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!

Wednesday

Yippee! I presented my teaching demonstration and I think it went pretty well. I am excited it is over...I can just look forward and take all the suggestions and advice to make it better. A sigh of relief comes out and a hush of relaxation has come over my body! I got lots of great new ideas today from collaborating with my peers. Now I have to watch the video....uh oh! Time to see all my flaws. Hopefully I don't flip my hair or say "ummm" too much....I hate having to watch yourself and see all the quirks you did not know you had!

Tech Tuesday

Yay! I made my first movie....not only that I found out this morning that my website won a "Best of the Web" for teachers in Greenville County! The sour puss attitude has turned into an upbeat, ready to present tomorrow, can do attitude! This has truly been a Tech Tuesday. Tomorrow is my presentation and I am excited to present my demonstration. On one hand I want it to be over....the anticipated is killing me and on the other hand I am excited to get feedback. I hope it goes well, but luckily I feel "safe" in this group and know that even if I belly flop that I will make it out alive. I need to work on a few last minute details tonight like my timing, the supplies and I would like to practice my flow. I am glad I am first tomorrow so I can come in present then focus on the next presenter. I keep getting great ideas on presentation from my peers but I need to stay relaxed and keep my presentation as is. I will make the changes after I get feedback. So I am rushing off to get home and get to work.

Monday

Whew! Today is over....this is the first day that I have been tired. I am glad that Rebecca warned that this day is the hardest of the Summer Institute. I agree. Is it something about Mondays? Not sure exactly what it is...my mojo is running low, battery on empty, cup half full. My head hurts and it echos like a gong. Who is this sour puss I hear speaking in my head? The girl who can find a positive spin on everything has seemed to slip away. Well to end on a good note, the day is over.

Botantical Gardens

I always follow
I am always last
I bring up the rear
I fall behind
All in a day's work as a caboose

Updated Story on Bristol

Here are the updates and revisions I made today on my story about Bristol:

It began with your picture, one glance and I knew
That it would be I who would come rescue you

I gasped when I met you; you were all skin and bone
I was scared and I wondered “can I do this alone?”

Not knowing what to expect became quite a fear
But I knew I would always want you to be near

Our life without each other we left far in the dust
And getting to know you became my first must

Those first months together we were two of a kind
Wherever I went you were trailing behind

I discovered you trembled when greeting new folks
You did not like children and it became a big joke

I loved taking road trips; you were up for the ride
Destination did not matter with you by my side

You taught me what it means to be a best friend
And I assured you I’d love you to your very end

When I think of existing without you I pause and I cry
Who will lick my tears and lay with me whenever you die?

I’ve bargained and I’ve begged you to live until I reach thirty
Or stay with me until I have a child and you two can get dirty

With six years together I’ve had time to think
You’ve watched me grow up and work out my kinks

I am sure we have many more years to frolic and play
Just know my love grows for you more every day

E-Anthology

I submitted a piece of writing for the first time today on the E-Anthology. I submitted the poem written below and asked for the users to ADDRESS. We will see what response I get! I am excited to receive feedback from others and for some reason I am not scared or nervous about what they will say!

Who's garden is it?
Mine I say.
I have the control,
things must go my way!

Not so said the child,
I too have a say.
Things are not always
going to go your way.

Impossible I mumble.
This is my classroom.
If this isn't my garden
I surely am doomed.

Not so said the child,
This is our classroom.
A garden in which we grow
or else we are doomed.

Ideas Are Clouds in the Sky

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundation under them.” Henry Thoreau

Ideas are floating around in our minds like clouds float carelessly in the sky. They float around us and it is up to us to make sense of the form they take. Is the cloud a duck, a violin, an astronaut or just a regular stratus cloud? It is our job to give that thought a form just like the cloud. Give it a title, a verse or a page. Give your thoughts a chance to take on it’s own identity or it will float away and like a cloud we can not catch it will never come back around again. just a regular stratus cloud up in the sky? It is our imagination and creativity that gives an ordinary thought an extraordinary life. Instead of having those thoughts creep in and sneak out, let it become

Daily Reflection: My Writing Evolution

I tend to write only when I have to. I have an abundance of ideas and snapshots that play in my head like a filmstrip. I am a daydreamer and a constant thinker. My mind goes all day...one moment I am in Mexico sunning myself in the thick heat of the sun, the next happily married with children and dogs running free in my fenced backyard and sometimes I leave everything I love behind in search of everything I don't already have. But the ideas go unnoticed and untold since I do not capture them on paper. I do not take the time to record all the thoughts that run through my mind. In reality, I should even write some of the stuff I think down? Would it be dangerous to write everything down? Among all of my daydreams I have picture book ideas, movie and sitcom ideas. I have ideas that can make you laugh and can make you cry. Since my personal life seems like a constant sitcom, it is the perfect situation for gathering ideas and stories. I can see that my memories need to be recorded. They need to be captured for my sake of getting it out there and so that others can enjoy the craziness I call life. I personally enjoy reading or seeing a movie or a show where the characters go through personal battles that I myself have gone through or am currently going through. It makes me feel better to know I am not the only person having that same crisis! I want to know I am not the only person who needs a break, wants to run away from responsibility, who cries when I am alone, who wants to love freely but mostly wants to be understood in all my quirkiness. So my challenge is to begin to write. As you can see I have started the process through this class. But it is only because I have been told to write. After all this is a writing class. I need to get this into my routine so that I will make the time to jot down my free flowing snapshots. Maybe I have been afraid to take the time, afraid of failure, afraid nobody will get me. Maybe I am like my students, scared I will misspell a word or scared you will hate my stories. The only way to get them from thought to paper is to practice writing. So here I go...watch me write. I will be practicing and writing daily, we will see together whether or not I get better and if practice truly does make perfect.

Carl Sandburg Reflection

Today was a great first day of class. I was hestitant when I realized that class started the day after I finished my first year teaching. But today was so relaxing and fun that all my stress from the year is starting to melt away. I bonded with my writing group today and we click really well. I am excited to continue to get to know everyone and I agree that we have a great group. The writing that was read during author's chair gave me goosebumps. Everyone is so talented and it is great to have this chance to write, be inspired and learn. It is hard to take the time to write and it is refreshing to be a part of a class and group that makes us take the time. It is important to me but I neglect that desire. So I appreciate being pushed. I am a learner and I enjoy and need the challenge that this class will bring. I came home this evening and it finally hit me that this year is over. I got the worst headache and was tired as I finally allowed myself to breathe. I find that stress hits me when I finally have the time to slow down. I have been going, going, going and today was the first time in a long time that I enjoyed myself and gave myself the break I deserve. The property and house was amazing and I too hope that writing crawled into my skin today!

Pebbles

Beneath my feet lay millions of pebbles speckled in gray and off white shades
nested together like pieces of a layered puzzle
settled into the earth and here to stay
black ants, hungry, crawl across them fumbling over the bumpy terrain in search of food
pine straw left over from the winter cover the miniature rocks
tiny sprouts of grass have somehow worked their way through the maze of pebbles
they add a splash of green to the monotonous palate spread out on the ground
sun peeks through the canopy of the pines making some pebbles appear brighter to my eye
while all the rest lay silent under my feet covered in the grayness of the shade

All the Places I Love

I have two places that I consider home. My first home is Harrisonburg, Virginia where I was born and raised. The other became my home six years ago. I packed up my car and headed down to Greenville, SC. Not knowing what to expect....well and not knowing anyone I took the risk. Here I am years later loving every minute of being a South Carolinian. Here is a poem I wrote about where I come from and my childhood:

I am from staying out till dark
eating tomatoes until I swelled
dressing up my cocker spaniel in threads and jewels

I am from the valley
rolling hills of silos and barns
turkey capital of the world

I am from climbing trees
eating pigs in a blanket
mesmerized by the beginning of a movie on HBO

I am from the 'Burg
Farmer's Markets, Mennonites on horse and buggy
where the country meets a small city is where I come from