Living in Paradise

Photo by Laurie Hansen

A morning walk can be quite an adventure here in paradise.  I met this fella the other day.  This majestic Great Egret measured about waist-high and seemed to walk in slow motion as he hunted for lizards.         

How would you like to happen upon this odd creature on a morning stroll?   

Photo by Carolyn Hoffman

Read more in the original article in the Palm Beach Post by Willie Howard.

Paradise, indeed!

FREE LWF12 LIVESTREAM JAN 25 & 26 2012

Free Livestream : "Broadcasting live from LWF 12 : Future of Learning Conference January 25th & 26th.  Be part of the conversation and interact with our delegates, speakers and global community by using the #lwf12 hashtag "   

Get the picture?

http://bit.ly/AgGXYt

(Make your own http://www.wordle.net/)

FREE WEBINAR: GUEST ANGELA MAIERS

Who: YOU
What: Free webinar, "Co-Sponsored by EdTechTeacher MassCUE and METAA" 
Why: Because you believe in "Education driven by passion"
When: Thursday January 26, 2012 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM EST
Where: EdTechTeacher Blackboard Virtual Classroom
              Register here: http://conta.cc/A208jj

#YOUMATTER

Once upon a time...

Artwork by L.Hansen

The Innovator Network Blog started my storytelling adventures!  Did you write your six-word story yet?  Too short?  How about this? "Submit your short, story-driven videos (15 minutes or less) on Youtube.com/yourfilmfestival"  You have two weeks to create a short, story driven and submit.  You can submit as early as Feb. 2nd and the deadline is March 31st.  Technically, you have 7 weeks or so to pull one together.  So what do you think?

Here are the details from the Your Film Festival site:

·         Submit a 15 minute story (video of course-Feb 2 -deadline, March 31^st

·         Entry Fee: None

·         Format: All genres (short film, web-series episode, TV pilot)

·         Judges narrow it down to 50 semi-finalists

·         Then, global audiences vote, choosing 10 finalists

·         Finalists open the 2012 Venice Film Festival (Italy, folks!)

·         Grand Prize Winner will be rewarded with a $500,000 grant to create a new work, produced by Ridley Scott and his world class team. (Yes, Life in a Day Ridley Scott!)

Not sure how to begin?  Ok, I'll start...Once upon a time...

Great teachers know, show, and share.

This StudentsFirst Six-Word Essay Contest is aptly called a challenge but  certainly worth the effort and hardly an essay.  The prize?  An iPad! (And money to donate to a charity!) That is, if you are selected by the community as the winner. 

Here's mine:  "Great teachers know, show, and share." 

Wish me luck!

Read more six-word stories here:  http://www.smithmag.net/   No, that last sentence wasn't intentional.  Neither was the one before this. Never mind.  What's your six-word story?

Thanks for the tip, Heather! :)

It's Nice to Share

This graphic and other optical illusions can be found on http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/illusion/illusions.htm

I am digging a post by @brad5patterson shard via @seburnt on Twitter.  Brad asks educators to share "a quote that defines your teaching style.

This is a tough one for me- so many quotes, so little time!  However, the first thing that came to mind is the illusion I found (above) a few years back.

Don't you think this captures the essence of teaching?  I feel very fortunate.
Thanks for reading- now go share something :)

~Laurie

Will Worlds Collide?

Artwork by L.Hansen

Are you like me? I sort of live my life in two worlds: Online as a blogger, researcher, networker and educator and in a place some may call the "real-world" where I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, networker, volunteer, chief, cook and bottle washer.

To quote Marcel the Shell, "I love where I live..." It all depends on perspective, I guess. I love where I live online and in the real world, too. In my online world, I have made friends, met famous people (I really did!), made acquaintances, learned new things and even organized a small group to help a social cause. Although, I've not had success in Second Life flying as an avatar without crashing into buildings or walking without falling off the edge. My friend says the internet may be considered another dimension. Interesting, no?

In the real world, we live in paradise. Our home is magical, musical and wondrous. We have two daughters, one teen and one tween and my husband is a musician. Need I say more? I have met a few famous people face to face, too, come to think of it. Too bad we didn't have cell phones and Twitter back then so I could show you.  Unfortunately, my disposable camera read "0" at that very opportune moment.  Alas.

As you may already know, bringing the online and the real world together, or at least the people in them, has been noted to have value. At the very least, I have noted this. There is a lot of talk on education forums (on Twitter in particular- well, specifically, on #Edchat) about how technology is useful and necessary for teaching and learning. It is suggested that those who are not taking advantage of technology and social media (Facebook, blogs and Twitter, to name a few) are excluded, missing out.

Let's face it- if we submerge ourselves in any one thing in particular, we will not be aware of what else is around us or, for that matter, what's happening online. Have you missed out on a recent holiday savings because you didn't bid on a Groupon deal? Did you read about the latest breaking news on Twitter, perhaps, or maybe Facebook?  Did you then Retweet it or maybe share it on Facebook? It's nice to share!

Have you ever missed a punchline when your friend was telling a story because someone texted you or you had to check just one more email? Have your eyes wandered onto your monitor while you had a phone in your ear and you missed the number to press "for English" and then had to redial yet another time? I hate it when that happens!

Being “well connected” can be very stimulating as well as exhausting.   I greatly appreciated my time off from online teaching over the holidays. It was the first time in a long time I was completely unplugged, the first time I took my own advice. Well, it was actually Richtel's advice that I advocate and share via blogging-which is kind of ironic if you think about it. While I was "away" from work, I set my Microsoft Outlook Out of Office message. I did not answer emails. I did not Tweet. I was, in essence, "away" from one part of my life.  It was nice.

Well, as you can see I am back in the virtual saddle. In an effort to connect, network and share, I present to you Vicariosity: A blog that may help connect two worlds for the good of all or maybe just for fun. 

I hope to lasso you in.

~Laurie

P.S.

Will worlds collide? Where there is a Will there is a way! Private joke, folks. Or maybe it is a little obvious. Hat Tip to ya in the title there, my friend. Did ya notice?