Saying Goodbye to Robin Williams

It's already been all over social media, but I believe it still bears mentioning that we lost a great comedic talent this week. I've always been inspired by Robin Williams' history as a student, at least the story I was told at a teaching conference many moons ago. He was certifiably a genius and in many ways a typically brilliant student: bored and willing to take on the argument, always ready for the laugh. He was kicked out of several schools along the way, but still kept his own light burning. And as I heard that story (which I have never bothered to verify,) I knew that's a role model I wanted to share with my exceptionally bright kid. It's hard to be brilliant. Don't let the world, the system, or the authorities tell you who you are. You be who you are. And burn brightly. I think that's exactly what Robin Williams did.

He stared in several Disney movies and all of them are delightful, but by far his most remembered Disney role was as the genie in Aladdin. If you have time (or a DVR) you can still catch two more showings of Aladdin this Sunday at 6pm, or Monday at 11 am on Disney Junior. And since Aladdin is currently still in the Disney vault, it may be the only chance to view it for a while.

Genie, you are free.

DIY Upcycled Tigger Earbud Case

I love technology. I'll be the first to admit I have a crush on Apple. And I don't know WHAT I would do without my iPhone. Seriously. I'd be so lost without it. But I have a love/hate relationship with earbuds. Cute? Yes. Small? Most definitely. Uncomfortable? Almost every pair. A hot, tangled mess in the bottom of my handbag/diaperbag/minivan console? Always. That is, until now. I saw this idea on Pinterest (where else?), and was smitten.  No more tangled mess? Count me in!

In this case, I already had this orange jewelry case (which held a beautiful turquoise bracelet around the time Minnie was born. Nice work Mr. Photos From The Parks!) I decided to use it instead of a glasses case. It was extremely easy to alter - I simply drew the tiger stripes on with a fine point brown Sharpie marker. I looked up images of tiger stripes on Google images to get an idea of what I wanted. It was seriously just that easy. Once I removed the cardboard jewelry insert, it was exactly the right size for the earbuds.

I originally envisioned this as part of a Pooh & Friends gift basket of sorts, but as I was adding Tigger stripes to this case, I realized there are a couple other ways that this could be relative to Disney. If you have an Animal Kingdom lover in the house, this becomes a perfect accessory for them. Or, if you happen to have more of a Classics lover in the house, well, this could be part of a Jungle Book package, referencing Shere Khan. And finally, if you have a Princess Jasmine aficionado, then this is all about her Rajah. Plenty of ways to spin this DIY for Disney.

Most importantly, now I know where my earbuds are and that they are untangled and user friendly. And if you don't already know how to wind them up like this, check out this super easy tutorial. It's a little bit life-changing in itself. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!