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Category Archives: Daily Passion Prompt


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Daily Passion Prompt 32: An Hour of Google

If you had a free hour on the internet to research any topic, what would it be?

daniel-s-tigerWhere was the internet when I had to know Daniel Tiger’s name oh so many years ago? I ended up calling the local PBS station and had their crack research assistant check the vault for Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood episodes featuring the lovable little guy. It took some doing, and a willing person in the know, but eventually I found out. Fast forward to today,  I just checked on Google and had the answer in seconds, with pictures. But I digress.

On the free hours I have (or half hours, or even smaller increments of time), I do a lot of poking around on the internet, generally assisted by Mr. Google. My interests are many and I research all sorts of random topics, from the correct way to make a Mojito (to crush or to tear the mint, to mix at the end or not?) to the lyrics of the theme from the Banana Splits Show. Obviously some of these topics are more important than others, and some take more time and effort than others.

The internet is wonderful for scratching whatever itch of curiosity you may be feeling. Got a question? Google it. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s generally painless. Knowledge is power, and with the internet and an effective search engine, we sometimes feel like Thor with his magic hammer. Who knows what topic will strike me next. It may be a serious one, such as how to teach elements of theme in literature to fourth graders, or it may be that I develop an interest in the history of egg beaters. Whatever it is, I’m sure the internet is full of information about it. I’m so lucky to live in this age, even if we’ve left Daniel Tiger and the Banana Splits behind.


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Daily Passion Prompt 22: This I Believe

international_children_of_the_world
This I Believe
Every child deserves to be loved and cherished.
He deserves to have some adult in his life who is willing and able to do whatever is necessary to ensure the he has a roof over his head, good food in his belly, and a safe place to lay his head at night.
Every child deserves to live free from fear.
She deserves to live in a world without bombings or raids, a world without drive-by shooting or muggings, a world without adults who rage and hurt each other and her.
Every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy.
He deserves medical care beginning even before birth and clean and sanitary living conditions.
He deserves to escape harm and injury and disease.
He deserves a world where things like chemotherapy and dialysis are unnecessary, and good health is the normal condition for all.
Every child deserves the chance to learn.
She deserves stories and songs and puppets and games.
She deserves trips to the market and conversations about apples and soup and kittens.
She deserves to learn language and numbers and how to get along with her playmates.
She deserves access to a formal education.
Every child deserves to know that he is important and unique and wanted and loved.
This I believe.


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Daily Passion Prompt 31: Home Sweet Home

Day 31: If you had to pick one place in the world to move to, where would it be?

If I could live anywhere I would live exactly where I live now. Well, maybe a few miles away in one direction or another, but basically in the same place. You see, I live here by choice. I already made the decision to put down my roots someplace other than where I was raised. bp_2012_city1_photo02It’s been over twenty years, so I’d say it was a good decision, but who knows if it will be forever.

I wanted to live someplace where there were opportunities for me to grow. When I finished grad school there were very few teaching jobs available in my hometown. It seemed that you really DID need to know someone doing the hiring, and I knew nobody. I applied to virtually every district in the western half of the state, often times for jobs that I really didn’t  want in tiny isolated communities where I really didn’t want to live. Fortunately for me, although it didn’t feel like it at the time, I wasn’t offered any of those jobs.

gilawoodpecker2008_02The time was right for me to pick up stakes and go west. I wanted to live where there was sunshine and opportunity. I was tired of long, grey winters and too few rewarding jobs.  LIke millions of people before me I saw a westward move as a chance to improve my life. There were bumps along the way, but overall it has been the right move for me. My extended family visits regularly and I go back east every year. The way I see it, I get the best of both worlds.

I love where I live and I don’t see a reason to leave in the near future, but somewhere down the road maybe life will hand me different circumstances. Then I might contemplate a new move. I might go back to my hometown, but I doubt it. I love to visit and there are people dear to me there, but I think I would try somewhere new. After all, I still don’t miss the snow.