I recently linked another friend's blog to mine. When I do that, I tend to take a closer look at my blog because I feel like it's being exposed to one more person. Taking a closer look almost always means that I go back to some of my archived posts and read about things I've done and reminisce. It's nice to have this blog as somewhat of a diary to reflect on what I've done. On the other hand, looking back makes me realize that I used to post a lot more when I first started.
Having a blog sometimes presents a problem. You want to write down everything that happens right when it happens. Facebook makes this easier, where you can write a few sentences to get your point across. But most of the time, the opportunity isn't there to sit down and write a detailed blog post. So then more ideas pile on, and the next thing you know, you're overwhelmed with the enormous snowball of a blog post in front of you.
I've had so many things running through my brain since summer began. Part of the list would include flowers blooming, making pesto, choosing clothes for Italy, relaxing on a porch up north, meeting up with friends we haven't seen in a long time, booking hotels and tours for Italy, anticipating a family get-together in August.
The luxurious thing about this summer is that I have time to do these things, and more. Although the more luxurious thing about this summer is that I have the freedom to choose to do these things, or not. I'm reveling in this freedom. I know just how lucky I am.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Luxurious
Summer. Oh, summer. How I love you. And how I love you even more when I don't have an agenda, a schedule, a job. How I love you even more when I have a paycheck coming in, a trip to Italy to plan, and options for getting together with friends and family.
To those who are reading this and rolling your eyes, I get where you're coming from. Really, I do. But after nine months of being strictly tied to a schedule, so tied that bathroom breaks became scheduled too, I am relishing this free time I have. This is only day two of the first week off, and already I feel like a weight was lifted off me.
Don't get me wrong; I had a great year. My class was such a great assortment of kids, that seeing them off the last day was so bittersweet. I could tell about 3 weeks before school was out that they were ready. Ready for middle school. Ready for summer. Bless their hearts, though. Most of them held back the urge to cop attitudes like only a few of them did. Some of those days it wasn't pretty. But looking back, that's not what I'm going to remember.
I am going to remember that being a fifth grader is tough. You want to remain a kid for all the kid stuff You want to start to show some adult behaviors to put your toe in the adult pool, but you still have so much to learn. I am going to remember that forgiveness is sometimes wrapped up in a facade of coolness. I am going to remember that friends change by the minute, by the mood, by the activity. I'm going to remember that four-square can be ultra-competitive. As soccer or wall ball can be.
And now for my time. Time to think. Time to dream. Time to plan. Time to read. Time to be.
To those who are reading this and rolling your eyes, I get where you're coming from. Really, I do. But after nine months of being strictly tied to a schedule, so tied that bathroom breaks became scheduled too, I am relishing this free time I have. This is only day two of the first week off, and already I feel like a weight was lifted off me.
Don't get me wrong; I had a great year. My class was such a great assortment of kids, that seeing them off the last day was so bittersweet. I could tell about 3 weeks before school was out that they were ready. Ready for middle school. Ready for summer. Bless their hearts, though. Most of them held back the urge to cop attitudes like only a few of them did. Some of those days it wasn't pretty. But looking back, that's not what I'm going to remember.
I am going to remember that being a fifth grader is tough. You want to remain a kid for all the kid stuff You want to start to show some adult behaviors to put your toe in the adult pool, but you still have so much to learn. I am going to remember that forgiveness is sometimes wrapped up in a facade of coolness. I am going to remember that friends change by the minute, by the mood, by the activity. I'm going to remember that four-square can be ultra-competitive. As soccer or wall ball can be.
And now for my time. Time to think. Time to dream. Time to plan. Time to read. Time to be.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Wandering Mind
I'm finding myself daydreaming a lot lately. Knowing there are 2 weeks left in school has made me jump into planning mode. Our garden is pretty much planted, we have new landscaping in the front of the house (no more white trash), and we're thinking about adding brick pavers to the backyard. It all sounds so grown up to me as I just listed all those things, but I guess I'm a grown up...
In the midst of all of this garden work, my mind has been wandering aimlessly in all directions. There are things that I want to do differently next year in my classroom. There are trips to plan both around here and abroad (hello, Italy!). There are books that I would love to read. There are friends whom I would love to catch up with. There are recipes I want to try. There are things around the house that I still need to catch up on (shredding party, anyone?).
I can't wait to have some time. Time to reflect on the past year, time to enjoy my favorite season, time to plan for future gatherings and school years, time to enjoy my friends and family without having 10 other things on my plate.
I'm going to wander wherever my mind and spirit takes me. I can't wait.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Mork Calling Orsen, Come in Orsen
Yes, that's a Mork and Mindy reference. For those of you out there who never heard of the show, or weren't a TV hound like me, this was the TV show that started it all for Robin Williams. He was an alien (Mork) who arrived from outer space in Boulder, CO in an egg. As I write this, I realize just what a crazy twisted concept that was. And yet it all made sense.
The title of my post is the phrase that Mork would use to call "home". Orsen was the leader and would guide Mork through his confused life on earth with alien wisdom.
I'm feeling like Mork right now.
My last post was a preview of what was to come in the last month or so of school. Yet, as I'm in it now, I was a little off in my prediction. I should've said magnify the craziness by about ten. And then double that.
In addition to the neverending to-do list and event calendar, my class has gone off the deep end. They're done. They're done with elementary school. They're done with patience. They're done with listening. They're done with self-control. So while the end-of-year plates started spinning as predicted, a few more started at the same time.
The only saving graces in this whole thing have been two trips out of town. Chicago and Boston. Chicago to see family for a get-together, and Boston to see friends and the Cubs play the Red Sox at Fenway. On both occassions, there was a lot of eating and drinking. And a lot of laughing. And did I mention eating and drinking?
I continue my life as a pinball in the midst of these crazy weeks. Being hurtled from one crazy event to another, adding just one more event to my to-do list, telling a student to be respectful, packing a bag for a trip, unpacking the same bag and doing laundry, organizing a field trip, planting flowers, watching the skies open up again to rain.
Sometimes I wish I had an Orsen to call to explain it all to me and offer some wisdom to guide through this chaos.
But what fun would that be?
The title of my post is the phrase that Mork would use to call "home". Orsen was the leader and would guide Mork through his confused life on earth with alien wisdom.
I'm feeling like Mork right now.
My last post was a preview of what was to come in the last month or so of school. Yet, as I'm in it now, I was a little off in my prediction. I should've said magnify the craziness by about ten. And then double that.
In addition to the neverending to-do list and event calendar, my class has gone off the deep end. They're done. They're done with elementary school. They're done with patience. They're done with listening. They're done with self-control. So while the end-of-year plates started spinning as predicted, a few more started at the same time.
The only saving graces in this whole thing have been two trips out of town. Chicago and Boston. Chicago to see family for a get-together, and Boston to see friends and the Cubs play the Red Sox at Fenway. On both occassions, there was a lot of eating and drinking. And a lot of laughing. And did I mention eating and drinking?
I continue my life as a pinball in the midst of these crazy weeks. Being hurtled from one crazy event to another, adding just one more event to my to-do list, telling a student to be respectful, packing a bag for a trip, unpacking the same bag and doing laundry, organizing a field trip, planting flowers, watching the skies open up again to rain.
Sometimes I wish I had an Orsen to call to explain it all to me and offer some wisdom to guide through this chaos.
But what fun would that be?
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
In the Blink of an Eye
May is always a month that whizzes by for teachers. Beginning sometime in March, dates are decided for important things like field day, ice cream socials, and farewell celebrations. The dates are penciled into calendars and while the snow drifts by the windows, teachers dream of better weather and the events ahead.
Yet when May finally arrives in all of its blooming-spring glory, it's almost like a shock that we're finally there. The dreams that were created 2 months ago and seemed impossibly far away, are here.
This week I experienced my first, oh my gosh, it's May already and I have so much to do and can I get everything fit in and wasn't it just March when I wrote this event in the calendar and it's really only 3 weeks until Memorial Day and do I have to actually teach when I have all of these meetings and events and farewells and and and and.
I have been attending a tech integration class for professional development. It has been a series of classes that has met four times over the course of the school year. When we first got the schedule in September, I almost laughed at the May date. That far away? I don't know if I'll make it until next week! And yet there I was, yesterday, sitting in that May class. I could hardly believe it.
It's around this time that teachers realize that the remainder of the year is so short compared to what we've been through. There's a sense of accomplishment to flip back in the calendar and see what has already been done, what we've endured. And yet, there's a bittersweet feeling too. Happy to be close to summer, but nostalgic about the year behind. Looking forward to sending kids on their way, but knowing this group will never be together as a whole again.
Blink.
Yet when May finally arrives in all of its blooming-spring glory, it's almost like a shock that we're finally there. The dreams that were created 2 months ago and seemed impossibly far away, are here.
This week I experienced my first, oh my gosh, it's May already and I have so much to do and can I get everything fit in and wasn't it just March when I wrote this event in the calendar and it's really only 3 weeks until Memorial Day and do I have to actually teach when I have all of these meetings and events and farewells and and and and.
I have been attending a tech integration class for professional development. It has been a series of classes that has met four times over the course of the school year. When we first got the schedule in September, I almost laughed at the May date. That far away? I don't know if I'll make it until next week! And yet there I was, yesterday, sitting in that May class. I could hardly believe it.
It's around this time that teachers realize that the remainder of the year is so short compared to what we've been through. There's a sense of accomplishment to flip back in the calendar and see what has already been done, what we've endured. And yet, there's a bittersweet feeling too. Happy to be close to summer, but nostalgic about the year behind. Looking forward to sending kids on their way, but knowing this group will never be together as a whole again.
Blink.
Monday, April 25, 2011
10 Things I'm Loving Right Now:
Hey, I'm not trying to cop out of writing a long post (did you hear that, Bre?), but I was inspired by Soule Mama to write some things that I'm loving right now. Things that are making me happy. Things that are carrying me through these days of relentless rain, grey skies and crazy politics and world affairs.
1. Daffodils that were planted blindly in the fall are blooming in all of their yellow glory. The tulips planted nearby are not far behind.
2. A class full of mindful students who really do care. They just sometimes have a weird way of showing it.
3. Planning a trip to Italy. You'll have to pinch me. Again.
4. A wonderful, lazy, casual, spontaneous, low-expectations weekend.
5. Catching up on sleep from said weekend.
6. A family dinner shared with Stein's siblings and their families. Good food, laughs, wine, and great conversation.
7. Dyeing Easter eggs with our niece and nephew. Preceded by a homemade waffle breakfast. A tradition that continues to evolve.
8. Looking forward to seeing my Mom and Rich in a few weeks after not seeing them for over 6 months.
9. Signs of Spring around town: U-M students moving out of dorms, people wearing shorts and flip-flops in questionable temperatures, Magnolia blooms waiting to burst.
10. A calendar that tells me that there are 8 more weeks left in school. I waver between, "Wow, that's a long time." To, "Crap! I don't have enough time to get everything done!"
Things that are keeping me sane. Hope you're loving a lot right now, too.
1. Daffodils that were planted blindly in the fall are blooming in all of their yellow glory. The tulips planted nearby are not far behind.
2. A class full of mindful students who really do care. They just sometimes have a weird way of showing it.
3. Planning a trip to Italy. You'll have to pinch me. Again.
4. A wonderful, lazy, casual, spontaneous, low-expectations weekend.
5. Catching up on sleep from said weekend.
6. A family dinner shared with Stein's siblings and their families. Good food, laughs, wine, and great conversation.
7. Dyeing Easter eggs with our niece and nephew. Preceded by a homemade waffle breakfast. A tradition that continues to evolve.
8. Looking forward to seeing my Mom and Rich in a few weeks after not seeing them for over 6 months.
9. Signs of Spring around town: U-M students moving out of dorms, people wearing shorts and flip-flops in questionable temperatures, Magnolia blooms waiting to burst.
10. A calendar that tells me that there are 8 more weeks left in school. I waver between, "Wow, that's a long time." To, "Crap! I don't have enough time to get everything done!"
Things that are keeping me sane. Hope you're loving a lot right now, too.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Erica, Phoebe, Adam, and Stuart
There was one summer when we were left to our own devices (vices? what is it?) that we somehow became obsessed with the soap opera, All My Children. When I say we, I mean Mickey, Rick and I, with an occasional comment thrown in by our brother Bryan. I don't know where we picked up this obsession. My mom, as far as I know, was never a soap opera watcher, but the three of us became entrenched in that show like housewives from the 50's. I even had a job one summer where my boss had a TV radio, so we would sit and eat our lunch and listen to the show.
Mickey, Rick and I would talk about these people as if we knew them. We discussed their choices, and predicted their futures. We rooted for some of them like best friends would, and hoped that the bad guys eventually would meet their demise. My mom couldn't care less about this show, so she ignored us when we would talk about it. Yet by ignoring us, she didn't pay attention to the names and would suddenly perk up the next time when we mentioned someone was in danger or on their death bed, or someone suddenly returned from the dead. "Who are you talking about?" she would ask with a worried look on her face. We would start explaining it to her and then she would say, "I can't believe you're talking about these people like you know them. It's a TV show."
Fast forward to recent years, when Mickey and I have become obsessed in the same sort of way with blogs. I think I may be to blame in this situation, when I stumble upon a blog that one of my regular-read blogs refers to, or I find through a google search. I usually tell Mickey about it, and then we start following those blogs regularly. When Mickey and I talk on the phone, inevitably part of our conversation will turn to blogs. "Did you hear that Soule Mama is pregnant? I am so happy for them!" Or, "I love that craft project Shivaya Naturals did with her kids. She's so creative." Or, "Did you see that Pioneer Woman has a contest? Maybe we could win and get to stay in the Lodge."
These people become like celebrities, in that we follow their lives through their blogs and get to know them as we read more about them. One post I did a couple years ago caught the attention of one of the bloggers I follow and she commented on it. I called Mickey immediately. "Heather commented on my blog! She read my blog!" Recently, one of my favorite bloggers, David Lebovitz, visited Chicago, and one of my friends Kathy, who writes the blog Stresscake, got to meet him. She wrote a hysterical post about meeting David, sitting next to him at a breakfast, almost spilling water on him, and spending the rest of the time talking with him. I was so jealous. A couple days later, David wrote a post about Garrett's Popcorn in Chicago. I made a comment on the post, and the next day I noticed he responded to my comment! I immediately emailed Mickey and told her my good news.
I guess once a groupie always a groupie. A geeky groupie, at that.
Mickey, Rick and I would talk about these people as if we knew them. We discussed their choices, and predicted their futures. We rooted for some of them like best friends would, and hoped that the bad guys eventually would meet their demise. My mom couldn't care less about this show, so she ignored us when we would talk about it. Yet by ignoring us, she didn't pay attention to the names and would suddenly perk up the next time when we mentioned someone was in danger or on their death bed, or someone suddenly returned from the dead. "Who are you talking about?" she would ask with a worried look on her face. We would start explaining it to her and then she would say, "I can't believe you're talking about these people like you know them. It's a TV show."
Fast forward to recent years, when Mickey and I have become obsessed in the same sort of way with blogs. I think I may be to blame in this situation, when I stumble upon a blog that one of my regular-read blogs refers to, or I find through a google search. I usually tell Mickey about it, and then we start following those blogs regularly. When Mickey and I talk on the phone, inevitably part of our conversation will turn to blogs. "Did you hear that Soule Mama is pregnant? I am so happy for them!" Or, "I love that craft project Shivaya Naturals did with her kids. She's so creative." Or, "Did you see that Pioneer Woman has a contest? Maybe we could win and get to stay in the Lodge."
These people become like celebrities, in that we follow their lives through their blogs and get to know them as we read more about them. One post I did a couple years ago caught the attention of one of the bloggers I follow and she commented on it. I called Mickey immediately. "Heather commented on my blog! She read my blog!" Recently, one of my favorite bloggers, David Lebovitz, visited Chicago, and one of my friends Kathy, who writes the blog Stresscake, got to meet him. She wrote a hysterical post about meeting David, sitting next to him at a breakfast, almost spilling water on him, and spending the rest of the time talking with him. I was so jealous. A couple days later, David wrote a post about Garrett's Popcorn in Chicago. I made a comment on the post, and the next day I noticed he responded to my comment! I immediately emailed Mickey and told her my good news.
I guess once a groupie always a groupie. A geeky groupie, at that.
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