Sweet Gabriel

Some of you know that one of my family's cats, Gabe, got sick last fall. He had a recurrence of fatty liver disease (he originally had a bout with it in Dec. 2006). He started to improve, but around New Year's Day relapsed and did not recover. We lost him on Jan. 25.

Losing a pet is very painful. I grow so attached to my pets, that the loss leaves a void and sadness in my life. Gabe, a beautiful orange and white tabby (a Garfield lookalike) was with us for nine years. He was a stray that we adopted as a kitten literally off the streets in the Azores. He loved to eat, especially chicken and tuna; my husband encouraged him to beg (as a dog might). As we left the house, he would watch us from the window, then greeted us at the door when we returned home.

He played with our other cat, Shadow, and treated him like a younger brother. He also liked to chase the laser light and nap in patches of sun. Gabe was very protective. When a neighbor cat came into our yard, he hissed and growled. Also, he was a snuggler and bed hog, often taking up a third of our king-size bed with his stretched out body.

Gabe, we'll miss you.

Spring Semester Has Arrived

I hope all of you starting classes have a good spring semester. The break went quickly for me, and I never feel 100% ready for classes to start.

My English 102 classes will be starting their blogs this week. So, again, I am blogging with them. Our first entry should be somewhat of an introduction. Here is my introduction...

My name is Denise Keller. Please call me Denise (if you feel comfortable) or Mrs. Keller. I earned a Master of Arts in English/Professional Writing from University of Alaska Fairbanks and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/PR.

I hope everyone will become better writers from where they are now. I would ideally like to have a class of questioners, who dig into topics and strive to learn more, strive to write better, and strive to be a supportive community.

Some of my favorite topics to read and write about are food, cooking, fitness, and education. I enjoy writing profile essays/articles. I am concerned about the health and wellness of people, the food system in the U.S., and our education system.

I have taught here at SWIC for more than 7 years. I have taught Journalism, English and Literature courses here as well as served on various committees, such as faculty development and textbook committees. In addition to teaching here, I teach online courses for other colleges, which keeps me very busy.

My hobbies include reading, cooking, trying new restaurants, and socializing with friends. I enjoy watching movies and a number of TV shows. My top favorite TV shows are Chuck, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, American Idol, Burn Notice, and The Closer.

I have been married for 24+ years and have 2 boys, both in college. They both attended SWIC before transferring to SIUE and SIU.

Describe yourself in 3 words: inquisitive, caring, and hopeful. I am inquisitive because I want to know more. I believe in life-long learning. That is one reason I enjoy reading. I am currently reading a mystery, Fatally Flaky, by Diane Mott Davidson. Usually, I am reading a couple books at the same time. Besides books, I read the newspaper every morning (the paper paper) as well as read news and other articles online. I think I read more online although I prefer paper.

If anyone has questions for me, please ask. I look forward to getting to know each of you this semester.

New Decade, New Year, New Month, New Day...

New Year's Day--such a fresh start. I woke up to a clear, cold, sunny day. I felt invigorated, especially after drinking my grande cafe mocha (made at home, not at Starbucks) while doing the Sudoku puzzle from the newspaper. The 4-star puzzle required my using little numbers to complete. But for someone who spends so much time dealing with words, I enjoy the challenge of the number puzzle.

I am debating whether I should make any resolutions. I am no good at keeping them (like so many other people). What I most want from this year is to enjoy each day, spend quality time with family and friends, do my best in my job, and be generally healthy (body, mind, spirit). I will not make a list of "things to do in 2010" and try to check off items every week or month. I don't need added pressures and stresses in my life. I will not obsess over a number on the scale. Feeling good is better than achieving a weight or waist size.

I do want to make the most of my time, finish reading all the books I have started, try new foods and new restaurants, and see some new places. I can do all that without making a list.

What I am looking forward to this year are some milestones. My husband and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary in November. Our older son is graduating college in May (he is finishing in 4 years--yea!). Our younger son will turn 20--no longer a teenager. In May will be 25 years since I graduated college with my bachelor's degree and 15 years since I earned my master's degree.

You may think that admitting all these show my age, but I have earned every wrinkle and every creaking bone. I'm not THAT old yet. And I don't want to be 20 or 25 again. I am much happier, much more content with myself that I was in my 20's. It's okay to get older.

I wish all of you the best year -- be happy with who you are, be the best person you can be, be truly happy.