happy birthday

Many of you have asked about me posting so frequently... Maybe you have not met my mother. She likes to celebrate "birthday month" as in we celebrate all of February. (We consider ourselves fortunate that she was born in the shortest month.)

So I knew my mom likes nothing more than knowing what's going on with her "chillens" AND I knew I would be very busy the whole month. So, I made it my goal to write as close to every day that I could so that she could have birthday month for real, even though we were apart.

Happy Birthday Mom! I'm having fun visiting you this weekend. :)

Stats

Victory is mine. 222 speakers, at least 1 per room, for 4 sessions, educating 2400 students. 0 Magnusson heart attacks.

But my favorite speaker of all? Garrett. I wish I could have sat and seen the whole thing.

When I walked into the room, he was demonstrating to students how to measure how much a car's roof gets crushed in. For example, it could get crushed in 10 inches. Not bad, unless your head was in that 10 inches.

Thanks, friend.

job readiness

What are the most important things you look for/would look for in an employee?
What do you think high school students need to know most in preparation for the world of work?
What do you wish you had learned before you began work?

Your answers will assist me in handcrafting curriculum before our interns begin. Thanks.

family history

Bet I made my mom nervous with that title... like I was going to reveal family secrets.

Nope, just wanted to say how much fun I've been having getting back into genealogy research. I had taken a LONG break from it all but it has been really relaxing and entertaining to continue to solve little mysteries. I've really turned up some neat stuff on dead end's on my dad's side in England. I am finding even more distant cousins also researching. When I was younger, we could only write or email- so interesting to connect in a Facebook world now. Also interesting the vast amount of information available online and free-I can really see an explosion of interest around the world. Pretty cool to be a part of that.

It's also been fun to get together little pieces about me growing up that my mom diligently recorded for her child development class... my two favorites:

1. When I was almost three, every time we left the house I would ask my parents "Do you have my toothbrush?" "Do you have my q-tips?" Still no cavities and impeccably clean ears...

2. I went through a two week phase where I was afraid to go to sleep because I would have nightmares. About what? Robots or the vacuum cleaner. And this was before the Roomba, mind you.

Totally unrelated p.s.
Brenda did an amazing job singing today! I am in awe every time.

next project

I have decided to handle the aftermath of this stressful situation the same way I did the last time I had to handle a stressful situation (delivering my master's degree to a panel). Following that happy July 11, I shut myself in my room and made a quilt. Not really sure why. I still remember the glorious feeling of sitting, alone, quietly, creating something.

In my spare Sunday afternoons, I have been slowly crafting the quilt in my head. Three weeks ago I ordered the fabric online. I have calculated all the hard stuff so come free time, I can just sit and make. I am looking forward to it.

how to get out of a meeting 101

My boss tried to tack on a second meeting in Santa Maria on Monday morning (the last real day to schedule speakers) on a day I had already:
* talked someone (good) down from quitting
* arranged for legal assistance for said good person
* been rejected ten times by veterinarians because they are so busy with National Pet Dental Health Month that they can't come to Career Day (Really?! It was like they had orchestrated it.)
* hosted a 7:30 a.m. meeting
* wrangled 100 (incoming) and 30 (outgoing) phone calls
* returned 15 messages
* answered 110 emails
* generated 68 emails confirming speaker groups
* already accrued three hours of overtime and it was 2 p.m.

What was my mature, well-adjusted adult response?

I totally just started crying, involuntarily, and to the shock of all present.

Got me out of my meeting. Convinced him to hire part-time help. All of this without words. I can see why people do this to get out of tickets.

p.s.
Super not regretting the giant crate of jellybeans and the epsom salt I made my husband drive me to get from Kmart in the rain on the week of his giant book chapter's completion goal.

righteous indignation

Today I attended an all day conference. 'What?' you ask... 'less than a week before Career Day?' Yes. I guarantee it was not my choice. That probably explains why I feel so crazy. Conferences are supposed to rejuvenate you, let you meet with your peers, and then feel like you can tackle the big problems for a little longer before burning out.

Perhaps it is the added Career Day stress, but I did not feel that way this time.

The central theme focused on education, which would normally be appealing to me for obvious reasons. It was tricky, though, one of those speakers that defined success = college which I am personally opposed to. I define success as being able to care for oneself without assistance, support a family, and feel satisfied with the work one does.

Standing ovation to wanting to save all children. Wanting to help them all feel valued and special and able to succeed (read: go to college). Wanting to help them know they can rise above. I guess it must feel good to applaud that, like your two hands hitting together must save some child somewhere.

But this event was held at the Biltmore downtown. Fancy place, like one waiter to every four people or something. All day, people not really caring for their own waste or even acknowledging the presence of the silent army that stood by to cater to one's every need. I have gone to this conference for three years in a row- I even started to recognize some of the staff. When I was teaching on the Eastside, many of my students' parents worked there, or one of the other beachside hotels.

I wonder if this conference, and others like it, are some of the most depressing for them. To listen to people talk about change and community building and social justice and saving the children of poor workers and standing ovations... and then be completely ignored as you provide service to another. I wonder if they feel the irony of it all.

Whose children do all the applauders think they trying to save? Can you really teach all children they have value while simultaneously ignoring and devaluing current adult members of society?

a major life goal, check

I have finally purchased the big jar of Jelly Bellys from Costco. I went for it. Call me crazy, but this is the week I could use a sugar-induced frenetic pace. We have already had a lot of fun guessing the flavors.

garden

A lovely, sunny day off to garden. I have filled 2 of the 4 beds with soil and surrounded them with poultry wire. I also planted four quick peppers and started all the rest of the summer things to seed in pots.

Our winter crop is still plugging along. Beets have been prolific so far- getting almost ready to eat.

What should I plant for summer?

they will hate this picture, but...

David O. McKay loved the quote: “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” (and vice versa, of course) I feel lucky that I had a great and loving relationship modeled to me that can form a basis for my own family. Thanks mom and dad!

attic rats

My favorite part of today? Andrew's sister Julina and her friend Ryan came by to have dinner and play games. Near the end of the evening, Ryan politely asked "Do you have kids?" I told him no. He had a confused look on his face. Then I said, "Well, none that we let downstairs." He then looked concerned. Apparently our upstairs hall window had been open the whole time, letting in the sound of a lot of children from the nearby playground that sounded like they were upstairs. He thought we had locked them in their rooms all night.

I have stored that one away as a future parenting strategy.

self portraits

I have a picture story for you today. My office works closely with adjudicated youth working to change their lives. I try and find community support for them as they overcome some pretty amazing barriers. I wanted to you meet them, on their own terms.

You may imagine the young men who are court ordered to Camp might all be tough guys. That is true for some, and some are not yet ready to change.


Others are very scared, and very sad that they have disappointed their mothers.


Some feel like no one cares about them, no one wants them to succeed, and that no one looks them in the eyes and values them.


Some of them feel defined by people's expectations of their potential- especially when they feel like everyone else expects them to fail. Under this picture of himself in camp uniform, this young man had a perfect, smiling likeness of himself. He painted over it in gray and left this.


With budget cuts countywide, there is serious consideration for reducing camp size or even closing it to save money. Without the support these gentleman receive at camp, I believe we will be paying a heavier price in the future. I plan to write in support of the camp.

(All self portraits are copyright by TYS and may not be reused.)

speech, speech

I do not think my witty repartee will suffice for two speeches (45 minutes, 20 minutes) I have been asked to give tomorrow and Saturday.

I am taking suggestions. Child development, career education, 'gang prevention', community involvement. Discuss.

enter stress

Stress alternately comes into my life as a shrieking sound that builds in the back of my brain OR as a plethora of knots in my neck. Ask Andrew, he knows about the knots... and the shrieking because sometimes I just make the 'stress' noise.

How do you manifest stress?

p.s. Amanda Calder Ball:
1. Is that a correct use of plethora?
2. Do you remember the time we accidentally ran over a snake after we ran out of gas?

help

(not sure why there is a dinosaur in this)

Hi.

If you are a(n):
actor
archeologist
anthropologist
architect
astronomer
attorney
coach
counselor
dentist
event planner
firefighter
fitness trainer
graphic artist
hotel/restaurant manager
landscaper
marine biologist
marine diver
multimedia wizard
paramedic
photographer
physicist
software designer
veterinarian

...and will be in Goleta, California on the morning of February 24, I need you as a new recruit. The students of Dos Pueblos High School thank you.

alive

I got in two healthy 'debates' today about social issues. Nothing makes me feel more alive than a good discussion with lots of evidence and comparisons. Mmmm...

And I convinced someone to try and have more integrity. What a great day!

dried gerbil

My parents are kind enough to repaint my former room in an effort to update the space and to accommodate a queen size bed for visits.

Presently, as a family, we are all leaning towards this green color...

(Picture shamelessly stolen from this poor person's blog.)

The color is known as "dried chervil", which we have promptly renamed "dried gerbil". Dried gerbils should taste great with the "butter cookie" of the living room and nearby office.

12 hour day...

... sorting out 2400 students into Career Day sessions. I had so many ambitious plans for tonight, like playing with new fabric I ordered. You know I am just going to lie in bed and catch up on Chuck episodes.

And, rain, please go away. I have four beautiful new garden beds waiting for me to play.

scanner

I am considering getting a new scanner or printer/scanner combo. Anyone have one they like?

girl scouts

As previously mentioned, I am fortunate enough to maintain our social media for work. At the beginning of the process, I only had Egypt pictures on my computer, so this

is the only photo I had to use for a profile picture. Since it is so small, I figured it didn't matter that much, right?

Earlier this week I ran into someone who I had only corresponded via email and Facebook on several different projects. I greeted him by name, and he looked confused. So, I introduced myself and he said "Oh, I didn't recognize you." I mumbled something about my hair being down and usually it's up, blah blah blah... and he said, "No, well, it's because your Facebook photo makes you look like a Girl Scout."

In my mind, I pictured the green shirt and thought, ok, Girl Scouts, I can see it. Then I got back to the office to find a new profile picture and saw the thumbnail image again. All I need to do is sew some merit badges onto my camera case strap and I would be good to go. Maybe the badge for rabbit raising...

week full of Sparks...

I am excited that the far-flung Bostonian Sparks have made an appearance in my life. First, I received a lovely mp3 of the latest Taylor special, which is the only music I have on my work computer and entertains me once everyone else leaves for home. And every mention of Scott Brown makes me think of how happy Taylor must be as he bends all of Massachusetts to his political will. Secondly, I ran into someone today who misses Jodi as much as we do. (Melisa from Girls Inc.) I hope Harvard is treating you well.

We're very excited...

... to go to the Banff Mountain Film Festival!



Someone is going to stay up past their bedtime the day before Career Day #1... this could be bad news.