End Around #213

Let's see if this new method holds pictures in place?

Coastal KEYNOTE!

This is a first. For all of the keynotes that I've given -- from one side of the country to the other, back & forth plus up & down, this is the first 'keynote' ribbon that I have been given!!! YEAH Florida!!!! My very own name tag, complete with keynote documentation!!!! (Isn't it amazing to see what still excites me?) I'm living the dream. That's me on the very big stage just moments before the morning keynote with fellow keynote presenters, the guys from the Learning Station. Then as you go down through the pictures you find me with Lois Wachtel and then Maryann Harmon..... and then the three of us darlings together over in the 150 pod of the sprawling campus. It is my kind, supportive friends that I owe a great debt of gratitude, as Lois was the one to submit my name for consideration for the keynote for this amazing event, months and months and months ago. And I bet that Mar may have been the one to second the motion, behind the scenes. Do you remember? The three of us were together out in California at NAEYC last November..... and here we are all reunited again. When I say coast-to-coast, I kid you not! That's one of the true gifts of the road tours -- seeing dear friends and having the opportunity of reconnecting all over!! Thanks team. Thanks for your encouragement, your support and your stepping stones into the Florida sunshine. I fly further on your wings, your enthusiasm and your gracious generosity. Thank you.

Final NAEYC Shots

I'm attempting to 'finish' off these variety of shots from NAEYC, because life has marched on with several new & wonderful events since then, but I wanna be certain to get all of these pictures up before I move on. In this series, I have the Phillipines, Mexico, Nigeria and both Dayton and Columbus represented. How's that for diversity? From my various outfits captured here, it appears that at least three different days are reflected in this grouping: LOL. I had fun, a great deal of fun. A great deal of inspiration. A great deal of support. A great deal of seed planting. A great deal of opportunities on the horizon. A great deal of gratitude to my official sponsors at Zaner-Bloser. A great deal of thanks to my unofficial sponsors ZB's parent company at Highlights. A great deal of thanks to both Lois and Deborah for allowing me to share their moments in the spotlight. A great deal of thanks to Zak for his energy and enthusiasm in our own workshop. A great deal of thanks to Connie for getting me on the agenda to begin with. A great deal of anticipation to Redleaf for the project that's hatching as I type. A great deal of thanks to Mar for introducing me to new Floridians. A great appreciation for the hugs of fellow presenters, Mary Jo, Dr. Thomas and Lisa Ooey-Gooey in the elevator. And finally, a great deal of thanks to NAEYC for pulling it all together. Until next year!!!!

[WHEW!!!! A new personal blogging high-light. I just linked to an even DOZEN brilliant links -- into a bigger & brighter day for children..... thru the efforts of these individuals and their companies!! Not too very long ago, I didn't even know how to post a hot link. LOL. Look at me now!!]

Second Sat Spotlight Share

Now rewind. Back to Sat morning. Have you been keeping track of how many people I owe a great deal of gratitude? Here's the story of yet another. In the first picture are two Deborah Jo's. We also met for the first time last year at DC-NAEYC. We were carried away with the concept of our sharing the same name. We're both from Indiana originally. Deborah Stewart is dazzling in so many arenas. She's a sweetheart for sure. She's beautiful. She brilliant. She hosts an amazing blog/fanpage/website combo that brings together THOUSANDS of early childhood professionals in her conquest to share ideas from around the world, making the life of the teacher easier/broader and happier/brighter..... all while improving the lives of the children they serve.

She happened by the ZB booth Sat morning and realized that somehow she'd 'missed' the release of my second picture book last year. There were still a couple copies of "Tall Giraffe" on the table and so we proceeded to sing it together. (The woman's got serious groove.) She took a copy home to her Hoosier peeps. I mentioned that I was planning to treat myself to attend her workshop presentation late in the afternoon, as the exhibit hall would be closed by then. She giggled graciously that she would be intimidated if I were in the audience. We laughed together.

The exhibit hall closed. I got all of my gear back over to my Hilton campground. I picked up a few of my remaining fliers and went in search of her presentation. She drew the last slot of the last day. I was going in an effort to offer 'support'...... concerned about how many participants would be staying to the bitter end. I arrived to the over sized, extra large room, to find that there were no available chairs and very little remaining floor space either. LOL. No need for concern. LOL She had them captivated.

I was enjoying Deborah's never ending supply of warm hearted, child friendly rhymes and songs along with everyone else. She then suddenly said, "We have a celebrity in our midst" beckoning me to her stage. I was truly flabbergasted. Leaping from the back corner's floor space where I was squatting, Deborah says, "Let's sing your Tall Giraffe." Could have blown me over with a feather.

Acapella. (Never done that once in my life before, let alone in front of hundreds of people...............)

I say I wish I had the book to show...... and up pops Rebecca (who I'd just met at Lois workshop in the morning) with a copy of my book. Then I look to my right and Sheila from Utah is sitting there & I happen to know that 'TG' is her personal fave. So they each come up on stage to offer assistance. We end up with a quartet, outta the clear blue.

Acapella. It works. Rebecca is fluent in sign language. It works.

From there I am thronged with people who want the book. I tell them that I have 3 remaining copies but they're in my hotel room & three of the participants walk me back to my Hilton campground to purchase those last 3 copies. Wow. Writing this out 10 days later still makes my head spin. Lois, Mar, Deborah all in the space of less than 24 hours. Kindness, consideration, inclusion, support. I've always known that I LOVE the children that we work with, but if truth be told, I also love my professional peers. This week I've had orders for Tall Giraffe from Wyoming, California and New Hapshire to name just a few. Thanks team!!

Famous Florida Friends

Saturday. NAEYC. Whew the big home-stretch. These pictures are of my brilliant 'new' Florida friends. Where do I begin to tell you about their acts of kindness?? First of all let me start with the first picture. That's me with Lois Wachtel of Creative Beginning Steps: the mastermind...... the marvel. I went running through the exhibit hall in order to get this picture accomplished. (How serendipitous that we were captured under the Redleaf banner?) Last year at NAEYC DC I met Lois in the midst of the crowded exhibit hall and we instantly 'bonded.' In the year since our spontaneous initial hug-fest, we have come to know each other -- thru thick & thin. She has gradually been getting introduced to my work & I to hers.

This year, we planned ahead and sculpted our crazy calendars to have some quality time together. Here's the amazing part of the story. Lois invited me up on 'her' stage on Saturday morning to share my song/book "You're Wonderful" with her packed house audience. How incredible. She was speaking to the subject of squishable, open-ended art. (Just one of her gazillion favorite topics.) She used the text of my song to address the doubts that every child/artist encounters in the course of their creativity. (How insightful was that concept? Wow, Lois!) It is a unique person who is willing to share their spotlight. Lois is a rarity.

Then in the second picture you must fast-forward to the end of the day. That's the two of us joined by the ever talented Mar Harmen of "Music by Mar" fame, also of Florida and long time Lois fan. We were gathered together for an entertaining meal, but absolutely sublime conversation. Mar was thoughtful enough to invite me to the FL AEYC round-table (the night before) and introduce me to the movers & shakers from the sunshine state. Another genuinely kind act, insightful & strategic all wrapped into one.

Just imagine the conversation -- the three of us talking non-stop, hugging intermittently, laughing continuously..... causing just a bit of an uproar in front of Bubba-Gumps, when we encountered Lois' fanclub from Canada that had been given a glimmer of insight into me. There's nothing quite like walking down Anaheim row and being flocked by enthusiastic, international early childhood educators at the end of a l-e-n-g-t-h-y conference. Recharges the battery, on the spot giving enough juice for me & Mar to begin a marathon conversation over fondue, comparing notes on our first lives: sigh...

Next year is Orlando. Can you imagine? Florida with these powerhouses? Oh, that I might ride on their coat tails just a little further. Better than a magic carpet ride. Mark your calendars now.