The Sandra Seeley Column

Go Sea Horses! It's hard to believe, but the fifth grade students I taught in 1969 at Waianae Elementary School are now around 56 years old. Soon to be Senior Citizens with children and grandchildren of their own. How is this possible? Thanks to mental instant replay, I can travel back in time and see myself as I once was, forever twenty-three years old. I'm living in a furnished teacher's cottage. Just a quick stroll across the playground, and I'm in my classroom, or vice versa. No rush hour traffic jams for me! My rent is $12.00 a month which includes water. Gas or electric for heat is not necessary. My three roommates are from California and life-long friendships are being formed. The campus of Waianae Elementary School occupies fifteen acres of land with 1,350 students from grades K-6 (six sections per grade). Every two grade levels share a two story building. It reminds me of a collection of motels. I'm on the upper level of the 4th/5th grade build...

I just finished reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrne for the third time. The first time was around nine years ago. I decided to just play around with the Law of Attraction according to the basic premise of The Secret : I can attract something to myself through the power of my mind. Thoughts operate on different frequency levels and can be measured. Like a human transmission tower, my magnetic thoughts are sent out into the Universe attracting all like things on the same frequency, and then returned to me. Thoughts become things. The Law of Attraction is always working, whether I believe it or understand it or not. The Bible also tells us, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22) So the Three Step Plan in both books seems to be: Ask, Believe, Receive. I asked for a Lamborghini and 20/20 vision. I also asked for  a red horseshoe magnet as tangible evidence of the Law of Attraction. The red magnet idea came from a man, who a...

From the 1960's to my personal 60's (spanning 50 plus years), from Peter, Paul and Mary to Keith Urban, from protest marches to gratitude for just being able to walk, this wannabe musician is finally taking guitar lessons again. (I took lessons for about a year in my flower child days.) You can find me every Wednesday afternoon jamming (or trying to) at From the Top Music Shop in Monongahela, PA. Bill and Renee Teck, owners and instructors are top of the line musicians. My instructor, Bill, is patience personified. I don't know what he says to Renee about me when I leave, but he gives me praise, confidence and motivation. In other words, the ideal teacher. My Yamaha acoustic guitar has weathered the years well. It responds to classical, folk and rock commands equally, depending on the skill of the person playing. YouTube makes it possible to practice with any musician, living or dead. I recently practiced with Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Crosby, Stills & Nash a...