this is me, standing in my studio gathering explosive supplies for tomorrows classes
bursting with excitement
man, I LOVE my job
weird? good. I get paid to be weird.
man, I LOVE my job
weird? good. I get paid to be weird.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Moving on up....
Singing the Jefferson's theme song today....in case you forgot the words...
Yep, feeling all fancy and important.
Great news....
Creativity Explosion gets to stay in one room this school year. The students come to ME this year. This is huge news. In the past, I had to lug all the equipment up and down the stairs of the enormous old school building. The place has like five stories, numerous stairwells, halls and strange twists and turns. Not only that, but the storage closet was in the basement.....another flight of stairs. My classes would take "mini-field" trips to recover supplies when I couldn't carry it all before the bell rang.
My very own classroom. My very own desk. I have a pencil sharpener and a wall of windows and another wall filled with the chalkboard. AND storage, in the room! These all may seem minor, but in my world, this is HUGE. Oh, and NO CARPETING. (seriously, carpeting? for sculpture class, painting, ...horrible, just horrible)
that's all, just wanted to share.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled life.
Well we're movin on up,
To the east side.
To a deluxe apartment in the sky.
Movin on up,
To the east side.
We finally got a piece of the pie.
To the east side.
To a deluxe apartment in the sky.
Movin on up,
To the east side.
We finally got a piece of the pie.
Fish don't fry in the kitchen;
Beans don't burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin',
Just to get up that hill.
Now we're up in the big leagues,
Gettin' our turn at bat.
Beans don't burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin',
Just to get up that hill.
Now we're up in the big leagues,
Gettin' our turn at bat.
As long as we live, it's you and me baby, There ain't nothin wrong with that.
Yep, feeling all fancy and important.
Great news....
drum roll please
Creativity Explosion gets to stay in one room this school year. The students come to ME this year. This is huge news. In the past, I had to lug all the equipment up and down the stairs of the enormous old school building. The place has like five stories, numerous stairwells, halls and strange twists and turns. Not only that, but the storage closet was in the basement.....another flight of stairs. My classes would take "mini-field" trips to recover supplies when I couldn't carry it all before the bell rang.
209 is my favorite number.
My very own classroom. My very own desk. I have a pencil sharpener and a wall of windows and another wall filled with the chalkboard. AND storage, in the room! These all may seem minor, but in my world, this is HUGE. Oh, and NO CARPETING. (seriously, carpeting? for sculpture class, painting, ...horrible, just horrible)
that's all, just wanted to share.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled life.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Goodbye Monday
....Monday did not shape up to be the productive powerhouse I needed it to be. I got derailed by a bit of an emotional funk that wasn't cured by the usual bike ride. My pretty pink bike usually makes me happy...not today. Music is my second weapon, nothing. Then there is the all powerful written list, complete with doodles.
Well, I slipped out for a bike ride, I wrote the LIST, I turned on the girl power music and ...
.
......gave it all
....... a sad half-hearted effort.
on to Tuesday..
Well, I slipped out for a bike ride, I wrote the LIST, I turned on the girl power music and ...
.
......gave it all
....... a sad half-hearted effort.
so, Good Bye Monday.
(technically it is not gone, as it is only 7 pm,
but I can pretend the elephant in the room is simply an unfortunate decorating problem)
on to Tuesday..
To do list:
- Finish all of Mondays tasks
- Run my butt off, literally
- Clean
- Teach
- Write Tuesdays scheduled assignments
- Submit the stupid proposal already
....try not to step on Wednesday's toes
Last year
GBE2 prompt is one year ago....for the record, I do not want to write about the past---at all.
but, hmmm, last September....um....2010, okay... Sadly, my first thought is "who died that month" morbid, yes...but too true.
It seems I have completely worn out my funeral dress.
While no one close to me passed away that month, the holes certain people have left are starting to create a real minefield of memories. Looking back a year ago, I see a friend who was struggling with a "not-fatal" disease, she was sick, but getting better...we talked, hung out, we saw each other at events...
fast forward a year and she's gone.
I don't want to look back anymore. I don't want to trip over a painful explosive, or fall into a hole of depression. Shell-shocked into a pervasive antisocial mode is not where I want to stay.
Looking forward is all I've got the energy for right now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yikes, that was a bit heavy for a Monday morning....um, let me give it another stab. September always seems more like a New Year than the winter holiday. I am forever on school calendar and love it that way.
Last year,
- I was setting up for my first round of new sculpture classes, excited about the new classrooms and my very own storage area! (well, not really my own, but it was better than lugging everything back and forth from home)
- writing assignments were picking up to where I could actually say I was making a living stringing together sentences.
- paid off a major debt....making the above (living from writing) much more possible.
better......
Friday, September 9, 2011
Got your number, buddy
The fan-tab-u-lous GBE2 group theme for the week is children or parent (we have a choice)
I was a child, I am a parent and, so, I have children....but what I am going to talk about has very little to do with any of those three roles. - Why? because I can not afford to tear up today, I already 'put my face on' and do not want to deal with mascara lines...again. Yes, I am an emotional writer,
(and just as an emotional reader...all these sappy-lovey dovey posts are killing me this week, people!)
So I will write about my other 87 kids:
September brings another school year and a new roster of students. There are several names that are new to me, some I expected would come back, but others were a HUGE surprise that they chose to come back to my classroom.
You see, my classes are optional. There are basic art classes that cover the, um basics - led by teachers that are not quite as eccentric who actually provide clear cut steps for proceeding. They have examples to follow and everything. It is really neat and structured and seemingly a much better fit for this group.
I, on the other hand, do not work like that. It really bothers some...or so I thought. The kids I suspected would never want to take another class with me, signed up for another full year.
What? Why? Are they trying to torture me? torture themselves?
After presenting a project, I leave the door open for interpretation, I want them to use their brains to figure out "the what", I am there to help with "the how." Many jump at the chance and get right to putting their wacky ideas in play, but there are always those who squirm in their seats. Some children, mostly the teens, will not proceed until they are told what to do. Pulling creativity out of some of them (this puzzling group especially) was flat out exhausting.
These are the ones that are coming back. ????
First period nonetheless. huh?
I could not contain my curiosity and called one of the parents, What is up with this? Well, turns out, the one boy actually did enjoy my class, his self-proclaimed "stupid papier mache bird" sits on his dashboard, and, oh yeah, it was his idea to sign up.
You know, I get it. While I might tear up at the slightest amount of emotional prodding, I don't always express myself well in person. I've taken classes where I did not say a word, wrinkled my nose at projects and may have made a general negative impression....and yet- deep down, got a lot out of it.
School officially starts next week.
I get to meet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, sure, the upcoming year of rolling eyes and deep sighs is something I am still working out in my mind....while I plan their first project.
I'll be waiting.....
I was a child, I am a parent and, so, I have children....but what I am going to talk about has very little to do with any of those three roles. - Why? because I can not afford to tear up today, I already 'put my face on' and do not want to deal with mascara lines...again. Yes, I am an emotional writer,
(and just as an emotional reader...all these sappy-lovey dovey posts are killing me this week, people!)
So I will write about my other 87 kids:
September brings another school year and a new roster of students. There are several names that are new to me, some I expected would come back, but others were a HUGE surprise that they chose to come back to my classroom.
HUGE SURPRISE.
You see, my classes are optional. There are basic art classes that cover the, um basics - led by teachers that are not quite as eccentric who actually provide clear cut steps for proceeding. They have examples to follow and everything. It is really neat and structured and seemingly a much better fit for this group.
I, on the other hand, do not work like that. It really bothers some...or so I thought. The kids I suspected would never want to take another class with me, signed up for another full year.
What? Why? Are they trying to torture me? torture themselves?
After presenting a project, I leave the door open for interpretation, I want them to use their brains to figure out "the what", I am there to help with "the how." Many jump at the chance and get right to putting their wacky ideas in play, but there are always those who squirm in their seats. Some children, mostly the teens, will not proceed until they are told what to do. Pulling creativity out of some of them (this puzzling group especially) was flat out exhausting.
These are the ones that are coming back. ????
First period nonetheless. huh?
I could not contain my curiosity and called one of the parents, What is up with this? Well, turns out, the one boy actually did enjoy my class, his self-proclaimed "stupid papier mache bird" sits on his dashboard, and, oh yeah, it was his idea to sign up.
You know, I get it. While I might tear up at the slightest amount of emotional prodding, I don't always express myself well in person. I've taken classes where I did not say a word, wrinkled my nose at projects and may have made a general negative impression....and yet- deep down, got a lot out of it.
School officially starts next week.I get to meet
all the new (unsuspecting) children
and greet my the returning students...
with a gleam in my eye -
yeah, ya'll don't fool me. ;)
yeah, ya'll don't fool me. ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, sure, the upcoming year of rolling eyes and deep sighs is something I am still working out in my mind....while I plan their first project.
Muhwahahaha!!!!!
Flashback Friday - Stop the bus
In honor of flashback Friday, I was flipping back through some old posts. Surprisingly this blog has been around in one form or the other since 2006. That is an awful lot of random ramblings from a girl who isn't much of a talker. Anyways, glancing at some of the posts make me cringe- I want to hit delete and completely erase certain choices......tell that silly girl to open her eyes.... oh well.
I stopped the bus on this post because it is still (mostly) so true - and I want to torture others. Plus, a friend randomly pulled up a different "things about me" note I had written a few years ago on facebook. I completely forgot about that facebook notes thing. weird.
....in case you caught that little phrase up above "I want to torture others"....I meant it, if you innocently click on this blog post to waste a little time....you are IT, meaning, you now need to scribble down ten facts about yourself. Uh huh, yep, I mean you. Thanks for playing.
Old post follows...I copied and pasted for your convenience- you know, since you will be working on your own list and all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 16, 2007
Valerie, i.e. art addict, tagged me to share 10 interesting and relatively unknown facts about me/ opinions of mine/ habits etc...
1....can’t sing a lick…but use that sing song voice and make up crazy songs when I’m really tired…it’s like my own personal alarm for ‘Sylvie needs a nap’
2...listen to NPR or the BBC for my news…and love independent college radio stations, not just for the off the beaten track music, but for the off the beaten track DJ’s, their views, and sometimes rough presentations....um's, ah's, just a sec's...
3...fancy, expensive, rich…does nothing for me. I’m not impressed by big bank accounts, jewelry shop jewelry, fancy cars, big houses, designer clothes or purses, *shrug*, I like simple, unique, handmade, interesting, things with a story….
4...I love soccer…sports in general, but hate being called a soccer mom, won’t wear a “I love soccer” t-shirt, or any of the stuff the incessant marketing machine generates, don't drive a mini van.…I play the game, love the cleats, the team, the competition, I watch, ( won’t coach or ref though, many of my teammates do, but I don’t like being “in charge”)
5... I’m not one to go all googly over a kitten or puppy, never feel the urge to run up to a new mom and grab her infant child, don’t speak baby talk…..not that I don’t like these creatures, I’d rather observe than entertain, I suppose.
6... Have the annoying habit of personifying everything, or coming up with a metaphor or weird simile's, connect dots that don't exist, think in spirals, circles, curly-q's…helps in my creative writing classes…social situations…not so much. ;)
7... Avoid shopping ( as my cupboards and children can attest) ….but, love exploring new places, outdoor markets, stuff like that…
8... My dream home is either a floor of an old factory downtown, or an old church/school that I can remodel and open most to the public….living and work space together…..currently I live/work in a bag of wonder bread in the suburbs, not awful, not complaining, it is easier to maintain.
9... I have never balanced a checkbook, have no math sense whatsoever…yet love numbers and old clocks, attach my own significance to numbers, dates, times….won’t explain, you’re welcome.
10... I keep a magic 8 ball on my desk…sometimes will even ask it a question or two…..maybe I need more friends…unfortunately I don’t think this list will help in my quest.
"to know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer is to have kept your soul alive" ~Robert Louis Stevenson
I stopped the bus on this post because it is still (mostly) so true - and I want to torture others. Plus, a friend randomly pulled up a different "things about me" note I had written a few years ago on facebook. I completely forgot about that facebook notes thing. weird.
stop the bus
just a weird photo of "Spartans stopping a bus" no real significance.
Old post follows...I copied and pasted for your convenience- you know, since you will be working on your own list and all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 16, 2007
Valerie, i.e. art addict, tagged me to share 10 interesting and relatively unknown facts about me/ opinions of mine/ habits etc...
1....can’t sing a lick…but use that sing song voice and make up crazy songs when I’m really tired…it’s like my own personal alarm for ‘Sylvie needs a nap’
2...listen to NPR or the BBC for my news…and love independent college radio stations, not just for the off the beaten track music, but for the off the beaten track DJ’s, their views, and sometimes rough presentations....um's, ah's, just a sec's...
3...fancy, expensive, rich…does nothing for me. I’m not impressed by big bank accounts, jewelry shop jewelry, fancy cars, big houses, designer clothes or purses, *shrug*, I like simple, unique, handmade, interesting, things with a story….
4...I love soccer…sports in general, but hate being called a soccer mom, won’t wear a “I love soccer” t-shirt, or any of the stuff the incessant marketing machine generates, don't drive a mini van.…I play the game, love the cleats, the team, the competition, I watch, ( won’t coach or ref though, many of my teammates do, but I don’t like being “in charge”)
5... I’m not one to go all googly over a kitten or puppy, never feel the urge to run up to a new mom and grab her infant child, don’t speak baby talk…..not that I don’t like these creatures, I’d rather observe than entertain, I suppose.
6... Have the annoying habit of personifying everything, or coming up with a metaphor or weird simile's, connect dots that don't exist, think in spirals, circles, curly-q's…helps in my creative writing classes…social situations…not so much. ;)
7... Avoid shopping ( as my cupboards and children can attest) ….but, love exploring new places, outdoor markets, stuff like that…
8... My dream home is either a floor of an old factory downtown, or an old church/school that I can remodel and open most to the public….living and work space together…..currently I live/work in a bag of wonder bread in the suburbs, not awful, not complaining, it is easier to maintain.
9... I have never balanced a checkbook, have no math sense whatsoever…yet love numbers and old clocks, attach my own significance to numbers, dates, times….won’t explain, you’re welcome.
10... I keep a magic 8 ball on my desk…sometimes will even ask it a question or two…..maybe I need more friends…unfortunately I don’t think this list will help in my quest.
"to know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer is to have kept your soul alive" ~Robert Louis Stevenson
Friday, September 2, 2011
Longing and the Wizard of Oz
Longing reminds me of the Wizard of Oz.
"If I only had a brain, a heart, courage..."
I have longed for these things in various forms over the years...longed for love, longed for acceptance, longed to understand, longed for wisdom and the courage to pursue my dreams.....funny thing, there is no man behind the curtain waiting to hand these to me...
Longing should lead to action. Take that yellow brick road, grab a few friends, get an Emerald City makeover, throw a bucket of water on your fears,
...............................*run from the flying monkeys* (those things are ridiculously scary) ...
but then, even as I write this, I sometimes long for days gone by,
the little boy that was, is getting ready to move on to his new life,
close friends have died, leaving a huge void...ugh, longing can be painful and empty
and it really takes on a new meaning when the sands of time get involved...
like an etch a sketch
shake, shake, shake...
draw something new ....move forward...
Brought to you by the blogging world of the GBE2 who proposed the word, Longing, as the prompt for the week. So many good posts on this, there was a a short little tearjerker, memories and resolutions.....
(love and a box of tissues for you all)
Flashback Friday - My Good Day
Flashback Friday...this is the day bloggers link to an old post,
and then share it on Chasing Joy's facebook page.
For my little entry, I dug up "My Good Day" a post that gushes on and on about my job.
Yep, my job. I really, truly love my work,
(although in the midst of the stressful logistics of cramming all the
must-do's in with the want-to's and have-to's, I sometimes forget)
I'm also reminded in this post of all the rapid fire changes that have happened in the past few years. Back in the fall of 2008 my son spent a month in the hospital...well, 3 hospitals in all.
Until he finally came home, it was very scary.
Now, he is the epitome of health,
captain and starter both offense and defense - on his football team and is
just a great kid.
This was also the first official year of my Creativity Explosion!!! classes....
In a week or so, the 2011 school year begins for me
5 new classes, full to capacity
pure joy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)