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We have a connection to this church since this is where Mama Jane attends and we always hit up their outdoor events in the fall. We got a little respite from the rain (though not enough to have the event at it’s regular location at their sports complex) so we went for it.
We bumped into The Young’s and hung out with them for most of the evening. Things have been busy for all of us (especially them) and they boys have really missed one another. Evan was off with Matt doing a moon bounce and Jake was waiting in line to climb a rock wall.
He must have stood there while waiting in line for a solid full minute with his hands like this. Too funny.
Evan’s first pony ride.
Lucas has been on ponies before, and even got to ride a horse, thanks to our dear friend, Leanne. He’s an old pro. 
Dinner time…winding down from all the excitement. LIstening to some Coffey Anderson and my former student, Robby.
Thank goodness, Mike spotted us. We were starting to worry we wouldn’t run into any Nason’s or Mama Jane! She snuck up behind Lucas and when he turned around to greet her he just couldn’t set his drink down fast enough to “hug her neck.”
In the event you haven’t heard of Coffey Anderson, here are a few links and videos to pique your interest: soul, pop, Christian…you name it. He’s having a good time and he’s talented for sure!
After my early morning flight on Wednesday, I grabbed my luggage, elbowed my way to the door and managed to catch a shuttle directly to my hotel without a reservation within ten minutes of landing. I was serious about taking in anything I could while in this gorgeous city. The National Education Association annual Representative Assembly promised to take up a very large portion of the time I had there (go figure, the Tennessee Education Association paid for the trip!) and I didn’t really know how much time I would have for personal excursions. What I did know was that check in was at 3 and it was currently 12:30. I checked my bags with the concierge desk and got to The San Diego Zoo for the entire afternoon. Summer hours had it open until 9 and I thought I could last that long. I probably could have, but I didn’t want to overdo it so early in the trip. I promised myself a steak dinner and the Zoo couldn’t deliver.
They did deliver in the area of absolutely breathtaking settings, trails and exhibits. I manged to hoof it though the entire thing almost twice in my brief trip. I didn’t mean to do that, but I had plotted a path that included some walking escalators (Asian passage) into different areas that ended up being closed, forcing me to backtrack on more than one occasion.
I did skip the reptiles and kiddie zoo though (lower left of the map) in favor of spending more time with my beautiful friend the Bengal Tiger. Below I have selected my absolute favorites from over 457 shots taken. I overheard a woman say to her friend, “I guess that’s what we’d be doing if we didn’t see it all the time.” You don’t have to take a picture of it to appreciate it, but in my situation, it’ll help. My plan was to take the Skyfari Aerial Tram from near the entrance over to Polar Rim, giving me an overview of a good bit of the zoo while putting me in a prime position to see the polar bears, then the pandas before taking the Asian Passage over to the newly constructed Elephant Odyssey (since they’ve always been my favorite). I thought I’d take in Africa Rocks afterwards and make my way to Urban Jungle and Outback by way of Park Way or Canyon Street and then wind around to catch all the shaded trails. By then I’d be good and hot, I thought. I didn’t break a sweat all day. And I’ve heard people say it “gets boring.” Take a vacation to enjoy the seasons, cause I assure you, they don’t last as long as they used to anywhere, even in the midwest.
I digress.
My best laid plan was thwarted, but I just suffered through. My sequential journey in as few pictures as I could manage:
It’s nice to have visited the Elephant Odyssey in its inaugural summer. Mammoth fossils have been found in Southern California (as well as others, see later picture), so one of the signs joked that the elephant is finally back after some 12, 000 years.
These next three shots made an impression because the little bronze fella at the top is a pack rat. Just look at the kinds of things he’s been hoarding these days. I’ve spent years trying to reduce, reuse, recycle and this makes me want to do even more to preserve our world.
This orangutan’s name is Karen. I was fortunate to be present when one of her civilian friends came by for a visit. When her friend tapped on the glass and opened a book for her, she turned around completely and, well see for yourself…she loves books!
This guy is a beauty! And a ham too! The batteries died on the external flash so I had to make a second trip to get anything good. I was so worried I had already seen one performance and wouldn’t get another. Boy was I wrong. He posed in the center for a while before heading over to the window to allow those down below a closer view. I ran around so I could get the last two shots which ended up being two of my overall favorites. Both because he’s so pretty, but because of the challenge of getting them through two or three inch glass while in a bit of a cave.
The line for the pandas was really long when I first walked by them and I decided that since I get to see our pandas every time I go to the Memphis Zoo with no waiting, that I could skip them. Of course later, I felt like I needed to see them in both places to say that I have and all that nonsense. My strategy paid off. No line the second time, but a half hour of very challenging lighting in San Diego around twilight.
There you have it. Thanks for hanging with me through all 37! It was originally 23 (whittled from 457, mind you) but I was afraid of hurting some of the animal’s feelings for leaving them out of the post.
One more quick thing…I wonder if this guy got any better shots?!
I got to Overton Park to pick up Lucas from Art Camp a bit early and had a minute to poke around with my camera since Evan was at school. Caught this little magnolia blossom. Just love this Southern bloom.
Because of the free 3 month membership, Lucas and I were able to head out to explore our local nature center. We hadn’t gone before because he was just too young to really appreciate it. This summer, it’s a good match even though he complained a bit while walking the trails (we just need to build up his stamina). He grew a little impatient with me taking pictures, but he got over it. I didn’t get carried away with a full-on photo shoot or anything. Here are a few highlights of this little oasis in the city:
“You looking at my baby? I cut you.”
What is this deliciously morose bloom? Does this background qualify as “bokeh?”
There were indoor areas that were very educational too. In one of the buildings you can check out “Discovery boxes” of various themes. We got one about butterflies and got to look through special glasses that show you how butterfly eyes see the world (multiple pictures of everything) as well as see various stages of the metamorphosis.
I thought the two above were quite unique. I loved that while it was in the midst of the city no traffic could be heard.
These are three adults that I spend a considerable amount of “proximity time” with. I made that word up just now. These ladies and myself make up 4 of 7 teachers on our hall. Which, I might add, is the very first ever Fine Arts wing or hall I’ve ever been privy to. I have the restroom in the studio and so the ladies come and go throughout the day and we chat while waiting in line or on the way back to class. Of course, the interchanges are always brief, but often funny or otherwise important. I took this at an art show they all participated in this year. I thought it was a nice Portrait of the Artists.
Lucas says he doesn’t really want to play soccer next fall; he wants to play basketball. It’s his life, so we’re not going to make him play, but I’ll miss being outside during practices and games (that is, if I can find a basketball program).
We’ve been busy. Isn’t life awesome! After soccer Saturday before last (I’m SO behind!) we went to Lucas’s friend Marlaina’s 6th birthday party. For three years running they’ve had the formalities (cake, gifts) in the Veteran’s park outside the Zoo and culminated the party (with the folks who care to stay) touring the Zoo. Marlaina’s a huge animal lover. We got there early and just looked around. The weather was just too good to pass up. It’s nice to see green.
Lucas was absolutely delighted to see his Mama Jane! We all were, truth be told. Life gets busy and you lose touch with people that are just down the road. We’ll certainly head over to her house for some outside play as the school year comes to a close. Can’t let so much time pass next time.
Lucas beheaded the pinata. Maybe we should strongly urge him to reconsider playing baseball.
Somebody loves his Mama. Forever picking flowers for me. I sincerely hope he does this when he’s thirty. I mean, he can do that for his wife too, but I don’t need store bought flowers. Maybe he’ll draw them for me and send them in the mail. I relish these days.
Lucas with his newly budding teeth and “treasure map,” the zoo map. You can tell this isn’t my shot. Too much head room for me! But still awesome!
I didn’t get a shot of a polar bear last trip because some dude saw my camera and fancy flash and wanted to talk “photography.” I still didn’t get the one I wanted this time because it was too crowded, but at least it was something. This fella was so playful. He kept swatting at the glass, the kids would laugh and then he’d do it again. So fun! The seals were out and about too!
They just love being together. They spent the better part of four years of their lives together at Mama Jane’s. Katia and I have vowed to do anything we can to keep them connected though they’ll be at different schools across town. There’s something to be said about having a history with someone. Sometimes it’s not so good, but most of the time, it’s family.
We got home and put the boys to bed for a few minutes, then Shelby came over to hang out with them so I could check out a student of mine who was playing with some other students I know at a famous venue in town.
It was a big deal for them and I have had numerous connections with his family over the past three years, plus I figured it was a good excuse to get down to Beale Street for one of these:
Easter Sunday was quite nice. We did the Easter Bunny thing and the egg dyeing thing…only problem…not such good pictures. I think the batteries are crapping out on the flash and I didn’t have time with Easter dinner, dyeing eggs and an at home egg hunt to worry about the pictures. Too busy building the natural memories.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Fall. Looks like Spring is giving Fall a run for her money!
There’s a whole heaping lot of stuff going on around here and it’s a real challenge to remain sane much less update the blogs and visit those of my friends. I assure you, I will more than make up for lost during during the sweet summertime.
Just a recap:
Grandma is still in the hospital. Sunday will mark two weeks. There have been differing reports of how much longer her stay will be as well as what her immediate future care needs will be. To say that this has been a constant source of frustration for my mother would be a serious understatement. She’s exhausted beyond belief and stressed to the max. Grandma is getting grumpy about the whole deal and she is just so incredibly weak that any movement at all is a strain.
I’m staying late at work nearly every day. Meetings for this committee and that committee. Senior video in its first “final draft” is due on the 17th and we are scrambling. As the quality of our productions increases, so do the requests (and demands) for our services. I’ve got to get a handle on how to best organize it all, but the time for that, unfortunately, is not when we’re right in the thick of it. Senior Video will be shown and delivered to the senior class the day before we pack up all our gear for a remote shoot to tape graduation which we need to finalize and burn for all who purchase it within a week. The good news is that exams for my classes are projects and I finally moved the due date up. So, I’ll not be dealing with exams on top of all the other stuff. They were due April 3rd. I have very few turned in and after tomorrow, students will lose 10 points per day it is turned in late. I’ll add a cut off date to the mix tomorrow. I will not accept them after the 16th. At that point, the best they could score with a nearly perfect project is a 50% anyway. Ah, a problem solved. This is another reason why I write it out.
We had a whirlwind week organizing and taping the Mock Car Crash and now editing it. Tomorrow we tape the Talent Show and edit that. The thespians want the archive copies of their productions for their banquet, which are all on DV CAM tape, not mini DV, so we have to convert all that. We taped Student Government speeches, only someone messed with the settings and we didn’t get video. Reshot those today. And so on and so forth. We’re in talks with the Chamber for a service project as well as the middle school for an orientation video. I’m also trying to write a grant. So much learning happening I think my head might explode.
Of course you know that Lucas is participating in Spring soccer, so we do that three days a week, weather permitting. Sometimes I’m grateful when it rains. Anyone ever been there? I used to be disappointed that I spent that $80 and he missed a practice. Now I think it was a lot cheaper than therapy. He’s also graduating from pre-school next month so we’re ordering gowns and taking pictures for that. Oh, I keep forgetting to call the elementary school about that pre-registration I saw on the sign! Tomorrow’s the last day. Do I need his birth certificate? Social security card? I just ran downstairs to get those before I forget again. Don’t have a shot record. Ugh.
Matt insisted we have a garage sale, even though I wanted to cop out & just donate to Goodwill. I figured it’d be roughly the same tax-wise, but I’ve never been good with figures. Anybody have any answers on that one? I just think that if we make $300, that’s all well and good. I could use it. But how much was that actually…you know per hour of my life that I will never get back? So…that might be happening on Good Friday. That’s when Grandma’s birthday falls this year, by the way. And she gets to spend it absolutely miserable.
Did I mention that Matt also decided he’d like to paint the playroom? I bought the paint and supplies per his request. Guess who has taped the room. Go on, guess. I love that man, I do. But if he gives me another job I’m going off the deep end. Did he tell me to tape the room? Did he ask me to? No. That is just my personality. I am a GO-GETTER. I make lists. Actually, I’ve started to grow out of lists to some degree. If I can take care of it immediately, I do. Saves me the time of putting it on a list, moving it to another list and eventually crossing it off. Even though the crossing off feels so very rewarding, I’m learning to just love the actual accomplishment. Plus, paint settles after a while. It’s really best to use it when it’s been freshly mixed at the store.
Evan turns three very soon and we’re gonna throw him a party. He didn’t have one at two (Lucas did, for the record), so this is quite exciting. I’ve been shopping for all things Thomas the Tank Engine and filling out invitations begging people to RSVP. That’s next weekend, by the way.
I am taking the time, in the midst of all of this, to connect with long lost friends though social networking sites (as well as keep up with current ones). It’s so cool. Amazing how the passage of time just disintigrates under the bridge. I am truly blessed to have such good people in my life. We strive to build eachother up and help one another along this journey. I wish I knew sooner how important all this really was in the grand scheme of things. Maybe I could have changed some things, I dunno. I still maintain that everything happens for a reason and I guess my spiritual journey is right on course.
Life IS so very good, and my goal is to figure out how to enjoy just a wee bit more of it! Matt and I are going on a date night Saturday (this happens twice a year!) and I bought us tickets to Wicked today for late June. It was a splurge, but we deserve it.
Over and out. I’ll see ya when I see ya. For real. It’s day by day this time of year.
We were also in one of the local papers! It’s always exciting when someone notices something cool that you’ve done! I’m very excited about what this does for the credibility of my program and the work that I’m doing there. A really cool thing about this is that the reporter was just scouring the web and ran across something that was out there and called the school board to see if we could do a last minute interview. The principal and I had asked the media representative to look into some press coverage, but that wasn’t how it all shook down.
more about "Ah, some recognition!", posted with vodpod
As I mentioned already, I spent my Spring Break with 15 teenagers. I missed my family when I had a chance to, but I stayed so very busy, as you might imagine. I can honestly say that I feel a little bit like I actually had a vacation too! I worked incredibly long and strenuous hours. I was usually up until about 2 a.m. and had to wake by 6:30 most mornings. I have had a lot of trouble adjusting to six hours of sleep, isn’t that crazy?!
My students were so amazing. I wish every trip could be this great! Seriously, I cannot rave enough. I am still recovering as I mentioned, so posting will continue to be light for a little while as I decompress and explore some of the resources I learned about while in Orlando. After all, I was in breakout sessions with the likes of Al Tompkins and Les Rose, industry pros! In addition, I got to network with TV teachers from across the US and I have come back to work completely recharged. I know that teaching TV/FILM is where I want to be and now I have even more tools with which to do it. I am pumped.
Oh, and we won some contests too!
I’ll update this post Monday with the pictures that are on my school laptop. Of course we’re in The Bartlett Express (cover!) this week and should be in The Commercial Appeal tomorrow!
