Well, it's been quite a week and a half (almost!) at home. I took my first red-eye flight for a looooong day of travel on Monday the 20th. I was, as usual, the girl making weird faces as I attempted to get my ears to pop throughout my flights. I also was, as usual, the girl who passed out on each plane. One fellow passenger even complimented me on my ability to sleep--"I wish I could sleep as well as you do on planes," said the kind stranger. It was a great feat indeed given the screaming baby behind me on my way from Dallas to Fort Myers...and the six-year old kicking my seat.
When my travels ended, however, I found myself in sunny Florida, and I was aching to get out of my boots! 70 degree weather? Yes, please! So I popped on some flip-flops and my sunnies and took care of one urgent task: Doing nothing. I don't even remember what I did on that first day here...I may or may not having taken a long nap--I don't recall and don't really care; all I know is that it was amazing.
The follow day I did leave the house with quite the goal: stock the pantry and fridge. Apart from the giant bottle of vodka, some orange juice, (I know what you're thinking: screwdrivers!...but my dad only drinks vodka straight), and the biggest box of Cheez-Its imaginable, our house had little in it. So I skipped into Publix, the grocery store around here, and looking completely out of place since I was wearing a color other than beige and I'm under the age of 60, and stocked a grocery cart with all kinds of good stuff. From my favorite Triscuits to pom juice to margarita mix of course, my cart was filled to the brim with excellent finds.
...alright...I started off eager to write...now, not so much. We're watching 24...and it is getting GOOD. Jack may or may not kill Nina in the next episode. My focus is split. More to (maybe) come later.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Remember when...
What happens if you can't remember when...? I am SO excited to go home in a week to see my parents--I can't wait to be away from work, away from everything, away and ready to relax! As previous posts have explained, the past months have been absurd. I was looking through photos on my computer of past Christmases (is that how you pluralize Christmas?), and I realized I don't remember the last Christmas my mom remembers. That's just plain ol' weird. I don't have photos from it, and I don't remember it...
Now that I re-read that though, I'm aware of the fact that clearly there are no Christmases my mom currently remembers. I guess I should have clarified and said the last Christmas my mom remembered us/knew what was going on...it's been a while. I don't quite know where I'm going with this post, just thinking I guess...I miss you, Mom.
"Maybe you get Alzheimer's, maybe you do not. Just screw the odds, screw science. Let's just live. Whatever happens, happens."
In just a week, I will be sipping margaritas, poolside, in warm toasty Florida weather. I fully intend on eating carbolicious foods like Vapiano's and doing absolutely nothing. Winter break, here I come.
Now that I re-read that though, I'm aware of the fact that clearly there are no Christmases my mom currently remembers. I guess I should have clarified and said the last Christmas my mom remembered us/knew what was going on...it's been a while. I don't quite know where I'm going with this post, just thinking I guess...I miss you, Mom.
"Maybe you get Alzheimer's, maybe you do not. Just screw the odds, screw science. Let's just live. Whatever happens, happens."
In just a week, I will be sipping margaritas, poolside, in warm toasty Florida weather. I fully intend on eating carbolicious foods like Vapiano's and doing absolutely nothing. Winter break, here I come.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
"You're so wise, you should be an owl."
Tonight I was talking with my friend Julie when she said the aforementioned quote. "You're so wise, you should be an owl." Oh how I wish I were as wise as Julie thinks. However, I'll take it, and even more, I'll gladly take having an awesome friend like Julie. The past entire semester has been crazy, and she has been SO wonderful.
I noticed the other day I've been saying, "Wow, it's been a crazy start to the year." Then, I'm reminded that it's DECEMBER, and in just a week, I will start Christmas break! How did that happen, and how have I dealt with so much in such a short time? While I wish a blog were the appropriate place to recap all that has happened during the past several months, I know it certainly is not. Let me just say, that this year started interestingly...and continued to progress even more interestingly. I have had more than one co-teacher this year, and I've dealt with harassment. I know there's no age requirement for harassment, but I just really never thought at 24 I'd have to deal with it! However, one perk of both situations is that have I grown a lot. I've learned how to handle myself professionally when at times all I wanted to respond in the most unprofessional way. If I can make it through my first year and a half in the classroom, I have no doubt I can last much longer as a teacher.
As all the stress fades away, however, I find myself truly tired. Yes, I'm always stressed, and yes I'm always busy...and yes, I do often take my weekends to get at least 10 hours of sleep each night. It is rare, though, that I feel and look as tired as I do now (at least I think so!). I've come to the conclusion that now I am actually getting a GOOD night's rest, and so I am trying to make up for the past several months. Sure I got a decent amount of sleep, but even when it was enough or more than I needed by "numbers" (as in 7+ hours a night), I don't know that my body ever truly relaxed. Now, with all of this hopefully behind me, I can sleep and enjoy it.
Before I get to sleep now, I do have to mention that not only am I grateful for Julie, but I'm also very grateful for a few other people...ahem, Holly, Sarah, Kat, and Kristin. They make me feel sane about the craziness in my life. Holly hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving for me AND Chloe... Sarah is my new co-teacher (who just gave me a phenomenal Christmas present--there was Coffee Bean mix AND a holiday armadillo, so amazing)... Kat always reminds me of "normalcy"... and Kristin of course is my saving grace at school. I do not know how TFA knew to put us together (or if that was Paddy's doing), but I would not have survived this year without her. Plus, she is always up for Indian food.
Alright, my bed is way too comfy right now...and I actually can sleep without feeling stressed and anxious, so I'm going to take advantage of this wonderfulness.
I noticed the other day I've been saying, "Wow, it's been a crazy start to the year." Then, I'm reminded that it's DECEMBER, and in just a week, I will start Christmas break! How did that happen, and how have I dealt with so much in such a short time? While I wish a blog were the appropriate place to recap all that has happened during the past several months, I know it certainly is not. Let me just say, that this year started interestingly...and continued to progress even more interestingly. I have had more than one co-teacher this year, and I've dealt with harassment. I know there's no age requirement for harassment, but I just really never thought at 24 I'd have to deal with it! However, one perk of both situations is that have I grown a lot. I've learned how to handle myself professionally when at times all I wanted to respond in the most unprofessional way. If I can make it through my first year and a half in the classroom, I have no doubt I can last much longer as a teacher.
As all the stress fades away, however, I find myself truly tired. Yes, I'm always stressed, and yes I'm always busy...and yes, I do often take my weekends to get at least 10 hours of sleep each night. It is rare, though, that I feel and look as tired as I do now (at least I think so!). I've come to the conclusion that now I am actually getting a GOOD night's rest, and so I am trying to make up for the past several months. Sure I got a decent amount of sleep, but even when it was enough or more than I needed by "numbers" (as in 7+ hours a night), I don't know that my body ever truly relaxed. Now, with all of this hopefully behind me, I can sleep and enjoy it.
Before I get to sleep now, I do have to mention that not only am I grateful for Julie, but I'm also very grateful for a few other people...ahem, Holly, Sarah, Kat, and Kristin. They make me feel sane about the craziness in my life. Holly hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving for me AND Chloe... Sarah is my new co-teacher (who just gave me a phenomenal Christmas present--there was Coffee Bean mix AND a holiday armadillo, so amazing)... Kat always reminds me of "normalcy"... and Kristin of course is my saving grace at school. I do not know how TFA knew to put us together (or if that was Paddy's doing), but I would not have survived this year without her. Plus, she is always up for Indian food.
Alright, my bed is way too comfy right now...and I actually can sleep without feeling stressed and anxious, so I'm going to take advantage of this wonderfulness.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
What will 24 bring?
It's December...which means it's my birthday month...a month most know that I love.
As the dreaded 24 approaches (sarcasm marks, I realize I'm very young), I'm wondering what next year will bring...I seem to have this crazy idea in my head that my life can be normal for more than a week or two. False. Apparently, I don't do normal.
Allow me to take you on a walk down memory lane:
15: Lost on the way home from the airport. Rest stop phone call, "Can you come get us?" Freshman year of high school. Lots of "Magiera" calls in the hallway.
Actual 15th birthday? Spent in Disney World. Awesome. :)
16: "Dad thought he had a heart attack. It's okay though, he didn't. He's staying overnight at the hospital though, and I went to work, but I have to go now cause I'm making dinner and I have to make sure Jeff can still drive me to school tomorrow. Call me if you need anything--I just wanted you to know what's going on." I also had to call myself out of school when I was 16. That was a fun phone call...
me: "Hi, um I'm calling, because I'm not going to go to school today. My dad's in the hospital, and so I'm calling myself out."
office: "Can we talk to your mom?"
me: "Um, yes, but she won't have any idea what you're talking about...I can give you my dad's hospital room number though if you want.
I did eventually get my driver's license...and a Nissan Murano. Orange.
Actual 16th birthday? Spent in Disney World. I'm pretty sure this was the year Chris booked the German Pavilion for my birthday. The following years would prove to be much better planned.
17: "Dad, I broke my phone. I dropped it...cause Mom asked what my name was...and so now my phone is broken." Summer service trip to West Virginia.
Actual 17th birthday? Spent in Disney World.
18: Graduated from high school. Led a summer service trip back to West Virginia. Moved to California. Learned how to make my bed (thanks, Chris). Pepperdine. Sunburn. Sick. Often. That damn "stomach flu."
Actual 18th birthday? Spent in Disney World.
19: Still sick. Often. Nursing homes. DC. Cruise. Surgery. Fun.
Actual 19th birthday? Not sure. At home perhaps? This may have been the night we tried to go get steak for my birthday and failed. (My Favorite Inn was closed?) I do remember making everyone at my family celebration wear hats. Scooby Doo party hats.
20: Chemo. GREAT news...end of chemo. Health. Saw Matthew Perry in Ralph's. Got a MINI. Never knew how many options and choices there are when buying a car.
Actual 20th birthday? Twas fun, spending my 20th birthday in the hospital. I watched Friends. We brought cupcakes for the nurses. I told them it was the one day I would not be happy. Chris brought Panera to the hospital. It was nice.
21: A pretty tame year. Some Tri Delt drama, but let's be honest, life has been worse (see 20th birthday). Ooh, I also went trapezing. That was fun...and I got a dog.
Actual 21st birthday? Excellent. Ambiance. Chris, Dad, Megan, and me. Shots of jaeger. Fantastic steak. I approve.
22: Graduating from college. Learning how to teach kindergarteners. Moving all by myself. Vandalism to my car. Finances.
Actual 22nd birthday? Hm. Steak dinner? That's just a guess. I don't remember.
23: Finished my first year of teaching and my first year of grad school. Harassment. Lead kindergarten teacher-ness. Moved again.
Actual 23rd birthday? On my 23rd birthday, we woke up at 4 or 5 a.m. to call hospice. Fortunately by the time a nurse arrived, things were fine. It was an exciting day. We also went to a restaurant called Caribbean Breeze. A cute old couple brought cushions and lighted magnifying glasses to the restaurant. Hilariously awesome.
So, what could happen when I'm 24? I don't know. It should be fun.
Needless to say...HAPPY DECEMBER!
As the dreaded 24 approaches (sarcasm marks, I realize I'm very young), I'm wondering what next year will bring...I seem to have this crazy idea in my head that my life can be normal for more than a week or two. False. Apparently, I don't do normal.
Allow me to take you on a walk down memory lane:
15: Lost on the way home from the airport. Rest stop phone call, "Can you come get us?" Freshman year of high school. Lots of "Magiera" calls in the hallway.
Actual 15th birthday? Spent in Disney World. Awesome. :)
16: "Dad thought he had a heart attack. It's okay though, he didn't. He's staying overnight at the hospital though, and I went to work, but I have to go now cause I'm making dinner and I have to make sure Jeff can still drive me to school tomorrow. Call me if you need anything--I just wanted you to know what's going on." I also had to call myself out of school when I was 16. That was a fun phone call...
me: "Hi, um I'm calling, because I'm not going to go to school today. My dad's in the hospital, and so I'm calling myself out."
office: "Can we talk to your mom?"
me: "Um, yes, but she won't have any idea what you're talking about...I can give you my dad's hospital room number though if you want.
I did eventually get my driver's license...and a Nissan Murano. Orange.
Actual 16th birthday? Spent in Disney World. I'm pretty sure this was the year Chris booked the German Pavilion for my birthday. The following years would prove to be much better planned.
17: "Dad, I broke my phone. I dropped it...cause Mom asked what my name was...and so now my phone is broken." Summer service trip to West Virginia.
Actual 17th birthday? Spent in Disney World.
18: Graduated from high school. Led a summer service trip back to West Virginia. Moved to California. Learned how to make my bed (thanks, Chris). Pepperdine. Sunburn. Sick. Often. That damn "stomach flu."
Actual 18th birthday? Spent in Disney World.
19: Still sick. Often. Nursing homes. DC. Cruise. Surgery. Fun.
Actual 19th birthday? Not sure. At home perhaps? This may have been the night we tried to go get steak for my birthday and failed. (My Favorite Inn was closed?) I do remember making everyone at my family celebration wear hats. Scooby Doo party hats.
20: Chemo. GREAT news...end of chemo. Health. Saw Matthew Perry in Ralph's. Got a MINI. Never knew how many options and choices there are when buying a car.
Actual 20th birthday? Twas fun, spending my 20th birthday in the hospital. I watched Friends. We brought cupcakes for the nurses. I told them it was the one day I would not be happy. Chris brought Panera to the hospital. It was nice.
21: A pretty tame year. Some Tri Delt drama, but let's be honest, life has been worse (see 20th birthday). Ooh, I also went trapezing. That was fun...and I got a dog.
Actual 21st birthday? Excellent. Ambiance. Chris, Dad, Megan, and me. Shots of jaeger. Fantastic steak. I approve.
22: Graduating from college. Learning how to teach kindergarteners. Moving all by myself. Vandalism to my car. Finances.
Actual 22nd birthday? Hm. Steak dinner? That's just a guess. I don't remember.
23: Finished my first year of teaching and my first year of grad school. Harassment. Lead kindergarten teacher-ness. Moved again.
Actual 23rd birthday? On my 23rd birthday, we woke up at 4 or 5 a.m. to call hospice. Fortunately by the time a nurse arrived, things were fine. It was an exciting day. We also went to a restaurant called Caribbean Breeze. A cute old couple brought cushions and lighted magnifying glasses to the restaurant. Hilariously awesome.
So, what could happen when I'm 24? I don't know. It should be fun.
Needless to say...HAPPY DECEMBER!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
It's been forever...
...but I really only have time to share a couple quotes:
1. "So, kindergarten...that must be really easy, huh?"
2. "You're waiting for him to do something? He's the President of the United States. He could quit now, and he'd have done something. Waiting for him to do something...what have YOU done? YOU do something...."
3. "I don't think I could ever tweet.
But I should try.
I might learn not to blather!
You're never too old to learn, you know!"
4. "I don't want to be the person who tries to play the 'My life is tough' game with you..."
5. "Kristin, it's Alex. I know this will be funny tomorrow, but right now I'm about to burst into tears. The f***ing pedal of my bike just fell off. Can you come pick me up from Target please?"
Kristin and Julie heard me swear for the first time a couple weeks ago. Julie has known me for almost 5 years now...so that ought to give you a clue of how frequently I swear.
All that said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new class! I cannot even express how AMAZING they are. :)
Alrighty, time to get ready for tomorrow and the adventures that come with it!
1. "So, kindergarten...that must be really easy, huh?"
2. "You're waiting for him to do something? He's the President of the United States. He could quit now, and he'd have done something. Waiting for him to do something...what have YOU done? YOU do something...."
3. "I don't think I could ever tweet.
But I should try.
I might learn not to blather!
You're never too old to learn, you know!"
4. "I don't want to be the person who tries to play the 'My life is tough' game with you..."
5. "Kristin, it's Alex. I know this will be funny tomorrow, but right now I'm about to burst into tears. The f***ing pedal of my bike just fell off. Can you come pick me up from Target please?"
Kristin and Julie heard me swear for the first time a couple weeks ago. Julie has known me for almost 5 years now...so that ought to give you a clue of how frequently I swear.
All that said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new class! I cannot even express how AMAZING they are. :)
Alrighty, time to get ready for tomorrow and the adventures that come with it!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Brief snippets of my life. *****=Sorry I can't tell you what was making me angry, but something was!
TWO DAYS AGO
Part of an email from my dad. This is one of the many reasons he is awesome:
I realize how upset you are and their attitude does not help at all but this is another case where you have to rise above the fray as you have so many times in your young life. In the grand scheme of what you have experienced this is like a minor pimple on your toe and does not amount to much. I'm not going to sit here and say something stupid like "if it doesn't kill you it ......" because I believe that is a bunch of crap. Whoever came up with that platitude was probably sitting in some ivory tower somewhere.
...
So, think about the new faces you will see in your class in a few days and how you will inspire them with a love of learning which you have always displayed. Think of how proud you will be a few months down the road when you will see how far they have come under your guidance and look at the first graders whom you started on the path to learning last year and I think you will feel better. You are doing exactly what you were born to do right now and in the place where you should be doing it.
YESTERDAY
Chris: hows it going
you had angry away messages up
me: good, i'm exhausted
oh yes
stupid *****
haha
Chris: ah
im sorry
me: it's okay
i just got this crappy email about *****
and i hated the way they phrased everything
Chris: hmm
im sorry that theyre being like that
me: no big deal i guess
Chris: well it just sucks
[more conversation with Chris]
Chris: i see
me: well i told dad
i'm fairly certain i would say something highly inappropriate to ***** right now
so best not to talk to them
6:07 PM
Chris: yeah
probably so
TODAY
Chris: how much coffee have you had
2:07 PM
me: just one
at noon
i will go back and get one before i leave
but that's not till 5
Chris: ha
you just seem hyper
me: oh well probably because my students rock
2:08 PM
not because of caffeine
P.S. Just a reminder. All things in life can be related to Friends. Most things in life can be related to both Friends and HIMYM. So I am off to watch some and hope that I can fall asleep soon.
P.P.S. I wrote this in an email today: "If it makes you feel any better, the only reason I really think I'm less stressed is because last night one of my roommates and I just hung out, watched mindless TV, and I had two drinks and did not think about school. I needed the 2nd one to really stop thinking about school and to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night and to sleep late. Let me point out that two weeks ago I was sleeping till 3 P.M. and up till 4 A.M. each night...I "slept in" till 9 A.M. today. So my conclusion: simply sleep helps, and so does a strong drink."
I am my father's daughter (though I was not drinking vodka on the rocks with bleu cheese olives), but I take my brother's pre-college advice to heart: Don't replace diet coke with Jack. You know you have a problem when you say, "I just need a shot to wake up." So before you start thinking uh-oh Alex needs an intervention (HIMYM reference...), I've had maybe 7 drinks in the past 3 months.
LAST ONE P.P.P.S. I met some students today. I'm beyond stoked for this year. They are AMAZING!!!!!!! Could I *BE* any more excited?
Part of an email from my dad. This is one of the many reasons he is awesome:
I realize how upset you are and their attitude does not help at all but this is another case where you have to rise above the fray as you have so many times in your young life. In the grand scheme of what you have experienced this is like a minor pimple on your toe and does not amount to much. I'm not going to sit here and say something stupid like "if it doesn't kill you it ......" because I believe that is a bunch of crap. Whoever came up with that platitude was probably sitting in some ivory tower somewhere.
...
So, think about the new faces you will see in your class in a few days and how you will inspire them with a love of learning which you have always displayed. Think of how proud you will be a few months down the road when you will see how far they have come under your guidance and look at the first graders whom you started on the path to learning last year and I think you will feel better. You are doing exactly what you were born to do right now and in the place where you should be doing it.
YESTERDAY
Chris: hows it going
you had angry away messages up
me: good, i'm exhausted
oh yes
stupid *****
haha
Chris: ah
im sorry
me: it's okay
i just got this crappy email about *****
and i hated the way they phrased everything
Chris: hmm
im sorry that theyre being like that
me: no big deal i guess
Chris: well it just sucks
[more conversation with Chris]
Chris: i see
me: well i told dad
i'm fairly certain i would say something highly inappropriate to ***** right now
so best not to talk to them
6:07 PM
Chris: yeah
probably so
TODAY
Chris: how much coffee have you had
2:07 PM
me: just one
at noon
i will go back and get one before i leave
but that's not till 5
Chris: ha
you just seem hyper
me: oh well probably because my students rock
2:08 PM
not because of caffeine
P.S. Just a reminder. All things in life can be related to Friends. Most things in life can be related to both Friends and HIMYM. So I am off to watch some and hope that I can fall asleep soon.
P.P.S. I wrote this in an email today: "If it makes you feel any better, the only reason I really think I'm less stressed is because last night one of my roommates and I just hung out, watched mindless TV, and I had two drinks and did not think about school. I needed the 2nd one to really stop thinking about school and to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night and to sleep late. Let me point out that two weeks ago I was sleeping till 3 P.M. and up till 4 A.M. each night...I "slept in" till 9 A.M. today. So my conclusion: simply sleep helps, and so does a strong drink."
I am my father's daughter (though I was not drinking vodka on the rocks with bleu cheese olives), but I take my brother's pre-college advice to heart: Don't replace diet coke with Jack. You know you have a problem when you say, "I just need a shot to wake up." So before you start thinking uh-oh Alex needs an intervention (HIMYM reference...), I've had maybe 7 drinks in the past 3 months.
LAST ONE P.P.P.S. I met some students today. I'm beyond stoked for this year. They are AMAZING!!!!!!! Could I *BE* any more excited?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I have amazing friends...
Please read the entire post below from my friend Ciara who is in Africa. She is doing amazing things, and clearly she is needed greatly.
Words cannot express how difficult these last couple days have been. Where do I even begin?
Pain. First, I guess I will start with the least significant piece of news. As my friends Zep and Nairi were saying their goodbyes to the children and packing up their things for America, I began to feel this horrible pain in my right side. "Hmm...this feels sort of familiar...whatever, I'll be fine." As I often tend to do, I tried to ignore my symptoms and focus on the tasks at hand; holding babies, taking pictures, and saying goodbye to my friends. However, at one point, the pain got so bad that I had to put the kids down and step outside for some air. For approximately the next two hours, the pain was unbearable. I curled up in my bed and hoped it would pass. To make a long story short, I think I had a kidney stone (or infection?). My mom called the doctor and I started taking antibiotics. My side is still a little sore, but I'm not in nearly as much pain as I was the other day. Whew! (Please don't worry about me).
Like I said, my pain is the least of the bad news and horribly insignificant in comparison. Sadly, let me tell you about Neema. Neema is a little girl at the baby home who is about three or four years old. She is absolutely beautiful. Her smile melts your heart and her laugh is outrageously contagious. She came to the baby home about two years ago after suffering some of the most horrible trauma and abuse you could ever imagine. Neema was repeatedly raped by her father. When she first came to the baby home, she was frail, tiny, and in so much pain. Because of her abuse, Neema currently frequently suffers rectal prolapses. Basically, the end of her colon ends up on the outside of her body. She had one surgery a while ago to prevent this from happening again, but like many procedures in Africa, it didn't work.
A few days ago, Neema woke up in the morning in a great deal of pain. The poor little darling walked out of her bedroom with her back hunched over and her little bum in the air. "It hurts," she kept saying while pointing to her nappy (diaper). Her normally joyous face was now scrunched up, wincing with every movement. I held Neema that morning until she fell asleep. Apparently, there's nothing we can do for her and eventually her insides work their way back in again and she goes on with her daily routine.
Luckily, it only took a day for this to happen and Neema is back to her normal, happy self again. But can I take a second and say, "WHAT?! A two-year-old?! Her own father?! How disgusting and cruel do you have to be?" How could anyone ever do such a thing? I was truly heartbroken holding her and watching her have to deal with the consequences of such cruelty. I don't know if I've ever felt more helpless. Precious Neema. Please keep this beautiful little girl in your prayers.
Suffering. I don't know how many of you follow the baby home website, but if you don't, let me tell you about another gorgeous baby, baby George. Georgie is one of those babies who people are drawn to automatically. Not only is he a handsome little thing (a future heart-breaker for sure), but he is almost always full of joy. You will never find George crying just for attention or whining for a different toy, etc. More often, you will find him smiling, eyes twinkling, and full of innocent wonderment.
Lately however, little Georgie (about a year old) definitely has reason to be crying. George was born without an anus and has had a colostomy bag since birth. In hopes of easing current and future difficulties, George has undergone several surgeries in the last year and now has an anus. This is fantastic news for any child, but especially for an orphan in Africa.
Yesterday, George finally came home from the hospital and today I got to spend some time with him. As we looked after him, Erika (another long-term volunteer) and I began to well up with tears. George has had each of his surgeries (all major) without ANY pain medication whatsoever. He has a huge open wound in his side where the colostomy bag has been (now stitched up), and his intestines disconnected and reconnected, a hole carved out between his legs for an anus, and to top it off, he has the worst case of diaper rash I have ever seen. The diaper rash alone is about three square inches of open flesh. He also has a scar from his bellybutton to his ribs from a previous surgery. Imagine, just for a second, the amount of pain this baby has experienced. You can't. It's impossible for us to imagine the kind of pain he is in because we will never know that kind of pain. We have been blessed to live in a country where morphine and vicodin are anywhere and everywhere. You wouldn't even consider surgery unless you KNEW you wouldn't feel a thing. Georgie had his intestines cut apart and sewn together and felt every single second. It's amazing he's still alive.
So as we watched him try to get comfortable and cry with every movement, how can I not ask why? Why does this little, tiny, beautiful baby have to suffer so much? When will it end for him? He deserves a happy, healthy, and long life full of running around, kicking soccer balls, and laughing with friends. Why does this little baby have to suffer like this? Why? Just why?
Horrible Sorrow. So if this wasn't devastating enough for you, I apologize, but what I'm about to write is a million times worse. Yesterday afternoon, five month old Stella passed away. She died. So suddenly. So unexpectedly.
A week ago, Stella was a healthy, happy, and very chubby little girl. She seemed to have no health problems at all. I was on shift in the tiny baby house. Stella was laying on a blanket and began to cry. It was just about time for her feeding, so I picked her up for a bottle. When I picked her up, she was a little floppy; kind of limp. One of the mamas and another volunteer noticed and the mama looked concerned and felt her fead for a fever. We took her temperature. No fever. I fed her the bottle and then held her in the rocking chair for a few hours, watching her carefully. During this time, she began to breathe kind of funny. It was almost like she was wheezing, but it was more like she was making a little noise (like a mix between "peep" and "grunt") with every breath. The mamas made note of it, told the assistant manager, and kept a close eye on her. Two days later, she was in the hospital with what the doctors called pneumonia. She was treated for pneumonia and tested for malaria. No malaria. No fever. No improvement. The next day, they put her on oxygen and Amy demanded she be moved to ICU. There was no room in ICU. That afternoon, she died. Doctors tried for 25 minutes to resuscitate her, but it did not work. Just like that, Stella lost her life.
How could this happen? She was healthy and happy! She was chubby and well-developed, not premature. She literally just died! Died! A five-month-old baby who I was rocking to sleep less than a week ago, died. What?! What?!
Forever Angels has lost five babies in four year, all of whom were premature, days old, and malnourished upon arrival at the baby home. With the other babies, it would have been a miracle if they survived. But who could Stella die? It was so unexpected, so unfair.
All of us at the baby home are truly heartbroken. I cannot even describe the sorrow, the hole in our hearts. Stella was such a beautiful baby whom I will never forget. She has gone from being a blessed baby to truly a forever angel.
I apologize for this depressing update. There's so much more I could write (how life is so unfair and how much we take for granted, especially when it comes to medical care back at home), but I don't know how much more I can bear to think about it all. Please pray for these babies. Please tell other people you know that there are suffering and dying (unnecessarily) babies in Africa (and around the world). Please don't forget them. Don't change the channel when you see a "save the children" commercial. Allow yourself to feel it. Feel the pain for these kids and then act on your empathy. They are helpless. We are not.
Truly heartbroken,
Ciara
P.S. I attended the funeral for Stella today. I haven't cried that hard in a while. All the mamas attended and we mourned the loss of one of our family members. Stella had no parents, no family. We were her family. We loved her so much.
Please keep Stella and all of us at the baby home in your thoughts and prayers
Words cannot express how difficult these last couple days have been. Where do I even begin?
Pain. First, I guess I will start with the least significant piece of news. As my friends Zep and Nairi were saying their goodbyes to the children and packing up their things for America, I began to feel this horrible pain in my right side. "Hmm...this feels sort of familiar...whatever, I'll be fine." As I often tend to do, I tried to ignore my symptoms and focus on the tasks at hand; holding babies, taking pictures, and saying goodbye to my friends. However, at one point, the pain got so bad that I had to put the kids down and step outside for some air. For approximately the next two hours, the pain was unbearable. I curled up in my bed and hoped it would pass. To make a long story short, I think I had a kidney stone (or infection?). My mom called the doctor and I started taking antibiotics. My side is still a little sore, but I'm not in nearly as much pain as I was the other day. Whew! (Please don't worry about me).
Like I said, my pain is the least of the bad news and horribly insignificant in comparison. Sadly, let me tell you about Neema. Neema is a little girl at the baby home who is about three or four years old. She is absolutely beautiful. Her smile melts your heart and her laugh is outrageously contagious. She came to the baby home about two years ago after suffering some of the most horrible trauma and abuse you could ever imagine. Neema was repeatedly raped by her father. When she first came to the baby home, she was frail, tiny, and in so much pain. Because of her abuse, Neema currently frequently suffers rectal prolapses. Basically, the end of her colon ends up on the outside of her body. She had one surgery a while ago to prevent this from happening again, but like many procedures in Africa, it didn't work.
A few days ago, Neema woke up in the morning in a great deal of pain. The poor little darling walked out of her bedroom with her back hunched over and her little bum in the air. "It hurts," she kept saying while pointing to her nappy (diaper). Her normally joyous face was now scrunched up, wincing with every movement. I held Neema that morning until she fell asleep. Apparently, there's nothing we can do for her and eventually her insides work their way back in again and she goes on with her daily routine.
Luckily, it only took a day for this to happen and Neema is back to her normal, happy self again. But can I take a second and say, "WHAT?! A two-year-old?! Her own father?! How disgusting and cruel do you have to be?" How could anyone ever do such a thing? I was truly heartbroken holding her and watching her have to deal with the consequences of such cruelty. I don't know if I've ever felt more helpless. Precious Neema. Please keep this beautiful little girl in your prayers.
Suffering. I don't know how many of you follow the baby home website, but if you don't, let me tell you about another gorgeous baby, baby George. Georgie is one of those babies who people are drawn to automatically. Not only is he a handsome little thing (a future heart-breaker for sure), but he is almost always full of joy. You will never find George crying just for attention or whining for a different toy, etc. More often, you will find him smiling, eyes twinkling, and full of innocent wonderment.
Lately however, little Georgie (about a year old) definitely has reason to be crying. George was born without an anus and has had a colostomy bag since birth. In hopes of easing current and future difficulties, George has undergone several surgeries in the last year and now has an anus. This is fantastic news for any child, but especially for an orphan in Africa.
Yesterday, George finally came home from the hospital and today I got to spend some time with him. As we looked after him, Erika (another long-term volunteer) and I began to well up with tears. George has had each of his surgeries (all major) without ANY pain medication whatsoever. He has a huge open wound in his side where the colostomy bag has been (now stitched up), and his intestines disconnected and reconnected, a hole carved out between his legs for an anus, and to top it off, he has the worst case of diaper rash I have ever seen. The diaper rash alone is about three square inches of open flesh. He also has a scar from his bellybutton to his ribs from a previous surgery. Imagine, just for a second, the amount of pain this baby has experienced. You can't. It's impossible for us to imagine the kind of pain he is in because we will never know that kind of pain. We have been blessed to live in a country where morphine and vicodin are anywhere and everywhere. You wouldn't even consider surgery unless you KNEW you wouldn't feel a thing. Georgie had his intestines cut apart and sewn together and felt every single second. It's amazing he's still alive.
So as we watched him try to get comfortable and cry with every movement, how can I not ask why? Why does this little, tiny, beautiful baby have to suffer so much? When will it end for him? He deserves a happy, healthy, and long life full of running around, kicking soccer balls, and laughing with friends. Why does this little baby have to suffer like this? Why? Just why?
Horrible Sorrow. So if this wasn't devastating enough for you, I apologize, but what I'm about to write is a million times worse. Yesterday afternoon, five month old Stella passed away. She died. So suddenly. So unexpectedly.
A week ago, Stella was a healthy, happy, and very chubby little girl. She seemed to have no health problems at all. I was on shift in the tiny baby house. Stella was laying on a blanket and began to cry. It was just about time for her feeding, so I picked her up for a bottle. When I picked her up, she was a little floppy; kind of limp. One of the mamas and another volunteer noticed and the mama looked concerned and felt her fead for a fever. We took her temperature. No fever. I fed her the bottle and then held her in the rocking chair for a few hours, watching her carefully. During this time, she began to breathe kind of funny. It was almost like she was wheezing, but it was more like she was making a little noise (like a mix between "peep" and "grunt") with every breath. The mamas made note of it, told the assistant manager, and kept a close eye on her. Two days later, she was in the hospital with what the doctors called pneumonia. She was treated for pneumonia and tested for malaria. No malaria. No fever. No improvement. The next day, they put her on oxygen and Amy demanded she be moved to ICU. There was no room in ICU. That afternoon, she died. Doctors tried for 25 minutes to resuscitate her, but it did not work. Just like that, Stella lost her life.
How could this happen? She was healthy and happy! She was chubby and well-developed, not premature. She literally just died! Died! A five-month-old baby who I was rocking to sleep less than a week ago, died. What?! What?!
Forever Angels has lost five babies in four year, all of whom were premature, days old, and malnourished upon arrival at the baby home. With the other babies, it would have been a miracle if they survived. But who could Stella die? It was so unexpected, so unfair.
All of us at the baby home are truly heartbroken. I cannot even describe the sorrow, the hole in our hearts. Stella was such a beautiful baby whom I will never forget. She has gone from being a blessed baby to truly a forever angel.
I apologize for this depressing update. There's so much more I could write (how life is so unfair and how much we take for granted, especially when it comes to medical care back at home), but I don't know how much more I can bear to think about it all. Please pray for these babies. Please tell other people you know that there are suffering and dying (unnecessarily) babies in Africa (and around the world). Please don't forget them. Don't change the channel when you see a "save the children" commercial. Allow yourself to feel it. Feel the pain for these kids and then act on your empathy. They are helpless. We are not.
Truly heartbroken,
Ciara
P.S. I attended the funeral for Stella today. I haven't cried that hard in a while. All the mamas attended and we mourned the loss of one of our family members. Stella had no parents, no family. We were her family. We loved her so much.
Please keep Stella and all of us at the baby home in your thoughts and prayers
Friday, August 13, 2010
Dear Education Gap, I hate you.
Have you ever gotten that achy, awful feeling in your stomach about something? Well, that's how I feel when I think about the education gap. Lately, it (it being education inequity, my students, the students in my district, the schools I grew up in, education in general) has been on my mind. How could it not be? I start teaching in just a week and a half.
...and I'm filled with this awful feeling in my stomach. Very few feelings compare. I think I actually felt more optimistic about being sick. I'm not kidding. I really truly wish I was.
Let me explain. Here's how the whole cancer thing worked for me.
December 1, 2006--Doctor: "You need to have chemo and to start in about 2.5 weeks...do you have any questions?" me: "Do I have cancer? Doctor: "No one told you?"
I went home. I made a to do list. I wrote D next to things my dad needed to do, A next to things I needed to do. I made phone calls, many of them. I cried, yes, but I went into Alex-crisis mode. There was a problem, and I was going to solve it by having snacks on hand (helps with all the meds) and learning everything I could about the problem a.k.a. cancer.
Later that day--phone call from the doctor: "We got your blood tests results back. We need to start chemo Monday."
Then, I did everything in fast-forward speed. I had two days. I stopped by the Y to see my boss; we picked up medicines; I had a picc-line put in my arm (if anyone ever tells you it's painless, I assure that person is lying). To do list=completed.
December 3, 2006--Day 1 of chemo.
December 25, 2006--Finally let my hair fall out. (No really, I didn't wash it for a couple days so I could make it through Christmas with hair.)
December 27, 2006--20th birthday. Cupcakes at the hospital. Baldness. Super fun. (I really need to invent sarcastic marks.)
January 29, 2007--Last day of chemo. Amazingness.
January 29, 2008--Celebrate one year of great health with tequila and margaritas and friends.
January 29, 2009--Celebrate two years of great health with friends and a tequila sunrise (see the pattern?).
January 29, 2010--Celebrate three years of great health with chinese food and margaritas and my puppy.
...Cancer was "simple." There was a problem, and I created a solution. Granted my solution doesn't guarantee good health, but my solution was: do as much as I can to make things better.
Now, let's go back to education inequity. A GLARING problem. Yet my to do list skills are failing me. I am wondering: What is my way of dealing with this problem? HOW do I fight it?
Cancer I could accept. I hated it, but I could accept it. Nothing could have prevented it, nothing could have made it go away.
Children not all receiving amazing educations? I can't accept that. I hate it, and I can't accept it. This problem SHOULD have been prevented, and something CAN make it go away. I'm not sure though, what is the right "something" to make it go away. I hate that. I hate IT.
And now I'll go to sleep with a knot in my stomach, this achy feeling reminding me how much I am bothered by this problem and wondering how I will be a part of the solution.
...and I'm filled with this awful feeling in my stomach. Very few feelings compare. I think I actually felt more optimistic about being sick. I'm not kidding. I really truly wish I was.
Let me explain. Here's how the whole cancer thing worked for me.
December 1, 2006--Doctor: "You need to have chemo and to start in about 2.5 weeks...do you have any questions?" me: "Do I have cancer? Doctor: "No one told you?"
I went home. I made a to do list. I wrote D next to things my dad needed to do, A next to things I needed to do. I made phone calls, many of them. I cried, yes, but I went into Alex-crisis mode. There was a problem, and I was going to solve it by having snacks on hand (helps with all the meds) and learning everything I could about the problem a.k.a. cancer.
Later that day--phone call from the doctor: "We got your blood tests results back. We need to start chemo Monday."
Then, I did everything in fast-forward speed. I had two days. I stopped by the Y to see my boss; we picked up medicines; I had a picc-line put in my arm (if anyone ever tells you it's painless, I assure that person is lying). To do list=completed.
December 3, 2006--Day 1 of chemo.
December 25, 2006--Finally let my hair fall out. (No really, I didn't wash it for a couple days so I could make it through Christmas with hair.)
December 27, 2006--20th birthday. Cupcakes at the hospital. Baldness. Super fun. (I really need to invent sarcastic marks.)
January 29, 2007--Last day of chemo. Amazingness.
January 29, 2008--Celebrate one year of great health with tequila and margaritas and friends.
January 29, 2009--Celebrate two years of great health with friends and a tequila sunrise (see the pattern?).
January 29, 2010--Celebrate three years of great health with chinese food and margaritas and my puppy.
...Cancer was "simple." There was a problem, and I created a solution. Granted my solution doesn't guarantee good health, but my solution was: do as much as I can to make things better.
Now, let's go back to education inequity. A GLARING problem. Yet my to do list skills are failing me. I am wondering: What is my way of dealing with this problem? HOW do I fight it?
Cancer I could accept. I hated it, but I could accept it. Nothing could have prevented it, nothing could have made it go away.
Children not all receiving amazing educations? I can't accept that. I hate it, and I can't accept it. This problem SHOULD have been prevented, and something CAN make it go away. I'm not sure though, what is the right "something" to make it go away. I hate that. I hate IT.
And now I'll go to sleep with a knot in my stomach, this achy feeling reminding me how much I am bothered by this problem and wondering how I will be a part of the solution.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Spring Break for an Undergrad...
This email to my dad from college borders on ridiculous. It was titled "Spring Break appts":
Sunday: Fly home
Monday: 2:30 Dr. Colis (I need you to drive me because I have to get those drops put in my eyes)
Tuesday: 11:40 Dr. Block, 1:00 Thyroid Ultrasound
Wednesday: 10:30 Gardisil shot, 11:20 Dr. Hurteau, 1:00 P.M. Haircut with Cassandra
Thursday: Hooray! Nothing!
Friday: Fly back to LA
Clearly, that "vacation" was awesome.
P.S. I cannot wait to purchase Simply Sleep. I officially hate the hour of 4 to 5 A.M.
P.P.S. Question: How do you abbreviate time? A.M.? AM? a.m.? am?
Sunday: Fly home
Monday: 2:30 Dr. Colis (I need you to drive me because I have to get those drops put in my eyes)
Tuesday: 11:40 Dr. Block, 1:00 Thyroid Ultrasound
Wednesday: 10:30 Gardisil shot, 11:20 Dr. Hurteau, 1:00 P.M. Haircut with Cassandra
Thursday: Hooray! Nothing!
Friday: Fly back to LA
Clearly, that "vacation" was awesome.
P.S. I cannot wait to purchase Simply Sleep. I officially hate the hour of 4 to 5 A.M.
P.P.S. Question: How do you abbreviate time? A.M.? AM? a.m.? am?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
"I mean, I think you're past the point of 'What does not kill you makes you stronger.'" -Kat
Thanks, Kat. I agree. I have some awesome friends. If only I didn't have to revert to cliches and quotes to remind myself that a current icky situation I find myself in is just a little bump in the road. Seriously, a legit little bump when compared with things like cancer and Alzheimer's. However, I sometimes wish I didn't have the perspective that comes with chemo and a more-than forgetful mother. Really. In fact, right about now, I would very much so like to be in Lake Forest, scar-less, watching Nelson Schmelson with my entire family, which would include a mom who knows who I am.
Wow. Gray cloud overhead. I'm having a grumpy night.
So, again, because I clearly need it, 10 blessings in my life:
1. I am teaching A.M. Kindergarten! I just found out today--and so this means I get to eat lunch with Laurie and perhaps see Kristen more this year!
2. My dad is awesome. He's sounded extra tired lately on the phone, but he is awesome. He lets me vent about stupid things (see above) without following up with stupid cliches. Oddly enough, without saying it, he reminds me that really, it could be worse.
3. I am highly amused by my conversations with my brother. Especially one today where for whatever reason I told him what I was doing despite the fact that he did not ask. I'm in dire need of Simply Sleep. (I think it will be one of my first purchases when I'm all moved into my new place.)
4. Holly came over today, and we literally sat on the floor (I've been couchless for a couple weeks now), ate Chipotle, and chatted. She is great. Even better, she brought me Funfetti cookies. Awesome friend.
5. Um, Kat? We talked for over an hour tonight. I don't even have words for how great she is. Well, I have words, but they're not adequate. They won't explain or show you how much I appreciate her and her friendship.
6. Chloe. Yes, I'm thankful and blessed by my 5-pound dog. I can't help it. She's a riot. I like to think she's smart, because she's a poodle...but I also wonder after watching her play with a toy for over an hour hoping she can get a treat out whether or not she is that smart.
7. God. Okay, don't get me wrong. I suck at going to church. And praying. And many other things related to my relationship with God. In fact, I'm basically failing here. However, in good times and in bad times, it at least comforts me that perhaps one day I will be able to be better about going to church...and praying...and I know that I can only do those things with God.
8. Diet coke. Oh a blessing and a curse. Curse: I'm addicted, I'm up at 4 A.M., I cannot sleep regular hours to save my life. In addition, I may or may not be filled with formaldehyde (I hear aspartame turns into formaldehyde...perhaps not best for me to be drinking it). Blessing? Terrible sleep patterns=excellent planning time. I can't run errands in the middle of the night so I pop in a disc of Friends or HIMYM and plan away.
9. KIND CAMPAIGN. Gosh. Molly and Lauren are doing a-ma-zing things with it. I'm just SO blessed to know them and to get to spread the word about something so clearly needed. BE KIND.
10. My classroom theme. Okay, so this is not as grand a blessing as say wonderful health (#11 if I were continuing with my list), but I am getting so excited to take my students on a Learning Safari this year. Yup! That's my theme! To celebrate, I even had a dance party today in my apartment to some of the songs on the Lion King soundtrack. You know I'm cool.
...And already, I am feeling better. I have brief moments where I almost feel myself getting angry or upset, but I realize those two emotions accomplish nothing in this situation. That's not to say I'm immune to those feelings (believe me, they're present, especially right now), but I'm just doing my best to choose other ways to respond to this. One such way that has proved successful? Dance party. Now you know why I teach kindergarten.
P.S. Check out my new blog about all things related to teaching: The Teacher Diaries.
P.P.S. Today, a facebook friend had the following as her status:"5 years in the clear confirmed today! God is good!" This is a friend of Chris' and also fortunately someone who is great enough to be my facebook friend...and she found out she is 5 years in the clear from cancer! I forgot to mention she's only around 28 years old I believe. When I was sick (oh how ridiculous and dismal that sounds), she reached out to me, and in the few times I've seen her, she is just a wonderful person. How WONDERFUL for her to celebrate this day. I hope I know the excitement that comes with this news in just a few years.
Wow. Gray cloud overhead. I'm having a grumpy night.
So, again, because I clearly need it, 10 blessings in my life:
1. I am teaching A.M. Kindergarten! I just found out today--and so this means I get to eat lunch with Laurie and perhaps see Kristen more this year!
2. My dad is awesome. He's sounded extra tired lately on the phone, but he is awesome. He lets me vent about stupid things (see above) without following up with stupid cliches. Oddly enough, without saying it, he reminds me that really, it could be worse.
3. I am highly amused by my conversations with my brother. Especially one today where for whatever reason I told him what I was doing despite the fact that he did not ask. I'm in dire need of Simply Sleep. (I think it will be one of my first purchases when I'm all moved into my new place.)
4. Holly came over today, and we literally sat on the floor (I've been couchless for a couple weeks now), ate Chipotle, and chatted. She is great. Even better, she brought me Funfetti cookies. Awesome friend.
5. Um, Kat? We talked for over an hour tonight. I don't even have words for how great she is. Well, I have words, but they're not adequate. They won't explain or show you how much I appreciate her and her friendship.
6. Chloe. Yes, I'm thankful and blessed by my 5-pound dog. I can't help it. She's a riot. I like to think she's smart, because she's a poodle...but I also wonder after watching her play with a toy for over an hour hoping she can get a treat out whether or not she is that smart.
7. God. Okay, don't get me wrong. I suck at going to church. And praying. And many other things related to my relationship with God. In fact, I'm basically failing here. However, in good times and in bad times, it at least comforts me that perhaps one day I will be able to be better about going to church...and praying...and I know that I can only do those things with God.
8. Diet coke. Oh a blessing and a curse. Curse: I'm addicted, I'm up at 4 A.M., I cannot sleep regular hours to save my life. In addition, I may or may not be filled with formaldehyde (I hear aspartame turns into formaldehyde...perhaps not best for me to be drinking it). Blessing? Terrible sleep patterns=excellent planning time. I can't run errands in the middle of the night so I pop in a disc of Friends or HIMYM and plan away.
9. KIND CAMPAIGN. Gosh. Molly and Lauren are doing a-ma-zing things with it. I'm just SO blessed to know them and to get to spread the word about something so clearly needed. BE KIND.
10. My classroom theme. Okay, so this is not as grand a blessing as say wonderful health (#11 if I were continuing with my list), but I am getting so excited to take my students on a Learning Safari this year. Yup! That's my theme! To celebrate, I even had a dance party today in my apartment to some of the songs on the Lion King soundtrack. You know I'm cool.
...And already, I am feeling better. I have brief moments where I almost feel myself getting angry or upset, but I realize those two emotions accomplish nothing in this situation. That's not to say I'm immune to those feelings (believe me, they're present, especially right now), but I'm just doing my best to choose other ways to respond to this. One such way that has proved successful? Dance party. Now you know why I teach kindergarten.
P.S. Check out my new blog about all things related to teaching: The Teacher Diaries.
P.P.S. Today, a facebook friend had the following as her status:"5 years in the clear confirmed today! God is good!" This is a friend of Chris' and also fortunately someone who is great enough to be my facebook friend...and she found out she is 5 years in the clear from cancer! I forgot to mention she's only around 28 years old I believe. When I was sick (oh how ridiculous and dismal that sounds), she reached out to me, and in the few times I've seen her, she is just a wonderful person. How WONDERFUL for her to celebrate this day. I hope I know the excitement that comes with this news in just a few years.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Help make the world a KINDer place!
I'm writing to ask you to support some amazing Pepperdine graduates (and friends of mine), Molly Stroud and Lauren Parsekian, who are the founders of Kind Campaign by voting for them to win a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project! If they win the grant, they can offer assemblies at schools, just like mine, for FREE!
Kind Campaign is: A movement and documentary, based upon the powerful belief in KINDness, that brings awareness and healing to the negative and lasting effects of girl-against-girl "crime".
The founders, Molly and Lauren, are doing absolutely amazing things with this campaign, and with the grant money they will be able to finish their film, fund their Fall KC school assembly tour, start Kind Clubs, and offer their national program FREE OF CHARGE to schools. Your votes can help bring a phenomenal program to us!
Check out their website for more info: www.kindcampaign.com, and PLEASE VOTE! You can vote twice a day every day for the month of August--once on your computer and once from your phone! Take 5 seconds to vote: visit http://www.refresheverything.com/kindcampaign, and text 101818 to Pepsi (73774) to vote by phone!
Thanks in advance for taking the time to support a wonderful program (and passing this on to your family and friends)!
Check out the Finding Kind trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZTiMgWYDo and two previous posts where I mention KC:
I'm just really happy! :)
Kind Campaign...in the New York Times!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Late night posting...it gets no better...
The past couple days have been rocky, but thank goodness for the middle of the night to give me some time to think. Despite my efforts to become a morning person and to go to bed on time, I'm convinced I am a late night person. Even in high school I remember staying up late...and then I would convince my dad to drive me to school in the morning so I could sleep on the ride there. Anyone who knows me from Pepperdine probably received an email from me in the middle of the night. I can't help it. When all the hustle and bustle of the day disappears, I can breathe, think, and refocus.
So, needless to say after an interesting couple days, I needed this late night calmness to arrive. Long story short, it looks as though I'm going to be paying quite a bit more for my Master's than intended. This unexpected cost is just not something I was at all prepared for, for several reasons (otherwise I would call it an "expected" cost), and apparently this is something that stresses me out. Who knew.
Isn't this when I'm supposed to say: "Psshh. I've been through worse. Bring it on."? Well, if the past 9 years of my life are any indicator of what's heading my way in the future, I'm a little nervous. Sometimes I reminisce to when life was normal. Oh to be 14 again.
However, as always I'm reminded of the fact that in the grand scheme of things, my life could be 1000x worse...to put a more positive spin on that sentence: My life is amazing. Sure there are so many unknowns and crazy happenings in my life (what else is new...), but if I were to make a list of all my blessings, the list would never end.
Let me toss out 10 wonderful parts of my life from the past couple weeks before I go to bed:
1. I drove in my amazing car with my amazing dog down to LA.
2. I saw Nnenna and Jenn...and drank Coffee Bean.
3. I stayed with my phenomenal big sis Minda in Santa Monica...and we ate Thai Dishes one night.
4. My feet touched the beach.
5. I saw my amazing little sis Afton.
6. Becca is back in the states!
7. Julie is back in the states too--and back in SAN JOSE!
8. I've spoken with my aunt and cousins on the phone several times in the last weeks.
9. Indoor skydiving. So fun.
10. Valerie and I were able to spend nearly an entire day catching up in Marina del Rey when I drove down to LA.
...Please note that 7 of those 10 occurred over the course of three days.
I'll say it again:
I. Am. Blessed.
Now off to bed, it's time to go,
For if I don't, we all know,
Tomorrow, I'll need coffee.
(...did you think it was going to rhyme?)
So, needless to say after an interesting couple days, I needed this late night calmness to arrive. Long story short, it looks as though I'm going to be paying quite a bit more for my Master's than intended. This unexpected cost is just not something I was at all prepared for, for several reasons (otherwise I would call it an "expected" cost), and apparently this is something that stresses me out. Who knew.
Isn't this when I'm supposed to say: "Psshh. I've been through worse. Bring it on."? Well, if the past 9 years of my life are any indicator of what's heading my way in the future, I'm a little nervous. Sometimes I reminisce to when life was normal. Oh to be 14 again.
However, as always I'm reminded of the fact that in the grand scheme of things, my life could be 1000x worse...to put a more positive spin on that sentence: My life is amazing. Sure there are so many unknowns and crazy happenings in my life (what else is new...), but if I were to make a list of all my blessings, the list would never end.
Let me toss out 10 wonderful parts of my life from the past couple weeks before I go to bed:
1. I drove in my amazing car with my amazing dog down to LA.
2. I saw Nnenna and Jenn...and drank Coffee Bean.
3. I stayed with my phenomenal big sis Minda in Santa Monica...and we ate Thai Dishes one night.
4. My feet touched the beach.
5. I saw my amazing little sis Afton.
6. Becca is back in the states!
7. Julie is back in the states too--and back in SAN JOSE!
8. I've spoken with my aunt and cousins on the phone several times in the last weeks.
9. Indoor skydiving. So fun.
10. Valerie and I were able to spend nearly an entire day catching up in Marina del Rey when I drove down to LA.
...Please note that 7 of those 10 occurred over the course of three days.
I'll say it again:
I. Am. Blessed.
Now off to bed, it's time to go,
For if I don't, we all know,
Tomorrow, I'll need coffee.
(...did you think it was going to rhyme?)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Last post of the night
I have to mention that while my writing has never been officially rejected, there is one man who tore my writing apart. Don't worry, it wasn't as bad as it sounds, and I could not be more grateful for all the red ink my teacher used on my papers. He asked me a question I often wish I had the nerve to ask others: "What do you actually mean? Will you re-read what you wrote, because I don't understand it."
I liked big words a lot when I was a freshman in high school (and I still sometimes do), but I learned that the thesaurus on my computer more often than not is my worst enemy. Thanks Mr. O'Loughlin. I promise not to use fancy words just to sound smart.
I liked big words a lot when I was a freshman in high school (and I still sometimes do), but I learned that the thesaurus on my computer more often than not is my worst enemy. Thanks Mr. O'Loughlin. I promise not to use fancy words just to sound smart.
Monday, July 5, 2010
How to Become a Bajilionarian
me: i need to figure out what sarcastic quotes look like
or make them up
basically
Chris: haha
me: so you can tell when i am making fun of you
Chris: you should do that and patent it
and become a bajillionairian
me: dude
i just was thinking about what to do with my life
Chris: hahaha
me: and that would make it a lot easier
Chris: totally
me: if i was a bajilionaire
Chris: bajilionarian
me: and people would ask me
why are you so rich?
and i could respond via IM
with my sarcastic quotes
it would be great
well, life crisis averted. i now know what to do.
or make them up
basically
Chris: haha
me: so you can tell when i am making fun of you
Chris: you should do that and patent it
and become a bajillionairian
me: dude
i just was thinking about what to do with my life
Chris: hahaha
me: and that would make it a lot easier
Chris: totally
me: if i was a bajilionaire
Chris: bajilionarian
me: and people would ask me
why are you so rich?
and i could respond via IM
with my sarcastic quotes
it would be great
well, life crisis averted. i now know what to do.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
My dream job...
...has yet to be created, as far as I know. Actually, I'm not sure what my dream job is so perhaps it already exists, and I just don't know it.
I've just spent two hours perusing grad school websites, reading about graduate education programs, and I am even more confused than usual.
To start, I love my job right now! I love being in the classroom, surrounded by 20 wonderful kindergarteners, and learning with them. I love to learn, and I love to excite them about learning--I just don't know how to explain how great it is to be in the classroom.
In many ways, I could see myself being a kindergarten teacher for the next 40 years...
...but I also wonder if I'm supposed to be in the classroom for 40 years. Here are two parts of my future I feel fairly certain about:
1. Whatever I do needs to involve children, especially children between the ages of 3 and 6.
2. Whatever I do needs to involve education and learning.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm most myself around 5 year-olds. I'm not sure why, but I think there's something so amazing about hanging out with people who are genuine, sincere, and honest. 5-year olds are all these things. They don't say things just to sound smart or to make a point; they operate so differently than people of any other age, and it's so refreshing to spend time with them. I love that I can pull a student aside and simply say: "What's going on today?" ...and the answer I get is honest. When some people get stressed, they go for a run; others need a cigarette--some may need a hug...me, I need a box of crayons, and let me color with a kid, and I'll be good to go.
That said, if you know me you know I love working with kids, and you should also know that I LOVE learning. Love it. I love to read, I love to write, I love to do new things (even if sometimes I don't seem like I do). I love to learn about all kinds of things. Don't tell my brother, but yes, I like learning about opera, too. I'll never be the kind of person who will be on Jeopardy and remember all kinds of random trivia. In fact, I am terrible at remembering anything and everything I learned in history classes, but if you give me a great non-fiction work on something from history, I will dive into it. Put me in a museum, and I'll spend way too much time there--a museum and a library beat a classroom and a boring textbook any day. I sometimes mistake my love of learning for a love of school. The truth is, I do love school, but not always. I loved the schools I went to and the teachers and professors I had.
I once had a professor tell me that I was a different type of student...I forget her exact words, but she said something along the lines of: "If you were put in an empty room and someone turned the lights off and left you there, you'd still find a way to learn. You're a learner at heart." ...and I've never heard anyone say something like that before. Up until a couple years ago, I think I thought that everyone felt the way I did, that learning and school are great. I've learned that's not necessarily true, but I also think that a love of learning can be taught--it's great teachers and great educators who inspire that in you, and so I know I want to stay in the education world somehow.
And now, in no particular order, here are the other things I really want to be part of my career at some point:
1. Working with children who are sick and their families. Two words: St. Jude. I don't know if this is a response to my being sick or what, but I really think that in many ways while it would break my heart to be around children who have life-threatening illnesses, the children and their families would easily repair that breaking. I feel like I would be the luckiest person to get to know all those amazing children and their families if I worked at a hospital like St. Jude or Children's Memorial.
2. Working with and perhaps advising new teachers. I am still very much so a new teacher, and so it's not that I feel I have all this wisdom to pass off to anyone. Rather, what I discovered in talking with the new corps members this year (and as I felt in the past with new members in Tri Delt) is that I just love listening to people who are excited embark on something new! I love to keep in touch with people, as terrible as I may be at responding to emails and phone calls, and really, I could sit and listen to or read about my friends' lives all day long. I love to hear what's going on with a friend or read about the amazing things they're doing.
3. Fun pretty organization. I love labels and organization. I love when things match, when things are neat and orderly. I feel as though my love of things being pretty and neat almost ventures into Monica Geller-ness...except I don't cross-reference things yet so I think I'm okay. On the last day of school, I made Kristin pretend to be as excited as I was about my newly organized binders in my cabinets. During Induction, I re-did our meeting room with posters, and I made people go see it--I really just love when things look neat and organized.
4. Being outside! Believe it or not, despite my fear of bugs and my tendency not to like the weather when it ventures beyond my 60-75 degree comfort zone (as well as my likelihood to burn in any weather), I really do love being outside. I certainly don't want to rough it by living outdoors for the rest of my life and surviving on food I caught and made myself. That does not sound fun to me at all. However, if I could teach outside everyday I would. I love to splash in puddles and wear my rainboots. If I didn't get sick so often, I'd spin around in the rain more often. There's something very magical and fun about being outside and about nature.
...and there ends my list for today. With all those thoughts in my head, I figured why not type this all up--there's definitely more to come and much more to add, but I think I'll leave it at that for tonight. I woke up very late today (4 P.M. late...) after sleeping all yesterday with a migraine, but with all the lights off in my apartment and the darkness outside I'm cautiously optimistic that I can fall asleep before the sun rises. Happy 36 minutes after the 4th of July.
I've just spent two hours perusing grad school websites, reading about graduate education programs, and I am even more confused than usual.
To start, I love my job right now! I love being in the classroom, surrounded by 20 wonderful kindergarteners, and learning with them. I love to learn, and I love to excite them about learning--I just don't know how to explain how great it is to be in the classroom.
In many ways, I could see myself being a kindergarten teacher for the next 40 years...
...but I also wonder if I'm supposed to be in the classroom for 40 years. Here are two parts of my future I feel fairly certain about:
1. Whatever I do needs to involve children, especially children between the ages of 3 and 6.
2. Whatever I do needs to involve education and learning.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm most myself around 5 year-olds. I'm not sure why, but I think there's something so amazing about hanging out with people who are genuine, sincere, and honest. 5-year olds are all these things. They don't say things just to sound smart or to make a point; they operate so differently than people of any other age, and it's so refreshing to spend time with them. I love that I can pull a student aside and simply say: "What's going on today?" ...and the answer I get is honest. When some people get stressed, they go for a run; others need a cigarette--some may need a hug...me, I need a box of crayons, and let me color with a kid, and I'll be good to go.
That said, if you know me you know I love working with kids, and you should also know that I LOVE learning. Love it. I love to read, I love to write, I love to do new things (even if sometimes I don't seem like I do). I love to learn about all kinds of things. Don't tell my brother, but yes, I like learning about opera, too. I'll never be the kind of person who will be on Jeopardy and remember all kinds of random trivia. In fact, I am terrible at remembering anything and everything I learned in history classes, but if you give me a great non-fiction work on something from history, I will dive into it. Put me in a museum, and I'll spend way too much time there--a museum and a library beat a classroom and a boring textbook any day. I sometimes mistake my love of learning for a love of school. The truth is, I do love school, but not always. I loved the schools I went to and the teachers and professors I had.
I once had a professor tell me that I was a different type of student...I forget her exact words, but she said something along the lines of: "If you were put in an empty room and someone turned the lights off and left you there, you'd still find a way to learn. You're a learner at heart." ...and I've never heard anyone say something like that before. Up until a couple years ago, I think I thought that everyone felt the way I did, that learning and school are great. I've learned that's not necessarily true, but I also think that a love of learning can be taught--it's great teachers and great educators who inspire that in you, and so I know I want to stay in the education world somehow.
And now, in no particular order, here are the other things I really want to be part of my career at some point:
1. Working with children who are sick and their families. Two words: St. Jude. I don't know if this is a response to my being sick or what, but I really think that in many ways while it would break my heart to be around children who have life-threatening illnesses, the children and their families would easily repair that breaking. I feel like I would be the luckiest person to get to know all those amazing children and their families if I worked at a hospital like St. Jude or Children's Memorial.
2. Working with and perhaps advising new teachers. I am still very much so a new teacher, and so it's not that I feel I have all this wisdom to pass off to anyone. Rather, what I discovered in talking with the new corps members this year (and as I felt in the past with new members in Tri Delt) is that I just love listening to people who are excited embark on something new! I love to keep in touch with people, as terrible as I may be at responding to emails and phone calls, and really, I could sit and listen to or read about my friends' lives all day long. I love to hear what's going on with a friend or read about the amazing things they're doing.
3. Fun pretty organization. I love labels and organization. I love when things match, when things are neat and orderly. I feel as though my love of things being pretty and neat almost ventures into Monica Geller-ness...except I don't cross-reference things yet so I think I'm okay. On the last day of school, I made Kristin pretend to be as excited as I was about my newly organized binders in my cabinets. During Induction, I re-did our meeting room with posters, and I made people go see it--I really just love when things look neat and organized.
4. Being outside! Believe it or not, despite my fear of bugs and my tendency not to like the weather when it ventures beyond my 60-75 degree comfort zone (as well as my likelihood to burn in any weather), I really do love being outside. I certainly don't want to rough it by living outdoors for the rest of my life and surviving on food I caught and made myself. That does not sound fun to me at all. However, if I could teach outside everyday I would. I love to splash in puddles and wear my rainboots. If I didn't get sick so often, I'd spin around in the rain more often. There's something very magical and fun about being outside and about nature.
...and there ends my list for today. With all those thoughts in my head, I figured why not type this all up--there's definitely more to come and much more to add, but I think I'll leave it at that for tonight. I woke up very late today (4 P.M. late...) after sleeping all yesterday with a migraine, but with all the lights off in my apartment and the darkness outside I'm cautiously optimistic that I can fall asleep before the sun rises. Happy 36 minutes after the 4th of July.
"Maybe being grateful means recognizing what you have for what it is. Appreciating small victories. Admiring the struggle it takes simply to be human. Maybe we're thankful for the familiar things we know. And maybe we're thankful for the things we'll never know. At the end of the day, the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate."
Thursday, July 1, 2010
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.” -Miss Piggy
American Apparel=no sweat shops, which is great...but this article highlights hiring processes and workplace policies that are not so great...
"The store in which I work is located in a very racially and class segregated city, and all the people who work in the back are people of color and everyone who works on the floor is a thin white person.
Myself and another black woman who works in the back recently had a conversation regarding this, that it's not so much that there is a dress code telling us what to wear and not show tattoos (which is fairly standard, unfortunately, as someone with multiple tats and plugs), but that the way in which it is written, interspersed with pictures of thin white models, is condescending and sets forth a very specific message about who they want to work in their stores and, since it tells us we are supposed to "be what our customers aspire to", who they want to shop there. My co-worker told me about this moment with our manager when she was looking at the internal AA website at photos of employees at other stores saying how beautiful these girls were... when my coworker looked at the pictures, all she saw were multiple photographs of very thin and very tall white women who weren't necessarily or particularly more "gorgeous" for any reason."
Read more at Gawker...
"The store in which I work is located in a very racially and class segregated city, and all the people who work in the back are people of color and everyone who works on the floor is a thin white person.
Myself and another black woman who works in the back recently had a conversation regarding this, that it's not so much that there is a dress code telling us what to wear and not show tattoos (which is fairly standard, unfortunately, as someone with multiple tats and plugs), but that the way in which it is written, interspersed with pictures of thin white models, is condescending and sets forth a very specific message about who they want to work in their stores and, since it tells us we are supposed to "be what our customers aspire to", who they want to shop there. My co-worker told me about this moment with our manager when she was looking at the internal AA website at photos of employees at other stores saying how beautiful these girls were... when my coworker looked at the pictures, all she saw were multiple photographs of very thin and very tall white women who weren't necessarily or particularly more "gorgeous" for any reason."
Read more at Gawker...
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
When I'm worried, and I can't sleep...I count my blessings instead of sheep...
Well, I was definitely on a TFA-high yesterday. :) I'd attribute it to the awesomeness of the 17 new corps members who were in my CVC group. Seriously, they made me excited to go back to teach, and they inspired me. They're amazing, and it's just a blessing to have met them.
So, for today's post I'll write on a non-TFA note...
If your 3-yr-old is carrying the cat towards the kitchen muttering "kitty needs a bath," it’s really best to see what she’s planning. Especially if you have a dishwasher.
I discovered learnfrommyfail.com today.
I also discovered that don't know what to do with all my free time now. Three years ago when I had this much free time:
1. I also had an IV in my arm,
2. I had no hair, and
3. It was 20 degrees in the middle of winter in Chicago.
I'm very happy that now:
1. Said picc-line is long gone (and the scar has nearly faded),
2. I have hair (despite the fact that it's darker...and by darker, I mean really I'm being petty here), and
3. It's summer and warm in Cali.
Life is good. I don't know that I'm worried so much as not sure what I want to do with my life...which is very crazy. I basically am trying to figure out what job I can create or career I can pursue that combines all the things I love--a modest summer goal: to figure out my future. The great thing is that counting my blessings is good place to start--it just takes a while since there are quite a few of them. They also are a bit more fun to count than sheep...
So, for today's post I'll write on a non-TFA note...
If your 3-yr-old is carrying the cat towards the kitchen muttering "kitty needs a bath," it’s really best to see what she’s planning. Especially if you have a dishwasher.
I discovered learnfrommyfail.com today.
I also discovered that don't know what to do with all my free time now. Three years ago when I had this much free time:
1. I also had an IV in my arm,
2. I had no hair, and
3. It was 20 degrees in the middle of winter in Chicago.
I'm very happy that now:
1. Said picc-line is long gone (and the scar has nearly faded),
2. I have hair (despite the fact that it's darker...and by darker, I mean really I'm being petty here), and
3. It's summer and warm in Cali.
Life is good. I don't know that I'm worried so much as not sure what I want to do with my life...which is very crazy. I basically am trying to figure out what job I can create or career I can pursue that combines all the things I love--a modest summer goal: to figure out my future. The great thing is that counting my blessings is good place to start--it just takes a while since there are quite a few of them. They also are a bit more fun to count than sheep...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Teach For America Bay Area is...
This past week I was lucky enough to welcome 200+ amazing people into the 2010 Bay Area Corps. This year, induction coordinators had a job beyond working behind the scenes to make the welcome run smoothly and to create social events. Yes, we ICs had another acronym for which we were responsible: CVCs.
For those of you who teach lower elementary, don't worry, we didn't have to teach the new CMs all about consonant-vowel-consonant words. (Wouldn't that be exciting?) Rather, our job was to lead Core Value Communities along with a staff member. Each CVC was made up of about 20 CMs, 2 ICs, and 1 staff member. *By the way, if you're already alarmed by all these abbreviations, don't worry, I'll put a quick dictionary at the end of this post.
As I would hope most companies do, Teach For America has a mission (to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nation's most promising future leaders in the effort) and perhaps what you could call a slogan/catch-phrase (One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education). TFA also recruits and selects corps members by looking for evidence of the traits of strong leaders. (See the website for more details on that.)
However, the one thing that is really pretty amazing to me is that not only does TFA have cores values, the core values are the driving force of what we do and reflect how TFA wants individuals and the organization as a whole to operate. The values don't exist just so we can say we have them. Rather, these values exist so that the achievement gap can be closed...and quickly. These values enable us to operate with a sense of urgency that seems only fitting given the circumstances.
The CVCs this past week had several purposes, and the one I'm focusing on here is simply going through and dissecting the core values to figure out exactly what they mean and what they look (and don't look) like.
So, here they are, with their respective abbreviations:
* Relentless pursuit of results (RPR): We assume personal responsibility for achieving ambitious, measurable results in pursuit of our vision. We persevere in the face of challenges, seek resources to ensure the best outcomes, and work toward our goals with a sense of purpose and urgency.
* Sense of possibility (SoPo): We approach our work with optimism, think boldly, and greet new ideas openly.
* Disciplined thought (DT): We think critically and strategically in search of the best answers and approaches, reflect on past experiences and data to draw lessons for the future, and make choices that are deeply rooted in our mission.
* Respect and humility (R&H): We value all who are engaged in this challenging work. We keep in mind the limitations of our own experiences and actively seek out diverse perspectives.
* Integrity: We ensure alignment between our actions and our beliefs, engage in honest self-scrutiny, and do what is right for the broader good.
I have to admit, that even two weeks ago, I am not sure I fully understood the purpose and reason for the core values. In fact, I still do not fully understand them all--they're not easy to live up to, but they are definitely worth striving for as are most great things in life. :) I also really appreciate the fact that these are national values--I am grateful to be part of an organization that espouses these values nationwide, in every corps and in every location.
I also have to stop to acknowledge the fact that I may sound like I've been "indoctrinated" by TFA. Some of you might laugh upon reading this, knowing exactly what I mean; others might be super confused. There's a little-known phenomenon I call "TFAing" someone. The following is an example of how I could TFA someone who I've just seen teach:
Oh my goodness, so-and-so, you showed such great SoPo in the classroom today, and your students are really invested in the big goal. I see your RPR in your data results, and it's clear your students are well on their way to significant gains.
While all of that is truly complimentary, and it should be flattering to hear someone speak so highly of what you are doing in the classroom, there are quite a few buzz words in there that might make the conversation seem a wee bit rehearsed. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVERY TEACH FOR AMERICA CORPS MEMBER AND STAFF MEMBER MEANS WHAT HE OR SHE SAYS, REGARDLESS OF THE VOCABULARY BEING USED. So, if someone were to say to me what I wrote above, I would appreciate it greatly, but I would also call them out on the overuse of TFA lingo. :) I mention this, because as I feel I've expressed in this post, I am proud to be a part of TFA, and this past week was so inspiring. As a result though, I feel those buzz words creeping into my vocabulary, and while they are by no means poor word choices, the more often you hear them the less value and significance they hold when someone compliments you on your DT. So, don't worry, my vocabulary is certainly in tact, and I don't think I'll be TFAing anyone anytime soon. However, if I do, call me out on it. :) More to come soon.
By the way, my response was:
Teach For America Bay Area is being surrounded by inspiring students, amazing families, and wonderful colleagues and friends.
----------
Your TFA dictionary:
TFA=Teach For America
CM=Corps Member
IC=Induction Coordinator
CVC=Core Value Community
RPR=Relentless Pursuit of Results
SoPo=Sense of Possibility
DT=Disciplined Thought
R&H=Respect and Humility
...here are some that were not included in this post but just for good measure (FYI, I realize the more I communicate with staff how great all these abbreviations are since they reduce how much I have to type! Some of these are not "exclusive" to TFA ;) ):
PD=Program Director
ED=Executive Director
sig. gains=significant gains
OAL=Operating as Leaders or Operating as Learners
SWBAT=Students will be able to...
TAL=Teaching as leadership
DCA=Diversity, Community, and Achievement
ELL=English Language Learners
STAR/CST=California Standardized Testing
CELDT=California English Language Development Test
SPED=Special Education
ELD=English Language Development
ELA=English Language Arts
ECE=early childhood education
Fun ones from Institute:
CMA=Corps member advisor
SOM=School Operations Manager
SRT=School Resource Teacher
LS=literacy specialist
CS=curriculum specialist
LPC=lesson planning clinic
...and I am sure there are many I'm forgetting. Let's just say teachers speak a whole other language.
*All pictures from teachforamerica.org
For those of you who teach lower elementary, don't worry, we didn't have to teach the new CMs all about consonant-vowel-consonant words. (Wouldn't that be exciting?) Rather, our job was to lead Core Value Communities along with a staff member. Each CVC was made up of about 20 CMs, 2 ICs, and 1 staff member. *By the way, if you're already alarmed by all these abbreviations, don't worry, I'll put a quick dictionary at the end of this post.
As I would hope most companies do, Teach For America has a mission (to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nation's most promising future leaders in the effort) and perhaps what you could call a slogan/catch-phrase (One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education). TFA also recruits and selects corps members by looking for evidence of the traits of strong leaders. (See the website for more details on that.)
However, the one thing that is really pretty amazing to me is that not only does TFA have cores values, the core values are the driving force of what we do and reflect how TFA wants individuals and the organization as a whole to operate. The values don't exist just so we can say we have them. Rather, these values exist so that the achievement gap can be closed...and quickly. These values enable us to operate with a sense of urgency that seems only fitting given the circumstances.
The CVCs this past week had several purposes, and the one I'm focusing on here is simply going through and dissecting the core values to figure out exactly what they mean and what they look (and don't look) like.
So, here they are, with their respective abbreviations:
* Relentless pursuit of results (RPR): We assume personal responsibility for achieving ambitious, measurable results in pursuit of our vision. We persevere in the face of challenges, seek resources to ensure the best outcomes, and work toward our goals with a sense of purpose and urgency.
* Sense of possibility (SoPo): We approach our work with optimism, think boldly, and greet new ideas openly.
* Disciplined thought (DT): We think critically and strategically in search of the best answers and approaches, reflect on past experiences and data to draw lessons for the future, and make choices that are deeply rooted in our mission.
* Respect and humility (R&H): We value all who are engaged in this challenging work. We keep in mind the limitations of our own experiences and actively seek out diverse perspectives.
* Integrity: We ensure alignment between our actions and our beliefs, engage in honest self-scrutiny, and do what is right for the broader good.
I have to admit, that even two weeks ago, I am not sure I fully understood the purpose and reason for the core values. In fact, I still do not fully understand them all--they're not easy to live up to, but they are definitely worth striving for as are most great things in life. :) I also really appreciate the fact that these are national values--I am grateful to be part of an organization that espouses these values nationwide, in every corps and in every location.
I also have to stop to acknowledge the fact that I may sound like I've been "indoctrinated" by TFA. Some of you might laugh upon reading this, knowing exactly what I mean; others might be super confused. There's a little-known phenomenon I call "TFAing" someone. The following is an example of how I could TFA someone who I've just seen teach:
Oh my goodness, so-and-so, you showed such great SoPo in the classroom today, and your students are really invested in the big goal. I see your RPR in your data results, and it's clear your students are well on their way to significant gains.
While all of that is truly complimentary, and it should be flattering to hear someone speak so highly of what you are doing in the classroom, there are quite a few buzz words in there that might make the conversation seem a wee bit rehearsed. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVERY TEACH FOR AMERICA CORPS MEMBER AND STAFF MEMBER MEANS WHAT HE OR SHE SAYS, REGARDLESS OF THE VOCABULARY BEING USED. So, if someone were to say to me what I wrote above, I would appreciate it greatly, but I would also call them out on the overuse of TFA lingo. :) I mention this, because as I feel I've expressed in this post, I am proud to be a part of TFA, and this past week was so inspiring. As a result though, I feel those buzz words creeping into my vocabulary, and while they are by no means poor word choices, the more often you hear them the less value and significance they hold when someone compliments you on your DT. So, don't worry, my vocabulary is certainly in tact, and I don't think I'll be TFAing anyone anytime soon. However, if I do, call me out on it. :) More to come soon.
By the way, my response was:
Teach For America Bay Area is being surrounded by inspiring students, amazing families, and wonderful colleagues and friends.
----------
Your TFA dictionary:
TFA=Teach For America
CM=Corps Member
IC=Induction Coordinator
CVC=Core Value Community
RPR=Relentless Pursuit of Results
SoPo=Sense of Possibility
DT=Disciplined Thought
R&H=Respect and Humility
...here are some that were not included in this post but just for good measure (FYI, I realize the more I communicate with staff how great all these abbreviations are since they reduce how much I have to type! Some of these are not "exclusive" to TFA ;) ):
PD=Program Director
ED=Executive Director
sig. gains=significant gains
OAL=Operating as Leaders or Operating as Learners
SWBAT=Students will be able to...
TAL=Teaching as leadership
DCA=Diversity, Community, and Achievement
ELL=English Language Learners
STAR/CST=California Standardized Testing
CELDT=California English Language Development Test
SPED=Special Education
ELD=English Language Development
ELA=English Language Arts
ECE=early childhood education
Fun ones from Institute:
CMA=Corps member advisor
SOM=School Operations Manager
SRT=School Resource Teacher
LS=literacy specialist
CS=curriculum specialist
LPC=lesson planning clinic
...and I am sure there are many I'm forgetting. Let's just say teachers speak a whole other language.
*All pictures from teachforamerica.org
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sweet days of summer, the jasmine's in bloom...
So right about now I should be doing one of the following things:
1. Laundry
2. Reading over the agendas for this weeks' meetings
3. Doing grad school work
4. Writing my notes for the incoming corps members
Updating my blog is not on the list, but it's still pretty important. It's been almost three weeks since I updated (which is absolutely insane since I swear I was just in St. Louis). Life is just flying by, and before I know it, it will be July.
However, flash back to the end of May/start of June, and I was preparing for the end of the school year. My kids are, well, amazing. If you want to peek at previous posts, you'll see what I mean. There is a huge part of me that really wanted to keep them in kindergarten just so they wouldn't leave me! However, from what I understand, that's not exactly how the retention process works.
On every math and English language arts standard this year, my students had at least an 80% mastery. Actually, there were only a few standards that came close to 80%, and for most we actually had an average over 90%. Overall, in math they had a 98% average, and in ELA they had 95%. Not too shabby.
School ended on June 11th, and then June 12th I had the RICA which is a test on reading instruction. I either passed or failed miserably since it took me 2 hours, and we had 4 hours for it. I guess I'll find out when my scores arrive.
Then this past week has been filled with random appointments and meetings, plus a brief stop to say bye to Kristin before she headed off to Africa. I don't actually know that I've ever mentioned Kristin by name before on here, but she is the other TFA teacher placed at my school and just an awesome person. The first time Kristin and I really bonded was when a dog appeared at our school right before Thanksgiving. Long story short, I thought about taking the dog home with me, but I knew Chloe would hate me, and as a result Kristin ended up taking him...and well, the rest is history.
However, our friendship really took off when Kristin introduced me to the best Starbucks drink ever...a grande iced white chocolate mocha with 2 pumps white mocha, one pump raspberry. It's safe to say my bank account and taste buds will never be the same. I'm slightly addicted to the drink, and the baristas at Starbucks by our school actually know the drink now and just ask: "One or two?" (As in, are you buying one for just you or two for Kristin and yourself?). If you haven't heard Taylor the Latte boy, have a listen, since it pretty much could be about Kristin. :)
Anyway, long story short, it's been a huge blessing that I ended up at school with Kristin--she's even more optimistic than I am, and she is by far the warmest, friendliest person I've ever met. She's traveling back to Africa again to work at a school and help train teachers (she's a missionary), and I'm praying and hoping for wonderful things to happen during her trip.
Now I can hear all my Induction notes calling my name...this week 200+ new Bay Area corps members arrive up here, and along with 20 other current corps members and the TFA staff, I'm welcoming them into TFA before they head down to LA for Institute. I'm excited to meet them--it's really amazing how having one year teaching down does make me feel very different about going into the classroom next year. I still have concerns and worries, but the many questions and the anxiety I felt about preparing 20 children for first grade, the weight of that, last summer have pretty much disappeared. Instead, I still feel that great responsibility, but I feel like I can do it--I can manage it, and I'm not as worried about it. I'm hoping that whatever the new corps members need, we can give it to them, so they can feel just slightly anxious instead of terribly overwhelmed.
Well, it's time for me to get to bed (after finishing all the notes for the people in my CVC group...TFA does love acronyms...CVC=core value community)...
1. Laundry
2. Reading over the agendas for this weeks' meetings
3. Doing grad school work
4. Writing my notes for the incoming corps members
Updating my blog is not on the list, but it's still pretty important. It's been almost three weeks since I updated (which is absolutely insane since I swear I was just in St. Louis). Life is just flying by, and before I know it, it will be July.
However, flash back to the end of May/start of June, and I was preparing for the end of the school year. My kids are, well, amazing. If you want to peek at previous posts, you'll see what I mean. There is a huge part of me that really wanted to keep them in kindergarten just so they wouldn't leave me! However, from what I understand, that's not exactly how the retention process works.
On every math and English language arts standard this year, my students had at least an 80% mastery. Actually, there were only a few standards that came close to 80%, and for most we actually had an average over 90%. Overall, in math they had a 98% average, and in ELA they had 95%. Not too shabby.
School ended on June 11th, and then June 12th I had the RICA which is a test on reading instruction. I either passed or failed miserably since it took me 2 hours, and we had 4 hours for it. I guess I'll find out when my scores arrive.
Then this past week has been filled with random appointments and meetings, plus a brief stop to say bye to Kristin before she headed off to Africa. I don't actually know that I've ever mentioned Kristin by name before on here, but she is the other TFA teacher placed at my school and just an awesome person. The first time Kristin and I really bonded was when a dog appeared at our school right before Thanksgiving. Long story short, I thought about taking the dog home with me, but I knew Chloe would hate me, and as a result Kristin ended up taking him...and well, the rest is history.
However, our friendship really took off when Kristin introduced me to the best Starbucks drink ever...a grande iced white chocolate mocha with 2 pumps white mocha, one pump raspberry. It's safe to say my bank account and taste buds will never be the same. I'm slightly addicted to the drink, and the baristas at Starbucks by our school actually know the drink now and just ask: "One or two?" (As in, are you buying one for just you or two for Kristin and yourself?). If you haven't heard Taylor the Latte boy, have a listen, since it pretty much could be about Kristin. :)
Anyway, long story short, it's been a huge blessing that I ended up at school with Kristin--she's even more optimistic than I am, and she is by far the warmest, friendliest person I've ever met. She's traveling back to Africa again to work at a school and help train teachers (she's a missionary), and I'm praying and hoping for wonderful things to happen during her trip.
Now I can hear all my Induction notes calling my name...this week 200+ new Bay Area corps members arrive up here, and along with 20 other current corps members and the TFA staff, I'm welcoming them into TFA before they head down to LA for Institute. I'm excited to meet them--it's really amazing how having one year teaching down does make me feel very different about going into the classroom next year. I still have concerns and worries, but the many questions and the anxiety I felt about preparing 20 children for first grade, the weight of that, last summer have pretty much disappeared. Instead, I still feel that great responsibility, but I feel like I can do it--I can manage it, and I'm not as worried about it. I'm hoping that whatever the new corps members need, we can give it to them, so they can feel just slightly anxious instead of terribly overwhelmed.
Well, it's time for me to get to bed (after finishing all the notes for the people in my CVC group...TFA does love acronyms...CVC=core value community)...
Monday, May 31, 2010
So I clearly failed at the 30-day thing.
That said, let me quickly say this weekend was a-ma-zing. Went to go see Chris debut in St. Louis as Onegin. Awesome. Saw family and friends all weekend. Great. Saw SATC 2. Great outfits... All in all a VERY good weekend.
Check Chris out:
http://www.opera-stl.org/VIDEO/MEDIA-Oneg-Trailer.html
That said, let me quickly say this weekend was a-ma-zing. Went to go see Chris debut in St. Louis as Onegin. Awesome. Saw family and friends all weekend. Great. Saw SATC 2. Great outfits... All in all a VERY good weekend.
Check Chris out:
http://www.opera-stl.org/VIDEO/MEDIA-Oneg-Trailer.html
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Day 3 - List the five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why.
Since I might very well forget tomorrow. Here are my songs. My rationale? I can listen to them all on repeat...for a very long time...
FYI, Rodrick Dixon, Gabe Dixon...same last name but not the same Dixons...yet given how amazing their voices are, they might as well be related.
1. A Song For You--Rodrick Dixon If you want to hear the most beautiful song ever, listen to this one.
2. Hakuna Matata--Timon, Pumba, and Simba
It means no worries for the rest of your days;
It's our problem-free philosophy...
Hakuna Matata!
3. Hope For Me Yet--Marc Broussard I've loved this song since high school--junior year to be exact.
4. All Will Be Well--Gabe Dixon
All will be well.
Even after all the promises you've broken to yourself,
All will be well.
You can ask me how but only time will tell.
Keep it up and don't give up
And chase your dreams and you will find
All in time.
5. A song with Chris singing. If I'm stranded alone, LOST-style with no family or friends, well this would make me feel a little better. Based on the ones on my computer I'd go with MLK.
Sleep.
Sleep tonight.
And may your dreams
be realized.
If the thundercloud
passes rain.
So let it rain.
Let it rain...
Rain on him.
Chris sings it better.
As I was searching I came across this video. You should watch it.
FYI, Rodrick Dixon, Gabe Dixon...same last name but not the same Dixons...yet given how amazing their voices are, they might as well be related.
1. A Song For You--Rodrick Dixon If you want to hear the most beautiful song ever, listen to this one.
2. Hakuna Matata--Timon, Pumba, and Simba
It means no worries for the rest of your days;
It's our problem-free philosophy...
Hakuna Matata!
3. Hope For Me Yet--Marc Broussard I've loved this song since high school--junior year to be exact.
4. All Will Be Well--Gabe Dixon
All will be well.
Even after all the promises you've broken to yourself,
All will be well.
You can ask me how but only time will tell.
Keep it up and don't give up
And chase your dreams and you will find
All in time.
5. A song with Chris singing. If I'm stranded alone, LOST-style with no family or friends, well this would make me feel a little better. Based on the ones on my computer I'd go with MLK.
Sleep.
Sleep tonight.
And may your dreams
be realized.
If the thundercloud
passes rain.
So let it rain.
Let it rain...
Rain on him.
Chris sings it better.
As I was searching I came across this video. You should watch it.
Day 2 - Post something that inspires you.
So technically, I lose...because it's 12:18 A.M....so I really should be writing Post #3. However, this is just proof of how forgetful I am lately as well as how busy I feel. (I don't know that I'm actually very busy but rather that I feel very busy.)
Easy and cheesy answer to this one: My students.
There are lots of people that inspire me (ahem, my family? They're pretty amazing, and that's understating their amazing-ness), but lately my students have been really inspiring.
Let me give you a couple examples of why they are oh-so-wonderful:
1. I have a student, let's call him A. He came into my class not knowing his letters, letter sounds, numbers...he could count to 4. He knew his colors...in Spanish but not in English. In October, at progress report time, he was my only student who knew ZERO letters. This was a scary moment--I had to tell his parents how concerned I was...he couldn't even recognize the letters in his name. Flash forward to today, and A is one of my best students. He knows all his letters, all his letter sounds, and he is reading at a 1st grade level.
2. Now there's M. The first day of school M put a glue stick in her mouth. She wore these Ugg-like boots that were way too warm for the 90+ degree weather in San Jose. She threw temper tantrums in my classroom. I cried a couple times when trying to figure out what to do with M. I couldn't get in touch with M's parents until January despite calling her dad nearly everyday for the first 2 months of school. M's grandmother threw her homework out. M was chronically late first semester--and still tends to show up late. M has had lice twice this year, and the first time, her mom's solution was to cut her hair. M has come to school in pajamas, because there were no other clean clothes at home. When it was 35 degrees one day, M wore a skirt and a short-sleeve polo. This was not one of the days she had boots on...no, she wore normal shoes. M's journal came back to me after spring break with the words "gay fuck" written in big black letters on the first page. When I showed her dad, he smirked and found it amusing.
It's unfortunately safe to say that M has about as little support as possible at home. M also is kicking butt on my end-of-year assessments. She eagerly brings me her homework to show me her writing, and she is writing excellent stories. M rarely moves her clip down on my behavior chart. Instead, M's clip moves up nearly every day. M doesn't throw temper tantrums anymore or stick glue sticks in her mouth or make me want to cry. Instead, M makes me want every person to meet her--to see what can happen with a 6-year old, yes she's only six despite all that I said above, decides she is going to do GREAT things with her life. M wants to be a teacher when she grows up. I really hope she becomes one.
3. Of course my student stories would not be complete without mentioning E and I. E is a student who ran around my classroom the first month of school stomping his feet, swearing in Spanish, and basically making me wonder if I could survive the year. E's parents do not speak English, nor do they read or write in any language. E, however, does all his homework to perfection and is one of my highest students. How is this possible you ask? E wants to do well--he has made up his mind that he needs to do well in school, and he does. E no longer runs around my classroom; instead, he raises his hand to remind everyone to listen so the entire class can go to 1st grade. E can read and write...E works so hard every day to listen and to be a student. E has come so far.
I is my student born on the cut-off date for kindergarten. Yes, I is as young as a student can possibly be to enter kindergarten. On December 2nd, I turned 5. On December 5, another student of mine turned 6. To say that I is young is an understatement. He is about as tiny as can be, and he is adorable. Sometimes, I forget how cute he is since he is so little and easily distractible. Like E, I came into kindergarten not ready for the behavior expectations and demands. (Note: E's birthday is December 22...so he is nearly a year older than I.) I is now one of my hardest workers in class. He still struggles to pay attention since he still is crazy young, but he is doing so well. On Friday, I had my students write their numbers from 1-100. The kindergarten standard is to write from 1-30 correctly, no reversals. Every single student of mine except the student who started a month ago wrote from 1 to 100 perfectly, I included. I also added a box before 1 for 0. I inspires me, because he works SO hard, and I cannot wait for the day that everything academic clicks for him, because he is brilliant.
4. My students are breezing through the end-of-year assessments. Apparently, kindergarten is too easy for them. As I said, my students inspire me. They have worked their tiny little kindergarten butts of this year, and they are going to do PHENOMENAL things next year...and the years to follow. Did I mention they're the college class of 2026? Watch out!
Easy and cheesy answer to this one: My students.
There are lots of people that inspire me (ahem, my family? They're pretty amazing, and that's understating their amazing-ness), but lately my students have been really inspiring.
Let me give you a couple examples of why they are oh-so-wonderful:
1. I have a student, let's call him A. He came into my class not knowing his letters, letter sounds, numbers...he could count to 4. He knew his colors...in Spanish but not in English. In October, at progress report time, he was my only student who knew ZERO letters. This was a scary moment--I had to tell his parents how concerned I was...he couldn't even recognize the letters in his name. Flash forward to today, and A is one of my best students. He knows all his letters, all his letter sounds, and he is reading at a 1st grade level.
2. Now there's M. The first day of school M put a glue stick in her mouth. She wore these Ugg-like boots that were way too warm for the 90+ degree weather in San Jose. She threw temper tantrums in my classroom. I cried a couple times when trying to figure out what to do with M. I couldn't get in touch with M's parents until January despite calling her dad nearly everyday for the first 2 months of school. M's grandmother threw her homework out. M was chronically late first semester--and still tends to show up late. M has had lice twice this year, and the first time, her mom's solution was to cut her hair. M has come to school in pajamas, because there were no other clean clothes at home. When it was 35 degrees one day, M wore a skirt and a short-sleeve polo. This was not one of the days she had boots on...no, she wore normal shoes. M's journal came back to me after spring break with the words "gay fuck" written in big black letters on the first page. When I showed her dad, he smirked and found it amusing.
It's unfortunately safe to say that M has about as little support as possible at home. M also is kicking butt on my end-of-year assessments. She eagerly brings me her homework to show me her writing, and she is writing excellent stories. M rarely moves her clip down on my behavior chart. Instead, M's clip moves up nearly every day. M doesn't throw temper tantrums anymore or stick glue sticks in her mouth or make me want to cry. Instead, M makes me want every person to meet her--to see what can happen with a 6-year old, yes she's only six despite all that I said above, decides she is going to do GREAT things with her life. M wants to be a teacher when she grows up. I really hope she becomes one.
3. Of course my student stories would not be complete without mentioning E and I. E is a student who ran around my classroom the first month of school stomping his feet, swearing in Spanish, and basically making me wonder if I could survive the year. E's parents do not speak English, nor do they read or write in any language. E, however, does all his homework to perfection and is one of my highest students. How is this possible you ask? E wants to do well--he has made up his mind that he needs to do well in school, and he does. E no longer runs around my classroom; instead, he raises his hand to remind everyone to listen so the entire class can go to 1st grade. E can read and write...E works so hard every day to listen and to be a student. E has come so far.
I is my student born on the cut-off date for kindergarten. Yes, I is as young as a student can possibly be to enter kindergarten. On December 2nd, I turned 5. On December 5, another student of mine turned 6. To say that I is young is an understatement. He is about as tiny as can be, and he is adorable. Sometimes, I forget how cute he is since he is so little and easily distractible. Like E, I came into kindergarten not ready for the behavior expectations and demands. (Note: E's birthday is December 22...so he is nearly a year older than I.) I is now one of my hardest workers in class. He still struggles to pay attention since he still is crazy young, but he is doing so well. On Friday, I had my students write their numbers from 1-100. The kindergarten standard is to write from 1-30 correctly, no reversals. Every single student of mine except the student who started a month ago wrote from 1 to 100 perfectly, I included. I also added a box before 1 for 0. I inspires me, because he works SO hard, and I cannot wait for the day that everything academic clicks for him, because he is brilliant.
4. My students are breezing through the end-of-year assessments. Apparently, kindergarten is too easy for them. As I said, my students inspire me. They have worked their tiny little kindergarten butts of this year, and they are going to do PHENOMENAL things next year...and the years to follow. Did I mention they're the college class of 2026? Watch out!
Friday, May 21, 2010
30 days...
In an attempt to be a better blogger, I'm going with the 30-day challenge...you may have seen this on other friends' blogs...so here's my attempt at a new and different post each day.
Day 1 - Describe your guilty pleasure.
Being utterly lazy...sleeping in, watching TV, lying in bed, reading magazines, drinking Starbucks. Usually I let myself do this on the weekends, but it only lasts for the morning. Before I know it I'm writing emails, working on school stuff...
Okay, I realized...the guilty pleasure is not doing those things but rather being completely isolated from everyone else! There's something oddly nice about not talking/emailing/iming/texting anyone for several hours and truly relaxing. It's hard for me not to check my email or look at my phone, and so when I do, it's unbelievably nice.
Read on for the next 29 days...and consider joining me in this challenge...
Day 2 - Post something that inspires you.
Day 3 - List the five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why.
Day 4 - Write about what you imagine paradise to be like.
Day 5 - Compose a thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.
Day 6 - Describe the earliest thing you can remember.
Day 7 - Post the favorite cover of your favorite song.
Day 8 - Write about someone you think would make a good president.
Day 9 - Discuss five things you want to see change.
Day 10 - Elaborate on a dream you had this past week, described in detail.
Day 11 - Post your favorite picture ever taken of yourself.
Day 12 - Write about your favorite musical artist’s life story.
Day 13 - Describe the memory that never fails to make you life.
Day 14 - Post a video or link to the best mash-up you’ve ever heard.
Day 15 - Share a moment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most.
Day 16 - Write about something that you want to do within the next five years.
Day 17 - Construct a post about what you would like to be remembered for.
Day 18 - Post a picture that evokes emotion.
Day 19 - Transcribe a passage from a book that has touched you.
Day 20 - Write about a band that you immediately liked and the song that made you like them.
Day 21 - Discuss your favorite medium of art.
Day 22 - Write about someone you would give your life up for without question.
Day 23 - Share the most awkward first impression you feel you’ve ever given.
Day 24 - Describe something you did as a child that other people remember you for.
Day 25 - Elaborate on the following: Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail.
Day 26 - Define love, in your own words.
Day 27 - Define the meaning of life, in your own words.
Day 28 - Describe a moment you remember being completely happy and a description of why you believe you were feeling that way.
Day 29 - Write about what it is that you live for.
Day 30 - Close out this project by listing the ways you believe you have grown over the last thirty days.
Day 1 - Describe your guilty pleasure.
Being utterly lazy...sleeping in, watching TV, lying in bed, reading magazines, drinking Starbucks. Usually I let myself do this on the weekends, but it only lasts for the morning. Before I know it I'm writing emails, working on school stuff...
Okay, I realized...the guilty pleasure is not doing those things but rather being completely isolated from everyone else! There's something oddly nice about not talking/emailing/iming/texting anyone for several hours and truly relaxing. It's hard for me not to check my email or look at my phone, and so when I do, it's unbelievably nice.
Read on for the next 29 days...and consider joining me in this challenge...
Day 2 - Post something that inspires you.
Day 3 - List the five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why.
Day 4 - Write about what you imagine paradise to be like.
Day 5 - Compose a thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.
Day 6 - Describe the earliest thing you can remember.
Day 7 - Post the favorite cover of your favorite song.
Day 8 - Write about someone you think would make a good president.
Day 9 - Discuss five things you want to see change.
Day 10 - Elaborate on a dream you had this past week, described in detail.
Day 11 - Post your favorite picture ever taken of yourself.
Day 12 - Write about your favorite musical artist’s life story.
Day 13 - Describe the memory that never fails to make you life.
Day 14 - Post a video or link to the best mash-up you’ve ever heard.
Day 15 - Share a moment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most.
Day 16 - Write about something that you want to do within the next five years.
Day 17 - Construct a post about what you would like to be remembered for.
Day 18 - Post a picture that evokes emotion.
Day 19 - Transcribe a passage from a book that has touched you.
Day 20 - Write about a band that you immediately liked and the song that made you like them.
Day 21 - Discuss your favorite medium of art.
Day 22 - Write about someone you would give your life up for without question.
Day 23 - Share the most awkward first impression you feel you’ve ever given.
Day 24 - Describe something you did as a child that other people remember you for.
Day 25 - Elaborate on the following: Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail.
Day 26 - Define love, in your own words.
Day 27 - Define the meaning of life, in your own words.
Day 28 - Describe a moment you remember being completely happy and a description of why you believe you were feeling that way.
Day 29 - Write about what it is that you live for.
Day 30 - Close out this project by listing the ways you believe you have grown over the last thirty days.
Monday, May 10, 2010
* A window in my classroom was broken today when I arrived. According to our janitor, who has honestly been a lifesaver this year with all the random things he has helped me with (like getting tables moved in and out of our classroom), someone was trying to break in through that window. How do you explain to 5-year and 6-year olds why they can't go to their cubbies until the glass is cleaned up?
* Last week several of my students told me they are going to college! Woohoo!!
* I am SO proud of my students...for things that are easily expressible...and things that are not. They work so hard together, and they support each other so much. I felt this overwhelming sense of happiness today about how far they have come and how much they have grown. To say they work hard is an understatement--but I am most proud of how they are not just good students but they are growing to be great people.
* I wish you all could meet my students. You would be so impressed and amazed by them. I sure am.
* Imagine getting to spend each day with 19 individuals who inspire you. This is what I do every day...and those individuals though just 5- and 6- years old are phenomenal.
* Last week several of my students told me they are going to college! Woohoo!!
* I am SO proud of my students...for things that are easily expressible...and things that are not. They work so hard together, and they support each other so much. I felt this overwhelming sense of happiness today about how far they have come and how much they have grown. To say they work hard is an understatement--but I am most proud of how they are not just good students but they are growing to be great people.
* I wish you all could meet my students. You would be so impressed and amazed by them. I sure am.
* Imagine getting to spend each day with 19 individuals who inspire you. This is what I do every day...and those individuals though just 5- and 6- years old are phenomenal.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
"When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? ...
...We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell." ~Lance Armstrong
As always I seem to go forever without updating...and then feel obligated to post at length about the past 18 months of my life. Fortunately at this point, we're only talking about a few weeks, and I'm way too tired right now so I'll just mention the exciting news of finally making it to the doctor.
I know, for most people this is not exciting (and really, I would love to do away with doctor appointments altogether), but after over 6 months of playing phone tag with the doctor's office, I was happy to finally make my way to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
During my 2+ hour visit, the following things happened:
1. I received many a stare for being the youngest patient in the oncology area. It's highly possible that every other person there had children who are older than I am.
2. Upon meeting one of the doctors there that day I was told: "You look way too healthy to be in oncology." Funny are the compliments I accept and feel good about now. This one made my day.
3. MY FILE WAS EMPTY. I would like a photo of my face when I was told: "Your file is empty." After 6 months of getting all my information sent from my last doctor to this one, I incorrectly assumed they might have all my records. Given this lack of information, I did my best to describe my health history.
In case you're wondering, my description included:
-"My doctor said I had the same cancer as Lance Armstrong, except not testicular, obviously."
-"I looked like I was pregnant, and they refused to believe I did not have a baby inside me ready to be born"
-"The ultrasound lady said the mass was so big she couldn't see anything besides it. When I asked her if I needed surgery she said, 'Well you certainly can't walk around with this thing inside of you!' That did not make me feel good."
-"Oh, and then I ate a cheeseburger the day after surgery. I thought the hospital was pretty good--I mean the food was great!"
-"I felt great and thought I was fine after surgery! I even said I was thankful I didn't have cancer on Thanksgiving. That was a mistake. I don't say things like that anymore."
-"Other surgery? Um, I had my wisdom teeth out this past summer. Does that count?"
Fortunately for my doctors, I know all the medicines I took and the course of chemo I went through (just a wee bit hard to forget), and I also told them what blood tests to order (CA-125 and AFP! The day I don't get those run I will be one happy lady!).
All in all, the appointment was exhausting...but on the bright side the doctor was really nice. Being back in the cancer center, however, was quite a reminder of what I went through a couple years ago--and I'm not going to lie, it wasn't fun. I'm so blessed to be healthy, but I wish I didn't have to revisit that point of "not-so-healthy" every couple months. It's scary to think how many people have cancer. How many people don't know what to do when they get cancer. How many people who get cancer...and who don't survive. I'm lucky to say the least.
As always I seem to go forever without updating...and then feel obligated to post at length about the past 18 months of my life. Fortunately at this point, we're only talking about a few weeks, and I'm way too tired right now so I'll just mention the exciting news of finally making it to the doctor.
I know, for most people this is not exciting (and really, I would love to do away with doctor appointments altogether), but after over 6 months of playing phone tag with the doctor's office, I was happy to finally make my way to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
During my 2+ hour visit, the following things happened:
1. I received many a stare for being the youngest patient in the oncology area. It's highly possible that every other person there had children who are older than I am.
2. Upon meeting one of the doctors there that day I was told: "You look way too healthy to be in oncology." Funny are the compliments I accept and feel good about now. This one made my day.
3. MY FILE WAS EMPTY. I would like a photo of my face when I was told: "Your file is empty." After 6 months of getting all my information sent from my last doctor to this one, I incorrectly assumed they might have all my records. Given this lack of information, I did my best to describe my health history.
In case you're wondering, my description included:
-"My doctor said I had the same cancer as Lance Armstrong, except not testicular, obviously."
-"I looked like I was pregnant, and they refused to believe I did not have a baby inside me ready to be born"
-"The ultrasound lady said the mass was so big she couldn't see anything besides it. When I asked her if I needed surgery she said, 'Well you certainly can't walk around with this thing inside of you!' That did not make me feel good."
-"Oh, and then I ate a cheeseburger the day after surgery. I thought the hospital was pretty good--I mean the food was great!"
-"I felt great and thought I was fine after surgery! I even said I was thankful I didn't have cancer on Thanksgiving. That was a mistake. I don't say things like that anymore."
-"Other surgery? Um, I had my wisdom teeth out this past summer. Does that count?"
Fortunately for my doctors, I know all the medicines I took and the course of chemo I went through (just a wee bit hard to forget), and I also told them what blood tests to order (CA-125 and AFP! The day I don't get those run I will be one happy lady!).
All in all, the appointment was exhausting...but on the bright side the doctor was really nice. Being back in the cancer center, however, was quite a reminder of what I went through a couple years ago--and I'm not going to lie, it wasn't fun. I'm so blessed to be healthy, but I wish I didn't have to revisit that point of "not-so-healthy" every couple months. It's scary to think how many people have cancer. How many people don't know what to do when they get cancer. How many people who get cancer...and who don't survive. I'm lucky to say the least.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Welcome to California...
A fellow teacher had this up as her facebook status. Watch it...laugh...then realize the funny parts=reality in California schools.
Maybe Megan Fox can help shed light on a HUGE problem in California that seems to be getting overlooked. I don't care what it takes, send Brad and Angelina over here, there's something very wrong with all the cuts in California schools.
Maybe Megan Fox can help shed light on a HUGE problem in California that seems to be getting overlooked. I don't care what it takes, send Brad and Angelina over here, there's something very wrong with all the cuts in California schools.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
VERY interesting article...
A few things to consider before reading the article:
Comparison of cancer survival rates (read these carefully...it's what I would consider proof that Avon, Susan G. Komen, et al. are doing their jobs to raise awareness but there's a huge need for something for ovarian cancer)
* Women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1975 experienced a five-year survival rate of 75.3 percent; today, the American Cancer Society estimates the rate to be 89 percent.
* Women diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1975 experienced a five-year survival rate of 69 percent; today, the American Cancer Society estimates the rate to be 71 percent.
* Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1975 experienced a five-year survival rate of 34.8 percent; today, the American Cancer Society estimates the rate to be 46 percent.
According to ovariancancer.org:
-In 2009, there were 21,500 incidences of ovarian cancer.
-Ovarian cancer primarily develops in women over 45. From 2002 to 2006, the median age at diagnosis was 63.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/04/08/docs-thought-it-was-a-baby-bump-but-i-had-ovarian-cancer-at-14-115875-22169730/
Docs thought it was a baby bump.. but I had ovarian cancer at 14
*
*
By Veronica Clark 8/04/2010
EXCLUSIVE When 14-year-old Sarah Martin's stomach bloated and swelled, doctors were convinced she must be pregnant. The reality was much worse, she had a very rare cancer for her age - but against the odds she survived.
As the doctor examined her bloated stomach 1 4-year-old Sarah Martin squirmed with embarrassment and discomfort.
The doctor at the hospital was convinced that his teenage patient was expecting. A test had come back negative but her hard, swollen belly displayed all the signs of pregnancy - yet Sarah knew it was impossible.
"I definitely wasn't pregnant!" she says. "It felt odd and embarrassing that people thought I could be."
Sarah's stomach had begun to swell four months earlier.
"At first I just thought I was putting on weight," the schoolgirl recalls. "But I was embarrassed and kept it to myself."
However, Sarah's predicament did not go unnoticed by her carer Janice Paddey, 52, who noted that some of the teenager's clothes were getting quite tight and decided to keep a close eye on her.
By March 2009 there was no escaping the fact Sarah had gone three months without her period.
She confided in Janice who promptly took her to the doctor. The GP insisted that Sarah take a pregnancy test but it came back negative.
Her doctor then assumed her menstruation problems were related to the medication she took for epilepsy, until Sarah's stomach began to change shape.
For the next few months Janice continued to monitor Sarah, who was still putting on weight despite eating a balanced diet.
By the end of July Janice was very concerned. Sarah's appetite had diminished, she was lethargic and her belly remained swollen. "She was coming home from school so exhausted that she'd go straight to bed for a nap," explains Janice.
"Sarah was normally such a lively and bubbly girl. When I noticed that her complexion had also taken on bluish tinge I knew that something was very wrong."
That night Sarah woke up at 11.30pm, writhing in agony. "She had hardly eaten a scrap of food all day," Janice recalls.
"And now she was in bed, screaming in agony. I rushed her straight to hospital." The doctor was shocked to see the size of Sarah's stomach. He was adamant she was seven months' pregnant and insisted on another pregnancy test. The result quickly ruled out a baby but the doctor told Sarah that he could still feel a solid mass in her abdomen.
She was admitted as her temperature soared and given intravenous antibiotics. The doctors told Janice they thought she had an infection.
"I was really frightened," admits Sarah. "I didn't have a clue what was happening to me."
Her condition rapidly deteriorated - she was weak and lethargic, unable to keep down any food. After four days of tests, including an ultrasound, Sarah's consultant arrived with his team.
"Suddenly the room filled with medical staff," says Janice. "They began to explain to us that they'd found something. The consultant said it looked like a malignant tumour and that they thought Sarah had ovarian cancer. I just couldn't believe it.
"I'd been convinced Sarah had appendicitis. Ovarian cancer was a women's disease and Sarah was just 14. I didn't think children could get something like that.
"Never in a million years had I thought it was cancer - nothing could prepare you for that."
Janice was right - the cancer was extraordinarily rare in someone so young. Poor Sarah also found the diagnosis hard to comprehend and admits she didn't really understand what the doctors were telling her.
"When they said it was ovarian cancer, I didn't really get it," she says. "I just knew that I felt ill. In the end the doctor and a nurse had to draw me a picture to explain what was happening to me."
Next Sarah's consultant revealed that the teenager would need surgery to remove the cancerous mass.
Only a week after she was first admitted to hospital, the full severity of Sarah's condition was revealed when she underwent a four-hour operation to remove the cancer.
Horrifically the fastgrowing tumour had spread from her right ovary up to her breastbone and had entwined itself around her bowel.
As a result surgeons were forced to remove Sarah's left ovary along with her fallopian tube and appendix.
She explains: "The tumour measured 23 centimetres. It was bigger than my head! No wonder my stomach was so swollen."
Despite the extent of the tumour, the skilled medics managed to save Sarah's right ovary although she bears a permanent reminder of the surgery - a scar which stretches from hip to hip.
Sadly Sarah's battle was not over yet. In the operating theatre doctors discovered more tumours in the lining of her stomach which would need chemotherapy treatment.
Janice's major concern was that this could leave Sarah infertile at such a young age. She was well aware that her chances of motherhood had already been effectively halved with the loss of one ovary.
"At 14, children were the last thing on Sarah's mind, but I knew that one day she would want to be a mum," says Janice.
Thankfully Sarah's oncologist was able to suggest a new, less toxic, type of chemo which could treat Sarah's germ cell cancer (the type normally found in youngsters) without affecting her fertility.
But for a normal teenage girl like Sarah, there was another pressing concern - losing her long brown hair. "I was worried that I might get teased at school," she admits. "But once I told people I had ovarian cancer, they just accepted it.
"Everyone was really supportive and my best friend even made a timetable of when I'd be in for treatment so she could look out for me."
Sarah started her gruelling four courses of chemo in September last year. Although she held on to her hair for a while, it continued to thin and in December she was finally forced to shave off the remaining strands. "I wouldn't look in a mirror for 45 minutes after it was shaved," Sarah says. "But when I did, I realised that it wasn't so bad after all. As a way of compensating I would use body art with pretty colours and gems to decorate my head."
Meanwhile Sarah was given some encouraging news.
The chemotherapy was shrinking the secondary tumours and her oncologist was hopeful she would respond well to further treatment.
"When we heard the news Janice and I just jumped up and down," Sarah laughs. "It spurred me on and made me determined to beat cancer.
"Now I just want to do well at school and also in life."
It was during her time in hospital that Sarah became involved with a charity called PACT. This funds a house near the hospital where families can stay together while their children are treated.
Sarah formed close friendships at the house and both she and Janice benefited from the friendship and support.
"The other families have been a lifeline," says Janice. "Like one great big family. Everyone supports one another." Now Sarah's chemo has ended she has spent the time since catching up on school work via the web, and raising hundreds of pounds for PA C T b y selling cards, bangles, key rings and money boxes, and organising events.
The teenager's treatment is still in the early stages and she undergoes checks every six weeks. But the long-term prognosis is very positive.
Although she faces more tough times ahead, Sarah, now 15, appears to be taking everything in her stride. "Sarah's positive attitude has kept her going," says Janice.
"In fact, it's kept us all going. She never feels sorry for herself, she just gets on with it."
Sarah adds: "This has shown me how quickly things can change in your life and to appreciate what you have."
What is ovarian cancer?
It's the second-most common gynaecological cancer in the UK and affects more than 6,800 women a year.
Cervical screening tests (smear tests) will not help to detect it.
Germ cell tumours - the ovarian cancer that Sarah has - make up just 3% of malignant ovarian tumours, so they are rare. They tend to occur in young women (the majority aged between 10 and 30) and adolescents and if managed correctly have a good prognosis.
According to Cancer Research UK, in 2006 only 15 cases of ovarian cancer were recorded in the UK in the 10 to 14 age bracket. A spokeswoman for support network Ovacome said: "It is extremely rare for a girl of 14 to develop ovarian cancer."
Symptoms can include lower abdominal pain, back pain, swollen abdomen and irregular periods although some people have no symptoms.
For more information on ovarian cancer, visit www.ovacome.org.uk or call 0845 371 0554.
Comparison of cancer survival rates (read these carefully...it's what I would consider proof that Avon, Susan G. Komen, et al. are doing their jobs to raise awareness but there's a huge need for something for ovarian cancer)
* Women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1975 experienced a five-year survival rate of 75.3 percent; today, the American Cancer Society estimates the rate to be 89 percent.
* Women diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1975 experienced a five-year survival rate of 69 percent; today, the American Cancer Society estimates the rate to be 71 percent.
* Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1975 experienced a five-year survival rate of 34.8 percent; today, the American Cancer Society estimates the rate to be 46 percent.
According to ovariancancer.org:
-In 2009, there were 21,500 incidences of ovarian cancer.
-Ovarian cancer primarily develops in women over 45. From 2002 to 2006, the median age at diagnosis was 63.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/04/08/docs-thought-it-was-a-baby-bump-but-i-had-ovarian-cancer-at-14-115875-22169730/
Docs thought it was a baby bump.. but I had ovarian cancer at 14
*
*
By Veronica Clark 8/04/2010
EXCLUSIVE When 14-year-old Sarah Martin's stomach bloated and swelled, doctors were convinced she must be pregnant. The reality was much worse, she had a very rare cancer for her age - but against the odds she survived.
As the doctor examined her bloated stomach 1 4-year-old Sarah Martin squirmed with embarrassment and discomfort.
The doctor at the hospital was convinced that his teenage patient was expecting. A test had come back negative but her hard, swollen belly displayed all the signs of pregnancy - yet Sarah knew it was impossible.
"I definitely wasn't pregnant!" she says. "It felt odd and embarrassing that people thought I could be."
Sarah's stomach had begun to swell four months earlier.
"At first I just thought I was putting on weight," the schoolgirl recalls. "But I was embarrassed and kept it to myself."
However, Sarah's predicament did not go unnoticed by her carer Janice Paddey, 52, who noted that some of the teenager's clothes were getting quite tight and decided to keep a close eye on her.
By March 2009 there was no escaping the fact Sarah had gone three months without her period.
She confided in Janice who promptly took her to the doctor. The GP insisted that Sarah take a pregnancy test but it came back negative.
Her doctor then assumed her menstruation problems were related to the medication she took for epilepsy, until Sarah's stomach began to change shape.
For the next few months Janice continued to monitor Sarah, who was still putting on weight despite eating a balanced diet.
By the end of July Janice was very concerned. Sarah's appetite had diminished, she was lethargic and her belly remained swollen. "She was coming home from school so exhausted that she'd go straight to bed for a nap," explains Janice.
"Sarah was normally such a lively and bubbly girl. When I noticed that her complexion had also taken on bluish tinge I knew that something was very wrong."
That night Sarah woke up at 11.30pm, writhing in agony. "She had hardly eaten a scrap of food all day," Janice recalls.
"And now she was in bed, screaming in agony. I rushed her straight to hospital." The doctor was shocked to see the size of Sarah's stomach. He was adamant she was seven months' pregnant and insisted on another pregnancy test. The result quickly ruled out a baby but the doctor told Sarah that he could still feel a solid mass in her abdomen.
She was admitted as her temperature soared and given intravenous antibiotics. The doctors told Janice they thought she had an infection.
"I was really frightened," admits Sarah. "I didn't have a clue what was happening to me."
Her condition rapidly deteriorated - she was weak and lethargic, unable to keep down any food. After four days of tests, including an ultrasound, Sarah's consultant arrived with his team.
"Suddenly the room filled with medical staff," says Janice. "They began to explain to us that they'd found something. The consultant said it looked like a malignant tumour and that they thought Sarah had ovarian cancer. I just couldn't believe it.
"I'd been convinced Sarah had appendicitis. Ovarian cancer was a women's disease and Sarah was just 14. I didn't think children could get something like that.
"Never in a million years had I thought it was cancer - nothing could prepare you for that."
Janice was right - the cancer was extraordinarily rare in someone so young. Poor Sarah also found the diagnosis hard to comprehend and admits she didn't really understand what the doctors were telling her.
"When they said it was ovarian cancer, I didn't really get it," she says. "I just knew that I felt ill. In the end the doctor and a nurse had to draw me a picture to explain what was happening to me."
Next Sarah's consultant revealed that the teenager would need surgery to remove the cancerous mass.
Only a week after she was first admitted to hospital, the full severity of Sarah's condition was revealed when she underwent a four-hour operation to remove the cancer.
Horrifically the fastgrowing tumour had spread from her right ovary up to her breastbone and had entwined itself around her bowel.
As a result surgeons were forced to remove Sarah's left ovary along with her fallopian tube and appendix.
She explains: "The tumour measured 23 centimetres. It was bigger than my head! No wonder my stomach was so swollen."
Despite the extent of the tumour, the skilled medics managed to save Sarah's right ovary although she bears a permanent reminder of the surgery - a scar which stretches from hip to hip.
Sadly Sarah's battle was not over yet. In the operating theatre doctors discovered more tumours in the lining of her stomach which would need chemotherapy treatment.
Janice's major concern was that this could leave Sarah infertile at such a young age. She was well aware that her chances of motherhood had already been effectively halved with the loss of one ovary.
"At 14, children were the last thing on Sarah's mind, but I knew that one day she would want to be a mum," says Janice.
Thankfully Sarah's oncologist was able to suggest a new, less toxic, type of chemo which could treat Sarah's germ cell cancer (the type normally found in youngsters) without affecting her fertility.
But for a normal teenage girl like Sarah, there was another pressing concern - losing her long brown hair. "I was worried that I might get teased at school," she admits. "But once I told people I had ovarian cancer, they just accepted it.
"Everyone was really supportive and my best friend even made a timetable of when I'd be in for treatment so she could look out for me."
Sarah started her gruelling four courses of chemo in September last year. Although she held on to her hair for a while, it continued to thin and in December she was finally forced to shave off the remaining strands. "I wouldn't look in a mirror for 45 minutes after it was shaved," Sarah says. "But when I did, I realised that it wasn't so bad after all. As a way of compensating I would use body art with pretty colours and gems to decorate my head."
Meanwhile Sarah was given some encouraging news.
The chemotherapy was shrinking the secondary tumours and her oncologist was hopeful she would respond well to further treatment.
"When we heard the news Janice and I just jumped up and down," Sarah laughs. "It spurred me on and made me determined to beat cancer.
"Now I just want to do well at school and also in life."
It was during her time in hospital that Sarah became involved with a charity called PACT. This funds a house near the hospital where families can stay together while their children are treated.
Sarah formed close friendships at the house and both she and Janice benefited from the friendship and support.
"The other families have been a lifeline," says Janice. "Like one great big family. Everyone supports one another." Now Sarah's chemo has ended she has spent the time since catching up on school work via the web, and raising hundreds of pounds for PA C T b y selling cards, bangles, key rings and money boxes, and organising events.
The teenager's treatment is still in the early stages and she undergoes checks every six weeks. But the long-term prognosis is very positive.
Although she faces more tough times ahead, Sarah, now 15, appears to be taking everything in her stride. "Sarah's positive attitude has kept her going," says Janice.
"In fact, it's kept us all going. She never feels sorry for herself, she just gets on with it."
Sarah adds: "This has shown me how quickly things can change in your life and to appreciate what you have."
What is ovarian cancer?
It's the second-most common gynaecological cancer in the UK and affects more than 6,800 women a year.
Cervical screening tests (smear tests) will not help to detect it.
Germ cell tumours - the ovarian cancer that Sarah has - make up just 3% of malignant ovarian tumours, so they are rare. They tend to occur in young women (the majority aged between 10 and 30) and adolescents and if managed correctly have a good prognosis.
According to Cancer Research UK, in 2006 only 15 cases of ovarian cancer were recorded in the UK in the 10 to 14 age bracket. A spokeswoman for support network Ovacome said: "It is extremely rare for a girl of 14 to develop ovarian cancer."
Symptoms can include lower abdominal pain, back pain, swollen abdomen and irregular periods although some people have no symptoms.
For more information on ovarian cancer, visit www.ovacome.org.uk or call 0845 371 0554.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Scar
I was looking through some old photos...and in one, even though I'm wearing a long-sleeve hoodie, you can still see the bump of my PICC line through the sweatshirt. Most of you probably have no clue what I'm talking about, and that's fine...but for those of you that do, guess what? I looked at my arm, and you can barely see the scar from it! It was a small one...and clearly I still have another scar that's not going to fade nearly as well...BUT I really never thought that one would go away either.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sure! I was there! Spring Break 81! Woo hoo!...In 1981 you were 13!!
On a regular basis I decide I'm going to update about what's going on in my life...
...then on a regular basis I get distracted by one of the following things:
1. Watching a TV show
2. My dog
3. Grad school work
4. Teacher school work (a.k.a. planning for my kiddos)
5. Cleaning
6. A trip to Starbucks
7. Emails and phone calls
...and the most popular distractor:
8. SLEEP.
Right now, it's a combination of all of the above. I'm on spring break right now (and no, not spring break "woo hoo!"), and so it's my chance to:
-deep clean my room and apartment
-get caught up on work and planning
-watch a TV show without falling asleep during it
-go to Starbucks just cause I want to not because it's 7 A.M. and I should be sleeping
-try to backpedal through emails and phone calls and return as many as possible
-sleep ALL day long if I want
As a perfect example, today I:
-woke up at 6 A.M. but then went back to sleep until noon
-crawled out of bed at noon and made some soup (very exciting)
-took my dog on a walk
-read through some books filled with AWESOME kindergarten activities
-watched Royal Pains on Hulu
-sent out a Tri Delt alumna newsletter
-slept some more...
-cleaned
...Oh what a wonderful life it is when I'm on break. I'm looking forward to some starbies tomorrow just because I want some. Not because I need it to survive daylight savings.
School has been GREAT. Things are going very well, and I cannot believe the end of the year is almost here. I've stopped feeling as anxious about my kids going to 1st grade. (No joke, in January and February I felt somewhat panicky about sending them to 1st grade...it still makes me nervous...). They are DEFINITELY going to be ready, and I am so very proud of how hard they've been working.
Now, I'm going to watch 24 (if I can stay awake)...maybe tomorrow I'll be more eager to delve into the details of my life. For now, just know I'm oh-so-very happy.
...then on a regular basis I get distracted by one of the following things:
1. Watching a TV show
2. My dog
3. Grad school work
4. Teacher school work (a.k.a. planning for my kiddos)
5. Cleaning
6. A trip to Starbucks
7. Emails and phone calls
...and the most popular distractor:
8. SLEEP.
Right now, it's a combination of all of the above. I'm on spring break right now (and no, not spring break "woo hoo!"), and so it's my chance to:
-deep clean my room and apartment
-get caught up on work and planning
-watch a TV show without falling asleep during it
-go to Starbucks just cause I want to not because it's 7 A.M. and I should be sleeping
-try to backpedal through emails and phone calls and return as many as possible
-sleep ALL day long if I want
As a perfect example, today I:
-woke up at 6 A.M. but then went back to sleep until noon
-crawled out of bed at noon and made some soup (very exciting)
-took my dog on a walk
-read through some books filled with AWESOME kindergarten activities
-watched Royal Pains on Hulu
-sent out a Tri Delt alumna newsletter
-slept some more...
-cleaned
...Oh what a wonderful life it is when I'm on break. I'm looking forward to some starbies tomorrow just because I want some. Not because I need it to survive daylight savings.
School has been GREAT. Things are going very well, and I cannot believe the end of the year is almost here. I've stopped feeling as anxious about my kids going to 1st grade. (No joke, in January and February I felt somewhat panicky about sending them to 1st grade...it still makes me nervous...). They are DEFINITELY going to be ready, and I am so very proud of how hard they've been working.
Now, I'm going to watch 24 (if I can stay awake)...maybe tomorrow I'll be more eager to delve into the details of my life. For now, just know I'm oh-so-very happy.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Let me summarize...
Thursday March 4: Emergency staff meeting. 6 teachers are going to be let go because of the budget. 90 teachers overall in the district. Bad news bears since I am #2 on the list...but I knew it was coming so I'm not really upset at all.
Meet with my principal so she can officially let me know about my pink slip.
Friday March 5: Get a note in my box that I have to fill out on where I'd like to teach next year...if I am called back. Teachers hug me and tell me not to be upset...fortunately, I'm not upset, so it's really not too big a deal.
Monday March 8: My principal comes into my classroom while I am teaching to give me a hug and let me know the pink slips are being rescinded! Either the parcel tax will pass or teachers will take 4 furlough days next year. I cry this day, because while I wasn't upset about my pink slip, I am SO happy to be returning to my school since I love it there!
Saturday March 13: My official pink slip comes in the mail. Even though I will be re-hired, the parcel tax vote is not until June, so I still have to be given my lovely packet of papers telling me that the district will "no longer need my services."
Monday March 15: Find out I will most likely be teaching with the lead kinder teacher Katherine next year. Excellent. :)
And now you are up to date.
Meet with my principal so she can officially let me know about my pink slip.
Friday March 5: Get a note in my box that I have to fill out on where I'd like to teach next year...if I am called back. Teachers hug me and tell me not to be upset...fortunately, I'm not upset, so it's really not too big a deal.
Monday March 8: My principal comes into my classroom while I am teaching to give me a hug and let me know the pink slips are being rescinded! Either the parcel tax will pass or teachers will take 4 furlough days next year. I cry this day, because while I wasn't upset about my pink slip, I am SO happy to be returning to my school since I love it there!
Saturday March 13: My official pink slip comes in the mail. Even though I will be re-hired, the parcel tax vote is not until June, so I still have to be given my lovely packet of papers telling me that the district will "no longer need my services."
Monday March 15: Find out I will most likely be teaching with the lead kinder teacher Katherine next year. Excellent. :)
And now you are up to date.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
A kinder garden from a student...
...Let's see if the picture works! If not, I'll upload it again when I get home!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
I just woke up from a nap (in case you can't tell by my hair)...
This little doggie has no boundaries...not that I don't love her...but really?
