H is for Hopes of 2011 Revisited

I started the year with many a hope. Here is how they are going:

1. Bicycling: trying to imagine the time to fit this in but also trying to imagine not getting onto a bike this summer. I tried to exercise a bit more this winter, we will see.

2. The Examen: to say I have done it every night would be a lie, but getting off the computer earlier has led to more drumming and more praying.

3. Thanksgiving--- No Craft Shows, No Craft Shows, No Craft Shows.

4. Gardening: I did get out to clean up the front yard and have much gumption to do more. March was cold and wet unlike last year when Spring emerged much faster than expected.

5. Hospitality: We have had some friends over. Failed to get some others over. Made future plans with a friend and hope to invite more.

6. Year of the Mandalas: I sold the only peace mandala I have made (yes, I need to make another) and have sold one Dr Ed Mandala. Our mosaic mandalas have been drawing folk into the booth at our 2011 shows and some have been drawn into new homes in the process.

7. Jazz: Snows, which closed some local districts 5 or more times, only closed us once, so our school year has not been extended which means we may yet make it to the Rochester Jazz Festival this year. Tonight, Bobby Zankel plays at MCCC.

8. We have left outer space and I have been enjoying teaching about this amazing planet to my students. Latest topic was Fridays lesson on upwelling, or when cold rises and fish bloom.

9. Eating in: We have been doing more of it as required by our budget. Can't wait to have veggies from our back yard and from Lansdale's farmers market. As I sit here Mosaic Woman is making me waffles and was that the coffee grinder that is calling my name. I am as bad as a cat with a can opener.

10. Declutter. With the help of the FlyLady, we are doing much better at this. Though I need to help more with this life changing challenge.


and as for this hope that emerged, maybe I should grab my binoculars and ....


How is your 2011 emerging?

10 Hopes For My 2011

Preparing to ride off to the Catskill Mountains, my post college goal

as a follow up to last weekends thought on 2010:

1. Bicycling--- The spirit of the Stratoz that rode a bike from PA to the Catskills (that would be me 10 seconds before the trip) has been emerging. A new blog follower and friends who love bicycling have me thinking that this spring is the time to return to an old passion.

2. The examen--- had faded away from my daily routine. It is back.

3. Thanksgiving--- No Craft Shows!!!! Next year I will take a five day break from teaching and not fill it with a craft show. After three years of doing such things we are done with it.

4. Garden--- As I said in my 2010 post, I was embarrassed by my efforts this past year and I want to return to the days of fresh flowers for Mosaic Woman and a bounty for the kitchen.

5. Hospitality--- Next weekend friends are coming over for a meal. I hope to open our house to friends more often this year. I promised my family a potato pancake dinner this spring and you know I have a strudelfest in mind for the fall.

6. Year of the Mandala--- Last year ended with the making of mandalas and I just completed 2 of my Dr Ed Mandalas. I got a thank you note from his widow thanking me for the continued support of pancreatic research. Some of the most powerful moments of 2010 were customers telling me stories of lost ones and thanking me for supporting research. Soon I am going to open a special Dr Ed Mandala shop so that even more can be donated this year. We are also planning on the possibility of doing an all or mostly Mandala show

7. Jazz--- The teacher screaming for no snow days would be the man who hopes to see part of the Rochester Jazz festival and see great friends at the same time. No Snow! If snow extends the school year we may not make it to the festival, but we will still go see the friends.

8. Leave Space and Come Home--- in 2 weeks Space Science ends and we take on Earth Science during my second and third period classes.

9. Eating in with variety--- Our new balanced budget has us eating out less, but enthused to visit some old favorites to spice things up.

10. Declutter--- could be the biggest change, but it is happening to our 1 bedroom 2 studio house

update: I made another


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