Passion is important in every part of our lives. I am a particularly passionate person, very opinionated with strong points of view regarding how I live my life and what I believe to be good and true for me, my family, my country, and my world.
I am a passionate mother, much like many parents are. I could be a passionate wife and lover when with one who can bring that out in me--challenge that passion and match it.
Part of my fabric, which I have learned to be true in my adult life, is my passion for teaching. I am a language teacher, but the first time I taught was violin. I had a student while I was in high school, then had a few while in university. I thought music was my greatest passion; my violin and choral work would evoke such emotions that would bring me to my knees. I had never known such joy or such melancholy as I did when expressing myself with music.
In the second grade I remember answering that I was going to be a teacher. Teaching was always a part of me; Daddy was a math teacher, Mom was an English teacher, my grandmother had a teaching degree from OSU, my uncle retired relatively recently from teaching in Sacramento. I always held all my teachers in highest regard. Clearly I had my favorites, but I respected all my teachers for all they did for me. I can remember every single teacher I have ever had.
Now I am teaching in my own right. Fifteen years of teaching while affiliated with an institution of some sort has given me the confidence to branch out on my own; my teaching evaluations always came back stellar and I resented old-school professors who wouldn't allow me to teach the way I do (student-centered rather than egocentrically me-centered).
Today an ex-student from the uni contacted me. He is an African man about to finish his Ph.D coursework and embark on his dissertation. He needs Spanish to help him fulfill his doctorate in nationality and ethnicity, but is unwilling to continue with the University's program due to the lack of, in his words, 'qualified professors like you who know what they are doing and can actually teach well.' So now, two years after he first took my course, he would rather study with me than earn any credits through the University.
Tonight I met with two new students, both from Iran. These young men are extremely interested in learning Spanish--and with me. One told me today, "Do you know why I contacted you? Let me tell you. I took two advanced courses at the local uni. The professors could not captivate my interest nor keep my attention. They didn't seem to care. So then I went through Spanish Black Belt. Great website, only native speakers teach. But they offer absolutely no substance to back up their marketing. I was surfing around on CraigsList, ready to give up but then saw your ad. I checked out your website and you know what got me? Your enthusiasm. It comes through in your words and in your testimonials. You obviously love what you do. So I figured I should try you out and see if I can complete my goals through you, and here you are meeting with us, letting us get to know you and ask questions all on your time."
Enthusiasm. Passion.
When creating my website, upon deciding to go independent, I struggled with how to market myself without coming across as a braggart. Tonight's feedback told me that, to at least a couple choosey customers, I have succeeded in that quest.
Now I only hope not to let anybody down.
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta motivations. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta motivations. Mostrar todas las entradas
viernes, 12 de septiembre de 2008
sábado, 6 de septiembre de 2008
the perfection of Hanna
It rained today.
Perhaps that is an understatement. My local neighborhood raingauge read 9 inches, all of which fell, with the exception of some light overnight moisture, mainly between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
We watched it rain all day. Saturday Morning Cartoons broke a bit of the monotony of the earlier storm hours, and then we played games and did puzzles to fill the afternoon hours. At times there were some exciting gusts of wind, making us want for more as we watched the sheets of rain dance along the flooded street. However, with no tornado watches, no thunderclaps and no transformer explosions, it made for a relatively uneventful tropical storm pass.
Some are not so fortunate, as I have friends who are shop-vaccing out their basements as we speak. Thank God we had that french drain job done five years ago--right before Isabel hit us. It has kept the basement dry since.
After a delicious dinner served up by the Crock-Pot Queen, the Young Prince and I strode off, hand-in-hand, in the glorious post-storm wind gusts and clearing skies. Sidewalks are never as clean as they are following storms like this; the air is crisp and the different layers of clouds create a dizzying effect as I watch the darker, closer ones race through the lower atmosphere with the upper level white on blue sky serving as a somewhat less speedy backdrop.
As we jumped over puddles and muddy patches, we watched squirrels madly scrounging for the nuts that trees had released in the winds. I explained the mechanics behind rain gutters, sump pumps and flooded yards; and we could see with a leaf-created line in the neighbor's lawn just how high the water had come along the street during the height of the storm.
Returning home, we decided it was time to take advantage of a gardenful of pliable soil, so the Young Prince grabbed his Tonka Dumptruck and I grabbed handfuls of weeds and effortlessly ripped them from the mulch. I created small piles of weeds and the Young Prince dutifully loaded up the dumptruck and towed them away to the large pile that will go into the compost tomorrow, happily chattering the entire time.
We had to surrender to the darkness; neither of us wanted to end our cool, humid garden time but so had arrived the hour of being unable to see enough of the weeds anymore to make a difference. I did not bother to wear gloves today as I wanted to feel the cool, wet earth between my fingers and was in the mood to dig the dirt out from under my fingernails.
It had been so long since a good soaking rain was enjoyed. The crickets sound happy, the worms were squiggling gaily...
...there was a thirst. And it was quenched. Perfectly so.
Perhaps that is an understatement. My local neighborhood raingauge read 9 inches, all of which fell, with the exception of some light overnight moisture, mainly between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
We watched it rain all day. Saturday Morning Cartoons broke a bit of the monotony of the earlier storm hours, and then we played games and did puzzles to fill the afternoon hours. At times there were some exciting gusts of wind, making us want for more as we watched the sheets of rain dance along the flooded street. However, with no tornado watches, no thunderclaps and no transformer explosions, it made for a relatively uneventful tropical storm pass.
Some are not so fortunate, as I have friends who are shop-vaccing out their basements as we speak. Thank God we had that french drain job done five years ago--right before Isabel hit us. It has kept the basement dry since.
After a delicious dinner served up by the Crock-Pot Queen, the Young Prince and I strode off, hand-in-hand, in the glorious post-storm wind gusts and clearing skies. Sidewalks are never as clean as they are following storms like this; the air is crisp and the different layers of clouds create a dizzying effect as I watch the darker, closer ones race through the lower atmosphere with the upper level white on blue sky serving as a somewhat less speedy backdrop.
As we jumped over puddles and muddy patches, we watched squirrels madly scrounging for the nuts that trees had released in the winds. I explained the mechanics behind rain gutters, sump pumps and flooded yards; and we could see with a leaf-created line in the neighbor's lawn just how high the water had come along the street during the height of the storm.
Returning home, we decided it was time to take advantage of a gardenful of pliable soil, so the Young Prince grabbed his Tonka Dumptruck and I grabbed handfuls of weeds and effortlessly ripped them from the mulch. I created small piles of weeds and the Young Prince dutifully loaded up the dumptruck and towed them away to the large pile that will go into the compost tomorrow, happily chattering the entire time.
We had to surrender to the darkness; neither of us wanted to end our cool, humid garden time but so had arrived the hour of being unable to see enough of the weeds anymore to make a difference. I did not bother to wear gloves today as I wanted to feel the cool, wet earth between my fingers and was in the mood to dig the dirt out from under my fingernails.
It had been so long since a good soaking rain was enjoyed. The crickets sound happy, the worms were squiggling gaily...
...there was a thirst. And it was quenched. Perfectly so.
miércoles, 6 de agosto de 2008
yes, even Llamas like diamonds!
I bow my furry head and humbly accept from Citizen of the World:
To further bestow this honor:
I seek solace in peaceful places. I find Kay's made for weather a destination that, over the years I have read her, grants me a sense that all can be well in this topsy-turvy Life. Kay, much like Citizen, graces her poetic manner of expression with photographs that reflect the beauty of her life in New Zealand.
It is a crying shame that llamas are not native to that island nation.
To further bestow this honor:I seek solace in peaceful places. I find Kay's made for weather a destination that, over the years I have read her, grants me a sense that all can be well in this topsy-turvy Life. Kay, much like Citizen, graces her poetic manner of expression with photographs that reflect the beauty of her life in New Zealand.
It is a crying shame that llamas are not native to that island nation.
jueves, 24 de abril de 2008
randomness
Here it comes:
1. The poem, done in brush on gold washi with long strands. Final product came to 24" x 18" approx.
The framing placement should help offset the apparent lack of centering of the poem on the actual sheet--I am usually a firm believer in , but... (sigh). It is also written straight (yes, I drew lines like a good girl, although I resisted, trust me!), just photographed slightly off (did I mention I am just slightly off-kilter?...yes, that is a joke--JA!). Greatest challenge in doing this project? Definitely the blending of culture--Western concept of beauty is extremely different than Eastern (Oriental) concepts of beauty. The simplicity of the strokes--writing horizontally with a brush that is meant for writing vertically was tough. So I instead tried to incorporate the techniques for character formation (of Chinese characters) into the formation of the English and hence the result. I like it. It is very, very different than my "usual" calligraphy style.
2. Two new McMansions just went up across the street from my humble 45 year old brick abode during the winter. The one really LOVELY thing about my humble abode is my garden and my fence...oh, I guess those are TWO things, not one. Anyhow... *both* McMansions had exactly the s.a.m.e. fence as I have had for, what, three years or so now put around their properties. I did mine to be different from everyone else. Not anymore. I say I have rights to a sign that says "Mine was First." Or I should get a cut from this fencing company's revenue they have made on our street since we got ours--another property, to which one of the McMansions is adjacent, also did the same fence about a year after ours was done. It is a bit further down the street. However, now that makes three properties, all in a little row, across the street from mine all with the same fence.
3. What fence, you may ask, could be so rockin' stylin' that everyone wants a piece of it? Well, here you go-sie...last week's coveted Garden Pictures (all garden work, by the way, courtesy of blood-sweat-tears of Mama Llama, thank you VERY much):
So at least my garden is not mass-produced. Have I yet mentioned I LOVE SPRING?!
4. A nice compliment. My student tonight told me how much she really enjoys learning from my book and wants to see it on shelves one day. I don't honestly think I will ever produce this text for commercial selling, but it is incredibly rewarding to be able to use the textbook that I have put so much work into authoring and editing (and publishing on my own little printer!) in my own classes, and the feedback is so valuable to me. Unfortunately I have a few more chapters to finish until I will be satisfied that I have what is about the equivalent of 3 semesters of a college-level course, but for adult learners and highly conversation-based (although I refuse to let areas of grammar, reading/literature, culture, vocab development and the like go by the wayside--my job is to teach my students to communicate correctly but not ignore the colloquialisms and the cultural variants that create the richness of language).
5. I can make an arrangement with this place and get a three-months no-interest on the piko-ring of my choice. I am happy about that. Fortunately, I can't (read: ought not--those of you who really know Mama Llama know just how impaciente Mama Llama can be...and like a true Taurean llama, incredibly stubborn to boot) even change mine yet so there's no huge rush now, is there?
6. Bikini bought. Tried on. Fits. Imagine this furry creature in a bikini. Gonna scare everyone away.
7. We had just over 3 1/2 inches of rain here on Sunday. Dude...imagine had it been even a month or so before, that could have easily translated to almost 4 feet of snow. It was wet. Have to cut my grass again--can barely see my tulips over the long weeds. But the tulips survived, as did the phlox, which I cannot believe. Only one tulip broke, and La Princesita rescued it and we placed it in a tiny vase.
When I fell asleep there was something on my mind I had wanted to blog about. Now that the midnight hour is upon me and I am in my insomnia cycle for the night, I can no longer remember what on Earth that deep thought was. Someone recently told me she preferred to think her lack of memory was due to the fact that she was blonde over the fact that she was getting old. I think I prefer the geriatric approach. I see wisdom in those who have lived longer--and with all that wisdom crammed into We Wise Women's brains, where IS the room to remember every single detail?
(added Friday morning)...A-ha! I remembered! Am-A-zing what sleep will do for you!
8. Change. I figured that out to be the root of my problem. This year was especially difficult in that La Princesita started a new school, I knew nobody there and my security blanket was therefore swept out from under me. I came to terms with a shyness that I seemed to have somehow developed in my adult life. I realized I had to become active in her school in order to start meeting people and let that shyness melt away. And I was thinking, last night before falling into dreamland, why someone like me, who has lived all over the world, moved so many times in my adult life (I never left 'home' until I was 18. The house where I was born is still where my mother resides in Oregon.), who taught for a living, could feel so strongly like this...a strange and very potent form of introversion. Then it came to me: this is the first time in my life that change is being imposed upon my by others. All along I have made the decisions to go, to change my scenery, and along with that decision-making came mental and emotional preparation. I am not accustomed to having others (even those being my own children) creating this change of environment in my life and, for me this signifies a great loss of control. I realize that over the course of this school year I have made great strides to regain this lost sense of control and last night I reflected a bit on how much better I feel now, that I have settled into this new environment and hopefully can be a complimentary figure to my daughter's elementary school career--not an overpowering one, not a controlling one, but one that will give her the confidence to grow and learn and, likewise, learn to accept and integrate change.
And so there you have it.
Happy Friday to all!
1. The poem, done in brush on gold washi with long strands. Final product came to 24" x 18" approx.
The framing placement should help offset the apparent lack of centering of the poem on the actual sheet--I am usually a firm believer in , but... (sigh). It is also written straight (yes, I drew lines like a good girl, although I resisted, trust me!), just photographed slightly off (did I mention I am just slightly off-kilter?...yes, that is a joke--JA!). Greatest challenge in doing this project? Definitely the blending of culture--Western concept of beauty is extremely different than Eastern (Oriental) concepts of beauty. The simplicity of the strokes--writing horizontally with a brush that is meant for writing vertically was tough. So I instead tried to incorporate the techniques for character formation (of Chinese characters) into the formation of the English and hence the result. I like it. It is very, very different than my "usual" calligraphy style.2. Two new McMansions just went up across the street from my humble 45 year old brick abode during the winter. The one really LOVELY thing about my humble abode is my garden and my fence...oh, I guess those are TWO things, not one. Anyhow... *both* McMansions had exactly the s.a.m.e. fence as I have had for, what, three years or so now put around their properties. I did mine to be different from everyone else. Not anymore. I say I have rights to a sign that says "Mine was First." Or I should get a cut from this fencing company's revenue they have made on our street since we got ours--another property, to which one of the McMansions is adjacent, also did the same fence about a year after ours was done. It is a bit further down the street. However, now that makes three properties, all in a little row, across the street from mine all with the same fence.
3. What fence, you may ask, could be so rockin' stylin' that everyone wants a piece of it? Well, here you go-sie...last week's coveted Garden Pictures (all garden work, by the way, courtesy of blood-sweat-tears of Mama Llama, thank you VERY much):
4. A nice compliment. My student tonight told me how much she really enjoys learning from my book and wants to see it on shelves one day. I don't honestly think I will ever produce this text for commercial selling, but it is incredibly rewarding to be able to use the textbook that I have put so much work into authoring and editing (and publishing on my own little printer!) in my own classes, and the feedback is so valuable to me. Unfortunately I have a few more chapters to finish until I will be satisfied that I have what is about the equivalent of 3 semesters of a college-level course, but for adult learners and highly conversation-based (although I refuse to let areas of grammar, reading/literature, culture, vocab development and the like go by the wayside--my job is to teach my students to communicate correctly but not ignore the colloquialisms and the cultural variants that create the richness of language).
5. I can make an arrangement with this place and get a three-months no-interest on the piko-ring of my choice. I am happy about that. Fortunately, I can't (read: ought not--those of you who really know Mama Llama know just how impaciente Mama Llama can be...and like a true Taurean llama, incredibly stubborn to boot) even change mine yet so there's no huge rush now, is there?
6. Bikini bought. Tried on. Fits. Imagine this furry creature in a bikini. Gonna scare everyone away.
7. We had just over 3 1/2 inches of rain here on Sunday. Dude...imagine had it been even a month or so before, that could have easily translated to almost 4 feet of snow. It was wet. Have to cut my grass again--can barely see my tulips over the long weeds. But the tulips survived, as did the phlox, which I cannot believe. Only one tulip broke, and La Princesita rescued it and we placed it in a tiny vase.
When I fell asleep there was something on my mind I had wanted to blog about. Now that the midnight hour is upon me and I am in my insomnia cycle for the night, I can no longer remember what on Earth that deep thought was. Someone recently told me she preferred to think her lack of memory was due to the fact that she was blonde over the fact that she was getting old. I think I prefer the geriatric approach. I see wisdom in those who have lived longer--and with all that wisdom crammed into We Wise Women's brains, where IS the room to remember every single detail?
(added Friday morning)...A-ha! I remembered! Am-A-zing what sleep will do for you!
8. Change. I figured that out to be the root of my problem. This year was especially difficult in that La Princesita started a new school, I knew nobody there and my security blanket was therefore swept out from under me. I came to terms with a shyness that I seemed to have somehow developed in my adult life. I realized I had to become active in her school in order to start meeting people and let that shyness melt away. And I was thinking, last night before falling into dreamland, why someone like me, who has lived all over the world, moved so many times in my adult life (I never left 'home' until I was 18. The house where I was born is still where my mother resides in Oregon.), who taught for a living, could feel so strongly like this...a strange and very potent form of introversion. Then it came to me: this is the first time in my life that change is being imposed upon my by others. All along I have made the decisions to go, to change my scenery, and along with that decision-making came mental and emotional preparation. I am not accustomed to having others (even those being my own children) creating this change of environment in my life and, for me this signifies a great loss of control. I realize that over the course of this school year I have made great strides to regain this lost sense of control and last night I reflected a bit on how much better I feel now, that I have settled into this new environment and hopefully can be a complimentary figure to my daughter's elementary school career--not an overpowering one, not a controlling one, but one that will give her the confidence to grow and learn and, likewise, learn to accept and integrate change.
And so there you have it.
Happy Friday to all!
miércoles, 27 de febrero de 2008
serendipity
Or, Expanding My Business, Chapter 2.
I have rid my house of a lot of ゴミ gomi trash through the magical e-world of Freecycle--stuff that is still, of course, of use but for which I simply no longer find need. I scribble the recipient's name on a piece of scratch paper (always in abundance) with my handy-dandy felt-tip calligraphy pen and set the baggies outside for pickup in front of the garage door.
One day, a woman had commented back to me on a kind "thank you" email regarding my calligraphy. It turns out she was into Japanese sumi calligraphy, the kind I earned my teaching license in back in 1997 while still living in Japan. She had always dreamed, while in Japan with the State Department, of becoming the first left-handed brush calligrapher--but that dream had never actualized, perhaps in part due to the fact that left-handedness is completely repressed in Japanese society and you are forced into being right-handed. Regardless, we exchanged a few emails and that was that.
Out of the blue---
On Sunday I received an email from her inquiring into my calligraphy and how much I would charge to do a 7 stanza poem (each stanza in haiku form) that she had written some 18 years ago for her father, that she would like to present him with for his upcoming 80+ birthday. It would be an interesting mix of my cultures and a wonderful challenge; she has envisioned black sumi ink on exquisite washi (rice) paper calligraphization of Western script; the poem is in English.
So I am looking forward to having some time, perhaps this afternoon, to get my sumi stone out, rub my ink, loosen up my brushes and do some practice samples of different "fonts" that would look good done in brush strokes. What a fun project! And to be paid a little for it as well--who would have ever thunk it?! I have been paid lump sums for wedding invitation envelopes or graduation envelopes or school certificates in the past, but nothing like this; I will do quotes, prayers or poems for friends or my children's teachers as gifts. So this could be a lot of fun...and all from simply having scribbled someone's name on a piece of scratch paper with a nice pen. Go figure.
Okay: so we have Spanish professor/dream analysis/palm reader/calligraphizer. This is getting interesting and all the more varied all the time. Get a degree in horticulture (another dream of mine...costs nothing to dream) and we'll add Master Gardener to the list...JA! I wish...
I have rid my house of a lot of ゴミ gomi trash through the magical e-world of Freecycle--stuff that is still, of course, of use but for which I simply no longer find need. I scribble the recipient's name on a piece of scratch paper (always in abundance) with my handy-dandy felt-tip calligraphy pen and set the baggies outside for pickup in front of the garage door.
One day, a woman had commented back to me on a kind "thank you" email regarding my calligraphy. It turns out she was into Japanese sumi calligraphy, the kind I earned my teaching license in back in 1997 while still living in Japan. She had always dreamed, while in Japan with the State Department, of becoming the first left-handed brush calligrapher--but that dream had never actualized, perhaps in part due to the fact that left-handedness is completely repressed in Japanese society and you are forced into being right-handed. Regardless, we exchanged a few emails and that was that.
Out of the blue---
On Sunday I received an email from her inquiring into my calligraphy and how much I would charge to do a 7 stanza poem (each stanza in haiku form) that she had written some 18 years ago for her father, that she would like to present him with for his upcoming 80+ birthday. It would be an interesting mix of my cultures and a wonderful challenge; she has envisioned black sumi ink on exquisite washi (rice) paper calligraphization of Western script; the poem is in English.
So I am looking forward to having some time, perhaps this afternoon, to get my sumi stone out, rub my ink, loosen up my brushes and do some practice samples of different "fonts" that would look good done in brush strokes. What a fun project! And to be paid a little for it as well--who would have ever thunk it?! I have been paid lump sums for wedding invitation envelopes or graduation envelopes or school certificates in the past, but nothing like this; I will do quotes, prayers or poems for friends or my children's teachers as gifts. So this could be a lot of fun...and all from simply having scribbled someone's name on a piece of scratch paper with a nice pen. Go figure.
Okay: so we have Spanish professor/dream analysis/palm reader/calligraphizer. This is getting interesting and all the more varied all the time. Get a degree in horticulture (another dream of mine...costs nothing to dream) and we'll add Master Gardener to the list...JA! I wish...
lunes, 18 de febrero de 2008
I am an Auntie!
Announcing the birth of my niece!
Baby Kelsie Madison was born to my little sister at 8:17 this morning (Pacific Time). She weighed in at 7 lbs 14 oz and is 18 inches long.
Everyone is doing well.
She called my mother and told her it was a boy. She said Mom about had a fit. JA!
Congratulations!
Baby Kelsie Madison was born to my little sister at 8:17 this morning (Pacific Time). She weighed in at 7 lbs 14 oz and is 18 inches long.
Everyone is doing well.
She called my mother and told her it was a boy. She said Mom about had a fit. JA!
Congratulations!
domingo, 17 de febrero de 2008
Gettin' OUT
I went to see this amazing performer, Curtis Eller, last night down at the Galaxy Hut. He's an old high-school classmate of one of my friends. It had to be one of the most unique shows I have ever before seen. Check out the clip; beware of strong language. He is a real hoot.
So this means that The Queen got out of her Queen-dome for the night. YESSSSSSS
And write this down, ladies and gentlemen: I did not arrive back at the Queen-dome until
*gasp*
midnight.
For me, up every morning at 5:00 a.m. with children usually about to pounce upon me sooner rather than later, I don't usually live to see many clocks chime 9:30 or even 9 p.m.
But I made it last night.
And may I say:
it felt sooooooooo gooooooooooood
Being a beer bar, I figured there would be nothing for me (no wheat=no malt=no beer). But I lucked out as they did have wine...albeit yellowtail, they at least had cab so I didn't have to try to swallow a shiraz.
It was crowded but, as we were friends of the artist, we didn't feel too uncomfortable standing right up front with him. Chatting with my friend while her husband was talking with Curtis, I suddenly felt eyes on me...
hmmm....
I obviously haven't been out in a very, very looooooong time.
A face came out of the crowd. It was an ex-student of mine from my Uni teaching days. She said, "I can't believe it. I just told my friend, 'That's my Spanish prof!'" Obviously not anymore; in fact, she was in my class back in 2005 so it has been a few years. But I remembered her and she obviously remembered me.
This brings me to something else I read today, a postcard on PostSecret and an emailed response. The postcard reads:
"A few years ago my husband celebrated his 25th year of teaching. After touching the lives of hundreds of students not ONE RSVP'd to his surprise party. We had to cancel. He never knew it. He loves his job. I hate it."The ensuing response:
"I always think about writing a thank you letter, or just dropping by to say hello to some of my former teachers. I've never done it because I've been afraid they won't remember me. And really? That would be crushing; finding out that I was forgotten while they were not.Names do come and go. I have been teaching for over 15 years and never forget a face, not even a Japanese face, although ask me to remember a name and I would have to be reminded. When one has taught and interacted with so many students, in so many historical contexts over such an extended period, the names might be forgotten but the student is not. And it is not only the overachievers that are remembered; that is a common misconception.
"But maybe just saying it would be enough, even if they don't remember. Thank you for reminding me of that. And a heartfelt thank you to your husband for all his dedication -- you can't imagine how much it really means to me. I probably wouldn't be here if not for people like him. I'll be starting those letters today.
Sincerely,
Michelle"
When my father died, his funeral was attended by students of his last class of 1998, and his first class of 1967. My mother received various condolence letters from students, most of whom expressed gratitude for the motivation and example he set for them, one that made them want to become teachers (and some, even, math teachers just like him) themselves.
I am that kind of a teacher, too. I have always cared, perhaps too much, about my students and their lives. What is learned in a classroom is only valid if you are going to use it in the outside world. Use what you know from outside the classroom to help you get the stuff with which I'm trying to expand your world within the classroom. Get beyond the exams and live your life. But don't just live. LIVE! Enjoy! Laugh, cry, embrace, love, feel, do, act, react and be! Bring your experiences to class and, as long as you try to do it in español, tell us all about it!
Maybe that's why my ex-students still call me out of the blue for recommendations. They know I'll remember them.
Maybe that's why my ex-students embrace me when they see me, even years later, or contact me out of the blue after having "found" me on the Internet. They know I will remember them and they are secure.
They have absolutely no idea what good it does me, to have them recognize me, embrace me, talk to me, remember me, recall some random event that occurred or something that I said that actually stuck. That they are using in their lives today--perhaps a mantra, as in my favorite "may you live all the days of your life"...and that particular student got a D in my course, I remember...
The magic lies in the minute details, doesn't it? A simple "Hello" or a hug. Instant validation of having done right, of having done good, of having made a difference and to at least be remembered.
I am smiling today.
lunes, 31 de diciembre de 2007
reflexiones
This is not perhaps the best mindset to have in which to reflect on the past year, but I think I owe it to myself to look at all that has occurred this year.
In no particular order:
1. Perú. In mid-January. Definitely a plus in my life. Looking oh-so-forward to that again in 10 more days.
2. Oregon. In July with my sister. I miss my family and, although it would kill me to live next door to either my sister in Vegas or my mother in Deadford, it kills me to live so far away as well. We're all that's left.
3. My uncle in Oregon. Hadn't seen him since Dad's funeral; thus he had never met my children or my sister's new family. That was an incredibly lovely day.
4. My new business. A dream come true. Lots of work but wonderful to work out of the home and earn my own students, work with my own materials, not have to teach for exams and not have to deal with psycho students who feel they can threaten their professors.
5. My garden. I re-shaped my front yard this summer and my vegetable garden did wonderfully well, too. It was so nice to be able to share the wealth with friends and neighbors.
6. My faith. I grew a lot in my faith this year, mainly by taking a step back and embracing a much more private respect for my God, while opening my children's eyes to how we can find God in all Things and how that should inspire joy in our hearts, not fear.
7. My body. I joined the gym to give myself some movement, I followed with relative strictness my soy allergy diet and a little less a gluten-free diet, but I was so much healthier and comfortable in my skin this year. I may not be able to put on any more weight, but I am feeling so much better.
8. My health. I caught only one cold this year and no flu. All questionable issues have been nipped in the bud. I'm good, albeit still too hormonal.
9. The Young Prince potty-trained before he turned 3. Thus facilitating entry into 3 morning-a-week preschool. Together with Princesita's a.m. kindergarten schedule, Life is a bit freer now!
10. Defining what is really wrong in my life. Trying to take steps, although minimal, to work towards a resolution. Moving downstairs into the basement and finally sleeping well. And buying MY king-sized bed that I usually share with one or both of the kids.
11. Playing the piano when I want to play the piano, singing when I want to sing, grabbing my violin...well, my bows need rehairing so that isn't happening right now. But just taking a moment when I want to and creating what I need to create in the moment.
12. That pedicure yesterday was one of the best things that has happened to me in a very, very long time.
13. Delegating a bit more and controlling a bit less. Key words: "a bit"
14. Not completely losing my mind over this lawsuit. As I've heard nothing more from my insurance company except that they assigned a defense lawyer to the case, I will assume all will be well. I just wish the nightmare would end...or had not ever started to begin with.
15. Each and every moment I took to tackle, tickle, hit a baseball with, draw chalk art all over the driveway, read to, whatever it was that I did with my children was so much more enjoyable this year and so much less stressful..as if I should be doing something else with my time as in years past. I have come to learn that there is absolutely nothing more important than creating these two human beings to become the best additions to human society that they can me, and that task is requiring of my attention.
16. Returning to the blog...new face, new name, new friends, new community, new connections and just knowing I'm not alone here. What a great feeling, really.
Tomorrow is another day. It has to be better. I will make it better. I have no choice.
Happy New Year. Feliz año nuevo. お正月おめでとうございます。osho-gatsu omedetou gozaimasu. May 2008 bring each of you much happiness, laughter, balance and peace.
In no particular order:
1. Perú. In mid-January. Definitely a plus in my life. Looking oh-so-forward to that again in 10 more days.
2. Oregon. In July with my sister. I miss my family and, although it would kill me to live next door to either my sister in Vegas or my mother in Deadford, it kills me to live so far away as well. We're all that's left.
3. My uncle in Oregon. Hadn't seen him since Dad's funeral; thus he had never met my children or my sister's new family. That was an incredibly lovely day.
4. My new business. A dream come true. Lots of work but wonderful to work out of the home and earn my own students, work with my own materials, not have to teach for exams and not have to deal with psycho students who feel they can threaten their professors.
5. My garden. I re-shaped my front yard this summer and my vegetable garden did wonderfully well, too. It was so nice to be able to share the wealth with friends and neighbors.
6. My faith. I grew a lot in my faith this year, mainly by taking a step back and embracing a much more private respect for my God, while opening my children's eyes to how we can find God in all Things and how that should inspire joy in our hearts, not fear.
7. My body. I joined the gym to give myself some movement, I followed with relative strictness my soy allergy diet and a little less a gluten-free diet, but I was so much healthier and comfortable in my skin this year. I may not be able to put on any more weight, but I am feeling so much better.
8. My health. I caught only one cold this year and no flu. All questionable issues have been nipped in the bud. I'm good, albeit still too hormonal.
9. The Young Prince potty-trained before he turned 3. Thus facilitating entry into 3 morning-a-week preschool. Together with Princesita's a.m. kindergarten schedule, Life is a bit freer now!
10. Defining what is really wrong in my life. Trying to take steps, although minimal, to work towards a resolution. Moving downstairs into the basement and finally sleeping well. And buying MY king-sized bed that I usually share with one or both of the kids.
11. Playing the piano when I want to play the piano, singing when I want to sing, grabbing my violin...well, my bows need rehairing so that isn't happening right now. But just taking a moment when I want to and creating what I need to create in the moment.
12. That pedicure yesterday was one of the best things that has happened to me in a very, very long time.
13. Delegating a bit more and controlling a bit less. Key words: "a bit"
14. Not completely losing my mind over this lawsuit. As I've heard nothing more from my insurance company except that they assigned a defense lawyer to the case, I will assume all will be well. I just wish the nightmare would end...or had not ever started to begin with.
15. Each and every moment I took to tackle, tickle, hit a baseball with, draw chalk art all over the driveway, read to, whatever it was that I did with my children was so much more enjoyable this year and so much less stressful..as if I should be doing something else with my time as in years past. I have come to learn that there is absolutely nothing more important than creating these two human beings to become the best additions to human society that they can me, and that task is requiring of my attention.
16. Returning to the blog...new face, new name, new friends, new community, new connections and just knowing I'm not alone here. What a great feeling, really.
Tomorrow is another day. It has to be better. I will make it better. I have no choice.
Happy New Year. Feliz año nuevo. お正月おめでとうございます。osho-gatsu omedetou gozaimasu. May 2008 bring each of you much happiness, laughter, balance and peace.
sábado, 29 de diciembre de 2007
Out of the House!
I got out of the house today. God, it felt soooooooo good.
Of course, I didn't have the guts in me to do it on my own. So K joined me. She's 6, cute, and that gives me an excuse not to have to talk to anyone and gives me someone to "preoccupy" myself with.
I wore the poor thing out.
I noticed that I have a habit out in public of biting my lower lip. Ugh. Probably a nervous reflex.
Everything was on sale...except the only two skirts I found that I actually liked. Great. No, I didn't buy them. I'm on a budget. They won't fit in those limitations!
So.
My rambling for the day centers around the idea of the fact that I'll go to Perú alone but not leave my house to go shopping.
I thought a lot about this today, as I am Within Two Weeks Of Departure. Why does this not give me any problems?
1. I have professional purpose down there. Check.
2. I am so obviously a foreigner there that my missteps or my lack of boob job or my true-not-colored hair or my lack of mass amounts of makeup are just part of my "exoticism" (yes I am being sarcastic--I used to believe myself exotic when I was 20. That is faaaaar behind me now!), not a drawback.
3. I have such a different personality when I speak Spanish...I'm much more forward, much more direct, and am working to master the art of double-speak...I have fun with Spanish. It's a very sexual language, too...when speaking with someone, you must address the gender of that person. I like that. A man has to identify a woman as a woman by making everything having to do with her grammatically "female", and a woman does the same back to a man. I think that is just a glorious constant recognition of the other.
4. Manners abound (among the natives, not the non-Spanish speaking gringos bumbling through the streets) and that is lovely. I make eye-contact with someone, s/he smiles and says Good Afternoon, and a comment about the weather might ensue (if the sun actually shines through the Lima garua, that can be a glorious conversation starter). Pleases and Thank-yous are exchanged. People offer pardons when they bump into you. It is more a reflection of how I was raised than anything I witnessed here today.
5. Sure, it is not the safest city in the world, but I have survived a lot of stuff I probably should not have. If I die, at least I will die doing something I love doing.
6. I love to talk to taxi drivers. Period. I can become my own person, I can make up my own identity and my own story (or not) and they will never know. They're just thrilled to get to talk to a long-legged Spanish-speaking gringa.
7. If I get to go dancing, well...that just speaks for itself. Table dancing died for me in early 20s, but I still LOVE to salsa, merengue and cumbia, and follow a good leader decently well...and I no longer have to be drunk to dance well.
8. Service rocks. You are waited on well, even in the cheapest holes-in-the-wall if you even look like you might want more water. In department stores you are treated like a Goddess. The dependientas set you up, look you up and down and tell you in 5 seconds your size and get you four different pairs of jeans to try on and voila, if something doesn't work they are right there to help you get something else. And all this with a smile, no clicking of the tongue, rolling of the eyes and the "oh, just get it yourself why don'cha?" look.
So there we go. I will go to Lima but I won't go downtown here by myself. I actually feel I know my way around Lima better than this city. Funny, perspective...
Of course, I didn't have the guts in me to do it on my own. So K joined me. She's 6, cute, and that gives me an excuse not to have to talk to anyone and gives me someone to "preoccupy" myself with.
I wore the poor thing out.
I noticed that I have a habit out in public of biting my lower lip. Ugh. Probably a nervous reflex.
Everything was on sale...except the only two skirts I found that I actually liked. Great. No, I didn't buy them. I'm on a budget. They won't fit in those limitations!
So.
My rambling for the day centers around the idea of the fact that I'll go to Perú alone but not leave my house to go shopping.
I thought a lot about this today, as I am Within Two Weeks Of Departure. Why does this not give me any problems?
1. I have professional purpose down there. Check.
2. I am so obviously a foreigner there that my missteps or my lack of boob job or my true-not-colored hair or my lack of mass amounts of makeup are just part of my "exoticism" (yes I am being sarcastic--I used to believe myself exotic when I was 20. That is faaaaar behind me now!), not a drawback.
3. I have such a different personality when I speak Spanish...I'm much more forward, much more direct, and am working to master the art of double-speak...I have fun with Spanish. It's a very sexual language, too...when speaking with someone, you must address the gender of that person. I like that. A man has to identify a woman as a woman by making everything having to do with her grammatically "female", and a woman does the same back to a man. I think that is just a glorious constant recognition of the other.
4. Manners abound (among the natives, not the non-Spanish speaking gringos bumbling through the streets) and that is lovely. I make eye-contact with someone, s/he smiles and says Good Afternoon, and a comment about the weather might ensue (if the sun actually shines through the Lima garua, that can be a glorious conversation starter). Pleases and Thank-yous are exchanged. People offer pardons when they bump into you. It is more a reflection of how I was raised than anything I witnessed here today.
5. Sure, it is not the safest city in the world, but I have survived a lot of stuff I probably should not have. If I die, at least I will die doing something I love doing.
6. I love to talk to taxi drivers. Period. I can become my own person, I can make up my own identity and my own story (or not) and they will never know. They're just thrilled to get to talk to a long-legged Spanish-speaking gringa.
7. If I get to go dancing, well...that just speaks for itself. Table dancing died for me in early 20s, but I still LOVE to salsa, merengue and cumbia, and follow a good leader decently well...and I no longer have to be drunk to dance well.
8. Service rocks. You are waited on well, even in the cheapest holes-in-the-wall if you even look like you might want more water. In department stores you are treated like a Goddess. The dependientas set you up, look you up and down and tell you in 5 seconds your size and get you four different pairs of jeans to try on and voila, if something doesn't work they are right there to help you get something else. And all this with a smile, no clicking of the tongue, rolling of the eyes and the "oh, just get it yourself why don'cha?" look.
So there we go. I will go to Lima but I won't go downtown here by myself. I actually feel I know my way around Lima better than this city. Funny, perspective...
miércoles, 26 de diciembre de 2007
exhausted
Today was an incredibly, frighteningly productive day...
First and foremost, I got one hell of a workout in at the gym this morning. No little monitos awake here, I could sneak out without the choir of "I want to go, toooooo" following me out the door. Good stretching, leg weights first (am I the only one who gets really turned on doing leg curls? It's a purely physical reaction but geez, brings me back to sorority days and knowing where All The GOOD Chairs in the University were...) then arms and back and sit-ups. Got my elliptical jog in, but the heartrate monitor was a trite off this morning: I maintained a 7.5 mph clip and my registered heartrate was jumping between 161 and 125. Target is 148.
Got a shower. That was good. Got to do my legs. That was even better and oh, so necessary. Got to play "Guess Who" with La Princesita...she noted the gender inequality right off the bat: "Mommy, why are there 19 boys and only 5 girls?" I am GOING to have to complain to Mattel about this. There are 24 possibilities...they could have split it 12/12.
Then started madly Trying to Claim My House Back. Tomorrow is recycling day, doubled with gomi-pick up because Monday's gomi pick up was cancelled. So I have, like, 10 bags of recycleables (including all the paper and cardboard) that needed to be gathered and put together, then I collected all the trash. Then I got a bunch of stuff out on Freecycle. Good for Mommy. House is cleaner. I can see the floor of my office again...haven't seen that in weeks. Needs to be vacuumed.
Got class scheduled for noon as opposed to 10 tomorrow. The kids can have some computer time while my students are here.
Made linner. Just heated up leftovers so it really didn't count, but still counts for providing the chickadees with basic nutritional needs. Yes, they have to have fruit, too. Fortunately we just got a bag of fresh Florida grapefruit from P's parents on Christmas Eve, and grapefruit just does not last around these kids.
Then what? Cleaned up the classroom for tomorrow, adecuately trashed following almost a week of no classes. Finished the polishing of my translation of this transcription, edited some spelling errors in the English version, and sent both off to Vodium so they can finish that leg. I will go downtown to do the voice-over dub on the 4th. I can picture it being like one of those old Japanese samurai flicks that are dubbed in English: "I will die first!" ...and the mouth of the actor continues moving in silence for 10 seconds after the English voiceover has finished the 'translation.' I'm looking very much forward to seeing/hearing the final version's webcast.
Had a prospective new student contact me, hopefully can get a new series of beginners going at the end of January. That would just be peachy.
And last, but not least...
The three of us, Christmas Eve. Mamacitas extraordinnaires.
Now isn't that what it is all about, ladies? What a wonderful picture...and perhaps the only one of myself that I will permit be taken this year!
First and foremost, I got one hell of a workout in at the gym this morning. No little monitos awake here, I could sneak out without the choir of "I want to go, toooooo" following me out the door. Good stretching, leg weights first (am I the only one who gets really turned on doing leg curls? It's a purely physical reaction but geez, brings me back to sorority days and knowing where All The GOOD Chairs in the University were...) then arms and back and sit-ups. Got my elliptical jog in, but the heartrate monitor was a trite off this morning: I maintained a 7.5 mph clip and my registered heartrate was jumping between 161 and 125. Target is 148.
Got a shower. That was good. Got to do my legs. That was even better and oh, so necessary. Got to play "Guess Who" with La Princesita...she noted the gender inequality right off the bat: "Mommy, why are there 19 boys and only 5 girls?" I am GOING to have to complain to Mattel about this. There are 24 possibilities...they could have split it 12/12.
Then started madly Trying to Claim My House Back. Tomorrow is recycling day, doubled with gomi-pick up because Monday's gomi pick up was cancelled. So I have, like, 10 bags of recycleables (including all the paper and cardboard) that needed to be gathered and put together, then I collected all the trash. Then I got a bunch of stuff out on Freecycle. Good for Mommy. House is cleaner. I can see the floor of my office again...haven't seen that in weeks. Needs to be vacuumed.
Got class scheduled for noon as opposed to 10 tomorrow. The kids can have some computer time while my students are here.
Made linner. Just heated up leftovers so it really didn't count, but still counts for providing the chickadees with basic nutritional needs. Yes, they have to have fruit, too. Fortunately we just got a bag of fresh Florida grapefruit from P's parents on Christmas Eve, and grapefruit just does not last around these kids.
Then what? Cleaned up the classroom for tomorrow, adecuately trashed following almost a week of no classes. Finished the polishing of my translation of this transcription, edited some spelling errors in the English version, and sent both off to Vodium so they can finish that leg. I will go downtown to do the voice-over dub on the 4th. I can picture it being like one of those old Japanese samurai flicks that are dubbed in English: "I will die first!" ...and the mouth of the actor continues moving in silence for 10 seconds after the English voiceover has finished the 'translation.' I'm looking very much forward to seeing/hearing the final version's webcast.
Had a prospective new student contact me, hopefully can get a new series of beginners going at the end of January. That would just be peachy.
And last, but not least...
The three of us, Christmas Eve. Mamacitas extraordinnaires.Now isn't that what it is all about, ladies? What a wonderful picture...and perhaps the only one of myself that I will permit be taken this year!
viernes, 30 de noviembre de 2007
"may you live all the days of your life"
Jonathan Swift.
I used to use this quote in my signature line of all my emails for many years. It is a simple statement on how I have chosen to, at least, try to live my life. I never thought that it was ever even noticed...
This morning, out of the clear blue, came an email from a former student that I had in my teaching tenure at Tulane back in the late 1990s. She was not my best student; she struggled to get the grade she did get and was, in my opinion, in the midst of truly finding herself when our paths crossed.
We maintained contact while I remained in New Orleans but, when leaving in 2000 we lost touch.
I received an email this morning from her.
Congratulations. I am thrilled for you and am sure you are touching others' lives in ways you will never know.
-----------
In other news:
The issue of the ethics/teacher/student seems to be resolving itself. I put myself into contact with the mother of my student, and she agrees with me in that she would like the teacher and the tutor to be in some sort of working contact. She is planning a meeting with that teacher in the next week, so hopefully all will be ironed out. I mentioned my fear of, through my honest attempts at opening lines of communication, having compromised my student's best interests in that classroom and want to ensure that does not, in fact, occur. Hopefully all will be ironed out.
So I feel better. To the gym today for a little bit of ME-TIME. I need to move my body, stand on my head with nobody around to push me over and giggle, stretch, exert...
I used to use this quote in my signature line of all my emails for many years. It is a simple statement on how I have chosen to, at least, try to live my life. I never thought that it was ever even noticed...
This morning, out of the clear blue, came an email from a former student that I had in my teaching tenure at Tulane back in the late 1990s. She was not my best student; she struggled to get the grade she did get and was, in my opinion, in the midst of truly finding herself when our paths crossed.
We maintained contact while I remained in New Orleans but, when leaving in 2000 we lost touch.
I received an email this morning from her.
Although you might not know it, your example inspired me to save for and live my dreams of world travel after leaving New Orleans and I have since started a Life Coaching practice with a passion for the Life Sabbatical / Long-term Travel niche, so I am continuing to spread the word about changing the world through meaningful travel.I checked out her website and, gracing the top of her "about me" page is...the above quote from Jonathan Swift.
Congratulations. I am thrilled for you and am sure you are touching others' lives in ways you will never know.
-----------
In other news:
The issue of the ethics/teacher/student seems to be resolving itself. I put myself into contact with the mother of my student, and she agrees with me in that she would like the teacher and the tutor to be in some sort of working contact. She is planning a meeting with that teacher in the next week, so hopefully all will be ironed out. I mentioned my fear of, through my honest attempts at opening lines of communication, having compromised my student's best interests in that classroom and want to ensure that does not, in fact, occur. Hopefully all will be ironed out.
So I feel better. To the gym today for a little bit of ME-TIME. I need to move my body, stand on my head with nobody around to push me over and giggle, stretch, exert...
jueves, 22 de noviembre de 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
10 reasons why I am thankful this year (no particular order):
--my two children who look like sleeping kittens curled up next to me and cuddling with each other at this very moment.
--thus far a wonderful visit with my mother.
--the standards: health, family, friends, roof over our heads, love, etc.
--this year's autumnal colors that brightened my normally dreary fall.
--wonderful memories of past lives lived.
--ability to anticipate the creation of many more memories.
--returning to blogging and making new acquaintances online.
--relative success in my first year as a self-employed individual, and my new students who, this year, put their faith in my abilities to teach them what they needed to know.
--laughter, and the healing power released from it.
--love and liberty.
If you've read this, you are tagged. Drop and give me 10! (jaja) What are you thankful for? I can, indeed, create a list much less "philosophical" and much more material; indeed, there is sooooooo much for which to give thanks.
Have a blessed day!
--my two children who look like sleeping kittens curled up next to me and cuddling with each other at this very moment.
--thus far a wonderful visit with my mother.
--the standards: health, family, friends, roof over our heads, love, etc.
--this year's autumnal colors that brightened my normally dreary fall.
--wonderful memories of past lives lived.
--ability to anticipate the creation of many more memories.
--returning to blogging and making new acquaintances online.
--relative success in my first year as a self-employed individual, and my new students who, this year, put their faith in my abilities to teach them what they needed to know.
--laughter, and the healing power released from it.
--love and liberty.
If you've read this, you are tagged. Drop and give me 10! (jaja) What are you thankful for? I can, indeed, create a list much less "philosophical" and much more material; indeed, there is sooooooo much for which to give thanks.
Have a blessed day!
jueves, 8 de noviembre de 2007
ROAAAAAAAAAR!
Thank you, Chief Biscuit.
![[Roar+Large.jpg]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HpPo53schTLcRAmAGjQ44Nn0GtCmHvUcsZ9vEHBIQqjxEA5YVYojTut4hvbmfrJsf7jhJebVlplBIwhp0Ui8vGe_Sl8Iz9OrIbiGMOm9FbiG1JoFgyGdKt3nS5EZRkVQQQjbLV7QvHCt/s1600/Roar+Large.jpg)
Shameless says : Those people I've given this award to are encouraged to post it on their own blogs; list three things they believe are necessary for good, powerful writing; and then pass the award on to the five blogs they want to honour, who in turn pass it on to five others, etc etc. Let's send a roar through the blogosphere! The image above can be copied and pasted onto other blogs. Also, a small size of the award for sidebars can be found over at the writing circle site.
The five blogs I hereby nominate, in no particular order, are:
1. The 4th Avenue Blues by Andrew. His candid storytelling, dialogue and postings involving photo and video are thought-provoking and powerful as he deals with life as a man with certain self-proclaimed issues. He spills his heart and people listen and help.
2. The Thoughts of a Frumpy Professor by PipeTobacco. He, lately, has been able to put powerful words to the loss of his dear mother just over 8 months ago, he exposes his soul in his desire to embrace the upcoming winter chill, and he makes his readers feel raw emotion through his words.
3. Sachiniti by Kaveetaa Kaul. Her writing on feminist issues in India, worldwide current events and moral issues raise questions and not only inform her readers but make her readers question ourselves.
4. No...this is Z's thing by Zirelda. She has a fun manner of storytelling her own life and describing Life as it occurs. Her quick wit shines in her words and the love she shows for her daughter is motivational.
5. She-Ra, Princess of ??? by She-Ra. Her often self-depricating and humorous way of illustrating motherhood and all its variances allows her readers to empathise with the feelings of the experience of what can be in many cases trial and error.
So there you have it!
Can I now say, "I am Lion-Woman, hear me ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAR"?
Shameless says : Those people I've given this award to are encouraged to post it on their own blogs; list three things they believe are necessary for good, powerful writing; and then pass the award on to the five blogs they want to honour, who in turn pass it on to five others, etc etc. Let's send a roar through the blogosphere! The image above can be copied and pasted onto other blogs. Also, a small size of the award for sidebars can be found over at the writing circle site.
The five blogs I hereby nominate, in no particular order, are:
1. The 4th Avenue Blues by Andrew. His candid storytelling, dialogue and postings involving photo and video are thought-provoking and powerful as he deals with life as a man with certain self-proclaimed issues. He spills his heart and people listen and help.
2. The Thoughts of a Frumpy Professor by PipeTobacco. He, lately, has been able to put powerful words to the loss of his dear mother just over 8 months ago, he exposes his soul in his desire to embrace the upcoming winter chill, and he makes his readers feel raw emotion through his words.
3. Sachiniti by Kaveetaa Kaul. Her writing on feminist issues in India, worldwide current events and moral issues raise questions and not only inform her readers but make her readers question ourselves.
4. No...this is Z's thing by Zirelda. She has a fun manner of storytelling her own life and describing Life as it occurs. Her quick wit shines in her words and the love she shows for her daughter is motivational.
5. She-Ra, Princess of ??? by She-Ra. Her often self-depricating and humorous way of illustrating motherhood and all its variances allows her readers to empathise with the feelings of the experience of what can be in many cases trial and error.
So there you have it!
Can I now say, "I am Lion-Woman, hear me ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAR"?
lunes, 5 de noviembre de 2007
and it is Monday!
What a gorgeous morning. Sun shining, birdies singing...
I was unloading dishes when the sound of my eldest wretching reached my ears. Poor thing started her day throwing up. Whatever it was seems to have now, fortunately, passed.
My headache lingers, but I can work today. Goal: finish Chapter 10 of the text by Wednesday. We'll see if that happens. But it's a goal.
La Princesita's kindergarten conference was this morning. She has already demonstrated having exceeded all kindergarten learning objectives. But she's a smarty-pants and a perfectionist, so I'm neither bragging nor am surprised. That is just who she is. However, she has been noticed to want to stay with the teachers during recess or play by herself rather than play with her classmates. There are various possible reasons for this that we brainstormed, one of which could be having had the one little girl she really felt empathy with, Rosie, who left the school as soon as the two girls were really starting to feel close. Although this occurred at the beginning of the school year, we all know what a sensitive soul La Princesita is. She could be afraid of getting close. She could be shy in meeting others, as the only other child from her preschool is in the afternoon kindergarten class, not the morning group. There is also the issue of having been involved in two major auto accidents by the age of 5. I never thought of that, but her teacher said it warrants a further look. One of her friends also hit her on Friday of last week, a friend who does not have a very highly developed speech level yet and who probably hit in frustration, not being able to verbalize her feelings. This, however, really affected mi Princesita and in her relating this story it was possible to see how betrayed she felt. This has occurred with mi Princesita in the past, before she can really remember, with a couple of her other playmates, so I suppose it's possible she feels a bit traumatized.
Academics are not everything. I want a well-adjusted and happy child. I want her to enjoy her childhood. She loves school, so I don't believe that she is having serious problems in any aspect, social or otherwise. And I don't want to be "the pushy mom"...I want to be involved enough to be a part of my children's lives but not demanding how these lives should and will develop.
Do I make sense? It feels like such a thin line sometimes, that which separates "involved" and "pushy". I constantly pray for the guidance to do right by my children....
...and happily accept advice from Those Who Know and Understand!
I was unloading dishes when the sound of my eldest wretching reached my ears. Poor thing started her day throwing up. Whatever it was seems to have now, fortunately, passed.
My headache lingers, but I can work today. Goal: finish Chapter 10 of the text by Wednesday. We'll see if that happens. But it's a goal.
La Princesita's kindergarten conference was this morning. She has already demonstrated having exceeded all kindergarten learning objectives. But she's a smarty-pants and a perfectionist, so I'm neither bragging nor am surprised. That is just who she is. However, she has been noticed to want to stay with the teachers during recess or play by herself rather than play with her classmates. There are various possible reasons for this that we brainstormed, one of which could be having had the one little girl she really felt empathy with, Rosie, who left the school as soon as the two girls were really starting to feel close. Although this occurred at the beginning of the school year, we all know what a sensitive soul La Princesita is. She could be afraid of getting close. She could be shy in meeting others, as the only other child from her preschool is in the afternoon kindergarten class, not the morning group. There is also the issue of having been involved in two major auto accidents by the age of 5. I never thought of that, but her teacher said it warrants a further look. One of her friends also hit her on Friday of last week, a friend who does not have a very highly developed speech level yet and who probably hit in frustration, not being able to verbalize her feelings. This, however, really affected mi Princesita and in her relating this story it was possible to see how betrayed she felt. This has occurred with mi Princesita in the past, before she can really remember, with a couple of her other playmates, so I suppose it's possible she feels a bit traumatized.
Academics are not everything. I want a well-adjusted and happy child. I want her to enjoy her childhood. She loves school, so I don't believe that she is having serious problems in any aspect, social or otherwise. And I don't want to be "the pushy mom"...I want to be involved enough to be a part of my children's lives but not demanding how these lives should and will develop.
Do I make sense? It feels like such a thin line sometimes, that which separates "involved" and "pushy". I constantly pray for the guidance to do right by my children....
...and happily accept advice from Those Who Know and Understand!
miércoles, 19 de septiembre de 2007
settling in
It is now the third week of the new school year and I am finally feeling as though the children and I have settled into our routine. They pretty much wake themselves up at the appropriate time each day thanks to the fact that I have them in bed at the appropriate hour each night. They know what to expect each day and where they are going. I have my student schedule that is becoming routine, and will be adding new classes around those which I already have.
Coupled with a rather predictable weather pattern in which we currently find ourselves, the routine is understandably comfortable--and comforting to those of us who thrive on routine, pattern and The Predictable.
*-------------------*
My student this morning mentioned that a supposed meteor hit the altiplano of Southern Perú over the weekend, making those who went to investigate this very UNPREDICTABLE event very sick due to extraterrestrial gases, according to the experts, accompanything this meteor. That part of Perú is where I visited in 2000, close to where Lake Titicaca joins the two countries, in Andean highlands that are between 10,000 and 12,000 feet in elevation. The air is crisp and clean, the skies are blue and it feels like you can actually peek into Heaven there. Imagine having your day violently interrupted by a huge steaming rock that fell out of that sky...
They have had a lot of interruptions to Life As Normal in that country lately.
*------------------*
I dreamt about Thailand the other night. It must have been a dream triggered by the recent news regarding the plane crash on Phuket of all the tourists in the middle of a torrential rainstorm. I was fortunate enough to visit Thailand in December/January 1995/96 when the weather tends to be more stable.
I was walking along the beach of Koh Samui. The northwest beach was built-up in what I imagine to be Phuket-style, with the touristy hotels and pools and activities for the tourist trade. Not interested in this side of the isle, I left, walking south, in search of the Koh Samui that I knew, with the rustic bungalowes with no electricity and toilets we flushed with buckets and the vast beaches upon which I could lay on warm, white sand and have fantastic massages by the local ladies and watch pirated movies in small, dark restaurants serving steaming, spicy prawns...
The beach curved sharply to the east, and I was walking now away from the "Phuket" side and what I thought to be closer to the Koh Samui side. The beach seemed to go on forever, but I then realized that, to my left, there was a wall that was partially washed away. I understood then that this area was where all I had previously experienced used to stand--all the stands filled with natives peddling their wares, trying to find the tourist that would pay the highest price and not show too much bartering prowess. The dirt roads upon which you had to avoid the car, or the tuk-tuk, or the elephant that sauntered by. All gone.
-What happened here?- I wondered.
It then dawned on me that this area must have been hard hit by the tsunami of a couple years ago and has never rebuilt due to the fact that this side of the island became ocean, that all was washed away and covered with sand and water, returning the commercial side of the island to a pristine natural beauty that the natives decided to leave henceforth untouched.
*--------------------*
I have been revisiting my former voyages...wishing? Perhaps. But more than anything, in extreme thanksgiving for the great opportunities with which I have been presented to know our World.
Coupled with a rather predictable weather pattern in which we currently find ourselves, the routine is understandably comfortable--and comforting to those of us who thrive on routine, pattern and The Predictable.
*-------------------*
My student this morning mentioned that a supposed meteor hit the altiplano of Southern Perú over the weekend, making those who went to investigate this very UNPREDICTABLE event very sick due to extraterrestrial gases, according to the experts, accompanything this meteor. That part of Perú is where I visited in 2000, close to where Lake Titicaca joins the two countries, in Andean highlands that are between 10,000 and 12,000 feet in elevation. The air is crisp and clean, the skies are blue and it feels like you can actually peek into Heaven there. Imagine having your day violently interrupted by a huge steaming rock that fell out of that sky...
They have had a lot of interruptions to Life As Normal in that country lately.
*------------------*
I dreamt about Thailand the other night. It must have been a dream triggered by the recent news regarding the plane crash on Phuket of all the tourists in the middle of a torrential rainstorm. I was fortunate enough to visit Thailand in December/January 1995/96 when the weather tends to be more stable.
I was walking along the beach of Koh Samui. The northwest beach was built-up in what I imagine to be Phuket-style, with the touristy hotels and pools and activities for the tourist trade. Not interested in this side of the isle, I left, walking south, in search of the Koh Samui that I knew, with the rustic bungalowes with no electricity and toilets we flushed with buckets and the vast beaches upon which I could lay on warm, white sand and have fantastic massages by the local ladies and watch pirated movies in small, dark restaurants serving steaming, spicy prawns...
The beach curved sharply to the east, and I was walking now away from the "Phuket" side and what I thought to be closer to the Koh Samui side. The beach seemed to go on forever, but I then realized that, to my left, there was a wall that was partially washed away. I understood then that this area was where all I had previously experienced used to stand--all the stands filled with natives peddling their wares, trying to find the tourist that would pay the highest price and not show too much bartering prowess. The dirt roads upon which you had to avoid the car, or the tuk-tuk, or the elephant that sauntered by. All gone.
-What happened here?- I wondered.
It then dawned on me that this area must have been hard hit by the tsunami of a couple years ago and has never rebuilt due to the fact that this side of the island became ocean, that all was washed away and covered with sand and water, returning the commercial side of the island to a pristine natural beauty that the natives decided to leave henceforth untouched.
*--------------------*
I have been revisiting my former voyages...wishing? Perhaps. But more than anything, in extreme thanksgiving for the great opportunities with which I have been presented to know our World.
viernes, 14 de septiembre de 2007
a sweetheart
My darling little boy is about 99.9% Boy.
With a capital-B.
The 0.1% is reserved for the Little Ponies and the Barbies that he inevitably, as Little Brother to Big Sister, must, by Job Description, not only play with but wholeheartedly enjoy.
This morning, when dropping Big Boy off at preschool, and while Big Sister entertained herself with the play-dough, The Young Prince's teacher (who, I might add, was also La Princesita's teacher when she was that age) said to me:
-Young Prince is such a sweetheart.
-Really?- I was surprised. No, perhaps relieved is a better word. -My little boy?
-Yes, he is just pleasant and nice. He's a sweetheart.
At that moment, all kinds of images rushed through my mind. The little boy who flooded my entire kitchen so that all towels in the house were called into active duty? The little boy who, while potty training, would take off his underwear downstairs and proceed to "color" all the pillows and carpet (off-white specked) with his poopy tushie? The little boy who can't quite pronounce "truck" adequately enough so that ladies don't blush upon hearing him talk about the monstrous beasts of the road and construction sites? The list goes on...
But these are isolated incidents. He is showing me that he does know how to behave outside of the home, with reports like that, which makes me even more proud of him than I already am.
*------------------*
I stopped by my former workplace this morning for a café date with an ex-coworker. We had a lovely time this morning, and I got to see some other of my previous cohorts. One, my "techie-dude", informed me of his son's untimely death this past May...
He was seventeen, about to graduate from high school with early admission to MIT, following in his father's footsteps. Only child, very bright, did almost everything with his father. And a hemopheliac.
Long story short, rushed to the hospital and needed an emergency kidney transplant and did not make it.
I feel just horrible for W and his wife.
All I could do was hug him, ask him questions to allow him to talk, and tell him I am so sorry.
*-------------------*
It is raining again today. Not too hard, but enough to make me feel good. The past two days have been dry and I have sneezed non-stop. The rain should rinse the air out and allow me to breathe freely again.
Time to go back to work. My illustrator A has come through with some dibujos excelentes for my text, so that makes me really excited! I can't wait to see how they look!
Happy Friday!
With a capital-B.
The 0.1% is reserved for the Little Ponies and the Barbies that he inevitably, as Little Brother to Big Sister, must, by Job Description, not only play with but wholeheartedly enjoy.
This morning, when dropping Big Boy off at preschool, and while Big Sister entertained herself with the play-dough, The Young Prince's teacher (who, I might add, was also La Princesita's teacher when she was that age) said to me:
-Young Prince is such a sweetheart.
-Really?- I was surprised. No, perhaps relieved is a better word. -My little boy?
-Yes, he is just pleasant and nice. He's a sweetheart.
At that moment, all kinds of images rushed through my mind. The little boy who flooded my entire kitchen so that all towels in the house were called into active duty? The little boy who, while potty training, would take off his underwear downstairs and proceed to "color" all the pillows and carpet (off-white specked) with his poopy tushie? The little boy who can't quite pronounce "truck" adequately enough so that ladies don't blush upon hearing him talk about the monstrous beasts of the road and construction sites? The list goes on...
But these are isolated incidents. He is showing me that he does know how to behave outside of the home, with reports like that, which makes me even more proud of him than I already am.
*------------------*
I stopped by my former workplace this morning for a café date with an ex-coworker. We had a lovely time this morning, and I got to see some other of my previous cohorts. One, my "techie-dude", informed me of his son's untimely death this past May...
He was seventeen, about to graduate from high school with early admission to MIT, following in his father's footsteps. Only child, very bright, did almost everything with his father. And a hemopheliac.
Long story short, rushed to the hospital and needed an emergency kidney transplant and did not make it.
I feel just horrible for W and his wife.
All I could do was hug him, ask him questions to allow him to talk, and tell him I am so sorry.
*-------------------*
It is raining again today. Not too hard, but enough to make me feel good. The past two days have been dry and I have sneezed non-stop. The rain should rinse the air out and allow me to breathe freely again.
Time to go back to work. My illustrator A has come through with some dibujos excelentes for my text, so that makes me really excited! I can't wait to see how they look!
Happy Friday!
sábado, 8 de septiembre de 2007
A Ring of Endless Light
This was the title of one of my favorite books by Madeline L'Engle, who reportedly died yesterday. She was a poignant author whose books I adored and I read each and every one, perhaps several times each, when I was between the ages of 11 and 15. I wrote essays in school about her books and how they helped me through that horrible 8th grade year during which both my grandmothers died. I think so often about A Wrinkle in Time and how convenient the appearance of a form of tesseract would be in my life now, to bridge me and my here and now to other lands and loves.
Que en paz descanse. Que sepa cuántas vidas usted ha tocado y ha influido con su escritura.
Que en paz descanse. Que sepa cuántas vidas usted ha tocado y ha influido con su escritura.
sábado, 1 de septiembre de 2007
September in God's time
Today was the first of September. It felt like a September day. The sky was a brilliant blue, that which we only see as an autumn sky.
I spent the day in the garden--more God time. I am finding God in so many more places that God made and less so in places man-made in God's name. I'm not sure why that is, but as I have always been drawn to nature, perhaps that is where God is calling me to find him now.
This is a difficult issue for me as I have been raised Catholic and in a firm, church-going household. I believe in God. I love my God. I want my children to grow up with a respect and a love for God as well, and believe they should be educated so as to be able to make their decisions as to how they must individually pay respect to God in their lives. I try to teach them in my home the importance of God in our lives, and how we can be God-like in how we treat ourselves and how we treat others. I try to teach as well a respect for all life, even the lives of the bothersome crickets currently invading our home.
I used to believe that my rather antisystemic point of view stemmed from a fundamental insecurity in my beliefs; that indeed, God would strike me down if I didn't attend Mass each week. I have come to see that, contrary to the point of view of many, instead I am extremely secure in my faith and am willing to stretch my relationship with God and question instead of being a mere blind follower...
So I, in the past 10 months, have made some realizations and some decisions based on these realizations. One great realization is that I have always done what others believe I should do for their approbation. That is not necessarily what is correct for me to do, but I do. I want people to be proud of me and to see me as doing what they define to be as right, even if it does not feel right in my heart. Some of this has to do with my manner of practicing my faith. There are other subjects that fall under this idea as well. However, God is the theme for today.
And I enjoyed the first day of September fully today--and in God's time!
I spent the day in the garden--more God time. I am finding God in so many more places that God made and less so in places man-made in God's name. I'm not sure why that is, but as I have always been drawn to nature, perhaps that is where God is calling me to find him now.
This is a difficult issue for me as I have been raised Catholic and in a firm, church-going household. I believe in God. I love my God. I want my children to grow up with a respect and a love for God as well, and believe they should be educated so as to be able to make their decisions as to how they must individually pay respect to God in their lives. I try to teach them in my home the importance of God in our lives, and how we can be God-like in how we treat ourselves and how we treat others. I try to teach as well a respect for all life, even the lives of the bothersome crickets currently invading our home.
I used to believe that my rather antisystemic point of view stemmed from a fundamental insecurity in my beliefs; that indeed, God would strike me down if I didn't attend Mass each week. I have come to see that, contrary to the point of view of many, instead I am extremely secure in my faith and am willing to stretch my relationship with God and question instead of being a mere blind follower...
So I, in the past 10 months, have made some realizations and some decisions based on these realizations. One great realization is that I have always done what others believe I should do for their approbation. That is not necessarily what is correct for me to do, but I do. I want people to be proud of me and to see me as doing what they define to be as right, even if it does not feel right in my heart. Some of this has to do with my manner of practicing my faith. There are other subjects that fall under this idea as well. However, God is the theme for today.
And I enjoyed the first day of September fully today--and in God's time!
jueves, 30 de agosto de 2007
Walking our buns off...
It was true God time today with the monitos.
At 5:00 I decided that we were going to WALK, yes, WALK to Whole Paycheck. That is, according to MapQuest, .95 mile away from home. And we walked.
Now, for me that is not a huge task; I do that all the time to get to the gym. The huge task for me, indeed, was the patience factor--waiting for especially my youngest with the really tiny, short legs to, at his pace, keep up with the "big kids."
He did phenomenally well. I kept trying to find little incentives, like, "Oh, you can balance here!" or "Look, a fire engine!" (sidenote here: I have started substituting 'engine' or any other suitable word for 'truck' as, in the Young Prince's vernacular, 'truck' comes out sounding like a rather profane action...and he LOVES his f***s. Big f**k. Small f**k. Bob (the Builder) f**k. Cement f**k. Dump f**k. And the like. You get the picture. The relatives love it.)
A rewarding dinner at Whole Paycheck, followed by potty breaks for all and shopping for the cheese that I so need for the lasagna I am making for MY birthday dinner tomorrow night (the cake is for him. I went through 40 hours of labor, so I at least get to eat what I want for dinner!) and, spirits rejuvenated, we headed back for home, singing "Little Red Caboose" all the way home.
What joy. What fun. What a great way to get in touch with my inner child. I love feeling so at-peace, and with my beautiful children holding each of my hands while walking down the street singing Buckwheat Zydeco...well, that just can't be beat. Thank you, God!
At 5:00 I decided that we were going to WALK, yes, WALK to Whole Paycheck. That is, according to MapQuest, .95 mile away from home. And we walked.
Now, for me that is not a huge task; I do that all the time to get to the gym. The huge task for me, indeed, was the patience factor--waiting for especially my youngest with the really tiny, short legs to, at his pace, keep up with the "big kids."
He did phenomenally well. I kept trying to find little incentives, like, "Oh, you can balance here!" or "Look, a fire engine!" (sidenote here: I have started substituting 'engine' or any other suitable word for 'truck' as, in the Young Prince's vernacular, 'truck' comes out sounding like a rather profane action...and he LOVES his f***s. Big f**k. Small f**k. Bob (the Builder) f**k. Cement f**k. Dump f**k. And the like. You get the picture. The relatives love it.)
A rewarding dinner at Whole Paycheck, followed by potty breaks for all and shopping for the cheese that I so need for the lasagna I am making for MY birthday dinner tomorrow night (the cake is for him. I went through 40 hours of labor, so I at least get to eat what I want for dinner!) and, spirits rejuvenated, we headed back for home, singing "Little Red Caboose" all the way home.
What joy. What fun. What a great way to get in touch with my inner child. I love feeling so at-peace, and with my beautiful children holding each of my hands while walking down the street singing Buckwheat Zydeco...well, that just can't be beat. Thank you, God!
sábado, 7 de abril de 2007
hiatus
It has been hard to keep up with everything. Indeed, running one's own business and working on my textbook has taken the place of other activities that used to busy my hands, which means some have had to suffer sacrifice while others flourish.
The good news is, I love working for myself, I love the dynamics of being self-employed and the natural transitions that work like this offers me. I have more time now for my children during the day, which is wonderful. And I am in the black having only been in business for a couple of months, which is a plus. Although not earning as much as I did yet at Mason, the quality of life has improved, I am a much happier person and job-satisfaction is high. Come August I will focus more on effectively advertising myself and preparing for more of a set schedule for the school year.
We just finished dying Easter eggs. The kids had a wonderful time. Tomorrow is our annual Easter Egg Hunt, which will be fun--as always. I look forward to sharing in Easter joys with our friends.
Today there was a small layer of snow lacing the cherry blossom buds and the tips of the tulips. I got my camera out and took some pictures. Hopefully they will turn out well.
Happy Easter!
The good news is, I love working for myself, I love the dynamics of being self-employed and the natural transitions that work like this offers me. I have more time now for my children during the day, which is wonderful. And I am in the black having only been in business for a couple of months, which is a plus. Although not earning as much as I did yet at Mason, the quality of life has improved, I am a much happier person and job-satisfaction is high. Come August I will focus more on effectively advertising myself and preparing for more of a set schedule for the school year.
We just finished dying Easter eggs. The kids had a wonderful time. Tomorrow is our annual Easter Egg Hunt, which will be fun--as always. I look forward to sharing in Easter joys with our friends.
Today there was a small layer of snow lacing the cherry blossom buds and the tips of the tulips. I got my camera out and took some pictures. Hopefully they will turn out well.
Happy Easter!
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