Category: vacation

reflection, vacation

Waves of Change

Tamara

I stand at the edge of the ocean and am reminded of how little I can control. The waves continue to crash; nothing I do or say can change the fact that the waves come in and the waves go out.

Some waves barely cast a ripple over my toes, as they quickly pull away to start again.

Other waves build their intensity from a distance, crashing hard and loud with tumultuous force, knocking down anything that might be in its path.

I can’t control the waves of change in my life. There are times when I can see the waves coming and brace myself for their impact. Other times I’m caught completely off-guard. There are even times when I’m knocked over so forcibly, I can’t get my bearings and am tossed and turned, battered by that which I cannot see.

And yet… I rise.

I stand.

I try again.

Even with this turbulence, I still find such beauty in the waves. They bring peace and joy to my morning.

When the waves of life come crashing on the shores of your soul, just remember that the chaos is temporary. The waves aren’t turbulent forever. The intensity will eventually subside.

And there will again come a time when you can stand along the edge and rest in the awe of things you can’t control.

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education, kindness, REBkind, reflection, travel, vacation

Canadian Kindness

Tamara

As part of my #REBkind travel experience to “Cultivate Kindness for Global Impact,” I flew to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to spend some time with Annick Rauch, a first grade French immersion teacher. Annick and I have been virtual friends on Twitter for several years now, but only met in person four weeks ago at the #ISTE19 conference.

Annick and I at #ISTE19.

It’s interesting how one can feel so connected to another without having actually spent time with them in person. While we’ve spent hours conversing on Twitter, Voxer, and even a few Google Hangouts, having the opportunity to spend quality time together was an incredible gift to receive!

A perfect sign for our visit together!

We had many things planned during my visit, as this was the first time I had traveled to a foreign country on my own. I wanted to see and experience all things Canadian while also brainstorming and planning with Annick to move forward with a year-long kindness collaboration between her first grade class and a first grade class at my school in the States.

On Saturday morning, as we prepared to start our day, I glanced at Twitter and saw that I was tagged in a post from Dave Reimer about my book, A Passion for Kindness:

The tweet made me laugh because I hadn’t even given any thought whatsoever about book signings during this trip, but if you know me well, you know that kindness is constantly on my mind and I am always up for a great adventure!

Later that afternoon we finally connected with Dave and, oh, what an amazing experience! What began as a simple request for a book signing created a ripple effect of kindness! Take a peek at the tweets Dave shared capturing the moment we met and what happened next!

Friends, let me tell you. This ripple effect brought SO much joy to my soul for a multitude of reasons! It was humbling to not only meet a stranger who had read my book, but one who so readily wanted to share his experiences, too!

It was just as incredible to see how his family joined in the fun, supporting his passion for kindness in completing RAKs as a family adventure the next day. Cultivating kindness isn’t just a “one time thing,” but a catalyst to be the good for others, too.

I was humbled to share this moment with my dear friend, Annick, who had already blessed me with her generosity as chauffeur and photographer throughout the trip. Personal photos are my little reminders of the joys in this world so it was an absolute delight to have these images to share and reflect on as part of my #REBkind experience.

On Sunday, Annick and I snuck back to Dave’s house to leave one of Gini Bonnell’s “Be Kind” signs on his doorstep. (For those who have read my book, it’s the one showcased on p.42!) What a wonderful way to keep the kindness going!

Giving away another handcrafted Be Kind sign!
The sign has found a perfect home!

In addition to the ripple effect started by Dave and his family, Annick and I scattered small acts of kindness in a local grocery store to join in the Grocery Store Challenge promoted by Sofia’s Angels RAOK Foundation. We left Canadian coins on a bag of ketchup-flavored Lay’s Potato Chips (because we don’t have them here in the States!) and taped coins near the Crayola crayons display so a child could “Color the World with Kindness.” Then, as we were leaving the store, Annick RAK’d me back by purchasing a bag of ketchup chips I could take home for my kids to enjoy!

A Canadian Superstore!
I found the ketchup chips! Who knew?!
I exchanged American dollars with Annick’s Canadian coins so locals could purchase items in the store.
Annick then surprised me with my very own bag of ketchup chips – the first time I’ve ever eaten them!
“Color the world with kindness”

I even left a copy of my book to be discovered by someone visiting the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, a perfect place to remind others of the many ways we can, and should, value the contributions of one another.

Another donated book – this time at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights
They had a Nelson Mandela exhibit at the museum, so I left a note referencing a quote I included by him in my book.

In a world that is filled with conflict and chaos, it’s refreshing to step away for a bit and focus on things that bring joy to our soul. We each have our passions, purpose, and missions to achieve in this life. Mine is simply being kind to others and seeing what happens next. Sharing this story with you, my fabulous friends, is icing on the cake!

If you complete an act of kindness this week as part of Dave’s pay-it-forward challenge, let us know by posting with the hashtag #passionforkindness! Your kindness inspires! We can each do our part to make this world a beautiful place to lead, love, and learn. And if you ever make your way to Winnipeg, be sure to say hello to Annick and Dave. They will make your day brighter, guaranteed!

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education, travel, vacation

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Tamara
As a child, I was fascinated by big words. I would sing the song, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and ponder the enormity of such a word with fourteen syllables. When I encountered a new word in my reading, I would pause and wrap it in my mind, looking for patterns in the spelling, searching for ways I could break it down into chunks to spell it correctly in my own writing. I was determined to spell enormous words with ease, but it was a struggle to simply memorize letter after letter to form one complete word.
In fifth grade I received a notepad with “et cetera” printed on the bottom right corner. It was the first time I realized the abbreviation “etc.” was spoken as words and now I could spell it correctly. Wow! The light bulb when off in my head.
A few years later I had an English teacher share her technique for spelling “onomatopoeia.” She drew two stick figures on the board, one named Mat and the other named Poe, facing each other. Then she drew speech bubbles over their heads to show their conversation. That’s when I learned that I was a visual speller, spelling best when I “see” the words in my mind.
I discovered a love for Scrabble in high school and requested the Deluxe Edition as a birthday gift one year. I felt very mature handling the velvet red cloth bag that held the smooth wooden tiles and begged for people to play with me so I could rotate the game board to them when it was their turn. That same game has since traveled with me through four time zones and nine residences; now my children are discovering the joy of spelling words together.
Today we live in a digital age and the traditional game of Scrabble has been replaced by Words with Friends. Strangers around the world are joining in the game of spelling new words, building one word off the next, sliding letters across the screen.
You can imagine my delight when I discovered magnetic Scrabble tiles we could bring on our trip and place on our Disney cruise cabin door. What better way to engage with other cruisers than to “build” a Scrabble game together?
We placed the letter tiles on the bottom of our door and got the game started with some basic words.

 

I will admit there was a little apprehension when we began our interactive game with strangers.
“Would anyone join in our game?”
 
 “Would someone place an inappropriate word?”
 
 “Would people think we were weird?”
We quickly dismissed our concerns, deciding it was worth the risk to have a little fun with others.
At the end of the day, we were ecstatic to discover new words on our game board! The surge of excitement in my children was a sight to behold! What word would be added next? Who is playing our game? Children? Adults? Are they having as much fun as us?
So we did it the next day. And the next. And the next.
Each day guests interacted with our door. We would catch a glimpse of them as they were passing by, taking a moment to read the words made and adding one of their own. We would see entire families gazing at our door with sentiments like, “That’s so cool!” and “I wish we had thought of that!” One woman even posted a photo of herself playing Scrabble on our door to a Disney Cruise Facebook group commenting about the fun she had creating new words in our game..
It might seem a bit unconventional to put a Scrabble board on your cruise ship door, but we did it anyway and it was a success! Imagine that!
Embrace the uncertainty. Take the leap. Bring fun into all you do as you take your passions and share them in a new way. You might be surprised how much joy your simple act can bring to someone else’s day!
Below are the results of our collaborative game we “played” with other guests aboard the Disney Dream. To quote Steven Anderson, “Alone we are smart. Together we are brilliant!”

 

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education, travel, vacation

It’s a Small World

Tamara

I love meeting new people. I’m intrigued by life experiences, by commonalities and differences, and I feel the more people I interact with the more my scope for acceptance and understanding expands. While traveling on the Disney Dream, we learned that there were 1,500 employees (cast members) representing 66 countries working on our ship. WOW!

I love that all cast members wear name tags with their first name and home country listed beneath. It was a great conversation starter as we got to know our servers, stateroom attendants, and activity guides.

On our second morning, we stopped in the Bahamas and received an impromptu tour of the city as we traveled by bus. Our driver pointed to the colorful flags decorating the government buildings and explained that they celebrated their national day of Independence the day before, on July 10.

 

Their country, independent from the United Kingdom for a mere forty-four years, has had their share of highs and lows. Our driver shared stories about their history, their healthcare system, even the impact of tourism on their economic growth the past decade.

The information fascinated me. I was intrigued by their customs and celebrations and how they compared to those we hold sacred in our own country. I wanted to learn more and showcase some of their cultural traditions to my children, to broaden their perspectives of the world around them.

This led me to curiosity about the guests who were sharing in our Disney cruise. Where were they from? How diverse were we as travelers? My children and I placed a whiteboard on the door to our cabin encouraging guests to share where they were from. Imagine our delight when the board was filled in a matter of days!

While many of our fellow travelers were from the United States, our list of locations spanned all four time zones, east to west. We even had a family from Germany and another from Canada stop to add to our board. So great! We located all the places on a map and reveled in the opportunity to mingle with people from around the world.

We were exposed to other languages all around us from guests chatting with their friends and families at the pool, in elevators, and along walkways. The announcements were shared in multiple languages as well, showing us the importance of bilingual skills. This exposure to language was a great springboard to conversations about diversity as my family engaged with others from Singapore, Colombia, and Norway.

My challenge to you today is to expand your circle of diversity. Connect with a stranger who lives in another state/country or teaches a different content area. Follow a blog written in another language and use Google Translate or some other digital tool to translate the content for you. Dig a little deeper to read about other countries and traditions, then share your learning with others. Step out of your comfort zone and embrace the diversity that makes our lives richer, fuller, more complete. It’s a small world, indeed! Embrace it!

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education, travel, vacation

Be Our Guest

Tamara
This week and next I will share my reflections from a recent Disney Cruise and the lessons I learned throughout my travels. If you’ve never been on a cruise before, or even if you’ve been on ten, I hope you will join me as we sail the seas together!
The first thing you will notice as you embark on a Disney Cruise are the lengths they go to make you feel welcome. From walking through the trademark Mickey ears, to photographing your family with a “Welcome” backdrop, to announcing your arrival as you cross into the gorgeous main atrium, you know this will be a vacation like no other.

 

 

A Disney cruise is the epitome of elegance and style with finite attention to detail. However, unlike other cruise lines, Disney was the first to identify families as their target audience. From engaging children clubs to swimming pools with movie screens, there is something for everyone on a Disney Cruise.

 

 

Early in our trip, my daughter and father-in-law joined me on an official tour of the Disney Dream. During that tour we learned about the Disney Imagineers with examples shown of their innovative vision. Our guide, Dustin, showcased various locations around the ship as he explained the four key elements in Disney Cruiseline design:

1.  Look and Feel of the Golden Age (think Titanic)
2.  Modern Technology
3.  Storytelling
4.  Transformation

Each space on a Disney Cruise, from the dining rooms to the staterooms (and even the bathrooms!) showcases attention to detail. We were in awe walking around the ship, our eyes drawn to specific attributes such as the stars on the carpet that always pointed towards the forward (front) of the ship.

We enjoyed learning that the left side of the ship has fish hooks because F-I-S-H has four letters like P-O-R-T and the right side of the ship has seahorse hooks because S-E-A-H-O-R-S-E-S has the same amount of letters as S-T-A-R-B-O-A-R-D. We also discovered the ceilings on Deck 5 were lower than the rest of the ship as that was the floor of the kids’ clubs and they wanted all children to feel big. They even have 73 Hidden Mickeys (with an additional 20 on their private island, Castaway Cay.) Can you find the Hidden Mickeys in the photos below?

 

 (That one shows a part of Mickey Mouse.)
Even the waiters got into the fun as they added more Hidden Mickeys to our son’s meal:
This astute attention to detail and creating magical experiences made me ponder: How can I make this happen in my real world? Is there a way I can transform my environment, welcoming everyone so that they feel invited as a guest in my home? In my classroom? Are there small details I can include to engage and enrich? What experiences can I design that will make my children and students never want to leave, to beg for more?

I want to dream like Disney and innovate like an Imagineer.

Those are my goals for next year! What changes will YOU make to create new experiences for those you serve? Comment below and join in the conversation!

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grief, mom, reflection, travel, vacation

Survivor’s Guilt

Tamara

This month has been blur. Two weeks ago, my family and I traveled to Florida for the kickoff of an amazing vacation. We spent a day at Legoland then visited Sea World before boarding a Disney cruise ship to sail the seas with eleven additional family members (16 of us in all).

As many of you know, I’m a cruise gal. I love being whisked away to a different location with the taste of salt in the air, the ocean teasing me with its brilliance right outside my balcony door. I love being pampered (who doesn’t?) and enjoying a few days of not cooking dinner, not making my bed, not being the source of entertainment for my children. It’s a time for rest, reflection, rejuvenation. Even being disconnected from WiFi and cell service is a blissful change to my normally hectic world.

We plan our cruise vacations years in advance. The anticipation that builds prior to vacation is one that rivals birthday parties, holiday gift-giving, births and weddings. We talk about the activities we can’t wait to do. We reminisce about experiences from the last time we cruised. We imagine what will happen the next time we travel.

I take hundreds of photos during our cruises. They are my souvenirs, more precious than any t-shirt or postcard you will find. They remind me of beauty. Kindness. Peace. Joy.

But now, as I’m scrolling through all the photos from our vacation, I feel the need to add another word to that list: Guilt.

See, the cruise we took this year was a gift from my father-in-law, in memory of my mother-in-law who passed away March 2016. They wanted the extended family to have something to look forward to after she was gone, so they arranged for this vacation with everyone together.

Everyone except for mom.

My in-laws have cruised before. In fact, we invited them to share in our own cruise vacation in 2010 when my youngest child was only ten months old. We had a fabulous time making a lifetime of memories that week. Even today, we tease my now seven-year-old how Grandma and Grandpa searched the entire ship for a hot dog bun to appease him. Not the hot dog itself. The hot dog bun.

But now it’s different.

My mother-in-law is gone and we are still finding our own ways to heal from that loss.

During this cruise, we visited various ports. As we traveled to the same locations we had shared with her, I could feel her presence in so many ways. Oh, the memories that flooded my heart as we toured the aquarium at Atlantis and strolled the walkway at Castaway Cay! I felt her whisper on my shoulder from the gentle Caribbean breeze and her love from the warmth of the sun. Even at dinner I found myself lost in the conversation as I remembered the way she would smile and laugh at our reflections of the day.

We had an amazing vacation. Now we are home, re-acclimating to our everyday lives, and I am compiling the photos to share.

But now it’s different.

My mom is gone, too.

This trip had nothing to do with my mom at all as this was a celebration with my husband’s family. In fact, the loss of my mom was never mentioned by anyone the entire week. It wasn’t the focus of the trip, therefore it didn’t rise to the surface of conversation. It may have been the proverbial elephant in the room or perhaps not even a thought; either way, it wasn’t discussed. I briefly referenced her in a passing conversation about childhood memories, but that was it. My mom, her life, her death, were topics only for me to dwell upon.

Now here I am, pouring over hundreds of photos, wondering, “Who do I share these with now?”

Survivor’s guilt is real.

It’s only been two months since my mom’s death and I’m still riding the roller coaster of grief. I am paralyzed by the weight of sorrow as I remember the joy I experienced last week. How could I have allowed myself moments of fun on the heels of my mother’s demise? Why am I deserving to be blessed by the generosity of a family-funded vacation? Who really cares about my stories anyway? Why even share this with the world?

I am quickly learning that grief and guilt are seatmates in the cargo space of my mind.

So bear with me a bit as I navigate these crashing waves and searing riptides. My heart is still mending and I may seem a bit disconnected at times.

This coming week I will share stories from my cruise with parallels to my experiences as a mom, an educator, a daughter and friend.  My goal this year is to be more transparent in my reflections, so I thought this would be a great place to start. For those of you still sifting through the pain of loss, perhaps these stories will help us heal together.

I can’t share my stories with my mom anymore, so I will share them with you.

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reflection, vacation, writing

Dear Beautiful Family

Tamara

 Dear Beautiful Family,

Today as I sank my toes into the warm sand and felt the gentle breeze gracefully sweep across my face, I saw you walking towards the waves. You were unrushed; your steps small and gentle as you stared in wonder at the ocean that stretched for miles ahead.

You were a beautiful family of three, a triangulation of love completely balanced in joy as you watched your son play in the waves. My son played there as well.

Your chair rested to my right, your legs outstretched to capture the tickle of the tide as it approached the shore. Your son’s laughter at the rising surf made me smile as the waves crashed around him; the simplicity of childhood captured in a fleeting moment of bliss.

I watched your family and prayed for you.

Today, in this moment, there were no worries. There were no fears. You reminded me that life doesn’t have to be complicated. We shared this space and reveled in the joy of watching our children play, even as the finite world around us raged with anger and hate.

You brought me hope.

I know when you leave this beach, the crushing realities of raising a child whose skin color is much darker than yours may overshadow this moment. That is why I am writing this letter today.

To remind you that your family is beautiful. To share the joy you brought to my heart today. To show that someone cares for you and your child.

You matter.

Your child matters.

Your family matters.

And in this singular moment of time, I wish I could wrap my arms around you, embracing all that you represent, showcasing to the world how perfect life can be.

No anger.

No hate.

Simply love.

 

Blessing Others, vacation

Fish Extender – Gifts Received

Tamara

Fish Extender Gifts Received Blog Logo

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there…” ~ Clement Clark Moore

Do you remember the Night Before Christmas? The children, all tucked in their beds (sugar plums dancing in their heads) as they waited with anticipation for the surprises to arrive the next morning. St. Nick arriving, his belly like jelly, trying to tiptoe so quietly around the house, delivering gifts for others to enjoy. Participating in a Disney Cruise Fish Extender gift exchange is similar: the preparation, the anticipation, the surprise.

(For those of you stumbling across this blog for the first time, you can catch up on the Fish Extender saga by clicking here, here, and here.)

Each morning as my children awoke, they jumped from their beds wanting to check their “stocking” to see if any treasures were left the night before. I reminded them that we weren’t officially part of the Fish Extender exchange, but participating as Pixie Dusters, so any gifts we received would be extras shared by generous families. Our purpose was to bless others without expectation of reward.

But oh, how we were blessed in return!

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Coloring books with crayons. Personalized drink holders. Flashlights. Stickers. Disney-themed toys. Luggage tags. Bookmarks. Mini game boards. Lanyards. Keychains. Candy. Cups. Lip Balm. Even detergent and stain remover wipes for any emergency laundry needs (which we needed, but didn’t have!)

We received handmade scarves that we wore almost every day. (We didn’t even think about bringing scarves on our trip to Alaska – genius!)

One family even surprised us with a handmade Disney bag which we used every day to carry our souvenirs, toys, and books from on-board activities and excursions.

IMG_1547

Sometimes the surprises arrived while we were sleeping; sometimes while we were eating meals. Each and every gift was appreciated, no matter the type or cost.

I was reminded again and again about the kindness of others. Such thoughtfulness was shared with our little family of five. Remember, we weren’t even supposed to receive any gifts at all! I connected with the Fish Extender Facebook group literally three days before we left. And yet… so many families chose to add us to their list and bless us as if we belonged to them from the start.

Even typing this blog post brings tears to my eyes, remembering the overwhelming feelings of love and gratitude.

The gifts continued throughout the week. I was humbled by the thoughtfulness and creativity of others. One family gave an open-faced locket filled with Disney themed charms. I literally gasped with awe when I discovered the jewelry hidden in my Fish Extender pocket.

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Another family blessed my youngest child with a handmade super hero cape and mask from The Incredibles which he wore, but refused to pose for a photograph. (“Mommy, pictures take away my powers!”)

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My daughter kept meticulous care of her gifts, choosing to empty a clothing drawer so her treasures would be safe throughout the voyage.

We were even surprised with strangers decorating our cabin door with handmade signs and magnetic whiteboards. (Did you know that the cruise ship doors and walls are magnetic?)

I simply cannot thank these strangers enough for the joy they added to our vacation. The entire Fish Extender experience showed my children first-hand the power of “give and receive.” We now have tangible treasures to remember your kindness and stories to share with others. You have woven your thoughtfulness into our family memories which will be retold for generations to come.

You have blessed us beyond measure!

If you are planning to take a Disney Cruise and love the idea of random acts of kindness, I recommend you to join the Fish Extender Facebook Group to get more information. (This is a closed group, so you will need to request to join.) The passengers on my cruise created their own closed group which allowed us to share information on a Google Sheet and post photos/memories from our trip.

A special thank you to the following families for all our gifts received (if I left anyone off the list, please let me know and I will add you!) You truly transformed an already fabulous vacation into something only Walt Disney himself could create.

The Johnson Family

The Miller Family

The Fontenot Family

The Green Family

The Adams Family

The Peauroi Family

The Hanks Family

The Mill-Nap-Hacks Families

The Kennedy Family

Blessing Others, Kind Actions, vacation

Fish Extender – Giving Gifts

Tamara

As we boarded the Disney Cruise, we could barely contain our excitement – it was almost time to put up our Fish Extender (FE) and start giving our gifts away! (For those that are new to this blog, you can read more about Fish Extenders here.) We had a list of 10 families – 41 people people in all, and bags of small gifts organized by cabin number.

Since everyone’s luggage would arrive at various times throughout the day, we had to wait a bit before we could RAK the others. We hung our FE outside our door with hopes that someone would Pixie Dust us during the week.

Understanding that we were late to join the FE group, I had already prepped my kiddos not to expect many gifts. “Remember,” I cautioned, “This is more about giving than getting. We may not get anything at all, but think of how happy the others will be to receive our surprises!”

IMG_1378.JPG
Our family’s Fish Extender

We decided to RAK a few families each day and agreed that if their FE was filled by someone else we would try again when it was empty. Oh, if you could have been a fly on the wall to see us trying to hide our treasures as we walked through the narrow halls, always wondering if we were passing by the family we would soon bless. We felt like spies on a recon mission!

The first door we came to had a fun surprise for us – a magnetic scrabble board on their door! We added our word “fun” and filled their FE. Then we went up a floor and filled a few more.

The next morning, we grabbed a cup of hot chocolate from Deck 9 and laughed about how much fun it was to give to others the day before. We searched the faces of the passengers seated around us wondering, “Could this be the Mann family? Maybe that’s the Kennedy family over there…”

Walking back towards our cabin, we talked about who to RAK and made a plan for organizing their gifts. Then, as we turned the corner, we received our own surprise – someone had blessed US by filling our fish extender in the short time we were away! The kids were SO excited and couldn’t wait to see what treasures were hidden in their FE pockets. Little did we know, this was the first of many gifts we would receive throughout the week!

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Check back tomorrow to see a sample of the FE treasures we received – it was like Christmas morning each time we returned to our cabin!

 

Blessing Others, Kind Actions, vacation

Fish Extender – Gifts to Give

Tamara

As many of you know, our big vacation last summer was taking an Alaskan Disney Cruise. One of the awesome things about taking a Disney Cruise is this secret RAK experience called “fish extenders”, which I blogged about here. While that blog post gave an overview of the fish extender process and showcased the fish extender I made, I never told you what happened next!

Since I was late in joining the Fish Extender Facebook group, I was put on a list of “Pixie Dusters”, which meant our family would receive random gifts that others had as extras (we were too late for the official gift-swapping exchange.) I, however, had a secret plan of my own. I decided to RAK fish extender gifts to every person/family that “liked” my Pixie Duster post on the page.  We ended up with list of 10 families – 41 people in all.

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Did I mention that we less than 72 hours before our plane would depart?

We. Got. Busy.

My two boys found pictures of Disney characters online and started recreating them out of Perler beads. My daughter grabbed her paint brushes and started decorating picture frames. I headed to the store to see what small gifts and Disney-themed trinkets I could find. We spent the next three days making, organizing, printing, and gluing so we would be ready to give our gifts away.

We prepared memory-making gifts for elderly grandparents and baby-safe gifts for tiny infants. We bought sparkle nail polish for the teenage girls and painted Mickey Mouse ears on the side for fun. We had beads. We had stickers. We had journals, pens, and more.

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Once everything was spread out and sorted, we packaged the gifts in family bags with a personalized note attached.

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We even packed a huge bag of truffles to bless the Disney Cruise workers who would make our vacation so special.

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The next blog post will share all the fun we had blessing others – check back soon and feel free to share!