Tag Archives: positive thinking

74th day blogging with 1650+ visitors. WT? Cranking out fresh smiley blog content daily.

Posted on January 12, 2010 | 3 Comments

I’m going to remove my blog stats feature from my blog about Italy. Blogging has taken over my life. I’m going to try to only check my blog visitor stats once a month. Uh huh. Yeah. Right.

Love life! painted by yours truly Julie.

I just want to let my nice readers know how I appreciate each and every click you have made. I have a feeling it’s probably just one crazy maniac who wants me to think I’ve got a cool blog and has nothing better to do so he/she is clicking endlessly on my site. Thanks maniac. You’re keeping me sane.

Today’s theme is going to be about multi-tasking and/or doing one thing at a time. How many things can you do at once? Or is it better to do one thing at a time?

I feel alive when I am doing a zillion things at once. I can have two chats going on in facebook, the phone up on my ear as I’m skyping with my mom watching my children and husband play, listening to a cd while the television is on in the background and the teapot is about to whistle that the water is ready. I’ve also got 10 windows open on my computer and am reading, writing and watching a youtube video. Did she really just say that?

On the other hand I consider myself an entirely simplistic person. Breathe in, count to 10, hold, count to 20, breathe out count to five, repeat. Relax, eat well, do yoga. You can only do one thing at a time if you want to do it well so stay in the moment and concentrate, right? Focus. I’d call this a dichotomy if I knew what it meant. It’s sounds like a fitting word, doesn’t it?

I just looked up dichotomy in wikipedia. It’s actually fitting. Take that Mr. ‘I’m moving on’ blog spam man.

Surprise!

What do you prefer? Everything at once or just one thing at a time?

Hey kids! How are you?! Great to see you. Guess what we did AGAIN today? Yes, we went to the theater in the center of town and got a tour back stage. I went with two shiny teachers and a class of 22 bright students. All the world is a stage. I’m singing and dancing. I happily volunteered to go on stage while the lighting technician showed us how the spot lights work. I must be attention starved because before you knew it a girl named Giada and I were making up a dance routine.

We got booed. We bowed.

Arena del Sole

Tomorrow evening we will all be attending a show. It looks interesting considering the main actor is a man dressed as a woman. Is this appropriate for teenagers? We learnt that the theater used to be a convent with nuns then Napolean was in town about 200 years ago (uh huh) – anyone checking this for correctness? Then the theater got auctioned off to a crazy man who sold leather goods. At least that’s what our guide said.

As far as multi tasking in concerned.

For some psychotic reason I decided to write a guide ebook to getting your blog started and how to make it bloom. I noticed some people are having a hard time getting their blog off the ground so I wanted to share that information. Then I started writing it. It’s not a bad book by any means but still? In Italian they have a saying called ‘chi melo fa fare?’ It means who is forcing me? Everyone I’ve ever met in my life is writing a book so what? The world needs MY information? I don’t think so. And secondly, why would I do that? To prove I can? Breathe Julie Breathe.

I could just take off the picture and that would be that. Only problem is that I’ve already written about 24 pages. Once I start doing something I like to follow through. I just don’t want to put out a mediocre product. I’ll let you know.

Hope all of you are fine out there. Have a great day. Be inspirational. Make the changes you want. Be the change you want. Believe in yourself. You can do it. I know you can.

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Posted in Italy, journal, learning, teaching

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You make me smile.

Posted on January 6, 2010 | 4 Comments

Inspired choices.

I hesitate to post because I love looking at my paintings on the blog when I open my site but the show must go on. I can always repost them. It took me about six hours to upload all of those pictures so I don’t plan on doing that again any time soon.

I just wanted to say a big huge thank you to my regular visitors. I see you. I see you coming back. I know you want to know which one is the oil painting. It’s Anne Marie’s. If you follow my blog you guys know that Anne Marie is my best friend and has been for over 20 years. This summer I gave her a framed flower picture for her birthday and she loved it. She gave me the biggest compliment a girl could get and it was these words:

“I’m giving you your first commission. Please paint me some sunflowers.”

I did so happily and with a full, thankful and loving heart.

As you can see I’ve added an ebook link to a book I’m writing to get new bloggers helped started. I’m not an expert by ANY means but it did take some figuring out. I just want to share some of my knowledge. I don’t even know if there’s a market in that. I had two better titles. One was SEO WTF, but I didn’t want to use curse words. And the other was

If you don’t know what you are doing stand next to someone who looks like they do.
 but It think that might be too long.

I actually need your input. For one I still can’t decide on a name for this blog. Do you think I need to drop the .wordpress to make it seem more professional?

I also need to decide which way to head, motivation, art, or Italy journal. I spoke to my life coach Adam and he asked if I have any plans or measurable goals. He’s just amazing. I do. I sent them all in a detailed outlined letter.

I believe in something I read in Napolean Hill’s book called Think and Grow Rich were he describes what is called a Mastermind. The idea is that we all work together for a greater good. That’s my interpretation. That’s why I’m asking your guys’ thoughts.

I had this idea to have a contest, sweepstakes, giveaway where I would give away one of my pictures. It’s drying. It’s an oil paint and it has taken four days to dry. What do you guys think? My idea was to have you write between 50-200 words describing either:

1) Someone who motivates you and why. (or)
2) Someone who you have motivated and how.

What do you think? Should I just do it? Have I got nothing to lose? I don’t even know if I like the new painting. It looks so pretty in person but when I look at it in a thumbnail picture I’m not certain. Don’t ask me to upload it!

And finally I have to confess something. You know how when you have to study for an exam all of the sudden you find time to clean your entire house and organize every sock drawer by color? Well, I have the same thing going on in my life.

I’m supposed to be looking for a bigger house for my family. This is my procrastination. I’ve procrastinated for two years and I’ve never considered my self one to put off doing things.. I need to focus on that. (Or)… I could work more on my blog (or) I could try to stop wanting and start accepting. If I knew the answers! If I only knew.

In the mean time, today I’ll stick with the title Serendipity which means something to the tune of a positive unexpected outcome.

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Posted in happiness, Inspiration

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Swim AWAY from the Cake – updated motivational technique.

Posted on December 23, 2009 | 7 Comments

I am putting every ounce of myself to becoming a better blogger, writer and communicator. More importantly is that I am trying to make a positive change in life. Thank for visiting if this is your first time here. Welcome back visitors, feel free to leave comments.

What motivates you?

My best friend Anne Marie kicks my bum in tennis and probably anyone else’s. When we were playing at university we were great partners. We spent our time between matches actually doing cartwheels on the court. We were paired up with a couple of Chinese guys who were so serious about tennis. One day our coach pulls us aside and assigns us new partners. ‘Not the Chinese, Not the Chinese’ we chanted – they’d kill us at tennis. Sure enough, Anne Marie and I found fantastic new partners.

I’m building bridges here.

Stay with me folks. There IS a reason I’m telling you this.

The reason is this. When I am in the class room in front of my students I ask them ‘What motivates you most?’ Is it someone who comes over, puts your hand on your shoulder, smiles, and says good job, or is the person who gets behind you and yells ‘DO IT!’?

When I was on swim team in high school, my sister was my best motivator. She’d follow me back and forth across the lanes and scream ‘Go Julie!’ Her coaching strategy was swim toward the chocolate cake and away from the shark.

Just pretend

Be a kid and pretend you are the best. Walk across the room at this moment as if you have a cape on your back, I don’t care if anyone’s watching – all the better. Our mind will literally follow suit.

When Anne Marie and I were back playing singles tennis, she’d say ‘Julie – You’re going down’ with such conviction, I had no other choice then to let her win. Ha ha ha, Anne Marie, who’s getting the last laugh now?

Point is, get out there, do your best. That’s all we can ask, isn’t it?

Have a nice day and thank you for visiting.

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Posted in family, holidays, Inspiration, journal, motivation, teaching, travel, writing

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8 days ’til Christmas. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Posted on December 17, 2009 | 3 Comments

How I love the holidays. I grew up in Southern California so when it snows for Christmas it’s a true joy. When we were growing up, it only snowed once and I remember putting snowballs in the freezer. I remember Californians complaining because it never quite felt like Christmas because it was hot outside. In southern California at Christmas time you can actually see candy apple red convertibles with a Christmas tree in the back seat driving along the coast with the sand and waves in the background. You can also get married in Las Vegas in a drive thru by someone dressed up as Elvis but that has nothing to do with Christmas in Italy.

Where was I? Italy. Oh yeah, I forgot. All this snow must have went right to my brain and I’m not even blonde. That’s a joke for you sis.

Christmas in Italy

Nine days left and counting. If you read my about Julie page above you would have seen that I’m a special aids AND English teacher. I teach English at one middle school and am a special aid’s teacher at another. When I’m in the classroom, I have two roles, I’m either teaching or helping. When I’m teaching I’m pretty easy going. I like to tease my students and tell them I’m 70. They don’t know. They tell me I look great for being 70. Then when I tell them my real age they still look a little quizzed because I think anything over 15 to a 12 year old is considered old. 20-40-70, who really cares. I don’t. It’s how we feel inside, right?

Playing with the Kids

I also like to tell them that there is a quiz today. They never seem to get that joke but I like it. Today I was not the teacher but I was the helper and I think I like that role best. It’s sort of hard to understand your position in the class because as you sit and listen to the lecture you start to think you are a student too. My math teacher friend teaches an 85 year old woman.

I highlight my student’s books and take notes for them. Then, I have to try to explain what I’ve learned to the kids. I’ll make them copies or whatever it takes to get them prepared for their ‘interrogation’.

Interrogation is a common practice in Italy. What it means is that instead of having a written exam the teacher asks each kid orally what was supposed to be learned. For example in Geography the teacher might as an open ended question about China saying Talk to me about China. That’s a BIG subject but basically it can be broken down into it’s physical characteristics, the climate, the government, the resources, the people, the culture and traditions.

When you work with special kids you have to make it simple if you can.

Around the holidays a lot of teachers just do normal lessons. I like to organize Christmas parties. I grew up with a Christmas party and I think it is good that the kids have one too. My five year old had his party today and I got to have a peek at the magic that lies behind the walls of a kindergarten.

Christmas Magic

Close your eyes and imagine this beautiful story book scene. It’s snowing outside, you park in front of the school. The kids are bundled up like Eskimos. Watch them as they put their little feet in the snow for the first time. They have to touch it. You worry that they are going to have wet shoes. The teacher has written everyone a note the day before that the kids should all wear red or white tops and dark bottoms for the Christmas party because Santa is coming.

I dropped off my five year old today and I stopped for a second that I wished was a lifetime to see about 20 little angels going about their angel making projects that included little fairies with sparkles and glue. Then cookies. And then I have to go.

I go to work that I love. Second period I sub and we make paper snowflakes. They look great on the window with the snow falling. In English we sing the song by Black Eyed Peas in English called I Got a Feeling. I’m happy to translate the lyrics. I help the new girl follow along. She’s sweet.

I finish teaching and I go to the teacher’s lounge where the math teacher has his guitar out and is playing beautiful music. Life is good. Life is certainly good.

Thank you for visiting. I’m overwhelmed that I’ve had so many visitors. Thank you.

Have a great day and feel free to leave a comment. I’d like to know what your schools or jobs are doing for the holidays. I see some of your pictures on facebook but I like the stories.

Julie

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Posted in Inspiration, Italy, journal, learning, motivation, teaching

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If I can do it, anyone can.

Posted on May 16, 2009 | 1 Comment
Lay over in London Summer 2009

These are my boys at London Heathrow on a layover.

When I told people I was taking my kids to Los Angeles for two months I was greeted as usual with the nay-sayers and head nodders. I admit, nothing motivates me more than when I tell someone I am going to do something and people look at me like I am attempting something impossible.

What’s the big deal? Buy a ticket, get on a plane, get off a plane and arrange for transportation and accommodation.

Surely I am not the only the only person who decides to spend the summer with their family.

In this picture you can see my two boys as we stopped in London for a couple of hours. We left early in the morning from our home town in Bologna, Italy, stopped in London then continued to Los Angeles. I love arriving in Los Angeles. The first thing I always notice is the smell of the ocean. I can feel it on my face too. Then I notice how the cars seem cleaner and shinier – and bigger too.

It is all an illusion.

It is all an illusion.

It was 4a.m. Italy time when we arrived and I can assure you that the time it took to get the rental car was by far the hardest part of the trip. I booked the best deal I could find on a trust worthy website with a well known car rental company. I just must have been too out of it when we got the car because I ran into trouble.

First of all, I was holding my youngest son, 5, in my arms because he was still sleeping. Secondly, EVEN THOUGH I had confirmed many times that the company would accept my rental car insurance through my credit card – the man at the desk wouldn’t release the car to me unless I bought their added insurance coverage.

At 4a.m. I would sign away anything. Remarkably I still had some wits about me. I managed to get the boys and car seats in the rental car, drive to my friends house and stay up most of the night booking a better car. I had no choice. The insurance that the man at the rental car company was trying to sell me would have eaten a big hole in my vacation budget.

All things squared thanks to friends who square us out. I still had a severe case of jet lag yet we managed to get a new car. The point I am trying to make is like the title says, If I can do it, anyone can. I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking. Thought is things. Thinking is believing. Believing is doing.

Have a great day and thanks for reading.

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Posted in Italy, journal, motivation, travel

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