A Quick Thank You .. and Dad – Day 19 SOL18

Thanks to everyone who came by yesterday — I need to find a time to reply to your comments (tomorrow).

Papers to grade.  That’s just how it is sometimes.

In other news.. wrote with my students today and accidentally found a theme for writing about my father.  This is very profound for me, because the last time I wrote about my Dad was several years ago for SOL.  T

The blog title, I’ll Give You All This And More comes from his last meaningful words to me, “I’ll give you all this and more” before he slipped into Alzheimer’s.  I wrote about it in “Dialogue” — you can read the post here.

Again, thank you to the lovely people who came by and commented — and schlepped me out of my hole.  I have something to say to each and every one of you;  hence the delay.

 

Out of the Running – Day 18 SOL 18

Welp.  Last night (I think) was the 2nd or 3rd time I’d missed writing for the SOL Challenge.  Which.. really gives me a sort of relief, really.

I guess now.. I can just be me.  Which means.. do I want to post this on the TwoWritingTeachers website or just keep moving along here?

Dunno.  I’ll think about it later.  Maybe at the end of this post.

What killed it for me?  I had a migraine, for one.. and then two days ago, I read about an elementary teacher who was facilitating school walk-outs for 2nd + graders.

Which really stunned me.  As a parent, I probably would not have allowed my child to participate that day, because I know she would not have understood those murders and all the political complexities and implications — beyond that they were murders that happened in a school.  I would have wanted to talk to my child and worked with my child to process the event our way.

And I’m weary of politicization in schools.  But, at the same time, I understand that being a teacher means making a political statement for some.  Not me.  We’re not all the same.

Hence, my hiatus from SOL.  It wasn’t my intention.  It just happened.. and right now, I’ve just figured out why it happened.

Part of me just wants to go back to my teaching, deal with the politicization there (there’s always politicization.. I’m tired of that, too), rather than venture out onto the SOL thread where I know there are some [wonderfully] vocal teachers .. where I’d have to process.

Dealing…

Posting to my SOL community and moving on.  I’m glad I got to express my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Car, First Love .. and a Mini-Vow of Silence – Day 15 SOL18

Grandma gave my son his first car, a Dodge Ram.

Which is really nice, because he just met a girl who (to us) is Miss Wonderful-if-You-Can-Keep-Her-Marry-Her.

We are entering the phase where my children will begin searching for their loves, and I can’t help but be really, really excited for them.  I’m so hopeful — because I know they are beautiful people.  And I believe in love.

It will be beyond my power to keep myself from being “involved,” so I will say a prayer:

Lord, keep this hopeless romantic from butting in and wanting to make decisions for these wonderful people.  I know you gave me a lot of wisdom, but at least dampen the fire in me to want to just throw it on them.. let me patient and kind .. and silent (lots of silence).. while I learn to wait for them if they need me.

Amen.

 

Meaning Everyday – Day 14 SOL18

A very, very meaningful day.
Probably won’t have
another one of these
again for a time..

My sister had her wedding,
I didnt expect to stand beside her
the entire time as witness.
It was like being asked
to gaze into someone’s future..

My daughter visited Granpa
in the nursing home.
He’s silent with Alzheimers
and she’s just bursting
with questions.
“Who are you? Who were we? Who am I?”
I didnt expect to see her
bowed down by his bedside,
prayers swimming in tears.
It was like watching someone create
the memory of the time they began
to wonder what could have been.

To see this
meaning everyday.

This is what I want.
How?

Valley Drive – Day 13 SOL18

Another short entry.
Very short.

Because we
have been traveling
7ish hours
to travel
down
to where
it’d normally
take us 3 hours.

Cuz everyone’s
moved to Austin.
At least
for SXSW.

Maybe
we’re just old
with logistics.

We grumble
and writhe
in our seats.

This isn’t worth it.
We’re never doing this again.
It’s time they came up
to see us…

But as soon as we disembark,
the Valley Wind
carries concerns
and useless gripes
far from us
as we stand in the driveway.

The night air is lush
perfumed with the smiles
of a million citrus blossoms
hidden in the night
waiting to greet us
with the Valley Sun.

Sneaking Sleep – Day 12 SOL18

Spring break
and every weekend
is the time I catch up
on my 9 hours sleep.

Beginning in about
an hour
or two.

Inside
I’m really
still 17.

Coco With the Kids – Day 10 SOL18

Okay.. Nothing to write again today.

I’m in the middle of watching Coco with the kids.

I’m just … amazed at how culturally accurate this film is.  I’ve always been such a big, big fan of Pixar (Disney/Pixar now) — knowing they did such a good job in bringing humanity to film.  Just amazing..

I’m guessing they had Mexican cultural experts just crack open the door and show them the richness of my heritage.

Beautiful, beautiful film.  Gotta go watch, or I’ll miss out.

Beautiful..

Wherein Writer’s Notebooks Become Stowaways – Day 9 SOL18

Nothing to say tonight.

Earlier today, I had the coolest flash of an idea — laid out right there in front of me — progression of about 3 ideas.  Essayish.  Now it’s gone.

One of my problems is that I never learn.  This always, always happens, and still, I’m never disciplined enough to run to my notebook and scribble it down.

Maybe I need to carry a mini-notebook.  In my bra, the way my mother used to stuff her keys and money into hers.  It’s an Hispanic thing.

.. when I was little, ever Mexican American woman I knew stuffed things into their bras like pouches.  Clothes pins, rubber balls, string.  Anything.

Once, I was at a municipal courthouse paying a speeding ticket.  Around every cashier were signs that read:

We do not accept cash or otherwise retrieved from underclothes.

I identified with this immediately — and I can’t imagine who else this sign was directed to.  (If your culture does this tell me.)  What a tasteful way of helping us break the habit.  …

What do you know.. a progression of 3 ideas..

The Neediest Writer in the Classroom: Me. – Day 8 SOL18

A rambling entry..

I heard an awful, awful piece of information today.. and that is that the attention span for Generation X — anyone born between the years 1995 and 2010, who are defined as having grown up in with tech (as opposed to having experienced their first phone during their senior year in high school or sometime in college — is 8 seconds.

And this was told to me by someone in the HR industry who worked for companies like Pfizer and the like.  By someone who makes much, much, much more than a lowly teacher like me.

I don’t believe it, of course.  We had heard that anyone’s attention span was somewhere in the 10 minute range — but what concerns me is that data like this is being passed around by marketing companies who working hard to hock their products to our youngest generation.

Which means louder, brighter, brasher, quicker, funnier, lighter, fresher and newer.  Versus thoughtful depth.

These were marketing stats she came up with, (very nice young lady, btw) because among the assorted, she mentioned that Generation X make up about 70% of consumers — or that they consume abut 70% of what’s out there.  Something like that.  It’s a few hours after the fact and I’ve consumed about half-a-bar of a chocolate bar that consuming the blood-supply from teaching-exhausted brain, but I remember the gist:  the marketing strategy is to get them because they buy more than anyone.  I assume they’re excluding cars, yachts and flipped houses.

It’s a shame these people choose to exploit this “known fact” than to worry about what the hell they’re doing to our kids. .. and, of course, it’s too bad our kids don’t care or that most parents don’t.  I know you’re trying, but try harder.  It’s a battle I try to win everyday.   My kids may hate me now, but I harbor the hope that someday, they’ll be glad they didn’t develop text neck or develop softened brains before the age of 13, after which, I understand, all hope is lost if their greatest sense of fulfillment is speeching emoji-bet.

When I teach, I don’t have flash.  I don’t have “bigger, brighter, better!”  All I have is my humanity — which I think is a novelty for kids.  Maybe that will help me keep their attention for more than 8 seconds..

Did I have the right strategy to keep their attention today by revealing my greater weaknesses as a writer?  As I sat in my Writer’s Chair in the middle of the classroom?

“Kids, I don’t want to write,” I complained to them (this was true).  “I don’t feel it, I don’t want to, I don’t like having to hunt for something write about.  I pay attention to what’s in my brain and it just doesn’t work for me.”

“I don’t want to write about stuff that’s important to me, because I already know what’s important to me, why do I want to retell it?” I asked

“Someone once said (I wish I had the quote on me!) that you can write to figure things out.  Am I wondering anything right now in my life?  No.  I don’t think I have everything figured out, but I don’t have anything pressing on me, on my heart and soul.  I need help.. I feel like I’m just wandering in circles because I can’t find anything to write about.  Let’s talk to generate ideas..”

“Tell me some of the things you wrote about today and let’s see if we can name the type of entry.”

We had:
– describing events
– storytelling
– opinion
– storytelling morphing into opinion
– events
– upcoming events (birthdays)

Then someone mentioned the news.. and that one went into noticings and observations — because there’s a flurry of information that passes us by all day, but this one was one we captured and held on to.

When I brought this up, the children found other things they noticed, too:
– music
– litter in the hallway
– locker graffiti
– feeling tired
– writing because I was bored

I ran with music — because I noticed my husband playing Metallica so early in the morning while he worked on his computer.. I was so wrapped up in my inability to connect with an idea — I never would have thought of music to bring me back to this morning.

Being real kept their attention for more than 8 seconds.  What that lady didn’t mention was that Generation X is probably the most empathetic and socially aware generation.. they felt me having a genuine need and they stepped up.

Writing these down:
– stay real
– be human
– show your need
Most importantly:
– be grateful
– tomorrow, show the kids how grateful I am that they helped me.

Authentic Writing – Day 7 SOL18

Trying to stay as close to my brand-spanking new 9:30 bedtime as possible.  No more 4-5 hours of sleep for me..

So.. seriously interesting.  Today was Day 1 of rebuilding Notebooks after wrapping up our Expository Unit.  I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised to see I held my kid’s focus — because we’re days out from Spring Break.

I stood at the front, did my little song and dance routine for bit, but then I took my Writer’s Chair at my bistro table in the center of the room — and I proceeded to tell my story about what I needed as a writer… where my thinking would go, what I noticed ..  I was center-spotlight on a stage, and for a moment each period, I didn’t know quite what to do with the power that’d been gifted to me..

My response was to simply had it back.

As Writers, what do you notice about your own writing?
Where do you begin to really sink your teeth into your ideas?
Where does it become easier for you? Make a mark.
What does that say about you as a writer?
Turn and talk.

That was just one of the few things we talked about..

We broached types of possible entries, type of talk, type of focus… and it’s only been Day 1.

Everyone.. this beautiful, glorious day happened because I’m writing. It would not have happened — I would not have had the language, the confidence, the authority to speak these word had I not been playing, anticipating, participating, living the Writerly Life with the Slice of Life Challenge.

Natch, I have other challenges I have to meet.  This part of the Writing Process is always, always my strongest, especially when I’m maintaining my Writing Life.  Hopefully, that’ll be another post.

Thanks to everyone of you.  You help make this community.. wonder-ful and amaze-ing.