It's Monday!!!!!!!!

It's Monday and the east coast is recovering from Irene.  At LAX in California, people are sitting around waiting to return to their homes or waiting to get on with business.  Lives have been disrupted as well as changed.

I'm in the high dessert for another few days.  I'm soaking up the sunshinre, keeping up with my life, and enjoying what's going on around me.

Early this morning, I listened to a telephone conversation.  The call was from a citizen of the town of Brattlebourgh, Vermont.  The pictures were shocking. A car was being swept along a swollen river. The water was up to the second florr of the houses.  But the voice on the phone was optimistic.

That's was it's all about.  The optimism and the hope that must go hand in hand with the disruption, sadness, and change.

It's  Monday.  It's the first day of the work week.  It's a day to take stock of all the positive people and things that surround me. What's are you going to do about Monday?

What do you expect? It's August!!!!!

I've been spending the past two weeks in the high dessert.  Barstow is the nearest metropolis.  It's really hot here.  I'm laughing to myself because I grew up in the Central Valley.  But I spent my summers in the Bay Area and at the beach in Venice and Santa Monica.  I only spent a few days at time in the small town of Dinuba.

As a wife and mother, I spent time with my children hanging around a swimming pool.  Now here I am an adult thinking about how to cool off!

The pool still calls my name as well as the dark cool interior of a movie theater.  Of course there is always my favorite hangout, Starbucks.  I'm sitting here racking my brain about other cool places to get away from Fresno's heat.  Her's a novel idea.  There is always my family room.

However, in the back of my head I keep hearing PG&E whispering in my head to conserve energy. What's a person to do? 

What will happen next?

Fresno may be the subject of jokes and spoofs, but it has a style all it's own.  Nestled in the Tower District is an array of architectural treasures. 

The architecture makes the mouth of historical buffs water. In the design of the homes, the history of Fresno is found..

Walking around the neighborhood, I stumbled upon this delightful style of home.  The design is called the mission revival style.  This style echoes the design of the early Spanish missions.

The center courtyard and the adobe walls remind me of the early beginnings of California. I think it is always good to think about where we have been so we can dive into the future with excitement.

I like the idea of joining the two with the expectation of what will happen next.

Where ya gonna eat??????

http://www.eatdrinkdeals.com/restaurant-week-2011/

I recently read the unemployment figures for Fresno.  They are not good!!!! Maybe everyone knows that already, but it's always good to be reminded.

Fresno is a very eating out city.  Restaurant chains use Fresno as a test market.  Think about it.  The taste of Fresno can make or break a chain eatery.  That's an awesome responsibility Fresnans. In addition, think about all of the amazing local restaurants opened by our own Fresno locals.  That says something about the quality of people that make our city their home.

Several posts ago, I mentioned restaurant week. I feel this import celebration needs a revisit. Yes I do!!!!
The restaurant industry employs a large segment of our unemployed population.  Students struggling to get through school.  Workers who are looking for jobs yet need something to chase the wolf from their doors.

Where are ya gonna eat Fresno?  It's restaurant week.  Pick a restaurant of your choice and support the industry while you're supporting the city of FRESNO!

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/consumer&id=8298598

What's hopping on the art scene?

I am not artistic.  Now that I have time I want to reverse that non talent and explore myself.  I want to discover if I have at least a glimmer of artistic ability.  I'm not sure how or why the talent to put color on paper and create images passed me by  I have aunts and cousins that can do that.  Why can't I?

Although I am not able to draw, paint, or sculp at this moment in time, I feed my artistic needs enjoying and appreciating what other artists can do. The first and third Thursday's of month in Fresno there is a feast that I may dine on at my leisure.  Fresno's artists display their talents in a variety of places throughout the city.  Fresno, CA a city set in the middle of California's central valley sets places at the table of local art to savor and enjoy the colors and textures of the art world.  What do you think is hopping at the Art Hop?

http://www.fresnoarthop.org/events/arthop

http://www.examiner.com/android-in-fresno/fresno-art-hop-picture

We're opening the door!!!!

A door just opened on a street--
   I, lost, was passing by--
An instant's width of warmth disclosed
   And wealth, and company.

The door as sudden shut, and I,
   I, lost, was passing by,--
Lost doubly, but by contrast most,
   Enlightening misery

I love the words of Emily Dickenson. She wrote poetry that broke the accepted rules of the time. She was a recluse. Yet she saw images and feelings about the world as if she had escaped the confines of her home.

I look at at Fresno's Fulton Mall like that door.  It has opened  fountains that have been shut off.  It has a ballpark that provides wealth and company to baseball fans..It is becoming a center for events that draw crowds to its streets. I can see it once again becoming the charming center it once was.  Go Fresno!  It's time to open a door that's been closed and bring in the wealth and company!

All You Rock N Rollers Yeaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

Last night I moved to the beat, sang along, and tried to remember what was going on in the eighties and early nineties.  What was going on in society to give birth to glam metal, thrash metal, and heavy metal music?  I promise I will do the research at another time.

Motley Crue hit the eighties like an out of control hurricane. They were four guys wearing make up and high heels. If you read their book DIRT you get a glimpse in their childhoods, teenage years, and all the events that lead up to the creation of this musical group.  Drugs, alcohol, and sex all worked together to meld  the personality and the songs of the Crue. 

Yet, last night the audience was not made of out of control alcoholics and drug addicts.  Mr. and Mrs. America sat in the audience wearing their job and family hats..  They cheered and shouted and remembered what it was like to be in high school.  I think a lot of people like to go back for an evening and remember times when life was not the same as it is now.  What do you think?

Let's Eat and Eat and Eat!!!!!

I just read that starting this week until Angust 31st it's restaurant week in Fresno. It's longer than a week, but it's the thought that counts.  I moved to Fresno with my late husband, and my daughter so we could be restaurateurs. It's my son's birthday today.  He was born two months before we opened.

My husband opened a Shakey's Pizza Parlor on the corner of Shaw and Chestnut in 1976.  There was not much out there.  Fresno State was the main attraction.  Now there would be a state of the art pizza restaurant. It was built there because my husband hoped it would be the restaurant of choice for students and faculty at the university. 

However, life has a funny way of throwing curves. Shakey's did not fulfill the dreams of the owner.  Rather, it eventually closed before it had a chance to succeed.  Some very unusual events took place.  On one of my birthdays someone decided to drive through the brick wall of the building. There is also a ghost that is associated with the building.  On Halloween, the Fresno Bee mentions this ghost as one the ghosts of Fresno.

Today The Dog House sits on this site. I've never been there, but I hope that it is successful and that it will be one of the restaurants people choose to celebrate Restaurant Week.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/dog-house-grill-fresno-2?rpp=40&start=40

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school for Fresno Adult School.  It will be the first time since 1984 that I will not be greeting a new group of ESL students. I didn't start my career as an adult ESL instructor on the first day of class.

I started on September 21, 1983.  Classes had started earlier. I never thought of myself as an adult education teacher. I had a standard California Elementary Teaching Credential.  However, on the front of my credential it said I could any class organized for adults.

On that day in September,  I transitioned from a bilingual kindergarten teacher to an adult ESL teacher.  Little did I know that on that day I had entered the Magic Kingdom.

I have a shout out for my former colleagues. I will thinking about you as you start the new school year.
On Thursday, I will be in my ESL professional development class discussing the reading about the role of home language in an ESL classroom. 

I may not be in a classroom, but I am still in the game.

Amazing People I know

My son was married on October 16, 2004.   October 16th had a lot of stuff attached to it. However, he and his fiancee chose that day for such beautiful reasons.

Being the mother of the groom I wanted to look my best.  I bite my nails.  I've bitten my nails as long as I can remember.  My mom used to put STOP on my nails to curtail the urge.  It didn't STOP me.  I just chewed them down to the quick. So here I am thinking I can't be the mother of the groom with chewed off nails.

Enter Mary Jo who worked her magic and created nails that were to die for. However, she is not only a manicurist.  She teaches yoga classes for Fresno Adult School as well as classses at Yoga At The Dojo. Mary Jo is one of those amazing people that I am lucky enough to have in my life.  Shout Out for Mary Jo!!!!!!!!!!

http://fas.edu/

Hooray For The Fig

I’m a major believer in paying tribute to anything and everything. When I taught kindergarten, I had a calendar that had a holiday for every day of the week.  My kindergarteners and I celebrated every one that we could.

I wasn’t really paying attention to the news, but that’s nothing new.  Paying attention is like organizing my closet and thoughts, I don’t. Yet my ears perked up when I heard Fresno State was hosting Fig Fest..

My house was built in a fig orchard. Recently my yard suffered a grave illness.  I’m in the process of bringing it back to good health.  A pick is needed to dig holes for plants and trees. The amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients  needed to keep the soil right for growing grass, plants, and trees is astronomical.  

However, there is nothing better than a fig newton, a fig cake, or a fig salad. Consequently, Fresno State is hosting Fig Fest in recognition of the positive effect the fig has had on our local community, as well as all of the tastey things you can do with figs.

  This celebration will be held Saturday, August 13^th from 9:00 am to 12:00pm on the Ag East Lawn (Between Ag Science

 Building and Satellite Student Union). 

As much trouble I have with my yard, I feel that paying tribute to the mighty fig is a Fresno thing to do.  So here's a shout out for FIGS!!!!!

http://californiafigs.com/figfest11/
http://www.pickyourown.org/figs.htm
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blfruit30.htm

Flavored Milks or Unflavored Milk?

                              

My daughter would have nothing to do with sweets until she discovered the joys of snack time at preschool.  There are so many contributing factors to childhood obesity.  Genetics and lifestyle choices are major contributing factors.  In my case I was lucky.  My mother’s family had an ongoing battle with weight.  On the other hand my father’s family did not. I inherited my father’s genes.

Recently parents of the Fresno Unified School District approached the board and asked for a ban on flavored milks.  Their reasoning was flavored milks contribute to childhood weight issues. Since soda has already been outlawed, a war on flavored milks seemed logical.

I have no problem with taking flavored milks off the menu.  I also applaud the involvement of the parents.  We all know that parent involvement is important to the success of children in the school setting.

But I’m throwing out an idea.  Maybe the choice to drink flavored or unflavored milk is one of those teachable moments all parents and teachers love.

Think about it, maybe those charged with the care of children should find those moments to give children opportunities to use those critical thinking skills  to think about lifestyle choices and the impact it has on their lives.

The choice of what kind of milk to drink is one of those steps that lead to empowering children to make choices that will enhance their quality of life.  Just a thought.

http://www.fresnounified.org/Pages/Default.aspx

    

Sandyville (People, Places, Things, and Ideas)

                                                    Do We Really Need Tech Manuals?

A long time ago someone told me tech manuals weren't written for people like me.  The tone used told me that even if I tried to read one, I wouldn't understand it.  It was a good thing that I wasn't the only person who didn't understand tech material and created "........For Dummies" series. However,  I don't want to wade through pages and pages of text  in order to understand how stuff works.   I think an e-mail address, a chat, or a telephone number is sufficient.  However, recently I had a tech problem. All of the students in my  blog class were supposed to read the blogs written by the other students.  No one could read my blog.  My children couldn't read my blog.  My blog was inaccessable. I spent days trying to fix the problem.  I finally read the directions to "How To Start A Blog" on Google.  It didn't give me much help. I did everything the directions told me to do.  I sent an e-mail with my question that no one answered.  Finally, I figured it out without help from anyone or anything. At this very moment my cell phone decided not to work. I could go online and read the section in manual on what to do when the phone tells me to insert a SIM card.  The SIM card is already in there.  I opened the back and there is was.  Since my phone doesn't work, I can't call anyone.  I read the manual and it didn't answer that particular problem. There you go. I'm off to AT&T to see what they can do.  Wish me luck!

http://www.htc.com/us/products/inspire-att

Sandyville (People, Places, Things, and Ideas)

                                             Can I Go Home Again?
I think it's true that you can't go home again.  I took a notalgic stroll down Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley on Saturday.  I think that it's not only stuck in the sixties, but will never become unstuck.  I wondered if the people selling their wares were the same ones or if the tables had been handed down to their children. Berkeley in the sixties rocked the university.People stood by and watched as students shouted about their rights, the rights of others, and were carted off to jail. Outside of Berkeley, people were protesting their right to eat lunch at the counter,sit in the front of  the bus, and participate in everyday life. It was during this time that education legislation was passed to close the educational gap giving all children a chance to be successful in school and in life.  Today education is under fire.  I get the feeling the gap has not closed.  It has widened.  Sociologists and historians saw the sixties as an era of change that had a profound effect on today. I agree with that view.  I also think that I really don't want to go home again.

http://www.jofreeman.com/sixtiesprotest/berkeley.htm

Sandyville (People, Places, Things, and Ideas)

                                                                 What Is A Trainride?

Today is Friday and I'm sitting on Amtrak on my way to Emeryville and then on to San Francisco. I have been riding this train from Fresno to Emeryville since I was a child.  My mother's family lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and I spent many of my summers and holidays visiting them. My first memory of this train ride was sitting on my dad's lap because the train was packed with military personnel. Passengers filled all of the seats and were standing in the aisles.  Riding the train is a fascinating way to travel these days.  Unlike a plane you can surf the net, catch up on e-mails, and chat. The passengers seem more relaxed and not as frantic as those on a plane.  Maybe that's because they are not strapped by a seat belt and are free to roam the train. This particular train is always sold out.  That means making new friends is always something to look forward to.  Sometimes your seatmate is a chatty Kathy, but more often a silent Sam. There is one more observation that I'm making about riding this train.  I'm sitting in a seat that faces the opposite direction from the one I'm going. I'm looking at where I've been, not at where I'm going.  I think I'm going to think about that for awhile.