Page, L., Sheehan, T., & Worrell, C. (2012). How to do more with less: Lessons from online learning. Learning & Leading with Technology, 18-22. Retrieved from www.iste.org
This article addresses the increasing difficulty facing teachers of being able to teach larger numbers of students higher standards and broadening content, including technology, while at the same time the resources available to teachers, specifically time and money, are continually being cut back. The authors of the article recommend modifying your teaching style to "blended instruction" or the "flipped classroom", both of which utilize technology in and out of the classroom, to maximize in class time for direct instruction, teacher-student, and student-student interactions. The purpose of blended instruction is to combine the best elements of face-to-face and digital instruction. Ways to create a blended classroom are using digital content, resources, and tools in class to aid and engage student learning in the classroom as well ensuring that learning continues at home by providing resources like self assessment tools, resources like slide shows, notes and videos that review content that was covered in class, collaborative forums where students can work together on projects, and synchronous chat for homework help that students can access via a class blog or website. The flipped classroom works by doing away with the traditional format of lecture and instruction during school hours, and loads of homework for students to do after school. Instead, the flipped classroom does away with homework to free up student time to watch podcasts or videos online of the teacher's lectures. This has the advantage of allowing students to pause to take notes or replay lectures until they understand the material; it's hard to rewind a real-life teacher! This is a great way to allow students to learn at their own pace. By asking students to review content at home, classroom time is freed up for group work, discussion, and labs. The teacher also has more time for one-on-one instruction to clarify any areas that a student did not understand from watching the lectures online. The goal of both styles--blended instruction and the flipped classroom--is free up class time for more direct instruction, maximize student-teacher interactions, facilitate student-student collaboration, and provide more individualized instruction.
Q1: Which digital teaching style would likely work best for me in my classroom?
A1: Because I intend to teach at the elementary level, I would likely use the blended instruction style over the flipped classroom. I think that the flipped classroom is a great model and would work very well for middle or high school, but I don't think it would be appropriate for elementary students. They would have to be pretty darn mature to have the self-discipline to go online every day and watch the content lectures. I think that the blended style would be more appropriate. Using digital content in the classroom would be a great way to get students' attention and increase learning retention. Also, it would be great to have online resources available to my students to aid in review and homework, but not necessarily have homework dependent on these resources.
Q2: What is one possible road block to my implementing a blended or flipped teaching style in my classroom, and what could I do to resolve the issue?
A2: One of the things that I could see getting in the way of being able to use a blended or flipped style in the classroom would be the diversity in socioeconomic status among students. Not every student will have access to a computer or the internet at home. Those students would be at a distinct disadvantage to their peers who are able to access the online resources and tools that I would provide. A way to resolve this issue would be to meet with parents to discuss our options. If possible, I would like to get parents to commit to taking their children to places where they can access a computer and the internet for free, like the public library, the family's church, a family friend, or a local after school program offered by the community center. Another way to address the issue would be to work with other members of the school to make sure that the school's computer lab is available before and after school for students to work in.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Journal 6
Vaidyanathan, S. (2012). Fostering creativity and innovation through technology. Learning & Leading with Technology, 24-27. Retrieved from www.iste.org
This article was about creating a technology class at the elementary school level in order to teach students from a young age about technology subjects like innovation, design, and creativity. The class that the author teaches focuses not on teaching kids about technology or aiding student learning with technology; it is focused on teaching kids how to accomplish their creative goals through technology with the use of different graphic and design tools. The author brings up an important point: currently we are very focused on increasing the availability of technology classes at the high school level and of getting girls interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects in middle school. But the best way to approach these problems is to begin addressing them while students are at a very young age. By teaching kids that they can use technology to be creative, and that it can be fun, we are establishing a lifelong interest in learning STEM topics. As the use of technology in the job market and beyond continues to expand, it is increasingly important that students learn how to use the technology that is available to them in order to make themselves desirable to employers. Many of the lessons described by the author are also valuable tools for teaching students math concepts in a fun and engaging way. A lot of the projects she described focused on developing students' spatial awareness, use of geometry concepts and terms, and performing simple calculations. They would be a great way to reinforce student understanding.
Q1: How can a school that is underfunded get and use the technology described in the article?
A1: Many schools may not be able to afford to have a dedicated computer lab or enough computers in each classroom to serve all students at once. One way that teachers could approach this problem would be to practice rotations among groups of students. That way, while the class as a whole is working on something, the teacher can have a small group of students working on their creative technology assignments on the few class computers that are available, then have the rotate with another group, so that everyone gets to spend at least some class time on the computers. Also, the programs described in the article are free either in the full version or as a sample version. And there are many other free design programs available on the internet like Active Pixels, which is similar to Photoshop (a list of additional free programs is available on creativenerds.co.uk). If a school needs computer equipment, they may try asking parents and the community (businesses, community members, etc) for donations or compete for grants earmarked for technology in schools.
Q2: How could a teacher convince the school that it would be beneficial to add a technology art class to the curriculum?
A2: In order to convince an administrator or other educators that it would be beneficial to the school and to students to start a technology art class it would be helpful to point out some of the information mentioned in the article. Studies have shown that letting children express themselves artistically increases self-esteem and academic performance--something that is highly desirable considering high-stakes standardized testing. By starting a technology art class, the school could allow students to express themselves artistically while at the same time learning and building an interest in STEM concepts. As the author described, by putting STEM in the context of art, students are more relaxed while learning and are better able to absorb and apply math and technology concepts because they do not have the fear of doing something wrong. Also, setting up a technology art class is likely to cost the school little money since most schools have at least a few computers available to students and the programs used are free to download. In fact in the long run a technology art class will cost the school less than a traditional art class because the school will not have to continue purchasing supplies like paper, paints, and glue. And implementing this type of program will help the reputation of the school with parents and the community; parents recognize that it is important for their children to stay abreast of the latest technology in order to be successful adults.
This article was about creating a technology class at the elementary school level in order to teach students from a young age about technology subjects like innovation, design, and creativity. The class that the author teaches focuses not on teaching kids about technology or aiding student learning with technology; it is focused on teaching kids how to accomplish their creative goals through technology with the use of different graphic and design tools. The author brings up an important point: currently we are very focused on increasing the availability of technology classes at the high school level and of getting girls interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects in middle school. But the best way to approach these problems is to begin addressing them while students are at a very young age. By teaching kids that they can use technology to be creative, and that it can be fun, we are establishing a lifelong interest in learning STEM topics. As the use of technology in the job market and beyond continues to expand, it is increasingly important that students learn how to use the technology that is available to them in order to make themselves desirable to employers. Many of the lessons described by the author are also valuable tools for teaching students math concepts in a fun and engaging way. A lot of the projects she described focused on developing students' spatial awareness, use of geometry concepts and terms, and performing simple calculations. They would be a great way to reinforce student understanding.
Q1: How can a school that is underfunded get and use the technology described in the article?
A1: Many schools may not be able to afford to have a dedicated computer lab or enough computers in each classroom to serve all students at once. One way that teachers could approach this problem would be to practice rotations among groups of students. That way, while the class as a whole is working on something, the teacher can have a small group of students working on their creative technology assignments on the few class computers that are available, then have the rotate with another group, so that everyone gets to spend at least some class time on the computers. Also, the programs described in the article are free either in the full version or as a sample version. And there are many other free design programs available on the internet like Active Pixels, which is similar to Photoshop (a list of additional free programs is available on creativenerds.co.uk). If a school needs computer equipment, they may try asking parents and the community (businesses, community members, etc) for donations or compete for grants earmarked for technology in schools.
Q2: How could a teacher convince the school that it would be beneficial to add a technology art class to the curriculum?
A2: In order to convince an administrator or other educators that it would be beneficial to the school and to students to start a technology art class it would be helpful to point out some of the information mentioned in the article. Studies have shown that letting children express themselves artistically increases self-esteem and academic performance--something that is highly desirable considering high-stakes standardized testing. By starting a technology art class, the school could allow students to express themselves artistically while at the same time learning and building an interest in STEM concepts. As the author described, by putting STEM in the context of art, students are more relaxed while learning and are better able to absorb and apply math and technology concepts because they do not have the fear of doing something wrong. Also, setting up a technology art class is likely to cost the school little money since most schools have at least a few computers available to students and the programs used are free to download. In fact in the long run a technology art class will cost the school less than a traditional art class because the school will not have to continue purchasing supplies like paper, paints, and glue. And implementing this type of program will help the reputation of the school with parents and the community; parents recognize that it is important for their children to stay abreast of the latest technology in order to be successful adults.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Journal 8 - Adaptive Technology
Communication
AAC, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication, is any method other than oral language that an individual uses to express their wants, needs, thoughts, and ideas. These include things like body/hand gestures, facial expressions, or use of a tool (e.g. writing, pictures, etc.) to augment verbal expression in order to clarify communication. Everyone uses AAC, but it can be especially important for individuals who have a mental or physical handicap and possessed of limited or no verbal communication to develop AAC skills in order to communicate effectively.
Unaided AAC: unaided AAC is any means of communication that does not require the individual to use an exterior device or tool; communication is accomplished with the body. Common forms of unaided AAC are facial expressions, nonverbal sounds, body gestures/movements, pantomime, or use of sign language. American Sign Language is a great type of AAC that allows the communicator to form an unlimited number of messages, but it requires a high level of fine motor skills on the part of the communicator and training on the part of the communicator's partner to understand the language.
Aided Low Tech AAC: aided AAC refers to any exterior device or tool that an individual may use to communicate. Tools can be very low tech; meaning that they do not require electronics, electriciy, or batteries to operate. One very simple and easy to use tool is a communication board that features different symbols or pictures, letters, words, or phrases that when pointed to indicate the speaker's wants or needs. Depending on the speaker's mobility, a communication board may need to be used in conjunction with a pointing device such as a head or mouth stick.
Aided High Tech AAC: high tech AAC tools refer to any communication device that have electronics, and require electricity or batteries to operate. A common high tech AAC tool is a speech generating device (SGD). This is an electronic device that allows the communicator to select a word or phrase from a screen, then have the device vocalize the phrase. There are many types of SGDs that vary greatly in ease of use, memmory capacity, range of available letters/words, and portability. Although they can allow the communicator greater freedom of expression, these devices can be somewhat unreliable so it is best to use a low tech tool as a backup. Use can be further assisted through an adapted mouse or eye movement tracking devices that allow communicators to select things on the screen without use of a body part.
Accessibility
An input device is any computer component that allows the user to input data on the computer. A common example of an input device would be a mouse or a keyboard. Without an input device to input and manipulate data on a computer, the computer is essentially an expensive paperweight. A person with a disability may choose to use an adaptive input device to meet their needs.
Software: Click-N-Type is a great piece of software that anyone can download for FREE. It is a virtual full use keyboard for someone who is not able to operate a regular keyboard. Anyone who has the ability to use a mouse, modified mouse, joystick, touchscreen, mouth pointer, or other pointing device is able to operate the Click-N-Type virtual keyboard. Once downloaded, the user can use the virtual keyboard to type directly into any Window or DOS application.
Hardware: An interesting hardware input device that I found is the Jouse2. The Jouse2 is a modified mouse that is controlled via a joystick that the user can manipulate with his/her mouth, cheek, tongue, or chin. The joystick also has built in sip and puff controls that serve two functions. It allows the modified mouse to perform left and right click functions, and it can be set to Morse code mode which allows the user to input different letters and characters. The Jouse2 can either be purchased with a regular fixed mouth piece for one user, or if the device will be used by multiple users it can be made with disposable mouth piece covers that can be pulled off and discarded after use. The Jouse2 offers very fine pointer control for use with games or drawing programs. The Jouse2 is more portable than similar devices because it mounts to the desk rather than to the user, requires no external power supply, and is based on usb technology so that it is easy to plug in and use on multiple types of computers and other devices. The Jouse2 is essentially a mouse and a keyboard all in one.
AAC, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication, is any method other than oral language that an individual uses to express their wants, needs, thoughts, and ideas. These include things like body/hand gestures, facial expressions, or use of a tool (e.g. writing, pictures, etc.) to augment verbal expression in order to clarify communication. Everyone uses AAC, but it can be especially important for individuals who have a mental or physical handicap and possessed of limited or no verbal communication to develop AAC skills in order to communicate effectively.
Unaided AAC: unaided AAC is any means of communication that does not require the individual to use an exterior device or tool; communication is accomplished with the body. Common forms of unaided AAC are facial expressions, nonverbal sounds, body gestures/movements, pantomime, or use of sign language. American Sign Language is a great type of AAC that allows the communicator to form an unlimited number of messages, but it requires a high level of fine motor skills on the part of the communicator and training on the part of the communicator's partner to understand the language.
Aided Low Tech AAC: aided AAC refers to any exterior device or tool that an individual may use to communicate. Tools can be very low tech; meaning that they do not require electronics, electriciy, or batteries to operate. One very simple and easy to use tool is a communication board that features different symbols or pictures, letters, words, or phrases that when pointed to indicate the speaker's wants or needs. Depending on the speaker's mobility, a communication board may need to be used in conjunction with a pointing device such as a head or mouth stick.
Aided High Tech AAC: high tech AAC tools refer to any communication device that have electronics, and require electricity or batteries to operate. A common high tech AAC tool is a speech generating device (SGD). This is an electronic device that allows the communicator to select a word or phrase from a screen, then have the device vocalize the phrase. There are many types of SGDs that vary greatly in ease of use, memmory capacity, range of available letters/words, and portability. Although they can allow the communicator greater freedom of expression, these devices can be somewhat unreliable so it is best to use a low tech tool as a backup. Use can be further assisted through an adapted mouse or eye movement tracking devices that allow communicators to select things on the screen without use of a body part.Accessibility
An input device is any computer component that allows the user to input data on the computer. A common example of an input device would be a mouse or a keyboard. Without an input device to input and manipulate data on a computer, the computer is essentially an expensive paperweight. A person with a disability may choose to use an adaptive input device to meet their needs.
Software: Click-N-Type is a great piece of software that anyone can download for FREE. It is a virtual full use keyboard for someone who is not able to operate a regular keyboard. Anyone who has the ability to use a mouse, modified mouse, joystick, touchscreen, mouth pointer, or other pointing device is able to operate the Click-N-Type virtual keyboard. Once downloaded, the user can use the virtual keyboard to type directly into any Window or DOS application.
Hardware: An interesting hardware input device that I found is the Jouse2. The Jouse2 is a modified mouse that is controlled via a joystick that the user can manipulate with his/her mouth, cheek, tongue, or chin. The joystick also has built in sip and puff controls that serve two functions. It allows the modified mouse to perform left and right click functions, and it can be set to Morse code mode which allows the user to input different letters and characters. The Jouse2 can either be purchased with a regular fixed mouth piece for one user, or if the device will be used by multiple users it can be made with disposable mouth piece covers that can be pulled off and discarded after use. The Jouse2 offers very fine pointer control for use with games or drawing programs. The Jouse2 is more portable than similar devices because it mounts to the desk rather than to the user, requires no external power supply, and is based on usb technology so that it is easy to plug in and use on multiple types of computers and other devices. The Jouse2 is essentially a mouse and a keyboard all in one.Thursday, April 12, 2012
Journal 7: My Personal Learning Network
1. PLN stands for Personal Learning Network. This refers to the network of online and other tools that you collect in order to increase your knowledge of the educational profession. These may include sites like Twitter that allow quick and easy communication, blogs, educational websites, and other professional resources. The point of a PLN is to create a community of individuals who share similar interests/needs so that you can learn from them and share the things that you have learned in return. A PLN can be a great asset for a teacher because it allows you to quickly and easily find materials and ideas for lessons from other teachers, ask others about professional concerns, stay connected with fellow educators, and be aware of current educational topics.
2. I was introduced to Twitter as a means to communicate with other educational professionals via messages that are short and to the point. This way I am able to view a variety of resources and websites posted by others in the educational community quickly, and pick out any that catch my interest. I am able to also share the resources that I have found to be helpful with others. By participating in a Twitter chat, I am able to view what other teachers think or know about a topic that interests me, share my own knowledge, and ask questions that will be responded to promptly. I participated in an #edchat discussion on 4/12 at 4:00 pm. This is an all day chat, so there is no specific discussion topic. It is more a place for people to drop helpful hints, share and make comments on recent educational news, and ask questions. It was a great way to see people in the education community interacting. One teacher even posted that her class would be doing a poetry reading at the end of the month and wanted to know if anyone was interested in skyping with the class for a reading. There were also several posts with links to some great math resources like a lesson plan that uses musical notes to teach fractions and other worksheets.
3. Diigo is also a useful PLN tool that allows you to bookmark interesting web pages and tag them with appropriate search terms so that they are fast and easy to find later. This is a great way to hold on to professional resource that you may want to use at a later date and it is also a great way to share your resources with other professionals in your PLN. You can either Tweet links to the sites in your Diigo library or simply let others find them by searching tags on the Diigo site so that they can see what you and other people have saved to your libraries. Another useful feature of Diigo is the ability to create a network similar to the way that you create one in Twitter; simply click on the name of someone you are interested in and then click "follow". This puts that person in your "My Network" page and allows you to view the things they have stored in their libraries. I currently have five people that I am following on Diigo: Martha T., Greg N., Lori A., Caroline B., and David W.. I chose to follow these individuals because they are all current teachers and have a number of useful teaching resources saved to their libraries that I am now able to access. These include ideas for using technology to aid student learning, lesson plans on math and writing, and even a site that provides a free plagiarism detector for teachers.
4. The digital discussion forum that I chose to join was The Educator's PLN. I decided to join this forum because it offers a ready-made PLN. The site includes great professional resources like videos, forums on different topics, blog posts from members and links to their entire blog, and a link to edchat that shows what discussions are currently being held on Twitter so that you can sign in and join the discussion if you are interested in the current topic. I also explored a blog by member Benjamin Darr, a teacher from Missouri. This particular blog post was titled "Language Arts and the Internet". It was a really interesting piece siting a few of the ways that the internet has affected the way that kids learn language arts and offered some great suggestions on how to use common internet technologies in the classroom to increase student understanding of important language arts concepts. For example, Mr. Darr recommends having students use hyperlinks in order to underline the way that language arts concepts are interconnected. And also making the connection for students between how posting on social networks like facebook is similar to good note-taking practices: the goal of both is to write a brief but comprehensive summary of what is going on.
2. I was introduced to Twitter as a means to communicate with other educational professionals via messages that are short and to the point. This way I am able to view a variety of resources and websites posted by others in the educational community quickly, and pick out any that catch my interest. I am able to also share the resources that I have found to be helpful with others. By participating in a Twitter chat, I am able to view what other teachers think or know about a topic that interests me, share my own knowledge, and ask questions that will be responded to promptly. I participated in an #edchat discussion on 4/12 at 4:00 pm. This is an all day chat, so there is no specific discussion topic. It is more a place for people to drop helpful hints, share and make comments on recent educational news, and ask questions. It was a great way to see people in the education community interacting. One teacher even posted that her class would be doing a poetry reading at the end of the month and wanted to know if anyone was interested in skyping with the class for a reading. There were also several posts with links to some great math resources like a lesson plan that uses musical notes to teach fractions and other worksheets.
3. Diigo is also a useful PLN tool that allows you to bookmark interesting web pages and tag them with appropriate search terms so that they are fast and easy to find later. This is a great way to hold on to professional resource that you may want to use at a later date and it is also a great way to share your resources with other professionals in your PLN. You can either Tweet links to the sites in your Diigo library or simply let others find them by searching tags on the Diigo site so that they can see what you and other people have saved to your libraries. Another useful feature of Diigo is the ability to create a network similar to the way that you create one in Twitter; simply click on the name of someone you are interested in and then click "follow". This puts that person in your "My Network" page and allows you to view the things they have stored in their libraries. I currently have five people that I am following on Diigo: Martha T., Greg N., Lori A., Caroline B., and David W.. I chose to follow these individuals because they are all current teachers and have a number of useful teaching resources saved to their libraries that I am now able to access. These include ideas for using technology to aid student learning, lesson plans on math and writing, and even a site that provides a free plagiarism detector for teachers.
4. The digital discussion forum that I chose to join was The Educator's PLN. I decided to join this forum because it offers a ready-made PLN. The site includes great professional resources like videos, forums on different topics, blog posts from members and links to their entire blog, and a link to edchat that shows what discussions are currently being held on Twitter so that you can sign in and join the discussion if you are interested in the current topic. I also explored a blog by member Benjamin Darr, a teacher from Missouri. This particular blog post was titled "Language Arts and the Internet". It was a really interesting piece siting a few of the ways that the internet has affected the way that kids learn language arts and offered some great suggestions on how to use common internet technologies in the classroom to increase student understanding of important language arts concepts. For example, Mr. Darr recommends having students use hyperlinks in order to underline the way that language arts concepts are interconnected. And also making the connection for students between how posting on social networks like facebook is similar to good note-taking practices: the goal of both is to write a brief but comprehensive summary of what is going on.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0
Description: I performed the technology self-assessment check for teachers on School 2.0 to give myself an overview of how effectively I use technology in a classroom setting. The self-assessment is a free professional tool that lets me know what areas I could be focusing more on.
NETS-T: The School 2.0 self-assessment meets NETS-T standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. It addresses areas c: evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
I wanted to learn more about the NETS-T module 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. One of the resources that School 2.0 recommended for me based on my assessment was a site called Classroom 2.0. This is a great site that provides an international forum for educators and those interested in education to share resources and talk about their technology questions and concerns and get advice. You can even join a special interest group--or set up your own. Judging by the list of groups, there are a lot of college technology education classes like this one that use this site.
NETS-T: The School 2.0 self-assessment meets NETS-T standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. It addresses areas c: evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
I wanted to learn more about the NETS-T module 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. One of the resources that School 2.0 recommended for me based on my assessment was a site called Classroom 2.0. This is a great site that provides an international forum for educators and those interested in education to share resources and talk about their technology questions and concerns and get advice. You can even join a special interest group--or set up your own. Judging by the list of groups, there are a lot of college technology education classes like this one that use this site.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Journal 1 - 100 Things That Make Me Happy
Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens...Wait, that's not my list!
Here it is:
1. the smell of the lumber yard at home depot
2. my dogs
3. sunshine!
4. my family
5. mexican food
6. chocolate
7. trashy sci-fi/fantasy novels
8. the color blue
9. sunsets
10. not having to see sunrises
11. poppies
12. carpenter bees
13. my bike
14. pajamas
15. red wine
16. a comfy chair
17. chai tea
18. Simpson Park
19. the beach
20. painting
21. drawing
22. The Princess Bride and other select 80's movies
23. dandelions
24. spring
25. fall
26. summer
27. bare feet
28. going to the theater
29. thrifty's ice cream
30. breakfast
31. showers
32. clean sheets
33. Santa Rosa Plateau
34. camping
35. my nephew
36. Girl Scout cookies - thin mints are the best
37. zombie movies
38. saturdays
39. clouds
40. stars
41. having my hair brushed
42. decorating
43. beach combing
44. catching lizards
45. tidal pools
46. finding intact sea urchin shells
47. nice clothes
48. the color pink
49. music
50. The New Girl
51. Big Bang Theory
52. honey bees
53. butterflies
54. praying mantises
55. octopuses (octopi?)
56. waves
57. black bird flocks
58. horses
59. walking in warm sand
60. sleeping in
61. campfires
62. my hot water bottle for camping
63. gloves
64. hiking
65. orange groves
66. Oak Glen
67. pretty fabrics
68. grape hyacinth
69. tulips
70. sneezes
71. laughing
72. stained glass windows
73. books on tape (handy for road trips)
74. my grandmas
75. Starbucks
76. tall grass
77. frogs
78. bird calls
79. fresh air
80. summer thunderstorms
81. the seat warmers in my mom's truck
82. aquariums
83. roller coasters
84. Cousin Kim's chocolate pecan pie
85. massages
86. cuddling with my little dog
87. my favorite wine glass
88. dresses/skirts with pockets
89. pineapples
90. strawberries
91. goat cheese and fresh basil on crackers
92. blackberries
93. travelling
94.picking fruit
95. making jam
96. baking
97. shopping
98.demolition
99. singing (poorly)
100. interesting clocks
Here it is:
1. the smell of the lumber yard at home depot
2. my dogs
3. sunshine!
4. my family
5. mexican food
6. chocolate
7. trashy sci-fi/fantasy novels
8. the color blue
9. sunsets
10. not having to see sunrises
11. poppies
12. carpenter bees
13. my bike
14. pajamas
15. red wine
16. a comfy chair
17. chai tea
18. Simpson Park
19. the beach
20. painting
21. drawing
22. The Princess Bride and other select 80's movies
23. dandelions
24. spring
25. fall
26. summer
27. bare feet
28. going to the theater
29. thrifty's ice cream
30. breakfast
31. showers
32. clean sheets
33. Santa Rosa Plateau
34. camping
35. my nephew
36. Girl Scout cookies - thin mints are the best
37. zombie movies
38. saturdays
39. clouds
40. stars
41. having my hair brushed
42. decorating
43. beach combing
44. catching lizards
45. tidal pools
46. finding intact sea urchin shells
47. nice clothes
48. the color pink
49. music
50. The New Girl
51. Big Bang Theory
52. honey bees
53. butterflies
54. praying mantises
55. octopuses (octopi?)
56. waves
57. black bird flocks
58. horses
59. walking in warm sand
60. sleeping in
61. campfires
62. my hot water bottle for camping
63. gloves
64. hiking
65. orange groves
66. Oak Glen
67. pretty fabrics
68. grape hyacinth
69. tulips
70. sneezes
71. laughing
72. stained glass windows
73. books on tape (handy for road trips)
74. my grandmas
75. Starbucks
76. tall grass
77. frogs
78. bird calls
79. fresh air
80. summer thunderstorms
81. the seat warmers in my mom's truck
82. aquariums
83. roller coasters
84. Cousin Kim's chocolate pecan pie
85. massages
86. cuddling with my little dog
87. my favorite wine glass
88. dresses/skirts with pockets
89. pineapples
90. strawberries
91. goat cheese and fresh basil on crackers
92. blackberries
93. travelling
94.picking fruit
95. making jam
96. baking
97. shopping
98.demolition
99. singing (poorly)
100. interesting clocks
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