The Rough Draft

Happy Groundhog Day!

2012-01-31T20:54:00.000Z

6:00 comes early every day!

It's official . . .

2012-01-18T10:57:00.000Z

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/bbo/lowres/bbon160l.jpg

I'm back in my fat clothes.

The diet begins again. Now the question is which one . . .

just thought I'd share

2012-01-17T10:29:00.000Z

http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/270919733803682772_5RUR4gee_b.jpg

aint that the truth. . .

this morning on my way to work. . .

2012-01-16T12:20:00.000Z

The weather is beautiful here in Portugal. The climate is temperate and the 2 times that there have been snow flurries here in Lisbon in the last 50 years were considered major events and still talked about today - hahahaaha. For months now we have had sunny skies and beautiful afternoons. The nights dip down and you really need a comforter but overall we are blessed. Except, that we need more rain. . .

We had showers Saturday and Sunday nights, wee into the early hours of the morning. How accommodating is that of Mother Nature?

On my ride to school this morning I experienced a mishap that shook me. Last night it rained and the roads were slick. I was braking in a curve in a round-about when the brakes locked and I lost control of my car. Suddenly nature was in control and I sat helplessly as my car skidded into the outside lane. I wondered if I would hit the white car in the outside lane and thought about how much trouble that would cause. I hoped for the best. Luck was on my side and I missed hitting the white car by a nanosecond and no one hit me. Amazing! I experienced an adrenaline rush and my heart was beating fast and I felt shaky. My car stalled and as I hurried to start it again and get out of the line of traffic someone started blowing his/her horn at me. This would have played out like a reality TV show for the people in the cars behind me. They would have seen the near miss. But instead of empathy, I got someone who blew his/her horn insistently at me.

The human race still needs a lot of work.

Just another example of how the world is not a better place. . .

This week's door

2012-01-13T20:44:00.000Z

This was my "softer" version . . .

2012-01-12T22:28:00.002Z

This is a typical looking street sign here in Portugal. It's beautiful. It's made of glazed tiles and I imagine that these street signs are hand-made. So lovely. The downside is that these are all placed on walls and the sides of buildings. They are not on every corner and are often not easy to spot. It's really difficult to know the names of streets here and people use landmarks when giving directions. (Go up 2 blocks and turn left at the pharmacy . . .)

Anyway, this street sign was at the top of a pair of "city" steps which lead to a small street.

The translation for the street sign is "Santa Cruz street and steps".

Medieval Clothes Dryer

2012-01-10T22:02:00.001Z

inside the castle walls at Castelo da Vide - August, 2011

They are still drying clothes in this sleepy hilltop town the same way they did it 1,000 years ago. It's still the most economical and eco-friendly way of getting the job done.

Technology doesn't have much on the medievals. . .

e e cummings

2012-01-09T22:03:00.001Z

Source: Uploaded by user via Julie on Pinterest

yeah, that's so true . . .

Welch's Grape Jelly

2012-01-08T21:05:00.000Z

I've been living in Europe for a while now. After I first arrived I craved food from home. When I visited the States I would bring back foods that I could not get here. Over the years that's changed and while I enjoy hoagies, meatball sandwiches, ranch dressing, Big Boys, Primanti Brothers, Benkovitz, breakfast at Pamela's in Shadyside, and Reese's anything and gain at least 4 pounds each visit, I no longer stock my suitcase with these items.

We now have a couple of small grocery stores that carry international food items. I stopped at one such shop that opened very recently and noticed that they carry Welch's Grape Jelly. They don't produce grape jelly outside the US and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are not the same with raspberry jam.

Be still my heart. As we get older, we realize that it's the small things that count.

moving forward

2012-01-07T20:57:00.001Z

I live on Av. do Lago (Lake Avenue), only there's no lake. It's a circle and you enter off Av. Saboia and the street snakes around and comes out about a 1/2 block up on Av. Saboia. I think originally there was a plan to create an artificial lake and build condos around it. But, it never happened. About a year and a half ago the borough did some work on my street and the block where you enter Av. do Lago and the block where you exit Av. do Lago were made 1 way streets, BUT the middle block was not. Go figure. Anyway, this past week the entire street is now 1 way and it's all going in the same direction. Showing good sense on someone's part.

We're moving forward in more ways than one. . .

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-06T18:50:00.000Z

This is the door to my classroom at school. I'm trying to make a "feature" out of this unwelcoming, cold, metal door by decorating it and using it as a bulletin board.

Some of my students wrote their New Year resolutions on post-it notes. Hahahahaha

Happy 2012

and another thing

2012-01-05T20:23:00.000Z

hahahaha

Newton's laws of motion

2012-01-04T20:21:00.000Z

This law has many implications. One can rightly conclude that if I am pushed, I will push back . . .

YES

2012-01-03T20:46:00.001Z

yes, Yes, YES

I just don't get it . . .

2012-01-02T22:22:00.001Z

I don't get it. I understand the concept of graffiti especially when used a a forum for revolution or to express social unrest or political messages. I can also appreciate and would welcome street art. But this . . .

Sometimes I just sit and shake my head.

Happy 2012

2012-01-01T19:48:00.001Z

Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week. Charles Richards

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T17:54:00.000Z

Rome

2011-12-27T22:37:00.000Z

Rome Oct 31 - Nov 2, 2011

Beauty is just around the corner . . .

Money talks . . .

2011-12-02T21:11:00.003Z

http://blog.freejobhuntingtips.com/photos/money-talks-7-salary-negotiation-strategies.jpg

Once more I am reminded that money talks . . .

It never ceases to amaze me that people with money and support take the lead. It's not necessarily because they deserve to lead, but that they can afford to lead. There's something very predatory about this and I guess that's what bothers me.

Man is an animal and I'm more and more convinced that we are no longer evolving. We are animals that wear designer clothes; we are all perfumed up; we mask ourselves with make-up and lipstick and have money to buy what we want. We travel the world looking for the edge, the advantage. We prey on the weak and the poor. You don't see many animals, other than humans, that terrorize and fight to the death. I always thought that with education and work that things progress and slowly, slowly the world becomes a better place. Now I'm not so sure.

As the birthrate increases at a dramatic rate, people are getting more competitive. The predators scheme and plot and push and snatch. Desperate people see these tactics being modelled and copy. Lots of our behaviours are based on the "monkey see, monkey do" model. So instead of "good" quietly working behind the scenes to make the world a better place, even the do-gooders get frustrated and begin to shout beatitudes.

Hold on to your hat - we are in for a rocky 2012. . .

So true

2011-11-07T20:24:00.000Z

Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. Unknown

Everybody is raising hell!

2011-11-05T01:11:00.001Z

Another demonstration in Italy is planned for today.

CBS icon Andy Rooney died . . .

2011-11-04T15:10:00.001Z

Andy Rooney was a long time CBS 60 Minutes commentator. He thought of himself as an everyman and his commentaries were as pithy as they were witty. He told it like it is without offending. Not too many people can do that! Our loss is heaven's gain . . .

An Andy Rooney Quote:
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person."
Andy Rooney

hahahaha - so true, so true

For more on Andy Rooney:
The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/us/andy-rooney-mainstay-on-60-minutes-dead-at-92.html
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Rooney
CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57319150/andy-rooney-dead-at-92/
Andy Rooney Quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/andy_rooney_2.html#ixzz1cw7qVIMF

what leadership looks like

2011-11-03T22:26:00.000Z

http://www.chapelhillmemories.com/uploads/Image/1950's_Cub_Scout.jpg

Characteristics of a good leader

Leaders...

have a strong desire to achieve...they think, plan and act with an "I can attitude".
are positive and enthusiastic regardless of how others act.
want to make things happen! They are active participants in the game of life.
are good friends. They have the ability to find something good in every person and every situation.
are assertive, persistent and productive. They have determination.
believe success depends on what you can get out of you
expose themselves to new experiences. For they know that is how growth occurs.
delegate responsibilities to members of the group or team in such a manner to create motivation and enthusiasm.
Possess high self-esteem.

The ten commandments of leadership

Treat everyone with respect and dignity.
Set the example for others to follow.
Be an active coach.
Maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
Insist on excellence and hold your people accountable.
Build group cohesiveness and pride.
Show confidence in your people.
Maintain a strong sense of urgency.
Be available and visible to your staff.
Develop yourself to your high test potential.

Strategies for putting yourself in a position to win

Identify and mobilize your resources
Realize from the start that you make your own breaks
Disregard the negativism and jealousy of others
Success should be noticed, not told! Speak softly when discussing your success. Practice humility
The less people know about why6 you are successful, the less competition you will have
Have a plan of action with an equally impressive contingency plan
Realize that you will learn something new every day. Capitalize on your new found knowledge
Remain focused. Avoid the temptation to splinter off to something new until you have mastered your primary task
You must leave "The Box". Think creatively. Allow your vision to know no boundaries. Common sense will prevail
Compensate people appropriately for what they are worth and what contributions they have made to your success
With every set back you’ll take two steps forward
You must learn to be comfortable with the concept of success and remain poised as it builds upon itself

source: Pasco-Hernando Community College http://phcc.edu/students/goodleader.php

those were the days my friend

2011-10-24T00:34:00.001+01:00

from 60 to 20 . . . ah, I remember it well

Steve Jobs - may he rest in peace

2011-10-07T20:46:00.000+01:00

http://jmak.tumblr.com/post/9377189056

If life is a journey, then Steve Jobs has had a hell of trip. He's a prime example of what energy and faculty can accomplish.

Steve Jobs quotes that speak volumes to me:

"Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. When Apple came up with the Mac, IBM was spending at least 100 times more on R&D. It's not about money. It's about the people you have, how you're led, and how much you get it." Fortune, Nov. 9, 1998

"Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles." Businessweek

"Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected."

"Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."

packing up . . .

2011-10-02T20:47:00.000+01:00

The sun is shining and the afternoons are quite warm. . . It's still beach weather. Slowly, slowly the amount of tourists is diminishing and the cafés and restaurants are closing earlier.

Summer can't last forever . . .

left brain, right brain or no brain

2011-09-30T21:23:00.004+01:00

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz
The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others.
Left Brain Dominance:	(9)
Right Brain Dominance:	(9)
Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Wow! No wonder I can see all sides of a problem! I'm completely balanced . . .

sometimes someone else says it for us . . .

2011-09-28T21:55:00.001+01:00

Some dayz r harder than others. Sorry to say that it doesn't get any easier as you get older. . .

It's official, it's now autumn

2011-09-23T20:45:00.000+01:00

http://cdn.homes.com/cgi-bin/readimage_v2/127854234

but I already knew that . . . Enjoy the season!

liar, liar, pants on fire!

2011-09-18T21:40:00.003+01:00

DSK should be more than ashamed of himself, he should be in jail.

Guys like this don't leave well enough alone. This type rapes a woman while she is at work, then has enough money to wiggle his way out of a jail term but still can't let it be. He has to go on television and EXPLAIN how yes, maybe it was inappropriate to have sex with the maid,but no there was absolutely no violence involved. Then he says that the woman is making this all up and poor him, he can't understand why unless of course she's evil and plotted this all out for years and used some kind of voodoo to make the planets align to orchestrate this so she could make a fast buck.

First of all, how the hell old is he? Does he think he's still a 35 year old gadabout? Doesn't he have a mirror at home? He's an old guy. Why would any chick under 60 look at him like he is anything other than a meal ticket? Does he really think that a hotel chambermaid has the time to stop in every room and screw the occupant and that that would be a perk for the job? Does he really think that he would strike an attractive pose to a younger woman, or any woman for that matter? How did it happen? He came out of the bathroom and like their eyes met and they both just knew? No romance, no champagne, no nothing? Is he kidding? Does he believe that anyone would believe that story? How stupid does he think the rest of us are?

Power and politics don't seem to bring out the best in people. DSK is not alone, he has lots of company. . .

far, far from home

2011-09-07T20:20:00.001+01:00

Some days the world seems very big and I feel very far from home . . .

Summer fun

2011-08-27T22:48:00.002+01:00

http://travelsupurmarket.com/images/content/070211-summer2011.jpg

óbidos, medieval festival, dinners out, sangria on the beach, vila viçosa, alandroal, evoramonte, screen test, vasco da gama with cristina, the conspirator, lunches out, walking on the paredâo, borba, redondo, badajoz, caceres, america's cup, laughing, old lisbon, horse show, relaxing, boulan, bookclub luncheon, tomar, castelo de vide, super 8, cascais, good bye dinners, shopping, friends, reading, blogging . . .

a good summer, a very good summer indeed!

Hot Fun in the Summertime, Sly and the Family Stone

Autumn

2011-08-25T20:47:00.005+01:00

http://www.absolutely-free-pictures.com/system/files/images/autumn-maple-leaf-on-grass.jpg

Our lives are driven by schedules, deadlines, calendars, clocks, bells, alarms . . . These are all contrivances designed to organize and control our time/lives.

This year on September 23 at 9:04 am it will be officially fall. According to Wikipedia, "An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator." It continues, "An equinox happens each year at two specific moments in time (rather than two whole days), when there is a location (the subsolar point) on the Earth's equator, where the center of the Sun can be observed to be vertically overhead, occurring around March 20/21 and September 22/23 each year." Wikipedia also makes a distinction between an equinox and an equiluxe. An equiluxe is the term used to denote those days when sunrise and sunset are the closest to being 12 hours apart.

Growing up in Pittsburgh it was easy to tell when it was fall. We have long hot, humid summers. Often times in the summer there's not a big difference between the high and low temperatures. Sometimes it just too damn hot to sleep. When I was growing up, on nights like this the houses were dark and parents would be sitting on porch swings and gliders speaking in hushed tones, if at all, and all you would see would be the red light from the tip of their cigarettes. The kids would be sleeping in tents and sleeping bags in the back yards. The doors were open all night long and no one was afraid that their kids would be abducted nor were they afraid that anyone would enter their homes. That was out of the question. It just wouldn't happen. You knew it was autumn when the humidity dropped. That was it. That was the sign. And it didn't happen according to a date on a calendar. It was fall when it was fall. The humidity drops and there's a certain chill in the air. . . The light changes too. . . The color of the sky is a bit different . . .

Some things are beyond our control. My calendar says it's still summer, but it's not. It's really fall. All the signs are here . . .

25 years later - Stand By Me stands the test of time

2011-08-23T20:55:00.003+01:00

I just got finished watching one of my favorite movies of all time. Stand By Me was a 1986 box office hit directed by Rob Reiner. Upon learning of the the death of a childhood friend, the narrator recounts a story of a sad adventure shared by himself and 3 other boys. The story takes place in late August, 1959 just before the summer holiday ends and boys enter junior high.

There are lots of memorable quotes from this film but none is more meaningful than the last line which was typed in, not spoken, by the narrator: "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?" Yeah, that says it all.

Dorothy Parker

2011-08-22T09:00:00.012+01:00

Born: August 22, 1893
Died: June 7, 1967 (aged 73)
Occupation: Author, poet, critic, screenwriter, all round caustic wit and wise-cracker

Quote: The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

Not only was she something, she was also something else . . .

no comment . . .

2011-08-21T10:23:00.000+01:00

3 in a row . . .

2011-08-20T17:52:00.001+01:00

See what I mean?

Monkey see, monkey do

2011-08-18T10:31:00.001+01:00

I notice a trend . . .

Smart or not?

2011-08-16T12:05:00.005+01:00

I live in a great apartment on a really cute little street in a nice neighborhood. Although residential, most of the buildings are multi-family buildings. The smallest housing 3 families. The rest are apartment buildings and condos and even a hotel. My building and the building next door, like many of the buildings on my street, have underground parking. The space has a combination of individual garages and parking places. However, noone uses it. There is a steep decline, a sharp right turn and most of the people in these two buildings own big cars. Everyone parks on the street. This, coupled with the fact that we live within walking distance to a restaurant, a popular coffee shop and a tea salon, results in a parking problem.

As you can see in the photo above, the Smart car was parked in the worst possible spot. It is parked right smack in the middle of a space that usually holds 2 medium sized or 1 large and 1 small car. (The small car is usually mine - a Fiat Seicento).

Smart car? Maybe. Smart owner? No way. Smart ass? Yes, definitely!

Castelo de Vide

2011-08-14T21:04:00.003+01:00

Another medieval hilltop town loaded with charm, Castelo de Vide has Roman origins and been inhabited continuously since then by the Vandals and later the Moors. There are even megalithic ruins littered throughout the area. The town was chartered in 1180. The castel in this Alentejano town dates from the 14th century and at one time had a thriving Jewish quarter complete with a medieval synagogue.

What I love about this city is that life still thrives within the castle walls. What an amazing legacy that is . . .

Born in the USA Tour

2011-08-11T00:01:00.008+01:00

August 11, 1985 - Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA Tour

It was a warm summer night and Bruce rocked Three River's Stadium. I wore slim-cut Calvin's and a white t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up à la Bruce.

Oh, what a night . . .

"I'm sorry" doesn't always mean that someone is sorry . . .

2011-08-10T14:03:00.001+01:00

http://themoderatevoice.com/wordpress-engine/files/2008_july/Stop_Sign.jpg

I've been walking along the bay every morning since my summer holiday began and I'm patting myself on the back all over the place about this. It's roughly a 50 minute walk and I cover approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles).

This morning on the way to walk a relatively normal looking guy in his early 30's went through a red light. He was accompanied by his young wife and little one in a car seat in the back seat of the car. As he was going through the red light he said that he was sorry. When we chastised the driver, he said, "I said I was sorry."

He looked like a nice guy. Yeah, we've all gone through red lights - or at least I have. No one was hurt by his mistake. BUT he was in the wrong. There's more to being wrong than saying "I'm sorry". You have to actually BE sorry. If you are sorry, you are remorseful. If you are remorseful, you don't cop an attitude with the people you almost hit. End of story.

"I'm sorry" doesn't always mean that someone is sorry. Sometimes it's just a lot of blah, blah, blah. . .

August 6 and August 7

2011-08-07T21:49:00.001+01:00

http://www.americascup.com/webimage/Hero/Global/NewsImages/07.06.2011/1-.jpg.jpg

August 6 - August 14, 2011

I was lucky enough to watch a couple of these events. . .

Goodbye Mimosa

2011-07-26T11:58:00.004+01:00

Portugal has a tradition of a "cafe society".

There are coffee shops all over the place; some are quite famous. Years ago before television and internet overtook our lives, after dinner people would meet at a coffee shop to discuss the news of the day. Although this custom has faded away, coffee shops are still hold quite an important place in the community.

The coffee shop in my neighborhood was called "Mimosa". While there are other coffee shops nearby, Mimosa was THE coffee shop. It opened at 7:30 am and closed at 8pm (what a shame). It sold wonderful little cakes and pastries that were made on the premises. They also served lunches. It was great. It was always full. I loved Mimosa. I looked forward to starting each day with breakfast at Mimosa. Then suddenly in late June, from one day to the next it was closed. Rumours began to fly as to the reason that they closed. No one knows definitively but it seems that they were locked out for not paying their rent. Apparently, the owner of the café was funnelling profits from this successful business into one of his less successful endeavours. But who knows for sure.

Anyway, after 3 weeks this sign appeared giving hope to all who frequented Mimosa. One more week and the coffee shop did open on the 26th but under new management. The name of the coffee shop has changed. While some of the wait staff are from the Mimosa, most aren't. They changed the color scheme to a green/brown that doesn't quite work. The quality of the pastries isn't what it used to be. Still, let's give them a couple of weeks to get themselves up and running before we rate them as so-so. . .

casting

2011-07-21T21:47:00.001+01:00

On July 11 I saw an interesting post on my school's facebook page. OIS posted a letter from a local producer who was announcing an open casting for an upcoming film which will be directed by Edgar Pêra, a Portuguese director.

I responded to the advertisement. I didn't really know what to expect but I guess I thought it would be more like an audition for a play. I envisioned a stage with the director sitting in the 6th or 7th row in the audience. Sort of like what we see in the movies.

It wasn't like that. The auditions were held in a studio on July 21 from 3 to 6 pm on a street that was almost impossible to find. It took us over an hour. After checking in with a receptionist and signing a release form and then a brief wait, I was ushered into the studio for a screen test. There I found a green screen, hi tech camera, and sound guy. There was a teleprompter with my script. I was asked to introduce myself, tell them a little about me, include my acting experience and then run my lines. They taped my audition. Everyone was way nice and this photo above is proof that I did indeed attend. hahahaha

Screen test - it was sooooo cool. Something I've always wanted to do. Another thing crossed off my list. . .

Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

2011-07-16T21:27:00.000+01:00

So funny. There's been a lot of this going around lately.

Medieval Nights

2011-07-14T12:46:00.007+01:00

Medieval Nights - make slideshow

When I was a 3rd year student at Miami University a couple of classmates and I began to scramble for a minor. We really hadn't considered it before, but suddenly it became important. I had enough classes for a minor in psychology but my school didn't offer a minor in psychology. I didn't want to double major; I wanted a minor. Don't ask me why.

Since I was a history major, pursuing a minor in Medieval Studies sounded logical. Although I knew squat about anything medieval, I forged ahead. I'm glad that I did. I joined a small group of 4th year students who were all interested in European Medieval History. For a well-rounded view of that period we took an array of classes. In history we focused on the 12th Century (actually the period from 1050 to about 1250 or even 1300). I also took a class in medieval art and was able to slot in a Chaucer class. We had to do an independent study and I focused on medieval women.

So you can imagine my delight that here, each year, there is a Medieval Fair in my favorite walled medieval Portuguese town of Óbidos. It is sooooo much fun. I only wish that I could share this experience with my former classmates . . .

Summer Holidays

2011-07-11T10:48:00.000+01:00

http://duckside.mandarinaduck.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/summer_holidays_small.jpg

It's official. I've started my summer holidays.

First stop clean the apartment - lol.

Hope your downtime is well-spent.

I quit smoking 10 years ago

2011-07-09T15:43:00.000+01:00

Issued in public interest by Adidas

I quit smoking 10 years ago this week. I thought it was impossible. It wasn't BUT it was the hardest thing I have ever done. After that everything else is easy. Watch out world!

Smoking cessation timeline – the health benefits over time

In 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate decrease, and the body temperature of your hands and feet increase.Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.

At 8 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood decreases to normal. With the decrease in carbon monoxide, your blood oxygen level increases to normal.

At 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack decreases.

At 48 hours, nerve endings start to regrow and the ability to smell and taste is enhanced.

Between 2 weeks and 3 months, your circulation improves, walking becomes easier and you don’t cough or wheeze as often. Phlegm production decreases. Within several months, you have significant improvement in lung function.

In 1 to 9 months, coughs, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease as you continue to see significant improvement in lung function. Cilia, tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs, regain normal function.

In 1 year, risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is reduced to half that of a smoker.

Between 5 and 15 years after quitting, your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.

In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer drops. Additionally, your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease. Even after a decade of not smoking however, your risk of lung cancer remains higher than in people who have never smoked. Your risk of ulcer also decreases.

In 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack in similar to that of people who have never smoked. The risk of death returns to nearly the level of a non-smoker.

http://www.highlighthealth.com/cancer/smoking-cessation-timeline-what-happens-when-you-quit/

You don't bring me flowers . . .

2011-07-03T13:42:00.002+01:00

Summer Solstice

2011-06-21T11:54:00.001+01:00

The summer solstice has always held fascination for man (and woman). It is that time of the year when the Sun reaches its most northern point in the sky at local noon. It is the longest day of the year.

But way before man charted such things, we instinctively knew that this was a special time of year. It's the time of warmth and sunshine and longer days to spend with our friends.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, summer is just around the corner.

Enjoy these moments . . .

Too many cooks spoil the broth . . .

2011-06-19T15:25:00.000+01:00

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mmt/lowres/mmtn40l.jpg

ain't that the truth . . .

The Tree of Life

2011-06-04T22:07:00.011+01:00

Tree of Life trailer por teasertrailer

One of the women at work had heard good things about this award winning movie so a few of us made a mid-week date to go and see it at a local mall. We were tired and not in the mood for anything heavy and couldn't believe what we were watching. The imagery was surreal and the theme was leaning hard on the existential side. During the intermission (yes, we still have an intermission here in Europe), the woman who suggested the film was apologizing all over the place.

After the show was over we had a 1/2 pitcher of sangria and some nibbles and talked about how much we disliked the film and wouldn't recommend it. It was getting late and we made our goodbyes. The next day the conversation continued at break and at lunchtime and focused a lot on one of the main themes of the movie: there are 2 ways to live life; the way of nature and the way of grace.

We usually think of "nature" as a positive force and this film shows just the opposite. Nature has been violent from the get go and the "big bang" theory is just one good example of that. The building of the land masses is a violent process whereby hot magma is forced from the center of the Earth and spewed into the atmosphere. Mountains are formed by tectonic plate collision the force of which actually folds the earth's crust. The National Geographic channel shows us the predatory nature of animals. Man wasn't given a free pass on this either.

Grace on the other hand is a personal choice. To live in a gentle way that scaffolds others and is full of communication, collaboration and cooperation is a wonderful ideal. Think of a world guided by positivity. But as shown in the film, this is seldom the case. Nature thunders in and snatches what it wants. It's interesting to note that "gentle" finds it hard to survive such an atmosphere. Maelstrom work environments are created by the struggle between these 2 groups of people. It's hard for these two types to co-exist and at the moment, I'm sorry to say, nature seems to be taking the lead.

Since I've seen this film I have thought a lot about it and weave it into conversation at every opportunity. I'm surprised that it's having a much bigger effect on me than I would have anticipated. As time passes, it's growing on me. It's hard to let go . . .

On second thought, I'm glad that I saw this film, would recommend it and all the discussions (and sangria) that it encourages.

I meant October 21

2011-05-24T18:49:00.001+01:00

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nQTPEOYx7BQ/TOExL766jyI/AAAAAAAAAnk/txTkn7s9kZQ/s1600/oops+sign+bubble.jpg

The May 21 doomsday prediction by a California preacher, Harold Camping, has come and gone. He's back in the spotlight with an "oops" and a bunch of "ah, ah, ah - oh yeah, I made a mistake. Did I say May 21? Oh, I meant October 21."

Sorry Harold, but you lost all your credibility. And, even if this is true, what good would knowing about this do?

Harold, do us all a favor; just keep it to yourself. . .

Here we go again. . .

2011-05-23T06:00:00.003+01:00

another week is up and running, hope yours is a good one . . .

Rapture

2011-05-21T18:00:00.000+01:00

The only rapture we will be seeing this evening is Blondie's 1981 hit in re-run. . .

Six Word Memoirs . . .

2011-05-20T18:15:00.003+01:00

http://www.smithmag.net/

I happened upon this website today: http://www.smithmag.net/ . It is really interesting and I'm sure writers, English teachers and psychologists could have a lot of fun with this.

The idea is: One life. Six words. What's yours?

I thought I would give it a shot too. (I thought I would try it.)

Oh yeah, I'm blogging about you.

hahahahahah This is fun!

Don't think I don't notice that.
My idea. My work. My success.
I don't get what I deserve.
I am smarter than you think.
Summer is right around the corner.
I am stubborn to a fault.
I see who you really are.
Her problem: She has to WIN.

I could go on all nite,

You should give it a try. . .

why not?

2011-05-17T00:02:00.001+01:00

http://www.gonnaridemybike.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/but-why-didnt-you-tell-me.gif

The real question in life isn't Why? but Why Not?

lapse

2011-05-15T12:43:00.002+01:00

http://static.starcitygames.com/sales/cardscans/MAG5TH/memory_lapse.jpg

Portugal is a Catholic country and last evening we went to mass. One week ago yesterday (Saturday, May 7) someone Luís knew died. The funeral and cremation took place on Monday following his death. It is common here for a mass to be said 1 week following the death.

As is ritual, many of those attending observed Communion. I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and tried to remember the last time I participated in this practice. Was I 11 or 12? I couldn't remember but thought that it must have been some time when I was in the 5th or 6th grade. I stopped going to church altogether by 7th grade. I'm a lapsed Catholic.

And then I began to think about the other lapses that have occurred over the years: lapses in judgement (I'm happy to say that these don't happen very often any more); lapses in memory (which are happening more and more - lol), time lapses (this happened just last week when I was ill and had to spend the day in bed), reality lapses (these usually occur when someone says something so stupid/inappropriate and I just sit there (at the dinner/meeting/party/event) and act like everything is normal) and most of all lapses in communication.

I am a lapsed sibling, aunt, friend . . . What a shame. Since this is the only lapse I really care about, I think it's time to close the gap on this. . .

one good turn deserves another, doesn't it

2011-05-09T00:15:00.000+01:00

Portugal is in trouble and needs the support of other EU countries to receive money from the IMF.

Finland is a holdout. . .

May 8 - Happy Mother's Day (USA)

2011-05-08T00:13:00.002+01:00

Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws. Barbara Kingsolver

one thing after another . . .

2011-05-07T11:03:00.011+01:00

http://artanddesign.siuc.edu/newsevents/images/Neitzke-front-showcard-Events.jpg

This week has just been one thing after another and I am sure glad it's over. I had been on a 2-week break from work and spent a great deal of that time doin' nothin' and just kinda hangin' out. It felt good to recharge my batteries and get ready for the last term at school which is always hectic.

By the end of Monday (my first day back at school) I had no voice - yet again. The last time this happened was about 6 weeks ago. I have a bit of "silent gerd" - yes, I know this is way more info than you need. I don't get massive heartburn or anything like that. It manifests itself by allowing just enough acid to burn my larynx and enter my nasal passages resulting in reoccurring nasal infections and laryngitis. Lucky me. BUT, in the grand scheme of things this ain't bad! So on Tuesday I called my ENT guy and got an appointment for Thursday after work (6:00pm). Cool.

Monday nite my shoulder started hurting. Only had paracetamol so started taking those in the late afternoon. It was helping but I woke up in the middle of the nite as the pill had worn off and needed to take another. Tuesday things got worse and Tuesday nite was a repeat of Monday nite except the pain was worse. This was still the trend on Wednesday so I went to the "urgent care" at a clinic near me (this is similar to but not exactly like an HMO or Private Clinic in the States). I went whimpering in as by now I was sleep-deprived (always a trauma) and in pain.Saw the ER doctor and was diagnosed with an inflamed calcium deposit on my shoulder. Ouch! Then I sort of begged to see an orthopedist. I had to wait a fairly long time for an orthopedist and it seems that he had already spoken with someone in depth before seeing me because he knew exactly what was wrong before looking at the x-ray. He was a bit condescending and at one point I apologized for interrupting his day. He immediately told me that he was there to help me and that I shouldn't apologize. Yeah, that's just what I wanted to remind him of. He is there to serve me, not the other way around. Anyway, he prescribed Zaldiar EFE. The young female pharmacist raised her eyebrows at the prescription and told me that it was very strong and to make sure that I took it on a full stomach. She looked worried as I left. I went home, made sure I ate and I took it as prescribed and was able to sleep through the night. Ahhhhhhh. It felt good.

Thursday I went to work - remember I spend my day with teenagers who depend upon me. I followed the instructions and took my meds like a good girl. By mid afternoon, I knew something wasn't right. I was so sleepy that I was afraid of falling asleep in class. My mouth was completely dry and I started to leave the room for frequent glasses of water to counter-act this. Then at 3:30 I had to excuse myself from my class of surprised kids who were trying to act like things were completely normal (because they are polite). I raced to the ladies room and bolted myself inside. This is every teacher's nightmare and I was living it. I stayed inside the bathroom until 5pm hoping to avoid as many students as possible. Too sick to drive, Luís came and picked me up. I wanted to go home and sleep but he insisted that I keep my 6pm ENT appointment. Before leaving the school one of the other teachers suggested that I take a plastic bag with me - and she was right. Thanks, Maggie! I made good use of it. I barfed waiting in the parking lot for the doctor, had to excuse myself from the appointment to rush to the ladies room to throw up and then again when I arrived home.

Went to the ENT appointment and for once he was on time. Usually I bring a book and chill out for an hour or so in the waiting room. He was surprised that this drug had been prescribed because about 1 in 10 experience side effects. Evidently that's a very high percentage rate. I was one of the lucky 1 in 10 and experienced a litany of side effects all at the same time. I remember the pharmacist saying to me that they prescribe this drug as a last resort. I explained to her that it was the first time that I saw this particular doctor. To make a long story short, the ENT said to discontinue Zaldiar (yeah, like I needed someone to tell me that), prescribed something to address and repair my stomach issues and told me not to take any meds for 48 hours. Good advice. Tomorrow I need to start taking an antibiotic for my nasal infection . . .

Anyway, the Orthopedist told me that he would give me something for the pain and he sure did. All the while I was puking and experiencing nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, stomach pain, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and anxiety all I could think of was my stomach and purging the Zaldiar - I wasn't focused one bit on the pain in my shoulder. Thank you Doctor, it was a miracle cure and you are surely worth the €91 per visit you charge. . .

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T00:50:00.001+01:00

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jK6cdG1gCpM/R-ZsRgTneII/AAAAAAAAAek/o-kLRKqTXlU/s400/untitled.bmp

I know the difference . . .

2011-04-23T13:57:00.010+01:00

http://www.takeavirtualhike.com/images/sip/mexwarst.jpg

When I was in my early 30's I lived in the Mexican War Streets. A national historic district located on Pittsburgh's North Side, it was one of the city's urban renewal areas. Each September there was a "house tour" to show off the work that had been done to restore this quarter to its former glory.

I remember one year a house that was on tour had a number of unusual freehand drawings on the walls of the dining room. This same dwelling also had a garden full of equally unusual statues. The owner of the house was on hand and very proud of her accomplishments which bordered on the crude and inappropriate. I thought that she was nuts but was assured that she was an artist. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, an artist. Well, I guess that explains everything . . .

I have since learned that there are very acceptable lables for very unacceptable behaviors and people.

Although I may not say it, please don't think that I don't know the difference. I do . . .

April 22 - Earth Day

2011-04-22T10:29:00.002+01:00

Think globally, act locally.
Let's do all we can to help Japan recover.
Happy Earth Day.

Happy Passover

2011-04-19T07:24:00.002+01:00

hahahahaha

Groupthink, Groupthink, and more Groupthink

2011-04-18T22:12:00.005+01:00

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_K6IxDwgzpKk/SS-uCGUHR9I/AAAAAAAABzM/uo621B7pZeU/groupthink%5B5%5D.jpg

I took a kazillion psyche classes over the years. The teachers that I had ran the gamut from the seemingly normal (I've since learned that ya just never know) to the mildly strange to the bizarre. Some of them were university instructors, some of them were practicing psychologists. Still, I learned a lot. One of the concepts I studied was "groupthink".

According to Wikipedia, "Groupthink is a type of thought within a deeply cohesive in-group whose members try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. It is a second potential negative consequence of group cohesion." Wow - that says a lot right there.

Groupthink is a phrase that was coined by Irvin Janis, a forefather in the study of group dynamics. Some prime examples of groupthink are: the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the Challenger disaster, World War II, the failure to anticipate the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the escalation of the Vietnam War. While at Miami I wrote a convincing paper for a history class that purported that The Spanish Armada set sail under the flag of groupthink. More recently it has been suggested that the current economic crisis and the invasion of both Afghanistan and Iraq were driven by groupthink. Although I agree that the war was started by a bunch of alpha-males in uniforms who have a lot of weapons that they were just dyin' to try out and led each other on until they put a lot of 18 and 19 year olds (both male and female because "We've come a long way baby!") on airplanes and shipped them half-way around the globe away from all that they know and all the while assuring them that they are saving the world, I think the economic crisis was influenced by another prime motivator - GREED.

To combat groupthink Oregon State University offers advice here: http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/theory/grpthink.html

I have a better idea. When someone asks you what you think, muster up the courage to speak your mind. I try to do this and while I can say that it is NOT usually well received (I have recently been told that I am negative and can find something wrong in every situation), I can sleep at night. . .

Articles and Blog Posts for further scrutiny.
How Group Think Rules What We Like: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/st_clive_thompson/
Egypt: The Groupthink Problem: http://thenakedtruthinaconfusedworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/egypt-groupthink-problem-analysis-by-dr.html
Does Social Media Produce Groupthink: http://inventorspot.com/articles/does_social_media_produce_groupthink_30660

Cartoons to smirk at: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/g/groupthink.asp

Oldest Man Dies

2011-04-16T11:59:00.000+01:00

Walter Breuning in seventh grade, second from left, top row with blue "x", October 1907

On Thursday, April 14 the oldest man in the world, Walter Breuning, died. He was 114 years old. WoW!

He was born in 1896 and lived a very long and full life. He was born into a world that had no electricity and no running water and died in a completely different world.

In an earlier interview, Mr. Breuning (see I called him Mr. Breuning, not Walt) offered the following advice:

• Embrace change, even when the change slaps you in the face. ("Every change is good.")
• Eat two meals a day ("That's all you need.")
• Work as long as you can ("That money's going to come in handy.")
• Help others ("The more you do for others, the better shape you're in.")

Then there's the hardest part. It's a lesson Breuning said he learned from his grandfather: Accept death. "We're going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you're born to die," he said.

Sound advice indeed.

To read the whole article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110415/ap_on_re_us/us_obit_world_s_oldest_man.

Gonna rise up . . .

2011-04-05T22:24:00.004+01:00

One of my Year 11 students introduced me to Eddie Vedder and Rise -

Such is the way of the world
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow

Gonna rise up
Burning back holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold

Such is the passage of time
Too fast to fold
And suddenly swallowed by signs
Low and behold

Gonna rise up
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole

Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

2011-04-02T22:04:00.001+01:00

Restaurante Srª Tasca,
Graça Peixoto

I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch at Restaurante Srª Tasca this afternoon. Luis' cousin and his wife introduced us to this very cute out of the way restaurante outside of Lisbon near Alenquer. We missed our exit and got lost on the backroads but as everything was in bloom, it didn't seem to matter.

The restaurant is housed in a quaint 1879 building (in Labrugeira) and is owned and operated by Graça Peixoto. It's pretty much a one-woman show. The restaurant is small and as soon as you enter you feel that you have stepped into another era - one in which hospitality and attention to detail still mattered. The menu was limited to 4 choices and delivered orally by Ms. Peixoto. She mentioned off-hand that the recipe for one of her entrees that day had been her grandmother's. Yes, it's that kind of place. The atmosphere was welcoming, the room and decor charming, the service was attentive, the food was delicious, and the company was convivial. It goes to show that you don't have to travel very far to get away from it all. Just what I needed.

Restaurante Srª Tasca, (closed Sunday for dinner and all day Monday)
R. Comendador António Máximo
Lopes de Carvalho, 25
Labrugeira
2580-405 Ventosa
Alenquer
Tel. 351 - 263 779 205

Earth Hour 2011

2011-03-26T15:51:00.003Z

Saturday, March 26, 2011 8:30pm

The perfect opportunity for the day to stop. The perfect opportunity to light a few candles. The perfect opportunity to pour a glass of red wine. The perfect opportunity to relax.

Thank you Earth Hour!

Remembering Liz

2011-03-23T19:45:00.000Z

Liz Taylor passed away today.

According to Yahoo News:

She was a child star who grew up and aged before an adoring, appalled and fascinated public. She arrived in Hollywood when the studio system tightly controlled an actor's life and image, had more marriages than any publicist could explain away and carried on until she no longer required explanation. She was the industry's great survivor, and among the first to reach that special category of celebrity — famous for being famous, for whom her work was inseparable from the gossip around it.

Elizabeth Taylor lived a full life and she will be greatly missed.

World Poetry Day - March 21

2011-03-21T08:34:00.006Z

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__0gwU4syRjQ/S6aJ7dUNAcI/AAAAAAAAGGE/4qOiRrZnxiM/s320/wpd.jpg

A Very Short Song
by Dorothy Parker

Once,when I was young and true,
Someone left me sad -
Broke my brittle heart in two;
And that is very bad.

Love is for unlucky folk,
Love is but a curse.
Once there was a heart I broke;
And that, I think, is worse.

Think Spring!

2011-03-20T10:30:00.001Z

Paredão - Tamariz Beach

It was such a beautiful 1st day of Spring that everyone came out to enjoy the sun!

With weather like this, we know that summer can't be too far off . . .

Beware the ides of March

2011-03-15T00:01:00.000Z

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KMYbdNu8FOw/Sl6UsQksqVI/AAAAAAAAASw/ChPqwrkz7KU/s400/Eve+and+Margo.jpg

The two women exchanged the kind of glance women use when no knife is handy. Ellery Queen

Azenhas do Mar

2011-03-11T19:11:00.004Z

Azenhas do Mar

Have been enjoying my half-term break this week. Yesterday we drove around Sintra (the mountain) and stopped at Azenhas do Mar. This little hilltop village perched above the Atlantic Ocean is reminiscent of those that you would find in the south of France, Italy and Greece. We stopped for lunch in another small town called São Pedro and ate at a recently opened (6 months or so) restaurant called São Pedro 18 (St. Peter's 18). It was way cute. All in all, a very good day:-)

International Women's Day - March 8

2011-03-08T10:51:00.003Z

Sure God created man before woman, but then again you always make a rough draft before creating the final materpiece. Author Unknown

The way I see it . . .

2011-03-07T21:35:00.003Z

Starbucks quote #287

You don't have to be the Former Secretary of State to understand why the world is not a better place . . .

Look what they've done . . .

2011-03-05T10:34:00.002Z

As I reflected on the week (yeah, it's been one of those weeks - lol), Melanie Safka came to mind. I haven't thought about her in ages. Through the miracle commonly known as the internet, I was able to connect with her and the past.

I found a relatively recent quote by her, "For the first time, I'm not afraid to voice exactly what I feel. I used to feel that I didn't want to say too much, but now I can say anything. I feel like a person who's never been heard. Maybe people think they've heard me, but they never really have. I'm a new artist who is having so much fun with my voice -- a person shouldn't be allowed to have so much fun. I'm the woman I wanted to be when I was sixteen and going for Edith Piaf. It's me -- I'm back."

Yes, Melanie. Me too!

Who's The Boss? part 1

2011-02-15T22:10:00.002Z

In January 2007 I was a 4th grade substitute teacher for 1 term. I had no training in elementary education and no children of my own. The only experience that I had with children that age was that I used to be one - a VERY long time ago. It was a hard job but I loved those kids. After school one day one of the moms complained to me about her daughter. The conversation went roughly like this:

Mom: Little Bonnie (obviously not the child's real name) is bossy.
Me: No, she's really nice.
Mom: No, she's bossy. She bosses everyone around including her older sister and me.
Me: making more protests about how nice little Bonnie is/was
Mom: Being bossy is not a good trait in a 9 year old girl. That's why none of the other kids like her. She's always telling everyone what to do.
Me: But it's a good trait in a 39 year old CEO. She will grow into it.
This seemed to de-stress the moment and relieve a little tension for the mom. Ahhhhhhh! I watched her relax.

But on second thought, is it? Is being bossy ever acceptable? Being bossy is not synonymous with being the boss. And bossy people don't make good bosses.

There's a chain of command in every household/institution/group. Humans naturally play a type of follow the leader. It's in everyone's best interest to have 1 chief while the rest of us get on with the daily grind of doing whatever it is we do. This is the way of the world. Natural leaders are those special people that have traits that bond the clan and build excellence within the group. Traits such as integrity, compassion, intelligence, fairness, and being generally inspiring go a long way in building group cohesion. This is the color of leadership. It's not some bossy, self-appointed know-it-all who barrels in and pushes everybody around and looks down her nose at us all while passing out orders and telling the world what to do and how to do it.

No, I guess bossy doesn't work at 39 any better than it does at 9. . .

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T00:01:00.000Z

Thanks for listening. Happy Valentine's Day. . .

this is what it's all coming to

2011-01-29T19:17:00.005Z

every life is an open "face"book. . .

A sigh is just a sigh... Or is it?

2011-01-24T21:05:00.014Z

We all know the line from the song made famous in the movie "Casablanca". Ilsa cajoles Sam as she smiles sweetly and says, " Play it, Sam, for old times' sake, play 'As Time Goes By'." And Sam croons "You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh. . ."

Ah, the sigh. According to Webster's Online Dictionary "sigh is an intransitive verb and offers this as a definition: to take a deep audible breath (as in weariness or relief)". We relish those sighs that are associated with love and longing, yearning and even pining; well, afterall, they are almost swoons.

But is a sigh just a sigh ? Or is it something else?

When doing a bit of research to find out why some people seem to be in sigh overdrive, I came across this information from the Discovery News in a piece entitled: Why we sigh (It's a human reset button).

Sighing is an essential part of an inherently chaotic system: breathing.
Researchers find that breathing before and after sighs fits the "re-setter hypothesis" for sighs.
Sighs help people on ventilators, but too much sighing can be trouble for anyone.

This didn't satisfy my curiosity one bit so I plowed forward through cyberspace and learned that this can be a symptom of panic disorder in some people. People also sigh when frustrated, bored, fatigued, and to relieve anxiety. But I'm more interested in people who sigh for emphasis.

Every now and again you run into one of these people who are loud sighers and they do it to prove their superiority. When you don't buy some off the wall explanation that they made up or got from someone and they didn't question the validity of the answer and you push them for an response, they sigh. When you are all working on the same project at the same time and all is quiet, they sigh. When you contribute something in a meeting that doesn't suit their own immediate it's only about me goals, they look up from their facebook page and sigh. These sighs are meant to emphasize that the sigher thinks that the person or persons they are dealing with are morons, buffoons and idiots. Sighers don't hold back thoughts that they are the smartest person in the room and that the rest of us are too stupid to have anything to contribute, hence, the facebook page used as a form of entertainment during a meeting. They sigh loudly to emphasize how exhausted they are from doing all that work and assume that the rest of us who are not sighing all over the place haven't done anything because if we were working hard we would be sighing too. They sigh to emphasize their frustration at having to deal with us; the rest of the world.

So keep an eye open for sighers who can, by the way, often be spotted with their arms crossed, shaking their head no and rolling their eyes.

1-1-11 New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T16:08:00.013Z

This morning, like most weekend mornings, after a doughnut and an expresso, which I refer to as breakfast, I walked on the "paredão" (an esplanade along the the ocean from Estoril to the Bay of Cascais). While the crowds don't come out until lunchtime (or later!) on New Year's day, I was by no means alone. You could easily tell the regulars from the newly resolved. The newbies were recognizable by their footwear and their faces. You see them on January 1 wearing their recently-purchased-stark-white-I'm-gonna-get-in-shape-this-year-if-it-kills-me shoes that gleam as they slap against the damp, sandy stones underfoot in a rhythm that isn't yet practiced, smooth. But it's the expressions that they wear that really set them apart. Determined, stressed, drenched with sweat they forge ahead one foot in front of the other in too tight, too new trainers until the 3 mile jog/walk/run comes to an end. Looking proud and satisfied they hobble away. Each subsequent jog/walk/run moves them that little bit closer to their ultimate goal.

I have come to the realize that most New Year's resolutions don't even make it through the first month, but I hope that your goals for 2011 all materialize.

Happy 2011

2010-12-31T16:55:00.000Z

This is a recipe for the Happiest New Year!

Merry Christmas to all . . .

2010-12-24T19:34:00.001Z

and to all a good night . . .

Mean Girls Mentality

2010-12-01T10:21:00.004Z

Boys run in packs, girls join cliques. The club is open - for a while - but slowly, slowly, slowly the door closes. Once the door is closed, it's almost impossible to enter. I know, I'm a girl.

And from there the "Mean Girls Mentality" commences. Mean girls are selfish and connive: to get their own way, to get what they want. Mean girls behavior is often referred to as "relational aggression". (click here to find out more). Common tactics include: gossip, rumor spreading, exclusion, ignoring, intimidation and alliance building. These are covert forms of aggression. Like, how can you explain to a teacher that Susie/Mary/Bonnie's "looking" at you is hurtful? How can you complain about someone saying "ew"? Motivation for this behavior can vary but includes: Fear, Power, Control, Popularity, Security. Unfortunately, this is often an adolescent reality. Time marches on and little girls usually grow up and leave behind unsuitable conduct.

BUT how do we survive when mean girls morph into mean women and invade the workplace and show-up as your line manager or the wannabe girl at the office who steps on everyone's ideas to get ahead? And I ask myself - ahead of what or whom? This mean girls mentality is especially harmful in an environment where support and encouragement should be the tools of the trade.

It only takes one mean girl (or the perception of one mean girl) to set things into motion and transform the workplace into a catfight zone with claws unsheated and everyone hissing. Once that occurs the force of the dysfunction drives it forward on a course all its own. There's no turning back then and all the members of the organization take a quantum leap back in time. They resort to teenage behavior. What a pity.

All I can say is that I hated being 14 when I was 14, I don't like it any better this time around.

I'm pulling out.

Meow . . .

gobble, gobble

2010-11-25T12:52:00.002Z

So much of life is what we make it. Make time today to think of all the "good" in your life: good people, good opportunities, good moments, good books and try to be a person that your parents would be proud of.

gobble, gobble

Against the wind. . .

2010-11-22T21:34:00.000Z

Against the wind
I'm still runnin' against the wind
I'm older now but still runnin' against the wind . . .

Resize your problems. . .

2010-11-14T17:34:00.000Z

After school on Friday I was talking to one of the other teachers. We were talking about some problems which have been cropping up at work. She explained that as she has a little boy, she needs to put away problems in the evening and focus on her family life. The expression that she used was - "resize problems". It's such a great way to think about it. Instead of spending all our extra available time caught up in circular thinking in which a problem spins out of control, we have the option of "resizing" it and making it smaller. Good idea!

Elena, thanks for another way of looking at things.

Boo!

2010-10-31T00:01:00.004+01:00

Bragança, Portugal region

Here in Europe Halloween isn't really a big deal but as the world becomes more of a global village cultures and festivals are crossing.

Yesterday my English B students were doing a bit of research on Halloween and we established that there were festivals held at the this time of the year by the Celts (from the 5th century BC) and they believed that "spirits of all those who had died the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess. The Celts thought that by dressing up in ghoulish costumes they could frighten the spirits away."

Portugal has Celtic origins and funnily enough way in the north in a region sparsely populated (Bragança) near the border with Spain there is a tradition of donning costumes and masks on October 31.

So beware the 31st of October wherever you are. . .

Happy birthday to me . . .

2010-10-24T17:10:00.004+01:00

Another birthday, not mine.
Although I am the child on the right in this photo, I was standing on the left. Funnily enough I'm still very much to the left these days - lol.

1951 was the year that:

Harry S. Truman was President,
Alben W. Barkley was Vice President,
Nuclear testing began at the Nevada test site,
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, limiting a President to 2 terms, was ratified,
Second Red Scare: Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. On April 5 they are sentenced to receive the death penalty,
Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I opens on Broadway and runs for 3 years,
The 23rd Academy Awards ceremony is held; All About Eve wins Best Picture,
Remington Rand delivers the first UNIVAC I computer to the United States Census Bureau,
In Joplin, Missouri, the George Washington Carver National Monument becomes the first United States National Monument to honor an African American,
Walt Disney's 13th animated film, Alice in Wonderland, premieres in London, United Kingdom,
The American soap opera Search for Tomorrow debuts on CBS. After over 30 years, the show switches to NBC on March 26, 1982. Search for Tomorrow airs its final episode on December 26, 1986,
Treaty of San Francisco: In San Francisco, California, 48 nations sign a peace treaty with Japan to formally end the Pacific War,
Tennessee Williams's adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire premieres, becoming a critical and box-office smash,
MGM's Technicolor musical film, An American in Paris, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, premieres in New York. It was directed by Vincente Minnelli. It would go on to win 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture,
I Love Lucy made its television debut on CBS,
Judy Garland begins her legendary concerts in New York's Palace Theatre,
CBS' Eye logo premieres on TV,
U.S. President Harry Truman declares an official end to war with Germany,
The first military exercises for nuclear war, with infantry troops included, are held in the Nevada desert,
Direct dial coast-to-coast telephone service begins in the United States,
John Huston's drama film, The African Queen, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, premieres in Hollywood,
The Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than $13.3 billion USD in foreign aid to rebuild Europe.

After WW2 there was a sharp rise in the US population. There were 3,820,000 babies born in 1951. I belong to a group called Baby Boomer cohort #1 (born from circa 1946 to 1955), who epitomized the cultural change of the sixties.

Memorable events: the Cuban Missile Crisis, assassinations of JFK, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr., political unrest, walk on the moon, risk of the draft into the Vietnam War, anti-war protests, social experimentation, sexual freedom, drug experimentation, civil rights movement, environmental movement, women's movement, protests and riots,Woodstock, mainstream rock from the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix

Key characteristics: experimental, individualism, free spirited, social cause oriented - yeah, this sums it up nicely!

Someone called me Arrogant today . . .

2010-10-23T13:10:00.005+01:00

Arrogant? Me? I don't get it so I looked it up online and came up with the following definition thanks to: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/arrogant.

Arrogant: adjective
1. Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance.
2. Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others: an arrogant contempt for the weak.

Am I/Was I arrogant when I:

finally listened to others and started night school to further my education and earn a degree? No, I would call that : Industrious.
applied to study abroad for a semester when I was 39? No, I would call that: Curious and Risk-taking.
decided that in order to live and work in Portugal that I needed to earn a graduate degree in Education (which wouldn't have been my first choice if I were living in the States but my best option for living abroad and was financed thru loans and financial aid that I am still paying by the way - lol) and get my teaching certificate? No, I would call that: Realistic and Committed.
offer someone my time, ideas, effort, support? No, I would call that: Available, Thoughtful, Generous, Interested.
developed an interest in Educational Technologies as a way to develop my skill set and improve my chances for opportunities here in Portugal? No, I would call that: Practical and Mature.
continued to upgrade my skills by taking a Publisher course and was consequently offered a small gig editing a local newsletter for 2 years? No, I would call that: Persistent and Tenacious.
approached the international schools in my area with an idea for an afterschool activity for grammar school kids that would combine learning English with learning basic computer skills (This by the way led to a full time teaching position at one of the schools)? No, I would call that: Imaginative and Resourceful.
argue my point based on evidence and research and not "just makin' it all up as I go along"? No, I would call that: Prepared.
reveal a lot of my life with this "tell-some" blog for all of cyberspace to critically read and comment on? No, I would call that: Brave.

One of the things that I have learned (really learned) in my life is that I need to support what I am saying. This is true in the scholastic world, the business world and in our personal lives. I try to pass this message on to my students. You can say whatever you want or hold any opinion that you have but you MUST to be able to support your message/opinion/thesis based on research and evidence with facts, examples, statistics, and/or quotes.

So, based on the above definition and supporting information, I conclude that I am NOT arrogant. Now, if someone called me opinionated or suggests that I am stubborn - Well, that's another post entirely . . .

Sound advice . . .

2010-10-18T20:17:00.000+01:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28016498@N00/3931122112

The New Math . . . lesson 1

2010-10-17T13:43:00.006+01:00

Low income + High tax = Undernourishment/Poverty/Despair

Here in Portugal we have 3 catagories of sales tax (called IVA) and we will see changes in the categories and a tax increase beginning January 1, 2011.

The catagories:
1.Essential items (food) and medicines fall into the group with the lowest tax rate. It was 5% and was recently increased to 6%.
2. The second group includes other basics like cleaning products, personal products like shampoo/toothpaste and wine. The tax on these items was recently increased from 12% to 13%.
3. The third catagory includes everything else from clothing to furniture to household appliances. These items were taxed at 21% and will increase to 23% in January.

Can you imagine? 23% sales tax on just about everything else including shoes, coats and school clothing for kids. The young and the old are going to take a beating on some of the changes. Items like chocolate milk and fruit will move from the Essential food items list (6%) to 13%. For many young families with low incomes this will hurt and limit their purchases for home consumption while the tax on wine remains stable (good idea, limit healthy food options and a treat for kids and encourage everyone to get soused). The "new" poor in the 21st Century are the young and the elderly (society's Hope and Wisdom).

Here's the equation:

Low income + High tax = Undernourishment/Poverty/Despair

Buffoons, morons and idiots - oh my!

2010-10-16T20:40:00.005+01:00

Last night I half-watched part of an episode of a relatively new and extremely lame sit-com called Parks and Recreation and got really chipped off. The story line of this mockumentary involved a Valentine's Day Dance for senior citizens and reuniting Leslie's mother with a long lost love. Actually, the episode involved deriding senior citizens - period. (Check out this clip which NBC lauds as a "HIGHLIGHT" : http://www.nbc.com/parks-and-recreation/video/ladies-love-mouse-rat/1200953/)

Like what the hell is that all about? Don't we have anything better to do with our free time than ridiculing and marginalizing portions of our population? How can we teach kids NOT to ridicule other students when they watch this happening over and over again and disguised as "entertainment" and assume that if all the grown-ups are doing it, then it must be acceptable. It's no wonder there is a lack of tolerance and empathy for others when our "role models" scorn the elderly (and the not-so elderly as well - since when is 63 old? Seems to me that we are still working and supplementing our kid's-who by the way are pushing 40- incomes at that age . . .) all the while waiting to inherit.

Parks and Recreation is not clever, smart or funny. What are they thinking?

Since adding "senior citizen" to the list that defines who I am is not that far in the future, I feel that I have earned the right to complain. . .

The morning after . . .

2010-10-10T19:49:00.003+01:00

I usually walk on weekend mornings. There is a 5 kilometer (approx 3 mile) esplanade near my home that offers a pleasant place to promenade along the shore.

Due to the heavy rains Saturday, this morning's stroll was a shocker. A torrential downpour and high waves took their toll and left a path of destruction that I was surprised to see. Clean-up crews were on hand at 9am to begin removing rubble and debris.

Too bad there's not a pill for this . . .

Happy birthday John

2010-10-09T21:23:00.001+01:00

This song deserves a replay.

My favorite stanza is:
Saving up your money for a rainy day,
Giving all your clothes to charity.
Last night the wife said,
"Oh boy, when you're dead
You don't take nothing with you
But your soul - think!"

Good advice. . .

money, money, money

2010-09-30T20:16:00.000+01:00

The Portuguese Prime Minister announced yesterday that in order to balance the budget for next year the State would be taking austerity measures a few of which include: freezing pensions, reducing salaries of state workers (between 3.5% and 10% based on monthly income), and increasing the IVA (sales tax) to 23%. Looks like we are all headed for the poor house . . .

New life goal

2010-09-28T19:53:00.000+01:00

Skinny jeans . . .