The Effects of Turquoise

The color wheel as we know it began in 1706 when Sir Isaac Newton took the rainbow color scheme and turned it on itself to form a circle.  He was the first to suggest that color was entirely made of light, and that light contained all colors.

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Many other scientists and artists manipulated the color wheel to find ways to represent how the colors are connected.  There are some amazing books created by scientists prior to photography so there would be worldwide continuity in color illustrations of plants and insects.  

The study of color hasn't been restricted to artists, botanists, and entomologists.  People have been curious about color for a very long time, and many people like myself have wanted to understand how color affects us.  Some people have even devoted their lives to studying the psychology of color.  Although some are skeptical of the research, evidence exists that colors directly affect the behavior and mindset of humans.  Reds, oranges, and yellows are considered warm colors.  Blues, greens, and lavenders are considered cool colors.  Color theory suggests that warm colors create sensations of urgency, anger, heat or warmth, and energy.  Color theory suggests that cool colors create sensations of calm, peace, healing, coolness, and even sadness.  

I believe in color theory because I've experienced first hand how color affects my psychological state.  Red makes me feel like the walls are closing in.  I get hot, anxious, and irritated.  Brown makes me feel snuggly and warm.  I always yawn and want to take a nap at my mother-in-law's house because she decorates with chocolate brown.   Yellow makes me feel alert and aware.  Orange feels dirty to me.  It's not quite red, but not quite yellow, so it seems confused and disoriented.  The warm colors are not good colors for my environment because, for the most part, they give me anxiety and a sense of urgency that something needs to change or I need to go somewhere.  

Notice how these warm colors appear to be moving?  I can't relax with red!

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Doesn't this one appear to blink?  How could anyone sit still in a red or yellow room?

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The red is IN YOUR FACE!!!  It's like it's trying to take over your mind!

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Back off red!  I'm trying to relax!

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Does it look like the red is bent toward you?  Red, why can't you lie down like blue?

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Yellow is all up in my business too!

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Warm colors, you stay over there and I'll stay over here.  It's best that way.

For many years I lived a chaotic life, and that was not a feeling I enjoyed.  Now that I know it's an option, I prefer stability.  I prefer peace.  For me, I must have calm, soothing colors in my home and office so that I can relax and feel safe.  I enjoy any shade of blue or green, but the marriage of the two is my soul mate: turquoise.  Turquoise erases my anxiety.  It calms my nerves.  It feels like a cool breeze caressing my skin.  When I'm inundated with any negative emotion, I seek out turquoise to turn my weariness into peacefulness.  I literally sigh and exhale away the stress when my eyes find that tranquil color.  

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Turquoise is a way of life for me.  It affects me only in positive ways, and my goal is to live a positive life and to choose happiness.  Peace.  Love.  Happiness.  Those are the effects of turquoise.

I leave you with this thought: what will you do to find a little turquoise in every day?  You and I are not the same, so it is to be expected that we may not possess the same love for turquoise.  Perhaps your turquoise isn't actually a color.  Maybe you find peace, love, and happiness through something else entirely.  Whatever it is, color or not, I challenge you to seek out peace, love, and happiness, even in the most difficult of situations.  Life will not always be easy.  It will not always go your way.  However, you can always find a little turquoise in every day.  

Eve of the End

Here I am, on the eve of the end of my slice experience, and I'm experiencing some mixed emotions.  I am overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings regarding the month.  There were so many things I loved about the adventure, and some that were not so great.  Overall, it was rewarding.  Here are some of the thoughts racing through my head and my heart.

I didn't learn any new words, so I'm disappointed about that.  I honestly thought that was going to be the easiest part of the journey.  How funny that I didn't accomplish that aspect!  

I loved peering into the lives of others.  I learned so much about so many people.  Things I had never taken the time to find out, I suddenly was made aware of by simply reading a few paragraphs or glancing at some photos.  I now understand why people use Facebook!  I'm still not going to partake in FB because, well, that's an entirely different post.  Moving on!

There are some gifted writers among our 6th grade slicers, and the adults too!  Some posts were so tender, while others kept me on edge.  You made me laugh, and sometimes made me grab at my chest to protect my heart from feeling your pain.  We have so much to share.  More often, we should make an effort to listen to the stories of those around us.  There is so much to learn, and we have a lot more in common than we initially realize.

I can accomplish almost any task.  The older I get, the more confident I grow regarding my ability to succeed.  There were many years in my life where I thought I couldn't do much of anything, but with each birthday, I'm learning just how wrong I was.  This accomplishment falls (and I'm not being dramatic) among the ranks of buying my first home, running my first 5K, and graduating from college.  This took tenacity!  I wanted to give up so many times, but I didn't.  Even when I was sore, exhausted, or sick, I held up my end of the bargain.  I'm proud of myself!

I didn't post many of the posts I had intended to post!  I wanted to tell more funny stories about being a kid.  I hoped to share some sad stories from my childhood and teenage years so that someone who is growing up the way I grew up might be able to see a sliver of hope in their future by witnessing that it doesn't always have to be bad.  Life doesn't always have to be chaotic.  You can have stability.  You can change your destiny.  You possess the power to push through the ceilings that have been built above you.  All you have to do is want it and work hard.  Things can be different.  Life can be good.  Really, really good.  You can be happy.

There are other thoughts and feelings I could share, but once again it's late and I'm exhausted.  I still have one more load of laundry, and I need to iron clothes for tomorrow.  As tough and as long as this month felt, the reality is that I could writing every day forever and still wouldn't be able to get everything out that needs to be said.  Maybe that's what I was supposed to learn from this.  Perhaps it's obvious: I should write.  I don't know if I'll be able to write every day, but I know I have at least one more in me.  Tomorrow I'll finally get around to explaining how color affects you.  You'll finally understand my love for turquoise.

 

Turquoise Treasures

Today, the fam and I attended The Hip Handmade Market in Webb City at The Clubhouse community and events center. We love shopping at antique and junk stores because we can find unique things for our home. When we left the house, we thought that was what we would encounter at this event. Instead, we discovered two stories of handmade art from regional artisans. There was nothing junky here!  These items were incredibly creative and beautiful. The hip-factor was quite high. All of the artists were hipsters donning American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, plaid, mustaches, ironic eye glasses, or other vintage-inspired gear. I felt slightly out of place, but that insecurity vanished when I began to notice all of the turquoise treasures. I, of course, wanted to buy them all, but had to choose my favorites. I'm happy with my finds, and picked up a lot of business cards to do some online shopping when I have more extra money. Check out my special stuff!

Suminagashi (Japanese Marbling) make-up bag. Beautiful!

Love Factory (Woodblock print)

We had it matted and framed this afternoon. I'm not sure about the mat color...

"Remember, it's okay to be happy with a calm life." Print

I adore this!  I'm always saying how important it is that my life remain stable and calm. No drama!

Hand stitched arrow pillow case. 

This may be my favorite!  It compliments the 5 foot distressed wooden arrow my husband and I made for a big, blank, boring kitchen wall. Arrows are my favorite shape!

Really?  I Did?

While at the MS today, I took a moment to chat with one of my favorite teachers. She is sassy but kind. Firm but patient. Charming but down to earth.  She is one of the teachers I have always wished I could be as good as. Her way with students is second to none; she loves them and they respect her. The expectations she places on herself are high, but she never makes others feel inferior to her standard.

 This lady is wonderful in so many ways. That's why I was shocked to near paralyzation when she told me a few things about herself that had changed since she began teaching many years ago. Apparently, she hasn't always been the person she is today. Sometimes she didn't do what was best, and may have seen things through a cloudy lense. I too have come a long way over the years, and occassionally feel like a fraud. I sometimes get overwhelmed and think I can't do a good enough job and there must be a million people who could accomplish so much more than I am capable of doing.  At times, I question my value, and silently wonder if I'm good enough for my students because they deserve so much. So, when she shared with me that she had grown as a teacher, I instantly loved her even more.  Her confession made me feel more comfortable because it showed me that someone as fabulous as her had to work at being so great. I was reminded that I am not finished growing. I will continue to improve as a woman and a teacher. This isn't as good as I will get. I will get even better. That is inspiring.

Another aspect of the conversation that empowered me was her statement that I! Me! Mrs. Booher! was responsible for helping her grow. Something I had said to her at the beginning of the year resonated with her. A point I had made actually made a point. By sharing what I felt was important, I helped her change the way she saw a situation, for the better. Wow!  Who knew I had the power to make a difference?  I certainly didn't. The irony in the situation is that just this morning I had told my daughter that sometimes it is better to remain quiet than to try to change the way other people feel because stating your opinion can often have negative results. We were discussing a sticky situation, and I used an example from my own silence during lunch on Thursday to show her why being quiet is sometimes better. I regretted saying that to my Sophia as soon as I said it because I wondered if it was really the right lesson. I wondered if I was teaching her to take the easy way out. To be a coward. After lunch on Thursday, when I had chosen to be quiet rather than say what I felt was right, I carried shame with me for the remainder of the day. However, I justified it by telling myself that silence was the safest choice.  When my fav teacher told me my voice had been the one that had brought her to the "other side" of the issue, my heart sunk. I had taught Sophia the wrong lesson. When it comes to saying the right thing, it isn't always better to keep your opinion to yourself in the name of safety because you may be passing up an opportunity to reach someone on the edge of the debate. I'm going to discuss this with Sophia tomorrow. I want her to know I was wrong. I want her to know that's ok, because just like that teacher, it's never too late to improve yourself. It's never too late to make the right choice and do the right thing.  It's never too late to grow.

Severe Weather

I guess it's time for severe weather season. I was driving between buildings today and thinking about our storm shelter construction projects. When will they be finished?  What will they look like?  Will there be an open-house for the public to view the projects?  Do we have a plan for severe weather in the meantime?  Literally, right in the middle of my thoughts, my phone made a funny alert sound. I glanced at it and found a weather notice stating we were under a tornado watch! I'm not mentally prepared for severe weather season!  It snowed, like a week ago!  I haven't cleaned and stocked my storm shelter yet!  I've certainly been in a rush for winter to pass, but I'd forgotten this important aspect of the season change.  I don't panic in severe weather if I'm prepared, but I'm not ready for it yet, so today and this evening have been worrisome. I was fidgety all through Sophia's dance class as I watched the wind whip the trees, the sky glow from lightning strikes, and the ceiling tiles (this isn't an exaggeration) vibrate from the wind shaking the roof. Scary!  All I wanted to do was get home where I knew we would be safe. Prior to the Joplin tornado, I never worried about storms. However, like everyone else in this area, my understanding of weather's ability has changed. I'm far more cautious and aware now. Remember my spring break to-do list that morphed into a spring to-do list?  Well, I'm changing it again. Suddenly, Sophia's playset has been demoted to project #2. Project #1 is now cleaning and stocking the storm shelter. I've purchased a turquoise deck of cards to pass the time, but I need to restock emergency supplies. What will you do to prepare for severe weather season?

Sounds

Working with two of my newcomers today, I was reminded of how hard it is for many of my students to hear English sounds. This is something many people are unaware of, and I sometimes forget. In the first 9 months of your life, your brain is capable of hearing every spoken sound. Have you ever seen a change/coin sorter?

Sounds enter the ears, just as change enters the sorter. 

The brain sorts and classifies the sounds, just as the sorter sorts and classifies the coins. 

Think of your brain as that sorter, but with a lot more slots. One slot for each sound in every single language. Keep in mind there are nearly 7,000 languages in the world, so this is a really big sorter.  Now, each of those languages doesn't have their own set of sounds. Many sounds are shared among languages. However, there are still a lot of sounds. The brain hears every sound and sorts it. At around 9 months, the brain takes inventory of the sounds. The sounds heard most often are permanently identified by the brain as language. The other sounds?  The empty slots? Those are deleted. The brain will never hear those sounds again. If the ears hear one of those sounds later in life, the brain will do it's best to match it to one of the sounds it has identified as language, but it won't truly hear it unless it is one of that brain's language sounds. Isn't that fascinating?

Now, this doesn't pose too much of a problem when learning a language close to our own. English is an Indo-European language.  It is specifically a Germanic language. Therefore, English speakers can hear the vast majority of sounds spoken in other Germanic languages, and many spoken in other Indo-European languages such as the Romance languages.  That doesn't mean what you think it means. Romance, in this case, means the language is derived from Latin, which was spoken in Rome. Rome=Romance. So, my students who first learned Spanish or Portuguese (Romance languages) can hear most English sounds because both are Indo-European. There are still some sounds they won't hear because Romance languages are a different branch than Germanic, but for the most part it's a pretty good match. In turn, that means I can attempt to say some words in Spanish and Portuguese and get fairly close to the correct pronunciation. There are some sounds I mess up every time, which leaves my students and I in a fit of giggles. It's good for them to see me struggle with language.  Learning a language is difficult and stressful, so being able to laugh about it is important.

We experience greater challenges when one of my students first learned a language other than one from the Indo-European family. For example, Thai or Chinese are of the Sino-Tibetan family. This family is not connected to the English family, so many sounds are very different. Also, the alphabets are different, and Thai and Chinese are tonal languages, so the meaning of the word depends upon the tone in which it is spoken. Can you imagine leaning a language so different?  I get a tiny taste of the experience when I try to learn some Thai or Chinese words. My students will tell me a word, and I repeat what I think I hear.  I usually get a funny look before my teacher repeats the word, more slowly and loudly, of course. I hear the same thing, so I say the same word. I get another funny look, followed by a "no, you said (whatever I said). It's (what I'm supposed to say)."  No matter how many times my teacher repeats the sound, I cannot truly hear it. I hear a substitution my brain is trying to fit in that coin sorter. Some of my students lose patience with me at this point, but we all usually laugh and keep working. I use the experience to make myself a better teacher. I try not to lose patience or interest, even if it seems futile. Today I drew a diagram of a mouth to show a student the difference between sh and ch tongue location. I'm excited to announce that the student was able to make the ch sound, even though it does not exist in the native language. That's pretty exciting. This student may not really hear the sound, but can make it.  If I hadn't experienced the struggle myself, I may have just moved on, but I thought about what would help me, and was able to help my student. I love my job.

How Many is Too Many?

Donuts/Doughnuts
Tasty Circles
Center-lacking
Chewy Sweetness
Warm if You're Lucky
Maybe Chocolate
Definitely Glazed
Occasionally Jelly-Filled
Donut Hole's Cinnamon Roll Donut/Doughnut
Hold. The. Phone.
Never Turn One Down
Probably Won't Say No to Two
Three Guarantees a Stomach Ache
How Many is Too Many?
Donuts/Doughnuts

Go Outside

When I was a kid, I spent the vast majority of my free time outdoors. I did homework after school, and then I played outside. On the weekends, I was outside the entire day, until the sun went down. As I got older, I'd stretch that curfew to include some after dark time in the driveway or yard. My favorite thing to do was ride my bike. I would ride for hours. I also loved exploring undeveloped areas around my various neighborhoods (we moved often), especially it there was a water source. I was fascinated by the ecosystem, and loved observing the animals interact with their habitats.  Even though I'm much busier now than I was as a child, I try to incorporate the outdoors into my adult life as well.  I run outside, take my family to State parks and nature centers, and work in the yard. I prefer to be outside, which is why I don't understand why so many of my students don't like to go outside. I don't know if times have changed, or if many kids stayed inside when I was young but I was just unaware of it. Today, I asked every one of my Monday students if they enjoyed the spring weather last week, and very few said they had been outside. The majority said they spent spring break watching tv or playing video games. I did that when I was a kid too, but it wasn't often. If I had been watching tv, I guarantee it was because I couldn't go outside. When I asked my students why they didn't play outside, none had a very good answer. Most just said they didn't want to. I was shocked!  They don't know what they are missing! The freh air! The warm sun on your skin!  The sounds of birds singing! It's an endless list!  I urge you to go outside for a few hours. Take a walk. Ride your bike. Pull some weeds. Dig for worms. Watch the birds. You will love it, and the next day you'll want to do it again. What is your favorite thing to do outside?

Ready or Not

Ready or not, it's time to go back to school. Spring break is over, even if it feels like winter outside, and we must return to our normal routine. I had a long list of tasks I wanted to accomplish, and was able to finish a few big ones (fence=finished) as well as some small. I could really use another week, but that isn't an option. I'll just have to complete the rest of the list slowly over the next couple of months as time allows. Since soccer season has begun, we will have two fewer evenings to accomplish weekly tasks. This means we'll pick up the slack on our already busy weekends. That means it's going to take a long time to clear my entire list!  So, how will I do it all?  I'll take my spring break list and rework it into a spring list. I'll prioritize and make adjustments for time. If I factor in dance recital, Easter, Jason's travel, and my Jeff City work, I should be able to come up with a realistic time line for accomplishing my tasks.

I love a good list. If I don't make lists and prioritize, my mind races and I complete nothing. When I make a list, it forces me to plan out how I will meet my goals and what I need in order to make it happen. Some people can do this through thinking, but mine has to be concrete. I can use pen and paper, or I can make a digital copy. As long as there is some way for me to plan it out, I'm going to be successful.  How about you?  Can you trust yourself to get everything done without having it in writing, or are you like me and need a record of your plan to hold you accountable?

Basically Finished

After soccer practice and a quick trip to Lowes this morning, we worked on the fence until dark. We are basically finished. The perimeter of the fence is up. The only thing missing is a top pole for the last 10 feet. We had scrap pieces of top pole from the other sections, but even putting those together left us about 2 feet short. After we finished, we picked up the thousand toys Sophia pulled out to the yard over the last five days, along with the tools, scraps, and trash we had from our project. When everything was back to normal, we took a moment to admire our work. We shared a family hug, and congratulated each other on a job well done. I must admit I am proud of my husband and myself for tackling this task because neither of us had ever built a fence before. We didn't argue a single time, Sophia helped when asked, and the fence actually looks well-built.  We really wanted a wooden privacy fence, but our neighbors on both sides had existing chain-link fences so it just made sense (and saved money) for us to do the same. It is functional, and should last for years.  We have about 20 minutes of work to do in the morning, and then we'll be officially finished.  I'm already thinking of ways to mask the fence: ornamental grasses, vining plants, elephant ears, etc.  I'm also thinking about those shutters and window boxes that need to be built. Oh, and the west flower bed that needs new shrubs. I can't forget about the raised vegetable gardens we are going to put in, and Sophia's play set that needs sanded and stained. Wait, maybe I should just finish the fence first.

The Fence, Day 4

We continued working on the fence today, from sunrise until after dark. I must disclose that our "sunrise" didn't begin until 10:00 am because we slept in. We were exhausted from working past dark yesterday, so I think it can be forgiven. Hopefully we'll finish by tomorrow night. We have soccer practice in the morning and must run to Lowes for a missing pole, but the rest of the day will be devoted to the fence. There has been a lot of laughter, and even more patience. My husband and I have entirely different working styles, so there is some give and take. I see things as parts, or steps. He sees the project as a whole. He wants to dive right in, while I prefer to plan every detail before beginning. Normally we struggle to work together, but the fence has been different. We have both been more subtle with our leadership and willing to follow when it is best.  It has been nice to work well with someone I care so deeply for.  Often I want to scream and pull my hair out when we tackle a task together. I'm really hopeful that this mutual respect will continue into The Fence, Day 5 because I'd hate to end on a bad note. We have sunburns, scratches all over our arms, sore hands, smashed fingers, aching feet, and throbbing backs. However, as long as we have smiles, it will continue to be fun and will inspire us to take on another home improvement project as a team.

I'm Happy

Today is one of my favorite days of the year: the first day of spring!  Spring is my favorite season, so today is one of my favs by default. I discovered, thanks to the internet, that today is also the United Nations International Day of Happiness. How fitting!  I visited the site for this day dayofhappiness.net and saw this awesome text I want to share with you.

I think we would all make the same choice when answering the question. As much as I love stuff and wish I had more money to make life easier, I would never say anything is more important than happiness. I have always felt that happiness is a choice, and I choose happiness as often as I can. I make every effort to be positive and see the good in a situation. The older I grow the easier this becomes. Today we continued to work in the yard. We have a lot of little projects going, but the main task is installing a fence. This is quite a chore, but rather than focus on the expense and time and effort required, I'm seeing the positive outcome. We'll increase the value of our property, and have a safer backyard for Sophia and Teddy to play in. My marriage also grows stronger with every home improvement project. We get better at communicating with each other, and have tangible evidence to remind us that we are in this together and are on the same team.  I choose happiness. I choose to see the turquoise, even though the fence is only silver. 

Late

Okay, so I technically missed a post. I'm still awake on what feels like Wednesday night, but is in all actuality very early Thursday morning. I suspected this was going to happen because I've been getting closer and closer to midnight with each post.  I worked all day in the yard and was ready to call it a night at 9:45. That's when I popped in a movie, a very long movie, from Red Box. I'm just now slipping into bed. I was skimming the news, as I do each night before falling asleep, when I realized I hadn't posted today. My eyes shot up to look at the time display on the iPad. My heart sank when I realized it wasn't Wednesday anymore and I had missed my post.  What do you think?  Did I miss a post because the clock struck midnight, or does this count because I'm still awake for today?  My brain says I missed it, but my heart says I didn't. What is your opinion?  Am I still on track to complete the challenge, or did I fail?  Something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember is the perfectionist view that if I can't do something perfectly, there is no point in doing it at all.  Strangely, I don't feel that way about this challenge. For some reason, I think just giving it a shot is good enough. Am I losing my drive, or is it just late?

Little Library

Have you heard of the "Little Free Library"?  This service began in 2009 when Hudson, Wisconsin resident Todd Bol built a replica of a one-room school house that he stuffed with books and placed in his front yard, along with a sign declaring "free books".  Bol did this in honor of his mother who loved reading and was a teacher.

The first Little Free Library

Since then, Bol has worked with others to nurture the idea into what has now become the Little Free Library program. As of January 2014, it is estimated that there are between 10,000 and 12,000 Little Free Libraries around the world.  I'm quite sure his mother would be very honored to know her passion for literacy has affected so many other people. What a legacy!

I had heard of the Little Free Library, but hadn't considered if there was one nearby. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon one in my tiny town outside of the community center. The fam and I had ventured to City Hall in search of a fence-building permit. I sent my husband in and planned to wait in the car. My plan didn't last long because I saw this tiny treasure near the building entrance.

It's adorable!  Look at the turquoise paint inside.  It reminds me of a speckled Robin egg.  Beautiful!

Sophia and I perused through the inventory. I didn't find anything I wanted to read, but Sophia found two books: a Lewis Carroll biography and an expository text about Mardi Gras.  We were so excited to use the Little Free Library, and plan to donate a few books for others to read. I'd love to put one of these in my own neighborhood, but they are a little pricey, so I'll need to conduct a cost-benefit analysis.  According to the website, there are two in Joplin and one in Carl Junction, but none in Webb City. Perhaps I can find a community group to sponsor and maintain the project. Any ideas?

That Was Close

I almost didn't post.
Oh man, that was close.

How could I forget my slice?
Someone give me advice.

Help me figure out a way
To never forget to post each day.

Help me make my posts more beefy.
Less like spinach, thin and leafy.

The Slice challenge is a burden on me.
The beauty in it I want to re-see.

Perhaps as a way to motivate me
The other blogs I should go see.

It's been over a week since I've read the others.
I apologize my Slice sisters and brothers.

Submitting this post is the easy part
It's writing a better one that truly takes heart.

Predictable

I love the predictable. My mind craves order, and predictability satiates its appetite.  I establish as many routines and procedures as I can in every area of my life. There are some instances where I must be flexible, such as my job schedule, but everywhere else I like to know what is going to happen. I think this compulsion explains my love of cheesy, predictable films. I watched two movies this weekend, and both would be considered terrible by most. The outcome was easy to foretell, and the characters were shallow.  On the scale of film-as-art, these movies were among the lowest.  Now, don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for artistic story-telling through cinema, but I also enjoy the occasional feel-good family movie. I like being able to accurately predict the next turn of the plot, and thrive on the happy ending. It's the same feeling I get when I read the same book I've read many times before. I knew what was going to happen, and my brain loved being "right".  What is a form of entertainment you like to do because your brain enjoys it? Do you prefer predictable or unknown?  Would you rather watch a plot twister or a campy commercialized movie?  Play the same putt-putt golf course you've conquered a hundred times or hike an unknown trail?  Do you like them the same, or do you have different needs depending on some factor?  If you feel stressed, which do you find more satisfying?

Halfway There

As spoken by the great Jon Bon Jovi, "Oooooooh, we're halfway there!"  Well, not exactly halfway, but it's close enough. Today marks my 15th blog post out of 31. I have 16 remaining after this one. The median is technically 15.5, but since I can't have a half-post, I'm declaring this my Bon Jovi moment. The task was far more difficult than I had imagined it would be. I've found that I am so busy with my daily duties, I don't have much energy to write well at the end of the day. I have so much to share with you, but I lack the drive to put it in writing. I haven't shown you as much turquoise as I had hoped to, still haven't gotten around to discussing the science behind how color makes us feel, and haven't added a single word to my vocabulary.  Part of me dreads the remaining responsibility of this challenge, while another part of me is grateful I still have a chance to write about so many things. The experience has given me a greater respect for bloggers, because I didn't realize how much forethought goes into writing something meaningful.

Since many of my readers are young and unaware of the fascinating decade that was the 1980's, I'll post a link to the very song I referenced at the beginning of the post.  Beware, students. If you follow that link, you will be inundated with glamour and coolness. The ripped jeans. The leather with fringe. The boots. The scarves. The hair. The hair. THE HAIR!!!  I was a mere 5 years old when that musical treasure hit the radio waves.  That song is as much a part of my childhood as are Cabbage Patch Kids, Care Bears, and Big Wheels. I'm referring to the originals, of course.  I break out in song every single time the phrase "halfway there" is spoken.  After you watch that video, you'll never question my fashion choices or hairstyle again. Suddenly, it will all make sense. The 80's. I blame the 80's.

Change of Plans

I had so many tasks to accomplish before 3:00 today.  With spring break next week, it was vital that I take care of a few things. I was checking tasks off of my list and feeling positive about my progress. At 1:00 the pressure was on to tackle the remaining responsibilities before time was up. Suddenly, my phone vibrated, displaying "Webster" on the caller ID. I answered and discovered my Sophia had gotten sick at school and needed to be picked up. Change of plans. For a moment, I considered calling my mother-in-law to see if she could take care of Sophia since I needed to see a few more students and set a couple up with take-home devices for spring break.  Then, I remembered a promise I made to Sophia last year. I told her I would miss work to care for her when she was sick, no matter how important I thought my tasks were. I made the promise because for years I had put my responsibilities as a teacher before my responsibilities as a mom.  My promise to her is important to me.  I was unable to get everything done that I had hoped to accomplish, but I was able to keep my promise to Sophia.  I feel pretty good about my choice. When she feels better, maybe I can finish that list.  Sometimes you have to change your plans, and that's okay.

Can't I Sprint the Entire Marathon?

Today I visited another school district to find answers to some questions I have about language acquisition software. For all practical purposes, this district is our next door neighbor. However, I was shocked by how incredibly different it is from our own despite it's relatively close proximity to WC. At first I was highly intrigued by the differences.  It was something new, and the brain adores novelty. I took a lot of notes and started thinking about how I could implement some of what I saw in my position.  Next thing you know, I was maniacally making mental plans to overhaul EVERYTHING. After I left and returned to my familiar environment, the reality set in. The more I thought about how much work it took to make those differences and the effort required to maintain the contrast, the less I thought I could actually do myself.  By the time the day was over, my fire had wasted to mere embers. After a few days I will revisit my notes to determine one or two things I can successfully implement, and then I'll attempt to improve myself and my position.

The experience reminded me of a quote someone I admire shared with me a few months ago when I was in the midst of a brainstorming session designed to change the world, all by myself. He told me "Remember, you are running a marathon, not a sprint."  As a runner, this is one sports analogy I can actually understand, and it absolutely is relevant to my career. Because I'm passionate about my role, I tend to get worked up and excited about all of the things I want to do to make a difference in my students' lives.  Initially I want to DO IT ALL RIGHT NOW, but this job isn't a sprint. My mission is a marathon, and I'm only on the first mile. If I exert myself too much during the first mile, I will not finish. Instead, I must pace myself. I have to attack each mile one step at a time.  I have to do what I can when I can, and slowly make improvements along the way. I know this, and doing so keeps things in a heathy perspective. But, that doesn't mean I don't wish I could just sprint the entire marathon.

A Sleepy Poem

My eyes are heavy
My feet ache
I'm finding it hard
To stay awake.

The laundry needs folded
The towels are dirty
I hope to be in bed
Before ten-thirty.

Too many tasks
To finish today
I guess it's time
To go hit the hay.

This slice feels lazy
I wish I had more
But seriously guys
I'm off to go snore.