The Lens: Years ago, we planned a vacation with some friends. There would be seven of us all together – four adults, our two children and their one child. When looking for a house to rent, we decided on a…
Amateur Analyzation
The Lens: A while back, I read an article about someone who started tracking her dreams. She said it gave her insight into her life, how she was feeling, understanding her worries, etc. This really intrigued me. I have a…
Mother’s Day
The Lens: When my mom died, a coworker gave me a card. In it she wrote something to the effect of losing your mom and the responsibility of the matriarchal torch being passed on to the next generation. That really…
Perceptions
The Lens: I am a teacher in a Catholic elementary school and recently attended an in-service. Because of the size of the in-service, the venue had to accommodate a couple hundred teachers. Not that many schools in our diocese can…
I am Somebody (or am I?)
The Lens: As I have mentioned (probably ad nauseam, by now), I am a direct descendant of Jose Francisco Ortega*. I have also mentioned delving into my family history to see how many of us descendants of JFO there are.…
The Gift of Time
The Lens: My, how time flies when you are running crazy. Each summer, I make a list of things I want to get done. Most summers, I make abysmal progress on the list. One of the things on my list…
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em
The Lens: My husband was complaining . . . again. Seems the sailboat he, my son, and my son’s friend own needs engine repair. We are the epitome of DIYers – a by-product of spending too many years worrying about…
Top-Down, Bottom-UP
The Lens: This is an extension of my “Degrees of Separation” post. So, if you haven’t read it yet, take a few quick minutes to read it before continuing on. Done?? Ok, here we go . . . Connectedness. Years…
The Art of Falling
The Lens: I took a header the other day. Carelessness, pure and simple. I was crossing the street on the way to work. A co-worker had pulled up and was parking her car. As I was crossing, I turned and…