Easily Amused

Random thoughts:
I like to do little things that are entertaining–and it doesn’t take a whole lot to entertain me. I just like some little exciting things. Yes, easily amused. I have a picture of myself when I was about five, at my step-dad’s house when they were still dating. I am peeking around the corner of the refrigerator with an impish look on my face–happy, delighted by life, but a little shy and mischievous looking at the same time, with a twinkle in my eye. I’m always waiting for what’s just around the corner, what’s next and uxexpected. I have to keep moving, living life in the fast lane, even if I’m the only one in it.
First thing: for the kids, I got a beta fish and a decorative fish bowl. They’ll love it. IOther small but entertaining goals: have more fun. Leave work at 3:30 (hard to do!) and do other things. Finish the things I *have* to do. Stay focused and quit wasting time. Redo the MySpace page.

Like most women, I’m working on looking better to feel better. Yesterday, K. B. said “Hello, Ms. London” and she said I looked like a model. That’s always fun. Other people have said that. I dated a theoretical physicist–he used that as a line”Are you a model?” In San Diego, my mom briefly worked at the same elem. school I did, as a speech therapist, and the other therapist said to my mom, “Your daughter is the one who wears her makeup like a New York model?” I aspire to do my eye makeup like Edie.

What a totally shallow, superficial goal, but oh well. You have to stand out from the crowd both physically and in other ways. These years of youth don’t last too long.

Change

Today Peter Johnston talked about a lot of things. One of them was change. We don’t know what new literacies today’s kindergarteners will face in their lives.
He also talked about being able to deal with ambiguity and being flexible.
I also had the thought that I am more ambitious than I think. I aspire to do so many things and it’s inspiring to see a role model. I need to start thinking better of myself and not hold back. That’s my problem–not seeing my own self-worth.

I got really great feedback from three different people on my presentation skills from the three presentations I did last week. That’s all good.
I need only positive in my life right now.

New Day

Re-post from over a year ago:

“This is the begining of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind..let it be something good.”

Clarity

I chat with a friend I’ve known since sixth grade, and a running theme in our (mostly online) conversations is the need for mental clarity. I’ve finally been feeling that clarity. My life has been full of changes: divorce, new relationship, a new job, and a lot of soul searching for what career I should seek for the future. Right now, it’s just living day-by-day.
I am feeling clarity and calmness, that I am “ok” for now. The more time between this juncture in time and the divorce (mid-January), the better. it’s been stressful, and the stress is finally starting to lift and I’m feeling a whole lot calmer. Nine months since the finalized divorce, nine months, like giving birth after a normal gestation time. I am ok being mostly on my own. I don’t feel the need to cling or be needy. I could even live by myself for a while. It’s good to not take things super seriously, if possible.
A turning point this week was my successful presentation at the TABE (Texas Association of Bilingual Education) conference. Even though my topic was not earth shattering, I presented it in a very engaging, enthusiastic, prepared way. There was definately a sense of flow and I felt like I could do something even better with even more preparation. I felt good about myself and I was even prouder that I did it “all by myself”. That is one thing I feel good about–my ability to do things independently. I was proud that so many people came and took an interest in the topic. I cling to these successes and cherish them as I look towards the future and how I can recreate that success.
We all need to encourage each other in what we do well.

Funny

Sign posted in my classroom to encourage reading:
“Read at home”.
Written underneath the sign in pencil by an anonymous student, with my name misspelled, “Sí, Ms. Semingson.”

New Wave Classics-Ultravox-Reap the Wild Wind

Book Round-Up

Six boxes of book donations from Half Price in South Austin and four boxes of book donations from Half Price in Central Austin. Three boxes of math stuff from a teacher friend who no longer teaches. One box of stuff from my aunt, a retired teacher, and some pillows. It was quite a round up today. I’m tired. Next week, I’ll go get boxes of books in Spanish from the Mexican Consulate downtown Austin.

Taking care

I am home today taking care of a bladder infection. Tim took me to the ER last night because there was a lot of blood in my urine. I didn’t know what was wrong at first. I was so glad he was there. We need to take care of ourselves. I need to slow down.

Goddess of Glossolalia

24/7

What things do you think about *all the time* or do all the time? A lot of times, in the sanctuary of my home, I zone out and veg out by doing ritual activities, like….
1. coffee drinking…even late at night, past nine on a “school night”.
2. Listening to the same CD’s. I’ve been listening to this George Acosta CD (trance) “All Rights Reserved” a whole lot for the past 9 months. Non-stop. It’s time to get a replacement CD because this one is all scratched up. I don’t care for my CD’s much, I just stick them in my purse or in a book, or worse, laying on the car seat. it’s bad. Somehow they survive. This one is a two-disc CD and I like the first disc, all non-vocal and the second disc is pure vocal trance. Good stuff.
3. I like to lay on my couch, but I’m so hyper, I have rarely done so lately. Plus, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Tim. Time apart at home is good, too. I love my home.
4. Getting on the net of course! I dropped my laptop today and I had a brief panic.
5. Talking on the cell phone!