Friends:

I am so excited because I can blog again! My blog had been down since April and it took some major tearing apart and a little bit of genius (Thanks, Heidi!) to get it back up and running again.

So much has happened in the past few months. I will post a few pictures of my summer travels, summarizing my travels in a couple of “catch-up” posts.

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

Due to my insanely busy schedule, I have not had a chance to blog! So here I am catching up!

On Sunday, April 13, 2008, my family and I went to the French Quarter Festival. This year, there were over 400,000 people in attendance, a record-breaker! Here is a picture of the St. Louis Cathedral from the Algiers Ferry, which we rode to cross the Mississippi River to New Orleans from the West Bank.

Here is a picture of Aquarium of the Americas from the ferry.

Boy, was the quarter crowded! Check this out…

Soleil brought two of her friends, Nea and Sierra, to the fest. Here is a picture of them grubbing on that wonderful food at the fest. Nea is on the left, Sierra in the middle, and Soleil on the right.

We met my mom, stepdad, brother and his four children at the festival. Here’s a picture of my brother enjoying a moment in the shade on a folding chair.

Check out my mom, Josie, partying to the soulful rhythms of a jazz band. You go, Mom!

The food at the French Quarter Festival was phenomenal. My favorite was the prime rib sandwich on a pistolette from the Rib Room. Talk about awesome! The kids enjoyed a concert by Johnette Downing, internationally acclaimed and award-winning children’s musician (who also happens to be my best friend). Johnette has such a way with kids. They were singing, clapping, dancing and having a grand time! We had a fantastic time partying to Johnette’s music. Here is a picture of Eliana and my niece, Jasmynn, holding cards to illustrate Johnette’s song, “Today is Monday in Louisiana.” Eliana is in pink and Jasmynn is in green.

Johnette had me lead the second line parade for her final song, “Second Line.” So much fun!

Here is a picture of my two beautiful girls, Eliana (7) and Soleil (17). Are they cuties?!! Of course, I may be a little biased… LOL

It was a gorgeous day with weather in the 70s with blue skies. Soleil, who is so fair, got a little strawberry coloring. This is one of my favorite pictures - it’s of the Natchez, a paddle wheel boat on the Mississippi River. So New Orleans!

If you’re thinking about visiting New Orleans, you should. It’s a wonderful city with rich culture, friendly people, and fabulous food. Check out the pretty architecture in Algiers Point. I love the houses - they look like little story book cottages.

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll! Come to New Orleans, mes amis, and pass a good time!

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

Today was a fabulous day of R&R at the beach. My client, Tina, her sister, and children picked me up from the hotel and took me to Ritidian beach. The sky was heavy with dark ominous clouds and we wondered about our planned picnic… When we arrived, Evelyn, her husband, Will, Tina’s brother, and Evelyn’s children were already there. They set up a tent with tables and chairs in a beautiful wooded area just yards from the water. Meat roasted on the barbecue.  The table was set with lots of delicious food including red rice (a native specialty), Chamorro spicy sausage, and a chocolate cake topped with strawberries. Later, Cyndy Pruski and her family joined us. It was a beach blast!  Here is a picture of some of the gang in our picnic pavillion.

Our wooded alcove was the home to hundreds of beautiful butterflies. They clustered on the local trees, like bunches of jeweled grapes. This picture actually shows some of the iridescent blue on their wings.

Indeed, it did rain but on and off, and not for very long. The water at the beach was, at first, rough and choppy, but it calmed down when the sun emerged. The water is so clear and gorgeous. The sand is made of tiny bits of shell and coral - it’s not hot at all. Here is a picture of me playing with the children in the paradise waters. We splashed in lots of “swell swells!”

It was a a ton of fun! The beach is located on a nature preserve. Twice, we saw monitor lizards cross our path! They are huge! They are attracted to meat and we had barbecued steak and sausages. I guess the aroma enticed them. My friends told me not to get too close. They said, “These lizards like meat and you are meat.”  It was said it half in jest and half seriously. I took their warning seriously. Yeah, I definitely don’t want to become some lizard’s lunch! LOL

After our splendid day at Ritidian beach, we headed back to my hotel. Tina and I had plans to go see a Polynesian revue. I used the few hours I had to swim some more in Tumon Bay, the beach right in front of my hotel, pack all my bags to prepare for my Philippines trip, and do a bit of work. This is the stunning  sunset I captured from my balcony.

Tina picked me up at 8:30 pm and we headed to Jimmy Dee’s, a casual beach bar. There was a reggae band playing when we arrived and everyone was dressed in shorts and flip flops. Tina and I were dressed up. It wasn’t what we expected. I wanted a full, formal Polynesian dinner and show. My hotel had one but Jimmy Dee’s was recommended us to by a friend so we headed there instead. Jimmy Dee’s didn’t serve food so we decided to grab a bite. Tina took me to Sam Choy’s, featuring a fusion of Hawaiian, Chamorro, Asian, American foods. It was delicious. I had a Kobe beef burger - so tender. Tina had the Chamorro puu puu (appetizer) platter with fish kelaguen, dried pork and dried beef, titiyas (Chamorro tortillas), and a special spicy finedeni sauce made with coconut milk  instead of soy sauce.

It was a fabulous day although I am nursing a sunburn on my shoulders and back (yes, I put SPF 45!!!  and still burned!). Guam has been a delight. I can’t wait to return.  I leave for the Philippines tonight (Monday, March 10, 2008) at 7pm. The flight to the Philippines is only about an hour and forty minutes.

Thank you, Tina, Evelyn, Cyndy (and your families), the IRA Guam Council, teachers, students, and people of Guam. I love you! I felt so special because I was treated better than a guest - I was welcomed like family. Guam is a truly special place - please visit! I promise you - you will love every minute of it. Just eat like the locals, soak in the sunshine, and bask in the splendor of Guam’s beauty (both its land and its people).

Farewell, Guam. I will miss you and can’t wait to return!!

Warmly, Dianne

P.S.  Eliana and Soleil — love from Mom in Guam! XOXOXO

Friends:

The above picture is the morning view from my ocean front room at the Fiesta Resort Hotel. Wow!

My day began with Cyndy Pruski picking me up (she’s with the Guam Reading Council) to head to Finegayan Elementary School in the northern part of Guam. Again, there was a warm welcome. The school made a beautiful sign for me, based on the artwork of my “Jambalaya” CD, presented me with a HUGE gift basket, and placed a gorgeous Kukui nut lei around my neck.

I performed my “Jump, Jiggle & Jam” show and it was a hit. The audience was fabulous as were the teachers and staff. They also prepared a small “merienda” (snack) for me following the show.

This is a picture after the hugs from the Finegayan students. So sweet!

After Finegayan, Cyndy took me to Truman Elementary in the south of Guam. I learned so much about the Chamorro culture from Cyndy, who served as my impromptu tour guide, as well as from the Chamorro displays at the schools.

The teachers at Truman prepared a tasty fiesta for me. I even tried a Chamorro specialty - chicken keliguin, a spicy type of chicken salad. Mmmmmm!

After the fiesta, Evelyn, one of my other hosts, had a special Chamorro storytelling presentation performed for me by her second grade students (performed in the Chamorro language). It was delightful. On my way to the auditorium, where I was to perform, I was serenaded with a ukelele by a fifth grade boy named Anthony. What an honor!

I performed to a packed house!

After my performances, I did a little shopping (Thanks, Cyndy!). Then I headed back to my hotel for a little R&R on the beach. Breathtaking!

I ended the day with an interview with Sonya Artero, a local newscaster on one of the TV stations in Guam. She was a complete delight. We just clicked and hit it off. Then I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant with Tina Buendicho and her 13 year old daughter, Edriana.

The people of Guam are so warm and friendly. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Until then,

Warmly, Dianne

P.S. Love to Antonio, Soleil & Eliana!

Friends:

The first part of my travel day did not fare well. Going through airport security in New Orleans, TSA lost my blue tooth earpiece. It went into the little blue bowl and into the x-ray machine. The blue bowl came out empty. Needless to say, I was a little upset. I will have to file a claim with TSA. Still, I couldn’t let that incident taint the rest of my day.

I flew from New Orleans to Houston International Airport, where I then boarded a plane to Tokyo (Narita). It was a looooooong flight - 14 hours (plus the hour from New Orleans to Houston)! Here is a picture from my window over the wing of the Boeing 767 overlooking the beautiful snow-capped mountains in Washington (just past Spokane).

I sat next to Irene, a lovely woman from Guam. She and I were on two flights together - Tokyo and Guam. This is a picture of Japan, just as we were arriving…

When I arrived in Tokyo, I had to go through customs and security again to continue my transit to Guam. Fortunately, I had a 2 hour layover. I ate at a noodle restaurant near my gate and met some Japanese “tomodachi” (friends). I didn’t speak much Japanese and they didn’t speak much English but we communicated and they were a delight - Reiko, Keiko and Eikeishi (sp?). We bonded over udon (Japanese noodles) and umesyu (plum wine - talking about it, not drinking it). LOL See, language doesn’t have to be a barrier. They were on their way to Brazil for vacation.

After another four hour flight to Guam, I finally arrived at nearly 10:00 pm on Thursday, March 6. My clients from the Guam Reading Association greeted me so warmly. Pictured from left to right: Tina Buendicho, Cyndi Pruski, me, and Evelyn Topasna. They welcomed me with a gorgeous handmade banner of woven grass and tropical fabric, and two fragrant Plumeria leis.

“Hafa Adai” means “Hello” or “Welcome” in Chamorro, the culture of Guam, much like “Aloha” is used in Hawaii. I was so moved by their warm welcome. Cyndy’s daughter and son-in-law also came in on the same flight from Houston! Unfortunately, our paths never crossed. Cyndy left with her family while Tina and Evelyn escorted me to my hotel, The Fiesta Resort. I have a lovely room with a view of a tropical palm grove and the ocean! You can hear the waves dancing on the shore from my balcony.

The room is very “Zen”, a few well-placed furniture pieces with clean lines. I love it. Here is a picture of my welcome gifts - Plumeria flowers, the 2 Plumeria leis, and a bag of goodies from Guam. (Thanks, Tina!)

Tina, a first grade teacher, and Evelyn, a second grade teacher, stayed for a while and we talked about our passion - connecting children with stories through storytelling and reading. They are remarkable women. We all connected from the moment we met. I can tell I am going to enjoy my visit here. We’re already talking about a return visit.

Tomorrow is a big day. I have presentations at two schools including a cultural dance presentation for me by the students and a lunch fiesta. It’s going to be so much fun! I can’t wait! After nearly 24 hours of travel, the shower and the bed beckon…

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

P.S. I love and miss you already, Antonio, Soleil & Eliana! XOXOXO!

Friends:

I am ecstatic to make this announcement: Soleil, my 17 year old daughter, received a $72,000 scholarship offer from Loyola University in New Orleans!

The letter said, in part: “I am very pleased to inform you of your selection as a Loyola University New Orleans Scholar. As a Loyola Scholar, you will receive a merit award of $18,000 renewable upon review of your academic standing at the end of each Spring semester for up to four years and a total of $72,000. Only a small number of entering students receive this highly competitive scholarship each year, which is awarded for excellent academic performance and a record of service to school and community.”

Needless to say, Antonio and I are absolutely thrilled!! In addition, Soleil was also accepted to Savannah College of Art and Design, one of her dream art schools. She was also invited to return to Girl State Louisiana as a counselor.

We are so proud of Soleil! We love you, Soleil!

Warmly, Dianne

ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED! PART 2 - THE ENTRY WAY
By Dianne de Las Casas

The Entry Way
This is the first point of entry for the entire family. Organizing this area is vital, especially if you have kids, where shoes are kicked off, coats are dumped, and backpacks are plopped on the floor. It’s easy to organize the entry way, especially if you “zone” everything.

If you have a large entryway, consider investing in a “mud room” storage unit. It is equipped with individual cubbies (for hats, gloves, scarves, etc.), a drawer for shoes, hooks for coats, and a bench for purses and backpacks. Target carries them (lower end) as does Crate and Barrel (higher end).

If you have a small entry way, like me, maximize the space with individual organization tools. Train the kids to bring their backpacks to their rooms.

Hooks – Install hooks for coats and purses (coat racks are bulky and take up too much space – they also tend to “collect” items much like the treadmill in the bedroom ends up being a clothes hanger).

Entry Way Table – Find an entry way table that fits your wall space. Use labeled bins and baskets to collect keys, cell phones, scarves, gloves, hats, etc.)

Umbrella Stand – A large vase works well as an umbrella stand, tucked away in a corner.

Sorting Bins - Provide a bin or basket to collect mail. Sort through the mail and junk the junk immediately. Bills should go in the bill paying area right away. Magazines can be distributed to the bedside or in the designated magazine area.

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

Friends:

What a busy week it’s been. There is always so much going on! In addition to completing revisions and updates to The Story Biz Handbook: Managing Your Storytelling Career from the Desk to the Stage, I have been working on updates to my website (check out the front page). I have also been working on new story theater scripts for a residency I am doing in February. This is what my desk looks like when I am doing story research…

Sticky notes on pages, notes in a notebook, not to mention the research on the Internet…

I am working with a school in my local area doing a “Louisiana Story Fest” residency. It’s based on the story theater methods from my book, Story Fest: Crafting Story Theater Scripts. It will be so much fun working with the third, fourth, and fifth graders at this school. Each class will be performing one of my story theater scripts, all based on Louisiana folktales. The residency will culminate in peer group performances (the classes in each grade will perform for each other - a third grade class performs for the other third grade classes, etc.).

Louisiana stories I worked on include: “Take Care of my Cabbage” (a cumulative story much like”The Old Woman and Her Pig”), “Elephant and Snake (a story with a Compair Lapin [Louisiana's equivalent of Brer Rabbit] cameo), “Jean Sotte” (A “Foolish John” story), “La Petite Fourmi” (”The Little Ant” - another cumulative tale like “The Mouse’s Wedding” or “The Stonecutter”), “Petit Pouce and His Dogs” (a Louisiana version of “Wiley and the Hairy Man”), and Poucette (A “Tom Thumb” tale that is reminiscent of both “Hansel and Gretel” and “Jack and the Beanstalk”). In addition, the students will also be performing “Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby,” which is in Story Fest.

It was so much fun working on these stories. Once I started writing, I was on a roll. I finished them all in one night! Whew! In another blog, I’ll post one of the finished tales. Now, on to the next project on my million-mile long to do list!

Happy Tales to You!

Warmly, Dianne