One Word at a Time

A Twitter post by someone in my PLN last week sent me searching the internet for a "meditation experience" led by Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra.  I have been in search of ways to include meditation in my daily routine, so I took a peek. The name "Hope in Uncertain Times" encouraged me to look a little deeper. I signed up for the website, quickly realizing that I had already missed the "beginning" of the 21 day experience.  I thought to myself, " Hope  has been your word for years. You wear a ring everyday emblazoned with the word hope .  These are definitely uncertain times. How many quotes related to hope  have you retweeted, shared to your timeline, captured in photographs? How many times have you used the word "hoping"? You know all about hope  - but this will be a cool way to integrate meditation while getting to hear what Oprah and Deepak are saying about hope." I was so wrong - which made it so right. Each day of the exper...

Grampie on his motorcycle, which he still wishes he could ride today. Over the last month, my grandfather dropped many hints that he didn't want us to do anything special for his 90th birthday. He wanted this to be a "low note" birthday. We didn't listen. Grampie and his favorite car. On Saturday afternoon, we gathered together eighty or so family members, friends, and former customers (he owned an oil company in town for years, which my uncle now owns) together to wish him well. My grandparents with my mom and uncle - I can't tell you how much I love this peek into my grandparents as young parents. In addition to the food, drink, and dessert, we had sprinkled the room with some special items.  On the tables were photos from fun moments in his life, chalkboards painted with "1927" prices, news events, births, and technology, and tags naming his favorite things in the world, like trout fishing, Listerine, and York peppermint patties....

Tomorrow, we will celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday. As I've been making these chalk signs tonight, I've been reflecting a lot on all my grandfather has seen in his 90 years. 90 years ago, Charles Lindbergh made the first trans-Atlantic flight from NY to Paris.  Tonight, my brother will fly a red-eye from Seattle. 90 years ago, the first electric television was invented. Today, we are watching live sporting events on multiple televisions in the same house. 90 years ago, a new car cost around $300. This year, I spent over $1000 just to fix my very old low-end car. 90 years ago, he was the first to be born in his family, with six brothers and sisters following him. Today, he is one of only three with us - and they are the two youngest. 90 years ago, the man who would marry, have three children, who would produce seven grandchildren, who would marry and produce three great-grandchildren so far. I can't wait to see him tomorrow.

Are you a night-before or a weeks-ahead person? I'm a little bit of both. I'm a weeks-ahead person in terms of ideas and materials. I'll spend weeks thinking about ideas, sketching, working them out in my head.  I'll pick out materials, grab the necessary parts, usually more materials and parts than I ever need. But I am a night-before putter-together. Case in point - my grandfather has been turning 90 for, oh, about 90 years now.  We started planning his party months ago.  Since then, I've had ideas in my head. Those ideas have been solidified on my whiteboard, the signal that they're the ones I'm going with, for at least a month and a half.  I had all the materials necessary weeks ago. The party's Saturday. Guess what I'm doing tonight. Someday I'll learn!

Some days, the last thing I want to do is chores. I don't want to fold laundry. I don't want to do dishes. I don't want to vacuum. I don't want to put things away. Some days I walk in the house and don't do any of those things.  I just relax, or cook dinner, or watch TV, or read a book. Other days, I am in the mood to Get. Stuff. Done. I want brainless, mind-numbing tasks that will keep me moving. Today was one of those days. Laundry is done, folded, and put away. BOOM. Dishes are all washed and put away. BOOM. Dinner is cooked and ready on time - and is healthy. BOOM. Lunch is packed for tomorrow. Outfit is picked out for tomorrow. I may not feel like doing any of these things tomorrow. But today I got stuff done - and it felt good.  I'll take that for today.  Tomorrow's another day!

The rain today made me think about . . . digging my hands in the dirt and planting flowers curling up with a good book being lazy in bed and napping jumping in puddles pretty umbrellas my car finally being clean the sound of rain on the roof puttering around the library flower shoots peeking through the brown grass green covered hills playing soccer in the mud hiking through the woods streams running down the mountain

March Madness is in my blood. My husband just said to me, "Well, you know they're going to win, so why do you have to watch?". It isn't in his. I was 6 when Tate George hit the game winning shot for the men against Clemson in the NCAA tournament.  I was 11 when the UConn women went 35-0 to win their first National Championship. I was 15 when the UConn men beat Duke to win their first National Championship. I was 18 when the UConn women, with their best lineup ever, went 39-0 and won the National Championship. I was 20 when both the UConn men AND UConn women won the National Championship in the same year, the women winning their 3rd Championship in a row. I was 22 when I almost missed a flight because I was watching the UConn men play George Mason into overtime. I was 27 when the UConn women set the record for 90 straight wins. I was 30 when both the UConn men AND UConn women won the National Championship in the same year - again. I was 32 when the UConn w...

Part one and two here (important to read first!) ~*~ As the young man closed the door, he had a quick moment of guilt. He should have told her the truth about what he was doing. It wasn’t like him to keep things from her - they talked about absolutely everything - but this could be big. This could be a game changer. And until it was real, until it was tangible, until it was actually a possibility, he would keep it to himself. He turned the computer on, entered the meeting information, and waited to be greeted. The conversation went smoothly. He talked with a few different people. He asked a lot of questions based on the research he had done. He was impressed by the philosophy behind their answers, and inside, felt a glimmer of hope. He asked his last question, and it felt like his feet fell out from under him. ~*~ She was cooking dinner, a new recipe she felt like trying. She set the table with their new plates and poured herself a glass of wine.  Today had been a go...

'Never doubt that  a small group   of thoughtful, committed, citizens  can change the world.  Indeed,  it is the only thing  that ever has.' For the last few months, I've been working with an amazing group of women who have had one goal in mind - raise money and awareness for our St. Baldrick's event, money and awareness that will go towards providing research grants to fight childhood cancer. We live in a small town. We have one elementary school, one intermediate school, one middle school, one high school. It's a suburban rural town, where a quick drive will put you in the middle of beautiful farmland. I didn't grow up in this town, but I am strongly connected it. This town gave me my first job, my husband, and now, my home. Two years ago, my friend Judy and her committee put together a St. Baldrick's event to raise money and awareness and to honor a child in her classroom who was battling cancer.  I watched as she put togeth...

Tonight is going to be many things. Tonight is going to be sad. Tonight is going to be beautiful. Tonight is going to be emotional. Tonight is going to be difficult. Tonight is going to be inspiring. Tonight is going to be supportive. Tonight is going to be special. Tonight, our community is holding a St. Baldrick's event.  A young girl who lives in town was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, and the St. Baldrick's event initially started to support her and her progress through treatment. Over the last few years, we've raised money, shaved heads, and inspired people.  We've taken on new "honored children" who are all battling cancer. On Christmas Day, that little girl lost her battle with cancer.  This year's event will be held in her memory. Tonight is going to be many things. ~*~*~*~*~*~ If you are able and would like to donate, please click the link: https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/878...

Twenty-three truths for the 23rd day of slicing . . . 1) I have visited Disney World more than twenty times - and would return tomorrow (and the next day, and the day after), no questions asked. 2) If there was a job reading things out loud for a living, I would love it. 3) I still practice my signature, just like I did when I was growing up. 4) I dislike everything about peanut butter - smell, taste, texture. If I accidentally eat it, it comes right back out. 5) I still sleep with a teddy bear (or rather, with a Winnie the Pooh bear who lost his shirt), to the dismay of pretty much everyone else. 6) My grandfather, who turns 90 on April 5, is one of my favorite people on the planet. 7) I went skydiving for my 30th birthday, crossing one thing off my bucket list - and would absolutely do it again. 8) I got my first tattoo when I was 18 - and am anxiously awaiting my next one. 9) I find Bullet Journals so soothing and beautiful and organized and amazing - and would nev...

Friends . . .  . . . make you laugh across the room at meetings. . . . listen while you talk about your crazy upcoming weekends, no matter how many times you talk about them. . . . sometimes are wearing the same clothes as you, because you bought them together. . . . come over on a weeknight and help you decorate over a hundred cookies. . . . shoot you a text to tell you things that they know will make you smile. . . . like the same kind of pizza that you do. . . . remember conversations and bring them up in new conversations. . . . make you try new drinks. . . . are totally okay when all you want to order is appetizers. . . . sometimes let silence say everything.

All that's left today is a slight bruise, a little redness - and a whole lot of embarrassment. Yesterday afternoon, I stopped at my mom's office to do a quick drop-off and pick-up - she works in the town I live in, so it's pretty convenient to stop by after work. As I entered, I glanced at the receptionist's desk, which was empty. That was pretty rare, but I didn't think anything of it. I walked through the door and saw Tina and Kim sitting at desks, and waved my hand to greet them. I was focused on them, and, thinking the window to the reception area was open, began calling out to them as I walked up to the open window. Too bad the window wasn't open after all. My forehead met the window with great force and I stopped talking immediately. I stepped back. I think I immediately stuttered something out as they exclaimed and, honestly, laughed. I gathered myself together and pulled the window open.  As I watched it slide by, I noticed the oval shaped oi...

Today, our school started a "Look for the Good Campaign".  Our assembly this afternoon taught students what it means to be grateful, what they could be grateful for, and a little about how to show that gratitude.  The whole school was decked out in colorful "You Matter" t-shirts - staff included. Here is what students will do over the course of the next two weeks: Step on Gratitude Spots! Gratitude Spots are spread around the school and outside at recess - students step on them and think - or say out loud! - something they are grateful for. Add to the Gratitude Wall! Students write what they are grateful for on a sticky note, and the sticky notes will go on a large Gratitude Wall, located in our school lobby. Let people know "You Matter"! Students look for people who are kind or show kindness to them and pass them a "You Matter" card. When they receive a "You Matter" card, they get to sign the Kindness Wall. Tell people ...

My fingers nervously folded and unfolded the flyer.  The words at the top - "Welcome to Admitted Student Visit Day" - were quickly becoming worn by the anxious folding.  My mom, seated to my right, skimmed the brochure. "It seems to funny to be here. I can remember you talking about being a teacher, ever since you were little and started teaching your brother. And now we're here!  Time flies," she said. "Moo-ooom," I groaned, "don't say stuff like that."  The teenager inside of me was fighting against the young adult I was about to become.  I was in a room, listening to what college might be like for me if I went here, but back home, I was still in high school, still in teenager mode.  It was a combative combination of feelings. After attending the initial meeting to welcome us to campus earlier that morning, they broke us into our "colleges" - and there, we sat waiting for the presentation about the College of Education a...

My heart was full four times over today. I spent the morning with my monthly treat - a manicure. I savored the hour dedicated to something that makes me feel good, feel professional, feel pretty. The woman who does my nails is not a talker, which I love, so it is a quiet, reflective hour. I listened and enjoyed the conversations between the other women in the salon. Then, I went to my mom's house. My grandfather's 90th birthday is coming up, and we spent an hour decorating "90" shaped cookies for his party. We spent the hour chatting, discussing decorations which I'm in charge of, and watching the UConn women's NCAA game.  As I decorated, I thought about my grandfather turning 90 and what this party is going to mean to him. After that, I traveled to the house of a fellow committee member, to prepare for this upcoming weekend's St. Baldrick's event. We put together raffle baskets, swag bags for our shavees, and thank you bags for our barbers....

The first St. Patrick's Day after I got married, I posted something on Facebook about being Irish by marriage (I married a Sean Patrick), so I could celebrate the holiday in style. My dad commented that there was a little Irish in our ancestry, so I could celebrate without guilt. Fast forward a few years, after my father discovered he had a blood disorder. In the process of determining what disorder he had and what had caused it, a doctor ordered a genealogy test of his blood. Turns out that, yes, I did have Irish in my blood. My great-grandmother was a Gypsy, and with that, there was a little bit of everything in our blood. Even Mongolian. That was a revelation. I wasn't surprised by the European, but the Asian surprised me. It gives me a whole other interesting aspect of my ancestry to explore!

I've been going to the same hairdresser for over ten years. I'm greeted by name when I walk in the door - by the receptionist, the mother of someone I went to K-12 school with. As I head to the bathroom, I'm greeted by a hairdresser that I've known since I was a child, who has seen me grow through all my hairstyles and colors. I leave the bathroom and am greeted by my hairdresser with a hug and a "how are you?" She gets me settled and says, "What are we doing today?" I tell her I loved what we did last time, but maybe a little darker. Somehow,  she remembers exactly what colors those were. I relax comfortably in the chair, recognizing a woman sitting next to me - who I also went to school with. While she adds the color, we chat about my husband, the weather, my job. She comments on how long my hair is getting (we've been working on that for a few years now!) and we decide to leave the length alone to encourage it to keep growing rather than...

Currently: I am feeling cooped up after the snowstorm yesterday and a 2nd consecutive snow day - really hoping to get out and at least go for a drive today! I am wondering  how our schedule will be rearranged  I am watching (or rather rewatching) all seasons of Glee on Netflix and loving every minute, in addition to watching The Royals on Amazon Prime and catching up to be ready for the new season. I am reading  a million SOL17 blog posts today to catch up. I am hoping  for these two days to have refreshed and recharged my teachers after a few weeks of conferences, report cards, and PD. I am planning a surprise 90th birthday party and helping to plan a St. Baldrick's event, both happening in the next couple of weeks! I am seeing  my cats so happy that both my husband and I are home to keep them company during the day. I am needing  an exercise routine to hold me over until summertime. I am giving  up on my healthy eating too easily - work...

Here's what I love about "This is Us" . . . You can connect with the character of Kate, Kevin, Randall, Rebecca, Jack, Miguel, Toby, William, Beth, or Sophie . . . You can connect with the story lines of guilt, weight, fear, love, abandonment, choices, pride, honesty . . . You can connect with the emotions of anger, fear, regret, sadness, happiness, joy, love . . . There is truly something for everyone. I am feeling a little raw after tonight's episode, in a different way than I have in past episodes.

A few weeks ago I was approached by a friend who had started playing in a men's soccer league last year, and this season was coming up fast. He asked me, knowing that I had played soccer my whole life, if I would be willing to work with him a few times and give him a few pointers on some things he was still learning as he approached this upcoming season. Here are some reflections and generalizations from our time together, that I think can be applied to coaching in any situation, whether in relation to a coach working with teachers or a teacher taking a coaching role with their students. Ask first what they want to work on and find out what they can already do/what they already know By having him set the goals he wanted to work on, and finding out what he already knew and what he could already do, I could go into my toolbox to make the decisions that were right for what he needed at that moment, not try to start from the beginning and waste either of our time. They aren...

So I've been rewatching Glee. This should be mandatory watching for every parent and child. I'm in the middle of the 2nd season and have, multiple times, been brought to tears by the storyline and handling of so many important issues that are at the forefront of life. More often than not, I'm wishing that this show was on when I was a teenager. I feel so strongly that it would have brought up some important conversations or ideas - important things to reflect on as your ideals about the world are forming. Bullying. LGBTQ+. (Kurt's relationship with his dad should be mandatory watching for everyone.) Being yourself when others want you to conform. Working on a team. Family. Friends. Role models. Body image. Mental illness. And who doesn't love everything set to song?!? Have you watched Glee? Has it brought up any emotions/thoughts for you? I suggest revisiting it!

Today, my two little minions found some balance. One is crazy, energetic, and completely unpredictable. One is quiet, slow-moving, and utterly typical. Most times they act as polar opposites - while she runs laps around the house, jumping on top of furniture and puffing up her tail, he sits quietly on a blanket, watching her intently, then falling back asleep. But sometimes, on an odd day, he gets a little friskier or she gets a little quieter, and they find a quiet balance. Today was one of those days.

Yesterday, I woke up leisurely to my alarm, lollygagging in bed, hitting the snooze button a few times. Today, I woke up before my alarm and continually checked my phone for half an hour, before falling back asleep. Yesterday, I looked out the window and saw buds on trees and green grass. Today, I looked out the window and saw snow, snow, and more snow. Yesterday, I ate my breakfast standing up while I did my makeup and braided my hair. Today, I ate my breakfast in my rocking chair, reading a book, while my cats napped on my lap. Yesterday, by noon I had been in two different meetings and done one pile of paperwork. Today, by noon I had eaten breakfast, read half a novel, and was still in my pajamas. Yesterday, my afternoon consisted of planning, errands, more planning, and writing. Today, my afternoon consists of The Office reruns and writing. "Record warmth today, plowable snow tomorrow"  -Welcome to New England!

Children have a Tooth Fairy. Students have a Desk Fairy. I have a magical Beer Fairy. The Tooth Fairy leaves money under a pillow. The Desk Fairy leaves stickers and notes inside a desk. The Beer Fairy leaves delicious beer on my front step. Whoopee!  The Beer Fairy has been here! My friend and her husband are beer connoisseurs. He knows more than I ever will about beer, especially about craft beers.  They've traveled extensively and taste and sample everywhere they go.  They built a pub in their basement, where friends and family come to relax, catch a game, and always drink some delicious beer. As we became friends, she and I began planning trips to breweries, pubs, and restaurants that carried specialty craft beers.  Our friendship grew over those many pints and all that live music.  She began to learn what tastes my husband enjoys (stouts, coffee-flavored anything, nothing hoppy) and what tastes I love (IPA, Double IPA, the hoppier t...

I am blessed. In 1995, when I was in middle school, the University of Connecticut Huskies, a relatively unknown team, won their first National Championship. In 1999, the United States Women's National Team won the World Cup in an amazing shoot-out. In the 2000's, Serena Williams were lighting up the tennis courts. In 2003, Annika Sorenstam became the first woman (since Babe  Didrikson Zaharias in 1945) to play in a PGA Tour Event. In 2005, Danica Patrick entered the NASCAR scene and became the first woman to lead a lap at the Indy 500. In 2012, Gabby Douglas and Missy Franklin were headliners at the Summer Olympics in London. In 2014, Mo'ne Davis became the first girl to win a game in Little League World Series history. Over and over again, I've seen women win and I've seen them lose. I've seen them break barriers and fight barriers. I've seen them overcome odds when they seemed insurmountable.  I've seen them be the first, the second, th...

The alarm went off at 5:45 and I hit snooze . . . again . . . and again . . . and again.  Every time I opened my eyes, I could hear the rain against the window.  As it trickled down the pane, I could feel my eyes slowly closing.  The cats, one tucked under an arm, the other between my legs, gently purred, lulling me back to sleep. Finally, at 6:30, I woke up enough to realize what time it was.  I slowly sat up, stretching, and, seeing that the day was going to be gray and dreary, quickly showered and threw up my hair in a bun. After a dry drive into work, the rain started falling again as I was heading out to morning duty. Usually punctuated by smiling faces and energetic "hello!"s, everyone seemed to be moving slower and quieter today. All day, things seemed to move slowly - no one seemed to have the energy to exclaim  or exalt  - every seemed to  murmur or  whisper . Now I'm home, snuggled up on the couch - again with one cat under an ar...

I had a chance today to speak with a coach about my own coaching. I've been having less success with one of my grade level teams. I don't have the same level of relationship with them that I do with the other team I coach. I struggle to get into their classrooms - and when I do come in, I still get the, "Can I help you with something?" question. My coach and I were able to brainstorm what we believed may be the sources of the problems, we thought about what I could do to address the problems, and creatively thought about some "out of the box" things to try. After about thirty minutes, I hung up, feeling good about the plan we had made.  It was nice to be the coachee instead of the coach!

Click here to read Part 1. ~*~ Life continued on for the young man and the young woman. ~*~ Autumn came, dimming the celebratory feelings of the wedding season. Life was back to routine for the young man. But a routine that had once invigorated him comfort was now causing boredom. Every day, he got up and got dressed and went to work. He had ideas, of course, had dreamed of ways to make this work. He tried changing the way things were done, making the job more interactive - nothing was working. He was afraid.  Afraid of being unhappy in his job, of living out the rest of his life dreading every weekday, of it making him miserable in and out of work. He tried to deflect his unhappiness. Their weeknights and their weekends were filled with friends, and fun, and food, and family, and frivolity - but every morning, after his wife kissed him on the forehead and left for work, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Something had to be done. ~*~ Autumn came, and with ...

There was a young woman who was finishing out the best year of her life. She had gotten married that summer to the young man of her dreams - a man who loved her, celebrated her, made her laugh, understood and enjoyed her quirks and balanced her out.  Their wedding had been a fairy tale - even a frog made an appearance near the fountain late in the night, seemingly waiting for its kiss. Her friends and family were supportive, caring, and fun. The hoopla surrounding the wedding proved to her time and time again how creative and lovable this bunch of people was!  Both sides of the family came together like puzzle pieces, and friends became family, and family became friends. She was loving her job right now. A perfect mix of organization, problem solving, high standards, and the medical field, it played to all her strengths. The path here had been anything but conventional, yet it was working out better than she could believe. What could be better? ~*~ But w...

"Look at the Fox! He looks like a policeman!" "That hippo is huge! Look at his butt!" Reading Chicken Little (the Stephen Kellogg version) to Kindergarten today was quite an experience. After working so long with fourth graders, who while engrossed in the Read Aloud are fairly quiet, it was a notable difference. By the time students got to me in fourth grade, they knew how to sit and listen to a Read Aloud. But it took a long while and some undoing of old habits to get them to engage in a Read Aloud again. To be swept away in a story, to exclaim in shock or awe, to moan and groan and beg to skip recess to just read one more chapter. I wish for every child to be as engrossed in stories as my Kindergarteners were today. It was a whole lot of fun!

My head is still spinning. 8:30-9:30 ~ The spinning began slowly, as one of my grade levels started the day by chatting about the work ahead of us for the rest of the year. I ended that meeting by considering the options ahead of us and shifting my thinking a little bit. 9:30-10:05 ~ The pace picked up, as I spent some time reflecting with a colleague about some of the work I've been doing and the work ahead of me. I walked away from that meeting with two strong action steps for myself, as well as a few new resources/strategies to add to my toolkit. 10:13-10:40 ~ After a quick bathroom break and dropping my materials on my desk, I headed to a classroom, where I observed the Connection/Teach, and modeled the Active Engagement and Link. The teacher and I debriefed, reflected, and set some future goals while students worked. I walked away while starting to plan in my head for Monday's work. 10:40-10:50 ~ Returning to my office, where thankfully my officemate had a ...

Most teachers I know don't love planning. It's their least favorite part of teaching, the part that takes a lot of time and a lot of energy - and then you have to go teach . Not me. Planning is my absolute favorite part of teaching, and probably the part I miss the most (now that I'm a coach) - along with seeing my plans in action and, of course, reading out loud with my students. There's nothing like a carefully laid plan. How can I get/keep their attention and engagement? How can I put the responsibility for their learning on them? How can I get them to reflect on their process/progress/engagement/interactions? Thinking about all of those things, then implementing them, then observing/reflecting/analyzing how impactful it all was, and doing it all again the next day? That was my lifeblood as a teacher. I had the opportunity this afternoon to share some of that energy and excitement with a teacher I'm working with. It got me excited to go into work tomorr...