Wednesday, September 28, 2011

OH, YEAH

Woo Hoo!!! My editorial was printed TODAY - Wednesday - September 28 - 2011 in my local newspaper. How cool is that!

Check it out www.naplesnews.com/news/opinion/editorial

The research is there. Young children MUST have play breaks and recess. The research that says they should be in the classroom, chained to desks, on task, studying individual subjects all day IS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND.

Geez, everyone wants to know what's wrong with education - POLITICIANS AND ADMINISTRATORS who are not in the classroom...and have limited knowledge of child development and what works best for children of all ages.

Whew -- I said it. Will it make a difference in the lives of our children. Probably not. Politicians are already posturing...getting ready for next year's election. And, by God, they will be tough on education...no matter what the research says.

Now, perhaps, I can get back to some fun writing. Not sure what direction I will go at the moment, but my muse wouldn't let me go until I wrote that editorial.

A walk on the beach...a bit of meditation...and I will be back to picture books (noooooo), maybe my latest YA. We will see what she has in store now.
Stay tuned.

Friday, September 23, 2011

FIGHTING FOR A CAUSE

I wrote it.

The article on play.

I'm waiting for one more person to read it. So far, four of my colleagues gave me the nod. "Send it," they say.

And I will.

Will it be published. Time will tell.

Even if it isn't, I will still send it to my local school board, superintendent, Governor, Education Commissioner, Legislators (state and federal) ...

I know what will happen - it never fails. Form letters telling me of their concern for education, yadda, yadda, yadda...but no action.

We have seen over and over again that common sense escapes anyone that is remotely political. Too bad their posturing is so detrimental to our youngest school children.

Stand by and I will let you know what happens.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

ANOTHER EDITORIAL -- ARE YOU SURE???

I want to write another editorial for my local newspaper. I've done most of the research, but wonder if it's worth the time. I have been trying to convince my local school board (for years) of the necessity of having a well-rounded early childhood program, but they scoff at me.

When does one start sounding like a broken record, a fanatic, one sided? When does one stop fighting for what they believe?

My instincts tell me NEVER! But, all my words fall on deaf ears. I have the experience, the background, the education -- even the backing of the teachers, but still no go.

Maybe I will write it today. Maybe I'll procrastinate. Maybe one day someone will listen.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

IDEAS AND UNUSUAL PLACES

I don't know about you, but when ideas hit me, I have to grab the nearest pencil and search for a piece of paper and write them down. If not, they fly out of my head and I am left with a frown trying to retrieve that great idea.

Ideas come in the most unusual places for me.

That's why I keep a pad of paper and pen in my car. I don't text and drive -- nor do I write and drive. I wait for traffic lights and pray the thought stays. But, then with all the stop lights in my community, there's a pretty good chance that I will be able to remember my musings. I jot them down quickly keeping a close eye on the cars around me. Honk, honk. Oops, I better get going.

I keep a journal and pen by my bedside. Oh my, I get so many thoughts in the middle of the night. My muse must be a night person -- I'm not. I reach out, grab the pen and scribble...hoping that I can read it in the morning.

The most unusual place I received inspiration was in church. Not the spiritual kind of revelation, but about a mouse and a cat and a fair. What to do, what to do? I spotted a pen in the pew in front of me and a discarded bulletin. Ah, ha!!! I picked up the pen and began to write. Can you imagine what the people around me must have thought. Oh well, a writers got to do what a writers got to do. 

Of course, my best source of inspiration is my morning walk and meditation. Thank goodness my I-Pod has a recorder. I can record my thoughts and exercise at the same time. How cool is that!

Sun's up and I'm on my way out the door to the beach!!! Here's hoping that I can figure out what happens to the mouse and the cat at the fair. 

Friday, September 2, 2011

CLICK, CLICK, CLICK

Click, click, click...

That is the sound of my new profession -- model!!! How cool is that.

I spent yesterday morning in a photo shoot.

Click, click, click...

With a real photographer.

Click, click, click...

I am the face of a new product.

Move over Christie Brinkley.

Sounds good, doesn't it.

Well, it was a humbling experience since they needed an "older" woman to model those devices that one uses when they live alone. You know the kind -- I've fallen and I can get up necklaces.

Click, click, click...

So there I was wearing the various devices and trying to smile like I "loved" them.

Actually it was kinda fun. Out of --- click --- 100 photos --- click --- I hope --- click they found a couple that would actually work.