I Dare You To Top This Life...

A New Normal - My Guest Post for the SAMFund Blog

2010-10-04T21:57:00.001-04:00

A New Normal: Adjusting to Life as a Cancer Survivor

For cancer survivors, life can be broken down into a two distinct time periods: Before Cancer (BC) and After Diagnosis (AD).

In your Before Cancer life, you go about with your normal daily routine, dealing with hassles, problems, conflicts, and other annoyances without thinking that you might be wasting time “sweating the small stuff” – because life looks to go on indefinitely, the little things are treated as BIG things, while the BIG things are often glossed over or paid little attention. The pumpkin your toddler paints right before dinner makes a huge mess but is utterly adorable; in Before Cancer life, you probably ignore the cuteness and obsess over the sloppy table you now have to clean up before you can feed your family.

After Diagnosis, however, a New Normal takes over. Suffering the pains and humiliation of surgery and treatment, you find that life is too finite, too precious to be wasted on complaining, criticizing, and crying… suddenly, that right-before-dinner arts-n-crafts project you child splashes on the table is just what you need to see, creation, beauty, innocence, potential. You love your job just a little more than you did Before Cancer (or you quit it if you don’t). Each kindness you receive through the physically and mentally grueling first months of your Life After Diagnosis seems greater than the one before. You survive, despite the dark times, through sheer grit and will, and the spirit to forge on, to fight for your life and all that is righteous, becomes ingrained in your psyche. This disposition becomes the New Normal for a cancer survivor.

Jealousy will rear its vicious head; people who witness your valiant struggle will envy your life’s successes. You can’t understand how anyone could be jealous of a cancer survivor. It’s likely that your surviving cancer wasn’t your only success; the spirit of the fight, the spirit of renewed drive has likely taken over other parts of your life, and those accomplishments are likely to be fodder for the insecurities of others. Embrace your haters, for they do not yet know the value of their own lives.

So, to my fellow survivors, I am humbled that you have joined me in this journey into the New Normal, the life you wouldn’t have led without cancer, the life you now embrace as a vital part of your human spirit.

Lucky to be a tenured teacher (with National Board Certification)

2010-05-20T09:17:00.004-04:00

According to the NY Times, teacher hiring appears to be in dismal shape right now across the country. Here in Philadelphia, we are in the midst of a hiring freeze, most likely due to an overhiring of teachers last year and the emergence of "Renaissance Schools" - whereby most of a school's staff needs to be let go. Being protected by a union, these staff are placed at other schools throughout the district; hence, no we don't need any more teachers (but the schools who have let go of their staff do, right?).

It's all statistical shenanigans, if you ask me. At my school, we are about to go from 100 teachers to roughly 60. I can't even imagine how this thing will looks next year.

In these times of uncertainty, it's good to be a tenured teacher with skills and credentials that others don't have. It's easy as a teacher to hide out in your classroom and do your own thing, but if no one ever sees your face, if you don't make your presence known in your school, you're dead weight.

PS. The NY Times article quotes that "most of the 90 graduates" from UPenn's Ed School have not gotten jobs yet. My student teacher, Deep, however, is NOT one of them. She'll be rocking AP English down in DC!

Five Years Ago...

2010-05-20T08:17:00.004-04:00

... it was cancer. I was wrapping up my first year of teaching (and wishing I had remained a secretary instead of undertake a Sysiphean task like educating teenagers) and was trying to integrate a new identity as a survivor while the cancer was still in my body. My surgery was scheduled for June 2005 - double mastectomy and reconstruction. I was so overwhelmed with the entire process of becoming a patient, but I fought on, doing my best to raise my infant child while my husband was away at his 5th rehab.

That was the year I turned 30, the reason I started this blog, to reconcile being a young adult with a deadly disease - and to avoid talking to people on the phone about my personal devastation.

For me, five years is now a lifetime away. How much has changed, the downward spiral that was my life now on an upward trajectory I could have never predicted.

Having cancer, not one but TWICE (local recurrence in Fall 2007), has humbled me, signaling to me that life IS wildly unpredictable and too short, showing me that pursuing altruistic goals is a way to also help myself. To be a conduit of kindness, to be present in the service of others... how rewarding it has been to make myself, my skills and knowledge available to others so that their lives can be better, even in the smallest of ways...

I truly believe that none of this would have been possible without cancer in my life, not that I wanted cancer, but apparently, the Universe needed me to find myself through the cancer experience.

Where is this coming from, this cancer nostalgia? A friend from elementary school was recently diagnosed, and I am writing this for her.

Plus I am breathing life back into this poor, neglected blog. Yes, I do love my Facebook, but it only scratches the surface, you know?

(Image courtesy of Postcard From Provence - check it out here!)

Here is the result of a perfect Indian Summer Day -

2009-11-15T18:56:00.001-05:00

The Seventh Day

Should I be upstairs with you?
I should be upstairs with you.

Sunday night
And the weekend’s last delicious moments
Leave a satisfying taste,
Like sunshine bubble gum –
If such a thing existed.

I don’t want to spend
The last minutes of Sunday
Watching a western.

I want the quiet,
The time between dinner dishes
Loaded into the dishwasher
And when my mother deposits
My daughter on the front stoop
Red-cheeked from her
Visit with her grandparents.

Should you be downstairs with me?
You should be downstairs with me.

Because "Gatsby" is not a great book - Really, it's not...

2009-11-15T00:54:00.000-05:00

How Much More

When Zelda died
She was in the hospital –
Of course, where else was one to die
In 1948?

She didn’t die of disease
Or illness
Or pregnancy
Or injury.

She died from fire.
How ironic she must have found it,
Dead as the result of incineration
Rather than her original ailment?

And her husband?
Long gone
And destined for literary fame
Bound to torment teenagers
In perpetuity.

At some point
Someone must say no.

At some point
We must stop indulging
The ramblings
Of alcoholics.

At some point
We must choose better books
For our children.

Arts & Crafts Shopping Inspiration

2009-11-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

My Meditation

One blue bead
Two white beads
One blue bead
Two white beads
One blue bead

And on it goes
Until it is the right length

I intuitively know
When I have reached the right length

The mind can be quieted
Through the act
Of purposeful repetition

I create a piece of jewelry
A piece of generosity
A piece of gratitude
A piece of peacefulness

It is both for me and for you

Thank you, Friends' Central Lower School, for today's musings:

2009-11-12T19:12:00.002-05:00

Time For Play

Once upon a time,

there was a princess.

One day she woke up by a prince kissing her

after a dragon made her fall asleep.

Then she made dinner for her princesses.

Then she woke up her Queen and King

with a tickle feather.

Our first book –

Mommy and Tabby

digesting our alfredo rontini dinner at the table

when inspiration interupts.

I put my hair in pigtails.

I take pictures.

Envy ensues –

Mommy! Those are mine!

Exactly what those means,

I can only speculate.

All this joy

the result of searching

for the right elementary school

(and I’m not afraid to admit private)

for my only child

whose orphanhood is one parent away,

who will get everything I can give her,

who will one day

be cognizant of her losses.

Till then, let’s play pretend.

And Another - The Result of Meditating in the Shower

2009-11-11T12:48:00.001-05:00

As If A Life Depends On It

If you can recognize yourself in these lines,
then this was written for you.

It doesn’t matter, you say.
It doesn’t count, you say.
They can’t do it anyway, you say.

We tell a child that
can’t and don’t are forbidden words,
that life requires a CAN DO attitude.

So are you still a child yourself,
surrounded by your peers,
indulging in a power-trip while standing
in front of a class pretending to be a teacher?

You must teach as if a life depends on it.
This is not negotiable.

The difference between answering
5 or 6
is the difference between
a bullet in the head
or a fist bump.

Choosing the right word
means winning a scholarship
or staying in the hood
in perpetuity.

Picking the right answer to that final question
on a national exam
determines whether or not
a student gets to pick a major in the fall.

You must teach as if a life depends on it.
You wouldn’t let someone
kill your child, would you?

This is not a rhetorical question.
This is not negotiable.

I've decided to write a poem every day. Day 2:

2009-11-11T09:16:00.000-05:00

The Foundations of Generosity

She needed my assistance
to open the picture frame,
A mere plastic rectangle from the dollar store,
An after-thought bought while finishing
my Christmas shopping –
What grandma doesn’t want
A framed photo of a child?

She needed to open the picture frame.
She is five.
Her friends are five.
She wants to frame pictures for them.
We’ve moved beyond
construction paper and Scotch tape, I see.
These creations are meant to be significant.

The gifts for her tiny peers
Were not my idea.
She has formed her own concept
Of giving,
Of generosity,
Of kindness.

I know I am a blessed and fortunate mommy.
I know those dollar store frames
Were meant for a higher purpose.

My First Poem In About Five Years - For Real (Thank You, Inspiration)

2009-11-09T21:59:00.001-05:00

Write-Time Wishes

I close my eyes and wish for
A mind that never ceases,
Thoughts that whirl in perpetuity,
An eyelash on my thumb to blow into oblivion.

I close my eyes and pray for
The return of the words I could not hold back
When I was 18 and full of ego,
A mere wisp of a woman with nothing to lose.

I close my eyes and plead for
My voice,
My voice,
My voice,
And yours.

I close my eyes and dream for
The future of my child,
A collection of thoughts to share with her,
The reason I opted for life
Instead of a drunken duel
With self-induced hypothermia
On my apartment balcony
In the middle of January.

Another Waste of a Lawsuit

2009-07-09T11:39:00.002-04:00

So an 8th grade girl in PA decides she is going to post a fakie MySpace profile of her principal. The profile includes words and actions that I am not even comfortable enough as an adult to retype here (but that can be read here). In short, "I'm a pedophile and sexual aberrant" will suffice as a summary of the profile.

As kids do, rampant talking about said profile ensued at school, principal found out, kid was busted and received a 10-day suspension. Pretty nice deal, right? She could have been locked up, charged with identity theft and libel, so 10 days at home for being a douchekid is a far sweeter punishment, RIGHT?

No. Her parents don't want her to miss ten days of school, so they sue the school district. Claim: They should have the right to punish their child as they see fit, that it's not up to the school to decide the punishment for them. For real.

WHAT? The girl set up an impostor profile of her principal which contained graphic sexual and illegal activities, set up this profile at her own home (where her parents presumably live and keep an eye on her), and she should not be punished for it by previously offended school authority(because, really, how can you trust these parents to follow through on any kind of punishment)?

This lawsuit is a prime example of why our country is falling apart. When parents defend the illegal actions of their children to degrade the reputations of others, we tell kids it's ok to be a self-abosrbed a**hole without compassion or control.

At least, the courts made the right decision, as if it was a hard one to make.

It's Just You & Me, Blog...

2009-06-30T11:30:00.002-04:00

Dear Tabsmom Blog:

It has been too long since you and I had a meaningful conversation about the pursuits of life - career advancement, advocacy, child-rearing, cultural commentary, social commentary, the meaning of life, etc., etc. I apologize for the distance as of late. Blame it on Facebook.

Blog, here it's just you and me, a blank screen awaiting content, wit, insight, photos. If what I compose sucks, oh well. I don't think too many people specifically read this blog. You were created in May 2005 at the onset of my cancer chronicles. You were a bastion of communication and networking, and you saved me many minutes on my phone.

Now, my ADD-rattled psyche is quite at home on Facebook. My urge to entertain, to craft snarky comments, to question and receive answers - all those needs are met by Facebook. To what end are you useful anymore, dear blog? You are the equivalent of an empty journal. The pressure to fill you can be overwhelming.

Ok, not really, dear blog. I'm just busting your stones. I do plan to write a whole lot this summer, now that I have caught up on my rest and shifted my frame of mind. Tabsmom Blog, you are my original on-line home. I could never really leave.

Love, Tabsmom

School Year 2008-2009: By The Numbers

2009-06-12T09:14:00.002-04:00

As the school year draws to a close (and that can't come soon enough), I present to you -

Ms. K's Annual Data Report

# of senior students I taught this year: 150

# of senior classes I taught: 5

% of this year's graduating class that I taught: over 50%

# of graduation projects I read: 140

# of pages in an average graduation project: 20

# of teen parents I taught: 7

# of teen parents who failed my class: ZERO

# of days I was out with pink eye (including days that my daughter had it): 5

# of days I was out for cancer treatment: ZERO!

% of my students who will be graduates of the Class of 2009: 93%

# of figurative hats I wore this year: at least 20

# of days till Summer Vacation BEGINS: 9!!

Congrats to the Class of 2009. You've made me proud (and tired).

Love, Ms. K

Dear Dunkin Donuts on City Line & Haverford Avenues:

2009-06-03T08:10:00.002-04:00

Our encounters are on a near-daily basis, and yet every so often, you decide to mess with my morning and screw me over.

On occasion, you will yell at me, because I don't have my money ready. Being as though I am not a mind-reader, I can't give you money if you don't tell me what the total is! Duh! Plus, you seem to forget the fact that you are NOT a necessary service. I am GIVING you MY money - you should be grateful. Don't take me for granted. There are plenty of other places to get my breakfast in the morning, particularly from my own house.

Other times you will deceive me unknowingly... like this morning. When you handed me my coffee this morning, the napkin around the cup was wet. This could only be because you didn't put the lid on properly, right? Isn't that what I pay you to do, to put the lid on my coffee cup correctly? I adjusted the lid, and yet my cup continued to leak. Why would this be? There was no obvious explanation - until I took off the lid. My cup was broken!!! Even the smallest of cracks or breaks in a cup ruins the whole coffee experience. See evidence below.

DD, I will give you the benefit of the doubt. You are not that smart, for otherwise you would not be in business shlepping donuts and coffee. You would be doing something to help society, like create sustainable transportation or save the chinchillas or educate our youth. HOWEVER, next time my coffee cup has even one drip on it, I will block up the drive-thru line until the issue is resolved. And I don't care how much you yell. My daughter is 4 - I can withstand your whining.

kluvyacya2morrow - Tabsmom

Because I have worked too much and not had enough fun...

2009-06-02T18:15:00.002-04:00

Being a responsible and together grown-up sucks sometimes. Not on payday, of course, when my bank account reflects my strong work ethic and successes - and not after I have paid the bills and still have a good chunkachange left over.

Being a grown-up sucks when I want to spontaneously take a drive to Atlantic City, stroll the boardwalk, and watch the sun go down... and I can't, because there is a child to be picked up from daycare, dinner to be cooked, dishes and laundry, and several hours of work to be done in order to maintain my reputation.

Being a grown-up sucks when the alarm starts going off at 5 a.m., and I still need another 5 hours of sleep to feel fully rested.

Being a grown-up sucks when you have to deal with varied unsavory and uncouth grown-ups who squash every morsel of joy and happiness out of everyone and everything they encounter.

Call me disillusioned. I am. I am eagerly anticipating my summer vacation when my time will be my own, not dictated by an alarm clock (Tabby is technically NOT an alarm clock, although the argument could be made otherwise), not bound by the mandates of work (any work I do will be of my own volition). This all sounds horribly self-indulgent. You could make the case.

Frankly, it's been so long since I've written that I'm slightly constipated with emotional word sludge (ew, disgusting image!). I think I might need to start writing poetry again. Yeah, I should do that.

PS. I need to reclaim my inner happy.

My Entry for the Google Photo Contest

2009-05-24T23:40:00.003-04:00

My Entry for the Google Photo Contest

2009-05-24T23:40:00.000-04:00

A Tourist's Eye - From the Edge

Picasso's Southern France Studio - Open to the public at last!

2009-05-23T11:42:00.002-04:00

As always, I'm loving the artwork @ Postcard From Provence: Dark & Delicious!

2009-05-16T13:22:00.004-04:00

Beautiful Brazilian Cuisine (courtesy of the NY Times Travel Section)

2009-05-16T12:36:00.002-04:00

100,000 Strong - Race for the Cure - Philly Style

2009-05-10T20:59:00.006-04:00

The club you join when you become a breast cancer survivor is hardly exclusive. You got it, you are admitted, no class is denied, no race is turned away, age plays no part.

You find a lump, you get to jump - into the Survivors' Club.

The inclusivity of breast cancer was made explicitly clear to me at 7:00 a.m. this morning at the Philadelphia Art Museum circle as thousands assembled for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The chaos was loosely organized; the swag was flowing; snacks were tossed out to the crowds.

Groups small and large gathered with banners, memoria, pink from head to toe, pinned racing numbers. Survivors and those lost to the fight were honored in glitter, spray paint, airbrush, ink. Donned in t-shirts, sweatpants, jackets, and sneakers, the crowd was ready to walk, walk, walk - 3 miles - 5 kilometers.

At 8:15 a.m., the masses moved to the start line. My walking partner, the ever-lovely and supportive Leslie Carlis stood side-by-side with me in sisterly solidarity. The crowd strolled down the Parkway to City Hall, hooked a right and around to JFK Boulevard, another turn up Market to West Philly, and back. A puddle of puke reminded me of the frailty of the human body; baby strollers championed the next generation of fighters; preteen cheerleaders shouted, "Race for the Tatas!" at every mile marker.

The crash from the endorphine high was solid. When I got back home, my pillow winked and invited me to lie my head upon it. I did; four hours later, I awoke.

I'm all over the web!

2009-05-07T20:13:00.003-04:00

I occasionally Google myself - who doesn't? This is what I have found recently:

~ I reviewed a book on SIOP (teaching English to second-language learners). You can see me here, here, and here.

~ My profile for UPENN's Distributed Leadership initiative is here.

~ I reviewed a teacher book called What Really Matters. My name is credited here.

~ I got mentioned in the Philadelphia School District employee newsletter for my mini-grant here.

Movie Review (and Waxing Philosophical): Life After People

2009-05-03T13:42:00.005-04:00

I was going through my 12th grade yearbook on Thursday. It made me mourn inside. First, I noticed the glaring absence of well wishes and memories inscribed in my previous yearbooks. Skimming through the book, I find that NO ONE at all wrote in it. Nothing penned, scribbled, signified, just page after page of black and white pictures and type. I mourned for allowing myself to check out of high school so soon and enter the corrupt world of adults. I remember where I was in 12th grade, and mentally, it was not in my high school classrooms nor with my peers.

I came across a photo of myself with the literary magazine staff - sooooo long is my frown in the picture, so straight my hair, so empty my eyes. One of the ugliest portraits I have ever seen. I couldn't even bring myself to scan it and post it on Facebook.

When I got to my senior year profile, complete with smiling portrait (that came out great, to my surprise), I read through my list of memories, friends, activities, and pet peeves. My pet peeve back in 1993? PEOPLE. UGH! How drole was I? How empty and alone? PEOPLE? That's the best I had? The entire population was my pet peeve? Almost as bad as my peers who wrote high school as their pet peeve.

Apparently, however, my peeve of people has not disappeared over the years, just been repressed and sublimated. Ever since seeing the preview for LIFE AFTER PEOPLE, I was anxious to get my hands on it, relish the view of a planet without jerks, misanthropes, idiots, scoundrels, and the like.

Life After People did not disappoint. Breaking down the devolution/evolution of Earth without its humans at certain periods across a timeline (1 day without people, 2 days without people.... 1 year without people, 3 years without people.... 10 years, 50 years, 100 years, 1000 years) - it all made me feel so utterly small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. All traces of human presence will be virtually eliminated after a thousand years. The only thing that would be left as proof that humans ever existed would be styrofoam. Mother Nature would reclaim Her world, vegetation would flourish, animals would again be free to roam. Peace would reign.

Like my yearbook, LIFE AFTER PEOPLE made me mourn.

Sweet-kend!

2009-04-21T18:33:00.010-04:00

A sweet weekend it was, my final one as a 33 year old. Kicked it off on Friday with some Chinese take-out and a batch of movies. Wonderland starring Val Kilmer as notorious movie star John Holmes rocked the night - drugs, violence, jarring film techniques, obsession - it was much more than I expected, and it's always nice when something is better than you expect. On the downside, I suffered through The Day The Earth Stood Still remake starring everyone's favorite robot-actor Keanu Reeves. It had potential, it really did, but the end doomed it to the $1 bin. Last time I saw Keanu in a good movie was The Lake House. Poor guy - how long ago was that?

The next morning it was off to UPENN for Distributed Leadership training. The weather on Saturday was GORGEOUS, but alas! I was trapped indoors for 8 hours listening to lectures on decision-making. Ah well! We disbanned at 4 p.m., and I was off to Morimoto for my birthday dinner with Mom and Barry. I have fond (and expensive) memories of my late husband's 30th birthday dinner in 2003 at that place. It was a bittersweet feeling being back there, the interior decoration the same, but feelings of emptiness and resentful nostalgia creeping in... then banished! This was my good time. I bemoaned forgetting my camera to photograph the delicious food, and my cell phone just didn't capture the detailed colors and textures of the food. The wine was sweet (love a good reisling!), the rock shrimp was tangy, the sushi melted in my mouth, and the cappucino capped off a perfect meal. At home that night, RL and I caught up on TV shows through Hulu (seriously House-writers, did Kutner have to end it like THAT?), and I fell into a peaceful slumber.

Sunday was field trip day down to the Free Library of Philadelphia Book Festival. I met four of my kids from my AP English class, bought them lunch, and took pictures of them fingerpainting, posing with the Target dog, meeting authors, and being accosted by rogue jugglers. I picked up all kinds of free swag and got a few books signed.

(OMG - saddest Clifford evah!)

(OMG - me and Target Dog!)

On the way home, I stopped at my beloved vegetable truck at 44th and Walnut Streets. How I miss it! I got about 15 pounds of fruit and vegs for less than $10. With my last dollar, I bought a bag of onions for a woman short of change but full of impulse. Random acts of kindness empower and enrich the soul.

Birthday Monday was a splash! Because of my pervasive Facebook use, and friending nearly all my students, the birthday wishes were overwelming and adorable! Loved it, what can I say? It's nice not to have to point out to others that it's your birthday. Plus, during my last period class, a gift basket from my dad and Tina was delivered to my classroom. Supersweet. Thanks, Daddieo!

Spring Break - A Week in the Life of...

2009-04-10T14:23:00.002-04:00

Thursday - night time driving down Baltimore Pike towards West Philly - great graffiti at Baltimore and Lansdowne Avenue - who doesn't love the smile of a cat, even an illegal one?

Didn't realize how picturesque the liquor store could be till I was sitting outside waiting for the car next to me to pull out so I could leave:

Tabitha at swimming class - kids sitting on noodles with floatie belts around their waists - my daughter is on the left:

Front yard work is underway. Bless RL for his hard work digging out those nasty bushes in the front yard:

Telephone poles and ominous clouds - yes, it's spring!

Chagall @ Sotheby's Auction - Lovin' It!

2009-04-10T13:21:00.004-04:00

So gorgeous - what I wouldn't do to hang one in my house!

My Surreal World - A List of Happenings, Sightings, and Oddities

2009-04-06T21:29:00.006-04:00

After so many storms, unpredictable at best, over the past week, I wouldn't mind being here (I double dog dare myself to eat breakfast that close to the edge!):

Or here... so much like Crystal Pier but tropical:

You know the world is coming to an end when panti-liners are replacing the major arcana (and that ALWAYS seems to think that a maxi-pad can provide the same messages as the skilled reading of a tarot deck) - picture taken from my REAL SIMPLE magazine today (not high quality, click picture to enlarge, then tilt head left to read):

Friday's crazy storms brought rainbows to West Philly - here is a shot from my phone outside of Dahlak (where I later enjoyed some tibs and enjera on the first evening of Spring Break):

This picture just isn't right; clever, yes, but so, so wrong - I had to pull up beside this car to see who was driving this monstrosity of a license plate - big white girl jamming to some death-metal-rap-combo. Note to Jesus... the anti-Christ is driving a sedan in Delco:

Today, juicy clouds, sun bursting through, good camera at home, cell phone camera will do:

In two days, I will be purchasing a truck from a nice young man in Collegeville. His bro posted the truck for $900, but he only planned on asking $800 as evidenced on the SALE sign taped to the window. Deal. Low mileage, new engine, not much to look at on the outside, but for the purposes of hauling and dumping and house-redoing, this will do fine. My first truck - bad, it's a truck, but good, because it's used:

First planned purchase to be hauled home (outside of drywall) - a bed - I'm partial to ones with shelves underneath:

Here's to hope, love, production, and peace during a stay-at-home-Spring-Break.

Coolest Hammock Evah!

2009-03-22T13:19:00.003-04:00

I had this crazy idea a few months ago to sign up for the Luxury Insider on-line magazine. It basically caters to millionaires, but hey, I can live vicariously through them, right? Check out this hammock - not your typical suburban lounge-about! Do you think this would be out of place in the front yard of my little Upper Darby rowhome?

Super Sunny Saturday

2009-03-21T17:34:00.003-04:00

Time during the week to write is scarce these days, so I love when Saturday rolls around, and I get some time for myself, to rest, to write, and now to exercise.

BIG NEWS: Despite being a breast cancer survivor, I have never participated in one of those "Race for the Cure" walks. I always "mean to," but I never actually do. So this year is my year to follow through on those half-hearted promises. I'll be walking a 5K race on Mother's Day, May 10, 2009. 5K = 3.1 miles. Easy. I love walking. I haven't walked extensively since a year and a half ago before my radiation treatments. Kicked my butt, gained too much weight. But now is the time for action, and I will be walking. The 3-Day in October is terribly appealing, but I figure I'll start with a small one, build my endurance, and then hit the big walk in 2010. Till then, today's beautiful weather prompted my first steps back on the road to health.

I drove over to the track at Upper Darby HS, the school where I did my student teaching, and which I remember fondly from gymnastics meets in 9 & 10th grades. Stretched a bit, put in the earbuds, and I began walking - 12 laps for three miles. I can do this, I said. The soundtrack from my iPod kept a hop in my step. I felt so young again, walking in circles but actually feeling like I was going somewhere.

After my morning breakfast meeting with my principal, I needed to walk out my excitement anyhow. A new position is on tap for me next year; I knew it was coming, but I was anxious to get the official WORD. So now it's official. All the details still need to be ironed out, but in essence, I'll have my ideal schedule. SUCCESS!

My day ended on a most positive gastronomic note. In the mail I received a sample of Chocolate Drizzle Mini Rice Cakes from Quaker Oats. DIVINE! The liquor store is carrying Pacific Rim wines again (PA limits the wine it imports from CA), and my homemade lasagna is delicious two days later. YUM!

DONE! My National Board Portfolio....

2009-03-14T17:47:00.003-04:00

At the end of last school year (Summer 2008), I learned about the opportunity to earn a national teaching certificate through the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The Pennsylvania Department of Education decided that our state didn't have enough of these nationally certified teachers, and a grant came through to pay for more PA teachers to earn this certification (application/processing fee is $2500). To entice more teachers in Philadelphia to attempt national certification, a bonus of $3500 per year for the life of the certificate (10 years!) is rewarded.

SWEET! I thought. Get money for showing what a good teacher I am. I can do this.

So I have spent the past year reading, writing, attending workshops, videotaping, collecting, analyzing, and writing some more, in order to complete the work for my certification. I wrote four papers, each over 10 pages in length, looking at student work, student discussion, teaching strategies, and my teaching accomplishments. I watched myself on video leading my kids on group discussions and did my best to analyze why the kids did what they did in my recordings.

Overall, it was a grueling process, requiring hours and hours of time (not paid - yet!) compiling and perfecting my writing.

This weekend, I finally finished my writing portfolio, weeks ahead of the March 31st deadline. I refused to be one of those last-minute people. RL pushed me, really, to get the work done.

It's done!

Next step in this certification process will be a three-hour test on a variety of English Language Arts topics. I'm scheduled for May 2.

Scores come out in December. OMG!! So long to wait after so much work.

I can't wait to get my money :)

As always, I'm loving the art from "Postcard From Provence"

2009-03-14T17:45:00.001-04:00

School Improvement & San Diego Sunsets

2009-03-06T13:23:00.008-05:00

My work trip to San Diego was inspirational both professionally and personally. I attended the National Association of Secondary School Principals annual convention with a team from my school; our charge was to gather information about best practices and innovations and bring these ideas back to the principal for implementation.

Professionally, this was one of the best events I have ever attended. The workshop on rethinking and revamping the 12th grade year was excellent. So many great ideas on how to make school better for seniors! Another workshop on open enrollment for AP classes was also outstanding. The best one, however, was the workshop on how to deal with difficult teachers, those raggedly, crusty, jaded educators who have no interest in students anymore and are just waiting for retirement to kick in. Todd Whitaker, the presenter, was humorous, practical, and firm in his lecture. A real treat. I couldn't believe I was actually getting paid to attend this conference.

We were able to hit the beach on our last day in San Diego. A 15 minute taxi ride (with a $35 fare) dropped us at Pacific Beach, the place I stayed when I went to CA with Nathan in January 2004. As soon as I got out of the cab, I felt like I was home - the sand, surf, surfers, Crystal Pier, the sun - perfection. Ms. C, Mr. H, and I walked the beach, played in the ocean, took pictures, watched drunk people, saw a muscle-dude-on-a-Vespa wipe out in front of a bunch of girls, and saw the sunset. A divine afternoon. Mr. H said, "Kingsbury! We should have been here every DAY!" It warmed my heart to show my friends one of the world's greatest treasures.

Photo highlights from my trip include:

Rainbows on the sidewalks!

Our gorgeous hotel rooftop bar! The view of downtown San Diego and the Bay was amazing...

Happy, happy palm trees...

Sun going down on Pacific Beach...

A beautiful sunset, beach jogger included!

Thoughts on Flying Cross-Country.... A PhotoJournal

2009-03-02T13:35:00.005-05:00

As US Airways Flight 1500 takes off from Philadelphia, the beauty of surrounding Essington is revealed, the trees, frozen water, winding roadways, a much different view than that on the ground. Within 10 minutes, the winter landscape becomes light brown sand, the grass dead from months of cold weather, the only life moving are the few perceptible cars driving down highways. Sleep sets in.

When I wake, the landscape is dark black, looks like mounds of coal, but looking closer, I see trees on mountains – then black mixes with white, and we are flying over snow-covered mountains, no houses, no roads. Does anyone live here? Sleep again, and I wake to an extensive and thick blanket of clouds, no land visible, flying above the weather, on top of the world… and I must write down what I have seen before I forget it, for this moment will never happen again.

At the edge of the cloud blanket, the land imitates the pattern of a kitchen tile floor, squares of brown/grey/red/tan – the houses are perceptible, and I wonder how people can live so far from each other. Clouds rush by like the incoming ocean tide, and I see a rainbow for a precious ten seconds. There are no cities out here, three hours into a cross country flight to San Diego, only individuals.

By chance I have this window seat. A husband and wife separated across the aisle, asking me to trade seats so they may sit together. You’re sitting next to the window? Sure, let’s trade. I don’t want to miss a minute of the view. I took pictures from my window but the quality is questionable. The glare impedes a clear image.

Suddenly circles of many shades and sizes – crop circles? One main road cuts the landscape, and houses are few and far between. I am burning up. Two more hours to go on this flight, and the line for the bathroom is long. Over the heartland of our country – how magnificent and desolate. The roads below look painted red, like veins split open. Roads begin and end abruptly. Nothing is connected, a symbol of proud American independence or foolish isolation, I wonder.

I’m hoping to glimpse the Grand Canyon. I wonder if I will know it when I see it. I’ve seen pictures, true, but this is real life. Will it look the same from 20,000 feet above?

Still no sign of the Grand Canyon. Did I miss it? Suddenly towns bordered by carpets of color, paint chips of landscape, farms I think, perfectly rectangle in many shades of green, brown, red, tan, who do these belong to? What do they grow? Is this where my bread comes from?

Then the approach to San Diego, mountains, clouds, twisty roads, skyscrapers. We've arrived, a world away from the chill of Philly. What adventures, both professional and personal, await?

Well, this looks a little egotistical, but....

2009-02-16T10:19:00.001-05:00

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

I'm Loving the Artwork up for Auction at Sotheby's - Illuminating!

2009-02-14T15:18:00.007-05:00

Lionel Walden - only $15k!

Kenneth Miller Adams - only $12k!

Chaim Gross - only $10k!

Of course, when I say ONLY, I mean to say it with jest. This artwork is beautiful, true, but in our times, when gas prices are on the rise, houses are being foreclosed, violence is increasing, and my electric bill is about $1,000, truly what we see above is a luxury for the fortunate few. Too bad...

Georgeous Postcard From Provence! Love the Olive Oil Bottle!

2009-02-14T14:42:00.001-05:00

My Philadelphia - submitted to National Geographic's Intelligent Travel Blog

2009-02-14T14:33:00.003-05:00

My City Questionnaire

Philadelphia is My City.

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is for an Ethiopian Cheesesteak and a Yuengling Lager at Gojjo's.

When I crave tofu hoagies, I always go to Fu Wah Mini Market.

To escape the pretention of Center City, I head to West Philadelphia.

If I want to drink the cheapest beers in the city, I go to McGlinchey's.

For complete quiet, I can hide away Morris Arboretum.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with the LOVE sign.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from Vientiane Cafe, it has to be green papaya salad (Laos-Style).

Reading Terminal is my one-stop shop for great Amish foodstuffs.

Locals know to skip Old City and check out University City instead.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped, I go Dahlak.

For a huge splurge, I go Mushulu.

Photo ops in my city include the Irish Memorial, the Curtis Center Dream Garden, the Ben Franklin Bridge, and Liberty I & II all lit up at night.

If my city were a celebrity, it'd be Mickey Rourke..

The most random thing about my city is its skyline.

My city has the most freelance-employed men.

My city has the most confidently voluptuous women.

In my city, an active day outdoors involves running up the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art a la Rocky.

My city's best museum is the Institute of Contemporary Art.

My favorite jogging/walking route is down Chestnut Street from University City to the waterfront at Penn's Landing.

Lucky's is the spot for late-night eats, particularly a cheesesteak eggroll!

To find out what's going on at night and on the weekends, read the Philadelphia Weekly.

You can tell a lot about my city from its homeless population.

You can tell if someone is from my city because they are either go to college or work for a college.

In the spring, you should see the Philadelphia Flower Show.

In the summer, you should leave town and hit the beaches and casinos in Atlantic City, NJ.

In the fall, you should root for the E-A-G-L-E-S... EAGLES!!!

In the winter, you should have a parka and a pair of shorts at the ready - the weather is insanely unpredictable.

A hidden gem in my city is the Biopond on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

For a great breakfast joint, try White Dog Cafe.

Just outside my city, you can visit the Chadds Ford Winery and Longwood Gardens.

The best way to see my city is on foot in the fall.

If my city were a pet, it would be a pitbull wearing a pink sweater.

If I didn't live in a city, I'd live at the beach.

The best book featuring my city (and its suburbs) is The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

When I think about my city, the song that comes to mind is Dirty Little Secret by All American Rejects.

If you have kids, you won't want to miss the Christmas light show at the Wanamaker Building.

Rocky could only happen in my city.

My city should be featured on your cover or wesite because it is the perfect combination of Americana and comsopolitan influence, thoroughly beautiful, ugly, and inspirational all at once.

Field Trip To Norway, Anyone?

2009-02-14T13:30:00.001-05:00

So torn over the state of education...

2009-02-07T12:27:00.002-05:00

Saturday morfternoon (you know, not quite morning, not quite afternoon), here I am sitting with a cup of coffee, nursing a cold (another one arriving again, of course, for the weekend), reading what few e-newsletters to which I still subscribe (email diet underway, limiting my intake of information and wasting of time)..., and I am pondering the state of our state's (and country's) education system, an overwhelming endeavor sure to take up hours of time that could be spent, well, grading papers, planning lessons, and working on my National Board certification.

I'm torn over what I see happening.

Next week at OHS, we will begin state testing, four days of reading and writing, totaling 8 hours of lost instructional time, so that we can AGAIN confirm that our students know how to write... and this round of testing is only the first half, with another 12 hours of testing scheduled for March.

20 hours of lost instructional time. This is on top of weekly quizzes mandated by the Philadelphia SD higher-ups. If we spend so much time testing these kids, when are we supposed to be teaching them?

Then there is the complaining: "This is too much work!" "This isn't fair!" "This is too hard!" "You didn't have to do THIS when you were in high school, did you?!" "Why are we doing this?" "This is stupid!" "Why can't I talk on my phone during class?" And these are just the complaints from my AP students, the cream of the crop of OHS, nice kids who can't seem to understand that school isn't always supposed to be a cake-walk, and for whom college will be culture shock enough to scare them back home to curl into a fetal position.

Then there is school technology and all its glorious buzzwords - student engagement, hands-on learning, interaction, social networking, 21st century skills, etc., ad nauseum. I am about to be the recepient of a Classroom from the Future (thank you, Apple and the PaDoEd). 1 teacher laptop, 32 student laptops, 1 SmartBoard, 1 projector, 60+ hours of training). I am psyched, of course, and I would have loved to have had this stuff back in the fall when my 150 students were working on their graduation projects. Now I wonder... is all this necessary? If we have a completely computer literate society, won't we actually be at a disadvantage? What about other, equally important, skills? Who will grow our food, raise our animals, fix our cars, build our houses, if we are all wired in? Who will build our furniture, maintain our streets, cut our hair, if we are all busy on our computers? What about these vital, life sustaining skills? Yes, the conspiracy-theory vibration is strong within me today. There must be something in my coffee.

Then we have the latest and greatest educational pushes -

a. forcing the mediocre students into positions once held by the best students (via NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/nyregion/06middle.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1).

b. consolidating PA's 500 school districts into 100 (via PhilaInky: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/education/20090205_Rendell__Boost_school_funding__consolidate.html).

c. Web 2.0ing our kids to death (via EschoolNews: http://www.eschoolnews.com/conference-info/tcea/tcea-top-story/index.cfm?i=57176).

It all seems so shortsighted, all in the name of competing in/with a global economy. The USA is a huge country; we need to compete WHY? With so many resources right in our own back yards...

As a side note, I currently have an indestructable metal stapler etched with the phrase "Made in the USA, Long Island Company" - it's that old! Most of my students don't even recognize it as being a stapler.

Word Discovery! RL would agree - this is the perfect word to describe our conversations....

2009-02-07T12:09:00.002-05:00

desultory (adj):

1. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another,
without order or rational connection; without logical sequence.

2. As a digression; not connected with the subject

<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/desultory>

One of the (Few) Benefits of Being a Teacher...

2009-02-04T14:40:00.007-05:00

Another snow storm, another day off (and thank goodness, too, as the school district higher-ups had planned a potentially dreadful professional development session for today about how to lead class discussions - who doesn't know how to do these things??).

I waited with anticipation last night before bed for an announcement on KYW about school closings. Upper Darby SD was planning a two-hour late opening; I was hoping that Philly wasn't planning to open at all (a half day was already planned, and combining that with a late start meant two hours of school, the point of that being...?). The snow last night was beautiful as was my outside light:

With no evening cancellations made public, I awoke at 5 a.m. School was closed. Yeay snow day! Yeay for another beautiful snow day!

Drinking coffee, shooting off emails, grading some papers, puttering around in my PJs - an excellent way to spend the day! I'm trying not to gloat too much.

Love this tiny artwork by Tracy Mastro!

2009-02-04T10:19:00.004-05:00

How cute are these little houses? Check out more cool tiny artwork by clicking on the title of this post!

Snow Storms and CT Scans (I Luv Alliteration!)

2009-02-01T20:10:00.006-05:00

It was with eager but anxious anticipation that I approached this week's snow/ice/frozen rain storm. I was eager to hear that schools would be closed but anxious about driving to the imaging office to get my quarterly CT and bone scans.

At five a.m. this past Wednesday, I logged onto KYW to find that schools, indeed, were closed in Philadelphia. Yippee! No need to take a personal day to get my tests done. However, there was the matter of actually getting to the imaging office. Snow, sleet, ice - it was the perfect combination for disastrous driving. Fortunately, I scheduled my appointment later that morning; the roads were slushy but drivable.

I ingested a Redi-Cat milkshake (banana flavor!), was injected with barium and iodine, and was scanned thoroughly. Between the CT and bone scans, I found myself with a few hours to kill. I treated myself to a plate full of diner French Toast and a trip to the library. I also indulged in some photography with snow-backed trees glossed in ice as my inspiration.

Scan results will be revealed on 2/10/09. Till then, there's life to live!

65* and sunny in San Diego

2009-01-24T14:59:00.004-05:00

Back after I graduated from teacher school in December 2003, my then-alive husband and I took a five-day trip out to San Diego. That trip was one of the highlights of my life. I hugged palm trees. I drank real margarita and Mexican coffee. I witnessed crowds of people gathering simply to applaud the sunset. I videotaped real surfers. I stood on the cliffs and under them too. I lived a block from the beach. I drank champagne as the Pacific waves rolled onto the night-time sand.

To return to San Diego has been my dream. The tastes, sights, sounds, and smells are still so clear in my memories. If I didn't have a child, I would already be living there, and damned the cost-of-living controversy.

My dream is actually going to come true. I will be returning to San Diego at the end of February.

At my school, the way you get ahead is to open your mouth, to speak up, volunteer, put yourself out there and take risks. When the principal said at our weekly leadership team meeting that she needed to send some teachers to San Diego for "some meeting the school district wants us to go to," my hand shot up into the air. I had no idea what I was volunteering for, and that didn't really matter. I'd shovel shit all day for the school district if I could get to San Diego for free.

As it turns out, our small team of teachers will be spending 4 days at the San Diego Marriott right on the bay, a mere seven miles from where I originally vacationed 5 years ago. We'll be taking in the National Association of Secondary School Principals annual convention. Not that I want to be a principal, but as a department-chair-in-training, this is right up my alley.

In truth, all my success over the past two years has been due to meeting RL, my beacon, my guide, my persistent VOICE OF WISDOM. His advice, his suggestions - these have led me to the point at which I now stand.

San Diego, here I come. Let me know if you want me to bring you a souvenir!

Real Simple for your Desktop

2009-01-24T11:55:00.004-05:00

From This Young House blog, the Real Simple desktop wallpaper was brought to my attention. Essentially, these images are inspirational quotes embedded into Real Simple photo-staging (i.e., flowers, vases, olive oil decanter, fruit bowl). Seeing them this fine Saturday morning (ok, afternoon) reminds me of why I subscribed to Real Simple in the first place - beauty, insight, the essence of life found in the petal of the most delicate flower. You see?

Some Inaugural Thoughts

2009-01-21T05:30:00.004-05:00

(Photo courtesy of me)

Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL day, a rich and gorgeous inaugural for the ages, for the new age. As an inner city HS teacher, I had truly hoped for a day off in honor of the magnitude of the event, but it was not to happen (although our head honcho did have a personal invitation to the festivities, and she patronizingly paid lip service to "feeling guilty" about keeping the district open while she was in Washington). But school was, indeed, in session, although I would have LOVED a four-day weekend!

The students had been unofficially told to stay home, watch history as it unfolded, essentially leave the grown-ups alone to bask in the victory of hope. Most did; the die-hards did not, and so at 11:30 a.m. the students assembled in the auditorium for a big screen viewing of the inauguration.

Summer 2007, I took a day trip down to Washington DC shortly after July 4th. It was too hot, too big, eerily quiet. It was not the Washington I remembered visiting as a Girl Scout many years ago. Seeing Washinton yesterday, in winter chill, packed with mittens, scarves, and anticipation, the city appeared alive, awakened. How miraculous that one man can breathe life into so many.

Obama's elocution, eloquence, electricity brought tears, of course. Many grown-ups cried, despite being surrounded by hundreds of teenagers who might take advantage of a perceived weakness. Only one line of the speech disturbed me:

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. "

Only five different religious groups in America, one of them being atheist? Here's hoping that's Obama's attempt to keep it brief. I was otherwise enthralled, entranced, engaged, and enveloped by the boldness of his message, the force of his tone, the (not so) subtleness of his Bush criticisms.

I truly am ready for a new day.

You need a $100 Target Gift Card....

2009-01-11T21:29:00.001-05:00

...so click above to find out how to win one from Single Guy Money!

The True Meaning of Sacrifice By Emine Saga

2009-01-11T13:05:00.002-05:00

There are some words that are so common in the English language that we use on a regular basis but in the most inappropriate fashion, without knowing their original or true definitions. For example, I took a class in British poetry several years ago, and I discovered the true meaning of the word ravish. My understanding of the word ravish was that it meant to make passionate, consensual love with another person, as in that common phrase, "I want to ravish you." However, I learned that to ravish someone means to rape her, to sexually assault her, to seize her by force. That revelation made many of those old poems much different when I read them with this in mind!

The same is true for the word sacrifice. The common understanding of sacrifice involves giving up one’s entire self for a "greater" cause, living in pain and discomfort to "prove" something to others, and even killing a creature, either animal or human, in order to appease an angry god. Even the dictionary, any edition of it, will list these definitions first, before listing the original and true definition, if it lists it at all. For the true meaning of sacrifice is to make sacred. What a far cry from those other definitions, making sacrifice a beautiful, holy, and simple act of reverence for one’s self and loved ones.

Let me further explain what sacrifice means to me. This past Imbolg I played the role of Kore in the coven’s ritual. Though I have been with the coven for a few years, and have participated in the casting of the circle and calling of the quarters and even led my own ritual, this was the first major part I played where I helped facilitate the ritual with Maeve Rhea, our HPS. It was quite an honor for me, and a great distraction from the real purpose of the evening (after the Imbolg ritual, I received my first degree! A real surprise!). During the course of the ritual, all the participants approached me, Kore, and asked me to bless something of theirs, something that they were prepared to sacrifice. As the participants offered their sacrifices (one offered his hands, another her heart), Kore blessed these things, and as a sacrifice they were made sacred. It became clear to me that sacrifice was an act of happiness and joy and beauty, an act to positively transform one’s inner self. It was not the gruesome act I imagine when I think of Christ on the cross or Islamic suicide bombers, acts of pain and violence done for the supposed "greater good" of the cause. But I see little good of a sacrifice made in the name of Death; for Pagans, sacrifice is a term that can be reclaimed in the name of Life, in the name of Goddess who wants your beauty, your honesty, to help you along your true path. If ones offers him/herself, offers body, heart, or mind, as a sacrifice made in love and sincerity, Goddess will guide you gently along the path as you do Her work, which I see as helping to heal the pains of humanity, beautifying and preserving Her lands, and growing into wonderful, healthy, functional, divine beings.

(Written by me in 1999 - WOW! I totally forgot about this!)

Sleep to Save the Planet

2009-01-11T12:30:00.005-05:00

I am a huge fan of sleeping. While I do believe in the "life's-too-short" philosophy, I don't go so far as to follow it to its extreme, e.g., I'll sleep when I'm dead. Shoot, we all know that myriad studies prove that sleep is one of the key components to a long life. Walking around all jittery from caffeine or cocaine in an effort to "fully experience every minute of living" isn't for me. If I can get 12 hours of deep, replenishing sleep, I sure will.

And guess what - sleeping is good for the environment! Utne says so. Click the title of this post for the entire article. In short, several key ideas stand out for me:

1. Sleepy people lack compassion and good judgment. People who don't get enough sleep don't know how to be nice to others; this is how gossip, road rage, and wars happen.

2. A 24/7 lifestyle means that consumption and emissions are running nonstop; this destruction is unsustainable.

3. Though we work longer and harder to get things done, the things we do create and produce aren't as good as they could be because we haven't gotten enough sleep to be truly creative and imaginative.

4. Hyperactivity, ironically, leads to boredom. People do all kinds of cruel and destructive shit when they are bored.

5. The answer to all this chaos is sacrifice and rest. Interestingly, I wrote an article several years ago when I was an active member in a Pagan coven specifically about that topic (oh, the things you will find when you peruse your old computer files). Giving of yourself, as well as submitting to the natural rhythms of one's body, truly can solve the problems of the world.

One Thing at a Time: The Sky

2009-01-11T11:50:00.007-05:00

So far, my new mantra has been working small miracles. This past week was one of the best weeks I've had in months. My lessons at school went off without a hitch, my energy was up all week, dinners were delicious and healthy. I limited my email and news exposure. Instead, I turned my focus skyward. Every morning, when I wake up, I look towards the sunrise outside my window. One of the pleasures of having to rise early for my teaching gig is that I do get to see the sun as it breaks into a brand new day. I captured pictures galore of the Sacred Above:

The beauty of the outdoors overwhelmed me this week. On the one day I didn't have my camera with me, I filled my cell phone with sky pics. The vividness of the sky reminded me, this week, of the importance of always being able to capture a moment, i.e., better to have the camera and not need it than to need the camera and not have it.

Pecuniarities wants you to read the Wall Street Journal....

2009-01-10T16:29:00.002-05:00

....so click above to find out how you can win a free subscription from them!

Some field trips I'd love to take:

2009-01-10T15:05:00.003-05:00

Iceland, maybe?

Or Cambodia?

Maui looks sweet, and so does Thailand...

A Positive Plug For Citizens Bank

2009-01-08T22:02:00.004-05:00

I love to plug stuff I come across that is brilliant/insightful/beautiful/functional/beneficial. Seriously, when Blogger put the "List" feature up, I went right for it. I am a copious maker of lists - all except the grocery store; for whatever reason, I can't shake the wing-it mentality. Grocery shopping is no fun with a list. The opportunities for discovering a new condiment, cut of meat, or type of pasta are greatly diminished. But I'm tangentating (new word, folks??).

Tangent to the tangent: Just googled tangentating (and tangentate to cover all the bases) to see if my powers of word manipulation had discovered/created a new word. 2 sites from 2004 and 2005 contained tangentating, and only 1 site (in English, mind you) contained tangentate. I wonder how long it took conversate to become common in the English language...?

Back to our originally scheduled post: I signed up for Citizens Bank's Greensense program a month ago. Basically, they send you a new debit card made from recycles materials, and every time you use it, they give you a dime. Ok, cool. I'll take their dimes. Well, I checked my account today, to make sure I had enough to get a bottle of wine for dinner (just kidding, things aren't that tight around here that a bottle of wine for dinner would break me, as I have been spared from the current financial chaos, thank the Gods), and sure enough, the bank had paid me almost $9 for my debit purchases this month.

At first, the sirens went off in my mind - OMG! I used my debit card 90 times this month?? That can't be right. It wasn't. The bank gave double points in December. Nice! I do use my card about once a day, sometimes two or three or four if it's an errand day.

So simple, so easy. What is not to love about getting paid for what you normally do during your day?

Citizens Bank. Not your typical (made bad decisions and now closing shop) bank.

Obviously, I knew this....

2009-01-08T21:06:00.001-05:00

As winter break draws to a close....

2009-01-04T21:31:00.006-05:00

Well, with much self-induced drama and stress, I end this winter break. It was only semi-wintery, a few flurries here and there, no white Xmas, no blizzard on Yule; I would have loved to have gotten snowed in, but RL says I say that because I wouldn't be the one doing the shoveling.

Tomorrow work begins again. I wonder if I'm not suffering the winter blahs. I'm not in love with work right now, not in love with the state of much of my life. It feels like an introspective time, time to do the Work of the Witch which I have long been neglecting. The moon inspired me tonight:

One thing at a time - my new mantra. Deal with one thing at a time, wash one dish at a time, pick up one bead at a time, grade one paper at a time, fold one piece of clothing at a time, read one website at a time (actually, I'm going on an internet diet, less time-wasting on the computer, more productivity when I am on).

I'm beginning to sound like a 12-step program.

Some interesting quotes to end this entry:

The spirit of the world encloses four kinds of spirits, diametrically opposed to charity--the spirit of resentment, spirit of aversion, spirit of jealousy, and the spirit of indifference. BOSSUET

"Every man has three characters--that which he exhibits, that which he has, and that which he thinks he has." ALPHONSE KARR

"No one is asking, let alone demanding, that you write. The world is not waiting with bated breath for your article or book. Whether or not you get a single word on paper, the sun will rise, the earth will spin, the universe will expand. Writing is forever and always a choice -- your choice." BETH MENDE CONNY

Obamicorn!

2009-01-01T12:36:00.002-05:00

I'm loving the designs of Chris Bishop! Check out more work at chrisbishop.com.

Artwork and Observations

2008-12-31T12:35:00.005-05:00

1. The final day of 2008 is blustery and snowflurrying. So excited to snap a few pictures of the flakes - like lightening, that proved nearly impossible with my camera. Darn!

2. Some of Tab's artwork - pretty sweet, yes?

I call this one "TAB, TA, T... A! Where you going?"

This one is self-explanatory. Mommy-assist on this one (I did the star).

3. RL tells me that the squirrels harass our cats on a daily basis. I believed this to a certain extent. Yesterday, one noisily climbed up onto the bedroom window sill and peered in, looking for a feline to agitate. Instead, he found me. I went for the camera. How quick those darn things are! They look more like they are ignoring, rather than pestering, us.

4. Began my little artwork around the house project. I wanted to practice stenciling, but I decided to start with the rub-off bamboo transfers instead. I planned to "hide" my practice work on the basement steps-walls, but RL suggested I put it where we could see it. Sure, why not? This came out a WHOLE LOT better than I thought!

5. I love the LOLCats website. Everyday, a hilarious newsletter of ridicluously-captioned catpics. I'm attempting submissions of my own. Recently, the bananas I bought had an LOL sticker on them (What ever happened to plain old Chaquita stickers? Do banana stickers need to entertain us now or tell our fortunes?). Apparently, it is very difficult to put a stick on a cat, even if it's sleeping deeply. I made about a dozen attempts to sticker a cat, and this is the best photo I got. Can you see the LOL? Barely, right?

Have Yourself A Deflated Xmas and a Floppy New Year!

Patricia Waller Isn't Right...

2008-12-31T11:50:00.003-05:00

...and I like it! Who doesn't want to knock the beloved unicorn off her throne and reveal her homicidal tendencies? This piece is made of yarn, cotton wool, and wire. Check out her site for more disturbing fairy tale images. Admit it, you want to!

Things I Didn't (Need To) Know:

2008-12-30T11:22:00.001-05:00

Well, it's that time of year where my 12th graders graduation projects are coming due. This means I get to read ALOT of really bad research papers. So far this year, I have received 38 papers. I have over 150 students, so this is not a stellar number. I've only received about 1/5 of the number due to me. The deadline for the first draft of the research paper was by Thanksgiving - yeah, that didn't happen. Why do these kids torture themselves and me so!? At least these papers do have the ability to amuse me. Check out these choice quotes:

Topic: Oprah:
Oprah have been on TV for 21 years after given birth to her child that she lost during the birth time.

Topic: Human Trafficking:
This is like drug trafficking just minus the drugs and add the humans.

Topic: Starting a Clothing Business:
The younger generation is a good age group to sell your clothes to because they grow out of things fast so they will always need some more clothes.

Topic: Organ Donation:
All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider donation the greatest.

Topic: PTSD:
There is no cure on PTSD; once you increase this disorder you have it for good. This disorder will stick with them until death do them part.

Topic: Nursing:
If you lucky enough to find a college with the bridge program, you can bridge from LPN to RN and be finch in two year.

Topic: Schizophrenia:
A brail tumor can be misread as schizophrenia because growth in certain areas of the brain can cause a change in behavior and hallucinations.

Holidaze....

2008-12-29T07:24:00.004-05:00

I'm in the midst of a long Winter Break from the daily grind that is being a teacher - a well-deserved and hard-earned vacation from education insanity. I'm sitting here, early for a vacation day, watching the day break and the sun rise through my window, listening to RL's tinny-disjointed-NINlike music coming from his laptop headphones, trying to plan my day so that I actually get something done.

How about some holiday reflection?

I spent too much time leading up to the holidays reading about the economic doom and gloom; when I ventured out into the holiday hubbub of shopping for gifts and food, my perceptions were clouded by this news. The vibe at the mall where we annually take Tab for her Santa pictures was protean and sour. Our wait in line was short, about 20 minutes compared to an average 45 minute wait in previous years. I was eager to visit the Chadds Ford Wine Shop which sets up right next to the Santa picture line, but I found it vacant. The mall palm trees stood erect and depressed, the Gap store below their towering leaves nearly empty of shoppers. I found delight in the beauty of Tab's photo and an Annie Anne's almond pretzel (although I was baffled how a "medium" lemonade almost required me to rent a baby stroller to transport it - moderation, people!).

Shopping at the arts-n-crafts store was a definite highlight - Tab saw something she wanted to buy in every aisle. In the end, we spent too much money but had so much fun. Afterwards, I meditated while I made jewelry, and Tab painted letters and aliens.

Xmas Eve was spent at my stepsister's new digs in West Chester, a change from the usual fesitivities at my father's house (Tab had marshmellows for dinner - what was I thinking??). Xmas Day at my mom's was quiet, and I indulged in shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, and chips-with-dip. Tab got a tower of presents (see photo below - yes, presents were intentionally stacked for effect).

I was eager to hit the post-Xmas sales and put my gift cards to use, but when I headed out, there was so little that I wanted. I came home with a mish-mash of things I needed and didn't need. Broom, mop, socks, milk - needed. Jalepeno tortilla chips and queso con salsa - not needed but delicious.

RL and I have spent many, many hours watching movies good and bad, as well as finalizing plans for the master bedroom (we've agreed upon a woodland/nature theme). I've got my eye on some groovy interior accents and plan to teach myself how to stencil this week. How hard can it be?

We are wrapping up 2008 at Nectar, a well-reviewed Asian-French Fusion joint out on the Main Line. Driven passed it a million times - finally, we'll be dining there. I'm a huge believer in doing something grand to bring in the New Year (although my fondest NYE memory was 01/01/2000 when the world DIDN'T go into freefall and the Apocalypse DIDN'T occur, but we had a delicious surf-and-turf "last supper" just in case it had).

(Photo courtesy of Nectar's website - sweet!)

Obamacation - Hawaiian Style!

2008-12-25T12:54:00.004-05:00

Now this photo encapsulates why Obama will be a great president. He has the spirit of Aloha within him; he can tap the tranquility of the Hawaiian waters to clear his mind and ease his worries. I know that, when I need to refresh my spirit, my first inclination is to head to the beach (ok, it's just the Jersey Shore, but it does the trick for me). When I see this photo of Obama, I feel that things might be alright for America after all. Is that simplistic thinking?

Bailoutrage

2008-12-22T09:04:00.006-05:00

(Photo courtesy of the NY Times - unlike banking jerks, I try not to steal from others...)

I wanted to want the bailout. I wanted to believe that by saving failing banks, we were saving ourselves. Instead, I find myself bail-outraged, especially after reading this morning's Philadelphia Inquirer which reveals just how banking moguls have been spending their cash handouts. Private limos, private jets, private financial advisers, private security personnel, relocation services, and obscene bonuses have been funded by your and my tax dollars. How ironic - these bigwigs hire private financial advisers - why? Because they know they couldn't rely on the unethical and/or incompetent advisers working at their own firms?

How much money is enough for these greedy bastards? How much luxury and excess does it take to satisfy them?

Around the blogosphere, writers are calling on the government to make the banks beg for their handout like they did the automakers. Instead, not only is there nillywilly throwing around of money, the banks are NOT even required to say what they are doing with it. Are they giving it to customers? Are they stockpiling it? Are they paying off their own loans? Or are they funding their own private empires and vices?

The San Francisco Chronicle goes into an froth-inducing detail about the absence of accountability:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2008/12/22/national/w000319S05.DTL

WTF? WTFU, people! We can only hope that Obama can halt the self-implosion and self-destruction of our country and economy - you didn't really think that GWB would exit the White House without one grand and final f**k-up, did you?

(Courtesy of Neatorama - actually for sale at their webstore for a bargain price of $10!)

2008: A Year In Review

2008-12-21T11:23:00.003-05:00

This is my second attempt at writing my annual review. At first, I began with a long-winded and meandering summary of buying my first house; this writing didn't feel authentic, more like forced and disjointed, like I was trying too hard. So I went back into my archives to see what I did last year, and I found a nice list documenting my life in 2007. It was so chipper. Self-inspiration.

So here we go.

In 2008, I...

...didn't work in January, February, March, July, and August. Time off was spent surviving radiation treatments and on summer vacation.

...bought my first house, a modest rowhome in the heart of Upper Darby. Yes, UD has a heart, albeit a shriveled one.

...started my fifth year as an inner city English teacher. I exclusively teach seniors, which includes the AP Lit class. I feel as though I have finally arrived!

...made a very comfortable salary, enough to buy a house and send my daughter to a cheeky little preschool.

...made my annual excursion to Cape Cod.

Overall, the best word to describe 2008 is PRODUCTIVE. I did alot, but the bulk of what I did was work. Unfortunately, it was hard work not fun work. Getting through this year was all about EFFORT. My goal for next year is to have MORE FUN. I'm thinking road trips, cultural events, music, art, and exercise. Let me know if you have anything fun in mind, and I might join ya! :)

From The Digerati Life Blog - Printer Giveaway - Yippee! Click right here to enter!

2008-12-18T23:02:00.004-05:00

2008-12-10T10:25:00.003-05:00

Your Goth Name is: Malady Chaos

But, truly, I have wept too much! The Dawns are heartbreaking. Every moon is atrocious and every sun bitter.

What's Your Goth Name?

A Venice Lagoon from "Postcard From Provence" - GORGEOUS

2008-12-07T19:34:00.003-05:00

There's something so wrong and yet so right about this dish - Sideshow Bob carved from a Mexican turnip and served as a side dish to salmon

2008-12-07T16:53:00.002-05:00

Sick Me.

2008-12-07T16:26:00.002-05:00

Talking about being sick is the oldest and lamest story in the book, but I am feeling sorry for myself, so I'll indulge anyway.

Last Thanksgiving weekend, Tabby was the sickie with her pink eye and her cold. This week, it's me with what I believe is the flu. All symptoms present - aches, pains, snot, headache, sore throat, fever, fatigue. I could feel it coming on Thursday evening but went to work the following day anyhow. By Friday, I was in tears from the back pain and fever. I woke Saturday morning and went to an excellent training at UPenn given by Charles Dwyer, PhD, on how to influence others to do what you want them to do using mind "tricks" - for lack of a better term. I sat as far from my colleagues as I could, but I fear that I may have transmitted my sickness anyhow. I apologize in advance, dear colleagues. It was utterly selfish of me to come to work so contagious.

RL made me a huge bowl of insanely spicy tom lam soup to purge my illness. It made me burn, choke, cough, and scream. Apparently, this means it's working.

It's tempting to go to work tomorrow and make my students sick. But I won't. Bed, medicine, tea, soup, and Netflix - till further notice.

Ms. K, you are the best teacher to write me a recommendation because...

2008-12-02T16:38:00.003-05:00

... I never disrespected you or cut your class.

... you teach me and my classmates a whole lot.

... you believe in me.

... you have always had my best interest on hand.

... you are a understanding loverbal and respectful teacher.

... I feel like you are a focus teacher who is deadiceded to her students so a recommendation from you would mean alot to me.

... I gave you my fully attention and up most respect.

... I know that you believe in me enough to know I will pass your class.

Weekend Weirdness

2008-11-30T13:13:00.003-05:00

The long Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a cold and wet close - really, if it's going to be this cold and wet, it should at least be snowing! Some observations from this weekend:

1. Tabby has pink eye again. It was so much easier to give her eye drops when she was little and couldn't fight back so much! My hope is that I don't get the pink eye too! Eek! Due to my imp's pink eyes, however, we reduced our plans from three Thanksgivings to just one. I was kinda looking forward to three! Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday.

2. We watched Madagascar last night. I have some issues with this movie, particularly a few of the zebra's lines, which include him shouting, "Sugar! Honey! Iced Tea!" as he is running down the beach and the phrase "crackalackin" to describe the African island (Am I the only one to hear this as cracker-lacking.... as in no white people?).

3. We also watched some Pink Panther cartoons last night - I WANT TO WATCH THE PINK MOVIE! Tabitha declared as we perused the Netflix VIEW INSTANTLY selections. It occurred to me, after watching a few cartoons, that I had never actually seen the Pink Panther before. It had NO WORDS, just the theme song playing over and over. I was equally captivated and disturbed.

4. I feel like there is too much to do and not enough time to do it. This is nothing new but seems more annoying than usual.

5. I had Malaysian food for the first time this weekend - the spicy, crispy squids were delicious, but the spicy prawn soup had way too much watercress and not enough spice or prawn.

Tomorrow's back to work, maybe, although I'm feeling some kind of ache and pain this afternoon - kids are so germy :(

Pillows? Cats? Mogwais in Waiting?

2008-11-23T13:55:00.002-05:00

To each her own, but I'll have to pass! I've already got 4 cats - these pillow look like a cloning experiment gone awry! Eek!

Sunday Mornings = Science Time!

2008-11-23T12:50:00.003-05:00

Every Sunday morning, I get my cup of coffee and sit down to read the Science Daily weekly round-up email newsletter. It's got about 200 headlines of the latest updates and advances in the expansive and varied field that is science. Among the news this week:

1. Nostalgia keeps you from feeling lonely, psychologists say. I'm still debating the relevance of this finding in my mind.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081112124422.htm

2. Women prefer men with facial scars for short-term relationships but unscarred men for long-term relationships. Hmm, interesting, but my personal experience has been the opposite - no wussy, smooth-skinned man for me! I like my guy to look like he's lived a little. I've found that my short-term relationships always involved a man without a "distinguished" face, whereas the ones who have stood by me the longest have that weathered look, similar to my own psyhical battle scars from cancer. I have found that the "beautiful" people don't know much about what it means to suffer physically and be stronger (but kinder) as a result.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081118081446.htm

3. A positive mood helps a person look towards the future with flexibility and openess. Now this headline I concur with! I have seen many people throughout my life who have focused on the negative, and many who have chosen to focus on the positive. These two groups of people live very different lives. I used to be in the negative group - life sucked, everyone was against me, there's no point to working hard for something, don't trust anyone, etc., etc. Over the last three years, yes, since I was first diagnosed with cancer, my worldview has gone from negative to positive - life is beautiful, people are on my side, working hard is worth the effort, people can be trusted. I have been fortunate over the last year to have received many blessings and successes in my life simply as a result of having a positive attitude and outlook - a new house, much more $$ at work, many new friends, acceptance to a Master's program, scholarships, part-time work as a book reviewer for a well-known publisher, clear test results and scans - for me, the way not to be stuck in my life has simply been to change my negative outlook to a positive one, and the world just opened up....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081117121229.htm

4. Individualism leads to problem drinking, researchers say. Very interesting! So the more independent and unconnected you feel to others, the more likely you are to drink. Maybe being one-of-a-kind is overrated then...?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081117121235.htm

5. Facebook pages can be used to detect narcissim. Presumably, this goes for Myspace too and any other personalized website service. I can't agree with this. If we can't share our best qualities and achievements with the world, then what are we supposed to share? Who else will brag about me if I don't? Am I supposed to keep quiet about the great things that I make happen in my life? Am I supposed to wait for someone to notice me and say, "Hey! Over here! Check her out!" Heck no - why would a person sit back and wait to be noticed? I don't think that showing your best side, especially on-line where the world of opportunity is open, is necessarily a judgment on one's levels of narcissim.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922135231.htm

As always, I'm loving the daily painting from "Postcard from Provence"

2008-11-23T12:31:00.003-05:00

Venice - who wouldn't love to see this beauty?

The Inspiration for Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" -

2008-11-22T12:10:00.003-05:00

Seriously, in Seattle, the sculpted muse for a song that I like when it first came out (although "Spoon Man" is a much better song in my opinion).

Field trip to the sun, anyone?

The Official Origin of Thanksgiving

2008-11-15T16:57:00.003-05:00

Click on this image to enlarge - the official government document declaring the national holiday of Thanksgiving, one of my most favorite holidays. I love the internet! There is nothing better than the smells of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie....

DC Attempts to Abolish Teacher Tenure - Bad Rhee!

2008-11-15T16:29:00.002-05:00

I feel for the Washington DC teachers under Michelle Rhee, their new chancellor of public schools. The problem is this - she wants to eliminate tenure with the enticement of more $$. As I see it, she lacks the long-term teaching experience to understand why teacher tenure is vital, and that an increased salary for teachers should be a given and not just an option.

Michelle Rhee was a Teacher For America teacher for a mere three years, and yet now she commands a $275,000 salary to run a school district serving thousands of low-income children who are taught by 10,000 teachers. While TFA is an admirable program, bringing in what amounts to temp help for hard-to-staff school districts, I see the drawbacks are greater than the benefits. TFA teachers don't go through the rigorous teacher education programs that lead to a college degree; their student teaching experience is limited if anything; they have no incentive to stay past the two years they sign up for; schools must cater to their complete newbieness with extra mentoring and resources and time that could be better spent assisting students rather than "teachers" who are out of the system as soon as possible.

If Michelle Rhee want to abolish teacher tenure, then I suggest she get back in the classroom to see EXACTLY what is going on. Perhaps she needs to teach one class a day of the toughest students in the Wahington DC SD. Then she can decide how reasonable her tenure elminiation plan is.

Personally, I would try a year without tenure guarantee just to see how my teaching practices would fare against the possibility of being fired. I know I do a great job in the classroom, but not every day is a great one (if my Assistant Principal would have been in my classroom during second period on Friday, she would have witnessed a half dozen girls screaming at the top of their lungs about something I couldn't quite understand the relevance of). I improve my instruction, because I believe in taking risks in the classroom, and I like to try knew things. I'm not always PC, but I get results. I'd take a chance of a $100K salary, but not everyone is like me, and not all teachers are risk-takers. And very few people, anyhow, are in teaching for the money, Ms. Rhee -

Post #1001: Things I'm Loving Right Now -

2008-11-15T14:10:00.006-05:00

1. Saturday Mornings/Afternoons: After a full and good night's sleep, the coffee tastes better, the news is more entertaining, the house is quieter (thank you, dearest grandparents of Tabby), and the time to write out my thoughts from the previous week week is, well, present. (Note: I have this mug, but this photo is courtesy of http://dlgdyer.blogspot.com/2007/10/niagara-falls-canada.html).

2. Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling: I've been branching out from my usual choice of the Yellowtail label and trying new wines. Hit the liquor superstore on City Avenue yesterday after work and sampled Francis Coppola's chardonnay (better than the chardonnay I've had in the past but still - eehh) before I began browsing for new choices. The Pacific Rim label is adorable, but would its taste match its cover? YES!! YES!! The sweet riesling was delicious. My new favorite.

3. Neutrogena Rainbath Deep Moisture Body Wash: With a soothing shea butter smell and tons of bubbles, this is by far the best body wash I've ever used. It costs a little more than I would normally pay, but I LOVE IT so much more than anything I have ever used before. Plus, since a little bit of body wash goes A LONG WAY in the suds department, I think I'm getting a far better deal.

4. Having a Student Teacher: Yes, indeed, further validation that I've got this teaching thing under control. A UPenn master's student who is pursing an English teaching degree will be working with me and my seniors for the rest of the year. From now through December, she'll be observing me and assisting me and preparing to take over two of my classes in January. This will free up some of my time to work on my National Board certification (which I am about a quarter of the way done). Plus, there is a small honorarium ($300 will help defray the costs of the ceiling fans we plan to install in the bedroom along with their high tech control system). Plus, my student teacher and I drive the same kind of car. Coincidence?

5. My Tabby Ham: Tabitha is too cute. While we were at my doctor's office this week, sitting in the exam room and waiting for my PCP to finish up with her other patient, Tabby and I read looking at a nursery rhyme book. UGH - I would usually think. We got to the page with "This little piggy..." on it. I began to sing the song over and over, and within 2 minutes, Tabby knew the entire song. The next day at Pre-K, she apparantly stood in front of her whole entire class and sang it for everyone! Broadway, here we come...

As I begin reading Frankenstein this week with my AP English class, I come across this great reading quote...

2008-11-12T21:12:00.002-05:00

The books which help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is by easy reading: but a great book that comes from a great thinker--it is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and with beauty.

-- THEODORE PARKER

Field trip to a cave restaurant in Santo Domingo, anyone?

2008-11-08T16:29:00.003-05:00

There is not much better than...

2008-11-06T22:13:00.002-05:00

...a UPenn Grad School of Education PhD sitting in on your senior English class while you are discussing and leading a discussion on the benefits, drawbacks, and consequences of telling the truth, and having her say that if all the teachers in the school did what you did, the school would be amazing. Damn. Objective feedback validating that I'm not crazy in my teaching practices. Very cool and uplifting to one's spirit after such a grueling two weeks.

The Day After - The Election NOT The Movie...

2008-11-06T21:50:00.002-05:00

I was fully elated the morning after the election, exhausted but awake, with the hopes of a beautiful new day ahead of me at school. The day turned out to be anything but. It was, by far, the worst day I had this entire school year. The young people were enthused, as was to be expected. They finally saw a strong, INTELLIGENT, black man reaching the pinnacle of power, not through brawn but through the power of speech. Clearly, to them, anything was now possible, that "the man" or the color of their skin was no longer an excuse they could use.

I attempted to take advantage of their passion and hoped for a teaching moment. It was great to see the exchanges between students in my first period class - one girl insisted that it really was not important that Obama was black (that was nice, she said, but not important). The key was that he was a Democrat. She held the position that many black people would have voted for Obama regardless of his political party, just to see a black man run the country, and that was a travesty to her. At the end of class, she told me that she is going to be a politician when she grows up. This made me smile proudly.

Unfortunately, the day degraded from there, as students ran the halls of the school, using a momentous and historical occasion as an excuse to create chaos and discord. Obama would have been disappointed. When the students were all finally corralled into the auditorium last period of the day, it was too little too late. Two thousand students singing the national anthem brought shivers up my back, but they bolted out the back door as soon as Obama's acceptance speech came on the screen. It broke my heart, the feeling of misrepresentation that knawed at me. Do the kids I teach really care that a man of their own ilk will be in the White House in two months? In my heart, I can't help but say no.

The Old Farmer's Almanac Two Month Forecast For Philly - I'm looking forward to snow, but the influence of global warming makes it unlikely.

2008-11-06T21:42:00.005-05:00

Atlantic Corridor

Annual Weather Summary
November 2008 to October 2009

Detailed 2009 Long-Range Forecast
for the Atlantic Corridor Region

Includes predictions for all or portions of Connecticut (Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury), Delaware (Bear, Dover, Hockessin, Newark, Wilmington), District of Columbia (Friendship Heights, Washington), Maryland (Baltimore, Columbia, Dundalk, Ellicott City, Silver Spring), Massachusetts (Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Springfield, Worcester), New Jersey (Edison, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson), New York (Brentwood, Hempstead, New Rochelle, New York, Yonkers), Pennsylvania (Chester, Levittown, Norristown, Philadelphia, Radnor), Rhode Island (Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick), Virginia (Alexandria, Arlington, Hampton, Newport News, Richmond).

Despite a mild November, this winter will be colder and snowier than normal, with near or above-normal precipitation. The coldest temperatures will occur in mid-December, early January, and early February. The snowiest periods will be in early and mid-December, early January, early and late February, and early March.

April will be slightly cooler than normal, with near-normal rainfall. May will be very warm and dry.

Below-normal rainfall will continue through the summer, with the threat of a significant drought. The one benefit from a late August hurricane would be some much-needed rainfall. Temperatures will be below normal, on average, with the hottest periods in June and mid-July.

September and October will be cooler and drier than normal.

Detailed Forecast for the Next Two Months

November 2008

Avg. Temperature: 51° (3° above avg.)
Precipitation: 4" (0.5" above avg.)
Nov. 1-2: Stormy, heavy rain
Nov. 3-10: Sunny, seasonable
Nov. 11-17: Scattered showers, mild
Nov. 18-21: Sunny, cool
Nov. 22-24: Heavy rain, mild
Nov. 25-30: Showers and flurries, cool

December 2008

Avg. Temperature: 33° (5° below avg.)
Precipitation: 2.5" (0.5" below avg.)
Dec. 1-3: T-storms, mild
Dec. 4-10: Snow, then sunny, cold
Dec. 11-16: Snow, then sunny, very cold
Dec. 17-21: Periods of snow, seasonable
Dec. 22-25: Sunny, very cold
Dec. 26-29: Rain and snow, then sunny, mild
Dec. 30-31: Rain, mild

Temperature and Precipitation
November 2008 to October 2009

Tabsmom Recounts An Awesome Election Day

2008-11-04T21:46:00.002-05:00

The last time I voted, my daughter was 3 weeks old. It was a horrible time. My (late) husband was attempting with inevitable futility to hold onto sobriety. He actually drove the two of us to and from the polls heavily intoxicated. Deprived of sleep from caring for a newborn child, I didn't realize until it was too late. The evening ended in chaos and terror - breaking and entering, physical abuse, police, restraining order - a true travesty.

Four years later, my life is dramatically different - I have suffered loss, I have triumphed the ravages of disease, I have traversed the landscape of love and arrived at a wonderfully satisfying destination, I have a home of my own, I am on the verge of major career growth and achievement. All these beautiful moments culminated in today's presidential election.

I was fortunate this morning to attend a workshop of UPenn's Graduate School of Education about the issue of trust. Trust is a very tricky matter. Just this week, I personally came to distrust someone in my social circle - if one cannot keep their word, does not show respect for themselves or others, indulges in demeaning conversation, and breaks promises, how can that person be trusted? I have worked hard over the years to become a trusted employee and co-worker at the high school where I work - very few people, if any, would have a bad word to say about me. The key to being trusted is being likeable, not as in a popularity contest, but some who comes across as genuine, caring, concerned, and compassionate. I am a likeable person - this is not to brag but comes as a result of concerted efforts to interact socially with my colleagues. Likeability is the reason that Obama is going to become our next president - how could you NOT like the guy?

I stopped into the Fresh Grocer after the workshop and got myself a delicious spicy salmon roll sushi lunch. It was so fresh that it couldn't have been made more then 15 minutes prior. Such a wonderful lunch set the tone for the rest of the day.

We were fortunate enough to be let out of work 15 minutes early - BARACK THE VOTE bellowed through the halls as teachers made their way home to vote. I had promised myself that I would be in line at my polling location by 3 p.m. I did one better than that. There was no line when I arrived. I showed my ID, signed my name, and stepped into the booth. There were no memories of the last election. I choked up when I saw the name BARACK OBAMA; the print was so simple; in my mind, that was the only choice. I was surprised to see Nader and Barr available as choices. Nader? Barr? Why did you bother? On the way out, I asked a long-time local about the recycling schedule. I was home by 3 p.m.

The house was quiet. I actually had some moments to myself in uninterupted silence. I searched for preliminary results, but none were to be found.

Off to pick up Tab from Pre-K (hey, it's more than daycare now!) to get dinner and head to gymnastics. "Chinese Booooofay!" was an option, but it was slightly out of our way. So we hit Heng's Thai in Springfield, slightly overpriced but delicious nonetheless. I enjoyed a Thai Iced Tea, Shrimp Shumai, and BBQed Calamari. Tabby partook in ginger ale, rice, and shredded carrots. I topped off my meal with a free "I VOTED" coffee from Starbucks. I don't care what people say, Starbucks is alright in my book.

I can't write anymore. I am crying.

BARACK OBAMA IS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Clementine @ Postcard Form Provence: Refreshing!

2008-11-04T15:28:00.001-05:00

Have you?? Only 4.5 hours to go!! Get on it!!

2008-11-04T15:23:00.003-05:00

[Credit to today's AFL-CIO e-newsletter!]

A Week In The Life Of Tabsmom

2008-11-01T15:17:00.003-04:00

Sunday 10/26: A glitch in Verizon's cell phone system flips the time in my clock back an hour for Daylight Savings Time. Great. I fix it manually. I stay up late to watch the Phillies cream Tamp Bay in the World Series. I don't even like baseball, but you've got to root, root, root for the home team.

Monday 10/27: It's light out when I wake up. Damn! Verizon flips the time on my cell phone back while I'm sleeping, and I'm an hour late for work. My excuse sounds stupid even to me. During the day, I get a voice mail from Radio 104.5. I call them back and find out I WON TICKETS TO FILTER'S CONCERT AND WILL MEET THEM IN PERSON! I have to pull off the road to control my excitement. No one should drive and win free concert tickets. I stay up to watch the Phillies again, and I fix the time on my phone.

Tuesday 10/28: Damn! I wake up and the weather is horrible. I think it's 6 a.m., but it's really 7 a.m. Stupid Verizon. I'm an hour late for work again. Thank goodness my first class isn't until 9:30 a.m. Despite the freezing rain, many kids show up for school. I book out at the end of the day to pick up my concert tickets from the radio station and hit Target for an umbrella and camera batteries. Meet concert companion at the Hard Rock Cafe at 5 p.m. Have a Sam Adams Black Lager in my had by 5:30 p.m. Meet the band at 6 p.m. Eat delicious lamb burgers by 7 p.m. Rock out to Electric Touch and Filter. Flash my VIP pass to get a few more beverages and snacks. I am home and in bed by 11 p.m. feeling extremely satisfied.

(Why, YES! That IS ME with the lead singer of Filter! Thanks for noticing!)

Wednesday 10/29: YES! We are the champions! I don't think I could have taken another late night watching baseball.

(Filter's frontman rocking the Phillies baseball cap...)

Thursday 10/30: Half the teachers call out, and I am stuck babysitting kids all day. People at work are excited about the victory but not in a nice way. We wait for a school cancellation notice that never comes. The students are crazy, fights break out all over the building, and I really just want this week to be over. I fall asleep at the dinner table.

Friday 10/31: I send Tabby to school dressed as a princess. There are many other princesses at her school as well. In the meantime, at my school, chaos ensues (students jump out of windowns, literally). We have a lockdown to get things under control. Some schools in Philly are closed, but the majority remain open (Why, Dr. Ackerman???). Today is a huge waste of time and utilities. We all would have been better served having a day off. As nighttime rolls around, I'm ready to bag trick-or-treating and let my mom take Tab around the neighborhood, but seeing her in her Lil' Bo Peep costume persuades me to stay. It's a blast, and the fresh air does me good.

(So spoiled. Two costumes for Halloween, by day a princess, by night Bo Peep.)

(Lil' Bo Peep has lost her sheep and needs a big bag of candy to feel better.)

Saturday 11/1: A settled Saturday today. Time to reflect and write. Phew.

Patrick Swayze and I have something in common...

2008-11-01T14:37:00.003-04:00

It saddened me deeply last year to learn about Patrick's pancreatic cancer. Such a low survival rate, such an iconic actor. This week's NY Times, however, had an inspirational story about his progress. Patrick continues to work hard on the set of his latest show and is already signed up for a second season. TRIUMPHANT! He's gaining back all the weight he lost during chemo, and his spirit remains positive that he's beat the beast (ironically, this is the name of his new show!).

He and I are kindred spirits in work ethic. When I began chemo back in August 2005, I was truly prepared for the worst, the wasting away, the depression, the aches, pains, and nausea. Very few of these side effects came to bear. Even losing all my hair wasn't so bad - see cute cancer cap photos from December 2005 archives. What I did to combat the potential depression of cancer and being a widow that year was CONTINUE TO WORK. Work meant I was alive, living through its frustrations and small victories meant that I was taking full advantage of every bit of life I was given. I imagine that is what Patrick is going through, that hard work equals squeezing every drop of life out of the time he has. A cancer patient/survivor puts on the appearance of strength and positivity for several reasons:

a. Fake it till you make it. The courage you project to the world outside will eventually be real inside. I am so much stronger than I ever thought I could be.

b. Those who have not suffered cancer need to be protected from its painful realities. That sounds harsh and likely patronizing, but it is true. Do my friends and family really need to know the explicit details of my pain, sadness, anxieties? No. To what end would that information benefit them or me?

I'm celebrating my recent round of clean and clear tests. Several weeks ago, my tri-monthly visit to my oncologist revealed clean blood tests and CT scans. My next check is in six months. Shit, I might just make it out alive.

Beauty from Pottery Barn!

2008-11-01T12:52:00.002-04:00

Ever since I began to get serious about photography, I've been much more focused on the beauty of the visual. Before, as an English teacher, the written word dominated my focus. Now, it's all about the images for me. I wonder if that is the result of my immense access to visual beauty via the Internet or if my chemo-induced ADD means I can't focus on written words for too long a period of time anymore. I suppose it really doesn't matter. One's interests and personality change.... thank goodness for that.

Behold these beauties from Pottery Barn, a most perfect Christmas gift if I have ever seen one (hint, hint, friends and family!). The more I see images of dragonflies, the more I love them. Seeing them darting towards one's face at full speed is a different story, however...

Ok, so maybe there are some good things in Seattle:

2008-11-01T12:42:00.004-04:00

From the NY Times Travel Section:
In Fremont, beneath the busy Aurora Bridge, a two-ton troll crouches beneath a support wall, staring with his one eye and squashing a Volkswagen Bug in his left hand.

Seriously, we need a troll in Philly. We are the capital of grumps and public art. Grumpy public art is a natural segue!

My Tabitha Is Four - A Photo Rewind

2008-10-26T20:54:00.003-04:00

Blowing out the candles on her fourth birthday!

Turning three at home on the floor with flowers, a magic wand, and a Sneetch...

Turning terrible two, evil indeed!

So serious at one year old...

20 minutes old with her father...

Not your kid's treehouse...

2008-10-25T16:43:00.003-04:00

I love houses that are out of the ordinary. Now that I have a boyfriend who is skilled in demolition and building, and a few trees our front of my new house, maybe a grown-up treehouse isn't so far out of reach. I love the walkway on this little abode!

The Endangered Unagi

2008-10-25T16:14:00.002-04:00

Many years ago, right before I met Nathan, I briefly dated an ex-military telecommuncations dude who introduced me to sushi. He ended up stalking me for months later, and Nathan had to take him out in a street brawl (nothing like a man defending a woman's honor!), but my love for sushi remained. Over the years, I have literally spent thousands of dollars on sushi, and nearly every penny has been worth it. Occasionally, sure, I'll get a bad piece, but overall, sushi is something I cannot live without.

Behold now, the new guidelines on sustainable sushi. Dammit it! I'm all about saving the world through personal responsibility, but tuna and unagi are delicious, and it breaks my heart to give them up.

Could one little piece of unagi really tip the scale towards their extinction? Just like Pringles, you can't each just one piece of sushi, so maybe it could. Guess it's time to retrain my palate and get used to sirimi rolls....

Buy a Florida Key!

2008-10-25T15:48:00.002-04:00

If you ever dreamed of owning your own Key, here is your chance - if you have $5 million anyway. I get the monthly listings of world-wide islands for sale from privateislandsonline.com. This is obviously not one of those "practical" emails, but the fantasy of owning my own island is irresistible. Who DOESN'T want their own island?? And surprisingly, if you don't mind the cold, there is the occasionally affordable Canadian island for sale for less than the price of a luxury car (Mercedes or private island - I know which one I'd pick!).

It's a gloomy weather day here in Philly - the World Series is likely to be postponed this evening, and I am procrastinating starting my school work. Nothing like a little fantasizing about tropical islands to pass the time....

My first post in 10 days, and....

2008-10-23T21:15:00.003-04:00

...it's cake. A $3 million painting of a dozen slices of cake. Shoot, with this economy, I'd lick the bottom of someone's shoe for $3 million, and the carrot cake mix I bought this week was still overpriced at $1.50.

Still, there is something kitschy and cute about this painting. Sotheby's Auctions, of course, as if I would settle for less! :)

Truly, why?

2008-10-13T20:37:00.001-04:00

Deelish and Gorgeous @ Postcard From Provence:

2008-10-13T10:02:00.002-04:00

I see these daily paintings, and I think to myself, "I must go to France one day."

I would love to have...

2008-10-09T23:10:00.002-04:00

...this precious hummingbird bangle bracelet. So precious and girly. Simply adorable.

Um, what the heck is this horrible thing??

2008-10-04T17:00:00.002-04:00

And with a price tag of over $1500, who in their right mind would buy it? Hideous!

I love the NY Times, but sometimes I think...

2008-10-04T15:41:00.006-04:00

Hey, I take pictures just as good as these. Why doesn't the NY Times hire me? Below, some nice pics from their recent slide show on Nebraska. Nice but not extraordinary. How do I get hired?

Let's break this down:

Their waterfall shot...

My waterfall shot...

Their tongue pic...

My tongue pic...

Their tree pic...

My tree pic...

So how does a budding amateur get a photo gig these days?

I Dare You To Top This Life...

A New Normal - My Guest Post for the SAMFund Blog

Lucky to be a tenured teacher (with National Board Certification)

Five Years Ago...

Here is the result of a perfect Indian Summer Day -

Because "Gatsby" is not a great book - Really, it's not...

Arts & Crafts Shopping Inspiration

Thank you, Friends' Central Lower School, for today's musings:

And Another - The Result of Meditating in the Shower

I've decided to write a poem every day. Day 2:

My First Poem In About Five Years - For Real (Thank You, Inspiration)

Another Waste of a Lawsuit

It's Just You & Me, Blog...

School Year 2008-2009: By The Numbers

Dear Dunkin Donuts on City Line & Haverford Avenues:

Because I have worked too much and not had enough fun...

My Entry for the Google Photo Contest

My Entry for the Google Photo Contest

Picasso's Southern France Studio - Open to the public at last!

As always, I'm loving the artwork @ Postcard From Provence: Dark & Delicious!

Beautiful Brazilian Cuisine (courtesy of the NY Times Travel Section)

100,000 Strong - Race for the Cure - Philly Style

I'm all over the web!

Movie Review (and Waxing Philosophical): Life After People

Sweet-kend!

Spring Break - A Week in the Life of...

Chagall @ Sotheby's Auction - Lovin' It!

More delicious painitings from Postcard From Provence

My Surreal World - A List of Happenings, Sightings, and Oddities

Coolest Hammock Evah!

Super Sunny Saturday

DONE! My National Board Portfolio....

As always, I'm loving the art from "Postcard From Provence"

School Improvement & San Diego Sunsets

Thoughts on Flying Cross-Country.... A PhotoJournal

Well, this looks a little egotistical, but....

You are The High Priestess

I'm Loving the Artwork up for Auction at Sotheby's - Illuminating!

Georgeous Postcard From Provence! Love the Olive Oil Bottle!

My Philadelphia - submitted to National Geographic's Intelligent Travel Blog

Field Trip To Norway, Anyone?

So torn over the state of education...

Word Discovery! RL would agree - this is the perfect word to describe our conversations....

One of the (Few) Benefits of Being a Teacher...

Love this tiny artwork by Tracy Mastro!

Snow Storms and CT Scans (I Luv Alliteration!)

65* and sunny in San Diego

Real Simple for your Desktop

Some Inaugural Thoughts

You need a $100 Target Gift Card....

The True Meaning of Sacrifice By Emine Saga

Sleep to Save the Planet

One Thing at a Time: The Sky

Pecuniarities wants you to read the Wall Street Journal....

Some field trips I'd love to take:

A Positive Plug For Citizens Bank

Obviously, I knew this....

As winter break draws to a close....

Obamicorn!

Artwork and Observations

Patricia Waller Isn't Right...

Things I Didn't (Need To) Know:

Holidaze....

Obamacation - Hawaiian Style!

Bailoutrage

2008: A Year In Review

From The Digerati Life Blog - Printer Giveaway - Yippee! Click right here to enter!

A Venice Lagoon from "Postcard From Provence" - GORGEOUS

There's something so wrong and yet so right about this dish - Sideshow Bob carved from a Mexican turnip and served as a side dish to salmon

Sick Me.

Ms. K, you are the best teacher to write me a recommendation because...

Weekend Weirdness

Pillows? Cats? Mogwais in Waiting?

Sunday Mornings = Science Time!

As always, I'm loving the daily painting from "Postcard from Provence"

The Inspiration for Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" -

The Official Origin of Thanksgiving

DC Attempts to Abolish Teacher Tenure - Bad Rhee!

Post #1001: Things I'm Loving Right Now -

As I begin reading Frankenstein this week with my AP English class, I come across this great reading quote...

Annual Weather Summary
November 2008 to October 2009

Temperature and Precipitation
November 2008 to October 2009