'Virgo
You are refreshed and ready to go. So be sure to take time to go to your kickboxing class or jog through the park or just walk around all morning long. You'll really feel the difference between what it's like to feel good and what it's like to feel great, when you take a good mood and add a healthy, active lifestyle. Today could be the beginning of some fantastic new habits. Good for you!'
Yeah, see even my horoscope is giving me props! Love that! And yes, although I am technically a Libra, I have so many planets in Virgo that I may as well admit I am an uptight, perfectionist. I am.
So, most people who know me, know that I have to have Starbuck's Cafe Verona to really start my morning right. I've tried Starbuck's regular House Blend, Sumatra, and even Maxwell House (which comes surprisingly close) but as long as my budget can afford it, I drink Cafe Verona in the morning. Yes... and I've gotten very good at taking care of my addiction. I travel with a tiny portable coffeepot and a baggie of Verona when I'm on the road--- except when I go to North Carolina. My daughter and son take care of me there. I have a Starbuck's card tucked in the back of my wallet for emergencies and I have the "Find the nearest Starbuck's" app on my iPhone. I'm covered. As a result of all this coffee drinking, I have LOTS of empty bags.
Now, if you look closely at a bag of Starbuck's coffee, they tell you that each time you bring in an empty bag to a shop, they will give you a free tall coffee. LOVE THAT!!! So, I do. I brought those bags in my luggage when I went out to San Francisco. After walking on the pier for hours, Mom and I sat down to two tall coffees at Starbuck's (I paid for the pumpkin cake.... yum!) for FREE! I took them when we went out to North Carolina in the airports and got more free coffee. Yes, I do love my Verona but my mom was starting to think things about me... I mean maybe it was tacky to drag those empty bags around the U.S. just for free coffee. But hey, why pass up FREE COFFEE!!!?
It's been Spring Break which means that I don't have to go to work early in the morning so I've been running beside Lake Pfluger. I know, I know, it's wasteful to drive out to the lake just to run beside water but it's Spring Break and I really miss water so I drive out there every other day just to listen to water lapping against the shoreline and watch blue heron hunting in the shoals as I struggle to look good as I run. (Although, I think my red face and huffing and puffing give me away despite my best intentions.) On the way out to the lake, I pass a Starbuck's. Not like thats unusual in America anymore. Even in my small town, we have four Starbuck's quite close and several other coffee shops as well. So I started thinking... I have all these empty coffee sacks... I pass by a Starbuck's... are you seeing where my mind went?
Yep. So this week, after I finished my run, I've been swinging into Starbuck's-- not the drive-thru (I, at least, try to minimize my carbon footprint that far.) and get myself a free tall.
Is it sad that the beauty in my life comes from such minor details? The sound of water, blue heron, mountain laurel in bloom, Zoey running beside me, AC/DC on my iPod, free coffee? Perhaps, but I am more than content with my beautiful life.
Salud!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A New Identity
So, I'm a runner now. Well, maybe not quite yet BUT I am training for a 5k and in my mind that makes me a runner. It's interesting, though, this evolution into a new identity. After I left the Army, I swore I would never EVER run again and here I am, training for a 5k. Of course, I blame it all on my friend, Kelly. She was standing in her doorway with a wrinkle in her forehead saying that she really wanted to sign up for this "Diva Dash" event coming up but Erin hadn't agreed yet... but she really wanted to do it. She had a new app on her iPhone that was taking her from the couch to a 5k but Erin didn't know if she wanted to do it.... angst. I fell headlong into it. "I'll do it with you, Kel!" Was that my mouth those words were coming out of? Well, must've been because Kelly was doing the happy dance in the hallway and showing me the app I need to get so I can start training....
And you know what.... I'm not making any mileage yet but I like heading out to the lake and jogging/running around it! It feels good and that's amazing to me. Granted, I'm not wearing my boots and running up hills in South Korea, but maybe that's why it feels easier. It's a lovely lake I run around and I have a nice mix on my ipod that makes it easy to move. Seriously, who wouldn't move with AC/DC, Kid Rock, Van Halen and GnR pounding your eardrums.... Kinda crazy though, right? Me, a runner.
Well, you know what this means. I can run the Schlotzsky Bun Run on May 1st. It's on my bucket list.
(Check)
And you know what.... I'm not making any mileage yet but I like heading out to the lake and jogging/running around it! It feels good and that's amazing to me. Granted, I'm not wearing my boots and running up hills in South Korea, but maybe that's why it feels easier. It's a lovely lake I run around and I have a nice mix on my ipod that makes it easy to move. Seriously, who wouldn't move with AC/DC, Kid Rock, Van Halen and GnR pounding your eardrums.... Kinda crazy though, right? Me, a runner.
Well, you know what this means. I can run the Schlotzsky Bun Run on May 1st. It's on my bucket list.
(Check)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Spring Break
[The title is a link to DaltonSherman's speech at Dallas ISD Convocation... Click on it!]
Yes, it's Spring Break 2011 and I have been spending a lot of time in political action. I am not happy about it. I was sure that after I left college my protest marching and sit-in days were over but here I am on a much needed holiday playing politics with people who haven't the slightest interest in protecting children. (sigh) Sometimes doing the necessary is... well... necessary.
On Saturday, I marched with 11,000 people to the capitol of Texas to protest the huge cuts in education that were being demanded by the state of Texas. Here in Pflugerville, we are faced with cutting 20 million dollars. 20 million dollars. I can't even fathom that amount and yet for me, it comes down to class sizes getting larger which means even more students falling through the cracks. It's like Reagan-omics all over again. Every study ever done in education has consistently reported that lower class sizes raise achievement for students. Every study shows that early childhood education levels the playing field and helps children living in poverty to learn and to be successful. Hell, even our early Texas forebears felt that education was so important that they instituted a land grant policy to provide for and fund public education. Maslow has told us in our child psychology classes that until basic needs like food, shelter, and love are met, NO ONE is able to focus on learning and yet we are looking at eliminating each of those items through raising class sizes, cutting preschool programs and raising the cost of education. It's discouraging.... So there we were, me and my buds, hoofing it off to the capitol to protect our kids and their hopes for a quality education.
We listened to inspiring speakers; we closely scrutinized the representatives that were standing in front of us to show their support; we even wept a little as a young boy from Dallas asked us if we believed in him. Oh yes I do, Dalton, and that's why I stood there shouting and raising my sign. I am a teacher for all children, Dalton, but you did us proud.
On Monday, I got into my work clothes (and my shit kickers, again) and went back up to the Capitol to talk with some representatives. Our representative, Mark Strama is a good friend to education. My students still remember his visit to our school where he spoke in an assembly. We met him in the hall and thanked him for his support. We stopped by Dawna Dukes' office and spoke to her assistant about our concerns for education, but she has supported education in the past and we are confident that she will continue. We headed off to Representative Gonzalez' office and actually had a long visit. While he was open to using the "rainy day fund" to allay the huge cuts which will hack into education, he also had other items on his agenda and felt that local school boards should be responsible for their budgets. I agree, in theory, but happens when you have a lousy superintendent and a lackadaisical school board? Where's the protection for schools and their students?
Then we were off to visit with Representative Schwertner from Georgetown. Okay. Wow. Well, this is where I knew I would never be cut out for politics. (Not like I ever had any illusions or even aspiration. Yuck!) Rep. Schwertner continually referred to the degeneration of the nuclear family as the root of all the ills of public education. Well, you know what? The nuclear family was an invention of the 1950's and it was then that society began to have one crisis after the other. The nuclear family was never referenced in the bible that Rep. Schwertner seems to live by. And, guess what else? I cannot refuse a child entrance into my classroom when he or she does not come from a family background i.e. a mother, father and children, that Rep. Schwertner seems to feel is the only one good for raising children. Not that I would EVER refuse a child, but isn't THAT the whole point of PUBLIC education? To give everyone an education so that they are able to participate in our democracy which relies and is dependent upon an educated electorate? OMG!!! Having said all that, I believe that Representative Schwertner has a good heart and good intentions. I still have hope that our words will encourage him to look beyond his rose-coloured glasses and realize that children do not get to choose who they live with and how those adults choose act. Someone needs to defend and protect our wee ones. Rep. Schwertner would be a good man to do that... if he steps up.
And there's more. On Thursday we're meeting to plan the strategy for the next board meeting. Somewhere in all this I am still trying to train for the Diva Dash, clean up the classroom and get the class library organized, and spring clean and organize my house. Good grief. There are just not enough hours in the day for my life.
Ah well, I'll rest when I'm dead...
in 114 years or so...
:p
Yes, it's Spring Break 2011 and I have been spending a lot of time in political action. I am not happy about it. I was sure that after I left college my protest marching and sit-in days were over but here I am on a much needed holiday playing politics with people who haven't the slightest interest in protecting children. (sigh) Sometimes doing the necessary is... well... necessary.
On Saturday, I marched with 11,000 people to the capitol of Texas to protest the huge cuts in education that were being demanded by the state of Texas. Here in Pflugerville, we are faced with cutting 20 million dollars. 20 million dollars. I can't even fathom that amount and yet for me, it comes down to class sizes getting larger which means even more students falling through the cracks. It's like Reagan-omics all over again. Every study ever done in education has consistently reported that lower class sizes raise achievement for students. Every study shows that early childhood education levels the playing field and helps children living in poverty to learn and to be successful. Hell, even our early Texas forebears felt that education was so important that they instituted a land grant policy to provide for and fund public education. Maslow has told us in our child psychology classes that until basic needs like food, shelter, and love are met, NO ONE is able to focus on learning and yet we are looking at eliminating each of those items through raising class sizes, cutting preschool programs and raising the cost of education. It's discouraging.... So there we were, me and my buds, hoofing it off to the capitol to protect our kids and their hopes for a quality education.
We listened to inspiring speakers; we closely scrutinized the representatives that were standing in front of us to show their support; we even wept a little as a young boy from Dallas asked us if we believed in him. Oh yes I do, Dalton, and that's why I stood there shouting and raising my sign. I am a teacher for all children, Dalton, but you did us proud.
On Monday, I got into my work clothes (and my shit kickers, again) and went back up to the Capitol to talk with some representatives. Our representative, Mark Strama is a good friend to education. My students still remember his visit to our school where he spoke in an assembly. We met him in the hall and thanked him for his support. We stopped by Dawna Dukes' office and spoke to her assistant about our concerns for education, but she has supported education in the past and we are confident that she will continue. We headed off to Representative Gonzalez' office and actually had a long visit. While he was open to using the "rainy day fund" to allay the huge cuts which will hack into education, he also had other items on his agenda and felt that local school boards should be responsible for their budgets. I agree, in theory, but happens when you have a lousy superintendent and a lackadaisical school board? Where's the protection for schools and their students?
Then we were off to visit with Representative Schwertner from Georgetown. Okay. Wow. Well, this is where I knew I would never be cut out for politics. (Not like I ever had any illusions or even aspiration. Yuck!) Rep. Schwertner continually referred to the degeneration of the nuclear family as the root of all the ills of public education. Well, you know what? The nuclear family was an invention of the 1950's and it was then that society began to have one crisis after the other. The nuclear family was never referenced in the bible that Rep. Schwertner seems to live by. And, guess what else? I cannot refuse a child entrance into my classroom when he or she does not come from a family background i.e. a mother, father and children, that Rep. Schwertner seems to feel is the only one good for raising children. Not that I would EVER refuse a child, but isn't THAT the whole point of PUBLIC education? To give everyone an education so that they are able to participate in our democracy which relies and is dependent upon an educated electorate? OMG!!! Having said all that, I believe that Representative Schwertner has a good heart and good intentions. I still have hope that our words will encourage him to look beyond his rose-coloured glasses and realize that children do not get to choose who they live with and how those adults choose act. Someone needs to defend and protect our wee ones. Rep. Schwertner would be a good man to do that... if he steps up.
And there's more. On Thursday we're meeting to plan the strategy for the next board meeting. Somewhere in all this I am still trying to train for the Diva Dash, clean up the classroom and get the class library organized, and spring clean and organize my house. Good grief. There are just not enough hours in the day for my life.
Ah well, I'll rest when I'm dead...
in 114 years or so...
:p
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)