10. Serve

"Serving others is my path to liberation." Dalai Lama

Last night I had the opportunity to serve others. As Oprah once said, "we can all do more." Now, I'm not going to lie, I was tired. I awoke at 5 am, taught all day with no prep, came home and watched Oprah (of course! :) and wanted to take a little nap. But then I had to go back to school to serve Cokes and candy at the Spartan Express with two moms of boys tennis players, Kelly and Cheryl. It was so kind of them to come out on a Friday night, all of us would rather be home sitting on the couch, but this is our one fund raiser for the boys' tennis team. Oprah does great service all the time, by giving away great prizes to her audience. Also, when she established her leadership school in Africa, she is changing the lives of those young women. I believe we can all serve others in some small ways or big ways.

How do you serve others?

9. Honesty

On today's show, Oprah interviewed a myriad of women who were all suprised by their husband's dishonesty and unfailfulness. The real problem began when they began with the fairy tale notions of love and marriage inculcated from those Disney movies we've all grown up to love. Today in class, Lexie discussed this exact subject so it was rather timely to see the reality which sadly played out for these women. Each of the women described their early years as the 'perfect marriage, like a fairy tale' and I wonder why do we dream of perfection, in marriage, in our bodies, or in our lives? Why not deal with the actual reality of life and be happy when our lives then surpass that reality? One woman said that the big money life was very seductive. "How fast did you lose your rich friends?" "Immediately," she answered with the snap of her fingers. Those aren't true friends!

What is your 'DREAM' life? What does it look like? What about a 'DREAM' mariage? Is is the 'perfect wedding' that you dream of or a working marriage?

8. Live

If you could LIVE anywhere in the world, where would you LIVE?

Before I saw Oprah's show today, I would say America of course! After I Skyped around the world with Oprah I am reconsidering. In Copenhagen, Denmark are found the world's happiest people. They are all tall, blonde and lean. 1/3 of the population rides bikes after they leave work at 4pm! They believe that 'happiness means success." The babies sleep outside in their stroller, "no one would steal your babies here," said the mom. The dad said, "less space, less things, more life!" They are outside walking around and they are VERY TIDY! I LOVE when Oprah snoops-- opening their cupboards where everything was very tidy and organized. Then, on to Dubai where there is NO income tax! I always wondered why Roger Federer has a home in Dubai, after the taxes in Switzerland, he probably likes that plan in Dubai! In both places they have NO homeless, NO hungry people and YES to health care. They don't understand "why would you not want to take care of the health of others?" I don't understand it either, especially when it's stated that way. Very Interesting. Then, on to Rio. I do want to see Rio, it does seem to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Plus, the women are very fit and attractive on the beaches.

7. Create

I decided to create a blog this year and my goal is to write every day, sort of an on-line journal.

Then, I realized that my hubby and I created our family of two girls and this is what we are most proud of in life.

Oprah created a t.v. show, a magazine, a leadership school for girls, and the list goes on. This is amazing, especially from whence she came. Oprah 'grew up poor' just as Barbara Streisand. It is amazing to think about her meteoric rise in the media. Oprah 'never dreamed all this' as her hand sweeps around the studio, encompassing all her fans at home as well. Wow. So few people actually create something so big and financially successful.

"Learn the past, watch the present and CREATE the future."

"Some pursue happiness, others CREATE it."

What have you CREATED lately?

6. Hope

Today, I thought about Elizabeth Smart and Jaycee Dugard, both of whom were found after being taken. Oprah showed the photos of so many Lost Children throughout the hour. Children who have been taken from their homes or close to their homes. Parents talking about their baby being taken from the crib in the middle of the night. What a nightmare! John Walsh said, "you give people hope Oprah." What a wonderful testimony! Oprah and Walsh have fought for legislation for 25 yrs to have a national database for sex offenders. Sounds like a great idea. I know that I have looked on-line in my neighborhood and was quite shocked at how many offenders are around my own area. That was the result of one of the people on the show.

Then, I thought again about Elizabeth Smart. I remember clearly when she was taken. The police immediately suspected her father, Ed Smart and probably wasted time looking at him as a suspect, probably because of Susan Smith as Oprah said. Susan Smith lied and she was guilty of killing her own children, like a modern Medea. My daughters were so upset and scared when Elizabeth was taken. Brooke, my youngest, started sleeping in Ali, her big sister's bed. Ali had been begging for a dog, and that's when we found our Oreo 'Cookie' Spackman. I heard one of the news people say, 'a dog discourages intruders' and 'the Smart family did not have a dog.' That was enough, we got a dog! Whenever I am in Liberty Park, I remember when Elizabeth was shown sitting at that picnic table in the park. She recently testified to the horror she experienced and I think she is sooo brave! She looked beautiful when she was Oprah recently.

"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus on the brightest"

Dalai Lama

What do you hope for today?

5. Work

Today, I had to go back to work. I woke up at 6 am, dropped off Brooke, then I went to school and taught from 7:30-2:30 with only a 1/2 hr. break for lunch since it is my no prep day. It was a rude awakening since I have been off for ten days. It is really hard to get back into the swing of work, after all that time off and playing tennis every day. But, I do like to work and I really like the teachers I work with and eat lunch with; that chit-chat is fun! Also, I have some nice students that I actually miss seeing!

Oprah says she "loves going to work every day." Really? Seriously? Every single day Oprah? That is very cool. It helps that she makes millions doing a job she loves. I enjoy my job, but not every single day that's for sure. I know I should be grateful to even have a job right now in these tough financial times. It seems to me that Oprah has the Dream Job. She makes piles of money, sits on the couch wearing FAB clothes and shoes . . . her shoes are to DIE FOR . . . talking to really cool and good looking people. Plus, she works with her best friend Gayle. If there is a better job out there, I wonder what it is. So, why is she leaving?

Why do you think Oprah is leaving after 2010?

"The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one"

Oscar Wilde

4. Read

I cried myself to sleep last night. I finished reading Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I confess this is his first novel that I've read even though I have every one of them in my classroom bookshelves. My female students LOVE these books. I saw a preview for the movie and knew that my 18 y.o. daughter Ali would LOVE this book since she loves the handsome male lead, Tatum Channing. So I bought the book, wrapped it and put it under the tree for both of us. She read it first, very quickly. I did the same, read it in three days, stayed up until 2 am last night, reading the last chapters through my tears. I haven't cried that hard in a long time. What is it about? It is a story of true love, of sacrifice and honor. It is about a soldier serving his country who falls in love with a lovely young woman of substance while home on leave on the beaches of North Carolina. It reminded me of a Spring Break trip with my girlfriends, stopping at those deserted beaches in Virginia and North Carolina. Those beaches are so much less busy than Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or Florida, teeming with tourists and the flocking, migrating herds of college kids and Sunbirds. The Outer Banks are desolate and lonely but stark and beautiful. It was a great read.

Oprah's Book Club has recommended several books over the years and I have read almost all of her choices. Often her books are difficult, they deal with a character in a struggling situation that the central character can not always resolve. She's Come Undone, written by Wally Lamb was the first Oprah recommend that I read. I liked seeing the author and hearing his own thoughts. He was teaching in middle school while writing the book and reading it to them. This would have taken a great deal of courage indeed! Oprah reads and she presents the author and the book and shares books with the world. I commend her for this. Who else on a t.v. talk show actually has a book chat? Plus, it is obvious that she has read the books by her cogent comments. A good book resounds in your brain much longer than a movie. The characters, settings and themes last longer. I think more when I read.

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."

Joseph Addison

What are you reading right now?

What do you love about it?