these are the books i've read so far this year......
-a year in the world by frances mayes
-what is the what by dave eggers
-teacher man by frank mccourt
-the house on mango street by sandra cisneros
-eat, pray, love by elizabeth gilbert

working on.....
-narrartives from the classroom, edited by paul miller
-harry potter by j.k. rowling

books i plan to read still.....
-ana's story by jenna bush                                                                                             
-educating esme by esme codell                                                                                 
-meeting jesus again for the first time by borg                                                           
-the debutante divorcee by plum sykes
-the boxcar children by warner
-adventur divas by holly morris
-you must set forth before dawn by wole soyinka
-atlas shrugged by ayn rand
-the raggimuffin gospel by manning
-the irrestible revolution by shane clairborne
-come by my light, diary of mother teresa
-nickel and dimed
-wicked
-a heartbreaking work of staggering genius
-everything on a waffle by polly horvath
-into thin air
-plan b by anne lamont
-grace by anne lamont
-pontoon by garrison kellior
-a thousand splendid sons
-the cross and the switchblade
-among others...................

i was reading a magazine my dad brought on the airplane from the new health club my mom and him joined.  they had a quote on the last page of the magazine that caught my eye called "last word."

the quote was from helen keller, which i had been reading about my social studies method class.  she was a rather interesting woman, and though i think many people know about her, they really don't know many of the many of the more GREAT things she did.  this is one of the many wise things she said that was on the last word, 

   "i am only one, but still i am one.  i cannot do everything 
but still i can do something; and because i cannot do 
everything, i will not refuse to do something that i can do."
-helen keller


this is something that i want to use as a quote or a mission statement rather for race to erase.

I LOVE WHAT KIDS ARE DOING IN SCHOOL!  IT MAKES A FUTURE TEACHER HAPPY!

christine's (my roommate and best friend) cousin grace did a project for school where they made books for children in Uganda.
check this out, she's the cute little girl looking up at the highschool student.


for my social studies class we've been working with a fifth grade class at west boulevard elementary.  the whole project is to research different topics on women's rights and do a children's museum covering the entire hallway of the school.  WOW!  it's been quite an undertaking.  my student and i are researching about 17 different feminist organizations.  anyways, there was a reception in the university library where some of their work has been displayed.  it was so cool to see how proud these students are of how hard they've worked.  they were getting interviewd by the newspaper and various other media in town.  their teacher is incredible too, giving them this opportunity to learn so much about women's rights, not even us college students knew.  my student was one of the students interviewed.  check it out.  he's the kid posing in front of the maya angelou quilt.  the entire muesum is going to be open to the public i think on april 3rd.  more news on that later.

one day left of classes then easter, a reunion with drew, overdue haircut, meet and greet at the school i'm student teaching at next year and then off to arizona.  YAY!

i saw a plethora of good movies over the holidays, here is a list.

i am legend
p.s. i love you
juno
rain man
i am sam (a classic in my opinion, on my favs)
harry potter and the order of the phoenix
pirates of the carribean 3
gentlemen prefer blondes
the kite runner (obviously nothing compared to the book, but for a movie i think it really captured the essence of the book, which is hard to do)
the bucket list
lord of the rings 3
dangerous minds
half nelson
princess bride
amazing grace
steel magnolias
the kingdom
blazing saddles
the muppets

i think that's all, but there are probably a few more that i am missing.

anyone who knows me, or atleast has stepped into my room will tell you, I have a lot of magazines.  so you wouldn't think that i would get upset at the loss of one.  however, my favorite magazine (Blueprint) which i only discovered over the summer has been given the boot.  no more. zip. gone.  me sad.

instead lovely martha decided there was no need for this magazine, which is completely false, and decided to focus more on the wedding magazine.  which is of no use to me since i won't be getting married for a long time.  this magazine was just so practical and useful.

shame on you martha stewart!

The Good News
Thich Nhat Hanh

The good news
they do not print.
The good news
we do print.
We have a special edition every moment,
and we need you to read it.
The good news is that you are alive,
that the linden tree is still there,
standing firm in the harsh winter.
The good news is that you have wonderful eyes
to touch the blue sky.
The good news is that your child is there before you,
and your arms are available;
hugging is possible.
They only print what is wrong.
Look at each of our special editions.
We always offer the things that are not wrong.
We want you to benefit from them
and help protect them.
The dandelion is there by the sidewalk,
smiling its wondrous smile,
singing the song of eternity.
Listen! You have ears that can hear it.
Bow your head.
Listen to it.
Leave behind the world of sorrow
and preoccupation
and get free.
The latest good news
is that you can do it.

displace me was on april 28th.  andrew and i went to the kansas city one and volunteered.

watch this video.  it sends chills down my spine and makes me well up with tears of joy every time.

this is why i do what i do.  keep going.

"this world demands the qualities of youth; not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of will, a quality of the imagination, an adventure over the love of ease.  it is a revolutionary world we live in and thus as i have said in Latin America and Asia, in Europe and the U.S., it is young people who must take the lead.  Thus you, and your compatriots everywhere have had thrust upon you a greater burden of responsibility than any other generation that has ever lived."
-robert f. kennedy

a lot has happened in the past week.

1. i am a bridesmaid in a wedding this summer for THE most beautiful bride
2. the exhuberent amount of money i thought i would be making this summer is quickly dwindling because of all the wonderful things happening in my life
3. i discovered even though i never crave candy, one of my weaknesses happens to be reese's peanut butter cups
4. i have been drinking less soda, and much much more water
5. i have been running everyday
6. i will be "the planner of anything" extraordinare by the end of the summer 
7. there is less than two months till the race
8. i had my first custard station delight of the summer
9. i've rediscovered a bunch of cds 
10. realized i have no free time and this summer will be crazier than the school year
11. watched steel magnolias
12. ate chinese food twice
13.  returned my hiking boots, just for now, because i can't afford to have a $200 pair of boots sitting in my closet
14.  hung out with my second family
15. played washers
16. saturday was soooo busy that after all was said and done and i could finally sit, i went to the fridge and uncharacteristically cracked open a beer, then sat on the couch and watched tv.  it was great!

17. played volleyball

18. played mini golf
19. planned a wedding shower
20. skipped church, and went to bagels and borders with my sister because i never get to see her

Sonoma Valley, CA

"just me and my thoughts sailing far away...."