Stressed!

Things at my school have been a little crazy since we returned from Spring Break. For one, we had an entire day of air conditioning....yes, just one! It seems to be a recurring "thing" each year, but still! My Relay for Life team is 23 (now more like 22) days from our event and are working way hard to reach our goal, and it's making me a little frazzled...

So, to get it off my chest, here are 7 vents that will make me feel better. Most of them school related, but you get the idea.

1. HEAT!! I cannot think clearly when the air in my classroom is so thick that you're practically swimming in it. There's the constant (new to each kid who walks in) observation "it's hot in here". Yeah, do you think no one else has noticed? Trust me, we know.

2. TV/DVD units without remotes. Seriously?! How am I supposed to find the important parts of the video I'm showing (Dead Poets Society) without a remote to guide the disc? Well, if I had other, newer technology..oh wait...I don't.

3. Math. Yes, math stresses me out. We're constantly calculating and recalculating our Relay total because we have some major incentives in the works if we make our goal. So, the "how much have we raised" question comes up more than I like. And when you can't even run a calculator correctly, things don't always add up...literally ;)

4. The Royal Snub. I was at a Relay meeting this week and was snubbed by someone who (I thought) was pretty much obligated to tolerate me; heck, I even thought I was liked (occasionally) by this person. The worst part: it's a relative. When did I become beneath even a simple hello?

5. Good people don't get enough credit (and I don't mean me). There are some really awesome people at my school; there are also not-so-awesome people. It seems to me that the people who really make our school "go" are the ones that no one notices, because things just happen. Do people really just think things happen on their own? Let me fill you in: someone has to do them. Just because it isn't you doesn't mean it's the school "fairies" that do it. Real people give up their time to do things, and those same real people have real feelings. To those people: SHOUT OUT! YOU ROCK! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

6. Spring Fever. I've got it; full blown. I'm ready to get OUT of school for the year and enjoy the nice weather. I mean, if I'm going to burn up like I'm at the beach, I'd like to at least be on a beach in my swimsuit with a nice tan.

7. And finally....have I mentioned it's hot in my classroom? Is the heat frying my brain? Possibly. But I can't end this post on a negative; I'm really fortunate to have great coworkers and people to collaborate with on school tasks and otherwise. There are people in my building that I feel are family, and I will sweat it out in what I have coined "The Historic District" of our school (read: the oldest part with things that don't work) if it means I get to work with them. I also have some pretty awesome students, too.

**Takes deep, cleansing breath**

Ahhh, that's better :)

I Need to Vent...

I've been away from the world of blogging for a good bit of time, and while I haven't been writing I have most certainly been thinking. This morning I was browsing on Facebook and ran across the profile of someone I graduated with from high school. Now, I don't keep up with much on Facebook unless it's someone that I'm close to, but there are things that catch my eye. Today it caught my eye that this person has recently become engaged. On the surface this seems well and good, and maybe it just hit me the wrong way this morning, but I looked at Johnathan and said "I feel a blog post coming on".

So, here's my issue: this person I know from high school was a total charmer. He had the looks, a great personality and incredible talent. Along the way he fell into a spiral of dangerous substances and we lost touch before high school ever ended, and I remember thinking through the years that it was too bad he made such poor choices, because he had so much potential. Then he popped up on Facebook a few years ago and I discovered that he had gotten married and his wife was having a baby. Maybe things were looking up. But no, that marriage fell apart and now he's moved on to another woman, one who also has children. None of his personal choices have anything to do with my issue, though. I told you that to tell you this:

I am so frustrated by the fact that some people can use and abuse the idea and practice of marriage while others cannot even plan a wedding. I'm disappointed that couples who are committed to each other cannot make that commitment public and legal in front of loved ones because of who they love. I'm incensed that the same people who proclaim love and grace and forgiveness also proclaim sin, death and condemnation. Yet, any straight person can get married over and over and over inside of a church and in the eyes of the law but my gay friends cannot. My gay friends cannot get married and enjoy the benefits of being a committed couple (legally) but people who have abused and misused the privilege of this commitment can, even the ones who were unfaithful to their previous spouse and left grief, anger and despair (sometimes in the form of children) in the wake of their destruction. I'm appalled that somewhere in what I'm laying out there's the potential for a thread of "logic" from the opposition.

I'm not talking about someone who was the victim of infidelity marrying again, nor am I talking about anyone who lost a spouse. My issue is with people who marry and divorce and marry again (and again and again) without any regard for the seriousness of the commitment they are making. We live in a temporal world..."this will work for now" is more of our mentality than "this will work, period." I didn't make a promise to my husband that I would be by his side until I got bored, or met someone new, or built a better second life for myself or the myriad of other reasons marriages fall apart. No, I promised my husband all of me for all of my life, forever. He promised me the same. Should he be unfaithful to me (not that I can even fathom it) then eventually I should be able to move on and marry again if I see fit. In my mind, though, despite its legality he has abused the sanctity of marriage in a way that gay couples cannot, primarily because they can't get married to start with, but beyond that because he has taken the promises that we made for granted, broken them and expects to make them again to someone else regardless of what he has done before. Some churches call that grace, when asked for in the correct context. I can't see it. Maybe it's because I have my own issues with marriage and religion (separately and together), or maybe it's because I just can't wrap my head around the idea that some people can have more and more while others get nothing. Where is our sense of balance?

If you have a license to drive, and you are continually destructive, break the rules and/or cause harm to others, you lose your privilege to drive. Why would we treat that more seriously than the destruction of our hearts? If they are truly ours to give, and the government shouldn't tell us what to believe or how to practice, then why should they tell us who we can commit ourselves to for life? And to think, all of this from a Facebook post...

Decisions, Decisions

Life is full of tough decisions. Anyone who has truly lived knows this. Every day we make decisions about where to go, what to do and who to surround ourselves with; each of those decisions has a consequence, either positive or negative.

This week, I have made some tough decisions. One of the decisions that I have made is to give up my part time job teaching at the local Community College. I didn't approach this decision lightly or as a result of overwhelming emotion. I had to make a choice to allow myself the space I need to be really, really good at the things that are most important to me.

Some of my colleagues and I had a conversation after school not too long ago about jobs, especially those in education. We concluded that we work in a profession where one can compromise marriage, family, personal commitments and even health only to be told that it wasn't enough. We are told we could have done more, said something else, made one more phone call and the list goes on. Or, we can step back and say, "hey, this is a job. I am paid to do it." Sometimes we have to draw a line in the sand for the sake of our sanity.

I don't ever want to see my position as a teacher as "just" a job. What I do has meaning; it has value. Sometimes I'm not sure where that value is, and other times I know I did something that matters. I've found myself disappointed in a lot of the results that I have been getting at both jobs, and something tells me that I'm not giving enough of myself to either of them. Splitting myself benefits no one, especially (selfishly) me. If I'm looking at my future and I see a family, I want to have time to be really great at being a mom just like I want to be really great at being a teacher. One can only stretch themselves so thin before something snaps. Something had to give. I have to get back to me: the reader, the writer, the amateur photographer and the happier person I used to be. I think I'm taking a step in the right direction, even if it was a tough call to make.

I can be terribly non-confrontational when it comes to some things, but choosing myself in this instance was not one of those times. I chose my family, I chose my free time, I chose my hobbies.


I chose myself.

Disappearance, Diagnosis, Determination

In 3 parts:

Disappearance: Yes, I disappeared. For 6 months. I know when I do crawl out from under my two jobs and my good relationships and my non-profit work that I usually spin an entire post writing about how I'm going to be better. But I rarely make good on it for too long. So, I'm skipping it. Confession: I disappeared.

Diagnosis: Part of my new personal chaos is a diagnosis of Diabetes. The condition runs in my family and so part of me had known that it was only a matter of time, though I was definitely giving myself 20 more years before I would have to face it. But here it is, and here I am. I've been through diabetes education courses, multiple appointments and I have a good care team and good treatment plan. Right now it involves daily injections and medication but I'm hoping with diet and exercise (ugh!) I can get this thing under control.

Determination: I'm not one to make resolutions in the way of New Year, New Me, or anything like that. However, I am one to set my mind to things and see them through. So, I'm determined to work on myself first this year, more than anything else. I love my family, friends, co-workers and such but this year has to be about my own well being. I cannot do this work without a strong support system and I know I have it. So, I'm going to blog when I can. I'm not going to chain myself to this blog or any kind of writing push this year. I'm going to write when I can, about what I can. I'll post photos of what I can, when I can. When I need a space to work things out, you can count on finding me here. This is not a farewell address by any means, but I'm giving myself a break to work on me. I'll catch you on the other side :)

Wrapping It Up

The school year is over. As of tomorrow, I am officially on summer vacation. That means travel, soaking up the sun and lots of reading. But before I get to that I'm looking back over the year to find the accomplishments of 2011-2012:

10 Things that deserve a pat on the back in 2011-2012

1. Helped kids get into big name (and small name) colleges and universities
2. Raised over SEVEN THOUSAND dollars for Relay for Life
3. Started teaching at Gaston College and made it through my first semester
4. Published my second yearbook with little drama
5. Started my photography business taking photos of prom, graduation, etc.
6. Watched my favorite senior girls become high school grads
7. Adjusted to new administration, new procedures and managed to adapt
8. Recruited an awesome yearbook staff for next year
9. Met lots of YA authors
10. Survived! Another school year in the books :)

Give yourself a minute to look back at what you have accomplished in the last year; give yourself a little love!

The times...

They are a'changin'

The only thing I know I've been able to count on is that nothing is fixed or permanent. My life (like most) has been a continuous set of ups and downs, joy and heartbreak, anger and forgiveness, you get the idea.

For the last 5 years I have built this little network of people that I love and am willing to share my life with. During these years I have managed to build new relationships and strengthen (some) older ones. I've been pretty darn happy between my stable marriage, a good job and a loving support network of people. That, too, is now changing.

My closest friend, maybe even the person I've been closest to in my entire adult life other than my husband, has taken a new job at a high school on the North Carolina coast in the Morehead City area. The school itself is one of North Carolina's best academically and has a super strong arts program and many financial resources. In short, it's a band director's dream gig. Oh, and the location isn't so bad either.

I find myself torn into two distinct pieces: one part of me is beyond excited for him. I know that professionally this is something most people only dream about in terms of finding a job that suits them perfectly and can support them adequately, and education is no exception. I am confident that he will go on and be successful with a new group of students and parents in a new town.

But then, there's this selfish part of me that doesn't want to give up my friend. Most of my close friends live at least 2 hours away and it has been so nice to have someone so close geographically. Our friendship is atypical; we're probably closer than most adult friends are. And now it's all...changing.

I don't know how things will go after July 1 when all the boxes are packed and moved. But I know that change can be good, if I let it.

Relay for Life 2012

Before I begin I have to admit something: I am ambitious. Sometimes to the point that I create situations that seem impossible. This is one of the times that I thought I had bitten off more than I could possibly chew.

For the last three years I have been a captain for a Relay for Life team. For anyone who isn't familiar, Relay is an organization that raises money for the American Cancer Society. The event is set for a Friday night and Saturday morning and members of the community form teams, usually through schools, churches, businesses, etc. These groups can also be family groups who Relay for a certain person. For 2 years our team was named in Johnathan's honor, but this year I thought bigger. Why not create a team for my high school to honor all of our faculty survivors and give our students a cause to rally around?

That's how Rebels with a Cause was born.

In my ambition I set our fundraising goal at $5,000. Please keep in mind that while that doesn't seem like much money when you consider that research and medical progress is incredibly expensive, it is an incredibly large amount to raise in a small community where a high percentage of our students are socio-economically disadvantaged.  It was a lofty goal; it seemed impossible.

But we did it.

Today, our total nears $5,500 for a world where cancer is a thing of the past. Our Relay event was held this past Friday, May 4 and Saturday May 5. I could not be more proud of what we accomplished as The Little Relay Team That Could.

 Team WLHS: Rebels with a Cause

 One of my dearest co-workers, a great friend and a SURVIVOR!

Johnathan and me in our team shirts. He is my reason to RELAY!

A Spring Wedding

My and Johnathan's close friend Ronnie was married the last weekend in April in Blowing Rock, NC. It was a beautiful day for a wedding and we were very happy to celebrate this big step in his life. Before the wedding we had an opportunity to snap a few photos.

Johnathan, my most handsome groomsman

Beautiful backdrop!

After the ceremony there was more time for fun photographs. When Johnathan and I were married Ronnie gave the bride a kiss; it was my turn to return the favor! The guys all looked so nice for the ceremony.

After the wedding we headed to the reception at Troy's 105 Diner in Boone. One of the waitstaff was kind enough to take our photo before we went inside. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, and we have so many great photos to enjoy from the weekend!

SOLSC: Go Go Go

Whoa! Where did this week go? I came to the blog to check out the ones I follow and my last post was last Monday. Sigh. How did I fall off the SOLSC boat so quickly? Time to catch up with what's been happening this week, even though it's only going to be one post. Tuesday was a crazy day, as in where did I put all the stuff I did in so little time? After a full school day I shot Senior Superlative photos for another hour, attended a Relay for Life meeting for an hour and then had dinner out with David. It was a nice way to relax after running around like mad for the day. Wednesday I worked, caught up with my dear co-worker Stephanie and headed to another high school in our district to hear David's band play for their State adjudication. Woohoo, they earned a Superior!! Just another great day at the office, I suppose ;) Thursday I worked, taught my two night clasaes and then had a late dinner before seeing the Hunger Games at midnight. I learned a lot about myself that night: I am too old for a midnight premiere1 It took a lot to stay awake between the end of my second job and when the movie started. It didn't help that we went to a really nice theater an hour away to see the movie; it was almost 4:00am (yes, you saw that right) when I finally got into bed Friday morning. Needless to say, worth every minute! Friday (once I stirred) Johnathan and I set off for Greensboro to visit with our friends and their new baby. This was the first time we met Genevieve and she could not be sweeter. For 8 days old she was pretty tolerant of all the "I want the baby" that was going around. She's so cute and my friends are doing great as parents. Saturday, bringing us full circle, we did some shopping in Greensboro before watching an indoor percussion performance. My best friend is bascially a band program rock star: his group won first place in their class! The show itself is great: it's based on computers which held Johnathan's attention while I watched for other performance elements. Congratulations, love! We're home and settled back in with our little dog, who may not speak to us for a while because we left her at the kennel to spend the night Friday. I've been on the go all week and am looking forward to relaxing tomorrow as I prepare for a short school week; 3 days then an early release day Thursday followed by a workday Friday. Let the chaos begin!

SOLSC: Greeting Cards

Yesterday my husband and I went out running the usual "get ready for the work week" errands and one of the places that is always on my list is Target. One of our not-so-usual errands was to pick up a bridal shower gift for next weekend, as one of Johnathan's good friends is getting married at the end of April. Luckily the couple registered at Target and picking up some goodies was a snap!

I am passionate about gift giving. There is something about knowing that you have picked out just the right item for someone that you know they are going to love. This makes the holidays really exciting for me, but probably frustrating and exhausting for Johnathan, as I will shop over and over for the same person until I find the gift for them. The rest of the year I have this other problem: greeting cards.

I'm going to go ahead and attribute (blame) my addiction to greeting cards on my addiction to the written word. I know there are lots of much more gifted wordsmiths than myself, but not just anyone writes just the right greeting card, issuing a challenge to me year-round. What draws me to them, mostly, is the blank space on the left side when the card is open: that's where I get to do my own wordsmith-ing. I can fill up that blank side with all kinds of sap!

What began as a grab a shower gift (now it still had to be the right one) run to Target became me reading card after card. I found a bridal card that is so tongue-in-cheek like me, then I found a card to send to my brother and his wife congratulating them on their new house (I didn't even know such a card existed), then I found the sweetest little card for my friends who just had a baby that I wanted to include with the Welcome to the World gifts I have stocked up to take when I see them this weekend, and THEN I found a perfect card for one of my dearest friends...just because.

I have always fancied myself a (however amateur) writer, and greeting cards have acted as a spark for me to put pen to paper (or cardstock) for years. When I write, I'm giving part of myself away to the person who ultimately reads my words, and that is not a responsibility I take lightly, just as I value giving the right gift and the right card. Sometimes, it's much more important that we give the right words.

SOLSC: Rainy Sunday Morning

I woke up earlier than I normally would on a weekend morning today. The sky was grey, the kind of grey that whispers you back to sleep. The sound of rain on my roof, but thankfully no longer in my attic, eased me into the haze where dreams and reality merge. I turned the pillow over to the cooler side, feeling the chill against my cheek, reminding me that there is plenty of day left to enjoy.

I looked over at my husband, who was still sleeping and thought about how easy it was to enjoy this simple moment, watching his chest rise and fall. I know we all say that people are so peaceful when they sleep, but my husband is usually a warrior all night: wrestling and snoring and kicking. Not now. Now he is sleeping quietly, completely unaware that I am watching him, contemplating how this little life of ours turned out to be pretty close to perfect.

In this moment I am not making a list of all the things I have to do before the work week begins tomorrow. I am not thinking about the pile of laundry in the hallway or the dishes in the sink. Yes, the yard needs to be mowed and the grocery list needs to be made and there are a myriad of household chores to be completed. But under a grey sky, the gentle sound of rain echoes the stillness in my mind, encouraging me to slow down, breathe in this beautiful moment and embrace it.

SOLSC: Road Block

I've hit the wall.
I cannot for the life of me come up with anything to write about today. So, I suppose I'll just write about not having anything to write about; that's what I tell my students to do when they get stuck.

It's not that I haven't done anything today; in fact, I got off the couch and had brunch with my family to celebrate my brother's 24th birthday today. My husband and I took off and did some shopping at Concord Mills and I managed to find some fabulous deals. For some reason, though, I can't seem to find anything "slice" worthy today. I don't feel very focused on any one element or detail. I think I'm just so relieved that I finally feel mostly human again that I can't think of anything special.

I know the Slice challenge is about finding something in everyday life worth writing about; I know each entry doesn't have to be particularly newsworthy. I'm thinking now that I'm putting too much pressure on myself to write something catchy, flashy or engaging. Isn't this more about process than product? I know I tell my students that regularly, that I'm interested in their process, but do I mean it? For some students the idea of them developing a process is a huge victory; many of them like to just write the first thing that comes to mind and call it a final draft.

Even though I don't have much to say today, this process is helping me observe the world a little better for a potential Slice story. Tomorrow is another day.

SOLSC: Recovering

I am sure I sound like a total whiner, but I am still just NOT. OVER. THIS. COLD. And it comes and goes in waves; which is even more annoying because I start to feel better and overdo it then crash. But I'm surviving, and this brought me to a list of things that have gotten me through this ridiculous, hellacious congestion-fest:

7 Essentials for the (Lingering) Common Cold

1. Puffs Plus with Lotion: I cannot say enough about how these have essentially been my saving grace when it comes to my poor little nose. I basically feel like that girl in the picture and couldn't deal with the incessant nose blowing otherwise.

2. A sick day: I would not have been able to truck it through the other 4 days of the work week if my doctor had not literally told me I couldn't go to work on Tuesday. When you doctor says "slow down," you listen!

3. Something to read: Right now I'm reading Lauren Oliver's Pandemonium at work during out independent reading time in the classroom and at home I'm reading A Million Suns by Beth Revis. It's nice to disappear into a world where you don't focus for hours on end on the pressure in your head or when you need the tissue box (again!).

4. A fuzzy blanket: I have two of these at my house- one on the couch (where I have practically lived all week after school) and one that is on my side of the bed because my husband keeps our room pretty cool and I like to be snuggled up under it. The texture of it is so important to me because it makes me feel at home in some way.

5. Fluids, Fluids, Fluids: With this cold I can't get enough to drink. Part of that comes from the prescription meds my doctor gave me for the asthma flare I had earlier this week, but since I'm off those now I'm still thirsty like whoa! I've been drinking mostly bottled water but some sugar free lemonade too, like Crystal Light, for flavor.

6. iPhone: I know, right? What? In the last week I've found out I'm getting a new nephew and my best friend from college and her husband welcomed the cutest little girl into the world. So, without my iPhone I wouldn't be connected to them seeing as I'm certainly not going to go and infect them with the germ fest living in my head.

7. A sense of humor: when you have to call the doctor and report on the not so pleasant details of your cold, you have to smile and keep moving. I carried around my own "contaminated" box of tissues and made sure no one got near them. Hey, it was for their own good!

And if I had completed one, I would add a BUSTED BRACKET after today! Sorry Dookies, have a safe trip back to Durham! (I couldn't resist!)

Happy Friday!

SOLSC: Images

Today I was poking around online after work and found a website that offers different kinds of writing exercises for different days of the week. Today on the site is a poetry day, but I was particularly interested in the image task from yesterday (Tuesday). So I'm taking it on!

The task: write about this image:

Two hands, two fists, two words. Rage: an anger of the fiercest sort, the kind that provokes people to act far beyond their normal boundaries. Love: an emotion of the highest intensity, the kind that provokes people to act far beyond their normal boundaries. Who would have thought these words have anything in common? And yet, they do.

Rage and Love are two words that come to mind when I think of so many hot button topics in our society today. Same sex marriage brings people to raging righteousness while others argue that it's really about love. Abortion causes people to rage against the opposition, while others choose love as their course of action. It's interesting to note how evenly these words are leveled on the hands in the photo, too. It's as if they have some kind of ease or fluidity.

What else are these words saying? Separately they can have so much in common but paired together they can say so much more. What if, instead of rage, we let love rule more of our emotions? What if our governing instinct relied more on love than rage? Either of these emotions can create strong rhetoric, but what if we channeled the energy of rage into love? Would we be better to each other? Would we actually, in spite of the image above, use our fists less and our words more?

Is love positioned on what is the "right" side of the image for a reason? Or is it because it's on the left hand where we wear wedding rings? This image really pushed me to question its composition on so many levels. I'm thinking that writing about images would be a great break from my students usual journal topics and get them thinking outside of the box. I know I enjoyed thinking this one through.

What do you see?

SOLSC: Advice to a younger me

Today I have been home sick with a cold that aggravated my persistent asthma (yeah, most people grow out of asthma, but not me). My doctor suggested that I take today to rest and push lots of fluids. So in short I got assigned to the couch to read books and listen to music, two things I rarely get to do!

I was listening to a new album by Darren Hayes, someone I have adored for many, many years. You may recognize him as the frontman for Savage Garden from the 90s. Anyway, Darren has gone on to produce independent albums and while they are practically unknown productions in the US, the UK and Australia simply adore him, as do I. There's a track on his latest album, Secret Codes and Battleships, called Roses. It's a story about living your life in a way that you can be proud at the end. There are so many good lines that would work as advice, which got me to thinking about what I would tell a younger version of me knowing what I know now. So I made a list...

7 Things I would tell a younger me

1. You cannot place the blame on yourself for things beyond your control. This includes your parents' divorce and things that happen to friends and family members that you did not directly cause. 

2. Protect your heart and your mind from undue influences. You might think that youth group is cool but those people will hurt you while they teach you about love. The biggest lesson you will learn from that experience is that people make mistakes and some places, including some churches, like to punish rather than forgive or redeem.

3. You are doing the right thing by focusing on school, your grades, and your college dreams. Don't let your lack of popularity keep you from your goals.

4. Yes, your friends will have boyfriends before you. Yes, you will have one of your own and yes, he will deceive you. It may be inadvertent; he will say he loves you (and he might, for a while) but ultimately you will not escape heartbreak. Pick yourself up, more love comes in the future and it's the kind you've always wanted.

5. Try as many different classes, groups and activities in college as you can. You'll find some that fit and some that don't. Singing in that praise band in college will give you memories forever and teach you a thing or two about relationships in the process. Get tickets to football, basketball, blank canvas; go to Dance Marathon, rush Franklin Street. Make as many memories as you can, because you only get one life and you need to live it to its fullest.

6. Pay attention to that quiet boy in your group of friends from home when you're in college. He has a good heart, a sweet disposition and is just right for you. Take your time and trust your heart; he'll help you put it back together. 

7. Finally, pass no judgment on anyone until you know them. Yes, you're gun shy in relationships and yes, people you love will still hurt you. But a moment of love or a lifetime of friendship means so much more when you have perspective to appreciate it.

What would you tell a younger you? Is there any advice you wish someone had given you earlier in life?

SOLSC: When they just don't get it...

After all my optimism about how much confidence I have in the classroom on any given day, of course today's lesson imploded. It wasn't something I had just thrown together to kill time, either. What we're learning in staff development about Common Core is that students can read shorter pieces of more complex texts and get the same amount of value. I'm not totally with that argument, but I'm willing to (occasionally) truncate what I'm assigning if it gets my students thinking at a higher level.

So today I broke my class into small groups and assigned each of them about 60 lines of Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death. Each group had vocabulary words from that section to define, they had to write a brief summary, illustrate the scene of their section and write 3 questions and give the answer. On paper, it seemed like a well-rounded lesson where we could piece the story together as a class to figure out the plot as well as get some depth with regards to the writer's craft. They had already viewed the A&E Biography about Poe so they knew some biographical information which could lead us to concluding that Poe wrote about death and its effect on those who are left living because he experienced significant losses on his journey through life, particularly to TB, hence my choice of Masque.


In circulating the room I found that not only did my students not understand what they were reading, but they didn't understand the assignment. I'm not saying what I wrote was perfect, but I know it was clear in terms of the instructions. This left me frustrated; how can my students not even understand what I want them to do? And what's worse: they didn't ask! Is this a cultural thing with this particular type of teen? Do they isolate themselves so much with things like social media that they can't even consider asking a question? I pride myself on my ability to build relationships with students. I think this may be why I'm so frustrated and disappointed with myself.

So I'm back to the drawing board with this lesson. How would my fellow teachers correct the problem with students not reading the directions, not following them, or not asking any questions for clarification? I greatly appreciate any feedback!!

SOLSC: Movies for people who like books

Today I purchased my ticket to see The Hunger Games. I am SO excited, and a little wary, because sometimes the theatrical version of a loved book just doesn't come out the same. I'm thinking particularly of the Twilight film. I say film because I saw the first one and was DONE. The makeup was awful, the lighting was awful and I just didn't love the books anyway. I think my beloved Harry Potter series set the bar entirely too high.

But this got me to thinking about books that became movies and why I like some and not others. I know everyone has their own taste, but here's my top 5 book to movie hits.

It's a Book, It's a Movie, It's Both!

1. The Harry Potter series: I absolutely loved every minute of these films. While some are partial to the main characters Harry, Ron and Hermione, I am so very fond of Alan Rickman's portrayal of Snape. He really balanced the cynicism, anger and loyalty that makes Snape the unique figure he is.

2. The Notebook: This one holds a special place in my heart because I read the book on campus at UNC in the library between classes, and saw the film as one of my first real dates with Johnathan. We consider it "our movie" because it was the first time we saw a film as an actual couple instead of friends who both really liked each other and were trying to hide it :)

3. Capote: Phillip Seymour Hoffman became one of my favorite actors after I saw this film. In Cold Blood is a fascinating read in (gasp!) non-fiction.

4. Forrest Gump: Who could resist this film? I will confess I saw the movie first (to be fair I was 10 at the time of release). However, I did go back and read the book and loved it just as much as the film. Now that I think of it, I can't believe it has been so long since that movie was released!

5. A Time to Kill: Matthew McConaughey's closing statement is so incredible I'm giving you the video here. It's compelling and heartbreaking and so, so powerful.

What are your favorite books that became good movies?

SOLSC: At the end of the day...

My job as a teacher is rewarding, fulfilling and fun. My job is also incredibly frustrating when it comes to dealing with the not so pleasant aspects of it. In the last few semesters I have tried wholeheartedly to focus on the rewarding fulfilling and fun aspects of it and not so much the unpleasantries.

This week I struggled with explaining an event that I had witnessed that should have been met with disciplinary action toward a student. In reporting the incident I had the chance to look at the school's cameras in order to elaborate on what I witnessed. Imagine this: the incident I was reporting was in the camera's blind spot. Basically, that means it didn't happen. I haven't been that disappointed in quite some time.

Usually when things like this happen I want to blame someone and be angry. But not this time. Instead, I told myself that every day I go into work and do my very best to educate, guide and advise my students. I know that I act in the best interest of those kids when they are in my classroom and in our school. In a lot of ways I consider it my duty to go beyond the curriculum and provide students with real-life experiences and the support they need to face the challenges of adolescence. Does all of this sound like the hope of an idealist? Yes, absolutely. But sometimes I think there is too much negativity in the schools. Yes, I know we all feel overworked and underpaid and unappreciated, and so many days we go home frustrated and longing for a change of scenery.

At the end of the day, though, and at the end of this week I find myself strangely content with what I do. I have no regrets about the choices I've made or the advice I have dispensed, because my top priority is making the lives of my students better, at least while they are in my classroom.

If you're a teacher reading this, how are you feeling at the end of the day? The end of this week?

SOLSC: 8 things for March 8

I have to admit at this point in the challenge I am running low on steam! I know it is terribly early in March to be feeling so drained of writing ideas, but I feel like I go go go and then when I stop to write I don't have much to say. So, I'm going to find 8 positive things to mention from the month of March thus far.

Lindsey's 8 for the 8th

1. I have a lunch date with my brother and sister-in-law Saturday before the percussion and guard show. So excited to see them and catch up!

2. I got a cute new hair cut and color for spring, hello blonde highlights and a bob!

3. More than one student at my school has approached me about raising money for the KONY2012 movement through Invisible Children.

4. I finally broke out my trusty Rainbow flip-flops for this year. Oh, how I have missed them! While I really like winter sweaters, boots, scarves and jackets if we really aren't getting any snow, then bring on warmer weather!

5. I am reading Lauren Oliver's Pandemonium, the sequel to her novel Delirium and loving it. I'm so glad I'm giving myself a chance to make reading a priority again.

6. I found a new favorite song called "That's What Makes You Beautiful" by a group called One Direction. Looks like the boy band trend is coming back, and as someone who loves pop music I couldn't be happier about it!

7. My students and I just started studying Gothic Literature, which is my favorite part of the 11th grade curriculum so there is fun to be had in the next few weeks as my students read some fabulous stories and then compose their own.

8. I am healthy, safe and loved. I have family and friends who believe in me and support me no matter how many times I fail or am rejected. We may be a small family but we have toughed it out together and seen the other side. I am grateful for the role of them has played in my life thus far and I cannot wait to see what memories we will make in the future.

Ah, that felt good.

SOLSC: Gather 'Round the DInner Table

This evening Johnathan and I hosted dinner for his parents. We had a great time just catching up with them since they have returned home from a month-long trip to Thailand and China. It is always nice to spend time with either set of our parents, especially when it is the two of us as a couple and them.

I have always thought that when we start a family we will eat meals together. One of my favorite times of the day when I was growing up was dinner because it was the time where we would all sit together and talk about our days. As I got older I realized the importance of sharing that time with my family, and eventually sharing a space at the table with someone important to me, especially when that person was Johnathan. It occurred to me later on that a space at my family's dinner table was more than a chair; it was an invitation to join us in our most intimate conversations, our inside jokes and laughter, and our heated arguments about politics, religion and ACC basketball. A seat at our table would include breakfasts and brunches, times when we don't look our best but we are all comfortable together sharing a meal.

A seat at the table also means that your voice is heard. We have used this phrase often to describe the role of various stakeholders in any given issue, but there is so much more to this idea. Having a seat at the table means having the right to speak and be heard; it means that you are considered a person of intellect capable of making a worthwhile contribution to the conversation at hand.

What used to be a table for 4 has grown to a table for 6 (sometimes 7) members of my family. I know I am cherishing every meal I share with them and always anticipating the next memory we will create by sitting down together. I look forward to sharing this same practice with my own children as our family continues to grow and change. It is my hope that they understand that every person in their life deserves a seat at the table.