A couple more pages from my journal, which I haven't touched in about almost a month. That's 1 of my closest friends, George, with me. We got a chance to spend some time together before Christmas and exchange gifts. I loaded him up with packages, including 1 for his wife, Andrea! We had dinner at 1 of my favorite Chinese restaurants and had the bartender take a picture of us. For some reason, everyone in this journal is getting a heart painted on their chest! Hearts and hands are the 2 most recurring symbols in my artwork. Anyway, lots of stuff going on with these 2 pages - several layers, writing on vellum, tape, and more tape, 2 1 dollar bills that made it into the artwork, gift wrap, pages from a book, and the gift tag that George attached to my gift, can be found within the 2 pages. I am SO looking forward to working on my book during this upcoming, long weekend I am going to have soon.

Where have I been?! The last 2 weeks have been incredibly busy on both a professional and personal level. A week ago Monday, I interviewed for a principal's position. I got the word on Wednesday that I am 1 of the finalists and will be interviewing again this coming Monday. If everything goes alright, we should know by the end of the week who the 2 principals will be for the new school that is opening up in September. The school will actually be 2 schools on 1 campus. To say I am excited, is an understatement! On a personal level, I have been busy "helping" my husband plan a small birthday dinner for my upcoming birthday this week. I CANNOT believe I am going to turn 50! It is quite a milestone! Several friends are going to join Mike and me in celebrating several birthdays; 2 friends follow my birthday and my lovely husband's birthday is February 19, so we are going to celebrate all 4 of us at this dinner. I told my husband I wanted something very small that would be about the 4 birthdays. I have NEVER been into parties, so low-key is just perfect for me. I will start off my birthday by having a 4-day weekend, and on Friday, 1 of my oldest friends, Art, will be meeting me for breakfast in Pasadena, to celebrate his birthday, which is 2 days before mine, and my birthday. By the time February winds down, I will have celebrated my birthday all month. Lastly, I am involved in 3 Valentine's Day swaps, so that means making time to make individual valentines. Here is the 1st swap - Kara's swap. I made 3 boxes and stuffed them with beautiful Valentine's Day themed items. The 4th box is a gift for 1 of my closest friends. I stuffed a beautiful, red silk tie into it, to make it an extra special gift. The photo above really shows the details of the boxes much better than the photo below. Anyway, the 3 boxes are now on their way to Kara's house so that she may separate them and send them off their new homes. Hope the new owners enjoy them...

A new president, a new day for our country, and more importantly, and much hope that the world will be a much better place under his leadership than we have seen in the last 8 years. Here's to you, Mr. Obama!

I was 4 years old when Dr. King gave this speech. I don't remember that day. But everytime I hear this speech, it moves me to tears. Dr. King's words are words that I have tried to live by each day of my life. In 1968, when Dr. King was assassinated, I was in 3rd grade. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. April 4 is my mother's birthday and I remember we were at home spending time with the family when the news was interrupted; Dr. King had been murdered. And what I remember most about that day was me crying and feeling the pain of something I could not quite comprehend; a feeling of despair and helplessness. On the eve of Obama's inauguration, Dr. King's words resonate throughout the world, but especially in Washington D.C., where a new chapter in our nation's history will be written. What a wonderful moment it has been for all of us to be able to truly appreciate and see Dr. King's "dream" come to fruition. We are grateful to Dr. King and so many others who sacrificed their lives to the Civil Rights Movement.

Happy birthday, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.!

Camellias are in the air and blooming like wild in my yard and at the Huntington! The photo above is a shot of several camellias I picked from my garden.

The Huntington Museum has quite a show going on right now! Camellias are in bloom and the museum will be having a plant sale later on, in mid-February. This particular statue stood out with what looks like a cape made of camellias.

This next shot is quite a beauty! Notice all the pinks and reds in these camellias!

Finally, this beauty caught my attention. It looks like it was painted! What a lovely flower appears amongst the branches and leaves. In a few, short hours, my vacation will come to an end. My art will have to take a back seat to my assistant principal job. But while I was on vacation, it was a truly wonderful time.

2 more pages from my latest journal. Yesterday, I had a new experience: I went to an acupunturist with my best friend, Sergio. The acupuncturist spent about 30 minutes with me, and although some might be skeptical about this type of medicine, it really helped me in terms of some relief, regarding my bad back. It was pretty painless! After dealing with my bad back for the last 6-7 years, I am willing to try alternatives to the 2 prescriptions I take. Although I would NEVER give up being active and exercising, I have also NEVER been 1 to rely on medication as a cure-all. Well, a week from tomorrow, I have another appointment with the acupuncturist. These 2 pages speak to me taking a slower pace than the 1 I have been taking for the last 5 years...