Quote for 12-30-10

Find out who you are and do it on purpose.


-- Dolly Parton

almost a done deal

2010 is.

The streets of San Francisco

This a view from the plane when I was heading back from San Francisco in March of this year.

Went for an awards ceremony. Great fun. Didn't stay in the downtown area like I had before. Nearer to the airport. Catching the bus line to downtown, I asked this guy for directions on using the bus system. He volunteered to show me where I was trying to go. But first he insisted we eat hot dogs-- he had a polish one that he offered me a bite from. uhm, no thanks, I've got mine--at Costco.


There was a car show going on-- I love old cars. An affinity for Chevy's 'cause they remind me of that little car on the back of the Little Golden Books I had as a child. Like Ford Fairlanes too.

There was also a rally going on. Protesting war and a variety of other things.

I love the architecture there. One day I will have to share my first experience of San Fran and post the pics from it.

Snow days

It's looking like it just might snow.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More pics below of Nashville. It started coming down while I was at work and the guys and I -- the cooks, the bartenders, the manager-- went out for a snowball fight. They were getting a little rough-- boys will be boys-- so I opted for a snowman. Scrounging through the cooler for something to create a face-- a baby carrot and a diced-up olive (I told you it was gherto) but I had a snowman nonetheless.

Audi used to drop me off after work and I'd get down a few blocks from where I was staying. Yes, that was me wandering the snowy streets at one in the morning.

I wish I was in the Northeast already!

My buddy Bill told me there was snow in California where he lives. I told him he was a lucky rascal. It's supposed to snow here on Friday; we'll see.

Below are (and tomorrow there'll be more including the ghetto snowman I made while I was at work) pictures from Nashville in late January/early February.

It was snow wonderful;-)

misc random stuff

Am falling behind on all sorts of things 'cause my time is spent making bears. A new craft market opened up on Sundays at the mall here and I would love to be a part esp. since I need/want to push the graduation bears. I've had a story reprinted and a photograph published (finally and yes it's a tree) and a work was in the top ten contenders, out of 300+ works submitted, for the latest Glass Woman Prize.

Quote for 12-21-10

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.

--Author Unknown

House hunting

Looking at foreclosures and places for sale in Vermont. One was a true fixer-upper-- what made me click away from it, though, was the seller's disclosure. Most everything was marked 'don't know.' Really? How could you not know if there's structural damage? The floors evidently had problems and the roof and the electrical system. Questions regarding those were marked 'yes.' So I thought 'no.'

Last night

was so awesome. The white full moon was slightly hidden behind clouds around 8 p.m. But the sky cleared and yes, I was out there early morning at various times watching the various stages.

Beautiful, beautiful.

Hours later, just before six, the darkness over, moonlight streaming in through the open blinds of the bedroom.

Quote for 12-20-10

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.

--Friedrich Nietzsche

lunar eclipse

I wish night would hurry up.

uhm, duh, Gwendolyn

A student wrote me. He said he'd heard I was a writer and he wanted to get permission to add my already-full English class in the spring. A co-worker of my daughter's (whom I know of 'cause I used to work at the same place) said she was hoping to get into my class as well.

I thought it was kind of cool, the idea of students trying to get a particular teacher, in this case, me and I reminded myself that I am a good teacher. There were times, when I taught previously, that my evaluation scores were higher than the dept scores, and some aspects were even higher than the college as a whole.

It hit me then that there are colleges in Vermont. Onto the internet and found a community college. I've got the credentials so I'm working on the application now.

Quote for 12-19-10

I'm delirious with joy. It proves that if you confront the universe with good intentions in your heart, it will reflect that and reward your intent. Usually. It just doesn't always do it in the way you expect.


--J. Michael Straczynski

Quote for 12-14-10

Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.

--Alan Lakein

What it comes with

Looking at places in Vermont. One place comes with snow plow availability!

I'm so looking for snow in my life, but not sure I want that much. Got a feeling Vermont living might be a tad different from when I lived in Colorado.

Quote for 12-11-10

Be bold-and mighty forces will come to your aid.


--King Basil

and so it begins. . .

When I was trying to get to Vermont before, people who could help me found their way into my life.

So it is again.

An editor who'd published me read my blog and emailed that she was in New Hampshire, included a phone number.

I told some friends of mine about my move (they'd only previously heard about me wanting to go to St. Louis) and it turns out they have a friend in Vermont. In the very city I want to live in.

Hopefully both will become part of my support system. I don't want to be out in the cold alone:-)

I anticipate more serendipitous events. I have complete faith I will get to Vermont and TO PUT DOWN ROOTS. This time I will get there.

This time, though, I just gotta avoid getting arrested again! LOL!

Quote for 12-10-10

Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing.


--Oscar Wilde

Quote for 12-09-10

Don't go through life, grow through life.

--Eric Butterworth

Quote for 12-01-10

We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.


--Henry David Thoreau

Head still attached

This is the time, usually, that I'm running around trying to get stuff done before the new year and such, but I'm not that chicken with its head cut off anymore.

Feels really good ending the year -- I got some things done that I wanted and I'm laying the groundwork for even more in the quickly approaching new year. God willing and the creek don't rise.