Kindness and a Tattoo

I pulled into the local Wendy's in our town.  I go there when I'm in a rush and need something inexpensive to eat.  My expectations are never high and they were especially low today, because I was feeling the same.  Crazy day at school, worried about kids, health and life in general.

To my surprise, a pleasant and energetic voice rang through the machine and asked what I would like to eat.  I was used to the tired, bored voice that usually greeted me there.  This new voice caught my attention and made me even perk up a bit.  I gave her my order and drove around to the window, curious now to see the person behind this voice.

 From out of the window reached an arm with a beautiful sleeve tattoo that matched the beautiful smile on her face.  I gave her my money and she gave me my drink while doing a balancing with it, using the hand attached to the tattooed arm.  She asked how I was doing and I said fine and asked the obligatory question back to her.  She answered with a huge smile that she was exemplary.  I smiled and my spirit was lifted.

 I went back home thinking about my attitude and my ability to make a difference in this world with such a simple gesture.  This experience happened to me a few months ago but it stays with me, especially when I'm feeling sorry for myself.

 I still go to that Wendy's but no longer see my cheerful tattooed lady.  No doubt, she's gone on to management or something better than the Wendy's window.  Even though she's no longer there, somethings happened at that Wendy's.  A cheerful transition. So now whenever I feel low, I go to Wendy's and they make me smile and I remind myself, life is good.

Decisions, Decisions

A week long trip is in my future.  Cabos San Lucas, Mexico in the Baja Peninsula, where I'll be snorkeling, birding, eating and reading.  As I contemplate my trip, I feel elation and excitement and at the same time, a sudden tightness in my chest.  

What books will I bring? This week is my time to read anything that I want too.  I can't choose! 

I walk determinedly downstairs to my spare bedroom and I look wide-eyed and overwhelmed at my bookshelf. I pull some of my favorite authors off the shelf and put some back.  Hmmmmm.  I do this countless times. Arguing with myself, this one is too serious, too scary, not this one.  I want something fun and mindless and adult.  My self imposed book rules for this vacation are, no professional books and no elementary school novels.  

Okay, at last, here are the nominees for vacation reads.

I'm down to eight books.  Yikes, that will make for a heavy suitcase.  I call my friend and he's no help. He tells me, you need to get an ereader. Oh boy, no time and I'm still on the fence about them. That means its up to me.  I decide I need to bring three books, because I do not want to be at the airport on the way home with no book!  It's now three weeks later, and I still haven't decided which three books will get the privilege of going with me to Mexico. 

• Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
• A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie 
• The Hard Way by Lee Child
• Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
• They Did It with Love by Kate Morgenroth
• The Racketeer by John Grisham
• Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz
• OR
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Oh… and maybe I should throw in a swimming suit and some sunscreen!

Houston, We have a problem…..

Ahh, the joys of technology.  It's 1:30 in the afternoon and the webinar is about to start.  It's a discussion about how to use nonfiction notebooks with author Aimee Buckner.  I'm going to catch what I can of the webinar while my students are at music and then I can look at the recorded chat at my leisure.

This is the what I love about technology.  I get my own personal professional development.  I choose what I'm interested in, what moves me, things that I notice that I need to help me or my teaching to grow.

Choice

I love the ability to be interactive, to type in my questions, to see what questions others have from around the world! 

Social, diverse, immediate feedback

I'm so excited, I have my headphones on, and notebook at the ready.  The powerpoint starts and Aimee is introduced and begins presenting and answering questions that we already had the opportunity to send in to her earlier in the week.

Relevent and current 

Aimee?  I can't hear her.  I check my sound.  It's good.  The last thing I heard Aimee say was, "Houston, we have a problem and then… silence.  ACK!  The host of the webinar and Aimee made a few more attempts but could not get her back to stay.  Canceled, to be continued….

Perspective and Age

Things that were important to me when I was young, no longer hold that place of importance in my life.  I want to give this advice to my daughters that are in their twenty's right now.  Don't worry about that, don't stress, because it will seem inconsequential some day.  But I don't, because, just like me, they will find their own meaning of what's important and what lasts.

Before, I would be really upset with myself for not Acing that math final and going out with my friends instead.  Now, I appreciate that time spent with friends, much more than any math grade.

Before, I just wanted some time to myself, some peace and quiet.  Now, I would appreciate some noise and a few interruptions.

Before, I couldn't wait until my child could walk, talk and was potty trained.  Now, I appreciate the times that we rocked, read books and napped together.

Before, I would quickly clean off any smears of little hands on my windows.  Now, I understand why my mother left those little handprints of her grandchildren on the windows until the next visit.

My perspective has changed with age.

Monday Hopes

I live alone, children grown and on their own.  I'm lucky because they are healthy and happy and call me often.  But, the house still echoes and I can hear the floor creak when I walk.  It's so quiet at times.

I was thinking in the shower (I do some very deep and reflective thinking there) thinking about  Monday.  I don't have Monday "blahs" I just realized. Nice.. smiling to myself and thumbing through my closet.  Thoughts of what should I wear, mixed with thoughts of what will l learn today and what will I share.  It's been a long quiet weekend and I'm excited to be out amongst the students and my colleagues.  Monday hopes of making a difference today…
                                         Monday….
                                         here I……..
                                         come………

Corny Winter Poem

I'm having so much fun writing with the Two Writing Teachers March challenge.  It's only day two and I'm feeling a release of tension and having a blast!  The weather seems to be on everyone's mind and it's been on mine also.  Here we go……

Breaking Winter

Crystals forming on my door

I don't want to see them anymore

Snow is falling on my walk

I'd rather not shovel, but have a nice talk

Birds are shivering in a tree

I'm sure glad that it's not me

Fog, wind and ice abound

I can't wait 'til it's not around

Please spring, will you hurry up?

Because then, I can just drink snow in a cup!

My Front Door this Morning!

Escaping Back to Summer 2012

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwelling

Looking outside my white wintery world in Wyoming this morning, I decided to take a mini-daydream and escape, back to the summer of 2012. -Swooooooosh-

"Hey Vanessa!  I have a year pass to the national parks that expires in August," my friend told me, "What do you think?"

"What do I think?  I think it sounds like an adventure and I'm in!"  I insisted that our first stop be at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.  It's a place that I'd been wanting to explore for over 5 years.  A place of history, mystique and architectural wonder.

It was finally summer and we were off! I'll skip the adventure of the trip down there.  That's another story!

We pulled into the campsite at about 11:00 p.m.  There were no lights, but it didn't matter because the stars and moon lit up the night sky more enticingly and brilliant than any 4th of July fireworks display.



Luckily, there was one last campsite left.  Well, more like half a campsite.  No matter, we told each other, we'll find a better one in the morning when people start leaving.  Keep in mind, the campsite is dead quiet.  No one was stirring… (okay, I won't go there).  We were trying to set up our tent, air up our air mattress and settle in as quietly as we could. Shhh  I'll apologize to our neighbors in the morning I thought, as I laid down my heard trying to sleep and wondering what Indian lore, legends and insights I would learn about tomorrow.

-Swoooooosh -Would love to be there right now, on a warm summer night, under the rays of  starlight and moonlight.  The whole summer of adventures ahead of me.  But for now, I'll do a mini-daydream and escape for a few memories.

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