New Habits for the New Year!

Vivir bien, querer mucho, reirse a menudo.   This plaque rests atop a door way where I cannot miss it every day!   It means - Live well, love much, and laugh often.   Wise tips for the New Year!   As we get closer to a new year, we hear much and read much about New Year's Resolutions - those promises, thoughts, dreams, or commitments we make to ourselves at the end of every year that will supposedly motivate us to change our lifestyle or philosophy of life.  Indeed, some of them can be life-changing - life eating healthier, for example.  Reminds of a few tips I found once in The Old Farmer's Almanac like:

*Beware of ingredients ending in ose - because they contain sugar
*Eat slowly - to let your brain realize that you are full!
*Eating 3,500 calories equals a pound of extra weight.  Working out on a treadmill for an hour burns about 700 calories or less!   Think about that one awhile!   How long do you have to exercise to burn off that extra pound?  Ouch!

Going back to The Old Farmer's Almanac, I also read that it is a wise thing to set yourself up for new learning every year by making a contract with yourself to read at least one book per month.  You might need to join a book club at your local library to stick to that resolution or force yourself to read every day for at least a few minutes.  Either way it is a good thing to do!

Another good thing to do is to keep a journal--just writing for yourself!   It makes good reading when you find yourself confused, exhausted, or stressed-out.   Whether you use a spiral notebook or a fancy leather-bound, or simply keep a journal on your computer--it is a good thing to keep you centered and focused.   You might want to keep a journal on your personal purchases, on the weather, or your gardening activities.  You might want to keep a journal of ideas, drawings, poetry, or music.  Keep a notebook or note pad and pen by your bedside and write. 

If you pick up your journal and do not know what to write, use a writing prompt and write for 3-5 minutes without stopping.  What's a writing prompt?   It's a phrase, word, question or statement which helps jog your memory.  Here are some examples:
*My favorite Christmas memory...
*My Christmas wish...
*A friend I remember but not longer see...
*I wish I could...
*If I had all the money I needed I would...
*Tell about someone who has influenced your life and explain the influence.
*How I would change my childhood...
*A book I would write...
*A place I would like to visit and why.
*Something new I want to learn.
*My dream is to...
*Someone I miss...
*My greatest fear...
*What I would change about myself...

That's enough to get you started.   Here's a challenge:   Why not get everyone in the family a journal and have them begin their daily writing habit.  You could even have a family journal and record the happenings, achievements, and challenges of each family member.  How?  Have a weekly family meeting and give the job of writing in the journal to a different family member each week.   This journal could be the place where you add pictures, too.

Writing every day is something of a lost art for some people.  Make sure that you get your children to write thank you notes for all those Christmas gifts they received!   It is not old fashioned - it's the new thing to do!
Writing speaks for you and offers you the opportunity to be creative and to connect with yourself and others!

Live well, love much, laugh often -- all activities that will result from your journaling!
*

Just Make Your Mark...

During the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to talk with elementary and middle school students and impress upon them the connection between literacy skills and life success.  First I had a great experience viewing the talented art work of sixth grade students at Barrientes Middle School in Edinburg.  Twenty-five students participated in a youth art contest sponsored by the South Texas Literacy Coalition.  The contest was inspired by a reading of the children's book The Dot by Peter Reynolds.   Peter is a creative, sensitive, and awesome writer with the knack for getting at the heart of the matter with simple but powerful words and illustrations.  Students at Barrientes Middle School were read The Dot and then went to work creating their  art which they would donate to the STLC as a community service project.  The art work was sold at the 3rd Annual Historias de la Vida/Stories of Our Life Gala held on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the beautiful Shary-Shivers Estate.  The first four place winners were placed in a silent auction and the entire collection brought the STLC over $1100 which the STLC will use to buy books for their book distribution events.  At a school awards ceremony, I had the opportunity to read The Dot to the students in the contest and their parents.  The message in the book is simple:  help someone find the creative talent within, raise their self-esteem, encourage, motivate, and praise.   For the person on the receiving end of the motivation, the message is:  have the courage to risk it all and show your talent.   One of the greatest lines in the book is:  "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."  The reaction from parents was amazing.  You know when you see in someone's eyes that "they got it".  That's the looks that I saw...a friendly reminder that parents are a child's first teacher and that they must be involved in their child's education, motivate, encourage, challenge, and praise.   Kudos to Mrs. Eva Torres and staff at Barrientes who promote excellence and work hard every day to start the day with a smile and applause for each and every student!  They are living the message of The Dot - in living color!   Oh yes,  every student received a copy of The Dot!. 

The second opportunity I had to read The Dot was at Freddy Gonzalez Elementary in Edinburg to the 4th grade classes.  Spearheaded by teacher Marissa Huerta, the fourth grade students studied college readiness, going to college, and became familiar with various flagship universities.   Mrs. Huerta took the career exploration experience a step further and submitted a proposal to the STLC for a book distribution promoting reading and literacy.   The STLC board approved and over 200 books were delivered and Dr. Dahlia Guerra, STLC president and Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and myself talked with the students about career planning and "connected the dots" between literacy and college readiness.  I read The Dot to the students and the look in their eyes was - "I get it!"    We promoted HESTEC Community Day and FESTIBA in the spring and, of course, UTPA!    Congratulations to all the fourth grade teachers at Freddy Gonzalez and kudos to them for promoting literacy skills.  

Just make your mark...and see where it takes you!

Literacy for Life.

South Texas Literacy Coalition Gala

Our 3rd Annual Historias de la Vida/Stories of Our Life Gala is set for:
Date:  Saturday, September 24, 2011
Time:  7-10 p.m.
Place:  The beautiful and historical Shary-Shivers Estate located on North Shary Road in Mission/Sharyland.

This year our featured author is Peter Reynolds, renowned children's author and illustrator from New York who will review his award-winning book The Dot.   Gala guests will receive a copy of his book ready for signing. 

Other interactive literacy activities will include a book distribution from Scholastic, a fun booth for photo ops, a silent auction featuring youth art, a delicious array of food and desserts, beverages, and awards presentations for the Community Literacy Champion and the My Librarian Rocks award winners. 

The gala is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors and partners.  A limited number of gala tickets are available for $50.00 per person,   For ticket reservations, call me at 956-279-1689. 
Tickets will also be available at the next quarterly meeting of the STLC which will be held on Monday, September 19, 2011 at the meeting room of the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library from 11:30 a.m.  to 1 p.m.    All interested individuals and representatives from community-based agencies and organizations are invited to the meeting.

The STLC gala is our primary fundraiser supporting our programming and outreach.  As many of your know our featured outreach program is the South Texas Reading Initiative through which we distribute books to help children start or expand their home libraries.    Mark you calendar and join us!