400 times a day?

i heard on the radio that average children laugh 400 times a day.
2800 times a week!

they said adults laugh approximately 15 times a day.  BORING!

i don't know the source or anything, but i believe it.
that's why i love my job...i'm laughing all the time, kids are cracking me up, they are laughing with each other, i teach monet with a french accent, and on and on.


hope you have a couple laughs this week, even if you have to force it!

december almost gone.

goodbye my friendly winter month. i enjoyed your mild side this year, it kept me calm. wonder if the warm sent you on your way speedily, you didn't stick around for long. good night.

photo courtesy of design*sponge

Advent: day one

from the latin adventus meaning "coming"



In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.  [John 1:1-5]

He was and is and is to come!!! amen my brothers and sisters!

this is for free!

I heard this on the radio this morning and laughed out loud!  Hahahahahaha!"  I thought to myself, "What a wonderful way to start December tomorrow! And celebrate that its Wednesday today!"  LOL!  

Where does the song Africa take you back to?  All it makes me think of is Jonah Sage playing at the Garage in Springboro (i think I was a senior in high school).  Wowzer!

a scarf can keep you warm

i was trying to practice along with the video (it was hard)...i think my favorite so far is "the waterfall" :)

East of Eden

Last year around this time, I picked up John Steinbeck's East of Eden.  A number of my friends were reading it (there was even some talk of a book club) and I had many conversations about the characters, themes, and plot twists that caused me to think a lot about the nature of life.
Unlike my husband, I am a flaky, uncommitted and unmotivated reader.  Its not that I don't like the act of reading or the books themselves...its just me always looking for an enticing read with only a little commitment (aka magazines!!!)  So when all my friends were finishing it up over Christmas break, I shoved a Chipotle napkin in the middle and put it on a bookshelf.

Long story short, I started reading again about a week ago.  The plot somewhat parallels the stories in early Genesis (which is cool because that's what we're working through at The Oaks).
What is really getting me is the relationship between Cal and Aron (twin brothers).  Steinbeck is breaking my heart through the dialogue and interaction of the two boys.  His words put flesh on characters like crazy.

This book is also helping my soul...when days seem gray and monotonous and my heart is hard to hearing the Word.  Reading a little East of Eden seems to soften and remind me of the seriousness of life, the reality of sin and the brokenness of people and relationships apart from Jesus.  It helps to bring me back.

south main thesis

Questions I have wrestled with recently:
-Is this blog effective?
-Why did I start it?
-What is its current purpose?
-Am I being true to its purpose in my posts or just thoughtlessly blogging out of some false obligation?

On Sunday as we gathered sticks and drank coffee, these ideas came out of my brain in a conversation with Meg [which always sheds more light on the nature of things].  Here is my response to the above questions with added explanation and some clarity!
Right now my job (art teacher!) is consuming a great deal of my life...hours at work + planning at home = a lot of time :)  Spending my days with 8-12 year olds is glorious & wonderful, but not creatively stimulating. (I pour all of my juices out to grow their little creative seeds and my soil is bone dry.)
South Main originated to challenge/hold me accountable to making art, finding inspiration and keeping track of my personal artistic dreams & endeavors.  read: (online sketchbook).
I also hoped it could encourage others in pursuit of true life and art.
During this season, I need to think about things (creative things!) other than my job.  My goal is for this blog to serve as the outlet for those thoughts.  I want to post twice a month (Day 1 & Day 15) and I want to be somewhat active in the blogs I follow.
What a fresh way to begin November!

On my mind...

***if you don't like stream of conciousness. don't read this. it is not organized. it may not make any sense.



I don't have a twitter account. But I often find myself thinking (at least twice a day) "Oh, if I had twitter I would SO tweet that." Little thoughts jump into my head and I instantly want to share...via facebook or twitter or this blog.
Not sure why, but I don't really like that my thoughts always go there...desiring to be posted up for all to admire, or laugh at, or ponder.
I think I just want to be popular or well-known. or something else. WHERE IS MY IDENTITY!?! BAH!

Do you have some insight?  Have you experienced anything like this?


On a lighter note...here are the things I was thinking about this morning as I drove to work...

1. I made up a song about the primary colors. It goes to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus."

the primary colors are red, blue and yellow,
red, blue and yellow
red, blue and yellow
the primary colors are red, blue and yellow,
you mix other colors with these...


2. I love fall this year. Don't know why I feel so differently about it than I have in years past. We could soak in this season for a while.

3. I never post on this blog because life has been really wild and crazy.  I liked being a teacher this week though...that's more than I can say for some weeks past.



Let's keep being friends. If anyone is out there. I don't have a lot of you these days.
Happy weekend.