Join the Family Business

My dad is a retired elementary teacher.
My mom is a retired elementary teacher.
My grandmother taught elementary school for a bit.
My sister has an elementary teaching credential.
I fought becoming a teacher for so long, but it's hard to fight something that has been surrounding you your entire life. You could say it's in my blood. And yes, I teach elementary school.

But teaching is just what I do, it's not what I am. What I am is a performer. With education so deeply rooted in my genetics, this performance tendency must be a fluke, right? Maybe not quite.

I grew up not only as the daughter of two teachers, but also as the daughter of a musician. My father's love for music is something very valuable that he has passed on to me. He taught me and showed me how to appreciate music, and the importance of challenging myself.

Teaching was just something my father did, but what my father is is a musician. During his teaching career, he brought his guitar into his classroom. He made time to be in a band. He 'jammed' with buddies. And for the past 20 years, he has been a constant fixture in our church's praise band as both a guitar player and drummer.

Dad and I singing at church camp-1993ish

When my dad retired from teaching, he had plans for his music. He was going to perform. He spent money on equipment, he put together a demo CD, he took voice lessons. He started getting gigs at retirement centers and such. But now, he is playing at farmer's markets, private parties and in downtown Visalia!

So yes, teaching is what I do...but what I am is a feather duster, a cloth merchant, a prostitute, a naval nurse, a scientist, a wardrobe consultant, and whatever else I want to be!

Once Upon a Time

Day 17-Favorite mini series
I've never been a big mini series person, therefore my favorite is the only one I've ever seen. But it's good!
Sometime during my freshman year of college I got sick. Like, sick-sick, not just the sniffles. Luckily it was a weekend, and my horrible roommate was out of town...so y'know...silver lining and all that. This was my first experience being sick away from home, and I didn't much care for it. I didn't know how to take care of myself when I was sick, that was always mommy's job. So here I am, this pathetic sick mess of a person when my friend who lived across the hall came over to like, hang out or something, and she ended up taking awesome care of me. She brought me ginger ale and introduced me to The 10th Kingdom to help me feel better. I love how well she knows me.

It is a mini series that follows a father-daughter combo from NYC through a portal to fairy tale world. The trolls are trying to take over, and are in league with the evil queen who has turned her princely step-son into a dog. They are joined by a wolf-man (half man, half wolf, all handsome) and they have to stop the evil queen and the trolls and get the prince-dog back in his human body. A myriad of fairy tales and nursery rhymes are incorporated or alluded to, such as Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, The Emperor's New Clothes, Little Red Riding Hood, The Story of King Midas, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Bo Peep, Jack and the Beanstalk...and several others that I can't remember right now...they are all jumbled together and mixed up and thrust into a somewhat modern word...in short, it's awesome!!

"Ella the girl of the cinders...

Did the wash and the walls and the winders,
But she landed a prince that was brawny and blue eyed and blonde.
But I honestly doubt that
She could ever have done it without that
Crazy lady
With the wand.
Cinderella had outside help,
I have no-one but me;
Fairy godmother, godmother, godmother...where can you be?
I haven't got a fairy godmother...I haven't got a godmother...
I have a mother...a plain, ordinary woman."

Cinderella always has been and always will be my favorite fairy tale. Ever After to Ella Enchanted (the book...don't even get me started on the movie "version"); Disney to Rodgers and Hammerstein...and almost everything in between. Don't ask me why. But it's the reason I bought this mug. The 'Once a Princess, always a Princess' phrase I could take or leave...but it's a Cinderella mug and that sold me!


Alas, I am still waiting for my Prince Charming...