I love retirement!
When I retired, I told myself that I will only do things that will make my heart sing. And that's exactly what I am doing now - doing things that make my heart sing!
What are these things? - foremost on my list are:
- photography
- writing
- reading
- playing bowling
- crafts
and that about covers the most important ones.
I'm really having a blast pursuing all these things especially photography and writing.
I still teach sometimes, but the keyword there is sometimes! Teaching for me is on project basis now and not on regular basis. I like it that way.
I love the freedom of being able to plan my own day and not do something because somebody else wants my time.
Isn't this great?
That's why I love retirement!
By the way, I also wrote a hub about this song in my heart. Check it out.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Song-in-my-heart
Showing posts with label activities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label activities. Show all posts
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
What I like about ... quests
“Q” is for quests. This is what immediately came to mind when I thought of “q”.
Quests always remind me of heroes, of knights in shining armour, of impossible dreams.
Just look at Don Quixote and his impossible quest, or Sir Galahad and his quest for the Holy Grail, or even Frodo and his quest to destroy the one ring. All these fictional characters had to undergo numerous difficulties in their quests but all of them became triumphant in the end.
But stories of quests do not have to remain as fiction. We have heard of many true-to-life stories wherein somebody overcomes great difficulties and obstacles and emerged as present-day heroes.
Quests bring out the heroic feeling in every person. They make us dream bigger dreams and we become stronger and more determined in the pursuit of our goal.
Quests remind me of the lyrics of the song, “Impossible Dream” from the movie “Man of La Mancha”...
... “ This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.”....
Quests always remind me of heroes, of knights in shining armour, of impossible dreams.
Just look at Don Quixote and his impossible quest, or Sir Galahad and his quest for the Holy Grail, or even Frodo and his quest to destroy the one ring. All these fictional characters had to undergo numerous difficulties in their quests but all of them became triumphant in the end.
But stories of quests do not have to remain as fiction. We have heard of many true-to-life stories wherein somebody overcomes great difficulties and obstacles and emerged as present-day heroes.
Quests bring out the heroic feeling in every person. They make us dream bigger dreams and we become stronger and more determined in the pursuit of our goal.
Quests remind me of the lyrics of the song, “Impossible Dream” from the movie “Man of La Mancha”...
... “ This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.”....
Thursday, March 26, 2009
What I like about ... jokes
Hello, I'm back.
I spent the break visiting Boracay, my favorite island here in the Philippines. I also visited my mom.
It was a fun and fruitful break and I'm now eager to resume this blog.
So we are now in "J" and the first "j" that came to mind is ...jokes.
Who doesn't love jokes? I think almost everybody likes jokes except of course if the timing is wrong and the joke is on us.
Anyway, a good joke is always fun and can "break the ice" in any occasion.
A good joke always brings... laughter, happiness, lightness, sometimes even tears, but tears of gladness of course.
I still remember a teacher in college who would always crack a joke in class. However, she would always start laughing at her own joke and we never really understood what the joke was about. Still, all of us would join her in laughing but our laughter is really never about the joke but more because we found her so funny as she tried telling the joke. Ha ha ha. She always looked so funny as she would double over in laughter with tears streaming down her eyes. It's just so sad that for such a happy person, she died a violent death. God bless her soul.
We always like a good laugh.... The popularity of the following shows is proof of this...
...funniest home videos
...candid camera
...bubble gang
...friends
...etc.
We joke about almost anything or anyone...
... our own self
... mother in law
... neighbor
... school
... church
... dogs
... babies
... homework
... husband/wife
... elderly people
... anybody... anything
I spent the break visiting Boracay, my favorite island here in the Philippines. I also visited my mom.
It was a fun and fruitful break and I'm now eager to resume this blog.
So we are now in "J" and the first "j" that came to mind is ...jokes.
Who doesn't love jokes? I think almost everybody likes jokes except of course if the timing is wrong and the joke is on us.
Anyway, a good joke is always fun and can "break the ice" in any occasion.
A good joke always brings... laughter, happiness, lightness, sometimes even tears, but tears of gladness of course.
I still remember a teacher in college who would always crack a joke in class. However, she would always start laughing at her own joke and we never really understood what the joke was about. Still, all of us would join her in laughing but our laughter is really never about the joke but more because we found her so funny as she tried telling the joke. Ha ha ha. She always looked so funny as she would double over in laughter with tears streaming down her eyes. It's just so sad that for such a happy person, she died a violent death. God bless her soul.
We always like a good laugh.... The popularity of the following shows is proof of this...
...funniest home videos
...candid camera
...bubble gang
...friends
...etc.
We joke about almost anything or anyone...
... our own self
... mother in law
... neighbor
... school
... church
... dogs
... babies
... homework
... husband/wife
... elderly people
... anybody... anything
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
What I like about ...receiving letters
Don’t you just love receiving letters? I do. I love getting letters especially from people I like and love. I don’t like getting solicitation letters though, but that is not the topic here.
So what do I like about receiving letters?
Well...
... first and foremost, I get to know how the sender is of course.
... then I get to know how or what he/she has been doing
... then of course I may receive answers to some questions or reactions to what I have written before
... I even get to learn new words. For example, “conundrum” has never been part of my vocabulary, but a friend used it to describe me. Ha ha
... letters in the form of emails are especially fun because we can get almost immediate answers
... but traditional letters are also just as much fun. Plus we also get stamps that are either: informative or decorative, commemorative or fun
... letters can make me laugh or frown, cry or sing, or even blush...omg!
... letters can make me introspective or interrogative
... letters can profess love
... letters can coax me to action
... letters can inspire
... letters can puzzle
... letters can move mountains
... letters can also irritate or anger, but this is not the place for that
Letters are always welcome ... the written word has a special place in my heart.
So what do I like about receiving letters?
Well...
... first and foremost, I get to know how the sender is of course.
... then I get to know how or what he/she has been doing
... then of course I may receive answers to some questions or reactions to what I have written before
... I even get to learn new words. For example, “conundrum” has never been part of my vocabulary, but a friend used it to describe me. Ha ha
... letters in the form of emails are especially fun because we can get almost immediate answers
... but traditional letters are also just as much fun. Plus we also get stamps that are either: informative or decorative, commemorative or fun
... letters can make me laugh or frown, cry or sing, or even blush...omg!
... letters can make me introspective or interrogative
... letters can profess love
... letters can coax me to action
... letters can inspire
... letters can puzzle
... letters can move mountains
... letters can also irritate or anger, but this is not the place for that
Letters are always welcome ... the written word has a special place in my heart.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
What I like about ... bookstores
Before I took up photography, guess where I spend more time in any place I go? In bookstores – that’s where. Books have always fascinated me and I can never resist bookstores every time I see them. Sometimes my friends can’t believe that I’d rather browse through books than try dresses or shoes, but that’s me.
Anyway, what do I like about bookstores? Well, as I said, books fascinate me and I already mentioned in a previous post (Jan 23) what I like about reading. So just put the two together (reading and bookstores), and there you have it ... those are the reasons why I like bookstores.
Another thing about bookstores, they usually don’t just carry books, they also have other things like pens, colored pencils, gift wrappers, all sorts of paper, craft things, albums, magazines, school supplies, art supplies, and many more.
So bookstores are really books plus.
Anyway, what do I like about bookstores? Well, as I said, books fascinate me and I already mentioned in a previous post (Jan 23) what I like about reading. So just put the two together (reading and bookstores), and there you have it ... those are the reasons why I like bookstores.
Another thing about bookstores, they usually don’t just carry books, they also have other things like pens, colored pencils, gift wrappers, all sorts of paper, craft things, albums, magazines, school supplies, art supplies, and many more.
So bookstores are really books plus.
Monday, February 2, 2009
What I like about... writing, a follow up
The other day, we watched the movie, “Inkheart” and I was really amazed at how it echoed what I have just written in my last post, “what I like about...writing”, so I thought I would write a follow up today.
The movie is about the adventures of a girl and her dad as the characters in the book they were reading (Inkheart), came to life.
Do you know that the tagline for “Inkheart” is, - “ Every story ever written is just waiting to become real”.
This movie is exactly what I have just written about writing! Isn't it amazing?
I also made a search about the book “Inkheart” and found that there is really such a book. It is supposed to be the first book of the “Inkworld” trilogy. The other two books are: “Inkspell ” and “Inkdeath” and the author is Cornelia Funke. Now, I think I have to get hold of those actual books. They probably are fun to read.
In the movie, the author of the book “Inkheart” is Fenoglio and not Cornelia Funke of course.
I must say though that the movie itself came out rather flat. The promise of an exciting adventure is there, but the movie just did not take off I think. Still, I found it interesting in the sense that I kind of identified with the plot.
The movie is about the adventures of a girl and her dad as the characters in the book they were reading (Inkheart), came to life.
Do you know that the tagline for “Inkheart” is, - “ Every story ever written is just waiting to become real”.
This movie is exactly what I have just written about writing! Isn't it amazing?
I also made a search about the book “Inkheart” and found that there is really such a book. It is supposed to be the first book of the “Inkworld” trilogy. The other two books are: “Inkspell ” and “Inkdeath” and the author is Cornelia Funke. Now, I think I have to get hold of those actual books. They probably are fun to read.
In the movie, the author of the book “Inkheart” is Fenoglio and not Cornelia Funke of course.
I must say though that the movie itself came out rather flat. The promise of an exciting adventure is there, but the movie just did not take off I think. Still, I found it interesting in the sense that I kind of identified with the plot.
Friday, January 30, 2009
What I like about ... writing
Writing, like photography, is another love that I intend to pursue to greater heights. I love writing though I get lazy sometimes. This is one of the reasons why I keep blogs, they more or less “force” me to write daily.
So, what do I like about ... writing?
Just like photography, writing also keeps me focused.
Just like photography, writing also opens up new worlds for me.
With writing, I can talk about data, facts or reality. But with writing, I can also talk about imaginary worlds, beings, things, situations, ... etc.
With writing, I can create stories wherein I can ...
... live happily ever after with my Prince Charming
... be the hero (heroine) in a great adventure
... be the villain that turned the world upside down
... be the star in a blockbuster movie
...visit the Himalayas or climb Mt. Everest, do hang gliding or fly to the stars
... be the one who changed the world
... be the richest man (woman) in the world
... be the greatest writer, photographer, teacher, mother, wife, lover, friend, artist, adventurer,explorer, scientist, designer, ... etc.
...create suspense, mystery, love, peace, health, joy, sadness, adventure, ... etc.
... create a world where everything is in harmony or in chaos depending on how you want it
...be anyone, anything, anywhere I (you) want to be
With writing, creativity is limitless. The only limit is how far your imagination can take you.
-----------
An update: It is now Sept. 20, 2010.
Since I wrote this, I now have joined a writing website. It is fun over there and I have published so far about 40+ articles over there. Come join me at hubpages if you are also interested in writing.
http://hubpages.com/profile/jill+of+alltrades
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
What I like about ...teaching
I have been a teacher for most of my adult life. After graduation, I worked for a while as a researcher. However, when I got a post as teaching assistant and finally as teacher, I was hooked ... and that’s how I spent more than half of my life ... as a teacher, a professor in college.
So, what do I like about... teaching?
Well, the first thing that I like about it is ... the interaction with students. I like this chance to know another person deeper, to somehow participate in his/her entry into adult life. When I first started teaching I was only a few years older than my students because I was a new graduate then. So during my early years of teaching, I was practically just an older sister and friend to my students.
Of course as I continued teaching, the age gap between me and my students widened and I became not their older sister anymore but their aunt, or mom, or mentor, and friend of course.
I am happy to say that many of my students have remained as good friends up to this date. We still would get together sometimes. I get invited to some of the momentous events in their life, like weddings, birthdays, etc. Some of them have become my doctors too. Imagine that!
The other things I like about teaching are...
... preparing lessons and of course teaching or sharing them. I especially love teaching freshmen because they are always eager to learn and participate in their learning.
I also love teaching teachers themselves because we learn from each other so much
...the challenges involved. The question I always ask myself as I prepare for every lesson is – how do I present the lesson in such a way that students will participate in the learning process? This is always a challenge to me because I know that many students would rather just sit passively inside the classroom and let the teacher do all the work. However, this has never been the style for me. Even before the buzz word “student-centered learning” was coined, I was already involving my students in the learning process.
...the unlimited creativity. Imagine, as a teacher you have to talk, write, draw, tell stories, guide, coach, mentor, sometimes do a song and dance routine, role play,sometimes act as counselor, as psychologist, as banker, as arbiter,as stand-up comedian, as...anything that the situation calls for.
...the chance to do research
...the chance to make a difference in many people’s life. Imagine, there is always a new encounter every semester. Wow! For example, if one is teaching 4 courses in a semester and there are 40 students in each class, that’s 40 x 4 or 160 new students that you get to know. Wow! Double wow! Can you believe that, ... the possibility of making a difference to 160 lives every semester?
The possibility of making a difference and the responsibility involved is simply awesome!
Those are just some of the things I like about teaching. There are downsides too of course (like checking piles of papers) but this is not the forum of that.
Let us just concentrate of what we like about...things, about anything, in this blog.
So, what do I like about... teaching?
Well, the first thing that I like about it is ... the interaction with students. I like this chance to know another person deeper, to somehow participate in his/her entry into adult life. When I first started teaching I was only a few years older than my students because I was a new graduate then. So during my early years of teaching, I was practically just an older sister and friend to my students.
Of course as I continued teaching, the age gap between me and my students widened and I became not their older sister anymore but their aunt, or mom, or mentor, and friend of course.
I am happy to say that many of my students have remained as good friends up to this date. We still would get together sometimes. I get invited to some of the momentous events in their life, like weddings, birthdays, etc. Some of them have become my doctors too. Imagine that!
The other things I like about teaching are...
... preparing lessons and of course teaching or sharing them. I especially love teaching freshmen because they are always eager to learn and participate in their learning.
I also love teaching teachers themselves because we learn from each other so much
...the challenges involved. The question I always ask myself as I prepare for every lesson is – how do I present the lesson in such a way that students will participate in the learning process? This is always a challenge to me because I know that many students would rather just sit passively inside the classroom and let the teacher do all the work. However, this has never been the style for me. Even before the buzz word “student-centered learning” was coined, I was already involving my students in the learning process.
...the unlimited creativity. Imagine, as a teacher you have to talk, write, draw, tell stories, guide, coach, mentor, sometimes do a song and dance routine, role play,sometimes act as counselor, as psychologist, as banker, as arbiter,as stand-up comedian, as...anything that the situation calls for.
...the chance to do research
...the chance to make a difference in many people’s life. Imagine, there is always a new encounter every semester. Wow! For example, if one is teaching 4 courses in a semester and there are 40 students in each class, that’s 40 x 4 or 160 new students that you get to know. Wow! Double wow! Can you believe that, ... the possibility of making a difference to 160 lives every semester?
The possibility of making a difference and the responsibility involved is simply awesome!
Those are just some of the things I like about teaching. There are downsides too of course (like checking piles of papers) but this is not the forum of that.
Let us just concentrate of what we like about...things, about anything, in this blog.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
What I like about...photography
Ah, this one I really like. In fact I already have thousands of photos in the hard drive of my computer because I just love taking pictures. I also have created a blog just to share my photos and photographic adventures.
http://aphotoaday-saanva.blogspot.com
Plus, I also have a website for my photos: http://saanva.multiply.com/
Anyway, just to go back to the topic. What I like about... photography...
... it has improved my focus (pun intentional). Now, I not only learned to focus well in photography but my focus in other aspects of my life has improved as well. For example, lack of focus has been my greatest weakness in bowling. Now, my focus has improved as well my scores.
...I have learned so much about: composition, color, design, light, leading lines, etc.
... it has taught me to be even more observant, to pay attention to light, pattern, lines, shapes, shadows, color, temperature...etc.
... it has opened a new world for me. Now I have included in my vocabulary words like: aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, lenses, tripod, bokeh, filters, macro lens, zoom lens, strobes, photoshop, lightroom, ...etc.
...it has heightened my creativity
...it has increased my curiosity
...it has gained for me new friends
...it has made me realize that I can do things that I have never done before. I learned that I can also win in photo contests and even have some photos published
...it has increased the depth and span of my interest in people, things, places, and my surroundings
As in my previous posts, I can go on and on about “what I like about... photography but I have to stop somewhere. And this is where I stop for now.
http://aphotoaday-saanva.blogspot.com
Plus, I also have a website for my photos: http://saanva.multiply.com/
Anyway, just to go back to the topic. What I like about... photography...
... it has improved my focus (pun intentional). Now, I not only learned to focus well in photography but my focus in other aspects of my life has improved as well. For example, lack of focus has been my greatest weakness in bowling. Now, my focus has improved as well my scores.
...I have learned so much about: composition, color, design, light, leading lines, etc.
... it has taught me to be even more observant, to pay attention to light, pattern, lines, shapes, shadows, color, temperature...etc.
... it has opened a new world for me. Now I have included in my vocabulary words like: aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, lenses, tripod, bokeh, filters, macro lens, zoom lens, strobes, photoshop, lightroom, ...etc.
...it has heightened my creativity
...it has increased my curiosity
...it has gained for me new friends
...it has made me realize that I can do things that I have never done before. I learned that I can also win in photo contests and even have some photos published
...it has increased the depth and span of my interest in people, things, places, and my surroundings
As in my previous posts, I can go on and on about “what I like about... photography but I have to stop somewhere. And this is where I stop for now.
Friday, January 23, 2009
What I like about...reading
Reading ... opens new worlds for me
...takes me to places I never dreamed of
...gets me acquainted with other peoples’ culture
...tells me stories about friends, lovers, strangers, aliens,
inventors, artists, ordinary men and women,
extraordinary men and women, heroes, heels, devils, angels, ...etc...
...increases my vocabulary. Just think about such word as
‘onomatopoeia’ or ‘antepenultimate’
...makes my heart sing with love
...gets my nerves excited in suspense
...teaches me about the birds and bees, flowers and trees...
...makes me enter the minds of Einstein or Bernard, Darwin or Mendel
...takes me to the past, the present and the future
...flies me to the moon
...takes me 20,000 leagues under the sea
...provides a stairway to heaven
...made me feel the despair of Van Gogh, the ecstasy of St. Therese
...teaches me techniques about photography, writing, gardening...
I can go on and on again but you know what I mean. I'm sure you can add to list.
...takes me to places I never dreamed of
...gets me acquainted with other peoples’ culture
...tells me stories about friends, lovers, strangers, aliens,
inventors, artists, ordinary men and women,
extraordinary men and women, heroes, heels, devils, angels, ...etc...
...increases my vocabulary. Just think about such word as
‘onomatopoeia’ or ‘antepenultimate’
...makes my heart sing with love
...gets my nerves excited in suspense
...teaches me about the birds and bees, flowers and trees...
...makes me enter the minds of Einstein or Bernard, Darwin or Mendel
...takes me to the past, the present and the future
...flies me to the moon
...takes me 20,000 leagues under the sea
...provides a stairway to heaven
...made me feel the despair of Van Gogh, the ecstasy of St. Therese
...teaches me techniques about photography, writing, gardening...
I can go on and on again but you know what I mean. I'm sure you can add to list.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
What I like about... being a mother
“I love being a mother”. This thought flashed through my mind as my baby’s fingers curled around my index finger while I was changing his diaper. Even if that was a long time ago, I can still remember the warmth that enveloped my being as the realization hit me.
So what do I like about being a mother? Oh, many things... everything...
...being held on to by little fingers
...getting wet kisses and warm embraces
...being used as a pillow by her/his little head
...teaching babies their first words
...being called “mama”
...holding out my arms as my children made their first steps towards me
...reading bedtime stories
...being told by my children that I should join the Miss Universe contest (ha ha ha!),
...planning birthday parties ....
I could go on and on but I think you understand why I love being a mother.
So what do I like about being a mother? Oh, many things... everything...
...being held on to by little fingers
...getting wet kisses and warm embraces
...being used as a pillow by her/his little head
...teaching babies their first words
...being called “mama”
...holding out my arms as my children made their first steps towards me
...reading bedtime stories
...being told by my children that I should join the Miss Universe contest (ha ha ha!),
...planning birthday parties ....
I could go on and on but I think you understand why I love being a mother.
why this blog
Have you ever despaired about reading and hearing negative things all day? Some people I know have stopped reading newspapers or listening to the news because they cannot stand all the nerve-wracking and energy-zapping stories everywhere.
Well, I have also grown tired of all the whining and "what's wrong with the world, or the government, or my neighbor, or... whatever" kind of thing. So I thought that I would start thinking and discovering what I like about something or someone or anything just so I will not despair.
If you feel the same way, I wish to invite you to join in and add your own likes so that we can all smile rather than frown. What about it? Come and join me.
Well, I have also grown tired of all the whining and "what's wrong with the world, or the government, or my neighbor, or... whatever" kind of thing. So I thought that I would start thinking and discovering what I like about something or someone or anything just so I will not despair.
If you feel the same way, I wish to invite you to join in and add your own likes so that we can all smile rather than frown. What about it? Come and join me.
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