celebrate good times, c'mon!

Kool and the Gang so early in the morning? I know, I'm a rebel.<br /><br />Today is my birthday, so I'll be doing some of this<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QMSz8QZdTRM9rBi0PBTsIKI23-xxoMQsyWiovU616QQTWIDzgE4GZEAdqag0th6slS5301WK7Z8x0FVgpGwtShTKQB99hW4UIIijLUBCw969QWCzC9gtt2isgsQG1ycnYnUDyZCW_4_a/s1600/Eve1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QMSz8QZdTRM9rBi0PBTsIKI23-xxoMQsyWiovU616QQTWIDzgE4GZEAdqag0th6slS5301WK7Z8x0FVgpGwtShTKQB99hW4UIIijLUBCw969QWCzC9gtt2isgsQG1ycnYnUDyZCW_4_a/s640/Eve1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> and some of this.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf0mw75CBcet0AL55afAKdzdj6LIYDe2iW2IRc6_5FtSGjea1QtrXp-u8kbqM8WJLFHrdsYP14vxkWl4hiGGEly60v5hS3bktKlUYcpR8IbiRkWaegdreO34IgrZ5p9UUIN4tXGiTXYAS/s1600/Oreo-Cake.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf0mw75CBcet0AL55afAKdzdj6LIYDe2iW2IRc6_5FtSGjea1QtrXp-u8kbqM8WJLFHrdsYP14vxkWl4hiGGEly60v5hS3bktKlUYcpR8IbiRkWaegdreO34IgrZ5p9UUIN4tXGiTXYAS/s640/Oreo-Cake.jpeg" width="440" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/oreo-cake/" target="_blank">My Baking Addiction</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Then tomorrow is more celebrating with this<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVy4h5uIS6uxFiINwYkDmH5UmswyKlozXYDgXblQ-snTw0AU-ZGcR0aWuyUTpffH_7ekaAoOx4sw8IP_7PqY23AYRrUWoBCE_PVUnIGwO84MAY3hza_UF0NsgugKUUZtCujWEv3CeGvXY/s1600/Aparade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVy4h5uIS6uxFiINwYkDmH5UmswyKlozXYDgXblQ-snTw0AU-ZGcR0aWuyUTpffH_7ekaAoOx4sw8IP_7PqY23AYRrUWoBCE_PVUnIGwO84MAY3hza_UF0NsgugKUUZtCujWEv3CeGvXY/s640/Aparade.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />And this.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjmJeL_voDboMDzxvCqwJom_I-pdtPGMPZ1gDD8YGlq9kiNX7yiFS-YrvQqVm4xlAAFCGpYbIKA7BrXtXbb-h6oyS3v8ikcxUrMidnjWqSfpV2sFZOOIKZJ5X7wglYSwDcgFxEnsA4hRB/s1600/fireworks.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjmJeL_voDboMDzxvCqwJom_I-pdtPGMPZ1gDD8YGlq9kiNX7yiFS-YrvQqVm4xlAAFCGpYbIKA7BrXtXbb-h6oyS3v8ikcxUrMidnjWqSfpV2sFZOOIKZJ5X7wglYSwDcgFxEnsA4hRB/s640/fireworks.jpeg" width="582" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinellaspeach.com/2009/07/03/best-july-4th-fireworks-in-pinellas-county-and-tampa-bay/" target="_blank">Pinellas Peach</a></td></tr></tbody></table>A great time of year for a birthday! Enjoy the holiday if you are in the States. I'll be back on Thursday.

holiday celebrate good times, c'mon!

Kool and the Gang so early in the morning? I know, I'm a rebel. Today is my birthday, so I'll be doing some of this  and some of thi...

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Sugary Foods I'm Leaving Behind for July

I need to give myself some guidelines around what constitutes "sugar" for July's challenge.<br /><br />Hilary, for the month of July, you are not to consume any of the following:<br /><br /><ul><li>Starbucks tea lattes (chai and Earl Grey)</li><li>granola bars (Kashi cherry vanilla, Fiber One, Special K, etc)</li><li>chocolate or anything containing chocolate </li><li>icecream</li><li>chocolate milk</li><li>pancake syrup</li><li>smoothies made with sugary add-ins</li><li>baked goods (cupcakes, brownies, cake, donuts, cookies, pies)</li><li>candy and candy bars </li><li>pudding/Jell-o </li><li>sugary cereal </li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODKjxmwl1ezXNEpkucgNrXH-9gqibsBixSyS8A9tRxq2-czAHyL7o4_FMlsywb2IBsSnbw2MKosw2K7Ik6NvelIOQ0ZSQusyXtAH-o249eHMT26OyQHAddu7_OPokxxx_uqhb6ZnFeOU/s1600/cake.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODKjxmwl1ezXNEpkucgNrXH-9gqibsBixSyS8A9tRxq2-czAHyL7o4_FMlsywb2IBsSnbw2MKosw2K7Ik6NvelIOQ0ZSQusyXtAH-o249eHMT26OyQHAddu7_OPokxxx_uqhb6ZnFeOU/s320/cake.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />When I find myself tempted, I need to do one of the following to distract myself from the cravings:<br /><br /><ul><li>call a friend</li><li>read a book</li><li>eat some fruit</li><li>drink some water</li><li>play with the cats</li><li>when at work, get up and talk with a coworker or take a short walk</li><li><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-do-you-want-to-lose-weight.html" target="_blank">remind yourself why you want to lose weight </a></li></ul><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">Have I left off any sweets that you can think of?  How do you distract yourself from cravings (of any kind really)? </b>

No Sugar Challenge Sugary Foods I'm Leaving Behind for July

I need to give myself some guidelines around what constitutes "sugar" for July's challenge. Hilary, for the month of July, you...

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30 days of Web Tools: #1: Use Storify.com to capture a tweetchat

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIHfc6PbJbPelIckezWQptaxx4DGZ6ETPXPnUTHLe5hcq3AGBDyZevYv1EHrC0etS8DuSb9vSLhpBqBdHBg-lkAuysXbeU9WEiWdyCCCMQ_vr7pfZD2mhaYG2dAhOt7heH0IId4tXqQk/s1600-h/image3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="43" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbxMc3DMjRjxC7Cemig_Zlny1v9GV0pAGAMrAFSWmZmzusbUlGuhwU7dmaI4uvBTcwJgAUlaeB3Q2JFz_tmMYWkngWGcQBLjyBPeephJID3ciAb3qMJKFg05a31V7efHMXoZkv-vEe68/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="183" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today sees the start of a series called <i><b>“30 days of Web Tools”</b></i> where I plan to either focus on a single Web Tool that could interest teachers, or on a collection of Web Tools.  Recently I discovered this amazing tool called <i>Storify</i> where you can turn an event into an interesting media story and I wrote a blogpost about it yesterday showing my first attempt - <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2012/07/using-storifycom-to-summarise-tweetchat.html">Using Storify.com to summarise a tweetchat from #edchatsa</a>. Today I would like to focus on using Storify to document all the tweets in a tweetchat. As my example I am going to use the tweets from our #edchatsa discussion last night on the topic '<i>What can be done in South Africa to enhance the status of the teaching profession?' </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Other tweet capturing tools I have tried</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Using Twitter as a hashtag at an event is very common these days, and generally one wants to capture the tweets before they disappear into cyberspace after a few days. I haven’t been very successful in finding just the right tool I want to use for capturing hashtag tweets. What I am looking for is a tool that:</span></div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">captures all the tweets</span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;">puts them into chronological order</span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;">allows embedding</span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;">can be made into a PDF </span></li></ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1. Tweetdoc</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrkNEBWIwy_KMGWamyciyRLOiBEnRsTErPqEdhoWuaVxuY3jQsFJuv4zNQ6rwlxO-hZJj4ACXRD1G9m48BnOvkXjHU7jEHQSxNdat6KbFEVJrRcumOO13rladMVTLze3oxHoMQHu7tKY/s1600-h/image6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmWDa21Ew2gCiuscpufE9IbxFSNj_ghuBO331YdeKyXlBq2lDKxElEPDSJLrqv67Ne5OMQgVeonz9xwjEsBsKsaVEQ1XcA7k40R2rxrtf5hu3QLQjtdkPZ1hWPOgwoEfycIqgZY8tHhU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tweetdoc.org/">Tweetdoc</a> could be a great tweet capture tool if only it worked for me! More often than not I just haven’t been successful with creating a PDF with Tweetdoc. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">2. Archivist</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgf3KdCuNpaAV325myMBd-l54I0kaPvb0Gxb2vCc60NMo16gIrvzw53g8_4NjLhZp-5QJKXt0k3F08O1BhWPsbIW8air_P9xDFt8BG-o-tOrJlHka7aprSRLSOtPTvQZwPvRXu4f_iqg/s1600-h/image11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMH5ZmDtupgBfQT05g9hAmkYhXn1aeDPmmddgr5mBNDl1BGH2e5LSR9O5YdbZe3fUUXBFmJT6zLfpqEeD0FPfVUMTzhGtLBfXWq-T3S7E-zj_XGap2dj8yiPOMQEPihbLzIInlwmsAxUk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have <a href="http://archivist.visitmix.com/">The Archivist</a> installed on my computer and I sometimes use it as an online application. It captures all the tweets beautifully, but as far as I can see you have to use the application to read them.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Using Storify to capture tweets</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Storify seems to fulfill my requirements mentioned above.  It captures all the tweets, you can change them to chronological order, it allows different kinds of embedding and one can create a PDF document by sending your Storify document to Google Docs using a Chrome extension called '<i>Send to Google Docs</i>'.  I would like to show you the process of doing all this.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><u style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></u></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><u style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>First</b>,</u><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> as mentioned yesterday,join Storify, log in and click on Create a story. A window for writing in opens. Write the title of the chat in the first box and a description of the event in the second box.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtLaf3_UY8BeFw3ktLnpYfAxj53QQHbqo3kbQxjgb112KJLcbPFWLLds-Yh9LLvj38uXhPBJMBGYGTEFLLh12VPn01-pNmJ8trJTTSc5yvEfy1JQCDmDFEEIwd04vfyo-9bRWl-lF3rQ/s1600-h/image43.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68FiqtkZuPixz5LttAv-xtVgBCxaDXmmIu_4wfL6d6xg8PpHdPfUsspn9qUISJQAlWs3paltrm9jVBszpNremGN3dcqRP_8sK5JHpG4EmturbooCZ4ZgOT_kR-8-1eRQq6hy99mIXmJ4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Next</u></b>, in the section on the right hand side click on the Twitter icon and enter the hashtag. Soon all the tweets will appear starting with the most recent tweets, 20 tweets at a time. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK57RvQ5IyXOuRGlpRlkHYnlztv0odymEsjaiedcD06Nf1f7bZPrrFvS9sYfob_1lyfPbg7hKuStStThCldBZZNAqBNfc-7l2ASukdHIe5lfgobkUJZvdVRUFh_GjbKms_siTrCDimHcw/s1600-h/image24.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnOQhn_MyeNXU0WOuX44l4i47rWlgHbi0SWCWnEC3n55aWCHQwapYpy0Jv6WpMJJeqvHJFs1MlBZKPLCETSTA3JpTdN_ayIFKSy34izklNst_kH4TorGM7GkgXhTiY0tCqt9VxCknz-M/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div>.<br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>After that</u></b> choose <i>Add them all</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0z7kUFl_QXUuam-etunLZlPlhcy9VuFpQ-Drq9kaF3etxjCIALVtKXSU6FnLhaI94d9fUHxee1ROIMxunUDlwxXgTMgJNQcguKMfaTSGJgEyh9FagpT3yzjhMe7wbXSJ4Bdi_YVeCGzk/s1600-h/image28.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLA0mT8m-eTtDYV00LoHZzEw54ZLI1WH8XjTlI6XR3zE8ZTsZfYmbdbFFrWF1VUoZyCwDOqee-JAoa1U2yBBgQpKuCsA-5kQmg6akZdtZZxqnrtRmCXa07CkZ1kL62qlsMDsv460vj3w/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Continue</u></b> doing this until all the tweets for the discussion have been added.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq0cdpUcO1wy7cY7QgCtwBEyU27cXZ-9mVOYwbRqUmiiKu5hEjg6uJ3_kJiTvLNRJ8_9RCTwpOzkBIN3nktqPj-kbwVg7LHHx25B9EtLshC3_xcoXBFjehOT5ma0_PfzlcQwPrvZXap0/s1600-h/image32.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCG3ejkfvkSIiVtxjjerOL7Zs8ypMumWQ7v3eDpQ0dZJneHEAFftKUlaVgvefHM1Xuf_x_5svZKJlUAfG21s68pgobdIGbg6wj5bCx1IQko52eafnxuHqqba3XQq7HzdqUWjWfns3tIA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Now</u></b> you want to put the tweets into chronological order from the beginning to the end. Choose the relevant arrow at the top of the page.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwq5aHHbvct3V1fDdl_ssJPQk35F6rigQ1H0TgNi_bbkap3lU2AQiXnWKg7HdeqwMux_Sme0B5SOrHspQTZJslcqXo0RL6yNLgYjh7h5ua8T3bUkhlivSwFWim-A12nS9XWUa_-8P5qjE/s1600-h/image36.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="49" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkn_MtOjdbd1zfiW2YiO0cTp4NaqioyeBpm61-efP_y3IuNSarKgXFxvMT7qPFRd48rZ7Co1CgLmg96ue3IQBto6_g5YsB4Bb4eAO-yRf9pperCGFH5iQSlcRYuKPTquqgLKM4GUC_c_0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Finally</u></b> publish your tweet summary. At the top of the page choose<u> </u><i>Save now</i> and then <i>Publish.</i><span style="font-size: small;">The final published document appears.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKftU5INiqGCyPr8FGkDXzHnZ6WdObDHmzrCaMC1k8RHCAqHKrGHfvyz2JODytebVia22C7unTWMA7IxOIrvcsg1FBHqK2qfZSOX6a8YzguHIpzjKTpsiDIu89mDy90CHun5FuocBKP38/s1600-h/image51.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-wu8EWN9LuG-9oMTulmtM6tI1czrW7588UvIDRLG4ZXuvvsofHe6N6Fw7l1lztwY0EAExQ2EVJxIfzVNFd2V8gvMGIdE0ThNHWRIQmFNUFDTzNEEE4IMB0_K1QMNznOeNdT0FMjTFU4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you would like to take a look at the final tweet summary that was created, please open this link: <a href="http://storify.com/fibeal/what-can-be-done-in-south-africa-to-enhance-the-st">http://storify.com/fibeal/what-can-be-done-in-south-africa-to-enhance-the-st</a></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Exporting your document as a PDF</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Storify gives you a number of options for exporting your new document – to a blog, share, embed.. but it <u><i>doesn’t </i></u>mention creating a PDF! So the way I create a PDF is as follows:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1.   On your Chrome toolbar add a free extension from the Chrome webstore called ‘<i>Send  to Google Docs</i>’.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2.   Click on that extension icon to send the Storify document to Google Docs.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3.   Once in Google Docs choose ‘<i>Download the original’ </i>which it then does as a PDF.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Relevance to education </b></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">This could be a great way for teachers to capture a Professional Development event.</span> If one member of staff is attending a Conference they could use this to capture the conference tweets and share them with other members of staff. Storify could also be used to capture a lesson especially if you have a twitter hashtag that you use for your class.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div></div>

Storify Web tools 30 days of Web Tools: #1: Use Storify.com to capture a tweetchat

Today sees the start of a series called “30 days of Web Tools” where I plan to either focus on a single Web Tool that could interest teache...

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Youth Librarian - Town of Trumbull

<strong>Youth Librarian - </strong><span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Town of Trumbull</strong></span>. Library/Professional. SALARY: $29.94 per hr. HOURS: 35 per wk. WG: H. GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: 1. Development of comprehensive programs for children and youth. 2. Serves as the children’s readers’ advisor. 3. Makes recommendation for purchases to Youth Services Coordinator. 4. Participates in outreach program in the community. 5. Performs other related duties as assigned. SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Works under General Supervision of Youth Services Coordinator or his/her designee. SUPERVISION EXERCISED: None MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY: 1. Knowledge of the practices, procedures, and techniques of library science. 2. Knowledge of children’s books and non-print materials. 3. Strong computer skills including the use of the Internet. 4. Effective oral and written communication skills. 5. Ability to work effectively with library staff and library patrons. EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: 1. Master’s Degree in Library Science (MLS) from an ALA accredited Library school. 2. Two years children’s library experience preferred. For more information and an application, visit <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.trumbull-ct.gov/content/10623/10655/10977/default.aspx" href="http://www.trumbull-ct.gov/content/10623/10655/10977/default.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.trumbull-ct.gov/content/10623/10655/10977/default.aspx</a>. Applications must be postmarked or on file with the HR/Civil Service, Town Hall, Trumbull, Connecticut, 06611 on or before <span style="color: red;">Friday, July 6, 2012</span>.

Youth Librarian - Town of Trumbull

Youth Librarian - Town of Trumbull . Library/Professional. SALARY: $29.94 per hr. HOURS: 35 per wk. WG: H. GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: ...

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Reference Librarian - Post University

<strong>Reference Librarian -</strong> <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Post University</strong></span> is currently accepting applications for the role of Part Time Reference Librarian. Job Summary: Responsibilities include responding to the information needs of the Post University community including but not limited to reference, OCLC interlibrary loans, database searches, bibliographic and Internet instruction, and government document searches. Scheduled nights and weekends. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: ALA/MLS required. Two years experience in academic LRC preferred. Reference and technical experience required. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Camtasia, Ebscohost, the iCONN Digital Library and Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Other database knowledge desirable. Ability to work cooperatively with a broad and diverse population. Interested candidates should forward cover letter, resume, and three references to Post University Human Resources by applying at: <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.post.edu/career-opportunities.shtml" href="http://www.post.edu/career-opportunities.shtml" target="_blank">www.post.edu/career-opportunities.shtml</a>. Disclaimer: This opportunity may be withdrawn and/or amended. Post University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Reference Librarian - Post University

Reference Librarian - Post University is currently accepting applications for the role of Part Time Reference Librarian. Job Summary: Res...

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Cutting Back on Sugar for July

If one of Weight Watchers' requirements was to eat 5-7 (or 20) servings of sweets per day, I'd be killing it at this program!  Very sadly, we all know that immense amounts of sugar doesn't really do a body good.  <i><span style="color: #999999;">I cannot stress the word 'sadly' enough in that statement.</span></i><br /><br />I've been constantly trying to find areas of improvement (there are many!) in my weight loss journey, especially since I've been stagnant for months.  After reading <a href="http://movingthescale.blogspot.com/2012/06/sugar-its-addiction.html" target="_blank">Missy's post</a> about cutting out sugar for the month of July, I decided to follow suit.  She's right, sugar is an addiction.  Sugar is my drug.  Sugar is my alcohol.  Sugar is my cigarette (that's for you Joel!). <br /><br />Essentially, this is all about trying to find what works for me.  Right now, the phrase "everything in moderation" isn't really working.  In fact, I don't even know what moderation means anymore.  That can be both a challenge and benefit to following Weight Watchers.  Essentially, WW allows you to eat whatever you want.  That's great if you're a picky eater like me.  However, sometimes that flexibility is exactly what shoots me in the foot.  Right now, I almost <i>need </i>to be put on a strict, detox diet to remind myself of the types of foods that truly are beneficial to my body.  If I had the PointsPlus for the day, given the choice between my favorite meal from McDonald's and a more well-balanced lower PointsPlus home-cooked meal, I'm honestly going to choose McDonald's every single time.  This isn't okay with me. <br /><br /><div style="color: #999999; text-align: center;"><i>I'm doing a lot of "writing to think" here.. so just bare with me.</i></div><br />I've always tried to view this journey as a lifestyle change, and not a temporary diet.  To me, when I hear the word "diet", I automatically think of a person who is eating from a list of specific foods for a short period of time.  With WW, and with a "lifestyle change", I have currently been of the mindset of not changing my poor eating habits, but simply downsizing them.  I know from past diets I've been on, I don't do well with strict food lists.  I know this is because when I would ask myself, "Can you do this diet long term?" the answer would always be "No way! I feel deprived!"  The "good" thing about WW is that you can still have your cake and it eat too.  I don't <i>have </i>to cut out any "bad" foods - i.e. fast food, sweets, junk food, etc - because I know I can manage to fit those foods into my life using WW.   I do this by ordering smaller portions (like a kid's meal) or even ordering the regular size portion, but just counting it. <br /><br />Still, I cannot help but wonder, if I truly cut out those "bad" foods, even if for a short period of time to detox, then perhaps that would be the jump start I need.  Right now, in this moment, I'm essentially not doing anything different than I was when I started this journey, except eating a little bit less.  Yes, that's good.  It helped me lose 30 lbs.  But it's not enough.  <br /><br />So for now, I'm going to cut out sugar for the month of July and see where that takes me.  Eventually, I'll reintroduce it back into my life in smaller portions, but for now, it needs to go entirely.    <br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">For those WW readers, did you cut out any food groups/restaurants/etc when you started your journey? Or did you just do what I've done - cut back the portion size?</b><br /><br />**special thanks to Missy for the inspiration behind this post and this challenge :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

No Sugar Challenge Cutting Back on Sugar for July

If one of Weight Watchers' requirements was to eat 5-7 (or 20) servings of sweets per day, I'd be killing it at this program!  Very ...

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Using Storify.com to summarise a tweetchat from #edchatsa

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Submitted by Fiona Beal </span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>#edchatsa</i> is the hashtag for our weekly twitter chat for South African teachers on topics of educational interest. These chats take place on a Monday evening from 8:30pm – 9:30pm. This blogpost aims to show you how I went about summarising a chat using Storify.com</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM0olfueJzrRpOOkYnid94n8XIzkU46SyLmvkT3af4ShUJ_IEQoxBeZocylBB1bm58nuAygyIIfNs7mNHOF_Ft_0NiWv3nIr_g7dloKvhnZWA_uS_yoP1-npHu8wIuXe0DfH___JZYvU/s1600/storify.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM0olfueJzrRpOOkYnid94n8XIzkU46SyLmvkT3af4ShUJ_IEQoxBeZocylBB1bm58nuAygyIIfNs7mNHOF_Ft_0NiWv3nIr_g7dloKvhnZWA_uS_yoP1-npHu8wIuXe0DfH___JZYvU/s1600/storify.JPG" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today curating is the buzz word with many amazing sites available to do just that. Storify is a form of curating – one can gather tweets, comments, videos, images and other media from all around the Web and put them into one post. Basically it is a way of creating stories using social media. I thought I would try out <i>Storify </i>today to see how it all works. I decided to use it to summarise our last #edchatsa talk on 25th June 2012 from 8:30 – 9:30pm, namely: </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">‘How can we ensure fair assessment in collaborative learning when not every child contributes equally?’</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At first it took a while to get my head around Storify, and then suddenly I realised how very easy it actually is!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 1: Open <a href="http://storify.com/">Storify.com</a> and join</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once you have joined you click on <i>Create story.</i> A lovely big screen for writing opens up.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dTVRDLSeZdDtrXrHFTpATNAGkCfWu-7tT6gVV-NWrHuwzE90rJUgWfjGmT2iWzPm5ovyr7XTbwLr1HjfN_FzRmamkTvEV4dduv9U-EIlgLpflkCUONLoxLSBplIpXSWz0FDqjR0pEZY/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3gor9HEe9w-fBdwRPQ4cs5q6lMvd4FAAagoYnFYwDBYB3sTyt0Jj8euFvgVWMn97lnJaHICiSkmEL7-zYfFQg5h8T7axDmhnCF1hAVIr4Nqanm1WRNfOIx-7xGDMCWCkLOcAKeaig-0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Step 2: Find your media</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the right hand side of the big screen is another section that contains the place to find your media.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ0EIFACTmTn5ztavwwk5bq5aLWPIZKpCTWzGkLEGgn_OELgJrdhR1Enq9lAv3ZB1Sy_MRYvZ0N4W651mNNLgH0FzC8-YeHKY9OwggR1HdIbgGtKbJ-R35XV719t_h3uZWgyeutgaG8o/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvrvJRYRGxO_dDnoc9QaxbhNDz-wmPHep3oF7R4vA2TiYaZH5perv3dt1ClSlaU6JAZJDAkAKIXLnwU02_h7HdSaaPpI8yKtiP6VEBGfe5e6MBYrxlJDk2kRnFWK2NPlckNkQwBKGlvM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="247" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since I was keen to summarise a Twitter chat I asked for the Twitter hashtag <i>#edchatsa</i> and then searched for the date and the time I wanted to refer to </span></div>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn31rBZPx34IrbO9JCCVeu2vHPzZ2ehOjkg7Zn6_vd_sNJGdJBXOZ5r2_BdUhq7-8Qee0qy7yw87-eMJ_avoB5DSBRtE5EzQmQZ7WIIWLFQOHN0KucBAzGNA9cM7cmfu0VxaBd5mMgBU/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DgH1UM7M7zzv1dcl5qcRRl6LnmgaLOow9eAbaWMsQnMtgN2IWGVk37QN9hP6gXuYWwIDmtpFOvFUUdYGJlPwBPSI2wTMT0YaXNLFilfUvK5Pn0qxNS3V6ruy9c4cnj0a2l1MIg5vQtc/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="232" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />Step 3: Plan the structure of your story</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are different blocks to use in Storify, so in my case I decided on:</span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A heading</span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Putting the story in context</span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">An opening summary</span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">How the discussion progressed with relevant headings</span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Actual notable tweets that shed light on the discussion</span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the sites and links provided in the chat</span></li><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Possibly plan of action ideas</span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Embed a final summary of tweets made in a different Storify document from earliest to latest as the last entry on the document</span> </span></li></ul><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From here on it was a case of writing and then dragging across tweets from the #edchatsa hashtag I had opened in the right hand section of Storify. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Step 4: Create and publish your story</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A lovely story emerged! Take a look...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P-0YJbb_HRtoaTQgOZewOxICDGNxuFAZGxlyO8Q46zOeirjvZRwMpKcQu5csGbfIIFsOx4UWIWG9wIgPtwmQyS72mB9WtDI-9SU1IlXhhVn6IBWwP0TWEqIGDhn_9F7Hr0INSZElDMI/s1600-h/image%25255B17%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQ-ZRGxZK6iw3Tclq7FeFnELKOSXvB9KbngdWbctXDSaislXd-tNBAis-i7cxXWElWcukseVnh0-hFaVHduZ4pxDffkf4UcZ7P5NKHfEs_sb8hFmHodVpCxPdh_CAf-0bh3taW-Oyfng/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you would like to see the finished result please open this link. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://storify.com/fibeal/how-can-we-ensure-fair-assessment-in-collaborative">http://storify.com/fibeal/how-can-we-ensure-fair-assessment-in-collaborative</a><br /><br />If you would like to read all the tweets separately here is the link:<br /><a href="http://storify.com/fibeal/tweet-summary-edchatsa-25-june-fair-assessment-of">http://storify.com/fibeal/tweet-summary-edchatsa-25-june-fair-assessment-of</a></div></div></div>

Tutorials Twitter Web tools Using Storify.com to summarise a tweetchat from #edchatsa

Submitted by Fiona Beal #edchatsa is the hashtag for our weekly twitter chat for South African teachers on topics of educational interest. ...

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A rough start with Whole 30

I really thought this would be a good weekend to start the Whole 30 plan. My husband was out of town so I had complete control of what I ate. Or did I?<br /><br />Saturday went pretty well until about 8pm. I spent the day with my sister. First, her two-hour hair appointment (and she looked gorgeous when they were done). Then Magic Mike. Turned out not to be as fun or interesting as I thought. Stupid subplots, didn't like the character The Kid. Hated Matthew <span class="name" id="yui_3_4_1_5_1341242239318_449">McConaughey</span><span class="title" id="infoBarPosts"></span>'s character. Now Magic Mike, he was "interesting", but the movie was a lot more raunchy than I expected. I know, what should I have expected, it was a male stripper movie.  Basically, another stupid movie.<br /><br />It was 6pm after the movie (where I avoided popcorn or diet Coke - a nasty habit I acquired recently). My sister's normal bedtime is 5:30pm. She sleeps 12 hours a night. I read this is normal post-stroke. At least she doesn't take a nap in the afternoon anymore. She was too tired to go out to eat and indicated she wasn't hungry. However, I asked her, "how about some ice cream?" and she smiled and nodded yes. We stopped at Baskin and Robbins. I got her a scoop of Pralines 'n Cream and nothing for me.  <br /><br />So all had gone well, except I hadn't eaten anything since 11am. I got home at 7pm. I was starving! I still hadn't gone grocery shopping for Whole 30 foods. I had lots of stuff I could eat. Vegetables, fruit, chicken, fish. Dinner was talapia and brussels sprouts, with a cup of blackberries for dessert. I was still starving. I stood in the pantry and spotted a box of Carmel popcorn. The kind you pop in the microwave and then but a slab of caramel on it to melt. I ate both packages.<br /><br />Sunday was worse. I was exhausted, probably from all the sugar and a bad night of sleeping. I just didn't care. I had major house cleaning to do, so I ate whatever, then slept four more hours. Got up at noon and cleaned like a manic.<br /><br />So the whole weekend was a bust. No exercise. Bad eating.<br /><br />Today I'm trying again. My healthy lunch is packed and I have really good intentions (again) today. The goal is to just get through the day. Just one day of eating healthy, whole foods. Certainly I can do one day, right?

A rough start with Whole 30

I really thought this would be a good weekend to start the Whole 30 plan. My husband was out of town so I had complete control of what I ate...

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Teacher's Garden

<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5760574480655747890'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4tVBDBUAgp3_7t2D5gX-A73tsWwwPuqshGFVNkqDM51soo_TxtWjF1x6jxU2fnKYYMwAGjf5UJWFtwZJ7aYuQbY_Kx_cKzPZPZvUgIw_SBC_MlOyB9ChaF3SXRhs19QI35vczkqYkZub/s288/0.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a></center><br />"In our garden there's a flower<br />always blooming just for you.<br />Whether sunshine or in shower,<br />In our garden there's a flower.<br />A teacher's love has super power<br />We give thanks for all you do-<br />In our garden there's a flower<br />always blooming just for you."<br />-Andromeda Jazmon<br /><br />"dedicated to Ms. Rhonda Bush April 29, 2011"<br /><br />"they are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do." Psalm 1:3<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5760574496544326082'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen2UpyxQbP7rljggDH10bSBxJ7q5kcSQx66UMmmYU1o6CpmJb8xyRA7ReIMaTIKbtl98sWjK3QVt4VL9nZPazmABLB8cSV3Svo4ytXlMP9Ht3o7Nj-raVR21iK5VIVMjh2vbUPrNGU5c0/s288/1.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a></center><br />I'm sitting in our outdoor classroom waiting for my son to get finished in the learning lab and as I looked at the corn, okra, beans, and the most beautiful zinnas I've seen in a long time, I came across the dedication sign that we put up in honor of an amazing K4 teacher, Ms. Rhonda Bush.<br /><br />I'm finally home after being gone for 12 days! Too long in my book. I've been away from home more than at home the last month and I'm completely worn out. It is time to recharge so I can be ready for August, which will be here too fast.<br /><br />There is an ironclad rule about gardens -- three actually:<br />- You harvest what you plant<br />- Your habits in the garden determine the quality and quantity of the harvest * Do you hoe or weed every day?<br /> * Whatever you water, grows.<br /><br />Whatever you do now, you will reap when school starts:<br />- What you learn this summer will come out in your teaching in the fall.<br />- What you plan and do now will determine how well you start?<br /> * Do you map out your plan for the year?<br /> * Take the school calendar and put it on the plan so you have no surprises.<br /> * Plan ahead for those field trips etc. and get those arranged FIRST so there is less stress for you.<br /> * Determine how you'll be communicating with parents and set it up NOW. Plan ahead.<br /> * What is going on your door? This sets the theme of the year in many ways. <br />- A very important one: Did you rest this summer? (I'm speaking to myself here as much as you. Take the time to unwind so you're ready for the fall.)<br /><br />Just some thoughts from the teacher's garden. Teachers, you rock!!! <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />

Teacher's Garden

"In our garden there's a flower always blooming just for you. Whether sunshine or in shower, In our garden there's a flower. A ...

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ZYPRIOTISCHE ERNÜCHTERUNG

<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPef9g83YIBPdaElDGOHHcqGRFgqzoSX9K6NQ-uaApz2QcUpYUGOsIelwhXBlXFa_alVHd-FvR9oDR2TGyB6VSmsNTARgsH4VA-LFp3T7iEEXx6k24eQY31JFnjbEtGcrL1F59ZI4ieGNJ/s1600/Cyprus1-Aphrodite-Rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPef9g83YIBPdaElDGOHHcqGRFgqzoSX9K6NQ-uaApz2QcUpYUGOsIelwhXBlXFa_alVHd-FvR9oDR2TGyB6VSmsNTARgsH4VA-LFp3T7iEEXx6k24eQY31JFnjbEtGcrL1F59ZI4ieGNJ/s400/Cyprus1-Aphrodite-Rock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Zyperns Aphrodite Felsen </span><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;"></span></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">DAS PLATZEN ÖKONOMISCHER TRÄUME BIETET DIE CHANCE FÜR AUßENPOLITISCHE LÖSUNGEN </span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Via</span><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">DER STANDARD</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Von Eric Frey</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ZYPERN, das am 1. Juli die EU-Präsidentschaft übernimmt, ist der größte Sündenfall in der Geschichte der Union. Die Entscheidung von 2003, den Inselstaat ohne vorherige Lösung des Nordzypern-Konflikts aufzunehmen, war eine mehrfache Torheit. Sie trug einen ethnischen und geopolitischen Sprengsatz in die EU hinein, vergiftete die Beziehungen zum so wichtigen Partnerstaat TÜRKEI und nahm den ZYPRIOTEN außerdem jeden Anreiz, die für eine Wiedervereinigung notwendigen Kompromisse einzugehen. Mit dem Beitritt in der Tasche stimmten sie dann 2004 tatsächlich gegen den UN-Friedensplan. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Diese Fehlentscheidung belastet EUROPA bis heute. Sicher ist ZYPERN nicht der einzige Grund dafür, dass die Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der TÜRKEI nicht vom Fleck kommen und auch sonst die Zusammenarbeit so wenig klappt. Aber es ist ein ständiges Reizthema, das den Obstruktionskräften in der TÜRKEI in die Hände spielt. Selbst in der Syrienkrise ist die EU behindert, weil Ankara wegen ZYPERN in vielen Bereichen der Außenpolitik die Kooperation verweigert. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Nun erweist sich das angeschlagene EUROLAND ZYPERN auch wirtschaftlich als Mühlstein. Das selbsteingebrockte ZYPERN-Problem der EU und die Finanzprobleme der Region haben dabei die gleichen Wurzeln - nämlich die einstige Illusion wirtschaftlichen Erfolgs, der auf tönernen Füßen stand. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Der EU-Beitritt ZYPERNS war die Folge eines Kraftakts GRIECHENLANDS, das mit einem Veto gegen die gesamte Osterweiterung drohte, sollten die griechischen Brüder auf der Insel nicht mit aufgenommen werden. Dies geschah auf dem Höhepunkt des hellenischen Selbstbewusstseins, inmitten eines Wirtschaftsbooms, zwischen dem Eurobeitritt und den Olympischen Spielen in Athen. Heute würden die GRIECHEN mit einem solchen Machtspiel wohl scheitern - oder es erst gar nicht wagen. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Auch die ZYPRIOTEN verharrten lange im Glauben, sie seien wirtschaftlich stark genug, um auf die Wiedervereinigung verzichten zu können. Doch der ZYPERN-Boom beruhte ebenfalls auf einer Blase, die nun geplatzt ist - und nicht nur wegen der vielen griechischen Staatsanleihen in den Büchern zypriotischer Banken. In dieser neuen Lage werden die ökonomischen Kosten der Teilung - Militärausgaben, Schwächen in der Infrastruktur - umso schwerer wiegen. Vielleicht würden auch die zypriotischen Wähler heute anders entscheiden als 2004. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdiFqdvSWp8PnfTtk5SB1ywEkeGFSpxIF6TAqqzv9YHruvxAKAHNDw_6laezaWwVbD2dfNtTwmlA4Mm3lkWPikcVd8wBQBPXGxRYdQBLgUh_WbbJ0X7zfpsrvh8toZpseN73DVE614siG/s1600/Cyprus_aphrodite_Botticelli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdiFqdvSWp8PnfTtk5SB1ywEkeGFSpxIF6TAqqzv9YHruvxAKAHNDw_6laezaWwVbD2dfNtTwmlA4Mm3lkWPikcVd8wBQBPXGxRYdQBLgUh_WbbJ0X7zfpsrvh8toZpseN73DVE614siG/s400/Cyprus_aphrodite_Botticelli.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Doch sie werden nicht gefragt, ja es finden im ZYPERN-Konflikt nicht einmal Verhandlungen statt. Das ist ein Versäumnis. Denn wenn die Euroschuldenkrise auch etwas Gutes hat, dann das, dass das Platzen ökonomischer Träume den Weg für politische Lösungen freimachen kann. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Allerdings hat die TÜRKEI zuletzt genau jenes Selbstbewusstsein entwickelt, das GRIECHENLAND und ZYPERN einst hatten. Das lässt Premier Tayyip Erdogan in Nordzypern Härte zeigen. Aber auch die türkische Wirtschaft ist fragiler, als sie scheint - mit wachsenden Schulden und einem horrenden Leistungsbilanzdefizit. Und Erdogans außenpolitischer Ehrgeiz, gestärkt durch den Arabischen Frühling, stößt im Nachbarland SYRIEN immer mehr an seine Grenzen. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ernüchterung ist ein besserer Boden für politischen Pragmatismus als Euphorie. Doch um diese Chance zu nützen, braucht es in Brüssel - und auch in Washington - eine Willens- und Führungsstärke, mit der gerade wegen der Eurokrise nicht zu rechnen ist. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>

ZYPRIOTISCHE ERNÜCHTERUNG

Zyperns Aphrodite Felsen DAS PLATZEN ÖKONOMISCHER TRÄUME BIETET DIE CHANCE FÜR AUßENPOLITISCHE LÖSUNGEN Via DER STANDARD Von Eric Frey ZYP...

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Whole 30 and Dirty Dozen

Second post in one day, I must be feeling better!<br /><br />I just skimmed through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/It-Starts-Food-Discover-Unexpected/dp/1936608898/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341079263&sr=8-1&keywords=it+starts+with+food" target="_blank">It Starts With Food</a> on my Kindle. This is really going to be a major change for me. I'm curious about the outcome so I feel really motivated to do it. Weight loss would be great and is my ultimate goal, but feeling better by not eating all the crap I've been eating is even more exciting.<br /><br />Although I'm not sure I'm completely on board with everything they're suggesting, I'm willing to give it a try. I'm suspicious about cow's milk being unhealthy, but they're logic makes sense. I agree about artificial sweeteners. I was pretty sure that Stevia is not all that healthy and the authors validated my thoughts.<br /><br />A couple links for you, one is the link to the It Starts With Food <a href="http://whole9life.com/itstartswithfood/" target="_blank">website </a>with a lot of free downloads, like <a href="http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf" target="_blank">how to get started with the Whole 30</a> and even a <a href="http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Shopping-List.pdf" target="_blank">shopping list</a> (which is in my purse right now):  <a href="http://whole9life.com/itstartswithfood/"><br /></a><br /><br />They have so much information on their website you almost don't need the book, although there's a lot of explanation as to why you should follow this eating plan in the book.  <br /><br />Also, a link to the <a href="http://ewg.org/foodnews/summary/%20" target="_blank">Dirty Dozen</a>, which I think everyone needs to review.<br /><br />That's it for now. Getting off this computer and getting my day going. Wonder if there's anything acceptable in my kitchen to eat for the Whole 30. Definitely going to be a challenge.

Whole 30 and Dirty Dozen

Second post in one day, I must be feeling better! I just skimmed through It Starts With Food on my Kindle. This is really going to be a maj...

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Feeling more like myself

For the last few months, I've haven't felt well. I didn't know what was wrong, but I was always tired and borderline unhappy. Not depressed, just not really happy. In fact, I didn't feel like I was feeling anything. It was weird and not at all like how I usually feel. I was not normal, mentally or physically.<br /><br />I blamed it on my weight gain of 40 pounds in the past seven months. I'm sure that was part of it, but yesterday I realized something else that changed about two months ago.<br /><br />A quick recap of the past nine months:<br /><br />August 2011 - Broke my wrist while bicycling and was in a fingertip to elbow cast for three months (first month was a fingertip to shoulder cast). Told would most likely have surgery. Missed a ton of work since I couldn't type (I'm a software developer). Fortunately it all healed and no surgery, but a stressful period.<br /><br />Sept 2011 - My sister had a catastrophic stroke that left her completely paralyzed on her right side, unable to speak intelligibly, read or write. Previously a very active woman and now she's in a wheelchair.<br /><br />Nov 2011 - After a battle with her eldest daughter, my niece, whom I no longer speak to (she is seriously crazy), I was appointed my sister's legal guardian by the State of Alaska.<br /><br />Dec 2011 - Found out from my sister she'd been abused when I visited her at her assisted living in Fairbanks, Alaska. I live in Seattle. I can't tell you the horror of her trying to explain to me about the "bad" person. The only word she could say, "bad", over and over and point to her window. And her unending tears as she tried to tell me who had hurt her and what had happened, both of which I'll never know for sure because I can't understand her. <br /><br />Jan 2012 - Moved my sister to Seattle to live close to me in a wonderful adult family home.<br /><br />Feb 2012 - Filed a Vulnerable Adult Order of Protection with the state to keep my crazy niece away from my sister for the next five years.<br /><br />Mar 2012 - Started a high-pressure, intense project at work with a very tight, unrealistic, but government-imposed deadline. Very much outside my comfort zone on this project.<br /><br />Apr 2012 - Started breaking out in horrible hives, first a couple times a week, then every day. Huge red welts would appear for no apparent reason and itch like crazy, on different parts of my body on different days. And of course, let's not forget the lip swelling that happened randomly and made me look like a freak-a-zoid. It was misery.<br /><br />Late Apr 2012 - On the advice of a nurse, I started taking a 24-hour Claritin on a daily basis. The hives and lip swelling immediately stopped. It had happened three times the day before. I was about ready to go to the emergency room.<br /><br />Late Apr 2012 - June 28, 2012 - felt out of sorts. Extremely tired all the time. Eating out of control. Exercise almost non-existent. Often would get up early, get dressed to go to the gym, but wouldn't go. Too tired.<br /><br />June 29, 2012 - yesterday - I got up, started to take the Claritin as I have every day for two months and although I have been hive free for that entire time, I decided to <u>not</u> take it. The pressure has lifted at work, my sister stuff has settled into a comfortable routine. I haven't spoken to the crazy niece since February and doubt I will ever speak to her again. Did I really need to continue taking the Claritin? I decided no, it was time to stop it.<br /><br />Within only a few  hours, I felt different. I felt like myself. It was very weird. I was sitting at my desk yesterday and thought, why do I feel so different? What changed? I feel happy. I feel excited about my plans for July 4th. Life isn't bad.<br /><br />I hadn't felt that feeling for months. Then it hit me, I stopped taking a pill I'd been taking every day for two months. Even though they claim Claritin has little to no side effects, I really noticed a difference in myself when I stopped taking it. I also slept better last night than I have in a long time. Like a rock. I didn't wake up once all night which is unusual.  <br /><br />I feel ready to get back on the wagon. My wagon of choice this time around is the Paleo diet. Thanks to <a href="http://www.escapefromobesity.net/2012/06/considering-whole-30.html" target="_blank">Lyn's post</a> ( and this <a href="http://www.escapefromobesity.net/2012/06/elimination-diet-and-getting-closer-to.html" target="_blank">one</a>) regarding the Whole 30, I thought this is a good time to figure out what foods make me feel good and the ones that make me feel lousy. If that tiny little Claritin pill has such a huge impact on my body, I know all the junk I'm dumping into my body must really be playing havoc with my physical and mental health.<br /><br />I've got the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936608898/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=escapefromobesity-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1936608898">It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways</a>, downloaded to my Kindle. I've skimmed it but will do some serious reading today and get the right food in the house (and the wrong food out of the house).<br /><br />Today's plan:<br />Gym<br />Reading (the book referenced above) <br />Grocery shopping (including the Farmer's Market)<br />House cleaning - yuk<br />Take my sister for a color/cut and maybe a movie if she's up to it see a movie. <a href="http://magicmikemovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank">Magic Mike</a> - don't laugh - she loves that kind of stuff. I think she'll get a kick out of it. Rottentomatoes.com gave it an 80% rating (okay, I'll admit it, I love Matthew McConaughey)<span style="color: black;">.</span><br /><br />Tomorrow - I will try to mow our lawn if it dries out a little. I have never mowed our lawn or even tried to start the lawn mower. We've lived her 14 years but it's my husband's thing. It hasn't been mowed in five weeks. I've never seen it this tall. My husband is usually a freak about the lawn, , always working on it trying to make it the nicest lawn in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, he's in Denver again this weekend. Fifth time in the last six weeks (and he just started a new job five weeks ago).<br /><br />His dad was taken to ER again on Thursday but is back at the nursing home today. His dad is complaining he can't breath. He's on oxygen, but he can't get enough. It's the emphysema. Damned smoking for the past 50 years. I wish the Federal government would make cigarette sales illegal and put the tobacco companies out of business.<br /><br />The tobacco industry is something I will never understand. I understand the whole financial aspect of it, the big business, the jobs that would be lost, the taxes the state and federal governments would lose, the revenue for the Indian tribes (we have an Indian Smoke shop on almost every corner here), but I just don't get it. Cigarettes are poison. They kill people. Slowly and painfully. Yes, I know it's a choice but it doesn't make any sense that it's okay to sell cigarettes. Okay, stepping off my soapbox. This is a weight loss blog, not an anti-smoking blog. Still, it just makes me crazy!<br /><br />Okay, until tomorrow. I plan to be back to daily posting now that I'm myself again. :)

Feeling more like myself

For the last few months, I've haven't felt well. I didn't know what was wrong, but I was always tired and borderline unhappy. No...

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Financial Analyst (Planning budget | forecasting Material cost | Inventory |revenue | Microsoft Excel SAP/SOX ) (#108305)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Job Title:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> Financial Analyst</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> Milpitas, CA</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Duration:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> Fulltime</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Job Description: </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 years of experience. Day to day includes the following: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span><div class="WordSection1"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1.Responsible for reviewing and forecasting Book, Ship, Revenue and Warranty  line items</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">2.Responsible for all line items associated with Manufacturing costs, this includes, headcount , materials and allocations costs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">3.Responsible for reviewing standard costing and E&O Materials for Division</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">4.Responsible for all line items associated with Fixed Cost, these include but are not limited to Compensation, Project Spend, Allocations and Depreciation of Internal Tools, more items may be added later</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">5.This person will be the primary contact for Director of Engineering and Director of Marketing to forecast and track spending at a detail level</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">6.Understanding of SOX compliance/Internal Control Requirements</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">7.Participate in strategic planning for Finance</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">8.Monthly/ Quarterly close processes and meet regular corporate deliverables.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">9.Able to work/cooperate with different levels of the organization in Finance, Engineering, Marketing, Sales.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Education and Experience:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">1.Able to work independently and proactively </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">2.Energetic, openness to learning, dependable, responsible</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">3.Self driven and motivated to invest the time to learn new processes, add to existing ones</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">4.Strong communication skills, open to discussions to resolve issues</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">5.Strong technical skills in Excel modeling, SAP, TM1</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">6.Share KT values</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">7.Bachelor's Level Degree</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Basic Qualifications:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Bachelor's Level Degree with at least  5 years of experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">OR</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Master's Level Degree with at least 3 years of experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Please send your resumes to <a href="mailto:vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com">vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com</a> </span></b></div></div><div class="WordSection1"><br /></div></div>

Financial Analyst (Planning budget | forecasting Material cost | Inventory |revenue | Microsoft Excel SAP/SOX ) (#108305)

Job Title: Financial Analyst Location: Milpitas, CA Duration: Fulltime Job Description: The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 year...

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Google #3: Google Docs tips and tricks

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2Y3wdZauBritLMGGxXkuETxAtDrfAQSNQ1jjGWRDSwTc72f_MQn6ENngQ_L-FoQUNczdVgbl4gWhjbdhv5I0OJTTwqyBlgGBtEU2XuflXKVajyFIIhb9hmqL_GP_QLZ5_i77A2orypI/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2e-2ODxih9KprpZ1rR5qFvHfvYEoGyBTKNZrudz2aIUyKabgS5XYCJjJzVqWw8zgDozk5N53PudAuO4VPkLx2TBWhWyEchq4tCq9_aFYk4eWQ2TiNi5WDv7xf4LhAwkz-SVf-vm2REM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Internet is full of posts relating to all the things you can do with Google Docs. It is an amazing suite especially when it is used in combination with Google Chrome. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Some of my favourite tips</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">1. I love the fact that you can upload any document such as a Microsoft PowerPoint and immediately be given an URL to share in whatever way you choose. This means that in a blog, for example, you might want to share a PowerPoint link without having to put it to Slideshare, or you might want to share a Word document. I thought Box.net was the best way to do this but Google Docs is just as good.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">2. The Chrome extensions are amazing! For example, I LOVE the way that when you are browsing the Internet and you come across a website you like...OK, you can bookmark it in Diigo, BUT, if you want a more tangible form like a PDF of the page you just click on the extension <i>Send to Google Docs. The DocWatch </i>extension is also useful for collaboration and seeing if the document you are working with has been added to since you last looked. The third extension I LOVE is not necessarily for Google Docs but is the <i>Dictionary</i> extension where you can double click on any word on a web page and get the meaning. This is so useful for our students. Is there any wonder that Chrome is my favourite browser! Across the top of my Google Chrome browser I have all the little extensions I love to use - <i>Scoop.it, scrible toolbar for annotating, Diigo, Send to Google Docs, WatchDoc, Dictionary </i>- the list is growing daily!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The following presentation outlines a few of my favourite tips and tricks from Google Docs. </span></div><div id="__ss_13496009" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/google-docs-tips-and-tricks" title="Google docs tips and tricks">Google docs tips and tricks</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse13496009" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=googledocstipsandtricks-120629110238-phpapp02&stripped_title=google-docs-tips-and-tricks&userName=fionabeal" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed name="__sse13496009" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=googledocstipsandtricks-120629110238-phpapp02&stripped_title=google-docs-tips-and-tricks&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> <br /><div style="padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">Fiona Beal</a>.</div></div></div>

google Google #3: Google Docs tips and tricks

  The Internet is full of posts relating to all the things you can do with Google Docs. It is an amazing suite especially when it is used in...

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My Awesome WW Leader

I have been a WW member unofficially since I was 17 years old.   I have also had 5 WW leaders since I've started this journey.<br /><br />My unofficial membership began when my aunts and uncle proposed a little family weight loss competition.  Aunt Patty photocopied her Points slider and made one for me out of a manila envelope (back when Points were based on calories, fat and fiber, and eTools didn't even exist!).  She taught me the system, and so our competition began.  I think I managed to lose around 20-25 pounds during my first run on WW.  Not bad!  (I might even still have that homemade slider back at my parents house - mental note to look for that the next time I go home!)  <br /><br />Once I went away to college and actually had money to afford my own official WW membership, I started attending meetings at the local center at Penn State.  I cannot even remember if my leader was male or female at this center!  Shows how much of an impact they had on me.  Though I must say, it was during this time that I was most successful on WW, having removed nearly 50 lbs from my 5'8" frame!  Oh the glory!  I remember the amazing compliments that my college friends would offer me - definitely a highlight of my life!<br /><br />Then I moved to Virginia in 2006, slowly regaining those 50 lbs, and started attending meetings in Fairfax, VA.  My WW leader there was Wayne.   HILARIOUS guy and was so incredibly popular among the NoVA WW's that I eventually quit attending the meetings because I couldn't stand the crowd.  He was like a WW celebrity - women falling at his heels for attention with their own weight loss quips.  He had great information, but I was never able to form a connection with him, most likely due to the shear number of people attending his meetings.  However, I knew I needed to form some connection with my leader in order to hold me accountable.  So, eventually I quit attending Wayne's meetings in Fairfax.<br /><br />At one point in 2007, I actually cancelled my WW membership.  I decided that there was no sense in paying for it if I couldn't keep myself committed.  But then, once I returned home from a 3 month hiatus for work in Kansas City, Joel and I decided we would do WW together.  I started attending meetings again for a short duration, this time at a church in Arlington, VA.  The leader there was nice enough, but before long I quit attending (I don't think I ever knew her name!).  The people attending this meeting just wasn't doing it for me and the leader was just so-so.  I think around this time Joel and I both lost approximately 30 lbs but started slacking off thereafter.  <br /><br />Then I moved from Arlington to Alexandria in 2008 and decided to start attending meetings at another location once more.  This time I attended meetings at a center in Springfield.....with Wayne (again)!  By now I felt that Joel would be enough to hold me accountable, so I no longer felt the need to connect with my leader.  Wayne sure was hilarious just as he was in 2006, but again, his meetings were packed!  So, instead of attending his meetings, I started attending Mary's meetings on another night.  Another nice lady, but she wasn't cutting it either.  I wanted Wayne's enthusiasm and knowledge combined with Mary's attendance level.  This time I hung in there for a solid year, but once I moved to Waldorf, MD in 2009, I all together gave up on attending meetings.  I never felt like they were providing that much of a benefit for me and so I became strictly an eTools member.  <br /><br />I stayed as an eTools member for about 2 years.  Then, Joel and I moved back to Alexandria from Maryland in 2011.  <br /><br />Has all this moving annoyed you yet?  It sure did for me!<br /><br />A few weeks after moving back to the Old Dominion, I decided to start <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/07/living-life-making-friends.html" target="_blank">attending meetings again</a>.  I made this decision for a number of reasons, but mainly so that I could try to make some friends.  I was also at my heaviest weight ever (in the 260s), and I needed a boost.  I wanted to start fresh with WW, get the crash course in PointsPlus (which had just turned over from the previous Points system), and reinvigorate my weight loss journey.  A woman of persistence, I was willing to give meetings another go despite my experience, because I was determined to find a leader I could connect with and learn from.  He/she just had to be out there!<br /><br /><br />Enter Sharon.<br /><br />Sharon, with the shining smile and bright eyes, greeted me warmly as I weighed in at the Alexandria center for the first time in July 2011.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was this location's leader.  From Day 1, Sharon was exactly what I was looking for in a leader.  Not only was she enthusiastic about WW,  but she had a ton of knowledge and experience to share.  She was always very willing to talk with you one on one and it was clear that she had personal connections with her members.  Sharon had immediately introduced me to another member who was around my age, sharing this member's success story with me.  Sharon's positive energy and warm demeanor always kept me coming back, despite the snail's pace at which the weight is coming off this time around.  Sharon, hands down, was the leader I had been looking for all along.<br /><br />Last week, during my Wednesday meeting, with about 5 minutes remaining, she told us she had an announcement to make.  Being the morbid person that I am, my mind shot to "she has cancer!".  Thankfully I was wrong, but the news still wasn't good.  Sharon informed us that June 27 would be her last meeting with us as our leader.  As she had tears in her eyes, she shared with us that her and her husband were going through a divorce and that she had to take time off to focus on her, her daughter and the sale of her much-loved home.  By this point, many of the members had tears running down their faces, me included.  Sharon went on to say that she had gained back a considerable amount of weight due to the emotional stress she was experiencing. She said she no longer felt good about projecting the WW principles to us, whenever she wasn't even capable of following them.  I'm pretty sure none of us were judging her on this!  Still, many of us expressed our support and concern to her at the end of the meeting.  I left the center with an extremely heavy heart.<br /><br />The irony in this story is that Sharon had weighed me in for this meeting, and I had told her that I didn't want to know my weight because I had just returned from our honeymoon.  She flashed her trademark smile and expressed genuine happiness for me as I shared our quick story with her.  Then, 30 minutes later, she shares her news.  But, that is the kind of person she is.  Despite the crap she has going on in her life, you would have never known.  Sharon was always smiling, always encouraging, always positive.  <br /><br />Last night was our last meeting with her until hopefully this fall.  She promises to come back to our meeting site at some point this summer to attend as a member, not a leader.  Her only request for us last night was that we pray for her.  She specifically said: "Don't feel bad for me.  Be glad for me.  I am going to have time to change my life and my daughter's life for the better.  All I ask is that you pray for me."<br /><br />I wanted to share this story with you so that you can pray for Sharon as well.<br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">How do you feel about your WW leader/Jenny Craig consultant/other well-being consultant? </b>

Weight Watchers My Awesome WW Leader

I have been a WW member unofficially since I was 17 years old.   I have also had 5 WW leaders since I've started this journey. My unoffi...

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you scare me, but i like you

<span style="background-color: white;">I started working on ideas for my living room a few weeks </span><span style="background-color: white;">ago</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and I'm having some good times with these fabric and paint ideas. (I'll share my board soon) I've realized though, that I have a color phobia. I'm usually down with all colors, and don't have any particular fear of using any of them...except for one.<br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Orange.<br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I've tried to use it a few times - in paint, fabric, accessories - and I almost always chicken out. Its sad. I'm thinking I might need therapy. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><br />This is my sole dip into the orange pool. Chicken.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8FwRZyQkKVBxLeGb1jmTOpxn6P9DjT7ocrW6_C31PoByLctHs7w4kK8eu8UZEPrjlofPgda_6oCbg9bAYZmHWLBiDn-kKLEprTRVsQ1mNfGVHGof0xJaXXx_NaH86VY70tcqBi4lYU-/s1600/P3145191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8FwRZyQkKVBxLeGb1jmTOpxn6P9DjT7ocrW6_C31PoByLctHs7w4kK8eu8UZEPrjlofPgda_6oCbg9bAYZmHWLBiDn-kKLEprTRVsQ1mNfGVHGof0xJaXXx_NaH86VY70tcqBi4lYU-/s640/P3145191.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I really like orange. And I find that I <a href="http://pinterest.com/ladybaum/" target="_blank">pin it</a> a ton.</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61CL5oPI2EpNcNXAPUSTv2QricDjcrYkg20USntvFVLJVmJiE9cS8otZqOsS5_V-wX9ZU-oZs-E2ALBhM5YWcVam0l-XQQgwAZoC2GaxEXQioe60W0ny044T95BEx_I2DN-bLTrQLanG9/s1600/TobiFairley.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61CL5oPI2EpNcNXAPUSTv2QricDjcrYkg20USntvFVLJVmJiE9cS8otZqOsS5_V-wX9ZU-oZs-E2ALBhM5YWcVam0l-XQQgwAZoC2GaxEXQioe60W0ny044T95BEx_I2DN-bLTrQLanG9/s640/TobiFairley.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tobifairley.com/portfolio/glenwood/" target="_blank">Tobi Fairley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjSwp3ZRRqk7qhiOTUK8Ccgrj5B_6DLmArqup4OWiOcsF2BAUN3Pg1-WTi-qMT_h7EcfhfIGZp8hmS8dxGg461oh0fDW5ZKi3gvWwIVvYJOUAQSmwEKLfaa3QUH-nHoyVplfPbRuu4ywC/s1600/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjSwp3ZRRqk7qhiOTUK8Ccgrj5B_6DLmArqup4OWiOcsF2BAUN3Pg1-WTi-qMT_h7EcfhfIGZp8hmS8dxGg461oh0fDW5ZKi3gvWwIVvYJOUAQSmwEKLfaa3QUH-nHoyVplfPbRuu4ywC/s640/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks.jpeg" width="544" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.styleathome.com/homes/interiors/interior-girly-glam-bachelorette-pad/a/42127" target="_blank">Style at Home</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdVhZP8Kr_-bTFqzXXpQQktsoKvmFMieVBDVCDaGKNFF2LxBmFB_OkLSzdq2gWoeAEhkRRsdBVYgcAUBBHXkynC27T80Ut7aX8aDSdCAv8BViaAqzdsMzeKnjZAKTH6hea6YttpA3q337/s1600/amyweaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdVhZP8Kr_-bTFqzXXpQQktsoKvmFMieVBDVCDaGKNFF2LxBmFB_OkLSzdq2gWoeAEhkRRsdBVYgcAUBBHXkynC27T80Ut7aX8aDSdCAv8BViaAqzdsMzeKnjZAKTH6hea6YttpA3q337/s640/amyweaver.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amyweaverdesign.com/portfolio_2.html" target="_blank">Amy Weaver</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiythxczK-pM8vmpIS527-o9TLh_bCeBpptSFx2Br0RS7U6zVfpEq5Tx5Nc4jLSmpC_-wG9AazRARZ__mRvz893hGZJ3z5hxDNe51MD_wZEQQxbolijVoBGHX5PRC1pWDggdMJEd2XkNiSF/s1600/TobiFairley2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiythxczK-pM8vmpIS527-o9TLh_bCeBpptSFx2Br0RS7U6zVfpEq5Tx5Nc4jLSmpC_-wG9AazRARZ__mRvz893hGZJ3z5hxDNe51MD_wZEQQxbolijVoBGHX5PRC1pWDggdMJEd2XkNiSF/s640/TobiFairley2.jpeg" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tobifairley.com/portfolio/energy-house/" target="_blank">Tobi Fairley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmQqw4fG7kBPTkkpnXZv4sz81NzIe0QrsFe5AtOaLJ2dbr2vpfdL9pH0Pqbb5h5NEU2Q7Jf2kfH60cbN6zAqqePy6x79OJD5BPXcFmK8ILbosEYYkAfsScy7SEHJH7PA_IfUdLX8e4FKu/s1600/MarthaStewart.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmQqw4fG7kBPTkkpnXZv4sz81NzIe0QrsFe5AtOaLJ2dbr2vpfdL9pH0Pqbb5h5NEU2Q7Jf2kfH60cbN6zAqqePy6x79OJD5BPXcFmK8ILbosEYYkAfsScy7SEHJH7PA_IfUdLX8e4FKu/s640/MarthaStewart.jpeg" width="496" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORdmyZqeTt78Q1u8WrT_wf0476WbQSDIWEK6ZRFlXkJlaJma7Z7ncnX-xY3zsS1r-cSfzvQifa4E6yoV3yHq_jGI6nDKWPEfLDsUAyO-2stoP-5_RkxRj6gVaYN0y7K6E4BgMZ927XIsk/s1600/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORdmyZqeTt78Q1u8WrT_wf0476WbQSDIWEK6ZRFlXkJlaJma7Z7ncnX-xY3zsS1r-cSfzvQifa4E6yoV3yHq_jGI6nDKWPEfLDsUAyO-2stoP-5_RkxRj6gVaYN0y7K6E4BgMZ927XIsk/s640/Style+at+Home+design+editor+Jessica+Waks-1.jpeg" width="504" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.styleathome.com/homes/interiors/interior-girly-glam-bachelorette-pad/a/42127" target="_blank">Style at Home</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXpp_bt8yuRkqmJawBGfYe_2loaMQ76vHRWPXIuqa2uDXFyMUIKDZLpzZ0bo3pDocSmtfGCJ5ZD3Vdco3kXfhxmjRcGXmNDd0vLBF3o5aowulOBrb80Ez6DGQIEzIpX8K7rIq8bmucre_/s1600/Color+pop.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXpp_bt8yuRkqmJawBGfYe_2loaMQ76vHRWPXIuqa2uDXFyMUIKDZLpzZ0bo3pDocSmtfGCJ5ZD3Vdco3kXfhxmjRcGXmNDd0vLBF3o5aowulOBrb80Ez6DGQIEzIpX8K7rIq8bmucre_/s640/Color+pop.jpeg" width="514" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amiecorley.com/" target="_blank">Amie Corley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOon-CfDvUt1pxh55xReU-Jpwkl-4qCpDQj1dJa4fE98IRJ5sSqPpwujvIL1t-uEBzwlTrtZ1s3FfBf67tqbkN5RJgaLBj-At9zd07yOXbMsBX0jSxv5zg4jEfsdx-Wu33FRMMPTEMRRW/s1600/mr-banks-beforeafter-guest-bedrooms.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOon-CfDvUt1pxh55xReU-Jpwkl-4qCpDQj1dJa4fE98IRJ5sSqPpwujvIL1t-uEBzwlTrtZ1s3FfBf67tqbkN5RJgaLBj-At9zd07yOXbMsBX0jSxv5zg4jEfsdx-Wu33FRMMPTEMRRW/s640/mr-banks-beforeafter-guest-bedrooms.jpeg" width="424" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.peppermintbliss.com/2012/06/mr-banks-beforeafter-guest-bedrooms/" target="_blank">Peppermint Bliss</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Is there a color you are scared to use but always seem drawn to?<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Also, before I go, a big THANK YOU to <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-restoring-a-dilapidated-deck-the-little-black-door-173326" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy for featuring our deck</a> redo this week. Can I get a WAHOO?! (And thanks to <a href="http://mybestfriendcraig.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Charmaine</a> for sending the link to me)</span>

you scare me, but i like you

I started working on ideas for my living room a few weeks  ago  and I'm having some good times with these fabric and paint ideas. (I'...

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Transformer: Thoughts from the Perfect Moment

Good morning, my friends. I read a recent ebook by Andy Andrews entitled "Perfect" that changed my perspective. The point on the book was that we notice all the things that are wrong, but do we notice the perfect moments? Kip had sent me the ebook with a note that "let's start looking for perfect."<br />This morning is one of those.<br /><br /><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5749424083570633218'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DkWRPkvdLlTzw0f7l8L67_268WyBLhtOYVlAvB8u3H2q3r7kiGvKfndB1uzsuil2c0XtLYi2IhL98qeWMgXsezLeqItDxNLgfTT4KaHWyCyqYjE9iYrE93qPr3UL9GLOZ3rtpZ57dGnJ/s288/0.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a><br /><br />I get up so early (5 am most days) that for me to sleep until 7am is quite a feat. Up at 7am, it was still foggy here in North Georgia, where my husband finally got me away from the self-imposed rigor of my daily routines meant to keep my house neat, the 3 kids in line and moving in the right direction, and to write and share with you in fulfilling my God given purpose in life of encouraging and helping others.<br /><br />You'll be reading this post and living this morning with me in a week or so because my family has asked that I keep when I'm gone (unless to conferences) private until after we come back. We are pretty practical country people and there have been a spate of robberies in our local home town. While my house is not so fancy, I'd like to keep what is in it intact and respect my family's wishes.<br /><br />But this morning, I got up and grabbed one of those TIME magazines that just came in but I have not had time to read with the end of the school year. As a child, TIME was my introduction to the world. Starting at a young age, I read every one of "Dad's" magazines usually ignoring Better Homes or Southern Living for Newsweek, or TIME. Reading TIME always takes me back in time to when I was a young child on a Saturday morning wrapped up in a blanket on the couch reading it while cartoons played on the TV. <br /><br />The fog was out this morning as I settled into the garden tub overlooking the tops of the trees. I didn't put in my contacts so I wouldn't need reading glasses to get steamed up in the blistering hot water I was running in the tub. I started reading and stopped only to use my toe to turn off the water when I realized it was now running cold. Only half full (these mountain cabins don't have very large hot water heaters) I chose not to run the jets so I wouldn't wake up Kip in the other room. <br /><br />Fascinated by a flow chart showing the various options laid out to Greece and its struggles for fiscal responsibility and the impact on the Euro - I was transported to a world and wondered what my friend Craig in Greece has to say about the veracity of the reports that most of the cost cutting has been on the backs of schoolchildren and teachers in Greece. <br /><br />I read responses to a recent time magazine about Benjamin Netanyahu (another TIME I took time to read ;-) and found the critique fascinating of those within Israel who say that he gave access to foreign journalists that he wouldn't give to his own.<br /><br />I read TIME's cover story about Mitt Romney's life growing up and was curious about the unnamed malady his Mom had and the fact that she turned down a sizeable movie contract and could have been one of "those actresses" from the golden age that we watch in Turner Classic movies but instead chose to marry Mitt's Dad, George.<br /><br />As I read, the water turned cold and I got another tad of hot water from the hot water heater to heat things up. Not the steaming hot bath I hoped for but the view from the window made up for that. Over halfway through the magazine, I put it aside to look at the trees outside -- blurred like a water color painting by my not so great long distance eyesight, I realized that in the middle, there was a tree that looked a lot like a transformer. Yes, you know one of those transforming robots that my 11 year old watches on those movies with the tanned girl and quick witted Shia Labouf who looks just like my nephew Clint. There he was, staring at me.<br /><br />It was then I realized. It has been so long since my mind could wander. Wander through the random thoughts of a mind without a list. I sat there looking at my transformer friend and filled with gratitude for the moment. Many people in this world live such hard, desperate lives that to think of having such a moment would be the ultimate in vanity. I don't mind working and don't "live" for such moments away but as I write more and more, I realize that these moments nurture my creativity more than anything else. Not only that, I can relate to the Psalmist who said, "I lift mine eyes unto the hills where comest my strength." <br /><br />My family has been coming to these hills for at least 5 generations and I think perhaps it is something genetic - maybe our pale skin - that sends us here instead of the beach. (My son's nickname is "bleach" - just the way we're made.)<br /><br />So I looked at Mr. Transformer in the treetops and for a moment thought about being afraid -- he looked so real. But I teared up with the realization that the moment was Perfect. I had found a perfect moment and I wouldn't be afraid of that.<br /><br />Perfect because as I pondered all the different things I could do with my life that is left, that I'm perfectly at peace with asking God what He wants me to do with it and going that direction. (I profess that this is something many of you will find it very hard to understand and pray and wish you could.) <br /><br />Sometimes I worry that I don't really know where this life is heading with me. My oldest graduates this year with his sister following the next year. I look at June after we come back and it is literally completely booked until July 1. I have a second book due in early July and already have notes for a third and fourth. <br /><br />As the soul who inhabits this body, it is in my nature to ponder my own path -- I care about myself - of course I do. And one of the biggest things I've come learn after hitting 40 is the finite-ness of my own time. I can't do everything or be everywhere. When I was in Canada and my son got pneumonia it almost killed me. So, I've booked 3 events for the fall and a filming thing for a friend and that is probably just going to have to be it.<br /><br />There is definitely a force that tries to inhale me when I go to conferences. There is a certain pull to "be on stage" - be one of "those" people that we all secretly think of becoming that is up there while the rest of us listen. Those people who are lean, fit, have a perfect life, and have everything in order. Maybe if I travel all the time I could be "that."<br /><br />But reality has shown me that "that" would mean sacrificing "this." This is more moments with my babies and laughter with my husband. We laugh so hard sometimes at my house that I literally cry and we just can't stop. We talk about interesting things and work so hard together. My home is a fun place to be and I'm so grateful for the 19 years with this hero of a man that is my husband.<br /><br /><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5749424096413979634'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBut0YTfrxUoPKPJTVsvKepgtJktt32BnyCwnY4Go23-Ja48Pep-eDsc0XlWdf7mAfuBcNuuLzwREOKM3_6yUibAKuvE7IzHrkWgVF8_Y4hwe7ha2K9sazpG-OTgw-4cFU4xNqmxJq_PQ/s288/1.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a><br /><br />You can see it is getting brighter and the fog is dispelling. So, as I ponder Mr.Transformer man, I get out of the bath, put down TIME, run to the kitchen for a banana because I don't want to fill up before the incredible breakfast that my husband always cooks on the first day of vacation (Stripling's sausage - yum)<br /><br />Then, I realize that in the spirit of continuing the perfect moment that what I want to do most is write. I used to write in journals for hours a day but now, this blog is my journal. Most of my writing is for you who read this blog. I admit that some days it is so very hard to write and I don't feel like it, but I know that 95% of what I accomplish daily is my habits. I mess up all the time and wish I could do better or spend more time writing for you (and me, because my ephiphanies often come as I compose) but this is my life.<br /><br />I keep thinking that maybe I can show teachers a new path. A path of being and STAYING a teacher while taking a little time out to speak to help send your children to college. And yes, paying for college has been on our mind a lot lately. Within 2 years we'll have 2 in college and every book I can write and speech I can give will help us do that which we can't afford even on the salary of a teacher and an engineer. <br /><br />It comes to me that there are more of you out there that may want to take this path. While I have an immense amount of respect for those who "do the speakers circuit" I totally know that isn't a life I want. My strength comes from my family and I love and adore getting out and speaking to any audience of teachers. To do it all the time, however, would be too much. I have babies to raise still.<br /><br />Who on earth will ever even read this meandering post but me? This has got to be the longest post I've ever written and it breaks every rule of blogging, I think, that I've learned EXCEPT one -- being transparent and being real.<br /><br />If I share with you my goals and you share with me yours then perhaps we can help each other along the way. I do know what I do want to be. I want to be an excellent author who helps people and makes their lives better.<br /><br />Recently I was in a webinar with a college professor and her students and one student told a story about an autistic boy that bought tears to my eyes. She said "Vicki, I read in your book about the autistic boy in Austria who presented online and didn't have a speech impediment then so I decided to try it with one of my students who had a terrible stutter. I want you to know that when he presented in the online classroom, his stutter went away completely. It changed his life and I cried." (This is one of the stories in Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds) - That is what I want to do. Help people.<br /><br />I want to write books that change lives and soon will move beyond education books. I'm never going to write a book just to write a book but will only write books that solve problems. I'm not going to pretend I'm perfect but will be real about what I share. I want to be incredibly helpful, kind, and respectful even to those who are unkind to me to model my faith and the forgiveness I've received to others who may mistake Christianity with hate mongers. <br /><br />Should the good Lord let me write books to reach through the paper and ipads and computer screens to improve someone's life in some way - then let it be. Wherever I share whether it is here, tumblr, pinterest, facebook, Twitter, let it be to help others. There are enough narcissists in the world and arrogance is repugnant. If anything I'm pretty normal and probably boring. People where I live think I'm geeky and that I can't carry on a normal conversation but I disagree with them.<br /><br />God has a plan for you and a plan for me. I pray for each of us to find it. Now,I hear sausage sizzling so I'm going to be done and enjoy this perfect moment even if it produced a quite imperfect blog post though one that accurately represents the mind of a very tired teacher.<br /><br />As you think about transforming - what are you transforming into? Do you like the direction you're heading? Are you willing to change course if you're going a direction you don't like? Do you know what is important to you so you can make decisions? <br /><br />Have you had your perfect moment yet this summer?<br /><br />Written June 3 or so in the mountains.<br />Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Oak%20Hill%20Dr,,United%20States%4034.910152%2C-84.288187&z=10'>Oak Hill Dr,,United States</a></p>

Transformer: Thoughts from the Perfect Moment

Good morning, my friends. I read a recent ebook by Andy Andrews entitled "Perfect" that changed my perspective. The point on the ...

Read more »