My last UWP Post

It is officially over. George Singleton was an inspiration and a hoot. What a meaning day to wrap up the last three weeks. Each person has made an impact. A huge THANKYOU goes out to Rebecca, Dawn, Shasta and Jason!

Final Tech Day

All presentations are complete! Video is being finished up as we speak. We are tweking it, trying to get the sound to be perfect so we can hear Ron Rash's voice come through during his clip. Reflections of our writing group have been shared and they are amazing. They all speak of the journey we have taken throughout the last three weeks. I am going to miss everyone but especially my writing group. Dawn, Michelle, Travis, Kevin have gotten along wonderfully. We are such a great mix of different personalities and voices. They each have contributed to growth as a writer. I will miss the giggles, random stories of maxi-pads, tales of dogs, Salty the crab and hearing about the guy's daughters Catherine and Emily. So I am off to go get some rest so we can CELEBRATE and RELAX tomorrow!

Our Last Wednesday

I am still in shock that our time together is almost over. Unbelievable. I need to wrap up all the loose ends. My purple packet is turned in so I can check that off the list. Reflections and writing pieces just all needed to come together and I did that last night. So it is hard to believe I am finished. I look forward to enjoying Thursday and Friday being more relaxed than I have been over the last few days. I can't wait for Table Rock since I have never been there before. It is time to celebrate!

Our Last Tuesday

Wow, only two more days of class left! I'm not counting Friday since it is a celebration of this experience. I am excited for our video to come together. So far we have a great piece and I have learned how to use Movie Maker in the process. I have gathered a lot of technology that I can take back to my classroom. I am finishing up my presentation materials and working on final products of the writing that has come out of this institute. I am looking forward to working further with the UWP and am grateful that I found a perfect fit for leadership opportunities. I jumped full force on this learning train and I can't wait to see where these tracks lead me.

Monday, Monday

I can't believe it is the last week of the Summer Institute. It is starting to sink in that next week will give way to sleeping in, sunbathing by my pool (sunscreen on of course) and being home to spend time with Frank before he leaves yet again for another one of his all too frequent business trips. I give thanks to everyone today as I think of the small things that matter most in life.

Here is my latest piece of writing:

The Window
He looks out his window, not ashamed. He knows not of love or what it really means to have a family. He sits alone not by choice, but by his own doing. Really he knows no other way of life.He knows not of what he is missing or of what he could have had. His black hair remains untouched by gray and white stands. But his age still shows by the wrinkles on his face. There is a twinkle of youth missing from his eyes. Nearing death he does not reflect. He does not show remorse. If he has love you can not see it on his face. You can not hear it spoken as it never came across those tightly pursed lips. He sits alone in his window. If a stranger walked by and looked up into the window, a thought of sadness might cross their mind. But they do not know of the hurt he caused or the words that were left unspoken. They do not know of the sorrow of his actions.

Downtown Writing Marathon

Another great fieldtrip to end the week! It's hard to believe we only have one more week left together. Here are a few pieces I wrote today:

Earth, water, sun and air all surround me
As I sit on this rock looking over the falls
I breathe in deep gulps of oxygen,
it pumps through my veins giving me life
The sun sparkles in small things
The strands of my hair,
the tiny speaks of minerals in the rock
I hear the roar of the river as it splashes
over the edge of the water fall
As I sit on this rock,
it occurs to me that my seat is as old as time
it is weather beaten and shows it's age


Fenced In
why does horse stand alone?
Felt blanket draped over his stout body
Serving as a protective coat
The bright red felt keeps him warm and
is a splash of color amongst the monotonous
color palette of the snow lined field that is his home
A house made of wood is off in the distance
I am drawn to the corner of the fence
where horse stands alone
barbed wire is all that keeps him from a life of freedom
But maybe horse enjoys the solitude,
cold air on his snout, the crunch of snow beneath his heavy hooves
If there were no wires holding him back would he chose to stay?

Tech Thursday

Today was a fun day. My mood is out of control....everything is making me laugh! I am not sure why. The smallest things are tickling me. I feel like a kid and it is great. Tech time was good....I feel like progress is in the works. We are getting our e-folio up and our video is in progress. I have to stay late today to reflect on my presentation. I think it went well overall...so glad that part is complete!