Musings of a Little Town Tea

Just So You Know, I Can't Play Soccer

2009-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

By the way, if you happen to such at soccer too and like the shirt above you can buy it here.

The Loveliest Wallet

2009-12-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

Little Town Tea lovers, don’t you just love my wallet? This year Santa decided to give me the loveliest wallet. I just had to share one of my favorite Christmas gifts with you because it is just so fantastic. Looking for one just like it? Try your local Target store.

My Christmas Present to Myself

2009-12-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

Hello Little Town Tea lovers. Every Christmas for the last four years I have bought myself a Christmas present. For the last few months before Christmas all of my money and shopping goes towards others, which I enjoy, but sometimes I see something amidst the endless stores that I can’t help giving to myself. This year’s gift to myself was this teapot necklace. Isn’t it lovely? Recently, my little town has gotten itself a new shop that sells tea and tea accessories. When my friends came down the weekend before Christmas we went to that shop and had ourselves some tea. It was at the cash register that I saw this perfect little necklace and I have hardly taken it off since. It is my favorite Christmas present to myself yet. I hope that my readers also indulge themselves in a treat such as this during the holidays because sometimes we need to treat ourselves to little treasures.

My Lovely Morning

2009-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning Little Town Tea lovers. I just had to share this picture with you. This beautiful sky is what I was lucky enough to wake up to this morning. I quickly grabbed my camera and shot a picture before it went away. What a wonderful way to start the day.

Christmas

2009-12-27T17:00:00.000-08:00

Alas! Christmas has already past me by. It is amazing how fast that holiday can go by after all of the time spent preparing for it. It was a wonderful Christmas though and the first one spent in my new house. The weekend before Christmas some of my closest friends came to my little town to visit me and we had a wonderful time going into all of the little boutiques and antique shops and having tea. They were all able to see my new house and I was able to show off my Christmas decorations and all of the little projects I have been working on around the house, which has been coming together quite nice and is finally emanating a somewhat homey vibe. It was a wonderful weekend.
For Christmas, I was able to spend it with my family on Christmas Eve. It was so fun being with the family and seeing the excitement on my nephew (age 5) and niece’s (age 2) face. I gave my nephew a pet fish who he immediately decided to name Army Guy. For my niece, I gave her a purse filled with some of the necessities, such as a pink jeweled mirror and a fish wallet. This year I received a digital camera. For the last four years I have just borrowed my ex’s camera when it came to my picture taking needs, but now I have my very own and you will be able to see many more images on my blog, such as my Christmas decorations. Enjoy! It is a gift that just keeps on giving.
I hope that all of my Little Town Tea lovers had a wonderful Christmas and that you have a happy new year!

Long Time No Blog

2009-12-26T17:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings Little Town Tea lovers. It is nice to be back to blogging. It has been a crazy couple of months since the last time I blogged. A lot has happened, but it has all been for the best. First of all, I moved back to my little town and away from the vast valley of California, so that has been a change. I love it here. You see the stars, you can leave your car unlocked without a worry, it snows from time to time, and, most importantly, it never smells of cows. Due to this move, however, I now have to drive eight hours a week to commute to my credential program. The drive is getting better though. I borrow some great audio books from the library and I have large amounts of time to contemplate and sing.
Another major change in my life is my employment. For the last several months I have been substituting in my little town. I have mostly worked at an elementary school, but I have also subbed for the local high school. It has surly been an experience full of the good and the bad that can come from teaching. Let’s just say that my fridge is covered full of beautiful letters from my adoring students, but that my bathroom is stocked with plenty of cold medicine that is just waiting for me to get sick once again. Ugh. I do begin student teaching, the last part of my credential program, starting on the fifth of January. I hope to find the time to blog about that experience because I think it should be quite interesting.
The last major change that has occurred since the last time I wrote on my blog is that I am now single. My ex and I decided that it was best to go our own ways because of our desire for separate futures. After almost four years of being in a relationship, I am now single. It has been an interesting experience being single and I have gone on a few dates, which have also been interesting and will perhaps one day be expanded on on a different day. Overall, though, the experience has been good and I am truly happy with my life and where I am at this point in time.
All in all, that is what has been going on in the life of Little Town Tea. Please stay tuned for more updates about my life, my loves, and my adventures in student teaching.

Apologizes for my lack of bloggage.

2009-05-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hey there lovers of Little Town Tea. I am very sorry for not writing as frequently as I usually do during these last few weeks. With my move, the end of college, and other difficulties in my personal life, I have found myself with very little time to dedicate towards this blog. Unfortunately, it will be a while until the internet will be hooked up at my new house, and when I do find the time to trek it up the hill to my parents house, I am fairly sure that the time I will have using their internet will be spent on my on-line class. But don't lose hope, keep checking and I am sure in no time I will be back at it with my daily posts.
Love,
Little Town Tea

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-05-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Crow Testament
By: Sherman Alexie

1
Cain lifts Crow, that heavy black bird
and strikes down Abel.

Damn, says Crow, I guess
this is just the beginning.

2
The white man, disguised
as a falcon, swoops in
and yet again steals a salmon
from Crow's talons.

Damn, says Crow, if I could swim
I would have fled this country years ago.

3
The Crow God as depicted
in all of the reliable Crow bibles
looks exactly like a Crow.

Damn, says Crow, this makes it
so much easier to worship myself.

4
Among the ashes of Jericho,
Crow sacrifices his firstborn son.

Damn, says Crow, a million nests
are soaked with blood.

5
When Crows fight Crows
the sky fills with beaks and talons.

Damn, says Crow, it's raining feathers.

6
Crow flies around the reservation
and collects empty beer bottles

but they are so heavy
he can only carry one at a time.

So, one by one, he returns them
but gets only five cents a bottle.

Damn, says Crow, redemption
is not easy.

7
Crow rides a pale horse
into a crowded powwow
but none of the Indian panic.

Damn, says Crow, I guess
they already live near the end of the world.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-05-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

"I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them."
- Pablo Picasso

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I Heard a Fly Buzz--When I Died
By: Emily Dickinson

I heard a Fly buzz -- when I died --
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air --
Between the Heaves of Storm --

The Eyes around -- had wrung them dry --
And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset -- when the King
Be witnessed -- in the Room --

I willed my Keepsakes -- Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable -- and then it was
There interposed a Fly --

With Blue -- uncertain stumbling Buzz --
Between the light -- and me --
And then the Windows failed -- and then
I could not see to see --

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

"I doubt that the imagination can be suppressed. If you truly eradicated it in a child, he would grow up to be an eggplant."
- Ursula K. Le Guin

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Insomniac
By: Maya Angelou

There are some nights when
sleep plays coy,
aloof and disdainful.
And all the wiles
that I employ to win
its service to my side
are useless as wounded pride,
and much more painful.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-05-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

"All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible."
-William Faulkner

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you have a lovely day.

The Decemberists

2009-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have taken advantage of my Playlist, located at the bottom of my blog, you might have heard a few amazing songs done by The Decemberists. If so, I hope you are enjoying their fantastic melodies and lyrics with unique story lines. Wes first turned me onto this band. Right away I feel in love with The Decemberists. I had never heard a band that took such care writing their lyrics. Each one has an in depth story with such unique characters that I still am amazed that they have been able to put out as many CDs as they have. Recently they came out with their new CD, entitled The Hazards of Love, and all the songs intertwine with one another to create one long and story. I included my favorite music video of The Decemberists below so that you can get a taste of this brilliant band and, as I mentioned before, you can also find some of their songs on my Playlist. Perhaps you will fall just as deeply in love with this band as I have.

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Brown Penny
By: William Butler Yeats

I whispered, 'I am too young,'
And then, 'I am old enough';
Wherefore I threw a penny
To find out if I might love.
'Go and love, go and love, young man,
If the lady be young and fair.'
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
I am looped in the loops of her hair.

O love is the crooked thing,
There is nobody wise enough
To find out all that is in it,
For he would be thinking of love
Till the stars had run away
And the shadows eaten the moon.
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
One cannot begin it too soon.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sophia Kinsella's book, Can You Keep a Secret?, was one of the fantastic books that traveled with me on my trip to Hawaii. Sophia Kinsella, author of the Shopaholic books, The Undomestic Goddess, and Remember Me?, writes with such perfectly timed humor that you will find yourself cracking up every time you turn the page. Although I am a fan of her Shopaholic books, the ones I have read anyway, I found Can You Keep a Secret? on a whole new level of wit. This particular book is about a woman named Emma Corrigan who works at Panther Cola, has a perfect boyfriend, and is hoping to get a promotion. She is a successful woman who gets by in her life by keeping secrets. One day, however, she sits next to a very handsome man on a business flight and when the plane hits some turbulence she spills all her secrets. After Emma gets off the flight, a little shaky and embarrassed, she cheers herself up by reminding herself that all of her deepest secrets were spilled to a mere stranger, a man she will probably never see again. Emma puts the incident behind her, that is until she goes to work the next day to find that mere stranger in her office and that he is the CEO of Panther Cola.
This is a book that will make your sides ache from laughter. I promise that you will want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next. I bought this book for my mom for Mother's Day last year and she loved it. So, whether you are looking for a book for yourself or are trying desperately to find the perfect gift, I recommend buying Can You Keep a Secret?

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

"My only purpose is to teach children to rebel against authority figures."
- Sherman Alexie

Doubt

2009-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

I rented Doubt from Netflix a few weeks ago both because Meryl Streep had been nominated for a golden globe and because as a Catholic I was curious to see how they would present this movie. After I watch the film, I found out that this film was adapted from a play by the same name that premiered in 2004.
Doubt takes place in a Bronx Catholic school during 1964. The first black student, Donald Miller, has recently began attending the school after he transferred from a public school. He is among countless Irish and Italian students and feels, understandably, out of place. Father Flynn, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, begin to bond with the boy. Sister James, played by Amy Adams, notices the relationship between Father Flynn and Donald and she reports her observations to Sister Aloysius, played by Meryl Streep. This begins the story of Doubt.
This film is very intense. It is a powerful and emotional film that will leave you angry and upset. This range of emotions comes from the amazing acting that is performed throughout the film. I have seen Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman shine in many roles, but these two executed their characters perfectly, making you feel as if you were in the situation and not watching a film from the comfort of your favorite overstuffed chair. I would greatly recommend this film because of its intense story line and the fantastic acting seen throughout.

Anchors Away!

2009-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I have fallen in love with anything that has an anchor on it. They remind me of the open sea, salt in the air, pirates with eye patches, and jolly songs about pillaging. The picture above was taken when I was at Pearl Harbor during my trip to Hawaii. Seeing this huge anchor started my love with anchors. Since I have gotten back from Hawaii, I have visited etsy a few times to look at all the homemade anchor products they have. Below I have listed some of my favorite with links. If you happen to be an anchor lover too, maybe you will find something you like.

This anchor bracelet is beautiful and full of charms that make me want to hop on a ship and spend the next few months enjoying the fresh air and hoping that I don't get scurvy.

These anchor hair pins are adorable. They would be the perfect touch to dress up any sailor outfit and would be the envy of all your ship mates.

This brooch is my favorite etsy find. I love the way it shows all the essential pirate themed charms and how the monster of the sea, the giant octopus, rules over them all. This would be a perfect trinket to wear so as to ward off any unwanted and dangerous creatures that linger in the deep sea, creatures that feed off pirate ships such as your own. It would remind you and your ship mates to never let your guard down, because the dangers of the sea could come and eat you at any moment.

Finally, this journal is the perfect place to keep your daily notes about the trip and all the adventures you may have.

Lumpia!

2009-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Lovers of Little Town Tea. Today I have a very special treat for you. A few weeks ago my friends and I had a potluck and I learned how to make lumpia. So, today I am going to teach you how to make this very yummy dish. Lumpia, for those of you unfamiliar with this dish, is, basically, a egg role from the Philippines, but, in my opinion, much better. My Aunt Jane is Filipino and whenever I visited her she would make me lumpia, but it was not until now that I knew how to make it myself. Thanks to Greg, that guy who taught me how to make that fantastic clam dip that I posted the recipe for, which can be found under the label cooking, I now know how to make oh so wonderful lumpia!

First what you need to do is go buy some chicken, green beans, and carrots. The chicken, by the way, is optional. Pure veggie lumpia is fantastic too. Cut all of the ingredients into very small pieces, as seen in the bowl above, put in your desired amount of garlic salt and pepper, coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil, and cook the ingredients until they look ready to eat.

Next, you need to start rolling the lumpia. The wrappers Greg bought were from an Asian grocery store and can be used for spring rolls, egg roles, and lumpia. The wrappers are very thin and stick together, so while you are pulling them apart and rolling the lumpia make sure you do not tear them. So, when you are ready to roll the lumpia take a small amount of the cooked vegetables and meat, like a small hand full, and put it at one corner of the wrapper. Begin rolling the ingredients. Once you get to the middle of the wrapper, fold in the corners on the left and the right and roll the rest of the way. Once you have finished rolling, put a little bit of water on the exposed corner and press it to the roll so that it will stick and not open up while the lumpia is frying.

Next, you will need to take a pan and fill it about a third of the way up with olive oil. Let the olive oil get very hot. You can check to see if it is hot enough by taking little pieces of the lumpia wrappers and seeing how well they fry.

Take some kitchen tongs and set the lumpia in two or three at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Make sure to let each side fry evenly. Once the lumpia looks nice and crisp take it out with your tongs and set it in a bowl that has paper towels inside. Make sure to set the lumpia up on its side so that the oil can drip out of the roll and onto the paper towels.

Once your lumpia has all been fried and has had a chance to cool down, sit down with your friends, grab some banana catchup (which is amazing, by the way) and enjoy your delicious lumpia.

David Sedaris

2009-04-30T06:00:00.001-07:00

"I love things made out of animals. It's just so funny to think of someone saying, 'I need a letter opener. I guess I'll have to kill a deer.'"
— David Sedaris

David Sedaris, author of Naked, Holidays on Ice, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and When You Are Engulfed in Flames, did a reading at the Modesto Junior College last Saturday night and I was lucky enough to attend. For those of you who have not yet read a David Sedaris book, his books are hilarious. To be honest, I have never read one of his books and only bought a book of his because I knew he would be signing them. I have always listened to David Sedaris on CD. He has such a great voice and such a way of reading his work that I continually buy his books on CDs or get them from the library. The first time I ever heard him was in my brothers car. Bryan was listening to his book Holidays on Ice , a book I recommend for those of you who have not read any works by David Sedaris, and I laughed so hard I cried. My favorite story in that book is entitled "Six to Eight Black Men."
Anyhow, the reading was amazing and by the end of the night my face hurt from laughing so much. I think the best part was that after we got out of the theater David Sedaris came out and signed books.

I found out after this picture was taken that no pictures were allowed to be taken of David Sedaris. Opps! Anyhow, David is the one sitting down by the elevator doors. After what felt like an eternity, Wes and I got to meet David Sedaris and have him sign our books. This turned out to be an interesting meeting and one I will never forget. He first asked Wes if he was a Leo and he did a little growl and pawed at him with his right hand. When Wes said that he was not a Leo, but that his mom was, David asked Wes if he had recently had sex with his mother. David then went on to ask me if I had a sister and a brother. When I told him I did, he asked me if I could forgive them if they had sex with each other. And that, in a nutshell, was my encounter with David Sedaris.

Here is what David Sedaris wrote and drew in my book. I call his drawing the Abe Lincoln turtle.

Here is what David Sedaris wrote and drew in Wes' book. David Sedaris told me that if I had a cat it would look like his drawing...

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Dark in Here
By: Shel Silverstein

I am writing these poems
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.
So please excuse the handwriting
Which may not be too clear.
But this afternoon by the lion's cage
I'm afraid I got too near.
And I'm writing these lines
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-04-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I read Sue Monk Kidd's The Mermaid Chair over the summer while I was in Santa Cruz. It was just one of those books you can't put down and you find yourself reading all night while you tell yourself "just one more chapter." This story takes place on Egret Island, a fiction island that Sue Monk Kidd places off the coast of South Carolina. The main character, Jessie Sullivan, is a married middle aged woman who must go to the island to take care of her troubled mother for a few months. Her mother's house, the house she grew up in, is next door to a monastery. While staying with her mother, Jessie begins to question her relationship with her husband as she starts falling in love with one of the monks next door. Jessie also begins to learn about the mermaid chair, a shrine at the monastery that the brothers have dedicated to a saint that was once a mermaid, and she begins to learn a secret about her father that her mother has hid for many years. It is the vibrant characters and the twist and turns, that Sue Monk Kidd so perfectly executes, that keep you always wanting more.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

"If you're looking for sympathy you'll find it between shit and syphilis in the dictionary."
- David Sedaris

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog

2009-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog is one of the most fantastic things I have seen. It is a 43 minute musical that was made for internet distribution. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, and Nathan Fillion. Neil Patrick Harris plays a super villain named Dr. Horrible, while Nathan Fillion plays a superhero named Captain Hammer. Both men are infatuated with Felicia Day, who plays Penny. It is very funny and the music is fantastic. I provided a video below with my favorite song performed during Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. If you have not seen Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog you need to either visit hulu or YouTube now. Both sites have the full musical in three parts.

The Best Soundtracks

2009-04-25T06:00:00.002-07:00

So, since high school I decided to buy soundtracks instead of CDs by a single band or artist, for the most part that is, so that I could hear an array of music by an array of musicians for the same price as buying a CD in which I would just hear one band or artist. Since I am a major movie lover, I would make an extra effort to listen to the music and decide whether or not the soundtrack was worthy of my purchase. Anyhow, after years of buying mostly soundtracks I decided to let you in on my top three favorite soundtracks, because you, my blogger friends, are just that cool.

Now, these are in no particular order. These three soundtracks are all so different that it is difficult to rate them. But they are all great and always seem to fit my mood in some way or another. Among these awesome soundtracks is Juno. I think what I love best about this soundtrack was that the majority of music was from artists and bands I have never heard of before. It is best described as a unique soundtrack full of music that will make you feel "hip" in the indie world.

The soundtrack for Garden State proved to be my favorite CD during high school. It is a beautiful mix of music that is guaranteed to make you feel better. For me, this is the best CD for getting over a difficult breakup. Colin Hay's song "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" especially helped me get through difficult breakups during high school.

Amelie is my all time favorite french film, plus it has a fantastic soundtrack. The music on this soundtrack is very inspiring and I find it the perfect music to listen to while I am writing. As I have written in a previous blog, this soundtrack is also my favorite to listen to as I am running in the early morning. So, if you are looking for some great music, pick up one or all of these wonderful soundtracks.

Making Fiends

2009-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

So, you lovers of Little Town Tea, I hope I am not boring you with my YouTube clips that I find interesting and want to share, because here is another one. Today's posting is about a show called Making fiends. By clicking on the highlighted words you will be linked to the website that first showed this wonderfully dark and humorous series of shorts. I found this fantastic website that has Making Fiends episodes, as well as other different shorts about things like muffins and really frightening bunnies, my freshman year of college. Ever since I have been in love with the website and all the amazing things that have come from Amy Winfrey, the creator of Making Fiends. For your viewing pleasure, I provided the first episode of this show below. If you find it enjoyable, go visit the website and see the rest of the hilarious episodes.

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-04-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

Theme for English B
Langston Hughes

The instructor said,

Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you--
Then, it will be true.

I wonder if it's that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
to this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.
The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem,
through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,
Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,
the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator
up to my room, sit down, and write this page:

It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me--we two--you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York, too.) Me--who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I guess being colored doesn't make me not like
the same things other folks like who are other races.
So will my page be colored that I write?

Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
a part of you, instructor.
You are white--
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That's American.
Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, that's true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me--
although you're older--and white--
and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-04-22T06:00:00.001-07:00

The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta is the first California book ever written. It was written by a Native American named Yellow Bird, also known as John Rollin Ridge. He is also considered the first Native American novelist. I read this book for my Multicultural California Literature course. It is quite an interesting read. It is about Joaquin Murieta, whose name is spelled a number of ways, and his life as a criminal. Joaquin Murieta and his gang are well known for being feared throughout California during the late 1840s and early 1850s. This book is interesting because of the approach Yellow Bird takes. He sympathizes with Joaquin while making some of the members of his gang into villains. Yellow Bird also makes some derogatory remarks about some of the Native American tribes in California, which is interesting since Yellow Bird is Cherokee. Although it might not be the most historically accurate book and does display some prejudices, it is interesting to read the first book written in California and the first book written by a Native American.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-04-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace."
- John Lennon

The New Hair Cut

2009-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lover of Little Town Tea for all your helpful advice while I was contemplating my spring haircut. Sorry that I have not put pictures up sooner. I finally got out today with a camera. My boyfriend and I had a photo shoot of me in my cap and gown for graduation pictures, so please excuse the large lumpy graduation gown in some of the photographs. So that you all can view this much belated post, Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week, Little Town Tea's Book Corner, and Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week will all be pushed back a day. So, without further ado, here is the before haircut...

...and here is the after haircut

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

2009-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of my latest movies sent by netflix was The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio. It is one of those movies that has been on my list for months, but has just kept moving around due to new releases and different television series that I am so addicted to I cannot bear having a movie in between disks. Finally, I decided that this was a movie that I needed to watch because even the preview made me weepy, so I decided to watch this instead of The L Word, which, by the way, is an excellent series. Anyhow, I watched this movie Thursday night before I went home for Spring break and it was fantastic. This film is based on a book that is based on a true story. This film is about a mother during the 50s and early 60s who supports her ten children by entering different contests. Her husband, a former singer who lost his beautiful singing voice due to a terrible car accident, is an alcoholic and spends the majority of the money he manages to make as a machinist on booze. To keep her family of twelve afloat, the mother writes jingles and does other entries for contests by submitting her entries under her children's names. All of this really happened and when Terry, one of the middle children, grew up she wrote a book about it. At the end of the film they show all of the real ten children grown up. This film is guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye. I provided the preview below. Give it a watch.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

2009-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Although I am a 22 year old college student, I love getting up early. I wake up between 4:30-5:00 in the morning. After brushing my teeth, I make my bed and begin stretching for my morning run. After my run, I take a shower, eat breakfast, and begin my day before most people are even opening their eyes. I love being awake at a time most people aren't. I am most aware of my quite surroundings when I am running. As I run past my apartment building, all the windows are dark and even the ducks are sound asleep. It is such a peaceful time of day. By nine or ten o'clock I have finished most of the tasks I have set aside for the day. By this time I go to class, if I have class for that day. If I don't have class, I spend the rest of the day doing things for myself, such as writing on my blog, reading a book, watching a movie, working on George and Paul, or taking a nice afternoon nap. To me, being an early riser is bliss.

Nick Piteria is a Wonder

2009-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my brother was showing me some videos he had come across that were entertaining. Today's video is one of them. This man, Nick Piteria, is a wonder of a singer. I chose this video out of all of the ones he has put online because it best demonstrates his vocal ranges. For this song, "A Whole New World," he sings both the male and female parts. If you were blind folded you would not know that it was the same person. Enjoy this unbelievable video.

Brought to You by Trader Joe's

2009-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't noticed, I am a huge Trader Joe's fan. I love their products and I love their prices. So, in recognition of this amazing grocery store, I am committing an entire post to some of my favorite Trader Joe products.

These sponges are the best. Not only are they bright and colorful, they have the perfect amount of "scratchiness" to them so that they can get off all the food, but not damage your dishware. Another fabulous thing about these sponges is that they never get that awful musty smell that regular sponges can get. These are best if used, in my opinion, with Trader Joe's lavender dish soap.

If you are looking for some good wine that doesn't make your pockets jingle any less, go to Trader Joe's and get some Charles Shaw wine. This wine, that has been renamed "Two Buck Chuck," is both delicious and inexpensive. It literally is two bucks. Some of the reds I have not been too thrilled with, but I have been happy with all the white wines I have tried.

Going green? Why not pick up one of the most fabulous grocery bags on the market? I bought one of these fantastic bags last year and use it all the time. Not only does it have amazing art work, it keeps your food colder. I must say, I love Trader Joe's.

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

A Poison Tree
By: William Blake

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I waterd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole.
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see,
My foe outstretchd beneath the tree.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Leslie Silko's Gardens in the Dunes is my favorite Native American novel. It is a beautiful and tragic story that follows two sisters who are separated when they are forced into different away schools. I used this novel, along with three other novels, to write my final paper in my senior seminar class that dealt only with Native American literature. As I wrote in my paper, Sister Salt, the older of the sisters, is thought too old to be sent to the same school as her sister, Indigo; “the authorities judged Sister Salt to be too much older than the others to send away to Indian boarding school. There was hope the little ones might be educated away from their blankets. [. . .] Chances were she’d be a troublemaker and might urge the younger students to attempt escape” (67). Realizing that the older the person was the harder it would be to melt away their Native American identity, the authorities separated the two sisters, with neither having any knowledge about the other. While Indigo is taken away to a standard boarding school, Sister Salt is shipped away to somewhere that is loosely referred to as “a school.”
This book continues to follow each sister in her separate life and adventure. Leslie Silko, a Native American herself, does a fantastic job demonstrating the life a Native American girl on her own and what she would have to deal with at the time the story is set. It is an eye opening book with a story anyone would enjoy. I highly recommended picking up Silko's Gardens in the Dunes.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

"I'll not confer with sorrow
Till tomorrow;
But Joy shall have her way
This very day."
- T. B. Aldrich

Happy Easter Little Town Tea Lovers!

2009-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a wonderful day hunting for brightly colored eggs among the dandelions and tulips that flourish in your grassy lawns.

Snail Mail

2009-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite past times is writing letters. There is nothing like sitting down with a mug full of hot green tea, finding the right pen, rummaging through a box full of different stationary, picking the perfect one, and writing a letter. Unfortunately, I have difficulty putting the time aside for one of my favorite hobbies and only perform the task once in a blue moon, but when I begin writing I don't just write one letter. Last week I found myself in the mood to write. I turned on Joni Mitchell, made some tea, lighted a pumpkin spice scented candle and wrote three letters, including one with drawings and complete bios of my fictional pirate crew of the "Dirty Mermaid." Not only is writing letters enjoyable, it is so much more personal than receiving an e-mail or writing on someone's facebook wall. So, when you are listening to some good music and find your hand wanting to move and your mouth thirsting for the taste of tea, pick out the right pen, go through your box of collected stationary that you have picked up throughout the years, pick the right one, and write a letter.

Baby Ducks

2009-04-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Although I am cursed with terrible allergies that cause the roof of my mouth to itch, my eyes to water, and my nose to drip, I love this time of year because of the baby ducks that begin to appear all over campus. When I was just a young lass, my dad would buy me a baby duck or two every spring. There was nothing like cuddling up to the little yellow and black balls of fluff. They would follow me all around the house and we would be best friends. At one time we had over twenty full size ducks at my house. Seeing these little baby ducks in all of the ponds throughout my lovely campus reminds me of my childhood and my little ducklings that have since passed away. So, make sure you enjoy this time of year. Go grab a bag of bread, find a pond with little chirping baby ducks, and give them some bite size pieces of bread, even if there are glaring signs not to do so.

My 50th Post

2009-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just realized that today's post is my 50th. I find that amazing. I feel like I just began this blog. I am so happy that I have been able to post as frequently as I have been. I usually have difficulty keeping up with something like this and taking the time to do it. I hope you are all enjoying reading this blog as much as I am enjoying posting on it.

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
By: Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Fannie Flagg is one of my favorite authors. The books I most adore by this author are Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which was later adapted into a movie, and Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. Her books have a small town southern style that always makes me feel at home. Each and everyone of her characters are memorable and seem to just jump right out of the page. She takes her time to add all the little details that give the reader a perfect visual of the setting of the story and the characters who are in it. If you haven't read a Fannie Flag book you should go pick one up today. If I were you, I would start with Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. It is one of my favorite books and is perfect to snuggle up with on a Sunday afternoon.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Happy is the man who sees
The stars shine through the cypress trees."
-Lowell

Shadow Puppets and Beautiful Music

2009-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube. It is amazing what a person can do with just their hands and a projector. Enjoy!

Electric Kettle

2009-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago I went home and my brother and his wife gave me my belated birthday gift. As a tore through Bryan's perfectly placed yellow tissue paper, I found an electric kettle in the delightfully cheery bag. For those who have not heard of an electric kettle, an electric kettle is a new spin on the classic kettles that are placed on stoves and whistle when it is time to get hot water for tea, or other substances needing hot water. An electric kettle, as shown below, does not go on the stove, but instead is plugged into an electric socket and the water boils almost immediately. It really is quite amazing and something I think people should get, although I do suggest you keep your old stove kettle because there is nothing like a whistle to know your tea is done on a beautifully blustery day.

Good Friends, Good Fun

2009-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

One thing I am going to miss about college will be going to a friend's houses late at night just to hang out with random people from all parts of my life. This is a glorious part of my life in which my friends are not tied down with spouses, children, and 9-5 jobs they always have to get up for in the morning. I know that this is a special time in my life where I am not tied down and can be with friends playing Foosball until 2a.m. on a Friday morning. Of course I will have to spend the next few days catching up on some much missed sleep while writing a paper and cramming for a test, but it sure is fun.

Some of My Favorite Things

2009-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, you are seeing it right. These are blue potatoes. There is not food coloring or any other inorganic changes to make these potatoes blue. Not only are they beautiful to eat, they are very delicious. I found these fantastic little potatoes the last time I went to Trader Joes. I am a potato lover and found a bag filled with little potatoes of all different colors. I ate the red and white potatoes first, not being sure that the black colored potatoes were going to even be edible. After I baked my little black potatoes, I cut them open to find a blue, almost purple, color inside. I was a bit weary about eating something that matched the color of my exercise ball, but, as it turned out, it was the best potato I have ever eaten and the remainder of the little blue potatoes soon were in my stomach. Yum!

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

I, Too, Sing America
By: Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, by Judith Viorst, is the perfect book to pick up if your child's pet passes on. Everyone has a hard time explaining a pet's death to a child. This book helps children understand what has happened to their beloved fluffy friend and good ways to deal with the grief that can come from it. It is a book that I wish I had growing up and I think it is a book that every parent needs for a sad situation such as this.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Of all good gifts which ever came out of the wallet of the fairy Godmother, the first of natural gladness is the greatest and best. It is to the soul what health is to the body, what sanity is to the mind, the test of normality."
- Bliss Carman

No More Long Hair

2009-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

It is time for a haircut. I have not had a haircut since last Easter and now it is too long. I am mystified by people with long hair and how they can deal with it. Perhaps I am just not one of those people who can pull off long locks. When I go outside my hair instantly begins to blow all over and by the time I get to class I look something like Cousin It. When I eat I constantly find my own hair in my food and by the end of my meal half of my food is in my hair. So, I am putting my foot down. No more long hair! I have an appointment for a haircut the Tuesday after Easter and have just invested in my very first straighter, some very nice and very simply headband, and bobby pins, all of which will be crucial for my new short hair. Have any ideas for my new hairstyles? Let me know! I am thinking along the lines of Meg Ryan in "You've got Mail."

Some of My Favorite Things

2009-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

These last couple of weeks I have been going out for early morning runs. I spend about 20 minutes running from my apartment to the gym on campus and back. It is a beautiful path to run on. With the time change, I am running when it is still dark. The lovely lanterns are turned on to light my path. Along the way I pass two ponds filled with ducks and other water fowl. It is interesting to see these beautiful birds begin their day and wake up from a good nights sleep in the cold pond or the freshly cut grass that grows around their home. It is refreshing to be awake and out running while most people are still in their warm beds, sound asleep. On campus there is only the ducks, the janitors, and me. Lately I have found that the entire experience of running so early in the morning, when the world is just beginning to rise is made much more magical by listening to the Amelie soundtrack. The whimsical instrumental music goes perfectly with the setting and makes my morning runs one of my favorite things.

Kindergarten

2009-03-27T06:00:00.001-07:00

On the 20th I did my first true classroom observation. I went back to my hometown and sat in on a kindergarten class. This observation was such a relief because after being in there for the day I realized that what I truly want to do is teach kindergarten and all this hard work has not been done so I can have a job I feel lukewarm about. For those who have not sat in on a kindergarten class, the experience is both delightful and exhausting. I promise you, your self esteem will go up 50 percent after just one day. All of the little girls and boys instantly fell in love with me. While the boys wanted to constantly show off on the playground and get my opinion on how daring they were, the girls wanted to constantly tell me how pretty I was and how I was their friend. At the end of the day I was horribly dehydrated, had a massive headache, and my legs were throbbing. Despite all of my physical pain that I felt by the end of the day, I can't wait to go back and sit in on a kindergarten class.

Dear Lovers of Little Town Tea

2009-03-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. So, as it turns out, on my old blog people were not able to comment. I have no idea why that was a problem and I could not simply fix it. What I had to do was make a new blog under the same name. Please go and become a Lover of Little Town Tea again. Sorry for any inconvenience. Comment away on old posts that you could not comment on before!

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Shel Silverstein is one of my favorite poets for children. I am sure he is a poet that I will be posting more than once on Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week.

One Inch Tall
By: Shel Silverstein

If you were only one inch tall, you'd ride a worm to school.
The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool.
A crumb of cake would be a feast
And last you seven days at least,
A flea would be a frightening beast
If you were one inch tall.

If you were only one inch tall, you'd walk beneath the door,
And it would take about a month to get down to the store.
A bit of fluff would be your bed,
You'd swing upon a spider's thread,
And wear a thimble on your head
If you were one inch tall.

You'd surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum.
You couldn't hug your mama, you'd just have to hug her thumb.
You'd run from people's feet in fright,
To move a pen would take all night,
(This poem took fourteen years to write--
'Cause I'm just one inch tall).

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-03-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Funny Little Woman, by Arlene Mosley, was my favorite book growing up. This story is set in old Japan and is perfect for a child in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade. One thing that I must insist on is if you get this for you child or your class you must do the voices because it makes this book all the more special. When I was little my sister would read this too me before I went to bed and her voices were the absolute best. I think this is a book that every child should read. It is a great look into a different culture and their traditions, plus the art work is incredible. This is a must have book for any child.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Pleasure, like all other truly precious things in this world, cannot be bought or sold. If you wish to be amused, you must do your part toward it; that is the essential."
-Charles Wagner

A Southern Boy

2009-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

A Southern Boy
By: Tea

A southern night,
Light flashes,
Swimming across the vast acres of corn fields,
Sweet breeze,
Brush cheek,
Smile,
Tender sweet,
Smile boy,
My boy,
Eyes green,
Staring at me,
Don’t need to look over to know,
Feel the heat of his gaze,
I need a cool southern breeze to cool me down.

Hear his heart beat as I lay my head on his chest,
Sudden pound,
Startling pound,
Beat Beat Beat,
Rain drops on a tin roof,
Comforting,
Snuggling closer,
Deep breath.

Take in his smell,
Like freshly cut trees in a meadow,
Thanksgiving dinner,
Memories.

Memories,
Of this boy,
My boy,
My southern boy.

Jenny

2009-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love Flight of the Concords. They always make me laugh. This is my favorite song by them.

The Smell of Movie Star Lawyers

2009-03-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

This was a poem I wrote at CSSSA. We had to write a poem about different scents. It is hard to put a sense into words. Here is how my poem turned out. Enjoy!

The Smell of Movie Star Lawyers
By: Tea

In younger years,
Parents went to parties,
Mom smelled of hairspray and movie stars,
Dad of burly old spice lawyers,

They'd dress up,
Be out all night,
Miss them so,
They'd come home,

Hug them both,
Snuggle in close,
Breath in deep,
Smell of movie star lawyers,

I could tell you who had come,
Gene was there,
With his whiskey grin,
Dave was there,
With his oaky beard,

Could smell cookies and cherry pie on my mother's hands,
Could smell bitter wine upon my daddies lips,

Dream of parties with them,
Sipping raspberry champagne,
The bubbles tickling my nose,

Going home,
Smell of movie star lawyers,
In younger years.

Tea with the Girls

2009-03-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like having a day with the girls. There is something about getting dressed up and going out to lunch with some of your best friends. With school and a boyfriend, it sometimes seems that there is never enough time to be girly. It feels so nice to go out with the friends and catch up. My favorite place to go and do such a thing was a little place in the historical district in the town where my college is. I found it my freshman year when I was trying to go to my little town for the weekend. It was the second time I had driven back home from school and I was still not used to navigating my way around. Instead of taking a right, I went straight and, after driving around in a very lost and confused state, I turned onto a road and found a magnificent part of my new town. Now, my college is located in one of the most unattractive areas of my state. The campus is absolutely gorgeous, but when I first arrived I despised the town and craved for my home town. When I found this little historical district I felt at home. The next time I drove there, on purpose this time, I found a perfect little tea shop that served sandwiches, soups, and salads. I instantly fell in love with the little tea shop and brought my friends there when I needed to get away and have a girls day. This last Christmas, however, my friends and I went to go have tea and found a sign that they were soon closing due to the economy. It is a shame that the little business that always made me feel so at home and gave me a chance to have tea with the girls from time to time is now out of business. I am glad I was able to enjoy it these last three years. The little tea shop will always remain a pleasant memory.

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-03-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Let's Dress Up
By: Mary Ann Hoberman

Let’s dress up in grown-up clothes
Swishing skirts
That touch our toes;
Wispy veils
That hide our nose.
Let’s dress up today.

Feathered bonnet
Trimmed with lace;
Rouge and lipstick
On our face;
An umbrella
(Just in case).
Let’s dress up today.

Now we’re ready.
Let’s go walking
Down the street
(Pretend we’re talking).
Walking
Talking
Walking
Talking,
All dressed up today.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie De Paola a traditional tale from Italy. It is a very interesting book and a good book to bring into a class room or a home to show a child the different Christmas tales and traditions. The illustrations are beautiful as well. This book is perfect for a child in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-03-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The happy have whole days, and those they use;
Th' unhappy have but hours, and those they lose."
-Dryden

Bowl Of Oranges

2009-03-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite music videos and songs. Enjoy!

I'm in Love with a Silly Boy

2009-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wes and I have been together for over three years and I have enjoyed every moment. The best thing about him is that he keeps me laughing. He doesn't just get me to giggle from time to time, but he manages to make me laugh with my whole body until my stomach aches and my face is sore from smiling. He has this wonderful sense of humor that I love and that keeps me smiling and shaking my head at how clever and silly he can be. I love that about him.

Some of My Favorite Things

2009-03-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things is lighthouses. I love lighthouses. This picture was taken by Wes at a lighthouse in Kauai. It was beautiful and one of my favorites. There is something just so magical about them. I think Henry Wadsworth Longfellow says it best in his poem, "The Lighthouse."

The Lighthouse
By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The rocky ledge runs far into the sea,
and on its outer point, some miles away,
the lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day.

Even at this distance I can see the tides,
Upheaving, break unheard along its base,
A speechless wrath, that rises and subsides
in the white tip and tremor of the face.

And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright,
through the deep purple of the twilight air,
Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light,
with strange, unearthly splendor in the glare!

No one alone: from each projecting cape
And perilous reef along the ocean’s verge,
Starts into life a dim, gigantic shape,
Holding its lantern o’er the restless surge.

Like the great giant Christopher it stands
Upon the brink of the tempestuous wave,
Wading far out among the rocks and sands,
The night o’er taken mariner to save.

And the great ships sail outward and return
Bending and bowing o’er the billowy swells,
And ever joyful, as they see it burn
They wave their silent welcome and farewells.

They come forth from the darkness, and their sails
Gleam for a moment only in the blaze,
And eager faces, as the light unveils
Gaze at the tower, and vanish while they gaze.

The mariner remembers when a child,
on his first voyage, he saw it fade and sink
And when returning from adventures wild,
He saw it rise again o’er ocean’s brink.

Steadfast, serene, immovable, the same,
Year after year, through all the silent night
Burns on forevermore that quenchless flame,
Shines on that inextinguishable light!

It sees the ocean to its bosom clasp
The rocks and sea-sand with the kiss of peace:
It sees the wild winds lift it in their grasp,
And hold it up, and shake it like a fleece.

The startled waves leap over it; the storm
Smites it with all the scourges of the rain,
And steadily against its solid form
press the great shoulders of the hurricane.

The sea-bird wheeling round it, with the din
of wings and winds and solitary cries,
Blinded and maddened by the light within,
Dashes himself against the glare, and dies.

A new Prometheus, chained upon the rock,
Still grasping in his hand the fire of love,
it does not hear the cry, nor heed the shock,
but hails the mariner with words of love.

“Sail on!” it says: “sail on, ye stately ships!”
And with your floating bridge the ocean span;
Be mine to guard this light from all eclipse.
Be yours to bring man nearer unto man.

The Musical Blog

2009-03-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

After having this blog for a month, I have finally figured out how to have music playing while you enjoy skimming through my posts. Please feel free to click on my blog and let the melodies play. Who knows, perhaps you will fall in love with a song or two.

Little Town Tea's Poem of the Week

2009-03-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Bed in Summer

By: Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candlelight.

In summer, quite the other way,

I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see

The birds still hopping on the tree,

Or hear the grown-up people’s feet

Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,

When all the sky is clear and blue,

And I should like so much to play,

To have to go to bed by day?

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-03-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Duke Ellington, by Andria Davis Pinkney, is a biography of Duke Ellington for children. When I came across this book I instantly fell in love with it. I did a big project on this for my children literature course. If you are an elementary teacher or a parent with young children buy this book and read it to them. It is for grades 3-5. Make sure to also pick up a CD by the Duke so that your children can hear him play, and I am sure you wouldn't mind turning it on and listening to it yourself.

Little Town Tea's Quote of the Week

2009-03-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to picked in strangers' gardens."
-Douglas Jerrold

Taxi

2009-03-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is another short story I have written, one a little bit longer than the last. It needs some work, but I thought I would share it. Feel free to give any input.

Taxi

I’ve been a taxi driver in New York for eight years now. Everyday is the same, the same people going the same places. You’ve got the people who think they are better than you, going to the big office buildings down town. You’ve got the people who think that you can do something more with your life, going to the airport or church. You’ve got the people who just keep asking random questions to fill up the silence, going to dinner or shopping. Then you’ve got the people who feel as though they have to share their deepest darkest secrets with you, and for some reason they are always heading to Queens. The last category has always compelled me; I have always wondered why they tell me their secrets. What makes me so special? The way I figure it is that people have a priest, or they have me. Only Catholics can use a priest for confession, so most people turn to me. People feel that if they tell someone, just let it out that one time, it magically goes away. Why not tell me; I am a taxi driver in New York. They’ll never see me again and I’ll never see them.
You would not believe the stories I have heard. Some of them are horrible, make your skin crawl, but who knows, they could just be making the whole thing up. After all these years, one story has always stuck in my mind. It was a Tuesday night. Tuesday nights are always the deadest, I mean who wants to go anywhere on a Tuesday night? Well, anyhow I was driving around, looking for someone to pay the rent, when I saw this guy waving wildly. I pulled over and he got in. He was a small guy, Italian I think. His hair was dark and short and his face unshaven. He was covered in sweat and sucking up air like it was on sale. “Where to?” I asked.
“Anywhere, just go!” he yelled at me.
I turned around to face him. “Listen buddy, I am not paid to figure out where you should go, I’m just paid to drive.”
He gave me an evil glare. “Fine, then I want to go to Queens.” Ah, the boy wanted to go to Queens, I knew then that I had a confession on my hands.
Queens was about a half hour away, it could take at least an hour with traffic but, like I said before, Tuesday nights are always pretty dead. I slowly pulled out into the street. “Common! Let’s go!” he yelled at me as he nervously looked out the window. I gave the car a little more gas to make the jerk happy, and we were on our way.
We drove for about ten minutes in silence. When he had finally caught his breath, he started to talk. “It must be kind of a risky job bein’ a taxi driver, not knowin’ what kinda psychos you could be pickin’ up. I mean, for all ya know I might be a murder, a crazy ass murderer. Of course I’m not though, I promise… well at least I think I promise, I mean I’m not sure if she’s… Well, never mind that. I can’t promise you that I’m not a crazy ass. That one you’ll have to figure out for yourself. You probably think I am one, the way I’m rattling on, but I’m just nervous.”
To tell you the truth I was getting nervous myself, I mean imagine driving with a guy who says he may or may not have murdered someone. I was about to pull over and kick him out, but he started talking and I was gettin’ curious. “I get this way, you know, nervous. I work myself up about little things, I get to rattling. That’s part of the reason why I was where I was when you picked me up, my damn rattling and love for money got me into it.” He then became strangely quiet as we made our way from highway 278 to 485. Not a sound could be heard but the wind rushing over the taxi.
I usually don’t talk much to the passengers. I seem to only speak up when they ask me questions, and that is purely out of manners, but I became curious about his story and I couldn’t help but asking, “So, why were you there? What happened?”
He seemed to jump when I spoke, suddenly coming out of his own world that he had zoned into. “You really want to know? Well I feel like I need to tell someone, might as well be you. Where should I start…”
I have always been a smart ass, kinda my nature ya know? So I told him, “Why not start at the beginning?” I was expecting him to get pissed off by this comment but he seemed to think that it was a good idea.
“Well, I guess the beginning always is the best place. It all started last week when an old buddy of mine from high school called me up, told me he needed a favor. I asked him what he wanted but he said it wasn’t something to discuss over the phone, so we meet that night at a bar. He bought me a beer and we went to a table in a far corner and he started to tell me about his wife. It seems that he had been unfaithful towards her, been cheatin’ on her for months and he wanted a divorce. Thing was that he was the person to blame, he did her wrong and because of that, she could take him to the cleaners. He needed to have her be the reason, have her do something wrong. That’s where I came in. He wanted me to win her over, get her to have sex with me and have him catch us in the act. I was a little hesitant but he was an old buddy and he offered me some cash, plus a bit of sex never hurt anyone. I agreed and we began to plan the whole thing. I was going to be a pool boy that he had hired and while he was off at work I would romance her. It was cliché, I know, but neither of us are that creative and it always worked in the movies. Two days later I was knockin’ on their door with only a Speedo on.”
“Wow, that must have taken a lot of courage,” I said.
“No, not really. Wearing the Speedo wasn’t a requirement, it was just my own special touch,” he chuckled. “So, anyhow his wife opened the door and when I saw her my jaw practically hit the sidewalk, I mean this gal was beautiful!”
“So if she was so great than why did your buddy want to leave her?”
“Who knows, I never met the other chick he was banging but she must have been one goddess if he was willing to leave his wife for her. So his wife invites me in, let’s just call her Rose, and she takes me to the pool. Their house and pool are amazing, it is obvious that this guy has a lot of money and I understand why he wants to hold on to it so bad.”
“So did you bang her the first day?” I couldn’t believe that I was getting so into this story. I couldn’t help myself from asking questions, but I had to know.
“Oh no. I had to scope things out first before I made my move, I didn’t want to scare her off. I started to flirt with her and noticed things such as daisies are her favorite flower. Well, by the fifth day she started to get into me too. I knew that it was time to make my move. That day I brought her daises, just by giving her those flowers she was like jelly in my arms. We had our first kiss, it was so sexy, so sensual. She desperately wanted to go farther, but I said we should wait. Told her to meet me at a hotel Tuesday night, this very night. I left her house and called Rose’s husband to fill him in on the details so that he could catch us together. The whole thing seemed like it was going perfectly, but I was wrong-”
“Hey man we’re in Queens, which way should I go now?” I didn’t want to interrupt but I had to ask.
“Um, take a left on 170th and drop me off in Kissena Park. As I was saying, I was wrong. I was to meet Rose at the hotel at 6:30, an hour before her husband was to arrive. I got to the hotel at 6:30 on the dot. I went in the room and turned on the light to see that Rose was already there sitting on the bed with a gun. I thought she was being kinky but she was serious.”
“Did she find out?”
“Yeah she found out! Luck just wasn’t on my side. For some reason she was bored that day so she went through her husband’s old year books and found my picture, then she read a note I left to him that said, ‘If you ever need a favor I’ll be there’. What are the odds? Well, whatever the odds were it was obvious that I was in big trouble. She started screaming at me, demanding to know if her husband knew about us and if he was trying to screw her over. I didn’t know what to do so I told her the truth, the whole truth. I started rattling away about how her husband called me up and how he was cheating on her. I thought that by telling the truth I’d get out of there alive, but my damn rattling seemed to make her more upset. She pointed the gun at my head and told me it was all my fault. She was going crazy. I didn’t know what to do so I jumped on her and the gun went off. I felt warm liquid on my hands and I thought I had pissed myself but it was Rose’s blood, I was covered in her blood. Luckily I brought a change of clothes with me so I quickly changed into them and threw my other clothes in a dumpster behind the hotel. Once I was all cleaned up, I just ran. Then I saw your taxi cab and decided to wave you down. I don’t even know if she’s dead; I was so scared that I didn’t even check. I think I am just going to stay low for a while, it wasn’t my fault at all but what court is going to believe me? She was rich, filthy rich, and I am just a poor low life.” He became silent and looked out the window, we were finally at Kissena Park. “I guess we’re here. How much do I owe ya?”
I slowed down and parked on the curb. “Twenty bucks,” I told him.
“That’s pretty good for that long a drive.”
“Well, I gave you a discount for the story.” He smiled, handed me a twenty, and walked off into the night. I watched him until he disappeared. As I drove off, I was tempted to go to the police to tell them what happened, but I didn’t have anything to go on. I didn’t know his name, the hotel, anything. Plus, who knows… the guy could have made the whole thing up.

The Lonely Old Woman

2009-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

A very short story by me, Tea.

The Lonely Old Woman

I live in an old apartment building and the window in my kitchen looks directly into my neighbor’s. She is a little old woman whose hair is gray and soft on her shoulders. Her hunched back makes her midsection into a perfect U. Although her body is covered with waves of wrinkly skin, I can tell that she was a graceful beauty back in her day. Every night she spends hours in her kitchen preparing amazing meals. She always sets her table for two, along with her finest china. As she brings out the plates she always smiles at the setting across from her. Slowly she lowers into her chair and looks lovingly across the table. All during dinner her mouth is moving, spouting out words whether food is in her mouth or not. She is just so excited to tell about her day. As I look across the table from her I see the same empty seat every night. Three years ago her husband passed on from heart failure. I often wonder if she knows her husband is dead, or if her mind still sees him there, sitting across from her, staring lovingly into her wrinkled face.

The Purple Monster

2009-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

One of the first writing projects I had to do while at CSSSA was take a walk in one of the back parts of the school and write about the different flowers or plants I came across and write poems about them. This is one of those poems I wrote.

The Purple Monster

The purple monster fights to free itself from his green prison,
He pushes with his whole heart,
His hands bleed,
His arms burn like a well-done steak,
But at last he sees daylight,
The bright glow of the sun makes him shield his white eyes,
He keeps shoving,
But his ass is too big,
He wants to prance with deer,
Eat rotting road kill with vultures,
Smoke cherry cigs with teenagers,
Make love,
But his ass is too big
Finally the purple monster gives up his fight,
Forever he is half in,
Half out,
Half happy,
Half sad,
Just there,
Him and his green prison.

Beauty

2009-03-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

A poem by me, Tea!

Beauty

Beauty is a butterfly kiss,
Before the moon comes up,
Bedtime stories whispered between flannel sheets,
An old married couple,
More in love each day,

Beauty is a boy, who opens doors,
The child who runs after birds,
A father who colors,
No matter how tired,

Beauty is a teardrop,
Fallen out of joy,
A new hair cut,
So soft,

Beauty is the first day of school,
Heart racing hard,
Skinned knees,
Veggie tale band-aids.

My Canterbury Tale

2009-03-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

So, I was going through more old writings and came across my Canterbury Tale I wrote in high school. My senior year we were learning all about Chaucer and we read about four tales. After this adventure into middle English literature, we all had to write our own Canterbury Tale using a friend of ours for the main character. I chose Nate to be my leading man and wrote this tale. It, like all my old writings, made me crack up. Enjoy!

Prologue

It was a day so long ago,
That I decided to go to Mexico,
I told my friends about the trip,
But no one seemed interested in this hardship,
Except for one by the name of Nate,
He said he’d help me navigate,
A tall man was he,
Always acting fancy free,
Dark curly hair crowned his head,
Long away was he from his deathbed,
His eyes were pools of milk chocolat,
His nose was always filled with snot,
And thus he spent his time blowing his nose,
He could barley smell a rose,
He did not possess a job,
For he dressed like a slob,
But never the less he was my friend,
And I was glad that he could attend,
This long journey to Ensenada,
Where we could eat an Enchilada,
We agreed to keep me awake,
As I drove after daybreak,
He would tell me tales three,
One including his Christmas tree,
To this we shook hands and popped in my red steed,
He started to tell his first story as he had guaranteed.

First Tale

“It was October the 31st” he said, “and the big moon hung low,
In a tree was a fierce black crow,
I swear to the heavens the crow spoke,
'Don’t do it' he said and I nearly had a stroke,
I was dressed as Robin Hood,
Up till now I had always been good,
Slowly I walked to the park,
I stumbled over stones because of the dark,
There sitting was, Bob, my buddy,
When he got up his butt was all muddy,
He went into his sack and pulled out a thing,
It was cold white eggs to fling,
Nearby I heard children laughing with ghoulish delight,
This sound filled my heart with fright,
I started to back away,
For my conscience told me that something was not ok,
'Where are you going' said Bob,
I began to feel my heartthrob,
'I don’t feel right about doing this' said I,
'Common' said Bob, 'Don’t leave me high and dry,
You are only a kid once,
If you leave now I will tease you for months.'
Well I was too chicken to stand up to him,
I didn’t want him to beat me up or take off a limb,
So I grabbed some eggs and we took off,
No sounds between us but a cough,
We went to an old house,
Climbed into some bushes quite as a mouse,
We stayed there for a half an hour,
The bush smelled fairly sour,
When the lights went out inside,
I through an egg with a sigh,
At this Bob seemed satisfied,
But he did not see I was teary eyed,
I thought of the old lady cleaning up the mess,
While I was having fun at my recess,
When the eggs were all thrown,
We ran from the combat zone,
To our own houses we went,
A story for my mom I did invent,
For why I had not one treat,
I told her a tale that was so sweet,
About giving it all to a child,
Whom never smiled,
She ate it up and sent me to bed,
I went into my room and hung my head,
I felt so guilty for what I did,
There was only one way to make it better so I slid,
Out the window and went to the garage,
I grabbed a mop and some camouflage,
I spent all night cleaning the mess,
But in the end it was a success,
Not one egg shell was left in sight,
And thus I made my wrong right,
Bob never knew that I had done this,
So my arm he never did dismiss,
To this day we laugh about it,
But I never will admit,
That I went back that night.
To make my wrong a right.”

“That was a nice story” said I,
“Such sincerity bring a tear to my eye.”
And all Nate had to say was “Well I try”.

Second Tale

An hour had passed and I was getting sleepy,
And the country music was making me weepy,
So I poked Nate in the side,
“What is it?” he replied,
“It is time for story number two.
Wake up” I said, “it is long over due”

“Ok I’ve got one for you,
And I promise this is true,
It all started when I was walking home one night,
I heard a rustling that gave me a fright,
It was dusk and no one was out,
So if there was trouble no one could hear my shout,
I began to walk a little quicker,
Took a short cut and the trees got thicker,
I heard foot steps from behind,
It did not sound like the human kind,
I heard a roar,
It sounded like a dinosaur,
I turned around,
And I found,
Something furry with bad breath,
Oh lordy, I was scared to death,
It was a grizzly bear,
I hoped this was just a nightmare,
But everything felt too real,
I let out a little squeal,
I laid down quickly and tried to play dead,
The bear began to sniff my head,
I tried to be silent but it tickled so,
I looked up and realized he was in woe,
He didn’t want to eat me,
He wanted to be free,
Of the thorn in his paw,
It was quite raw,
So I sat up to take a closer look,
His paw was bent in a hook,
I took it out of it’s position,
And pulled the thorn to my intuition,
It came out with ease,
The bear gave me a lick with grateful please,
He walked away without looking back,
And I went back on track,
On my journey home,
That night I wrote a poem,
Of how looks can be deceitful,
Something ugly can be beautiful.”

“Yeah right” I spoke, “that story is far from true.”,
“Well” said he, “that is your point of view.”

Last Tale

Together Nate and I ate lunch,
To drink we had fruit punch,
We each had a wrap,
He looked inside the flap,
And found a carrot,
He was about to disinherit,
The one whom did trespass,
Even though you needed a magnifying glass,
To see it’s orange shimmer,
But it’s fate looked grimmer,
As Nate threw it in the trash,
So hard against the bin it did crash,
We got back in my car,
Mexico was not to far,
It was time for Nate’s last tale,
He told me it was about a female,
Little did I know he was speaking of none other,
Than his sweet little mother,

“It was a Christmas long ago”
He started, “That I wanted a stereo,
To Santa I wrote every night,
And wished on stars so sparkly bright,
I spent so much time wishing,
And not enough time fishing,
For the money for presents,
That cost some major cents,
Before I knew it, Christmas was here,
And I had nothing for my mother dear,
I looked around for something cheap,
But nothing was good enough for her to keep,
All I had thought was about was me,
I needed to give her something for underneath the tree,
I thought if anyone could help me Santa can,
I was surely his biggest fan,
So on Christmas night,
I kept the fire place in eyesight,
Santa seemed to be very late,
But I stayed up at any rate,
My eyes began to tire,
My plan started to transpire,
As my eyes began to close,
My dreams were filled with stereos,
I felt my mom shaking me,
There were presents underneath the tree,
'When did Santa come?' I asked,
She answered, 'I think half passed,'
'Oh no!' I gave a yell,
'I am going straight to hell,
I didn’t get you a present,
But this was not my intent,
Time just got away from me,
So there’s nothing for you under the tree,
I tried to get the help of Saint Nick,
But he came and went too quick,
Mommy I feel so bad,
I hope that you are not too mad.'
With this she gave a smile
'Hun I haven’t seen you worked up for a while,
You have nothing to worry about,
So there is no need to shout,
I already have the best present and that is you,
Believe me what I’m saying is true.'
So then my mom gave me a hug,
And my dad walked by muttering humbug,
It was that day I realized not all gifts have a bow,
It is the unseen gifts that make us grow.”

“Awww Nate” said I,
“All your stories make me want to cry”,
And once again he said, “Well, I try.”

Before I Die

2009-03-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

Like I said, I have come across some of my old writings. This was a poem I wrote in CSSSA and I couldn't help but smile as I read it. For one of our writing exercises we were told to write a poem all about the things we would want to do before we died and this is what I came up with. Thought I would share it and give you a smile to. As for George and Paul, I am on the second chapter. :)
Enjoy the poem!

Before I Die

Before I die I want to live in London,
Smoke cigs atop Big Ben,
I want to open a restaurant called Pears and Fries,
Ask “The usual Hun?”
In a red and yellow outfit,
I want to fall in love with a boy,
He’ll say bless you,
Kiss goodnight,
I’ll invent the everlasting gobstopper,
Make children smile,
Parents mad,
Before I die I want to become the baddest pirate around,
Be known as Tea the Terror,
I want to swing to the beat of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy,
Wave my hands and jive to the rhythm,
I’ll meet Ringo Star,
Kiss his large nose,
I’m gunna scream in pain as they tattoo peace on my foot,
Before I die I want to streak down 140,
Feel the wind pressing against my body,
I want to make up a word,
Here lovers sayin’ it,
People fearin’ it,
Have my monkey dance to it,
I want to be free,
I wanna live.

George and Paul

2009-03-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say that I am writing again. After my summer at CSSSA, I went on a writing hiatus. However, this semester, like I have previously mentioned, is an easier one than I have had in a while. I have been meaning to write this young adult novel that has been dancing in my head for years, but I usually can't get into the rhythm of the story and leave it sitting in some word document, never to be touched again. Recently, however, I came across a short story I wrote in high school, the short story that I wanted to convert into this young adult novel. Reading it over again got my juices flowing and I have began working on it again. I am taking bits and pieces of it and changing it so that it can become longer. I really think it could become a good story. It has remained, thus far, entitled George and Paul. It is about a young man, Paul, who is about age 15, that has to do community service hours, for his parole, at a local home for the elderly. He is sent up to a room on the second floor to spend time with an elderly man named George every Sunday for five weeks. Over time the story about why Paul is on parole comes out as George and him become closer. George also reveals a lot about his life, when Paul comes to visit, with entire chapters that go back to the time George is remembering that particular day. Obviously the story will need some tweaking and a lot of work, due to the amount of time it has sat and the fact that I am making a 5 page story into a 100 page story. Nevertheless, I think that it could really be something and I am excited about finally finding the flow of this story that has been in my mind for years.

Little Town Tea's Book Corner

2009-02-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Wanting to someday be a published author of books for children, I read a lot of children books. One that I have recently fallen in love with is Olivia. Over the summer I flew down to visit my cousin in Washington D.C.. Since I last saw her she has had a little girl and boy. I was sleeping in the reading room and found Olivia in a basket next to the bed. The story is adorable and the only color used in the illustrations is red. Olivia has become a whole series of books about, as you may have guessed, Olivia. Olivia is a cute and clever book that any child, but especially a girl who is the oldest of her siblings, will love.

Meet Bleeker

2009-02-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

I thought that since I am sharing so many of my favorite things, I should introduced my favorite pet. I lived, for a while, in my studio with only my Japanese fighting fish for company. I decided that I wanted something a little more cuddly to come home to, but I was not quite sure what. Well, one day Wes and I walked into the pet store, because we just like doing that once in a while, after we saw Juno. We were looking at the birds when something very cute and cuddly caught my eye. There were about twenty of the littlest hamsters I have ever seen all huddled together in a glass cage. I immediately fell in love with the little turbo hamsters and had to get one. All of them were very lightly colored, but one had a neat little dark patch on his back, unlike the others. Wes picked out the little dark patched hamster, we got a very vibrant cage with a cool little hut that hangs from the top, food, and a purple plastic ball so he could freely roam around my apartment. Once we assembled his cage and took him out of his little card board carrying box, Wes and I tried to decide on a name. We decided on Bleeker. It has now been over a year since I purchased my little buddy. He has proven to be a wonderful delight. My niece and nephew adore him. Whenever I bring him to my little town their jaws drop and their eyes become wide at the sight of Bleeker. He is a wonderful pet and a very possible character in a future children book.

Cooking with Little Town Tea

2009-02-21T17:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight I am going to a potluck dinner party. What am I bring? Well, tonight I am bringing Greg's famous clam dip. This dip is my usual and has graced the tables of many family and friend gatherings. It is always a hit. How, might you be asking, do you make such a delicious sounding appetizer? Well, as it just so happens, I am going to teach you how to make this very simple dip with the help of Wes' camera.

Here is what you need

For making this dish you will need Worcester sauce, eight ounces of cream cheese, eight ounces of sour cream, two cans of minced clams, a lemon (not photographed), a bowl, and a fork.

Step 1

Take your cream cheese and soften it up by stirring it with a fork. This takes a while, so turn on some good tunes. I suggest The Weepies.

Step 2
Once the cream cheese is nice and soft, take your sour cream and stir it in.

Step 3
Now that you've got the cream cheese and sour cream blended together, add in all those wonderfully minced clams. You will want to make sure to get out most of the juice before adding the clams, but, of course, a little clam juice is nice.

Step 4
After all those major ingredients are stirred to perfection, add a few drops of Worcester sauce and lemon juice. Add more or less of either, depending on your taste.

Step 5
Grab a bag of ruffled potato chips, dip, and enjoy!

The Little Prince

2009-02-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is exhausting for children to have to provide explanations over and over again” –The Little Prince I was scouring my bedside table for good books this morning and I came across my copy of The Little Prince. The Little Prince, incase you are one of those unfortunate few who have not heard of it, is a book originally written in French by Antoine De Saint-Exupery. It is one of those rare books written for both children and adults. For a child, it is a book that they can relate to. It is full of imagination and the everyday annoyances that they run into when dealing with an adult. For an adult, the book acts as a reminder to cease from living as a serious grownup that ignores their imagination. This is a book that should be on bookshelves of adults and children alike. If you have a child, read this story to them. If you don’t, read this story to yourself. The Little Prince has proved to not only be an important reminder to me as an adult, it has also proved to be important to me in my relationship. After I had graduated from high school, I went back to my little town to see The Little Prince performed at my high school. Many of the actors in this performance I had acted with myself. Among those actors was Wes, who stared as the Little Prince. During high school, Wes and I had been good friends, but nothing more. Nevertheless, when I saw Wes perform that evening I saw him in a whole new way. A few months after the performance we started dating and we have been together ever since. Wes is my Little Prince and I am his fox. He has certainly filled my life with sunshine. "Nothing's perfect," sighed the fox. "My life is monotonous. I hunt chickens; people hunt me. All chickens are just alike, and all men are just alike. So I'm rather bored. But if you tame me, my life will be filled with sunshine. I'll know the sound of footsteps that will be different from all the rest. Other footsteps send me back underground. Yours will call me out of my burrow like music. And then, look! You see the wheat fields over there? I don't eat bread. For me, wheat is no use whatever. Wheat fields say nothing to me. Which is sad. But you have hair the color of gold. So it will be wonderful, once you've tamed me! The wheat, which is golden, will remind me of you. And I'll love the sound of the wind in the wheat..."—The Little Prince

The Beatles

2009-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

When I was very little, I fell deeply in love with The Beatles. My brother used to play their songs and the beat of their music and their voices gave me goosebumps. I remember my brother had a large poster of John Lennon, naturally equipped with his round glasses, on his wall. I fell in love with John Lennon right then and there. I would even kiss the poster before I went to bed. Needless to say, I was inconsolable when someone broke the news to me that he had been dead for quite sometime. Ever since, I have had a certain infatuation for men with glasses. I am now 22 and my love for The Beatles is just as strong.
Imagine my delight when and my friend, Amy, gave me a Beatles charm bracelet, as a late birthday present, the other day. Unfortunately, I could not find a larger, detailed image than the one I have provided above. It is beautiful and has little dazzling features that give off a wonderful Beatles vibe. I am so glad that their music has lived on through so many generations and that I can now sport my love for them on my wrist. Thanks Amy!

Little Town Tea’s Book Corner

2009-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Being an English major, I have hardly had time to read for pleasure the last three and a half years. On average, I would have to read 7 books for each of my English classes, and I was taking anywhere from 3 to 4 English classes each session. Due to this crazy load of literature, I would spend my breaks getting a head start on the readings for the following session. Now that I am done with all of my English classes, I finally have time for pleasure reading. Because of my trip to Hawaii after Christmas, I took the winter session off. It has been roughly two months since I have been in school and I have been filling that time with reading. Right now I am reading Charlaine Harris’ A Bone to Pick. It is the second book in her Aurora Teagarden Mystery series. So far I am enjoying this series. It is about a librarian in the south who solves murder mysteries. It is just one of those fun books that you can pick up and enjoy without having to analyze any deeper meanings, which is refreshing after three and a half years of scrutinizing every sentence for any hidden implications.
I came across Charlaine Harris when my friend, Kris, told me about her Sookie Stackhouse series. You might have heard of this series. They have made it into a HBO show called True Blood. The Sookie Stackhouse books are about a waitress in the south who has telepathic abilities. This series, unlike the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, is crammed with supernatural beings. I have read all the released Sookie Stackhouse books. They are addictive and fun. If you are looking for a light read with a southern twist you should definitely pick up something by Charlaine Harris.

A Blustery Day

2009-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love a good blustery day. I enjoy sitting at home, having a candle or two burning, sipping tea, snuggling up with a good book, and opening my apartment window a crack so I can listen to the rain beating down on the street and the tires running over puddles. I wish I could spend every day this way. I love the smell of the rain and the way the earth looks after it has had a good shower. Perhaps I should move somewhere it rains constantly, like Washington.

Along with the wonderful coziness that comes with staying inside on a rainy day, there is nothing like getting dressed up for going outside. I love rainy day clothing. There is nothing like getting bundled up in a knitted sweater, coat, hat, and scarf. Also, for those particularly soggy days, there is nothing like big plastic rain boots and a decorative umbrella. It seems as though retro rain boots are everywhere, but I haven’t broken down and bought a pair, as much as I want to. It would be a good investment, due to the constant puddle jumping I do on my way to and from class. I just hope that the rain keeps up for a while. I have missed my blustery days.

American Sign Language

2009-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

School is starting on Tuesday. Although I am dreading some of my classes, such as educational tech foundations, survey elementary school health and safety, and elementary physical education, (I am using this semester to fulfill some of the prerequisites required for my multiple subjects teaching credential program) I am looking forward to my intermediate sign language class. I took beginning sign language in the fall and instantly adored the language. It is an extraordinary notion that everything that needs to be said can be communicated through a person’s hands. Once you become comfortable with a couple dozen words, your hands begin to come alive and make poetry all their own. The two people who teach this course are brother and sister. While the sister is hearing, the brother is deaf. Although having a deaf teacher is a bit overwhelming at first, it proves to be a great way to be submerged in the language. This course is also wonderful because we constantly play games in order to remember our weekly vocabulary. These games get us closer to our classmates, so close, in fact, that during one particular game the entire class got over their physical boundaries and began hugging and holding hands. I first became infatuated with sign language when my nephew began to sign as a toddler. Whenever I visited or babysat my nephew and I would watch one of his sign language videos with him. I was glad I was able to watch these videos because otherwise I had no idea what he was trying to communicate. Once I got the hang of the few sign language words he knew, (more, all done, mouse, apple, cookie, and so on...) I could finally understand what my nephew wanted and was able to communicate with him during the time he was unable to form words of his own. Now, at 4 ½, he has a strong vocabulary and we no longer need signs to communicate. My niece is just beginning to talk, but she proved easier to understand without the use of sign. I, however, still longed to understand more and was pleased to find that American Sign Language was one of the many classes taught on my campus. I, along with my boyfriend, signed up for the course. I now crave to somehow interlace sing language with my future career, whether I work as a translator, become a sign language teacher, write a book that teaches children and their parents how to sign basic words, or simply interweave American Sign Language in my lesson plan when I teach elementary school. Either way, I want to make sure that I somehow spread my love for this beautiful language.

Some of My Favorite Things

2009-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

During my life, well during the past six years, I have run into some fantastic pieces of entertainment that I have really enjoyed and that have stuck with me. These things I want to share with you so maybe you can get the same wonderful experiences out of them as I did.
Big Fish is an absolutely fantastic movie that has remained number one on my list of favorite movies since I saw it in high school with my two best friends. It is directed by Tim Burton and stars Ewan McGregor. It is a far-fetched, yet very likely movie that will have everyone crying and laughing and viewing the world forever in a different way.
The movie that makes number two on my list of favorite movies is Harold and Maude. Harold and Maude was made in 1971. Cat Stevens monopolizes the sound track, making you fall in love with his music in a whole new way. I don’t think I would have ever seen the movie if it wasn’t for my brother telling me to watch it. It is an unlikely love story that always makes me fall in love with life and the uncertainties it may bring.
My freshman year in college I somehow came across a band called The Format and their song entitled “The Snail Song.” If you have a chance, go and listen to this lovely melody. It always reminds me to take time and enjoy myself, a reminder that everyone needs once in a while.
My sophomore year of college I was browsing around Amazon, trying to find some new music, and I came across Eric Bibb. The next day I bought his CD and still can’t stop listening to him. My favorite song is “Mr. Shine” from his CD Diamond Days.
Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, is my all time favorite book. Due to my insane love for elephants, I have been looking longingly at this book for over a year, yet never buying it. Well, for Christmas Wes’ dad gave it to me. I brought it with me on my trip to Hawaii, which turned out to not be the best idea because it was difficult to put it down and enjoy the crazy roasters of Kauai. Anyhow, Water for Elephants is set during the great depression and it is about a man who leaves veterinarian school and travels with a circus. I passed it along to my mom, who absolutely loved it, and now my sister is reading it. (I love our constant sharing of books.) I promise you, whether you are a 19 year old man or a 71 year old woman, you are going to love it.

This music video is my most recent on my list of favorite things. Wes sent me this video a few weeks ago. I think it is beautiful.

Valentines Day

2009-02-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

Good morning and happy Valentines Day. I spent most of this morning, as well as most of last night, trying to figure out how to customize my blog with such wonderful doohickeys as a playlist. Alas, I am finding myself failing. I am sure I will soon get a hold of it and be a master blogger, but for now I will have to keep my blog simple and un-musical. If you have any tips please feel free to leave them.
So, today is Valentines Day. I suppose it is a day to demonstrate your love. I find, however, that in my relationship we do not put this unneeded pressure on each other. Wes and I have been together for three years. I know he knows me better than I sometimes know myself, but this knowledge does not cause negative affect on our relationship. It is not as though this knowledge has made our lives together boring or tedious, instead it has simply created a new stage. We no longer have that first year exhaustion from trying hard to impress each other. It is not as though that first year wasn’t fantastic, with all those memorable “firsts.” How could be anything but? The first year, however, is not quite as genuine as the years to come, the years that you begin to shed your outer layer and reveal the unadulterated you. We know each other well and understand that we both adore each other with a love deeper than I could have ever imagined I would feel for another being. So, instead of finding ways to demonstrate our love, by doing such things as buying fantastically marked up flowers or boxes of chocolate that one will regret eating a few days later when they hop on the scale, Wes and I will be sitting in front of his television, snuggling close, and watching Juno. I wouldn’t have my valentine and I doing anything else.

About My Blog

2009-02-13T23:47:00.000-08:00

While in high school I found myself unable to stop writing, but now I find myself four years later, in my senior year of college, and only taking the time to write horribly long English papers. This is a place for me to begin writing again, to take time for something I love, and to keep in touch with others through my blog posts. Please feel free to visit the life of Little Town Tea and comment away.