Once again, work has captivated my time and energies. We are barreling toward the busiest time of year for me, as festivals and competitions, art gallery displays and showings, all require much attention to detail.
Our in school festival is Feb. 11th, and there is much to do to prepare for this evening of arts for the students in our school. And all the badgering I do as a teacher to demand participation from my own students wears me out...can't they just want to participate? There's that pesky "Can't I (we, they, you...) just..." phrase again. I despise that combination of words coming from one of my students! At least once (really several) time a year, I explain patiently, (while seething inside) that when one asks the question that way, one is translating, non-verbally, that one doesn't want to do whatever the question involved, and, more specifically, are saying that one is too lazy to do what has been asked, and one is trying to avoid doing what is found to be undesirable. Needless to say, my comment about their question stated that way, is also found to be undesirable. Then...I raise myself to my highest 5' 3" height and say, "May I please remind you that you exist, in this particular room, as the subject of a monarchy - a queen, and a benevolent one, at that. The element of democracy will not be recognized and all subjects will be "drawn" (ha!) and quartered, if adherence to all mandates is not completed."
Ah, the life of a teacher...queen of the misfits, the "m.a.d." students, as one academic teacher calls us. And if I could remember what that stands for, I would tell you, but I am having a "blank slate" moment. Will write more later...after the hubbub has subsided...you know, the twelfth of never, as it looks right now...ttl!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Honest Scrap!
HONEST SCRAP!Here are the rules:
1. Must thank the person who gave you the award and list their blog and link it.
2. Share "10 Honest things" about yourself.
3. Present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you.
4. Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.
Okay, here are mine!
1. I was sent this by Aubrey's Mom, my firstborn daughter, who is an amazing mom herself. From her birth, Kellan was all about life and getting on with it! Two pushes, she was here, wide-eyed, and ready to live life and not miss a thing! Watching her grow up and become the determined spirit that she is, as a middle child no less, has been amazing and breath-taking. I never thought I'd be a mom, a good one anyway, having had the most excellent example to follow. My three amaze me always, and seeing Kellan become a mom has been a joy beyond measure. God did good, again, Aubrey!
a. I REALLY don't like talking about myself!!! Not a good start...
b. I am married to a movie star!! Yes, Mike...I use this as an ice breaker when we have to introduce ourselves to new people! In the days when the Dixieland Jazz group that Mike used to play with regularly did every job available - car wash openings, political rallies, etc. - Hallmark movie company, then based in Wilmington, NC, contacted his group about being in a period movie called "The Summer of Ben Tyler" starring James Woods. The group had a two second debut for which we receive a check every year from SAG (Screen Actors Guild, for the uninitiated ;o) for a whopping $.02!! We have framed them!! It costs them more to mail them than the check is worth.
c. I am a rabid reader...voracious reader...love to read! My time is not as free as should be for absorbing a good book, so almost in defense, I have become a speed reader. Thankfully, I do absorb it even at those speeds. I can (have to) finish a well-written novel in a couple of days. Ya know, I need to alter this some, too. I also collect books - eh, yeah, I don't ever turn in used books unless they aren't worth reading a second time. I collect children's books for the artwork and the quality story line...more to read to my grandchildren!
d. I collect teacups. Once upon a time, my reading led me to a very special story by Emilie Barnes called "If Teacups Could Talk..." and I was hooked. All of her cups have a story, and now so do all of mine. When I am lucid, I can tell you most of them... ;o) I am blessed with friends who have added to my collection from as far away as Russia, Lithuania, England, Alaska - to name a few.
e. My artistic bent first began in Middle School with a desire to study Interior Design, and an uncanny ability to draw any and all cartoon characters that I wanted. And these two things ended up combining to my becoming an Art Teacher??? Who knew? I still have my first architectural design that was entered in an art show for which I won a second place.
f. I used to think this was an artistic thing, too, but my closet is arranged according to the color wheel, like colors together. You can call it OCD, if you want, but it occurred to me at some point in my life, that there were very few things that I could keep organized in my family of five, but my supplies and workplace AND my closet were ones that were all mine! Teachers at school will come to me and ask, "Do you have a ____?" and I can smile and say, "Yes, let me get it for you." Call it OCD if you want, but organization has always been a quirk of mine.
g. I have a "wall" if you will, in my art. Runners come to their walls and must break through to get to be that person of length that they need to be. I do not finish my pictures. Very few of them are actually completed to a desired end. I am always afraid that the next thing I add will ruin it. Not a good thing for a teacher to be "walled in" by. I do not teach about this as it would certainly squelch my credibility, but I do admit it to my Advanced Placement students who seem to suffer the same malady.
h. I have ALWAYS wanted to own a Jeep Wrangler! In my early driver years, my family had a hankering to drive sports cars - Dad had several MG's, a Mustang, a Camero RS, and my brother brought home a battered MG that I appropriated for a time. Now I DO know that a Jeep is not a sports car in the original sense, but it IS a sports car, if you go 4 x 4ing! Call it the "Wild at Heart" in me!
i. I envy my hairdresser's mother! There...I've said it! My hairdresser and her mom are in business together; Mom is a professional photographer, doing weddings, sittings, families, etc. She has a neat little shop attached to her daughter's hair salon (who does the bride's hair, and makeup) and they each love what they do! And she (the photographer) has awesome equipment and her time is her own. My dream job is to be in business with my girls in a wedding consulting business.
j. I have written a children's book. I think, above all, if the wedding consulting thing doesn't fly, I would love to be a published children's author/illustrator, not with the book I wrote so long ago, but to come up with a story, character, or series that might become a classic like "The Hungry Caterpillar," or "The Mouse and the Big, Red Strawberry," or "The Quiltmaker's Gift," or "Corduroy" - memorable, one and all. But, then, I will definitely need to "scale the Wall", won't I?
There are my ten things. This was hard but fun. Share yourself with seven others who may not know those 10 things. We all have such wonderful gifts we hardly ever share with someone else let alone tell them TEN things about us! Do it...they will be the blessed.
3. My seven people who influenced me or I love their blog, are:
1. My mom...who is no longer here, and thus has no blog, was the single most influential person in my life.
2. McMama...a wonderful blogger Kellan turned me on to, who
has absolutely no time to respond, but I wanted to credit
3. Chris...my son, who has such gift for writing and will see "it" in his hands
someday, when he gets published.
4. Jessica...my son's significant other, also, likewise gifted in both writing
and articulation.
5. Kellan...my daughter, who started this blog thing AND sent the Honest Scrap.
6. Nancy Ray...another of my blogs to follow about photography - again someone
too busy to send this to, but is fabulous.
7. Judy...my sister...who is only marginally computer involved, but has been
THE most influential person in my life next to my mom.
Well, there is the Honest Scrap of my life...and now who to send it to?? Seven people don't even follow my blog!!! :o) Here you are great internet land...scrap 'o me!
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