A Little Spark of Madness

Sometimes I Think the Kids Get It More Than We Do

2011-03-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

The other day in class we read "The Sneetches," a poem by Dr. Seuss. It deals with how we treat people who are different than we are. The class was given a short essay to write describing what they felt was the theme of this poem. One of my students wrote:

The Sneetches
What does the poem, The Sneetches, mean? I think that it means that it doesn't matter what race, religion, country, and even gender you are. All that matters is that we are all humans and should not go against each other. Sure we may disagree at certain times, but it doesn't mean that you have to beat up or even kill that person just because of what they think. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You also shouldn't think that your race or skin color is the best because that will corrupt you and make you look down at other people and think of them as less than human like what Adolf Hitler did to the Jews. He hated them so much that he would not even waste bullets on them and used gas on them instead to kill them. We should not fight against each other and should cherish each other. War is a foolish mistake that we as humans make. Again, I think that the theme of The Sneetches is that it doesn't matter what race, skin, religion, country, or gender you are and that we are all humans no matter what.

When they get it, like this student obviously did, it makes me feel like no matter how hard teaching is, THIS is why we teach. These kids are our future, and if the future is left in the hands of students like mine, I look forward to it.

Each Day is a Gift

2011-03-09T16:27:00.000-08:00

A friend emailed this to me, and it was so valuable to me that I decided it to present it to my class. I was amazed at the impact it also had on them. They realized that if we can find things to complain about every day, we can spend that time finding things to rejoice in as well. We did an exercise where we each presented the good things about life. They amazed me with their answers. These kids rule my world!

Here is the email:

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture isarranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with theparts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
I am still depositing.
'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Some Kind of Wonderful

2011-01-23T22:18:00.000-08:00

How many people are blessed to be able to call their work their life's calling as well? I love teaching. I love seeing kids learn, grow, and become wonderful young people and productive adults. I was on Facebook (big surprise) this morning and just marveled at the fantastic young people who used to be students of mine. They are working, raising families, and doing great things. It makes me so proud, so priviledged to be able to wake up each morning and teach. God, thank you so much for guiding me in the direction of teaching when I was young.

Remembering Mom as Mother's Day Draws Near

2010-05-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

It doesn't get any easier. The Mother's Days, seeing the commercials, seeing flowers and forgetting, just for a moment, that she isn't there to send them to. The yearning for just one more touch, just one more conversation, just one more kiss, or hug. For those of you who still have your mothers; cherish her, hold her, and put aside the petty differences you may have, because she won't be there forever, and regrets aren't something that are easy to deal with.

For you mom, once again, what I said at your service still speaks from my heart. I love you very, very much.

William Penn once wrote:
"They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it.
Death cannot kill what never dies.
Nor can spirits ever be divided that love and live in the same divine principle:
the root and record of their friendship.
If absence be not death, neither is theirs.
Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the sea;
...they live for one another still.
This is the comfort of friends: that though they may be said to die,
yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense immortal,
because they are everpresent."

Mom was such an effervescent personality, one that drew you in with her smile, befriended you with loyalty, someone you always knew would be there for you. Mom didn’t have a very cohesive childhood; she longed for a family that would embrace each other, and, when she became a parent, created that very family, one that loved deeply, and cared about each other more than anything else.

I grew up in this wonderful family, and have so many wonderful memories of my childhood, growing up with two fantastic parents. I was, to put it mildly, the difficult child, the one that took every ounce of patience my mom could muster to raise. I remember one day that was particularly hard for my mother. I was around eight or nine years of age, and, having discovered the joys of the eyeroll and the use of the word “whatever,” used it to full effect on that day. After my brother and sister went to bed, I went into my parents’ room where my mom was reading. I looked down at the book she was reading, Dobson’s book ‘The Strong-Willed Child.” I looked at the book, looked at her, and said, “You are reading that because of me, huh mom.” She smiled, put the book aside, drew me into her bed, and told me, “Leigh Ann, no matter what, I will always love you, more than you can possibly know.” That night we talked and talked, and, while it didn’t deter my behavior much, it did make me realize that no matter what I did, I had a place to turn to, two parents who would always be there for me. I’ll never forget that night.

These past two weeks I’ve been thinking, How do we let a mother go?
How do we say “I’m ready now
to go on without you”?
How can we ever have a clue of what that really means?

And all of a sudden
The moment is upon us, and there’s no turning back.

And then we know what grief is,….
and guilt and love and things undone.

Try to prepare and we will fail in some way, be it subtle or looming….

But there is peace too.
Peace and acceptance and overwhelming love.
Waves and waves of conflicting emotion,
And laughter too,
and memories we hadn’t recalled lately
come flooding back in shared company..

and it’s all about you mom…

And there’s gratitude.. so much of that, that we had you, such a wonderful mother…
Bright and shining, nobody’s fool,
Independent, but humble too;
Smart, and kind, and fun.

And so very loving..

A part of you has passed away, but much is carried everyday within us, and will as long as we are here.

This may be a final tribute,
A day to celebrate your life and say goodbye,
But it’s not final.
Everyday I’ll celebrate in some way, just by the virtue of how you shaped my life,
The absolute and incredible fortune that I knew you.
As a mother, a woman, and a friend.

Amazing Grace

2009-11-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

My recent bout with the H1N1 virus was a doozy. I have never been so sick, so virally sick, in my life. I felt like I had no control, and I was fortunate enough to have the best sister in the world come over and actually take care of me for a week. For a person as fiercely independent as me, allowing Andrea to basically make all decisions and just take care of me, you know how sick I had to have been.

Today is the first day that I really feel like myself again. No more dizziness, high fever, hacking cough (ok, just a little hacking cough)body aches and chills, this was the worst flu I've ever had. It consumes a person.

A couple of days ago, when Andi had to rush me to the ER because I was so dizzy and out of it I couldn't really even think, I asked God to please, just please guide me through this. I couldn't really even answer the basic questions the doctor was asking me, and I could see by the worried look on my sister's face that she was scared as well. There is something about giving a situation so totally to God that is liberating, in a way. I had to trust in him, because I, the person who always has to be in control, wasn't able to function. It was scary, but God is good, he is so very good, and I am so glad he is the guiding force in my life.

It's About Time...

2009-09-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

Haven't updated in a while. I've been so busy with the start of school. I have a wonderful new class, probably one of the best I've ever had. They are so excited about learning, so accepting of the new responsibilities they have as sixth graders, such lovers of life. This is my 26th year of teaching, and I am so blessed to be able to say that I love it as much as I did when I first started. And I'm better, too!

I was thinking the other day, as I lay in bed with the flu, about just how fortunate I am to have found my purpose in life. So many people wander aimlessly along life's road, never truly knowing what they are doing, what their purpose is. God has blessed me with this understanding, and, as I get older and hopefully wiser, I realize just how wonderful I feel doing what I love.

Rumi once said, "Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." Yep. That's it in a nutshell.

Thank you, God, for all you've given me, and thank you for all you are.

I Didn't Know My Own Strength

2009-09-06T19:00:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, the past few years have been so very difficult for me. Losing a best friend, losing the love of my life, then losing my mom, coupled with finding out and dealing with lupus; I'm ashamed to say that I lost hope, that I gave up. I gained all that weight and was so disconnected from who I used to be, from all that I wanted to be. And I just didn't care.

I don't know what turned it around. Perhaps, in my darkest time, reaching out to my creator, he intervened, and gave me the strength to fight back. Or, perhaps, he helped me find that strength within myself. I feel stronger than ever now, have lost thirty pounds (yes, I have a long way to go), and have reconnected with the things that matter most to me: family, helping others, teaching, and most importantly, God.

I'm glad I finally, as my friend would have said, "Pulled my head out." It was getting dark in there, and it wasn't very comfortable. For those of you who are and have always been there for me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and look forward to sharing the rest of my life with you.

This song, by Whitney Houston, really tells it, doesn't it?

Whitney Houston - I Didn't Know My Own Strength

Lost touch with my soul
I had no where to turn
I had no where to go
Lost sight of my dream,
Thought it would be the end of me
I thought I’d never make it through
I had no hope to hold on to,
I thought I would break

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength

Found hope in my heart,
I found the light to life
My way out the dark
Found all that I need
Here inside of me
I thought I’d never find my way
I thought I’d never lift that weight
I thought I would break

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength

There were so many times I
Wondered how I’d get through the night I
Thought took all I could take

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength

2009-09-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Southern California Fire Volunteer Information

2009-08-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

For those of you that want to volunteer to help the fire fighters or volunteer at a temporary shelter, here is a number to call and places to volunteer:

Call to donate:
American Red Cross - Greater Los Angeles Area: 866-548-8226

In addition, before you drop off anything at a fire station, call 323-881-2411 to see what is needed.

Fire Stations that are accepting food and water donations:

FIRE STATION #11	2521 N EL MOLINO AVE ALTADENA, 91001
FIRE STATION #12	2760 N LINCOLN AVE ALTADENA, 91001
FIRE STATION #19	1729 W FOOTHILL BLVD LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, 91011
FIRE STATION #63	4526 N RAMSDELL AVE LA CRESCENTA, 91214
FIRE STATION #66	2764 E EATON CYN DR PASADENA, 91107
FIRE STATION #74	12587 N DEXTER PARK RD SAN FERNANDO, 91342
FIRE STATION #82 - HDQTRS	352 N FOOTHILL BLVD LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, 91011

Shelters:

Red Cross Evacuation Shelter
Verdugo Hills High School
10625 Plainview Ave
Tujunga, CA 91042

Marie Kerr Park
2723 Rancho Vista Blvd
Palmdale, CA 93551
(661) 267-5551

Golden Valley High School
27051 Robert C Lee Parkway
Santa Clarita CA 91350

La Cañada High School.
4463 Oak Grove Dr,
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011-3797

Thanks for any help you can give.

Weight Loss

2009-08-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

I've hit the quarter century mark in my weight loss quest. Yep, 25 pounds. Gotta keep it going.

Just an Update

2009-08-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to find interesting things to blog about, especially when your car is in the shop and you have the flu. So I'll update you on all the boring, regular things in my life. Yeah, one month before I make my last car payment, the damn thing breaks down. The good news? It'll only cost a couple hundred bucks to fix. It will be ready tomorrow, so I'll have my wheels back. It's actually been kind of refreshing to just hang out at home.

On top of that, I got the flu this week, but it really wasn't as bad as usual. My lupus is definitely getting better. I am so excited about this new treatment plan and health food regimen. I've lost 20 pounds and have more energy than I've had in a long time. I just got back from walking a mile and a half, and feel great. Flu only lasted two days. Hell, it usually goes on and on. I just keep praying that I can continue to feel this great. God willing, it's gonna be a great school year and a brand new me. Thank you, God, for putting this treatment in my path and helping me stick with it.

Talk to you all later, and God bless.

Meet Clyde!

2009-07-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

Is it really possible to fall in love over the internet? I wasn't sure, until I "met" Clyde. Clyde is a beautiful hound dog from Texas that is looking for a home. I've kind of made it my mission to get Clyde a loving family, and you all know that once I take the challenge, I will pester until it gets done. So, for all of you who received the emails, messages, texts, phone calls, and other annoying devices of communication, please, will you consider taking beautiful Clyde into your life? He really needs to go to a home with another dog, as he is so loving and sweet that being home alone upsets him.

So, without further adieu, meet CLYDE!

Clyde's Foster Home is:

Gods Little Creatures
Bryan, TX
979-778-6976

Email is glc@spottedowl.biz

Health Update

2009-07-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

Today was such a fantastic day health-wise. In fact, this past week has been fabulous. I have not had a lupus flare for almost a month, and the one I did have was minor. I have been eating very healthy foods and exercising. I have dropped 18 pounds. My energy level is increasing, and I haven't felt this good in several years. I know that, God willing, I will continue to do well. I am encouraged, enthused, and excited (how 'bout those e words?) about life and my future. Thank you for sharing it with me.

Remembering My Mom

2009-07-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about my Mom a lot lately. How much I miss her, of course, but more than that. I don't think I ever really appreciated the woman my Mom was until she was gone, and I have a lot of guilt, a lot of grief because of that. You see, the things that I disliked most about my Mom are the things that I dislike about myself and don't want to acknowledge. She wasn't perfect, nobody is, but she was an amazing woman who overcame so much in her life, a woman who loved deeply, cared about people, a woman whose love of her family defined her, by choice.

I used to think I was a lot like my father, and I am, in many ways, but I really am so much more like my mother. The qualities I have that help me be a successful teacher are qualities I inherited from her. Mom never got the chance to get an education, but she would have been one hell of a teacher. I mean, just the look I can give in class that can silence forty kids in an instance, I most definitely got from my Mom. Trust me on that.

I miss my Mom so much, but I am so very happy for her. She is with God now, of that I have no doubt, and she's pain free, happy, and probably really productive. I know that someday, if I'm a good enough person, I'll see her again, and I look forward to that day. But for now I'm content to continue to be an extension of this wonderful woman who loved and gave and contributed. I only hope I can live up to her legacy.

If you want to learn more about this wonderful lady, please visit Mom's memorial site. The poetry, bible verses, and memories will give you a good look at an extraordinary woman.

Emily Jean Brockway

My Favorite Baseball Quotes

2009-07-20T00:16:00.001-07:00

Well, it is midway through the baseball season, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite baseball quotes:

It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. ~A. Bartlett Giamatti, "The Green Fields of the Mind," Yale Alumni Magazine, November 1977

Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half if physical.~ Yogi Berra

Baseball is like church. Many attend few understand.~ Leo Durocher

You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer. ~Ted Williams

Baseball is a lot like life. The line drives are caught, the squibbles go for base hits. It?s an unfair game.~ Rod Kanehl

No game in the world is as tidy and dramatically neat as baseball, with cause and effect, crime and punishment, motive and result, so cleanly defined. ~Paul Gallico

Baseball is a game of inches.~ Branch Rickey

No one wants to hear about the labor pains, they just want to see the baby.--Lou Brock

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~Earl Wilson

What does a mama bear on the pill have in common with the World Series? No cubs. -- Harry Caray

Sandy's fastball was so fast, some batters would start to swing as he was on his way to the mound. ~Jim Murray, on Sandy Koufax

Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game.~ Jacques Barzun

I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game. It will take our people out-of-doors, fill them with oxygen, give them a larger physical stoicism. Tend to relieve us from being a nervous, dyspeptic set. Repair these losses, and be a blessing to us. ~Walt Whitman

I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it. ~Rogers Hornsby

Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field? ~Jim Bouton, 1988

No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference. ~Tommy Lasorda

You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all. ~Earl Weaver

Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem. ~Saul Steinberg

That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball. ~Bill Veeck, 1976

Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. ~George F. Will, Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball, 1990

"All last year we tried to teach him (Fernando Valenzuela) English, and the only word he learned was million." Tommy Lasorda

"I don't care if the guy (Jackie Robinson) is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a god-damn zebra. I'm the manager of this team and I say he plays." ~ Leo Durocher

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." ~ Jackie Robinson

Play Ball!

I Saw What I Saw

2009-07-17T22:48:00.001-07:00

Sara Groves' trip to Africa: So moving.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-16T17:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I took five former students to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. We all enjoyed it so much. I also really relished some of the comments they were coming up with, such as "that is a good example of foreshadowing, Ms. Brockway," when a particular scene came up that they knew fed into the next movie. Seriously, so many times when I'm teaching a difficult concept such as foreshadowing to sixth graders I feel that they just nod their heads and have no idea of the concept. So I guess I felt a little validated by their comments.

I was also happy with the comments made by the boys, who basically said that their friends think it's dumb to be twelve or thirteen and still like Harry Potter. They also said that it's dumb to care what your friends think, because we are each individuals and all like different things. For a thirteen year-old from my area to be self-confident enough to say that is pretty amazing. But of course, my kids ARE amazing.

We went to dinner afterward and had a great conversation. I asked them what they remember most from being in my class and they said the sense of family that we all shared. They really felt that they belonged to something cool in class, where everybody helps each other succeed.

I went home on cloud 9. Damn, I love what I do!

What I'm Reading - Part 2

2009-07-13T21:43:00.001-07:00

Well, I've read all of the books on my first list, so here's what I'm checking out this month:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

The Adobe Photoshop CS4 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) by Scott Kelby

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) by Scott Kelby

A Bright and Guilty Place: Murder, Corruption, and L.A.'s Scandalous Coming of Age by Richard Rayner

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza

Columbine by Dave Cullen

And some books for my library at school. I won't put them in the library until I've read them!

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex Harris

Inkdeath (Inkheart Trilogy) by Cornelia Caroline Funke

Flush by Carl Hiaasen

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I'll probably go through these books quickly, as I read a LOT during the summer. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know, will ya?

Equality for All!

2009-07-09T03:07:00.001-07:00

I love this political cartoon. It says it all, doesn't it?

Roger, Andy and Me

2009-07-05T17:09:00.001-07:00

I spent this morning with a couple of guys who gave me the time of my life. Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, the man who ruined the Brit's Wimbledon, played the final of the most famous tournament in the world. Tennis has always been an important part of my life, a sport that, until I got lupus, I played, and played rather well. There is something about the sport of tennis that reveals more about a person than any other sport I've encountered. In tennis, it's you, just you, out there, and you are given challenges to overcome, obstacles to get around, and emotions that you deal with, all by yourself.

In a match such as the Wimbledon final, these two young men got to display who they were in front of the world. Millions of people watched this match, and Roger and Andy laid it all out there. Pressure? Pressure is holding your serve at 10-all in the fifth set, knowing that if you don't, you will lose. Pressure is playing one point at a time, then another, and another, until you have given every thing you have on every point in the match.

I hated to see someone lose this match. I am a big-time Roger Federer fan, and am very happy for him. I wasn't really a big fan of Andy Roddick, but I think I became one today. He laid it all out there, played what was arguably the best match he has ever played, and lost. Yeah, he lost this tennis match, but he gained the respect of many people who didn't really know who Andy Roddick was. Tennis today was unkind to Andy Roddick. He gave every ounce of what he had and turned up short.

Life is a lot like tennis. Sometimes you cruise, sometimes you work very hard and fail, and sometimes it's just you out there, battling by yourself, with everything on the line. I learned a lot from Andy Roddick today. I imagine he learned a whole hell of a lot about himself.

Congratulations, Roger, on your record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title. You are the greatest.

Thank you, Andy, for the match of a lifetime.

Federer d. Roddick, 5-7, 7-6. 7-6, 6-3. 16-14.

Can We Really Change the World?

2009-07-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

"You have your head in the clouds." "Do you really think YOU can make a difference?" "You've gotta look out for number one, Leigh." All of these things have been said to me, a lot. I even had one fellow teacher tell me, "I can't save the world, Leigh," when I asked her to help one of my students with a home problem. Hey, I'm not asking for you to save the damn world. Just this one kid.

One kid at a time. One person at a time. One cause at a time. If we all took the fatalistic attitude that we can't make a difference, nothing would ever get done. But if each person in this world helped a few people, and each of those people in turn helped others, we CAN make a difference. Call me a dreamer, hell, I've been called worse, but don't ever tell me to stop trying, because one kid at a time, I will give them everything I can. I can live with myself that way.

I've recently been sucked into the Twitter universe. At first, I just used it to keep up with a few friends, but I saw something there that energized me, motivated me, compelled me to get off my ass and do more. There are people on Twitter, some "famous," some not, that are working hard and using technology to reach the masses. People have united in ways I never thought possible to affect change. There are so many people out there who are visionaries, who see the world as they want it to be, and aren't afraid to go for it. It has enlightened me, and validated that "starry-eyed youth" part of me that has never gone away. I CAN make a difference, I can CONTINUE to make a difference, and I just don't have time any more for those who live their lives only for themselves.

God bless all of you. We are all in this together.

A few good links:

100 Best Blogs for Change

How to Change the World

Philanthropy Links

Youth in Philanthropy

You are the Future of Philanthropy (video)

Fun with Photoshop

2009-06-30T12:08:00.001-07:00

I've been having a blast teaching myself Photoshop this summer. I've learned stuff I didn't even remotely have a clue about. One thing was adding texture and edges to a photo. I love the way it transforms a photo into a work of art. Let me know what you think about these, m'kay?

UP!

2009-06-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took my father to see the movie Up. He wasn't all that crazy about going, as he enjoys a quiet night at home more than anything. Well, we got the 3D glasses, and he asked me if he had to wear the damn things for the whole movie. Yep, you do, dad. The movie starts, and it is about an older man who loses his wife, then embarks on the adventure they had saved for their whole life. This really hit home for dad, because, as most of you know, we lost mom last year. Dad was captivated by the movie. We laughed, we cried, we hugged. It was a joyous experience.

Today dad called me and told me that he wants to take Sarah, his granddaughter, to see it for her birthday. He says he thinks it will help her understand grandpa a little bit better.

Movies can work magic. They really can.

Books and Baseball

2009-06-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic

by Alyssa Milano

Yes, most of you know that I am a hardcore baseball fan. But it's hard to find women who not only share that same passion for the game but understand the game as well. I'm talking about terminology (I never thought I'd hear of another woman who understood the significance of the Mendoza line), numbers, history, baseball as a metaphor for life, all that good stuff. So when a friend suggested this book to me, I hesitated, figuring it would be a book with a little baseball and whole lot of a celebrity with tell-all tales that I have no interest in. Not true. It's about baseball! Baseball and how it connects us, how it soothes us, how it grounds us.

This book brought home so many special memories for me, of lounging in the living room of my childhood home with my father, listening on the radio to Vin Scully call Dodger games. Those were special times I spent with my father, debating the beauty of the 6-4-3 double play, so vividly called by "Vinny," and learning the difference between a hit-and-run and a run-and-hit. I remember endless trips to the public library, scouring the stacks for baseball books while my mom earnestly tried to steer me to books more "appropriate for a young lady." She failed.

While reading this book, I was able to relive those special moments so ingrained into my consciousness. From Lou Gehrig's final speech to Roberto Clemente's fateful last plane trip to Kirk Gibson's heroic home run, the heroes of my youth came roaring back, vividly reminding me just what it is about this game that I love so much.

Baseball has also helped me connect to one of the things that matters most to me, teaching and reaching kids. When the students of my fifth and sixth grade class had no place to play baseball, I decided to manage a team in the local league. Here I was, amidst all those male coaches in their skin-tight polyester coaching shorts (ewwwwwwww!), not only helping the kids discover the joy of the game I love so much, but winning. Yes, we were the champions that year, mostly in part to some great players, but I'd like to think that having a manager and coaches who put the kids first and just had fun helped as well.

One of the players I coached that year, Danny Haren, now pitches for the Arizona Diamondbacks. When he first broke into the majors, he was a member of the Saint Louis Cardinals. They were playing the Dodgers on TV, and he came in to relief pitch. It came as a total surprise to me, and, as I saw Danny boy taking the field, I started crying. Yeah, I know I'm not a big crier, but I was sobbing. This kid made his dreams come true, and baseball was the vehicle in which he was able to do so. A couple of years later, when he was on the A's, he started the All-Star game for the American League. Let me tell you, it couldn't have happened to a better kid.

Baseball gives us a commonality that reaches across many barriers; gender, race, age, socio-economic status. Not only does it entertain us, it gives us a vehicle in which to bond with one another. I love many sports, but baseball has had the longest-lasting influence in my life.

OK, back to the book. If you like baseball, read it. I don't care if you are male, female, young, old, this book will connect you to the game you love. But only read it if you want to read about baseball. It's sure as hell no celebrity tell-all, thank God.

Buy it here: Safe At Home: Confessions of A Baseball Fanatic

A Sad Day for Generation X

2009-06-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today we lost two iconic figures, ones that were emulated across the world. I still remember trying to get my hair like Farrah Fawcett's (and failing miserably). I watched Charlie's Angels throughout my teens, waiting each Wednesday night for the show to come on. Farrah was only on the show for one year, but her presence remained.

Michael Jackson is even more of a pop icon than Farrah was. He was, to be fair, the best singer/dancer I've ever seen. He was a genius. I remember during the 80s we had to ban the one glove look, because kids were fighting over who looked more like Michael. Most of the kids in my classes could moonwalk. I'll even admit to trying it, and falling on my ass on the kitchen floor while doing so. During our History of Rock and Roll performance in the 90s, my class did Thriller, and brought down the house.

I've been thinking about the events of today and the lives these two lived. Two very different lives, but both in the spotlight. It makes me appreciate the quiet life I lead, and respect those who DO live in the limelight and use it as a platform to do good.

Godspeed, Farrah and Michael, and thanks for the memories.

What is Lupus?

2009-06-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have asked me, "Just what is lupus?" Lupus is the shortened form of Systemic Lupus Erythamatosus, or SLE. This link is an excellent article on lupus, what it is, how it effects me, what my course of treatment is like and why I need it, and so on. Lupus Information

There is no cure for lupus, but there is hope. And, like I said in a previous post, it will not defeat me. Hell no!

Thanks for all of your support.

Love,

Leigh

Remembering Nick

2009-06-21T21:06:00.001-07:00

Nick Adenhart
1986 - 2009

It's been over two months since the Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart lost his life to a drunk driver. I follow both the Dodgers and the Angels, and both teams have a special place in my heart. As a fan, you'd think the death of a player would be sad, but not that hard to get over. That is simply not true. I felt connected to this young man, watching him play at Rancho Cucamonga a few years ago, his presence on the mound and with the fans was evident, even at his young age. For a young man to lose his life the day after his greatest sports achievement is tragic.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Friday game on April 10, the first game after his death. The emotion that was evident on that field and in those stands that day was overwhelming. I took some photos of that day and have uploaded a couple of my favorites.

God bless and keep you, Nick. You will forever be an Angel.

Whoa, This Guy's Work is Amazing!

2009-06-20T23:18:00.001-07:00

A Few More Beach Photos

2009-06-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

Just a few from a recent beach trip.

Will download a few more later.

Prayers for Iran

2009-06-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

I just cannot stop thinking and praying for these people in Iran who so long for the freedom we take for granted. If every person who reads this can stop and pray and let their friends know and ask them to pray, maybe that will help. I want to repost John F. Kennedy's quote regarding hope:

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
Robert F. Kennedy

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." John F. Kennedy

People are coming together all over our country to show support for those in Iran. In Irvine, hundreds of people showed up to show their support:

If you Twitter, please use the #IranElection tag to learn more. Also, @BJMendelson is a fantastic resource for learning about how to help. He rocks!

"Everything I see about me is sowing the seeds of a revolution that is inevitable, though I shall not have the pleasure of seeing it. The lightning is so close at hand that it will strike at the first chance, and then there will be a pretty uproar. The young are fortunate, for they will see fine things.": Voltaire

Doing What I Love

2009-06-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” Jalal ad-din Rumi

I am so fortunate to be able to do what I love in life. From teaching to taking photos, I am blessed with enjoying the process, not being mired in a job that I despise. This summer I'm working on getting better health-wise, and also working on my photography. I absolutely love taking photos and enjoy a quiet day with family or friends, taking pictures of fun stuff.

Yesterday my father, brother and I went to the H untington Library to enjoy the beautiful gardens. Here are a few pics from our day:

Thanks for a great day, Dad and Don!

Iranian Hope

2009-06-17T11:22:00.001-07:00

What I'm Reading this Summer

2009-06-16T18:27:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love summer! I have extra time to read, one of my favorite things to do. There is nothing like a good book, some iced tea, cuddling with my cat as he snoozes and I read. Sheer bliss. Here's what I'm reading (going to read):

Current Reads:
The Last Lecture by Randy Pauch
Randy Pauch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Every year a professor there is asked to deliver a "last lecture," or what they would say to their students if they knew this was the last lecture they would ever give. Randy Pauch didn't have to imagine it, he was dying of cancer and this WAS his last lecture.
I just started reading this and already the emotions involved are overwhelming. As a teacher myself, I wonder what I would say to my kids, how I would reach them, what bit of lasting advice could I give. And I realize that every single minute spent with those kids is an opportunity to touch, to reach, to educate, and, most importantly, to inspire them.

Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic by Alyssa Milano

Yes, most of you know that I am a hardcore baseball fan. But it's hard to find women who not only share that same passion for the game but understand the game as well. I'm talking about terminology, numbers, history, baseball as a metaphor for life, all that good stuff. So when a friend suggested this book to me, I hesitated, figuring it would be a book with a little baseball and whole lot of a celebrity with tell-all tales that I have no interest in. Not true. It's about baseball! Baseball and how it connects us, how it soothes us, how it grounds us.

I'll post a book review after I'm finished, but I already (3/4 through) recommend it. But only if you want to read about baseball!

Other Books I Plan on Reading

Sookie Stackhouse, Books 1-7 by Charlaine Harris Cause ya gotta have a bit of fluff, ya know!

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell I love to see numbers and how they relate to life. This looks interesting.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson

Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes Lord knows I could use this. ;)-

My Sister's Keeper: A Novel by Jodi Picoult

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite Again, something I need to read.

A Short History of Women: A Novel by Kate Walbert
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend

Teaching Outside the Box: How to Grab Your Students By Their Brains

Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56

This should get me through a couple of weeks, LOL. Seriously, if any of you have any recommendations, please do not hesitate. I'll read just about anything!

Watch this Video

2009-06-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

We ARE all in this together. Prayers for the people of Iran.

2009-06-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

June gloom is depressing. Here are a few surf pics I took last month. Sorry it took me so long to get these up.

A Tiny Ripple of Hope

2009-06-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
Robert F. Kennedy

I've been watching the events in Iran unfold in the past 48 hours, and I see such a hunger, a thirst for change, a longing, really, for Iranians to come together and make their country a true democracy. I will pray for these people, many of them young idealists who are scared but believe. This young man is sharing the experience with many of us on Twitter, and I hope, I pray for these young "revolutionaries" that they can affect change.

We are with you!

Lupus Does Not Define Me

2009-06-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

Lester Levenson used to say, 'Release and allow yourself to see the perfection where the seeming imperfection seems to be.' During this process, welcome your thoughts, your sensations, your feelings, and the stories that you tell yourself. Just allow them all to be here, and know that everything is okay as it is. Part of what happens when we release this is that we start to recognize the perfection underlying our thoughts and feelings. Begin by making yourself comfortable and focusing your attention inwardly. Now, bring to mind ... an issue that's currently up in your awareness. As you think about that situation, problem, intention, or goal, allow yourself to get in touch with your feelings about it right in this very moment.
Hale Dwoskin

Recently, my battle with lupus has hit a bit of a snag. These past few years, especially, have been hard. Sometimes I feel as if I will never get better, that it will consume me. I long for the days when I was healthy, athletic, playing tennis and winning tournaments, coaching, just doing those things I loved.

But there comes a time in everyone's life when they must accept reality, and, most importantly, not let it define them. Yes, lupus sucks, and dealing with it is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But it will not defeat me, it will not prevent me from doing what I feel I was put on this earth to do, and that is to work with kids and help people. I wish to be defined by the positive things in my life, not the negative. On days like this, it's really important that I remember that.

Our Greatest Fear

2009-06-14T03:35:00.000-07:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Marianne Williamson

My class learned this quote this year, as they have each year for the past ten years. But I think this year's class got it more than any other class I've taught, which is insightful, because this has been the toughest class I've taught in ten years. Sure, I had my share of tough kids who gave us trouble all year long, and some didn't live this, but this class cared, they cared deeply about life, and most of them realized that they CAN be great, they CAN rise above their poverty and the problems life has given them and be GREAT. Now I just hope they can carry this with them as they move on to junior high. God bless them.