tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83045774796599872732024-03-10T20:20:16.179-07:00Melanie RayeMelanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-71585478798520044572018-05-11T03:49:00.001-07:002018-05-11T03:55:15.545-07:00Why The Song "Defying Gravity" Means So Much To Me...Hello dear friends!<br />
<br />
I have been wanting to write this particular blog post for a while, but life kept getting in the way.<br />
<br />
Anyway, by now, most of you who know me will know that "Defying Gravity" (originally from the Broadway musical "Wicked") is pretty much my favourite song ever. <br />
But what most of you don't know is why this song holds so much significance for me. So I decided to use this blog post to really break it down for y'all :)<br />
<br />
But first, here is the YouTube link to Idina Menzel's latest beautiful version of this song:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LG5i4K5mzU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LG5i4K5mzU</a><br />
<br />
Anyway, on to the exegesis!<br />
<br />
<i><b>Something has changed within me, something is not the same</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come!"- 2 Corinthians 5:17<br />
<br />
<i><b>I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ"- Galatians 1:10<br />
<br />
<i><b>Too late for second guessing, too late to go back to sleep</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, but let us be awake and self-controlled" - 1 Thessalonians 5:5-7<br />
<br />
<i><b>It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap</b></i><br />
When I think of this line, it makes me think about taking a leap of faith, and that leads me to remember Hebrews 11:1- "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for, and assurance in that which we do not see".<br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>It's time to try defying gravity</b></i><br />
<b><i>I think I'll try defying gravity</i></b><br />
<b><i>Kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity</i></b><br />
<b><i>And you won't bring me down</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
This whole chorus speaks to me about attempting to do the impossible: "defying gravity". And I am reminded that "All things are possible with God" - Matthew 19.26<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>I'm through accepting limits, coz someone says they're so</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"- Philippians 4:13<br />
<br />
<b><i>Some things I cannot change, but till I try I'll never know</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
This line reminds me of the Serenity Prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference".<br />
<br />
<b><i>Too long I've been afraid of losing love I guess I've lost</i></b><br />
<b><i>Well if that's love, it comes at much too high a cost!</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
Funnily enough, this phrase reminds me of a Dr. Seuss quote that I love: "Be who you are, and say what you feel, coz those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind".<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Unlimited, together we're unlimited,</i></b><br />
<b><i>Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been<br />Dreams the way we planned 'em<br />If we work in tandem, there's no fight we cannot win</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
This verse speaks to me of the incredible, overcoming power of friendship. It reminds me of the verse "By yourself you're unprotected, with a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped". (Ecclesiastes 4:12, The Message)<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Unlimited, my future is unlimited<br />And I just had a vision, almost like a prophecy</i></b><br />
<b><i>I know, it sounds truly crazy<br />And true, the vision's hazy<br />But I swear someday I'll be...<br />Flying so high, defying gravity</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
This verse speaks to me about having hope for the future, which of course leads me to Jeremiah 29:11: "'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future'."<br />
<br />
It also brings to mind Proverbs 31:25- "She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come".<br />
<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>So if you care to find me, look to the Western sky<br />As someone told me lately, everyone deserves the chance to fly</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
I equate flying with a sense of freedom, so this phrase calls to mind the verse "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" - Galatians 5:1.<br />
<br />
<b><i>And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
This is a line that I really held on to after my last relationship broke up. It gave me the strength to recognise that the relationship was unhealthy, and that I was actually much better off single (<u>single</u>, NOT "alone"), than staying with him. <br />
<br />
And since my heart has healed, this line has been a celebration of my singleness- enjoying this season of my life, and chasing all my little bucket-list dreams. For example: travelling to Austria, attending innumerable theatre shows, and meeting a few of my favourite YouTubers.<br />
<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">To those who'd ground me, take a message back from me...</i><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Tell them how I am defying gravity.</i><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i>
And finally, this phrase speaks to me of the power of my testimony- the belief that my story will be an inspiration to others. And of course, the relevant Bible verse here would have to be "They have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony"- Revelation 12:11.<br />
<br />
So there you have it!<br />
Thanks for reading, friends xx<br />
Love<br />
Melanie Raye.<br />
<br />Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-1273269538911603992017-04-27T23:35:00.036-07:002024-03-09T18:55:40.736-08:00All the Musicals I have seen liveHi friends!<br />
This blog post is going to be an active document, so that every time I see another musical, I will add it to this list.<br /><br />
So here are all the musicals that I have seen live, so far:<br />
<br />
1. Oliver (twice)<br />
2. Mamma Mia (four times)<br />
3. Sweet Charity<br />
4. Stomp<br />
5. High Society<div>6. Godspell (twice) <br />
7. Grease<br />
8. Spam-a-lot<br />
9. The King and I<br />
10.The Sound of Music (three times)<br />
11. Oklahoma (twice)<br />
12.The Secret Garden<br />
13. Dirty Dancing<br />
14. Mary Poppins<br />
15. Aladdin (twice)<br />
16. Beauty and the Beast (twice)<br />
17. Peter Pan<br />
18. Wicked (six times)<br />
19. My Fair Lady<br />
20. West Side Story<br />
21. Bonnie and Clyde<br />
22. Les Miserables (twice)<br />
23. High School Musical<br />
24. The Little Mermaid<br />
25. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (twice)<br />
26. Sister Act<br />
27. Frozen<br />
28. The Wizard of Oz<br />
29. Jesus Christ Superstar (twice)<br />
30. The Phantom of the Opera (6 times)<br />
31. Annie (twice)<br />
32. Into the Woods (twice)<br />
33. Alice in Wonderland<br />
34. Fiddler on the Roof<br />
35. Miss Saigon<br />
36.The Color Purple<br />
37. Ragtime (twice)<br />
38. Cats<br />
39. Fame<br />
40. Nunsense<br />
41. Chicago<br />
42. Rent<br />
43. The Wiz<br />
44. The Aristocats<br />
45. Big Fish<br />
46. Evita<br />
47. School of Rock the Musical<br />
48. Shrek the Musical<br />
49. 42nd Street<br />
50. The Last 5 Years<br />
51. Muriel's Wedding the Musical<br />
52. Hair<br />
53. Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (thrice)<br />
54.Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella<br />
55. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying<br />
56. Spring Awakening<br />
57. Crazy for You<br />
58. Once<br />
59. Legally Blonde the Musical (thrice)<br />
60. Company<br />
61. Seussical the Musical<br />
62. Shakespeare in Love<br />
63. The Lion King (twice)<br />
64. We Will Rock You<br />
65. Catch Me If You Can the Musical (twice)<br />
66. Avenue Q<br />
67. Whistle Down The Wind<br />
68. State Highway 48<br />
69. Little Shop of Horrors<br />
70. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<div>71. Hairspray </div><div>72. Jersey Boys</div><div>73. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum</div><div>74. Priscilla Queen of the Desert </div><div>75. Sweeney Todd</div><div>76. That Bloody Woman</div><div>77. Chess</div><div>78. You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown</div><div>79. Camp Rock the stage musical </div><div>80. Hello, Dolly!</div><div>81. Tick Tick Boom!</div><div>82. The Addams Family The Musical</div><div>83. Heathers</div><div>84. The Boy From Oz</div><div>85. 13 The Musical</div><div>86. & Juliet</div><div>87. Be More Chill</div><div>88. Kinky Boots </div><div>89. Hamilton</div><div>90. Twisted</div><div>91. A Chorus Line </div><div>92. Ghost the Musical (twice)</div><div>93. Stepping Out</div><div>94. Matilda the Musical</div><div>95. Gypsy</div><div>96. The Music Man</div><div>97. Ruthless</div><div>98. All Shook Up</div><div>99. Footloose the Musical (twice)</div><div>
100. Disco Inferno</div><div>101. Moulin Rouge the Musical</div><div>102. Some Enchanted Evening </div><div>103. Next to Normal</div><div><br />
Musicals are AWESOME, y'all :)<br />
Bless<br />
Melanie Raye.</div></div>Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-64262927156234200902016-11-18T00:47:00.005-08:002016-11-18T00:47:59.073-08:00I need to respond to this.<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Hello, dear readers!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I saw this today, and I want..no, I NEED to respond.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHWqoo2MHhi7aRCE23-SNTNycbVGIuMK0sV_CLqQfbNKr0REpS-70NtFbJx3s2T8J-nGZOxKs_WFKVWFd_lCr-NCRtiNSHFjkuHn-sRC3apfG9bsEuYNG3iRjpuNHBSJ_x5arJ6eEi4-Q/s1600/15094442_1807465116202963_6646795304846058297_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHWqoo2MHhi7aRCE23-SNTNycbVGIuMK0sV_CLqQfbNKr0REpS-70NtFbJx3s2T8J-nGZOxKs_WFKVWFd_lCr-NCRtiNSHFjkuHn-sRC3apfG9bsEuYNG3iRjpuNHBSJ_x5arJ6eEi4-Q/s320/15094442_1807465116202963_6646795304846058297_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There is a story in the Bible, in Mark chapter 2, where Jesus was inside a house, preaching and healing people, and quite a crowd had gathered. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />There was a man in the neighborhood who could not walk, so 3 of his friends took him to see Jesus. But when they got there, they could not get through the door! So they literally broke a hole in the roof and lowered the man down through it, right at the feet of Jesus. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />And how did Jesus respond?</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Did he say "You twats, use the freaking door like a normal person"? <br />No, no He did not. Instead, He met the man's needs, and said " Your sins are forgiven, now pick up your mat and walk".</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />Philippians 2:5 tells us that our "attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus".</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />There is another Bible story, a parable that Jesus told (in Luke 10:25-37) that talks of a man who was attacked by robbers, and left to die.</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A priest and a Levite both walked past, but ignored the man and crossed over on the other side. Now, from a purely legal standpoint, they had done nothing wrong by reacting this way. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But then a Samaritan walked by- a man from another culture, potentially even an enemy of the injured man, with no legal or cultural obligations to the injured man at all. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But the Samaritan stopped, tended the man's wounds, placed the man on his own donkey, and took the man to an inn where he could be taken care of, and the Samaritan even footed the bill himself.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jesus finished his story, and asked his audience "Who acted more like a neighbour to the injured man?" </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To which someone replied "The one who had mercy on him".</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />I will leave you with Jesus' response:<br />"Now go and do likewise".</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Love,</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Melanie Raye.</span>Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-29849748512170395922016-11-13T21:07:00.001-08:002016-11-13T21:17:02.947-08:00It's Time I Spoke Up.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello dearest readers <3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before I begin, I want to say that I know a lot of you are currently feeling a lot of feelings about the presidential election. Please trust my heart when I say that I have no intention of adding to your pain and confusion by discussing my thoughts and feelings here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With that said, I know that I need to make this post today, and I will tell you why.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yesterday, I was in church, just like basically every Sunday morning. The preacher was nearing the end of his message, when he somehow randomly segwayed into talking about the presidential election. And then, he said it. "I think we could even call Donald Trump's election as president to be a miracle". A few people in the congregation cheered and clapped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But me? I just made myself as small in my seat as I could, and all I could manage was a quiet, desperate whisper: "no...no...".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You see, I was not prepared in that moment to share my thoughts. Neither do I think it would have necessarily been the right moment or the right platform in which to voice my opinion. It's not my pulpit, after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But for the last 24 hours, I have felt sick to my stomach. I believe that the standard I walk past is the standard I accept, and I know that evil prevails when good men do nothing (Edmund Burke). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Therefore, it is time that I spoke up. I cannot be silent anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hope you will believe that "my words come from an upright heart. My lips sincerely speak what I know" (Job 33:3).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have unfortunately seen some people speaking in such a way that it appears that they believe that Donald Trump is a good voice to have in authority, from a Christian perspective. So, in response to this, I am going to make some comparisons between what the Bible says and what Trump says, since the Bible implores us to "test everything, and hold on to what is good" (1st Thessalonians 5:21).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, some of you are probably saying "But what about Hillary?" Trust me, if she were the one in power, I could easily complete this same exercise with her. (Psalm 139, anyone?) But she has not just been elected POTUS, so she is not my concern right now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So here goes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bible says:</b> The love of money is the root of all evil. (1st Timothy 6:10).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Trump says:</b> Money money money money, MONEY! (The Apprentice Theme Song).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bible says:</b> Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is sufficient for building others up, according to their needs, so that it benefits everyone who is listening. (Ephesians 4:29).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Trump says:</b> "It was just locker room talk".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bible says:</b> <span style="background-color: white;">The </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white;"> detests differing weights, and </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">dishonest </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">scales</span><span style="background-color: white;"> do not please him. (Proverbs 20:23).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Trump: </b>brags about tax evasion. (And even though there is the question of whether his dealings were "legal" or not, that is a different issue from whether or not it was morally right).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bible says: </b>I was a stranger, and you invited me in. (Matthew 25:35).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Trump says: </b>Let's send all the illegal immigrants back to where they came from. Let's build a wall between us and Mexico. Oh, and they have to pay for it, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And for those of you who might get stuck on the train of "it's just the illegal immigrants he wants to get rid of", remember: Jesus was basically an illegal immigrant too, when he and his parents escaped to Egypt as a young child. Also, remember, "Whatever you do to the least of these, my children, you also do to me" (Matthew 25:40). Right now, I would say that the "least of these" is anyone that has felt threatened or marginalised by Trump and his supporters.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bible says: </b><span class="text John-19-26" id="en-NIV-26852" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">When Jesus saw his mother <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26852D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26852D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>there, and the disciple whom he loved<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26852E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26852E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> standing nearby, he said to her, <span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">“Woman, here is your son,”</span></span><span class="text John-19-27" id="en-NIV-26853" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>and to the disciple, <span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">“Here is your mother.”</span> From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27). <br />This passage shows that Jesus respected women, and ensured that they would be cared for.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text John-19-27" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trump says: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/18-real-things-donald-trump-has-said-about-women_us_55d356a8e4b07addcb442023" target="_blank">I'll just let you look this one up yourselves...</a></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bible says: </b>T</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he worker deserves his wages (1 Timothy 5:18).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Trump says: </b>I want all the jobs to go to American workers. <br />(That doesn't really give workers of other nationalities a fair chance to earn their wages, does it?)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So there you have it. <br />In my eyes, Trump does not align with the same values that the Bible professes, so therefore I do not endorse him. <br />Now, can I get him kicked out of the White House? Probably not. Am I going to go and act violently towards his supporters? No, I am not. <br />But neither do I choose to condone his actions or look at him through rose-tinted lenses. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, I want to say, to all of you who are feeling marginalised by Trump and his followers right now: I see you. I stand with you. You DO matter. And there is a God in heaven who loves you. <br />Keep fighting, coz it can't rain forever. The sun has to come out sometime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bless</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Melanie Raye.</span>Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-76588790921079509902016-08-15T05:01:00.003-07:002024-01-15T21:14:21.493-08:00These are a few of my favourite things...(or, you know, 30 of them...) :)<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">Hello friends! Thought it was time I did another one of these :) Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">1. My favourite animal is kittens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">2. My
favourite restaurant is Genghis Khan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">3. My
favourite food is spaghetti bolognese.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">4. My
favourite drink is vanilla coke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">5. My favourite
movie of all time is The Sound of Music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">6. My
favourite books are Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">7. My
favourite colour is navy blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">8. My
favourite composer is Ludovico Einaudi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">9. My favourite Broadway musical is Wicked.</span><br />
<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">10. My favourite song is Defying Gravity (from the aforementioned Wicked).</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">11. My
favourite scents are sweet pea and jasmine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">12. My favourite band is ABBA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;"> 13.
My favourite item of clothing is my blue dress with the gold stars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">14. My favourite dessert is soy chocolate mousse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">15. My favourite singer is Idina Menzel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">16. My favourite season is autumn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">17. My favourite TV show currently is Grey's Anatomy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">18. My favourite TV show of all time is
Full House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">19. My favourite actor is Hugh Laurie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">20. My favourite actress is Julie Andrews.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">21. My favourite Disney princess is Belle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">22. My favourite fruit is mandarins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">23. My favourite vegetable is corn on the cob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">24. My favourite board game is Articulate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">25. My favourite pastime is seeing live theatre shows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">26. My favourite form of exercise is doing
ballet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">27. My favourite number is four.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">28. My favourite cookie is peanut butter choc chip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">29. My favourite nickname that people call
me is “Mellie-bean”.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">30. My favourite place that I have traveled to is Salzburg, Austria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">Love,</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 12.95pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9pt;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;">Melanie Raye.</span></div>
Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-53111902378030339952016-07-06T18:20:00.001-07:002016-07-06T18:20:06.699-07:00Creativity UnleashedHello readers!<br />
Part of my centre's philosophy relates to encouraging creativity in the children and providing a stimulating environment for them, so today I would like to share with you about a few of the great creative experiences that I have been doing with the two year olds in my classroom.<br />
<br />
I love inspiring children to use everyday objects in interesting ways to create art. This innovative approach to using resources relates to the Tataiako competency of Wananga (Communication, Problem Solving, and Innovation).<br />
<br />
It also links to one of the Te Whaariki learning outcomes in Communication Goal 4, which says "Children develop skill and confidence with the processes of art and craft".<br />
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The first experience we did was cotton reel painting. I selected several different shaped cotton reels that produced different patterns. As the children stamped the cotton reels onto the paper, some of them recognised the different patterns, and could also distinguish which cotton reels produced the same pattern. This kind of visual discrimination will actually help the children when they learn to recognise letters and numerals later on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5GPLmjyUezi1qB4fUuxIaUlLSJwTRenDMpeZsxFHhC0U7rjdJhJjL8pnEr1rue3wNnPZAsEKSwtakh42wzDUq34aoI7W7J5wVwIurp2rfBDWqERtAYSD3fWgliuYmH8iI2I5pzXODg8Z/s1600/IMG_20160707_090943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5GPLmjyUezi1qB4fUuxIaUlLSJwTRenDMpeZsxFHhC0U7rjdJhJjL8pnEr1rue3wNnPZAsEKSwtakh42wzDUq34aoI7W7J5wVwIurp2rfBDWqERtAYSD3fWgliuYmH8iI2I5pzXODg8Z/s320/IMG_20160707_090943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After the success of the cotton reel painting, I decided to share with the children another everyday object that we could use to make art- this time it was fly swats. For this experience, I got large pieces of paper and invited the children to do the painting in groups of three or four. This encouraged collaboration, a sense of group ownership over the experience, and spatial awareness as they worked together to cover the whole sheet of paper with fly swat patterns, without going over the top of their friends' fly swat prints too much. This links to the Te Whaariki Exploration Goal 4 learning outcome "Children develop an understanding of how two-dimensional objects can be fitted together in space".<br />
It also relates to Te Whaariki Contribution Goal 3: "Children experience an environment where they are encouraged to learn with and alongside others".<br />
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Finally, we did "car track" painting. One of the children's current interests in our room right now is transport, so I took that as inspiration for this experience, and we dipped toy cars into paint and rolled them across the paper. Since doing the fly swat painting as a group had been such a success, I decided to do the car track painting in a group with a large piece of paper, too. My ability to consider the children's interests and create experiences based on these relates to my competence in knowing about my learners and their learning, and this relates to the Pou of Matauranga in He Pou Tataki.<br />
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<b>Where to from here?</b><br />
I believe that children are naturally creative beings, and as such it is likely that creativity will continue to be an interest for the children in my room on an ongoing basis. I am undertaking a self-review at the moment about how I can provide a better variety of resources and experiences for children to be creative with, so if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them! In the meantime, I am enjoying sharing my learning with other teachers, just like I am doing with all of you whom are reading this blog :)<br />
<br />
<b>Links to Practising Teacher Criteria:</b><br />
Key link: #5i:<span style="background-color: #fafaf8; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;"> actively contribute to the professional learning community.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fafaf8; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px;">Other links: 6, 8, 9, 12.</span><br />
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Bless,<br />
Melanie Raye.Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-19705853938540385672016-07-02T02:11:00.004-07:002016-07-02T02:11:56.846-07:00I contain multitudes. Hello friends!<br />
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My good friend Corrigan Vaughan posted this story on twitter today:<br />
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<a href="http://www.treknews.net/2016/07/01/rihanna-is-a-bigger-star-trek-fan-than-you/">http://www.treknews.net/2016/07/01/rihanna-is-a-bigger-star-trek-fan-than-you/</a><br />
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I have got feelings about this, and I need to share them.<br />
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Here's the thing, guys. Rihanna can like Star Trek if she wants to. And even if she didn't, and just chose to make her "Sledgehammer" video tie in to Star Trek because that was her best option at the time, that still wouldn't give anyone the right to jump all over her about it like some silly people have done. Rihanna is quite capable of steering her own rudder on the ship of her life.<br />
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My two favourite podcasters, Corrigan Vaughan and Kristin Latourelle of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4BA5tsu1G_QyhH4jon2GkA" target="_blank">Electric Fancave </a>introduced me to the saying "Women contain multitudes". And it's true. You will be hard pressed to ever find two women who are made up exactly the same way, with the same sets of hobbies and interests, the same dress sense, and the same beliefs and values. And that's a beautiful thing. It's what makes us unique. So when people start losing their lids over Rihanna being a Star Trek fan, I get a little concerned.<br />
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See, I'm a mish-mash of different, seemingly incompatible likes and dislikes myself.<br />
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I love wearing pretty dresses, BUT I am most comfortable in sweatshirts and jeans.<br />
I love classical music, AND I love 90's boy bands.<br />
I love romantic comedies AND action-packed spy movies.<br />
I hate wearing make-up, BUT I am never seen without my favourite lip gloss.<br />
I can't play video games myself (because I have zero coordination), BUT I think that "Portal" has a great storyline.<br />
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I contain multitudes. And so do you. And so does Rihanna.<br />
So can we please, PLEASE stop chewing each other out every time someone breaks away from our preconceived narratives of how another person should act, think, or feel? Muchas gracias.<br />
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As always, I love you all. Go forth and embrace YOUR "multitudes", whatever they may be.<br />
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Bless<br />
Melanie Raye.<br />
<br />Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-21360421595053320442015-11-04T17:53:00.001-08:002015-11-05T01:00:10.436-08:00My Reflection for the Week 2-6 Nov 2015<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The question
I would like to investigate this week is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What are the
benefits to myself and the children in learning Māori waiata?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Practising Teacher Criteria says:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Key Link:<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">. work effectively within the bicultural
context of Aotearoa New Zealand</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. <br />
i) </span><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">practise and develop the relevant use of te reo
Māori me ngā tikanga-a-iwi <u>in context</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Other Links:<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">2 ii. acknowledge and respect
the languages, heritages and cultures of all ākonga.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">3.</span><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> demonstrate commitment to bicultural
partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand<br />
i) </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">demonstrate respect for the heritages,
languages and cultures of both partners to the Treaty of Waitangi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">9 i. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">demonstrate knowledge and understanding of social
and cultural influences on learning, by working effectively in the bicultural
and multicultural contexts of learning in Aotearoa New Zealand.</span><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 248); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Recently, as
I was teaching the tamariki a basic group clapping game, I shared with them
that Māori children through the ages have sat together and played clap games
too. This inspired me with the idea that Māori waiata can be used as a
springboard for teaching them about Māori heritage, culture, and values. It
doesn’t need to be complicated or in depth – just a sentence or two
acknowledging Māori culture, used as an introduction to a song, can be enough. <br />
One example could be the waiata Tohora nui, which is about a big whale. This
could link to a discussion about the sea and sea animals and the special
connection that Māori have with these. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These small nuggets of information help to gradually enlarge children’s
world view, as they simultaneously embrace their perspectives and validate the
perspectives of other cultures (this links to a Te Whariki Contribution Goal 3
learning outcome which says “Children develop an increasing ability to take
another’s point of view and to empathise with others.”) Also, when you explain
to children what the Māori waiata mean, it can help children to gain an
understanding of te reo Māori as a living and relevant language (Te Whariki
communication goal 2 learning outcome).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ako
Aotearoa recognises the importance of Māori waiata and the role it plays in
language acquisition in Te Reo Māori. The benefit is multi-faceted – not only
is it easier to recall new words when you have previously used them in a waiata
(e.g. by remembering the Māori colours through sing the song “Ma is white”), but
the sentence structures within Māori waiata reflect correct Māori sentence
structure and syntax, making it simpler to learn how to create simple sentences
in the Māori language when speaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally,
I believe that when Te Whariki says in a learning outcome in Communication goal
4 that “children develop an increasing <u>familiarity </u>with a selection of
songs that are valued by the cultures in the community”, its meaning goes
deeper than children just “knowing the words”. It is one thing to be able to
sing a song by rote from memory, and another thing entirely to understand a
song and connect to the heart and emotions in it. <br />
<br />
This is why I think that little introductory discussions about Māori waiata
prior to singing them with the children are so important. It opens the door for
us to discuss things like “the person in this song is feeling very happy, or
strong, or they are worshipping God”. This has the added benefit of developing
children’s emotional intelligence, and they might even find that sometimes they
want to express their feelings through songs and music too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I
incorporate these Māori waiata into my teaching, and talk about waiata and
their meanings with the children, I am developing the Tataiako competency of
Manaakitanga, in that I am demonstrating respect for Māori culture through the
“delivery process” of presenting waiata respectfully to the children. Also, I
am developing the Tataiako competency of Tangata whenuatanga, as I present
cultural knowledge to the children alongside the waiata. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With all
this in mind, over the Christmas holidays I am going to learn 2 new simple Māori
waiata and the meanings and cultural links that those waiata have for Māori, so
I can return next year and teach them to the children. Also, I will seek to
educate others on the many benefits of learning Māori waiata, for both kaiako
and tamariki.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-12993310531315443282015-07-26T02:18:00.000-07:002015-07-26T02:18:35.641-07:00Breaking Down the Fruit of the Spirit of Self-Control<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hey friends! Lately I have been thinking about the fruit of the spirit of self-control, and all the different aspects of this fruit, so I thought I'd share a little breakdown of my thoughts with you.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some of it is based on things I have read, and some is based on my own personal revelations.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
First, self-control = resisting temptation to instigate or participate in evil thoughts, words, or actions. This is kinda the obvious one.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Second, self-control = self - responsibility. Taking care of your own chores/work/study etc, not expecting someone else to do it for you. And if you have a issue that you can't resolve alone, you responsibly seek help from experts who are qualified to support you (eg teachers). Also, take responsibility for any mistakes you may make.
Third, self-control = self care. Only you (and God) really know what you need, so take it upon yourself to get enough sleep and exercise, eat everything in moderation, have enough alone time and enough social time, seek help from doctors, counselors, etc as necessary to maintain your physical and emotional health.
Fourth, self- control = self-management. Another word for this is autonomy. This is something you gradually develop throughout your life. It involves making decisions for yourself, such as what your boundaries are, what kind of company you choose to keep, what you will study at university (and possibly where you will study it), managing your financial situation and obligations, deciding where you will work, etc.
And fifth, self-control = self - regulation. It spans from the idea that even a good thing in too large a quantity is no longer beneficial. It means being able to say no to yourself sometimes. This could involve not taking another biscuit when you have already had three, not spending all day in bed when there are other obligations already in place, not spending all night on Facebook when you have an assignment to finish, etc. Again, all these things are great, as long as they are done in moderation. E.g Facebook is a wonderful social tool, but it becomes unhealthy when it starts to consume your life and take up all your time.
I hope this is helpful for you, dear readers!</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love,</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Melanie Raye.</span></span></span></span>Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-47504917543226897892015-06-27T06:16:00.002-07:002023-06-30T15:08:13.820-07:0010 Random Things That You Might Not Know About MeHey my friends! Well, I think it's time again that I should give you some random insights into who I am, so enjoy!<br />
<br />
1. The first book to ever make me cry was Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.<br />
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2. I prefer eating raw vegetables over cooked ones.<br />
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3. If I was ever going to cosplay, I would be Belle from Beauty and the Beast.<br />
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4. I like to have lots of pillows underneath and around me while I sleep.<br />
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5. I also struggle to sleep when it is completely silent. I usually have quiet music or a soft YouTube video playing while I go to sleep.<br />
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6. I love planning parties. But only about 1 in 5 of the parties I plan ever actually come to fruition.<br />
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7. My favourite scents are vanilla, lavender, jasmine, peppermint, and apple.<br />
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8. I like going to the movies by myself sometimes.<br />
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9. I am an adrenaline junkie.<br />
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10. I can read really really fast.<br />
<br />
So there ya have it!<br />
Bless you all!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Melanie Raye.Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-89660859147539602952015-06-22T03:18:00.003-07:002023-06-30T15:09:55.012-07:00My Favourite Movies<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello friends!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since I have recently been posting pictures of the DVD's that I am adding to my collection on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, I thought that this would be a good time to share my favourite movies with you all. I have divided them into 2 lists: my top ten favourite Disney movies (#1 being my favourite), and my top ten favourite non-Disney movies (again, #1 being my favourite). A couple of times, you will find a movie and it's sequel/s together - don't judge me ;) These top 10 lists have been carefully thought through, and there are plenty more films that I love that were contenders for these lists- I could probably make a top 30 for each list, if I had to!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My goal is to own all of these movies on DVD, so that when people view my DVD collection, they will get an insight into who I am as a person.</span><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But for now, let me just type out my lists for you :) Oh, and if you are a fan of any of these, please let me know in the comments (either here in the blog comments, or in the facebook comments), and we can fangirl (or fanboy) out together! I love sharing what I love with people I love!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My Top Ten Favourite Disney Movies:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Beauty and the Beast (and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Frozen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Enchanted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Into The Woods</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Big Hero 6</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Tangled</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. Princess Protection Program</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. Camp Rock (1 and 2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9. Robin Hood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10. Mulan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My Top Ten Favourite Non-Disney Movies:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. The Sound of Music (this is my favourite movie of all time!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. A Walk To Remember</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Titanic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Raise Your Voice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Pitch Perfect (and Pitch Perfect 2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. The Hunger Games (and all the sequels)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. The Swan Princess (and the sequels- and nope, these ones are not Disney!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. Mamma Mia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dirty Dancing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10. The Babysitters Club: The Movie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So there you go my friends! Let the fangirling (and fanboying) begin!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Melanie Raye.</span></div>Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-52245186583717113232015-06-06T00:18:00.004-07:002015-06-06T00:18:44.667-07:00Reflecting on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Describe:</div>
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This week I was thinking about the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi : protection, participation, and partnership. I wanted to take some time to think about what applying these principles would look like in my practice.</div>
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Inform:</div>
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Protection: I think that in my practice the principle of protection looks like not discriminating in any way against children/staff/parents and whanau of Maori or any other descent. It means having high expectations for Maori learners, that ensure that they will succeed academically, as this benefits their family and community in the long run. It means upholding tikanga practices and respecting Maori ways of being. I think it means continuing to use Maori language, so that the language does not become extinct. I think it means respecting the land and not abusing it, keeping in mind that we as Europeans are manuhiri, and that the Maori are tangata whenua- we should respect them and their tino rangatiratanga over Aotearoa by being respectful and treating the land well, just like we would be respectful of other people's possessions if we were experiencing someone's hospitality in their home.</div>
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Participation: I think that in my practice the principle of participation looks like everyone being involved in using Maori language, and taking part in Maori waiata and games. I believe that taking part in tikanga and kaupapa Maori is beneficial for all children, staff, parents, and whanau, regardless of their cultural heritage. This is consistent with Te Whaariki, which informs us that "<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">curriculum in early childhood settings should promote te reo and ngā tikanga Māori, making them visible and affirming their value for children from all cultural backgrounds. </span></span>" </div>
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Partnership: I think that in my practice the principle of partnership looks like parents and teachers working together collaboratively, sharing knowledge and strategies that will lead to the best outcomes for children. I think it means involving the local community, iwi, and kaumatua in our centre life, such as inviting them to our centre events. I think it also means teachers partnering with children, empowering children to take responsibility for their own learning. Finally, I think it means teachers working together as a team, with everyone contributing their strengths, to provide the best learning and environment possible for the children.</div>
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<br />Confront:</div>
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Some of these things I already do (such as singing Maori waiata with all the children at mat time), but I want to carry more of an awareness within myself about why I do these things- keeping the principles of Te Tiriti in mind as I work with the children during the day. I think that mindfulness about why we follow tikanga and practice partnership shows that Maoritanga is important to us, and that we respect it.</div>
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Reconstruct:</div>
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I will continue to uphold the principles of Te Tiriti in my practice. I will also share my thoughts from today's reflection on my blog and on a facebook early childhood page, and welcome discussion, feedback, and any articles they might like to share with me. In this way, I can actively contribute to the professionial learning comunity by sharing my knowledge and understanding, and also gain new knowledge, understanding, and feedback from other members of the learning community. I can then read and respond to their comments and/or articles. (I can take a screen shot of this in a week or so, to give time for people to respond, as evidence, and I can take copies of the articles and highlight/comment on them and put them in my portfolio).</div>
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Links to Registered Teachers Criteria:</div>
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<span style="color: black;">3. demonstrate commitment to bicultural partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand:</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: OpenSansRegular,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">i. demonstrate respect for the heritages, languages and cultures of both partners to the Treaty of Waitangi</span><span style="color: black;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">5(i) : Actively contribute to the professional learning community.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Other links: 2 (ii, iii), 9 (i), 10 (i), 12 (i, ii).</span></div>
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Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-16237395928472916962014-07-27T02:23:00.002-07:002014-07-27T12:52:37.545-07:00My Fan Theory about "Mystical Feather" (from Heather Feather's ASMR Role Plays)<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hello dear readers!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Today I want to write
you about one of the most interesting characters in Heather Feather’s ASMR
Role Plays (henceforth referred to as “RP”s). This character is Mystical
Feather. I have been working on this fan theory for about 4 months now, & I
by no means think that I have it all together (heck, I could be WAY off-base, for all I know!), but I wanted to share it with you guys, anyway.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>So, let’s jump right
in, okay?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>In the 2<sup>nd</sup>
Comprehensive Physical Exam RP, Doctor Feather informs us that she “knows all
about” people undergoing testing in exchange for cake, which we know from the
first Science RP takes place at ASMR Science (we as the audience underwent some
of this testing ourselves). This implies that ASMR Science is a well-known
company or entity in the Featherverse. We can therefore assume that because
Mystical Feather owns ASMR Science (we learned this from the ASMR Science,
Testing Your 5 Senses RP), that she too is well-known by many if not all of the
characters that exist in the Featherverse. What we don’t know however, is how
well she is liked or disliked. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Doctor Feather, as a
medical practitioner, seems to disapprove of Mystical Feather’s unconventional
methods. I also wonder if the “Skynet” program that logs all our information at
Dr. Feather’s office is being imposed on Dr. Feather by Mystical Feather. This
would indicate that Mystical Feather has a desire to acquire information about
the people who are interacting with other members of the Featherverse. Would
this be to gain new potential candidates for testing at ASMR Science, perhaps? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>On the other side of
the coin though, we notice that several Featherverse characters have business
dealings with Mystical Feather. Twin Feathers Spa gets the supernatural hair
growth tonic from Mystical Feather, and the Apothecary gets the special pills
from Mystical Feather. A worker at ASMR Science (who obviously would be working
for Mystical Feather), gives us as an intern a potion for “H” in the Jekyll
& Hyde RP. The Twin Feathers Spa girls even mention that they got the hair
tonic from “a little shop”, which I would assume is the same shop that we as
the audience visited for crystals in the Magic Shop RP. These characters seem
to trust Mystical Feather, at least enough to do business with her. Or maybe,
Mystical Feather is holding something over them that pressures them to do what
Mystical Feather wants. Is Mystical Feather capable of blackmail? Or does she
have good intentions, but sees her more shady dealings as a means to an end?
This would explain her interactions with us as the audience in the Magic Shop
RP, where she essentially tricks us into letting her put a spell on us that
somehow transforms us into someone (or something) that would be useful to her
as an ally/apprentice. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Mystical Feather
strikes me to be quite similar to Rumplestiltskin’s character in Once Upon A Time.
She has her fingers in everybody’s pies (or, almost everybody’s anyway). Mystical Feather tells us this straight-up when she says in the Magic Shop (Crystals) RP that "I have my hands in a few projects. I dabble. I have a web with a thousand threads, and I know how each and every one dances". She also seems to like making deals with people. She even made a deal with us as the
audience when she cast a spell on us in the Magic Shop RP, in exchange for a
crystal. We also see in that same Magic Shop RP just how sweet, charming, and
disarming Mystical Feather is. She invokes trust in people. We do not yet know
whether we should trust her or not. Does she really care about us, or does she
really want control? Maybe it’s both. Maybe she is an idealist with a specific
view of what Utopia should look like, and she feels the need to control the
other people in the Featherverse in order to make her Utopia a reality, but
while still believing that this Utopia she imagines is the best thing for
everyone. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Another little note
is that Fairy Godfeather in the Fairy Godmother RP pinched “sleeping powder”
from a woman with a cape that had MF on it. I can only assume that this is
again Mystical Feather. This makes me wonder if whatever we ate at the end of
the ASMR Science “Testing Your Five Senses” RP was also laced with the same
stuff. This would mean that we are not dead, only sleeping. But why? The
message from Doug Ratmann that was hidden in the eye chart in that same 5
Senses RP indicates that he thought everyone at ASMR Science was crazy. Could
that be because he thought that Mystical Feather’s (and the other ASMR Science
workers’) attempts to create Utopia through human testing were too extreme? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The tests that we
underwent during the “Testing Your Five Senses” RP indicate a desire to give
humans super-human senses/abilities, such as improved eyesight (with the
eyedrops), increased hearing (through the spray), and the ability to smell
things more strongly or smell things just by seeing pictures of them (with the
stuff that gets shoved up your nose). Could this be because Mystical Feather
believes that in order to have a Utopia, the humans dwelling within Utopia need
to possess these aforementioned special abilities? It would appear that Mystical Feather also desires for humans to live forever, as she says in the Magic Shop RP "The chains that were binding that mortal body are broken".</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The hidden message within
the “welcome video” at the beginning of the “Testing Your Five Senses” RP seems
to be that people have lost their lives through the testing that they underwent
at ASMR Science. Does Mystical Feather regret this loss of life, and fear it
like Jekyll in the “Jekyll & Hyde” RP, or is she more like “H”, seeing
these people, too, as a means to an end in the pursuit of Science/Utopia/Eternal Life?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>In conclusion,
Mystical Feather seems to be a key player in the Featherverse, & I know for
sure that we will see more of her, both in our direct interactions with her as
the audience, and through the impact/ influence that she has on other members
of the Featherverse. When it comes to this fascinating character, we always
seem to have more questions than answers. One thing is very clear though-
Mystical Feather is extremely morally ambiguous. I am excited to see where
Heather Feather decides to take her. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>So there you have it-
my own little fan theory about “MF” (as she has come to be known).<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bless you all
heaps!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Love,</b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Melanie Raye.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-68806906876553089662014-06-16T03:04:00.003-07:002014-12-14T01:13:45.626-08:0015 Reasons Why I Love My Mama<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hey guys, </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So tonight I'm taking a break from studying coz I want to do something special for my mama. She has been so amazing these last few weeks while I've been practically tearing my hair out from stress, so I wanted to do something to honour her. So here is a list (not comprehensive, by any means!) of 15 reasons why I love my mama.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. She supports me. She has always let me make my own decisions with regards to what I want to study, my extra curricular activities, etc. Nowadays, she supports me with things like my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/melanieraye89). It's so amazing to have her in my corner like that.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. She doesn't just accept my crazy...she joins in, too. One great example of this is the day that we parodied the movie "Mamma Mia" over skype chat. It was glorious, I tell you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. She is the most amazing baker. And, ever since I was a little girl, she would let me help her bake...and then came my favourite part. She would let me lick the wooden spoon, the spatula, the beaters, and sometimes even the whole freaking mixing bowl. YUM.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. She shares some of the same tastes in music that I do. Three artists/bands that immediately come to mind that we both love are ABBA, Shania Twain, and Celine Dion.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. She lets me share my love of Glee with her by watching a full season of the show with me almost every time I go to Australia to visit her.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. She loves my friends. It means the world to me that she approves of the people that I have chosen to do life with.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. She knows that a movie marathon is not a movie marathon without popcorn, chips, dip, and lollies of some description.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. As I have grown into a young woman, she has become a close friend as well as my mother. I love that we can go out and "be ladies" together, get our hair done, go shopping, out for coffee and/or dessert, or to the movies.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9. She raised me to love Jesus. I have her to thank for a good part of why I am walking so close to God now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10. She taught me to live generously. I know that one of the main reasons why I so love giving gifts, sharing food, and donating to charities or even random buskers on the street is because she modeled that to me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">11. She shares my love of reading. I never have to pack any books in my suitcase when I go visit her in Australia, because I know that she will let me raid her bookshelf to my heart's content.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">12. She says often that she is proud of me and loves me...and not just to me, but on Facebook for all her friends to see. I am glad that she sees me as someone worth declaring her love for.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">13. She has always put in the effort to make birthdays, Easters and Christmases really special days for us. I like our special little traditions such as eating pancakes on Christmas morning.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">14. When I was little, she used to leave notes for me in my lunchbox to surprise me at lunchtime. I loved getting those little notes so much.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">15. No matter how old I get, she will always call me her baby...and I will always call her my mama.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love you mama!</span></h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bless,</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Melanie Raye.</span>Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-82321039808266407652014-05-22T00:50:00.001-07:002023-06-30T15:18:25.117-07:00A Special Love<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #741b47;">Hi guys!</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: #741b47;">Tonight I'm taking a quick break from studying to tell you about a special love of mine- my love for books. There are few things more calming than cuddling up in bed with a good book and getting lost in it for a few hours.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: #741b47;">My mama will attest to the fact that when I am on holiday in Australia staying with her, I will sometimes hole myself up in my bedroom for hours on end, consuming one book after another.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">I would literally rather spend my spare time reading than going to a party (that is, unless said party involves karaoke...)</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: #741b47;">So now, I would like to recommend some of my favourite books to you guys. These are all books straight off my own bookshelf...books that I loved so much that I simply HAD to have a copy of my own to keep. Let me know if you've read/would like to read any of these- I'd love to hear from you!</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="background-color: white;">The first book is a classic: "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte. I first read this book when I did a study on it in English class in my final year of high school. I find Jane's character so relatable, and always admire her strength through tough and unjust circumstances. There is also suspense in this book that will keep you on your toes, as well as romance. The perfect mix, in my opinion.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="background-color: white;">The next book I want to talk about is "The Shunning" by Beverly Lewis. This book is an incredible tale about finding yourself and what you believe, in a world where you are surrounded by people telling you what to say and do, or you will be "shunned". It made me look deep inside myself and ask "would I still hold fast to my faith, even if it meant having to leave everything I know and everyone I love behind?" This is a beautifully written story- I couldn't put it down.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">"The Shack" by WM. Paul Young made me think about God and Christianity in ways that I never had before. It made me question what "faith" really means, and what a real relationship with God looks like. It also confronts the hard questions, such as "Where is God when I am hurting?" and "Why do bad things happen to good people?" I recommend this book to everyone, but especially Christians who want to have their relationship with God re-ignited and see His Father heart in a new way. </span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins have become recent favourites of mine. These books carry beautiful metaphors of love being about sacrifice, and show how empathy and the human spirit can still survive beneath terrible oppression. They are also incredibly well written- I devoured the entire series in a weekend :)</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">I own all 6 of Jane Austen's published works, and I think that all of them are fantastic. The female characters are especially well-rounded. They are witty, sarcastic, strong, and yet charming. These are women that would have gone against the grain of the time period that they were in. The men are dashing, mysterious, and chivalrous. The romances are sweet, elegant, and understated. These are must-reads for all book-lovers, in my opinion.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ahhh, The Babysitters Club. Sweet, sweet nostalgia. God bless you, Ann M. Martin! This photo is of just one of my 400 (yes, 400!) Babysitters Club books that I own. I've been collecting them since I was nine. I grew up with the characters in these simple, sweet, wholesome novels. They have great messages such as teamwork, friendship, and the importance of family. The books also deal with sensitive topics such as death, divorce, racism, and domestic abuse in ways that are both honest and age-appropriate. Also, some of the supporting characters add great humour to the stories. They're a really easy read, and I still love them now, even as a 24-year-old.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">"The Fault In Our Stars"by John Green is really hot right now, and for good reason. This book is incredibly well-written and heart-warming. It is honest and witty, sad and joyful. You will get swept up in the story, and charmed by the characters. I also can't wait for the movie to come out soon! Finally, it must be said that John Green is simply the best at everything. Ever.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott was one of my absolute favourite books as a teenager, and I still love it to this day. I felt really connected to the characters, in particular Jo March. I still maintain that she is the book character I relate to the most out of any book I've ever read. This book is a classic, and one that I will definitely share with my children one day, when they are old enough. I look forward to sitting on my little girl's bed and reading to her each night before she goes to sleep, just like my mama used to do for me. I look forward to hearing her say "Just one more chapter mama! Pleeeease!" And I look forward to smiling down at her, tired as I may be, and saying "Of course, sweetheart".</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">And lastly, "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. This book is a modern-day, loose interpretation of the book of Hosea in the Bible. It will break your heart. It will make you cry. It will open your eyes to people. It will open your eyes to love. You will be reminded of how God loves us: Gently. Passionately. Unconditionally. Forever.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">There you go guys! I hope you all have a great week, and thanks for reading :)</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">Love,</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">Melanie Raye.</span></h3>
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Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-81839269072672633132014-02-10T22:45:00.002-08:002014-02-10T22:45:37.772-08:00Gentle ParentingHey guys!<br />
Recently I've been reading up on a phenomenon/ philosophy called "gentle parenting". Basically, it combines elements of attachment parenting and positive child guidance (both of which you guys already know that I'm a fan of).<br />
<br />
I really like that there are people out there who are pro-actively looking for ways to improve how they parent, rather than just accepting the way they were brought up, or the "norm" (e.g. spanking or time-out).<br />
<br />
I am actively trying to incorporate elements of gentle parenting into my practice as an ECE teacher. Some examples of this are:<br />
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Walking across the room and getting down to a child's level and speaking in a soft voice to them when I want to help them regulate their behaviour, as opposed to raising my voice at them from across the room.<br />
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Telling I child what I want to see them do, instead of telling them what I don't want to see.<br />
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Offering children more choices instead of always giving direct instructions.<br />
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Always believing in the child, and their abilities, celebrating what they are capable of instead of stressing over what they can't yet do.<br />
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Making sure that my words and actions towards them are always seasoned with love and grace, just as our heavenly Father is loving and gracious towards us.<br />
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Now, I know that sometimes my ideals don't always come to fruition, but my belief is that if I aim for the moon and miss, then at least I'll land among the stars :)<br />
<br />
I hope this blog can help some of you guys, as much as it helps me :)<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<br />
Melanie Raye.Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-8261818465570062702013-10-15T22:51:00.001-07:002013-10-15T22:51:49.538-07:00The 6 "L's" of Positive Guidance<p dir=ltr>Hey guys! Just wanted to share with you the 6 L's of positive child guidance that I came up with for a Toastmasters speech.</p>
<p dir=ltr>Level- get down to the child's level.<br>
Look- make eye contact.<br>
Listen- find out what the child is feeling. Use your eyes and touch to listen as well as your ears.<br>
Logical Consequences- let natural consequences rule- eg, you make the mess, you clean it up.<br>
Lesson- recap with the child : "what did we learn from this?"<br>
Love- hugs, kisses, let the child feel reconciled to you and other offended parties. When it's over, let it be over. Don't hold a grudge.</p>
<p dir=ltr>There ya go!</p>
<p dir=ltr>Love,<br>
Melanie Raye.</p>
Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304577479659987273.post-9031660185659899432012-06-29T03:26:00.003-07:002019-11-09T15:30:43.599-08:00"The Dance"Hey guys- it has been a long time coming, but this is my new original song, I hope you like it.<br />
<br />
<b><u>The Dance</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
I come to the mountain<br />
You're waiting<br />
Hoping You'll see me<br />
You're wearing a white robe<br />
Your loving eyes are burning<br />
<br />
I shrink back, I'm scared that<br />
Maybe I'm unworthy<br />
My dress is in tatters<br />
How could I please the King?<br />
<br />
You reach out Your hand and<br />
Suddenly we're so close<br />
And I see<br />
<br />
The clouds are rolling back<br />
The clouds are rolling back<br />
There's no more time for masks<br />
I see You, You see me<br />
<br />
You've come in Your glory<br />
You've come in Your glory<br />
Just so You can meet with me<br />
I see You, You see me<br />
<br />
You're leading, I follow<br />
Sometimes these steps are hard<br />
You spin me, and I know<br />
You'll catch me if I fall<br />
<br />
You lift me, I trust You<br />
And then You dip me down<br />
I'm no longer wearing rags<br />
You've made me a new gown<br />
<br />
The clouds are rolling back<br />
The clouds are rolling back<br />
There's no more time for masks<br />
I see You, You see me<br />
<br />
You've come in Your glory<br />
You've come in Your glory<br />
Just so You can meet with me<br />
I see You, You see me<br />
<br />
This is the dance,<br />
This was Your plan,<br />
To make me Your princess,<br />
Your bride, and Your friend<br />
<br />
The clouds are rolling back<br />
The clouds are rolling back<br />
There's no more time for masks<br />
I see You, You see me<br />
<br />
You've come in Your glory<br />
You've come in Your glory<br />
Just so You can meet with me<br />
I see You, You see me<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<br />
Melanie Raye.Melanie Rayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00505488619234535520noreply@blogger.com0