Rest and Relaxation....

*sighs, fans face with palm frond*

Guess where I am?  ;D

I'm on vacation.  My family takes a trip to the family vacay-house every year (sometimes more than once a year,) and we decided to spend the week here for Spring Break. :)

Consider this an inspirational post perhaps.......

I realized today that I am a very stressed person.  I usually am constantly busy, whether it be for school, stuff on the internet, more school, or helping out people with their problems, I am often really busy.  On top of that I have chores and duties to attend to as a daughter and sister, and that's important too.

Yesterday I went to the eye doctor and was totally blind from being dilated.  I realized how much I take my vision for granted.  I ended up finding out that I DO need glasses, but I'm not too worried about that.  Once I was dilated, I literally could not see ANYTHING.  I couldn't read my text messages, I couldn't read my tweets, my computer screen, NOTHING.  I had to rely on my cousin Embie to read everything to me, because I was literally blind.  (she did hack my phone and ipod, but still....xD)

Later last night my eyes were already much better, and today they were cured.  I feel SO accomplished and relaxed and happy!!  I read an entire book, (FREAKED OUT OVER THE BOOK) and wrote a bunch.  I cleaned our room (Embie's and mine's) and we played tons of games outside.  We went out for dinner, and then came home and slept.  I read more of my book, took a nice nap, and was totally carefree.  Soon it was sunset-time and we went outside to witness God's beautiful world by the ocean.

Ember, Glory and I went outside and had a badmitton tournament, Glo was our announcer, Embie and I the players, and Canada Dry Ginger Ale our "sponsor".  It was hilarious, and we even brought our radio outside so we could listen to music while playing the game.  We had instant replays, halftime dance shows, and commercial breaks.  It was awesome.  We finished our game with an epic Michael Buble dance show from me and Embie, where we tangoed to our hearts contents. XD

Now.....I'm looking forward to more fun.  Take away this my friends, no matter how stressed you are, and how busy you are, every once in a while, take a step back and praise God for the goodness and beautiful things in your life.  I've been doing that all day, thanking Him for my family, my eyesight, my book, my iPod, the weather, the sun, everything!!

It's fun to relax, and to step back and realize all the goodness in your life.  ;)

II'll be relaxing for the next two days guys....see ya on the flip side. ;)
And Happy Birthday (tomorrow) to my best friend Savanna from Pandas, Lightsabers, and Cameras oh my!! ;)  Love you girly!! <3

Love you guys!

The Gift Of Childcare

Here's yet another "inspirational" that I thought up.  I was inspired to write this yesterday, after a fun experience. ;)

I love kids.
Okay....allow me to explain.  A lot of teenagers these days are quite self-centered.  Even I am sometimes...wanting to do what I WANT, when I WANT, and not really caring about anything else.  It's not easy to grow up in a day and age where society encourages you to sit back and have everything handed to you on a silver platter.

But that isn't what this post is about.
I like doing more than just sitting back and being lazy.  I love helping out adults/parents and I especially love taking care of kids.  Especially small ones.

For as long as I can remember, I've been a "little mommy".  When my sister was born (though I don't remember this TOO well...since I was only six...) I took care of her, I loved her, and I took care of ALLLL my baby dolls like they were my baby sister.  (nawww)
Whenever me and my cousin and sister would play dolls (which we did a LOT growing up) I was always the mom.  I always had that maternal instinct to take care of the babies/kids.

As I got older, I was able to nurture those passions and loves.  Now I work at our dance studio, teaching ballet, tap and jazz to 2-3 year olds and 4-5 year olds.  My little girls are the highlight of my week.  I love spending time with them.  To them I'm "Miss Fallon (insert real name there)", and I get to carry them, hug them, let them sit in my lap, and just get to be there with them.

I've heard some teens say that they don't like kids, or that they're not "good with kids".  Essentially what I've got from that is that they are A. have no siblings, B. don't know what to do/don't have that maternal instinct or C. they think all kids are bratty, snot-nosed, and gross.
I don't have any of the above.

Yesterday I was helping my sister's music teacher at her little kid music class.  They were learning about stringed instruments, and Miss Susan (Glory's teacher) asked if I could come in and show the kids my violin and viola.  I agreed, and brought three instruments with me (my viola, my violin and my student model violin for the kids to play with).  The first kid to get there was a little girl.
I knew this little girl because I teach her dance class.  The way her face lit up when she saw me made my heart melt.  :)
"Miss Fallon (insert real name here)!" she yelled, and ran to me to give me a huge hug.  Her mom knew me, and went to pick up her son from school, knowing her daughter was in good hands between me and the Miss Susan.  ;)  This little girl held my hand the entire class, she sat at my side or in my lap, and she was really interested in hearing the violin/viola since I was the one playing it.  ;)  I was honored.  When Miss Susan introduced me to the class as just "Fallon (insert real name here)" My little girl said "No Miss Susan, that's MISS Fallon, and she teaches me dance!"  *heart melts into puddle on the floor*
I received hugs and kisses from this little girl yesterday, and she said that she would see me at dance in two days.  :)

I also knew one of the boys in the class, since I taught his sister last year.  His sister knew me when she came to pick him up, and rushed to give me a hug as well.  So did the mom (she's also my dentist! LOL)! ;)

This got me thinking.  So many little girls look up to me.  They know me as "Miss Fallon (insert real name here)", their dance teacher.  I've seen little girls around town or at the store a few times, and the moms always recognize me and say hello, and talk with me, and the little girls always give me hugs.  I'm so happy to be in those little girl's lives.  I feel like I'm making a difference.  I love helping them, I love taking care of them and getting to be their teacher and pseudo-big sister.

Glo's other friends all look up to me, they talk to me, and play with me, and know if they ever need anything, they can go to "Fally (insert real nickname here)", Glory's older sister.  :)  It's an amazing feeling.Even at P.E., I'm a big sister to my sister's friends.  Her best friend takes dance with her, and that little (not so little, she's ten like Glo) girl loves me.  I get a billion hugs, she sits on me, and she and Glo are always playing with me, and cracking up together.  She's my second little sister.

To know that I am making an impact on the lives of these little girls (and even some little boys too) makes me feel so incredibly blessed.  It's a gift to take care of small children (and even big children).  When a little girl gets hurt in dance class, the first person she runs to is me.  She knows she can find comfort in me, and that I'll either take her to mommy or give her a bandaid and help her feel better.  One of my three year olds did that  few weeks ago in dance, she hit her head on the ballet barre and got scared.  She instantly ran to my side, crying, wanting to be held.  I picked her up and helped her feel better.  I got her to stop crying and continue dancing in less than three minutes.  Not a lot of people can do that.  I've been told that I have the magic touch.  ;)

I thank God for this gift that he's given me.  The gift of childcare.  I hope someday I can use this in more than just a volunteer setting.  I'll follow wherever He leads me with it, whether it's to have my own family, or take care of other people's children, I'm up for the challenge.

Do you have the gift of child-care?  If not, what are special gifts that you DO have, something not everyone else can do?  We're all made special and individually, with God's hand on each of us and our talents.  Tell me about yours.  ;)  Own it!  Be proud!

The Duck Face

*sigh*  This is my latest pet peeve.  Note that this is more of a complaint/pondering post than it is an inspirational one...though I do have another one of those planned soon.  ;)

I also kind of hope this starts some kind of discussion. XD  Maybe you can back me up that I am not crazy in these thoughts.

The Duck Face.  I see this too much.  In my supposedly intermediate 2/advanced jazz dance class, I have grown quite weary with the lack of maturity and BRAIN CELLS in the girls there.  *shakes head sadly*

Last week, I was infuriated that four girls who were all giggly and excited that they arrived at dance class on time  were FIFTEEN MINUTES LATE because they went to the bathroom to take pictures of themselves to post on Facebook DURING CLASS.

Last class I saw the same thing.  They went to the bathroom to take pictures DURING CLASS.  My teacher left the room to talk to the other teacher about something, and immediately phones were broken out so they could pose in the dance mirror like TOTAL IDIOTS and take pictures.

I WAS CRACKING UP.  They looked SO STUPID!  Who thinks that this looks attractive.  Anyone?  Show of hands please?

The most common, Duck Face and Peace Out....

And every single one of these.  Every single one.  EVERY SINGLE ONE.  *facesmash facesmash facesmash*

Not to offend anyone.....but does that really look attractive?  To me, it looks immature and quite tacky.  I really despise it.

This:

Is a Duck Face.  Look, it's a REAL duck!

I even tried this....to prove my point.

Does that look good?  Would I want anyone (other than you friends...since I am explaining my reasons fo this picture) seeing this?  I use my social-media sites for mainly work.  I run websites, blogs, and I promote them on Facebook and Twitter and such.  I would be very embarrassed if some of my friends or followers saw me looking like that, with captions like:
"OMG I look SoOoOoO cute rite?"  Seriously people...seriously.
(i'll also mention that in that picture I am having a very good hair day and I am wearing pajamas, (a tank top, I live in South FL) and it's not low cut, the picture is cropped since it was taken on my iPod. ;) Just clarifying that.)

To end this mini rant post, I propose a question.  Do you think the "Duck Face" or any of the above mentioned poses look good in pictures?  Do you take pictures like that?  Do you find it as annoying and stupid as I do? (no offense to those who do like it...I just can't see how it possibly makes anyone attractive.)  XD

Thank you and more to come soon!!! <3

Disclaimer:  all pictures were found from Google except for the one I took of myself.  I own only my words and that picture.

P.S. this is a ranty filler post for a better more inspirational one coming soon!! :)

Bloom Where You're Planted

Topic of the day.....satisfaction with where you live.  :)

Something I've noticed about people is that you always want what you don't have.  I am definitely one of those people, as are the majority of the human race.  Whenever we go on vacation, and talk to people who live and work in the place we are vacationing, they are always saying how they dream and wish about living somewhere else.  And I sit there looking at them like they are INSANE because I go to where they live for a VACATION.

Example.  Last year, my family went on vacation to Sanibel Island, off the coast of FL.  BEAUTIFUL island, AMAZING place.  I would give ANYTHING to live there, and would move there in a heartbeat.  We were talking to a boy who worked in one of the stores we went to, and my dad was just making small talk with him, asking him how he liked living on the island.  The guy confessed that he didn't like it and was very sick of living in such a small place.  He told us that he wanted to go to college up in Jacksonville (I think) and live in the city.  I'm like, "DUDE!!! SERIOUSLY!?!!  The beach is literally across the street!! This place is EPIC, it has great food, nice people, an awesome atmosphere and it's just so beautiful!! Why would you want to give this up to go live in the CITY of all places??? NO NO NO NO!"

Another example.  A few weeks ago, we went to northern FL to visit a big antique show (and meet Savanna's family!!!)  Just minutes before seeing Savanna for the first time, my dad, sister and I walked from our hotel to the small Hess gas station nearby, to buy some snacks and drinks for our hotel room.  We were talking to the cashier, a nice young girl, and she was just asking us where we were from, and if we were enjoying our stay so far at the hotel across the street.  We politely told her where we were from and how much we were loving the weather, scenery and atmosphere of the city we were in.  She told us that she was tired of it and wanted to move to Orlando, where she used to live.  She said it was "too in the sticks" and that she craved city life. Again, I was thinking, "WHAT?? How can you NOT like this??? The weather is beautiful, the people are so nice, the nature is amazing, and you want to go to the CITY??? WHAT?? WHY???"

Once returning from both those vacations (and many others), I always find myself on the other side of that equation.  I always dream about leaving where I live in the city to move to someplace far off, where you can own land and animals and just have SPACE.  I find myself dreaming about living in a pretty little house on the beach, having a desk set up by a window overlooking the ocean, and doing all my writing/editing from there.  I always find myself wishing and praying that by some miracle we would be able to get up and move, buy some land and start a farm, or enjoy some peace and quiet in a tiny community where everyone knows each other and everyone is nice to one another.

But then I remember what my mother always tells me in situations like this.....God put us where he did for a reason.  You never know who you're going to touch by a small action you make in your community.  Sometimes I hate where I live...I can find tons of faults.  There's too much crime, too many annoying/rude kids on our street (we live near two public schools...elementary and middle), there's too much traffic, too many accidents, the stores are too busy, the people are rude, no one speaks english.....
But I forget how awesome my city is.  My dad works for our city, and I know a lot of the people who make our city work and run.  I know the City Manager, many commissioners, the HR Director (My Daddy! ;D), people in Marketing, the Fire Chief, many fire-fighters, several police-people, people in finance, aquatics, community relations, the lady who runs the help desk, the people who work in the mailroom, and many more!!!  The ladies in my dad's office are like a second family to me and my sister, and many others in the city are such wonderful people, who are blessings to us all, and many don't even realize what they do to make our city what it is!

We have fabulous fire-fighters and police-people for crime and accidents, which happen ANYWHERE anyway.  I know people who work at our local Publix, Wal-Mart, CVS, 7-11 and more.  They are all good people too.  I am proud of my city...of my COMMUNITY, even though it sometimes makes me frustrated.  Of course I dream of living somewhere else....we all do.

Now I shall pull a Yoda quote to prove my point...
"Many years, this one I have watched.  As he looked away, to the future, never his mind on where he was.  What he was doing!"
If you don't speak Star Wars....essentially that means that Yoda watched as Luke spent his whole childhood growing up wishing he were somewhere else, and not embracing where he was when he was there.  Don't do that.  Don't spend your life wishing you were someone else, living somewhere else, or doing something else.  Be yourself, and enjoy life.  Enjoy the here and now, and embrace your city/town/community.  Even if your closest neighbor is five miles away, or you only see your friends once a week.  Make the connections, and don't spend your entire life wishing you were somewhere else.

This has been on my heart lately, because I have been struggling with this.  After coming home from our latest trip to north FL, I wanted to move there SO BAD.  I still do.  And before you ask, no it's not just because Savanna lives up there....though that does help.  ;)  I loved the atmosphere, the people, the stores, the food, the "take it easy" and "slow down" sort of attitude it had.  I didn't feel rushed, I didn't feel like I was moving at superspeed, I felt at peace and relaxed.  As soon as we got home though, I was rushing off to orchestra, and the next day I did school all day, took my sister to piano, did more school, took two tests, and got sick.  I felt like everything that I loved so much while on vacation disappeared when I returned home, and I looked for anything and everything to blame all that emotion on.  I was mad at our city, and how crowded and busy it was, I was mad at the crime, for waking me up at 3am with sirens, and at all the annoying drivers on the roads for making my mom and dad tense in the car over traffic.  Everything went back to normal.....no one (mainly my mom) was as easy going and carefree as we were when we were on vacation, and I was utterly disappointed in that.

Now though, two weeks being home, I am realizing that when the sirens wake me up at 3am, that means that our amazing men and women who work every day to save lives and protect us, are just doing their jobs.  And the annoying drivers will eventually get what's coming to them, and I pray for the safety of others, who DO obey the rules of the road.  When our city is crowded and busy, it is good economically and promotes good commerce for us.  Sometimes we have to change our perspective and see that maybe things aren't so bad after all.

I hope you enjoyed another "inspirational" by me. ;)  More of these to come soon.