Summer is almost here and I will have some welcome free time. I plan to take a few days and print out all of my blogs and then shut down my blog page. I love to write but when I “googled” when is it time to quit... it was evident I need to shut down.
I suppose if something gets in my crawl I can write a note on my facebook page. My blog served a good purpose, it was therapy for me as I faced some challenges at this time of my life. But a good blog entertains and evokes thinking and written response. I still need therapy, but it may be time to just pay a good psychologist.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Black & White
If I were writing a pilot for a new TV show it would be about two people who struggle with the way they do things differently. I would call the program If I say Black, you say White. It has always been apparent that Fred and I are different. We are the exact opposite. If we got to an unmarked fork in the road, he would go one way and I would go the other.
This would lend itself to endless episodes. One specific would be driving and navigating and trying to get to a specific destination. Even with a GPS, my right brain would click on the map and Fred would click on the linear written directions. If I say make right by the green house, he would ask for the direction north, south etc. We absolutely drive our own way.
A true-life episode around the holidays would be about simple decisions like Christmas shopping. I would want the shopping done before Thanksgiving, Fred would wait until Christmas Eve and then the stores would all be closed so there would be no gifts.
Women often get accused of taking too long to get ready in the morning because of primping. This is not who I am. I throw on a top and pants, pair of matching converse and run a comb through my hair. Fred, however, has every hair in place and not a wrinkle in sight. He looks like it is Sunday every day, even in his scrubs. He is very handsome.
We pack differently, fold or hang the clothes differently, arrange cans in cupboard our own way, file our papers with our own systems. God knows Fred can’t figure my system out.
I like the dark meat; Fred likes white meat. He likes spicy; I like mild, I like thin spaghetti; he likes fat. He likes mustard; I like mayo. It goes on and on and on.
There would be episodes about how to cook a pot roast, how to make a sandwich, how to cut the crusts off bread. There would be an episode on how to make coffee, chocolate shake, fry an egg, butter toast and pay the bills. There would be a “to be continued” cliffhanger about the toilet paper roll and the way to put it on the holder.
But the bottom line is even though I take risks and Fred likes to think things through, we are like Ying and Yang, Salt & Pepper, Jack Sprat and his wife, we fit. We laugh and we love and we respect that all of our differences are the reasons we fell in love with one another 40 years ago.
This would lend itself to endless episodes. One specific would be driving and navigating and trying to get to a specific destination. Even with a GPS, my right brain would click on the map and Fred would click on the linear written directions. If I say make right by the green house, he would ask for the direction north, south etc. We absolutely drive our own way.
A true-life episode around the holidays would be about simple decisions like Christmas shopping. I would want the shopping done before Thanksgiving, Fred would wait until Christmas Eve and then the stores would all be closed so there would be no gifts.
Women often get accused of taking too long to get ready in the morning because of primping. This is not who I am. I throw on a top and pants, pair of matching converse and run a comb through my hair. Fred, however, has every hair in place and not a wrinkle in sight. He looks like it is Sunday every day, even in his scrubs. He is very handsome.
We pack differently, fold or hang the clothes differently, arrange cans in cupboard our own way, file our papers with our own systems. God knows Fred can’t figure my system out.
I like the dark meat; Fred likes white meat. He likes spicy; I like mild, I like thin spaghetti; he likes fat. He likes mustard; I like mayo. It goes on and on and on.
There would be episodes about how to cook a pot roast, how to make a sandwich, how to cut the crusts off bread. There would be an episode on how to make coffee, chocolate shake, fry an egg, butter toast and pay the bills. There would be a “to be continued” cliffhanger about the toilet paper roll and the way to put it on the holder.
But the bottom line is even though I take risks and Fred likes to think things through, we are like Ying and Yang, Salt & Pepper, Jack Sprat and his wife, we fit. We laugh and we love and we respect that all of our differences are the reasons we fell in love with one another 40 years ago.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Enough Already
Today I am angry. For about the tenth time I got a nasty request from “Hearst Magazine” that I am delinquent and my information will be turned over to a collection agency. The invoice said I ordered the magazine and said bill me later. I never ordered the magazine. The first three notices I sent back saying I never ordered it. I have to laugh because the last bill said “we have reached the point where we will have to terminate your account”. Finally, they get it I thought. But alas, no another nasty invoice has arrived. It is only $10.00 but if I pay,it will happen again in six months. I resent when they take up my energy and time on a trivial fight and I wonder how many millions they make each year on people who pay the money to be done with them. My hope is they spend more the $10.97 on paperwork and mailing.
A few years back, I opened a Discover bill and there was about $100 worth of magazines ordered. I had a tough time figuring it out but finally did. I had accumulated miles on a Sky Mile account and selected free magazines with my points. Apparently because I use my card to purchase airline tickets they had my Discover number and the small print said “ 6 months free” and then automatically bill Discover. I will say “Discover” took off the charge.
But the worst was “Blue Mountain” e cards. Fred set up the account years back when it was free. It took me forever to get them to stop taking my money. Lessons I learned are to check your bills carefully and always read the very, very small print.
A few years back, I opened a Discover bill and there was about $100 worth of magazines ordered. I had a tough time figuring it out but finally did. I had accumulated miles on a Sky Mile account and selected free magazines with my points. Apparently because I use my card to purchase airline tickets they had my Discover number and the small print said “ 6 months free” and then automatically bill Discover. I will say “Discover” took off the charge.
But the worst was “Blue Mountain” e cards. Fred set up the account years back when it was free. It took me forever to get them to stop taking my money. Lessons I learned are to check your bills carefully and always read the very, very small print.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I Love Lucy
Today I spent a good deal of time watching “I Love Lucy” reruns. No matter how many times I have seen them they bring a wonderful happy feeling. It is like looking at an old photo album and remembering good times. Every generation thinks “Lucy” belongs to them. I was a teenager when I realized some of the shows I adored were filmed before I was conceived. In fact, the episode when she had “Little Ricky” was filmed the year I was born 1951.
We are kindred spirits. I related to her with uncanny spirit. After I was married and a stay at home mom trying to juggle parenthood and my relationship with Fred I channeled her even more. So much so that Fred’s endearing name for me was “Lucy”. Many of my antics are referred to as “Lucy episodes”.
I think it was her ability to think out of the box or take a risk. Our first homes were fixer uppers so it wasn’t unusual for me to try to paint, build things, plant things that sometimes got me into situations where I had to be rescued like the time I took apart our toilet and Fred came home to a hole in floor.
Once, I saw a sale on king size mattresses at a hotel. We had a family bed and four of us were scrunched in a queen. So even though I had no idea how I would get it home I bought it. I drove a Pacer at the time, yes that’s right an American Motors Pacer but that’s a whole other story. I tied the mattress on the top and then held the rope through the window driving home. The rope kept it balanced. When I arrived home the neighbors came out of their houses shaking their head. For days Fred would say “I can’t believe you drove it home.”
Every Halloween, I channeled Lucy when making Halloween costumes. My Annie does this too. Once I helped Fred dress red hot as a woman. He sat at the bar for an hour while I tended bar and men were trying to pick him up. Sooooooo funny. He also was Frankenstein to my mad scientist. He was always like the kid who was coming along on an adventure. Annie & Jaime remember how I embarrassed them when I dressed as “Buckbo” for Annie's Halloween birthday party. Another fond memory is when I blew up the grill. I didn't know you should not turn the gas on, close the lid and then light it up. I singed my eyebrows and all of the hair on my arms. My hair stuck out and I look like a real "Buckbo" (Buckwheat & Rambo ala Eddie Murphy)
I have had really bad hair mishaps, banking woes, furniture surprises, battles with skunks, squirrels, birds, bees and more. The worst was when I knocked down a wall; Fred took a week to recover from this one. I also have a tendency to bring home large bargain furniture finds that require his painting and refinishing expertise, often from the trash.
Fred and I live by the rule Love is a Decision. I just make sure that Fred has to make many decisions to love me to keep him on his toes.
We are kindred spirits. I related to her with uncanny spirit. After I was married and a stay at home mom trying to juggle parenthood and my relationship with Fred I channeled her even more. So much so that Fred’s endearing name for me was “Lucy”. Many of my antics are referred to as “Lucy episodes”.
I think it was her ability to think out of the box or take a risk. Our first homes were fixer uppers so it wasn’t unusual for me to try to paint, build things, plant things that sometimes got me into situations where I had to be rescued like the time I took apart our toilet and Fred came home to a hole in floor.
Once, I saw a sale on king size mattresses at a hotel. We had a family bed and four of us were scrunched in a queen. So even though I had no idea how I would get it home I bought it. I drove a Pacer at the time, yes that’s right an American Motors Pacer but that’s a whole other story. I tied the mattress on the top and then held the rope through the window driving home. The rope kept it balanced. When I arrived home the neighbors came out of their houses shaking their head. For days Fred would say “I can’t believe you drove it home.”
Every Halloween, I channeled Lucy when making Halloween costumes. My Annie does this too. Once I helped Fred dress red hot as a woman. He sat at the bar for an hour while I tended bar and men were trying to pick him up. Sooooooo funny. He also was Frankenstein to my mad scientist. He was always like the kid who was coming along on an adventure. Annie & Jaime remember how I embarrassed them when I dressed as “Buckbo” for Annie's Halloween birthday party. Another fond memory is when I blew up the grill. I didn't know you should not turn the gas on, close the lid and then light it up. I singed my eyebrows and all of the hair on my arms. My hair stuck out and I look like a real "Buckbo" (Buckwheat & Rambo ala Eddie Murphy)
I have had really bad hair mishaps, banking woes, furniture surprises, battles with skunks, squirrels, birds, bees and more. The worst was when I knocked down a wall; Fred took a week to recover from this one. I also have a tendency to bring home large bargain furniture finds that require his painting and refinishing expertise, often from the trash.
Fred and I live by the rule Love is a Decision. I just make sure that Fred has to make many decisions to love me to keep him on his toes.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Countdown Begins
Each year standardized tests are earlier and earlier. Sadly, as soon as the students take the test, they check out... literally. Teachers, club advisors, school guidance all have mandates with little time left to do everything so the school calendar is overloaded with a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing.
Consequently, we have money being collected for Field trips, Relay for Life, Cystic Fibrosis, Pennies for Who knows what? There are Field Trips; Take Your Kid to Work Day, Everglade Slogging, Museum Day, Talent Show rehearsals, Fifth grade articulation, Band Spring concerts, Micro Day, Spring Bling and the list goes on and on and on... I am exhausted thinking about everything.
My frustration lies in the fact that while reading, science, math may have a break after the FCAT, social studies does not. In sixth grade we are mandated to teach from Paleolithic Man to World War II in the same amount of time that we used to teach up to Renaissance. We have Black History, Women in History, Florida History, Hispanic History, Holocaust Awareness all infused within our curriculum. To make matters worse we have shorter class periods than the rest of the county; yet we have to cover the same amount of material.
How does this play out? Simply put, the kids suffer. The only way a teacher can keep the pace is to assign reading pages for homework or more written work. Parents complain we are too tough on our students; kids need a life.
Lyons Creek needs to look at the Micro Society component. It is not working the way it was conceptualized. Our postal system, banking, courts, and police ... nothing is working. It actually was the best the first year when the kids used computers to order from micro stores and goods were delivered. It is time to throw in the towel. If we don’t operate real world then we need to void out of the program. As much as I love my puppets, I am throwing in the towel for a six period day and five more minutes per class, thirty plus minutes per week.
Consequently, we have money being collected for Field trips, Relay for Life, Cystic Fibrosis, Pennies for Who knows what? There are Field Trips; Take Your Kid to Work Day, Everglade Slogging, Museum Day, Talent Show rehearsals, Fifth grade articulation, Band Spring concerts, Micro Day, Spring Bling and the list goes on and on and on... I am exhausted thinking about everything.
My frustration lies in the fact that while reading, science, math may have a break after the FCAT, social studies does not. In sixth grade we are mandated to teach from Paleolithic Man to World War II in the same amount of time that we used to teach up to Renaissance. We have Black History, Women in History, Florida History, Hispanic History, Holocaust Awareness all infused within our curriculum. To make matters worse we have shorter class periods than the rest of the county; yet we have to cover the same amount of material.
How does this play out? Simply put, the kids suffer. The only way a teacher can keep the pace is to assign reading pages for homework or more written work. Parents complain we are too tough on our students; kids need a life.
Lyons Creek needs to look at the Micro Society component. It is not working the way it was conceptualized. Our postal system, banking, courts, and police ... nothing is working. It actually was the best the first year when the kids used computers to order from micro stores and goods were delivered. It is time to throw in the towel. If we don’t operate real world then we need to void out of the program. As much as I love my puppets, I am throwing in the towel for a six period day and five more minutes per class, thirty plus minutes per week.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Looking Back
Every now and then something triggers memories and I obsess over them. This time it was probably a television show showing a “near death experience”.
My father had a heart attack in November 1975. He was in the hospital and he had another attack one day while I was visiting at the hospital. The scene was like something from a TV episode from a Grey’s Anatomy or ER. Nurses shuffled me out the door and I held my breath and banged the wall in the hall and sobbed uncontrollably.
Our family kept vigil the next three days when finally the doctors thought dad was out of the woods. His total time in the hospital was two weeks.
It was Sunday December 7th. Dad and I were alone visiting and he told me about the day in the hospital when he flat lined and they put the paddles on him. He said he was looking down and he saw all of the nurses and the doctor. He saw me crying in the hall. He described me pounding the wall and sobbing. He described a peaceful light and going towards it. He said it was wonderful and he did not want to leave the light. (Keep in mind this was 1975 before all the television and books on “near death experience”) He was almost crying and said. “Why did I come back, I need to know the reason, what could it be”.
We were interrupted when Annie came into see him. She had her little Black baby doll Lulu. Daddy said, “Feed your baby Annie”. Annie jumped up on the rocking chair, pulled up her shirt and nursed her doll. He always got such a kick out of that. It is a picture that is painted in my mind, Annie and her Gigi.
Then Daddy said, “I want you to go back to school. I cannot work any more; maybe I can be strong enough to watch the baby. You have to go back to school”.
I kissed Dad goodbye and made him promise to lie down after he ate his dinner.
He died that evening; he went in after dinner, laid his head back and had another attack.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind why daddy came back from the light. It was to deliver the message that changed my life. Each time I wanted to give up when I finally did return to school with two babies, two jobs and no money I thought of daddy and his last words to me.
I love teaching even with all of the bureaucracy and crap. I am a teacher, I make a difference. Thanks, daddy.
My father had a heart attack in November 1975. He was in the hospital and he had another attack one day while I was visiting at the hospital. The scene was like something from a TV episode from a Grey’s Anatomy or ER. Nurses shuffled me out the door and I held my breath and banged the wall in the hall and sobbed uncontrollably.
Our family kept vigil the next three days when finally the doctors thought dad was out of the woods. His total time in the hospital was two weeks.
It was Sunday December 7th. Dad and I were alone visiting and he told me about the day in the hospital when he flat lined and they put the paddles on him. He said he was looking down and he saw all of the nurses and the doctor. He saw me crying in the hall. He described me pounding the wall and sobbing. He described a peaceful light and going towards it. He said it was wonderful and he did not want to leave the light. (Keep in mind this was 1975 before all the television and books on “near death experience”) He was almost crying and said. “Why did I come back, I need to know the reason, what could it be”.
We were interrupted when Annie came into see him. She had her little Black baby doll Lulu. Daddy said, “Feed your baby Annie”. Annie jumped up on the rocking chair, pulled up her shirt and nursed her doll. He always got such a kick out of that. It is a picture that is painted in my mind, Annie and her Gigi.
Then Daddy said, “I want you to go back to school. I cannot work any more; maybe I can be strong enough to watch the baby. You have to go back to school”.
I kissed Dad goodbye and made him promise to lie down after he ate his dinner.
He died that evening; he went in after dinner, laid his head back and had another attack.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind why daddy came back from the light. It was to deliver the message that changed my life. Each time I wanted to give up when I finally did return to school with two babies, two jobs and no money I thought of daddy and his last words to me.
I love teaching even with all of the bureaucracy and crap. I am a teacher, I make a difference. Thanks, daddy.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Days Gone By
Days Gone By
I am thankful this year I got to see the grandbabies in February. That visit has to last me until June.
Once my girls married and left home and were living up north, Spring Break became a routine. I was in my car, driving north the Friday school let out. If I went to Ohio, then I did Mother’s Day in NJ or vice versa. There were Easter Egg hunts, birthday parties, dance recitals, dinners out, yard sales, shopping sprees and playgrounds. Fred would fly up after a week to drive back home with me.
Later, when we got our little dog, he would make the trip too. I guess we did this for about 8 years. A couple years ago, circumstances changed for us and the trips are not possible now.
Now Spring Break is home in Florida, filled with doctor appointments for Fred, Mom and myself. Dental check ups, eye appointments, procedures, blood work etc. all are crammed into a little over a week. I liked the old routine much better than this new one.
In June, I will be in that car driving north and headed for the Jersey shore. The thought of vacation sustains me at this time of the year. When I go to the doctors, I picture the kids on the beach or playing at dusk and I swear my blood pressure goes down ten points.
I had to have an anesthetic for my procedures this week and when they knocked me out it was the BEST part of my vacation. I could be a drug addict, no sweat. I love that knock out juice.
I am thankful this year I got to see the grandbabies in February. That visit has to last me until June.
Once my girls married and left home and were living up north, Spring Break became a routine. I was in my car, driving north the Friday school let out. If I went to Ohio, then I did Mother’s Day in NJ or vice versa. There were Easter Egg hunts, birthday parties, dance recitals, dinners out, yard sales, shopping sprees and playgrounds. Fred would fly up after a week to drive back home with me.
Later, when we got our little dog, he would make the trip too. I guess we did this for about 8 years. A couple years ago, circumstances changed for us and the trips are not possible now.
Now Spring Break is home in Florida, filled with doctor appointments for Fred, Mom and myself. Dental check ups, eye appointments, procedures, blood work etc. all are crammed into a little over a week. I liked the old routine much better than this new one.
In June, I will be in that car driving north and headed for the Jersey shore. The thought of vacation sustains me at this time of the year. When I go to the doctors, I picture the kids on the beach or playing at dusk and I swear my blood pressure goes down ten points.
I had to have an anesthetic for my procedures this week and when they knocked me out it was the BEST part of my vacation. I could be a drug addict, no sweat. I love that knock out juice.
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