delight for both tongue and tummy. I love ice cream! I eat ice cream in the summer, the perfect cooling dessert and in the winter too–even if it makes me shiver and goosebumps grow tall like mountains on my arms. It is definitely my sweet treat of choice.

Chunky and crunchy–rocky road or chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Fruity and tart–rainbow sherbet, raspberry gelato. Stain your tongue and mouth colorful–blue raspberry syrup on an ice cream-filled shave ice.

I can push away the elegant, rich desserts. Cheesecakes, mousses, creme brulee. I can skip cookies and cakes–even a chocolaty, caramely, peanuty Snickers bar (unless it’s the novelty ice cream variety). But ice cream? I can eat ice cream for dinner!

Need cheering up? Ice cream is the answer. Time for a celebration? Bring on the ice cream. Something to soothe a scratchy throat? You know the answer–it’s always ice cream!

Do you have a favorite sweet treat that is nearly impossible to say no to? Or a best ice cream ever? I’d love to know your sweet story!

Postcarding: SOL25 Day 12

3 Replies

I love a great postcard. Anywhere and anytime I travel, I make an effort to find postcards, write them, and mail them (preferably from the place where I got them). I like the scarcity of space, the need to be succinct…maybe even pithy in my composition. I mostly send postcards to my grandsons. I want them to feel the pleasure of getting mail, of knowing that I am thinking of them, and sharing a tiny glimpse of my travel experience with them.

I encourage my students to write and send postcards to our class anytime they travel. I want them to feel the pleasures of snail mail, understand the connections their words can help forge, and to delight our class as we get to study the postcard, notice the stamp and postmark, and read the message written especially for us. We have quite a collection growing! When school ended last year, I sent each of my students a postcard (Target had National Parks postcards in their dollar bins) with a “would you rather” type of question on it. As school began this year, many of those students were eager to tell me how much they loved their postcard!

My youngest son is an artist. Over the years postcards have been a part of his art process. In the past there were times when he bought a postcard and used it as his canvas for creating art. The fun part of this medium is that the artwork then shows up in your mailbox. Here’s a couple of examples.

Nick’s most recent art has been the creation of blob sculptures. He posts a daily reel of his creation on Instagram @nickdouillard to the delight of nearly a million followers who sometimes watch his reels millions of times. Just last week he offered a sale at his site, which included a variety of one-of-a-kind handmade blobs as well as packs of blob postcards drawn by him. His sculptures sold out in no time–he has quite a fan base for these quirky, adorable pieces. I knew I would be ordering some of his postcards–and they come with sticker hats (another feature of his blob sculptures) to mix and match the blobs’ looks. My order came in the mail today!

Now the big decision…who do I sent my brand new postcards to? My grandsons are definitely on my list of sendees… I’m thinking I’ll also write an unexpected postcard to a friend or two I haven’t seen in a while and maybe a colleague who won’t be expecting it. I have ten…it will be fun to pick out people to send them off to!

Who would you send a postcard to?

(Shameless plug: cute blob postcards are still available, just visit Nick’s Instagram site. He’ll even send a postcard for you to the addressee of your choice!)

Melting in the Rain: SOL25 Day 11

2 Replies

My dad always used to say, I’m sweet as sugar and melt in the rain.” He’s the guy who always knew when it would rain in this beautiful but arid place that we live. There was NO interrupting the weather report (night and morning low clouds, mostly sunny is our typical forecast) and he kept a rain gauge in the yard to confirm rainfall amounts. To be fair, he did work for years in construction, driving a water truck, which meant that when it did rain, he did not work.

So on a rainy day, like today, I find that my dad is on my mind. My oldest son has taken on the I’m sweet as sugar and melt in the rain mantra, so it remains a family saying. I often find myself telling my students you won’t melt when they point out a few raindrops. Rain is pretty rare in these parts–although we’ve had a few rainy years before this much drier year. Typical rainfall for San Diego measures at less than 10 inches annually.

Our school was built to take advantage of the ocean view and the mostly dry conditions. Our students eat outside everyday (except when it is rainy–in which case they eat in the classroom–ugh!), hang their backpacks on hooks outside the classroom (which are outside), place their lunchboxes on a wheeled cart that sits outside the classroom and we wheel down to our outdoor lunch area, walk through hallways with no cover, and we have this weird drain that directs moisture from the roof onto the sidewalk in front of the classroom door!

Needless to say, rainy days at school are not my favorite.

But…I do love rain. There is something about the sound of raindrops that feels soothing, comforting–the rhythm of nature’s percussion. After being cooped up with students (they love the novelty of a rainy day), standing with them at pickup time huddled close under my umbrella since we have no overhang to stand under to avoid being soaked, and rearranging my lesson plans on the fly since I had planned an outdoor activity during my language arts time today…my husband generously reminded me I could pedal our stationary bike instead of taking my usual outdoor walk today since the rain was still coming down.

But instead, since the rain had lessened, I was determined to take an outdoor walk. So when I got home, I switched over to a lighter raincoat (the one I had worn to work today felt too heavy for a walk), reminded my husband that he didn’t have to come with me in the rain, and got ready to head out. But Geoff being Geoff, grabbed an umbrella and encouraged me to grab mine…and then we headed out for a rainy day walk.

It was a gentle rain, with the soft pitter-patter tapping on the umbrella. The snails were out in force, their eyestalks stretched out as they slipped along the wet sidewalks of my neighborhood. Where are they when it is not raining? Do they hide in the leaf litter or under the shrubs? Raindrops glistened from the purple blossoms emerging from the trees and dripped from the branches of the leafing sycamores.

I came home damp and refreshed, relishing the sweetness of the rain and not worrying at all about melting. And I felt my dad with me all day today, his presence like a hug, a comfort that came along with the gift of rain.

What’s Your Organization Style? SOL25 Day 9

5 Replies

There’s a million books out there professing the perfect approach to organizing your home. You can decide which items in your life bring joy and toss the others. You can work on a zone each day, beating down the clutter before it accumulates. Or you can be like me, and use the pile method of organization.

My piles work…until they don’t. For the most part, I know exactly what is where–as long as no one else touches my piles. In lots of ways they are quite geological, sediment building up over time. The oldest layers are on the bottom, providing the strong foundation for the newer layers. Some piles are piles of reading material: books and articles that I want to read…but cannot get to quite yet. Others are piles of reading I have read, but know I want to refer to or want to share with someone. Some piles need to make their way back to my classroom, some need to be filed away with important papers…

But at some point, the piles reach maximum efficiency and need to be culled. That’s the point where I have to make the hard decisions and either find a permanent place for the item or discard it. I’m at that inflection point right now. It’s time to dismantle the piles, sort them, and get them under control.

Conveniently, yesterday I happened by IKEA–you know the place, where you build your own furniture according to picture-based directions that those of us who are spatially challenged can manage to assemble upside down and backwards. Lucky for me, Geoff is great at reading these blueprints (rightside up) and getting them built in record time! Anyway, while strolling through IKEA yesterday, I decided that a three-tiered rolling cart would be the perfect solution to the teetering piles I need to wrangle. I am limiting myself to keeping only what will fit reasonably in the cart.

Now, I just need to find a bit of time to get started! And find a home for the cart itself! Be sure to ask me about my progress. It always helps to be held accountable.

What’s your organizational style? Does it work for you?