Once Audrey and I got home today, we went through the "Do you have to go to the bathroom?" ritual. As I sat in the bathroom while Audrey (my crazy almost 3 year old) tried to go to the bathroom (potty training a toddler is so much fun...) she started to sing. She called it her "Butt" song to which I laughed. I let her sing, I recorded a little bit of her song, and we both erupted in laughter. Once Audrey's dad got home, we showed him the video of her singing. Audrey and I, despite knowing what was going to happen next, laughed hysterically. Jason, Audrey's dad, looked at us like we were both crazy. He asked Audrey, "Why are you so weird? Are you weird Audrey?" Audrey looked at him and said, "Yup!" No apologies, nothing except a simple yup. That's my girl. I love that Audrey already appears to be comfortable in her own skin...in her own personality. This, above all else, makes me a happy mom. I think simple and normal are boring, Why not embrace the weird moments that arise organically? |
Prompt: Have you ever been accused of being weird? Why? Define the word weird in your own words.
I did almost cry at one point...when the imaginary friend chose to let go. That part triggered a particular sadness in me. I remember having an active imagination as a kid, so to lose that part of one's childhood is incredibly sad to me. When we are kids, we start to grow up and shed those qualities that make us young and blissfully unaware of the world around us. I realized that I don't remember the exact moment that I started to grow up. Exactly when did I stop running after the ice cream man's truck? When did I stop making my own little worlds right in the middle of the living room on the coffee table? When did the imagination stop? Prompt: What was the defining moment in your childhood when you realized you were no longer a child? What part of your kid self do you miss the most and why? Which part of your kid self were you never able to let go of and why?
Dear Audrey Mae, First of all, Mommy loves you so much. From the moment I found out you would be arriving in our lives, to the sleepless nights, to the toddler tantrums....to our future teenager vs. mother combats, I LOVE you. I, in my own mind, am convinced no one will ever love you as much as I love you. Speaking of love, let me tell you what I think of it...love that is. I think we fall in love (and sometimes out of love) so many times over the course of a lifetime. We fall in love with places, moments, stories, ideas, objects, animals, and best of all, we fall in love with people. Depending on what (or whom) you are feeling the love for, the feelings are similar to a flutter in your stomach...like a little butterfly is trying to escape, but it's trapped by your skin which is the only thing keeping all of your emotions in one place. It's both a wonderful and scary feeling. I hope you fall in love every chance you get. Document it. Notice the similarities and differences. Notice the evolution of love as I also think it changes as we age...as we grow wiser, so does the love we give and accept. Make sure you stop and allow yourself to actually feel the love. Many people live loved, but not all always feel the love...I am one such person. Please allow yourself to feel love, my baby girl. I have this theory that each time we love, a piece of our heart breaks off and adheres to the heart of the one we are giving the love to. If we are lucky, we receive a patch to cover our own holes in the heart. Thus, we continue to live -- a once whole heart becomes a heart of patchwork...a quilted heart showing the different loves of our lives. The day you were born, an incredibly large piece of my heart broke off and adhered to your little heart. In return, you looked at me and that gaping whole in my heart was immediately filled with your love for me. It was magical. In life, you will see all sorts of examples of love...especially among people. You will see love between a man and a woman, between a man and a man, and between a woman and a woman. Here's the thing baby girl -- love is love. When we feel it, we all have that same little butterfly in our stomachs. Love, in any form, is beautiful. You, my girl, are not above love. Don't ever judge anyone based on who they love. It's not your place, Bug. Don't be someone who hates what they don't understand. There are people in the world who don't think a man and a man should love each other...or a woman and a woman should love each other. Everyone, including you, is entitled to their own opinion; however, I hope you grow up to feel love and not focus on hating what you don't understand. Hate shows in the face. I want you to keep your big smile shining bright. If you truly understand love you won't have it in your heart to judge who anyone else loves. I am sure we will have MANY conversations on this topic (we talk to you about EVERYTHING...this is why you are so smart). For now, know that you are incredibly loved but most of all, by me (don't tell your dad!). XOXO. With a big patch of love, Your Mom Prompt: How would you explain love to a child? What does love look like? What does it feel like to be in love?
Tracey mentioned goodreads. She called it an "online reading log." LIGHT BULB -- this would be GREAT to have kids sign up for next school year. More on that later. For now, I need to figure it out for myself before I start promoting it. So, I signed up, reviewed some books and scanned my current book (cool feature of this app/site BTW). I will now use this app to track my reading this summer. It's pretty cool. There is so much to learn. For now, I have a feeling this book is going to keep me up until the wee hours of the morning...and/or I will be up far before the sun to continue reading. Such a good story. Funny. Tragic. Honest. Can't wait to see how the book unfolds differently than the movie. Prompt: What was the last book that had you laughing out loud? What is your favorite reading-related app/website?
I have to say that today was simply wonderful. From start to end. I am lucky to have such amazing people in my life. I have no idea how I got so lucky. Feeling like I am exactly where I should be which isn't always the case. This morning I saw my rl txt writers bond in such a way that was purely fun to watch. I saw a group of kids who had been strangers two weeks ago, laugh, hug, take goofy pictures...bond...truly bond and all because their writing brought them together. Very cool to witness.
As rl txt concludes, I am humbled, I am thankful, and I close this chapter (for now) knowing that I gave this experience my all.
Prompt: What was the last chapter you had to close in your life? How did it end? Were you proud of this chapter? Explain.
I don't know about you, but I had a crazy, busy day. So busy that I just now remembered that I hadn't blogged for today (it's 11:49pm). So much has happened today. On my way home from Tempe today, I was texting with a friend. This friend wanted to complain, and quite frankly, I was not in the mood to pacify such behavior. So, what do I do? I challenge this friend to see the situation from a different angle. No luck. So, I am honest and I say to this friend what everyone's else says behind their back... I love you as a friend but... It did not end well. This happens often when I speak to this particular friend. We will go a while without talking. One of us will reach out. And thus, the cycle continues. Friendship...such a crazy, necessary, joy we have in our lives. Prompt: Have you ever been in a serious argument with a friend that did not end the friendship? What was the argument about? Why do you continue to be friends with this person?
It was pleasure to listen to someone who believed in their work with a special kind of passion. Conrad Storad engaged kids of all ages. He made us feel we could all be writers...like we ARE writers with stories to tell. The time flew by, but I know I was in a unique and special environment today. Grateful to have been a part of this experience. Prompt: If you could meet any 5 authors, who would they be and why? Explain.
Today our rl txt writers were introduced to Harris Burdick and his captivating photos. These photos were meant as a springboard into a fictional story. Once we broke out into our age groups, I couldn't stop thinking about how images can inspire such vastly different stories depending on the writer.
I am not EVEN going to show you what I found when I searched things like scary black and white photos...you know how Google works...Google it if you don't want to sleep peacefully tonight. You have been warned. THIS is your warning -- don't do it. Prompt: Choose a photo below and tell the story of that photo. Be creative. Think outside the box. Make the reader see the picture in a different way.
Today marks yet another Father's Day. My dad is the coolest, most hard-working man I know. For as long as I can remember my dad has worked hard to provide for all of us. As a military man, he had many commitments that took him away for periods at a time. Dad is one of those people who doesn't want to hear excuses...so this is where I get this from.... I know my dad didn't have it easy growing up. This is why he wanted to join the military as soon as he was able to. This is why my dad was hard on us (at times). Despite a harsh upbringing, my dad as always loved my brother and me in an amazingly pure way. If my dad was in Korea, I knew he loved me. If my dad was working down on the border, I knew he loved me. As a family, today we went out to lunch, and then went to the Diamondbacks baseball game. We talked, we laughed, and most importantly, we spent time together. I am incredibly lucky to have the dad I have...flaws and all. Prompt: Describe your relationship with your dad. What are some of your favorite dad quotes?
So lately I have been obsessed with jackets. Cute, little jackets that I can wear with simple t-shirts an jeans. This obsession led me to Goodwill this morning in search of another deal. I did find one jacket (a little snug which makes sense as it is a size smaller than my body prefers) that I decided to give a new home at the cost of $6.99.
I ended up finding 8 books for the price of $11 (and some change). That's roughly $1.38 per book! These books look brand new. I am excited to add these books to my class library! Sometimes we find more than we are actually looking for. Prompt: What are some of the best deals you have gotten when shopping?
Prompt: Who are your friends and why are they your friends? What qualities do your friends have that you admire? Explain.
At the beginning of this week, I opened our 2nd session of rl txt by reading, What do You do with an Idea? I read this book for the first time just a couple short months ago. I was floored by the beauty of the images and the simplicity of the theme. Reading this book in Barnes and Noble stopped me in my tracks. I stood there just thinking (after reading the story). I wish this book had been written and read to me when I was a kid. Maybe I would have taken more idea-related risks... I go through these crazy, manic moments when ideas over-flood my mind. I purge these ideas. I write them down in cryptic notes, or in email rants to my friends who might understand where this flow of consciousness is coming from. These ideas are usually teaching-related (a lesson plan, a review game, etc.). I know the friends who have been on the receiving end of these idea purges think I am completely insane. Maybe I am. But, isn't it better to have an overflow of ideas rather than to never have an idea at all? Prompt: What do you do when you get an idea? Explain.
Today in rl txt we wrote about where we are from using the book, Momma, Where Are You From?, as inspiration. In this piece, we explained where we are from as it applies to the following: places, people, events, food, and colors. As a nod to this activity, I thought I would share a little of where I am from...
Prompt: Where are you from? Who are you from? What has made you who you are up to this point?
What Tina did not mention was that these donuts (sent from the doughnut gods) were addicting. Like I am going to go get another one before I drive back to Glendale addicting.
Prompt: What is your favorite sweet breakfast indulgence? What makes this sweet treat so amazing? Explain.
I really think the women who bash other women need to figure out what makes them unique and beautiful in order to let down that wall of insecurity. I don't see the point in being so mean and nasty to one another. I think this is part of the reason I was such a tomboy as a girl...girls were mean to me. I chose to play basketball with the boys instead. On the court, I could escape and have a good time. Later, in junior high, running had the same effect. Even later, dance was my outlet...my joy. Now, it's all about education. How can I be a better teacher? What do I want to learn next? I guess I just don't understand why anyone would want to be anyone but themselves. We all have so much to offer. All of us have the opportunity to be a part of one, amazing story. Based on what I saw today, I can't wait to work with these young ladies during the next two weeks! Prompt: List some women in your life whom you admire and explain why you admire them.
Normally I am not the baby shower game kind of gal, but I have to admit, the baby shower I attended this afternoon was pretty amazing -- including ALL the games. First of all, my friend (the prego one) was beautifully glowing. I'm pretty sure by the time I was this far along in my pregnancy, I resembled a dishrag. Not my friend. Oh no!
Fast forward a few more games, and I actually won one! We had to check off all the items if they were in our purse. Let's just say I have a lot of shit in my purpose. Hey, at least I am prepared, right? I added a candle (the prize for winning that game) to the list of items found in my purse. Watching my friend open her gifts was incredible special. Everyone was so thoughtful with their selections. Watching her made me realize how quickly the time goes. I have enjoyed watching my daughter grow up, but now, I want her to slow down. It's wonderful to be surrounded by a strong family and fantastic friends. Tracey is going to be the model of what motherhood should look like.
Prompt: What is one of your childhood memories that has been re-in-visioned. What was the outcome?
Prompt: What are some of your favorites and why? Explain.
They call him Dr. B (Dr. James Blasingame, ASU professor). Our rl txt writers are enchanted by him. I'm interested in where this discussion on imagination is going. Dr. B is all in, ready to teach. Today I watched Dr. B interact with kids of all ages. I noted how he engaged with every single writer. I recognized a magnetic and sincere delivery. I also watched the reactions of the writers as Dr. B moved all over the classroom. I think I understand the pull this professor has over all these kids...it's the same thing my mom is able to execute with my daughter, Audrey -- being 100% in the moment and not distracted by anything else. Dr. B, unknowingly, reminded me what I need to do more in my classroom -- enjoy each moment, treasure every child, and not be distracted by the little things.
Writing Prompts: Who has your undivided attention on a regular basis? Who do you pay attention to the most and why? Why might it be important to give others your undivided attention? Explain.
Writing Prompt: Write about a time when you looked at the world from a different perspective. How might it be important to constantly be looking at things from different perspectives? Explain.
So, I was lucky enough to be asked (by Tracey Flores) to teach the high school kids who signed up for the rl txt Summer Youth Writing Group (a branch off of CAWP - Central Arizona Writing Project) this summer. I am having a BLAST to say the least. Teaching writing and not having to grade papers (I can have discussions about creativity and style instead) has been a dream! I have 14 teenagers in my breakout session, but there are 44 kids attending this first Session A at ASU (Tempe Campus); it looks like we are sitting at 38 kids for Session B beginning next week. We were just featured in an article for the writing marathon we participated in last week. Rl txt is a busy place to say the least! Our progress can be seen by following us on Twitter @rl_txt (updated by yours truly). Each day our writers (all age groups) start together for an opening activity before breaking off into age group sessions, and we all come back together at the end of each day to share our writing. In beginning and ending our days together, I have become incredibly fond of "the littles" because they are too sweet, fun, and literal. Oh man, are they literal! I have a fairly playful personality (especially because it's summer), so we have been having meaningful conversations...mostly about food...mostly about sweet food...and what they are going to bring me the next day because you have to hook a teacher up! I first asked Jacob, jokingly, why he only had ONE cookie in his plastic bag. I asked him where mine was. He brought me a cookie the next day! Did I mention these kids are literal?
Writing Prompt: What was the last thing you learned, and who taught this to you? What can others learn from you? What are your strengths? What knowledge do you have about your culture that you could share with others?
Watching this movie made me wonder what it might feel like to be sitting on the other side of this disease. What if I couldn't remember where the bathroom was? What if I couldn't remember my own daughter's name? What if I didn't remember my own story...my own existence? These are some terrifying thoughts. How horrible to live a life collecting memories only to have them blown away like a pile of feather's on a windy day...always just out of reach, but hanging above, dancing out of grasp, kissing my forehead every now and then.
I remember conducting some light research about Alzheimer's after Grandma passed away. Truthfully, I was afraid of what I would learn. I was afraid my dad would be next, and then my brother and me. I know that I need to be more grateful for my memories. All of my memories...the good, the bad, the ugly, and the seemingly ordinary. I don't know if I will be plagued by this disease one day...or end up with breast cancer like my mom did, but I do know that I need to start documenting my memories...if nothing else, for the sake of knowing I am a collection of memories. For more information on Alzheimer's Disease click HERE.
Writing Prompt: What are some of memories that have shaped who you have become up to this point? List what you are afraid you might forget one day. Consider expanding on the items in your list into individual vignettes or poems.
Writing Prompt: What are some of your favorite day-to-day places to go? What and who do you see? What do you learn from these everyday places? Explain.
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June 2016
AuthorWriter, teacher, and mother of one. Just trying to be the best I can be. I fail daily, but in my failures, there is knowledge and growth. Write along with me if you dare... |