Adteacher

Japan: 1. 9.0 earthquake. 2. 33 ft. Tsunami that sweeps away whole cities and kills tens of thousands, many swept out to sea to vanish forever. 3. Aftershocks leading to shutdown of nuclear power plants. 4. Explosions and release of radiation into the atmosphere. 5. No power for millions, snow begins, people freezing. Conclusion: be thankful to be alive, take NOTHING for granted, and don't complain about silly things. Your life is grand. Embrace it.

Sometimes, even as a 52 year old lady, I still feel like an 8 year old. Today was one of those times. The 3:00 dismissal bell just rang - letting us out of school for a week of Spring Break. Even though it is just a week, it felt so exciting to hear that bell. I still love to get out of school on vacation, there is a thrill in the air that is undeniable. I have students heading off to places like Italy, Hawaii, Boston, New York, Florida, Haiti, and the list goes on and on. I have no real plans to travel, but I can tell that everyone is excited for a change of pace. It is welcomed at this time of year. I just feel happy to know that I have no schedule for a week! Lazy breakfasts with my husband, reading in bed in the afternoon, lounging in my pajamas till 10 AM... these are things that I enjoy and I could stand more of in my life. So bring it on, Spring Break is here - and I can't wait to see what it brings!

I hit a little period of time in January and February when life just kind of "caught up with me", and I haven't been blogging as much as I would like. I am going to make a more concious effort to post more regularly, as I feel that it is therapeutic for me and informative for those of you who like to check in and keep up with the things that have been going on in my life lately. When you last heard from me, I was romping around in the snow with my daughter. That was a fun filled time but, man! Am I ready for sunshine, flowers, and green grass. Today the temp was excellent... it was in the 70s and felt ideal. I guess I have a bout of "spring fever". I don't know if I will ever tire of that feeling that "spring is in the air". I love the knowledge that we have just about successfully completed our first full year at the new school and that things are looking really positive for next year. I'm just feeling very happy and positive right now. ...

Wow, our area of north Texas has been hit by something so rare that we don't know what to do with it. We were basically knocked off right off the grid during the week that Dallas-Fort Worth is hosting the Super Bowl! A major ice storm came, and we had 5-6 inches of fresh snow on top of that storm. Driving was nearly impossible, and we were just socked in. Millions of people were just stuck at home, paralyzed. Stores were running out of dairy and produce, and it was just a little taste of what people up north probably go through all the time in winter. We just weren't ready for it. I know it came as a shock to us all when four out of five school days were cancelled last week. It is likely that we will only have to make up two of those days, but there goes our March 21 and June 8th! We owe it to Mr. Blizzard! I must say, after that many days of snow and storm, it is very nice to see the sunshine again. It is to be short lived though, because it is only a matter of days from now...

I really feel like I have a great life. I get that fact brought back home to me periodically when I get to hear great things from some of my students. I heard some really nice comments from some of my students as last semester was wrapping up, and I have heard some more as this semester has gotten underway. I am a big fan of positivity in general, but I need to take a short pause today to thank a few of my former students for making my day the other day. I was on Facebook and noticed that a few of them were discussing that even though they were no longer in my class, they still found themselves reading the class blog. I was so happy to know that they had each taken a little piece of this class with them. When I was in high school, I was so relieved to see most of my classes end, but there were a few that left me with something special. A friend, maybe some tidbit of knowledge that actually was interesting and seemed valid to my life, or maybe it was ...

Texas is kind of a funny place (yee-haw.) I have come to appreciate its quirks, you know... tornado alley, the occasional over the top redneck, lackluster topography - at least in my area, Dallas. It's one big flat concrete ridden city for miles in all directions. One thing that has never gotten old though, is the fact that it can be 70 degrees one day and two days later, it'll be snowing. The weather just never gets old. It's full of surprises. This season's first snowfall of the year has been a really nice one though. It was warm a few days ago, then a front pushed through and dropped its gift of a slight dusting of snow, less than a couple of inches, and now - one day later - it is all but gone and soon to be sunny again. I feel like it was one of those snows that dusted off the landscape and did a similar thing with my attitude. It kind of put me in a fresh state of mind. Just in time too, because I am about to get a new set of students for the spring semester. ...

I feel like a bear who has been in hibernation... I can't say it's an entirely bad feeling, either. I unplugged completely from what I usually do during the breaks from school. I usually find myself working a lot. This year I granted myself a little break and decided to really use the time to recharge. I find that I am happy with that choice. Now it is time to get back to work, and I really feel ready to face what is ahead with enthusiasm and energy. Lazy isn't always bad. Sometimes it is just necessary. I had a great time with my family and enjoyed being around home. I got reacquainted with my dogs and my living room furniture, and I spent more time enjoying the Christmas decorations than I do most years. I remember a few years when I didn't even have time to put up any decorations, and I feel sad about those years. So it was a good break, but now it is worktime. These last few days of the semester will be hectic and busy, but I plan to enjoy these kids before th...