CONNECTiONS!

"Cherish your human connections- 
your relationships with friends and family."
-Barbara Bush


"Eventually everything connects- 
people, ideas, objects. The quality of connections is the key to quality per se."
-Charles Eames

Here is a good example of CONNECTIONS...
This photo taken in my DIANE WILL DANCE STUDIO
in AVALON SHOPPING CENTRE
in July of 2002 in front of a bulletin board of
28 years of memories before closing my studio
and CONNECTING with Brenda
at BRENDA'S SCHOOL OF BATON AND DANCE
in fall of 2002. 

Here in my basement are some more CONNECTIONS
Some DANCE pics along with my DWDS sign,
and a little PUG calendar... things that all CONNECT to my life! 

One of the very many DANCE memories hanging in my basement...
From 1998 a group of my dancers in our JAZZ themed shirts
ready to
JAZZ IT UP!
(I am in the middle row in red!)
JAZZ music is a big CONNECTION in my life, too!

More life CONNECTIONS on my fridge!
My family ... random pics and quotes!!!
Hubby, kids, grandkids...
nieces, nephews cousins, friends, parents... and more...
I connect to them here every day.

My little CONNECTION CORNER of my world!
My kids on the the computer
photo of Jana and Colin from 2009.
Many CONNECTIONS...
computer, iphone,  ipod with connections to music I like,
printer, and scnanner...
polka dot mug...and Quote calendar... and photos on wall!
HOME IS WHERE YOUR STORY BEGINS!!!

Some of the many books I CONNECT to these days...
I love a good quote and or saying.
These books were given to me by good friends,
Linda and Ella! 

Another connection for me now is ANGELS
I got this little package of white hot chocolate
from a good friend I CONNECTED with on FB...
We have many ANGEL connections, too...
Thanks Arlene K! 

A photo from last summer
with my daughter, Jana and hubby Brian...
Jana did a fund raiser raising 11,000.000
for the Children's Hospital Foundation...
a proud night and wonderful connection! 

Any connections made with a starbucks in my hand are always favored!
This photo is now 2 years old... but here with my besties... LYNNE and LINDA
both in town at that time to help me ring in my FREEDOM 55.
Soon these two will be celebrating that connection as well!
(we still all look the same... I still wear the same jacket even...
another connection!) 

A card I received in the mail recently.
The picture shows one of CONNECTION.
This was hand painted by my mom's
HOME INSTEAD CARE GIVER, MURIEL.
She made such a great connection with my mom
in her final stages of life.
... and now is still staying Connected to me with her beautiful cards.

I saw this posted on FB today...
a real CONNECTION to my
"LESS is MORE" theme for 2012! 

Another connection of sorts!!!
Yesterday I CONNECTED with my TWO CLASS TWOSDAY at the gym.
I came out to my car to find that someone had CONNECTED
 a bit too close to my car when backing out of the parking lot!

Today as I head into a new month in 2012,
I got to thinking of things that have made connections in my life.

The inspiration for today's blog theme
 was from a former dance student from the
early eighties connecting
with me on Facebook.

Her connection with me
got me thinking of how so many things
in my life are so very connected
in one way or another.

I feel so grateful for the 28 years
as owner of my
DIANE WILL DANCE STUDIO.
I connected to so many people
through those years
and the many things I did
in those years helped me connect to
 who I have become today.

I would love to RECONNECT
with those people again... and although  FACEBOOK has been a good form of connections to lots of the dancers
from my past... I still hope to
RECONNECT with them all some day
in a DWDS REUNION of sorts!
Anyone who can help me to make those CONNECTIONS is greatly appreciated!

After my friend, BRENDA,
from her dance studio, BSOBAD,
and I both lost our fathers suddenly
in the year 2000...
we connected in friendship
as well as grief over the loss of our fathers.

Two years later Brenda and I
CONNECTED further by blending
our two existing dance studios together...
which created way more connections
to more fun and fabulous dancers!
I feel so lucky for that connection...
and Brenda and I are friends to this day.

Since retiring from TEACHING DANCE
in 2008 I have remained on staff at
BSOBAD... to help keep the studio CONNECTED through
 the bulletin boards there!

I am also connected by being the proud grammie of Mariah who is now
dancing there as well.
It is like a full circle of
CONNECTIONS
in the dance world!

Today I am trying to CONNECT with my
new year's resolutions for this year...
I mentioned in a few of my recent blogs
how I am on a mission to
downsize, organize, exercise... etc...
and make "LESS is MORE"
my connection to a revitalized life!

I have had many connections to the gym already. Yesterday I did my first
TWO CLASS TWOSDAY...
where I connected to a
"Body Vive " followed by a "Body Flow"
class. Unfortunately... inspite of the fact
I felt great from doing the two classes
in effort to CONNECT to my exercise plan...
I came out to the parking lot to find a
huge scratch and dent on my car...
someone made too close a connection
to my car backing out...
too bad they didn't have the courtesy to CONNECT with me by
leaving a note on my windshield.

I went for a nice coffee with my friend,
Ella, who, I am so grateful for
CONNECTING with at the gym.
She has been a very lovely friend
for me and always encourages me to
CONNECT to my passions in life.

Recently Jana reconnected with her good AUSTRALIAN
friends, Naomi and Sheryn,
who she met originally in Japan
during their contracts as performers
in Tokyo Disney.

Yesterday I got a nice little note
via FB from Naomi thanking me for
bringing Jana into the world...
because  they have become
such good friends!!!
What a nice Connection
that was all round!

I connected to 2 great friends on FB
whom I have never met in person,
but who always comment on my FB
and or blog...
Coincidently... not only are they
connected to me...
but they are to each other, too,
by having the same name... ARLENE!
I'm ever grateful for the
constant connections!

I have been thinking how so many
people can stay connected
now a days with the computer.
Between email, facebook, blogging
and many other forms of communications... CONNECTIONS have become easier!

According to my blog stats...
people are connecting to read it...
but I only see numbers...and not names!

Today I am feeling a connection
to my Auntie Jean who is celebrating
her first Birthday in Heaven.
I feel so blessed to have celebrated
her special 95th Birthday
with her in person last FEBRUARY 1st.
( you can connect to that in
last year's blog post for this date.)

You can always re connect with
any of my past blog posts
by scrolling down the right hand
side of  my blog site under archives.
THANKS to all my blog readers for CONNECTING!

Yesterday was my cousin JAN'S birthday...
she always said had she been born a day later, her name would have been FEB!
Jan is a performer in New York...
a connection for me when I ever visit there!
Happy Birthday JAN!!!

Of course I feel lucky to be
always connected to my family and friends whether near or far, and I cherish so many things about all the connections
I make along the way.
I have really only touched on
some of the many connections that have threaded my life together,
here in today's blog!

So on that note...
here is my rhyme of the day...

My life isn't perfect,
there's still more to perfect...
But I feel more connected,
with what I like to connect!
I appreciate so much more,
the things that mean the most.
I feel there are so many things
of which I'd like to toast.
I'm so happy with the things
that thread my life together,
All things I love and have done
in every kind of weather.
I know the things that bring me joy
and also happiness...
And all the people who have shared
in all my tappiness!
I have so many more connections,
than what I've shared today...
But this will give you one small peak
of connections to what I say!
I'm grateful for the many ways
to connect and communicate.
And every single connection...
I want to celebrate!