Category Archives: Uncategorized

YeeHaa

Posted on by mariannedecher

I love “coincidences”. After my commenting on someone’s comment on someone else’s blog – did you follow all that? *grins* – word got out about my Pen Pal Project. It seems that people are, indeed, interested in HAND written correspondence. Let’s feed those starving mailboxes with cards and letters from around the world and get a bit more connected.

And again I say, “YeeHaa”.

There’s a tab in the menu bar above that will take you to an explanation of the Pen Pal Project.

Ladies and Gentlemen - start your pens!

Ladies and Gentlemen – start your pens!

The Pen Pal Project

Posted on by mariannedecher

Who under the age of 30 these days knows firsthand what a pen pal is (as in: real pen, real paper?) Modern technology is groovy, she says in her best baby boomer voice, but I miss the art of sending, and especially receiving, hand written correspondence. Nothing but bills in the mailbox gets discouraging, but a hand written card brightens the day!!

So – write to me and I will write back. If we have interesting things to chat about, perhaps we’ll keep up the correspondence. Or I’ll connect you with someone who is interested in such. I’m especially looking for anyone who is feeling alone or discouraged – but really, anyone who wants to send/receive a note qualifies. Let’s get the world a bit more personally connected!!

There are just 2 rules.

1) Write on a card, note, scroll, napkin – it doesn’t matter as long as it is HAND written (unless you require adaptive equipment). Tell me about yourself, your hobbies, your hometown, a joke – anything really. Draw a picture. The sky is the limit.

2) Keep this family friendly, G rated, don’t write anything you wouldn’t show your grandmother. If you do, your note will be immediately tossed and you will have karmic spiders crawling in your bed for a week 🙂

PASS THIS ALONG TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED! THANK YOU

Marianne Decher

16869 SW 65th Ave #475

Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Kindermusik at Home – Part 1

Posted on by mariannedecher

My fourth and final Kindermusik practicum class took place at my home today instead of at the church where we had been for 3 weeks. It was FUN and I’m sad that, for now, it’s over. I’m running into some walls trying to find a rental place from here on out. And I’m sure the city will fight me on my having a business at home. Sigh. More pix coming in the next post, but doesn’t this one just scream “Kindermusik is happening here because not all the neighbors have a penguin on their mailbox!!”?

 

 

Kindermusik practicum FUN!

Posted on by mariannedecher

The 3rd Kindermusik practicum class today was FUN, FUN, FUN!!! I love the kids, I love the grown-ups, I love the singing/dancing/playing we’re doing. I’m truly transported to a magic space, which is important to keep in mind. This Bama born and bred gal (me) ails ALOT with the Oregon gray weather. I’ve been itching to move somewhere tropical. Maybe I just need to hold Kindermusik classes ALL the time instead of heading to Florida?? 🙂

Here’s what I’d really like to do. Live in Oregon, April 1st till Dec 6th, and then live somewhere WARM from Dec 7th until March 31st. Hey, other snowbirds do it, why not? Nothing beats Oregon summers – or tropical winters 🙂

If you haven’t done so yet, check out www.kindermusik.com In the bottom left corner where it says, “Try a free preview class”, my schedule will soon be listed!

Keep singing and dancing y’all!

Leap of Faith

Posted on by mariannedecher

Today was the first day of my Kindermusik practicum. It was FUN! It was wild! It was – downright inspiring. As an empty-nester, I realized (again) how much I miss the little guys. Young children are so authentic, creative, imaginative and in the moment! I also realized how much I miss teaching. My Special Ed degree was eons ago, but I have, in one way or another, been involved in teaching/tutoring/mentoring most of my life.

The adults and kids in my practicum are so wonderful, I’d like to take them all home. That might be hard to explain to Pete when he’s back from his business trip. Talk about not leaving my work at the office! 🙂

10 pounds of materials for 30 minutes of class. That’s an average of .33 pounds per minute. (I’ve been with an engineer too long) 🙂

Now for my “Leap of Faith” story. I had a Divine Inspiration of sorts recently to offer my Kindermusik business, once it is up and running, on a donation basis in order to level the playing field in the greater Portland area. However, I’m finding that I will be swallowed up in debt so fast that this model won’t work yet. Hopefully down the road, I can offer scholarships or have a nonprofit, 501c3 portion to my business. That remains to be seen but the good intentions are definintely there!

There is also a music specialist position open at the hospital where I am already volunteering as a hallway musician for sick kids. If I didn’t need it for flute playing, I would (virtually) give my right arm to have that job, especially if it’s on a part-time basis.

Big leaps, stretching the faith portion accordingly.

 

Frog Puppet Emergency

Posted on by mariannedecher

I have had months to prepare for my Kindermusik practicum, and it finally starts tomorrow. I am SO excited. The only glitch is that I need a frog puppet (yay for last minute!)

*Red alert* All hands on deck. All frogs on deck. *Arooga, arooga* (sound of alarm).

I guess in this modern, techno age, puppets are a little hard to come by. However, I found a shop across town that has one. Now for an EFPPP – emergency frog puppet procurement procedure. Toads away, full steam ahead!

I make appearances sans The Pig!

I make appearances sans The Pig!

Your tongue would be sticking out too if you were this flat!

Your tongue would be sticking out too if you were this flat!

Late breaking update:

“The Unbelievable, Amazing Frog Puppet Adventure”

I had a doctor’s appointment in downtown Portland at 4pm. The toy store was to close at 6 pm. I had plenty of time to go fetch my Amazing Amphibian of Puppet Origins, right? Wrong! As doctors’ appointments go, I was lucky to be out of there by 5:30. I raced my incredibly directionally impaired self through the dark and stormy night streets of Portland, missed one of my planned turns, and finally found street parking at 5:50pm. I got my parking permit from the machine that is so slow I could have filed my nails and curled my hair, slapped it in the window of my car, and proceeded to RUN like a crazy child. It was now 5:54pm

One block over and five blocks down, after dodging SUVs, street cars and hidden-in-the-dark potholes, I raced into Finnegan’s Toy Store, at 5:58.5pm and panted loudly, “I NEED A FROG PUPPET”. Apparently they are used to people making such proclamations because they did not bat an eye. They found me my lovely, plush, it even sings, Ueber Frog. After purchasing it, I did the eco friendly, Portland thing and refused their paper bag. Away I went, down the streets at night, grinning widely with an oversized frog noggin hanging out of my purse. Another adventure in the name of children’s music!

I think I've outgrown this purse!

I think I’ve outgrown this purse!

Ready to sing and to delight some kids!

Ready to sing and to delight some kids!