December 11 2015

Five Minute Friday

Disclaimer: This is FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY. We have ONLY FIVE minutes to write. No more and no less. The prompt is a random word. Today’s word is FORGIVE.

 

Forgive. Oh it’s not easy to forgive when I get really mad. I heard someone once say that forgiving someone else is to help you more than helping them. I didn’t understand that. I do now. I had a friend who told me a pretty big lie. It was a lie that really hurt me and  it was about me. It took me years to forgive my friend. For a long time, it felt good just to be mad at my friend. I was right and my friend was wrong. Being angry at someone else just takes energy. When I forgave my friend, we talked and I felt better,  before it felt like an elephant had been standing  on me and after, it was relief. Freedom.

Forgiving takes time. It’s hard and painful, but I believe it’s worth  it. I’d want someone to forgive me. I know I make mistakes and hurt people. I don’t mean to and if I did, I hope that my friend would forgive me too. What do you think about forgiveness? Are you a forgiving  person or do you hold a grudge? Think about it!

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March 23 2015

Five Minute Friday: Talk #21

slice-of-life_classroom-image-black

 

Talk. Oh boy! I talk a lot! Hmmm, I wonder if that’s why I don’t hear things all the time? Could it be because I’m talking too much?!?! Someone once told me that I have two ears and one mouth for a reason…I didn’t like that, but I understand. Listening is important, but it’s hard when I have so much to say. There’s a lot to say. Maybe that’s why I like to write. IO can “talk” in my writing. I love to read writing that sounds like talking. 

Listening to others talk is a good way to get ideas as a writer. Now, I’m not saying listen in on private conversations! Have you ever overheard something that sounds really interesting and you wonder what the rest of the conversation was about?!?! Sometimes, I like to jot those in my notebook and use them ion my writing. The best thing about writing is that I can make the rest of the conversation say anything I want it to say. 

Uh-oh. Now I’m talking about writing…or writing about writing. I’m confused. I’ll sum up…talking is good. Writing is good. Listening is important too!

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March 23 2015

Five Minute Friday: SMILE #19

5 minute FridayThere is a student in one of my classes who always smiles. I love that! She laughs a lot too. Don’t you notice that some people have that happy & joyous energy?!?! 

When I’m around people who smile, I smile more. You know how yawning is contagious?!?! I think smiling is contagious too. Try it. SMILE. SMILE big. Keep smiling…and watch what happens. Do others around you start smiling? I’ve tried this. Sometimes when I am smiling for no reason, the first reaction of strangers is to look at me with a puzzled expression. That’s quickly followed with a smile…usually. Look someone in the eye! SMILE. See what happens. I bet you will help someone else smile. YOU are making the world a better place. Thank you to Isabella for always smiling! You always, always, always make my day happier! 

These are my favorite people to be around…the smiling ones! It doesn’t mean that they have perfect lives…but they search for the joy, for the laughter and for the SMILE in everyday!

(P.S. Isabella PICKED this word!!!!)

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February 27 2015

Five Minute Friday: INDEPENDENT

INDEPENDENT.
I am very INDEPENDENT. 
I can take care of myself.
My dad always wanted me
and my sister to be
INDEPENDENT.

I can change a tire.
Cook dinner.
I can go to the movies
alone 
and have 
fun!

I have bought a house
and a car by myself.
I moved to another state,
on my own.
I’ve even gone on vacation
without anyone else.

INDEPENDENT
to me means that 
when problems arise
I can solve them
on my own.

Being INDEPENDENT
can sometimes be lonely.
It doesn’t mean that I 
MUST do everything
alone.

Friends
Family
Colleagues
Students
help me all the time…

even though
I’m so INDEPENDENT.

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February 27 2015

Five Minute Friday: SURRENDER

SURRENDER. Hmmm, that’s a word that doesn’t pop up in every day conversation. There was a song when I was in middle school by Corey Hart (I think) called “No Surrender” or maybe it was by Richard Marx. I’ll have to look that up later.* I feel like there are lots of songs with the word surrender in them. 

SURRENDER. When I hear that word I think of giving up. I don’t like to give up. This is an unfavorite word of mine. SURRENDER means weak…well, not weak, but the opposite of strong. Not SURRENDERing means that you will survive to live another day. I won’t SURRENDER until I finish writing all of my blog posts. I won’t SURRENDER until my room is clean. I won’t SURRENDER until all of the laundry is finished and put away. 

I think the original intent of the word probably had to do more with war and fighting than it did everyday life. When I feel like giving up, saying,  “I won’t SURRENDER!!” makes me feel like a warrior! Strong. Resilient. Brave. 

When things get hard in life, remember those words, “I won’t SURRENDER!!” I think they will help you like they help me. 

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February 27 2015

Five Minute Friday: CHEESE

CHEESE!
Gooey stretchy stringy
goodness
smothering my pizza

Sprinkled over green
leaves of lettuce
to add a tangy flavoring

Smushed inside two 
pieces of bread
melting all over my fingers

Hugging 
elbow macaroni
to create a tangy
treat 

CHEESE!
Comfort food
Macaroni & cheese
Grilled cheese
Caesar salad
Pizza with extra CHEESE

Mozzerella
Cheddar
Parmesan
American
CHEESE!

Brings me back
to my childhood
Mmmmmmm…

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February 23 2015

Five Minute Friday (on Monday) WRITE

WRITE. I love to write, but writing is hard! It takes a lot of concentration and thought. I often write from the heart. I write about what I’m feeling, living, learning. I’m struggling right now because I do NOT want to write on my other blog. I am avoiding it. I haven’t posted in a long time. I’m worried because in a few days the month long writing challenge, Slice of Life is beginning. I don’t want to do it. (Shhh! Don’t tell my students!!) I want to say skip it. Writing exposes so much of me and what I’m feeling. How can I write and avoid that? I don’t think I can…but write I must. I am writing a lot in my notebook. I’m writing a lot for my book. I’m writing a lot to people I love (cards and letters). It’s that blog writing that isn’t coming right now. I must write. Write through it. I’m learning new things about what it means to be a writer. It’s hard…but I believe I was born to write…so I. Will. Write. 

 

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February 23 2015

Five Minute Friday (on Monday)

PLAY. I believe PLAY is an important part of life! When we are children, we love to PLAY. We go on PLAY dates and PLAY with our friends. As we get older (and really old, like me) I wonder, do we still PLAY? How does PLAY look different for you now? As a young child, PLAY meant make believe and running around and climbing trees and laughing a lot! PLAY doesn’t look like that anymore. I don’t climb trees anymore. (Why not?!?!) I don’t make believe. I don’t run around.

I laugh. I talk. I spend my PLAY time with people that I love. We take walks, go to the gym, go see movies, eat dinner out, shop, make crafts, talk about books and share our writing. To me, that’s my PLAY time. When I look back at that list, I guess I do make believe, when I read fiction and write! I do still run around, when I walk and go to the gym. I don’t climb trees.

PLAY time feeds my soul! It gives me energy for another day. 

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February 13 2015

Five Minute Friday: LOVE

LOVE. The word LOVE makes me smile! Today I’m thinking of my nephew. It’s his first Valentine’s Day in school. He was so excited to brings cards and treats to school to share with his friends. That made me think of my friends. Do I tell my friends that I LOVE them? Do I show them? Being a good friend is something that’s important to me! Tomorrow on Valentine’s Day, I’ll spend time showing my friends how important they are to me. Ways I can show my friends that I love them, tomorrow and any day…

1. Listen to them
2. Tell them my secrets
3. Help them when they need help
4. Compliment them
5. Do something to make them laugh
6. Take pictures of us together
7. Plan something fun that we can do together
8. Surprise them!
9. Smile
10. Ask them for help when I need help

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February 13 2015

Five Minute Friday: LOVE

LOVE. The word LOVE makes me think about Valentine’s Day which happens to be tomorrow! When I was a little girl, my Dad always called me his Valentine. He would bring home a special box of chocolates for my mom. He would also bring a gift for me and for my sister. I remember on one Valentine’s Day, Kate and I got to leave school early and he took us to the movies. We went to see Lady & the Tramp. That was such a special treat because we never got to leave school. 

I love how my Dad always showed me and my sister how much he loved us. As we grew up, he coached our teams…soccer and basketball. He and Mom always attended our concerts or games too. Being there meant a lot and those memories are so special to me now. Dad used to smoke cigarettes when I was little and when he quite,. he would go on long walks to help him. I loved to go on those walks with my Dad! We’d talk about all sorts of things! He was a great person to talk to about problems. He was so smart! He would get so excited about my successes too! That’s what I miss most about him…our talks and the time we spent together. Dad’s favorite thing in the world was ice cream. I think I’ll have an ice cream tomorrow in honor of my Dad!!! 

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