handwritten on May 29, 2019
Due to childcare, lots of schools have done away with what is known as the “half day blues.” Our school however still implements these half day schedules into our calendars. As a creature of habit, I constantly looked upon these half days as half empty cups of despair. Students complete half the work containing half the magic with half the smiles and half the laughter and somehow double the stress. But today, for whatever reason, that glass half empty was half-full. I think sometimes we need to realize that magic isn’t always created with a full cup. A half cup gives you a sprinkling of lives and allows you to focus in on more intimate problems and their solutions. I had a conversation...
handwritten on May 28, 2019
Today was our Tedx rehearsal and it would be an understatement to say that I felt a tsunami wave of anxiety roll over me. Nothing is more unwhimsical than bringing 13 students to the middle school and realizing they aren’t ready. You aren’t ready. No one is ready. Which brings me to my perception and reflection regarding readiness. If readiness indicates whimsy or lack thereof. Then, in my life, I’m always without whimsy. As someone who is type A, I constantly equate readiness with perfection. Except, I never feel ready. Half-way through our rehearsal, I was reminded of a quote I head read just a few hours earlier-one chosen as the “favorite quote of the year” by one of my students. “A...
handwritten on May 28, 2019
Today was one of those days. It was one of those days where you put your clothes on backwards accidentally and then you put the socks on the wrong feet, you spill your coffee, you accidentally print your papers single sided instead of double sided and everything feels just a little bit off.
I'm a creature of habit, so anytime I see a day going off the track a bit, I do get a bit disheartened. Not to say I completely shut down, but it's like when you know you are wearing your shirt backwards and you're trying to make it through your day but that little tag keeps scratching your neck as a reminder that even though you are trying to make things right..things are still a bit topsy turvy.
We...
handwritten on May 27, 2019
Memorial Day weekend this year was a basket of sunshine soul whimsy. Everywhere we walked, there were people riding their bikes and whistling, eating good food and drinking their cups of sunshine. Sunshine dripped from the sidewalks and the rooftops with red white and blue pride. Shorts that were stars and stripes spreading patterns across every apartment building in the city of Pittsburgh.
There was a vibe today of true red and white and blue pride. And I would like to think today was a reminder of the pride we have for each other. The pride we should take in being excellent people. The pride we should have when carrying out our vocations and our love and our hearts full of inspiration...
handwritten on May 26, 2019
A great person always thinks of others. A brilliant person goes out of their way to think of others wherever they are in the world. Whether you are a teacher, a mentor, a friend, a family member, it is so important to remember to think of others and support them in their passions wherever we are. We were in Buffalo visiting our family members and my mother happened to have a student currently in her class in Buffalo at the same time. Her older sister (whom my mom also had) was in a softball tournament. And so as a passionate person does, my mom made it her mission the minute we stepped foot in the house to attend that game.
The game was cancelled on Saturday and so she texted to find out...
