Since I started my blog, I have picked up regular traffic from Russia and Latvia, as well as some other unexpected countries around the world, which I think is very cool! Assuming, of course, that you’re not just some sort of automated internet web crawler, I’d like to invite you to “like” my writing page on Facebook by clicking here, (yesterday’s link was to the wrong place). I would love to give faces to my mysterious foreign followers!
Today my students got their wish.
Nearly 120 fourth and fifth grade students, at least two dozen parents, and five teachers piled into three funky old buses that bounced happily down the road to San Francisco.
Before even exiting our bus, one student exclaimed, “This is the best field trip I have ever been on!”
The initial view of the city was just as exciting as I hoped. The students were giddy as they spotted the skyline, the Golden Gate bridge, Alcatraz. They anxiously held their breath through the tunnel on Treasure Island, carefully making their wishes at the other end. However, to my surprise, it was not just the city that excited them– it was the cows on the hillside before that, the coastal mountain range itself, (“Are those as tall as the Himalayas?”), and the glee of waving to other school children on passing busses out the window.
Of course, the Exploratorium earned its own acclaim. Beginning with lunch outside the Palace of Fine Arts, eager children fed the ducks, the swans, and the pigeons in the perfect San Francisco March sunshine. The exhibits soon followed, sucking them in with the truly magical promise that they would not get in trouble for touching anything. My personal favorite was the rather low-brow, toliet-shaped drinking fountain. While I could not bring myself to drink from it, (despite the promises of drinkability), I delighted in watching the students psyche themselves into it.
Oddly, however, it was the bus ride home that left me the most satisfied. Despite an earlier response that we would not cross the Golden Gate Bridge, the bus driver announced a change in plans upon our departure. To the sheer delight of the students on my bus, we did cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and it was magical.
“For those of you that have never seen the ocean,” the bus driver called out proudly, “turn and look out on your left.”
Cameras held out excitedly in the air, many of my students took in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean for the first time. I wanted to cry, but I smiled instead. Floating across the bridge on a crazy, bouncy bus full of happy children, I remembered why I decided to become a teacher.
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| “WHOA!!” |
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I love the lighting and the architecture of the Exploritorium. I hope that its new home on the waterfront is just as cool!
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| My infamous happy, sparkly shoes, (key ingredients for any good day!) |
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| More of the cool lighting |
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| Close-ups of plants because I can’t legally show you close-ups of the children… |
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| “We really get to go over the Golden Gate Bridge?!” |
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| Our own magic school bus! |
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| Happy kids, (Note: This picture is not a close-up, so I think that I can get away with posting it! Yippee!)
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| End Result: Two very happy teachers! (Really, five… But we were lame and didn’t get a group teacher photo… Insert sad face… That last part is for you, Regina!) |
I deeply admire and am inspired by the creative people in my life. Looking through a friend’s fashion illustrations this evening, I was struck by the same old message from the universe that hard work fuels success, not luck. I know that my friend will be wildly successful, not because she is lucky, but because she is talented, works hard, and does not give up. Check out her work on Pinterest or at her blog, Drawn to Style.
Thanks for the inspiration, Tanya!
Awhile back, I mentioned a book that I was excited to start– Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Being a multi-tasking introvert myself, I have read only the first few chapters, while also balancing two other reads simultaneously. It is interesting, I’m just not in a hurry to get through it– it’s more of something that I pick up for fifteen minutes at a time, then let digest and inspire before returning for more.
Last night, my dear friend Tanya, shared a link to a talk with the book’s author, Susan Cain, allowing me to multi-task while also listening, perfect! If you’re interested in the book, this is a great place to start, just let it stream in the background while you’re doing your other browsing. It will leave you feeling reflective and proud to be an introvert, (if you are one!).
For me, the biggest key to marital bliss is a shared sense of humor. If Alex didn’t laugh at my jokes, the world would be very lonely. After all, we all want to feel like someone else understands us. Part of being married for me is knowing that Alex will be there to laugh at my jokes even when no one else does, (and mean it, too!). When I’m a little old lady and people ask me for the secret to a long marriage, I’m certain that my answer will be laughter.
In the spirit of this shared laughter, I want to wish happy birthday to my favorite partner in crime! I am so grateful that we share the same quirky sense of humor, (even when other people just stare at us in silence!). Here’s to many, many more years of post-dinner track suit purchases and hysterical laughter. We will definitely be the most interesting couple in the retirement community. Do you think that they’ll let us in early? In these outfits, it’s either that or GTL and fist pumping…
I love you, welcome to 28 years of age. It certainly does not mean that we are always grown ups, as is evidenced from the pictures below.
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| I would like to add that part of the beauty of these pictures is that they’re 100% sober. The best laughter doesn’t need help! |
Before I started writing my book, a picture of a little family enjoying a picnic inspired me. They were in a grassy field, with the slanting sunlight of late afternoon streaking the shot, shadows creeping in around the edges. The young mother, father, and baby sat on a little blanket, seemingly happy, but also somehow deeply dissatisfied.
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| Courtesy of Mike Shaw Photography |
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| Courtesy of Mike Shaw Photography |
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| Courtesy of Mike Shaw Photography |
This afternoon, my mother-in-law brought over an early birthday present for Alex– the infamous Mountain Three Wolf Moon t-shirt.
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| Photo courtesy of amazon.com |
Now, I have to tell you, Alex has been threatening me with this t-shirt for months, maybe even years, I’ve lost track. Every time we stop at a gas station, he cruelly taunts me that he is going to go inside and find one. It is so infamous, that I did not even need to see one to know what he was talking about. Images of flea markets and truck stops flooded into my mind. Just thinking about it, made me feel mortified.
Well, apparently, the hipsters found one first. Typical. The three wolf t-shirt is now a legend. Alex said he is pretty sure that if we move to Portland, wearing the t-shirt will instantly get us friends. They won’t even care if we are from California. The three-wolf t-shirt trumps all!
To convince me of this point, this afternoon he introduced me to the lore of the t-shirt. Now, I get it. It’s not just a white trash, hippie, or even hipster fashion statement, it’s a super power, (and, don’t get me wrong, I love hippies and tolerate hipsters). According to reviews on Amazon, the t-shirt is so powerful that it will get you women at trailer parks and Walmart! I’m really not sure what my husband is trying to say here… Although, according to the music video review, it’s powers also extend to super models! That’s slightly more comforting.
Thanks Alex and cool music video. NOW, I get it. And, I also discovered my own secret weapon in all of this research, the Mountain Unicorn Castle Purple T-Shirt! If before I thought it embarrassing to be in public with the Three Wolf Moon T-shirt, (and, of course, that was before I knew about its powers…), now I’m thinking that the perfect antidote is its unicorn brethren. Then, Alex and I would truly be the perfect power couple! Watch out Portland, two new hipsters were born today!
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| Photo courtesy of amazon.com |
According to Google Analytics, I have a steady stream of traffic from Russia on this blog. I wonder who my mysterious Russian viewers are? Are they real people or some sort of electronic webpage crawlers based out of Russia? I’m very intrigued. Clearly, the nerdy international relations major in me is still alive and well.
Alex and I actually went to a Russian market with friends this weekend. Well, a Russian and Korean market. Quite the combination! If you’ve never been to a foreign market before, go! They’re a nerdy international relations major’s dream!
Whether they’re here or abroad, I love visiting foreign markets. They’re always stocked with really unusual items that I find fascinating. Among the most interesting finds this time were vodka hidden in a babushka doll and hula hoops with “massaging” spikes, (they weren’t really spikes, just felt that way when I tried it out, to Alex’s amusement, in the middle of the store!). Not to mention all of the scary variations of meat, (head cheese or whole eels anyone?). I always find these stores reminiscent of watching an episode of Bizarre Foods or Anthony Bourdain… An instant and cheap adventure!
I actually have a not-so-secret obsession with foreign markets, as well as babushka dolls, so this outing was an unexpected thrill! (And, way more accessible than actually going to Russia or Korea!)
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ADHD side note of the night… This Portlandia clip hits a little too close to home. What shall I try next oh-great creative occupational wizard? (Documentary maker, tried that, wedding videographer, tried that too, writer, sure! Who knows, maybe making my own jewelry is next!)
http://www.hulu.com/embed/zx-5g3QHCwdFe1AZzQ2rFA
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| Gigantic bags of beautiful jackets for students at my school! |
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| Thank you, thank you, thank you Old Navy donators! |
I have a serious case of life ADHD right now.
I go to work, get sucked in to all kinds of wacky side projects that have nothing to do with getting me out the door at the end of the day, (Randomly inviting published author to speak in my classroom, sure, why not? Less posters on my walls, great idea Mr. Firemen, let me get started right now!). I get home, think about taking the dog on a walk, end up preparing for tomorrow’s smoothie recipe lesson in the kitchen, decide that I should read my new book on how to get published, but then end up on the laptop writing a blog entry while lamenting the fact that I’m neither cleaning my house nor getting any exercise, (while also simultaneously fielding phone calls and responding to emails…). Then it occurs to me that I still need to book a room in Carmel over spring break and I have the urge to abandon the blog entirely and waste two hours rereading trip advisor reviews and trying to remember which of the hotels are dog friendly.
Truthfully, I do not expect anyone to have survived that paragraph. I’m not even sure that I want to reread it! The point is, I run around all day, torn between a thousand things that I actually WANT to do, never able to get through it all. I know I’m not alone. We all feel this way on some level or another. What I do not understand is how people have children and still manage to conquer anything on the list. And, no, I’m not contemplating having them right this minute, don’t get too excited (or annoyed, depending on who you are!), but it is something that crosses my mind when I imagine what I would give up. I guess that the love mechanism just takes over to the point that you do not mind giving something up? (Or, I hope it does!)
Anyway, this post has little real substance, just felt like lamenting the fact that I do not have more time by wasting time writing this. Irony in action. I have to remind myself: It does not matter how slow you go, as long as you do not stop. In other words, it can all get done, just not as fast as we would like it to…
Back to my ADHD, thinking about staying in Doris Day’s famously dog-friendly hotel in Carmel, but can’t get them to answer an email, (heaven-forbid I pick up a phone and call them!).
It’s official, I’m out of the closet, I love Valentine’s Day!
I used to force myself not to like it. I reasoned that it made people that I love feel lonely, so I wanted to support them by not liking it. I also scoffed at how arbitrary the date was– complaining how it was a capitalistic excuse for more materialism. Last year, I went so far as to tell Alex that I did not want presents and that I did not care if he had the closing shift at work, (I thought that I was being generous to his coworkers that actually wanted the time to celebrate!).
Today, however, I realized that I do like Valentine’s Day, even if there are aspects of it that still annoy me, (like all of the horny men wandering around looking for flowers at the grocery store!). Despite the annoyances, it no longer bothers me that it is a day that we made up. So what– aren’t all holidays days that we made up on some level or another? Maybe this one is more recent, but I do not see anything wrong with a day based on love. After all, isn’t love critical to our happiness as human beings?
I’m not saying romantic love… Although, that kind of love is nice too. I’m just saying love. As an adult, I’m finding that Valentine’s Day is a day that I tell my friends, students, and family that I love them. I don’t tell them with expensive gifts, but with little gestures: a cut out heart with kind words, a card, a text, a phone call. In fact, it turns out that Valentine’s Day results in the greatest outpouring of token gifts and sweet little cards from my students of any holiday. I have a veritable mountain of candy and cards that make me feel appreciated! What’s so wrong with expressing our love this way?
In truth, I witnessed many little acts of love that made me happy to be alive today: A coworker’s husband marching across campus with a gigantic bouquet of roses, (to the sheer excitement of the 120 students watching at recess!). A student excited to deliver her one special hand-crafted valentine to a boy that she likes, (reminded me of the valentine that Alex made me in fourth grade!). My students treasuring the little valentines that I made them. My dad unexpectedly delivering a valentine to my school, complete with a generous donation for our upcoming field trip. Incredibly kind words of support emailed from my mom. A woman taking the time to pull into the grocery store parking lot just to cuss me out for changing lanes at the same time as she did, (okay, that happened, and it made me laugh, but maybe it doesn’t belong on this list!).
Even though I’m looking forward to seeing my husband tonight, it has been the acts of love from other people that have brightened my day so far. I’m sure he’ll make me smile too, when he gets home from work, but I’m realizing that Valentine’s Day is far more than a romantic holiday based on excessive consumerism. It’s a chance to tell people that they matter to you. If you’re feeling sad or lonely tonight, you’re entitled to dislike this holiday, I don’t blame you, but also consider reaching out to the people that you love. It will make them smile, and chances are, it will make you smile too!
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| The valentines that I made for my students. It is amazing how a few kind words so clearly brighten their day! |
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| Simon going nuts on one of my gifts from a student… oops! |
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| You’ll be happy to know that the bear survived! Happy Valentine’s Day! |
Today one of my toughest students had a revelation during the middle of his parent teacher conference. We have been planning a field trip to the Exploratorium in San Francisco for a few weeks, but the news finally hit him. “We’re really going to San Francisco?” he asked me over and over. He was incredulous. It was as though I told him that we were going to get on a bus and go to Disneyland. “Are we going to come back?” he asked, after a couple of minutes of contemplation, hoping perhaps that we were either going to stay there forever or more plausibly rent a hotel room.
Listening to this student reminded me of how fortunate I was growing up. Even when times were tough for my family, we still went to San Francisco. It’s actually one of my family’s favorite stories, how even during the hard years, we still made our annual Christmas pilgrimage to “shop” in the city. Of course, there was not a lot of shopping those years. My dad would take us every year at Christmas, while my mom would take us in the summer for the joys of tourist destinations like Angel Island, Alcatraz, and Golden Gate Park. The idea that other children did not get to go to San Francisco was foreign to me– how could you not go somewhere so cool that was only a couple of hours away?
At another parent conference this afternoon, a mom that is struggling to make ends meet because of her severe illness shared how her son and daughter have been visiting homeless people along the American River as part of a project at their church. It is also her son’s fifth grade service project. The kids have been praying with the homeless and collecting useful items to give to them every Friday evening. The mother shared with me how this experience has changed her family. She said that no matter how tough things have been for them with her illness, they still cannot help but feel immense gratitude meeting the people that live on the river in Sacramento– at least she and her family do not live outside, she added with extreme sincerity. I felt so humbled by how genuine she was with her words.
No matter how hard my job is, it never fails to humble me. I feel so inspired by the people that I meet. Many of them are full of so much hope and giving despite the extreme challenges that they face. The family of the student that was in awe of getting to go to San Francisco offered to help pay for another student to get to go too. They do not have a lot of money, but when they heard that we needed help finding $3,000 to get everyone there, they wanted to do what they could to give more students the experience that their child is so excited about. This was especially touching after hearing the mom who is struggling financially and physically but so generous with her heart. She has two students in fourth and fifth grade, which will likely mean $30 total, an amount that would create a financial burden for them. I’m so touched that in this world that feels so cold and unfriendly at times, that people still care about each other.
I was talking to my husband about all of this tonight and he shared with me his first memory of San Francisco. Like my students, he first visited San Francisco as a fifth grader taking a field trip to the Exploratorium. He said that he never forgot what it was like looking at the city while crossing the Bay Bridge for the first time.
I’m excited that my students will soon have this moment too.
oliviaobryon 