Marking the Close of this March SOL with an M

March  SOL comes to a close

Meandering through many inspirational writers' blog posts

Month gone so quickly by

Make the most of writing every day

Mark this experience with an “E” for effort

Measured words form purposeful sentences

Many heartfelt comments written and received

Mistakes fuel the learning process…don’t fear them

Millions of writing ideas emerge from this community

Memories provide writers with powerful posts

More connections with writers across the globe

Magic happens when you believe you are a writer

Mindful of your audience, always write for one’s own self

Miraculously the comments of others validate your written word

Meticulousness in writing is nothing short of perfection

Maternal instincts kick in to encourage new slicers

Monkey wrenches may challenge our ability and writing schedule

Make a comeback…. even if you skip a day!

Mountains of gratitude for this writing opportunity

Many hugs,
xxoo

Right now I am….

• waiting for the dishwasher repairman
•  worrying about the upcoming state ela tests this week
•  looking forward to a trip to Venice with my husband
•  watching a bluejay sip from a puddle in my yard
•  drinking my second cup of coffee
• not knowing that the phone call I am about to answer will be a solicitor’s call
•  hoping my daughter will call and tell me she had a great time on a date
•  wondering if my puppy needs to go outside since he doesn’t yet have a signal to let me know
• praising Leo for doing his business outside and not on the rug
• happy about dinner tonight with old friends
•  planning what I will wear to dinner
•  writing this next-to-last March SOL
•  thinking about getting ready to start my day away from this laptop
• texting my sister and my other daughter
•  thankful  for Terje and Stacey  and the inspiration this morning

Who Am I?

Not knowing my lineage further back than my grandparents makes me feel unknown.

I envy those of you who have such strong familial ties to a city in a country other than here. I wish to be acquainted with stories about long-ago ancestors not known by me personally but fully recognizable by the tales told about them, like you do.

Unsure about my history makes me feel different, unidentified. It’s like a piece is missing from me.

But you see, not knowing is just one piece of the mysterious puzzle of me. The other piece is the left-out feeling of belonging to something larger than my nuclear family, as grounding as we may be.

My dad in the NYFD

And if I feel that a piece is missing from me, it is certain to be missed by my children at some point in their lives. Perhaps when I am no longer around.

That is when it hit me.  When my parents were no longer around, the hole they left in my life felt profoundly larger without this bridge to my heritage.

Doing my best to keep our legacy alive!

I think we all deserve to be part of a family history….to be kept alive long after we are gone by those who knew us solely through the stories they tell about us.

Me and my mom on my wedding day

Either Or?

This list was inspired by Vogue's  73 Questions Interview with sarah-jessica-parker

Which would you rather?

1. milk chocolate or dark chocolate
2. skiing or swimming
3. science or math
4. movie or theatre
5. boat or plane
6. oreo or chocolate chip
7. fiction or non
8. twitter or instagram
9. summer or fall
10. dogs or cats
11. flats or heels
12. london or paris
13. sparkling or flat
14. carrie or samantha
15. paul or john
16. gin or vodka
17. dresses or pants
18. iPhone or android
19. white or red
20. fish or birds
21. pilates or yoga
22. diamonds or pearls
23. johnny or jay
24. coffee or tea
25. shave or wax
26. cake or frosting
27. am or pm
28. city or country
29. jackie or michelle
30. long hair or short
31. beard or no
32. drums or guitar
33. washington or lincoln
34. bus or subway
35. home or away
36. color or black and white
37. less or more
38. sun or moon
39. savory or sweet
40. fish or fowl
41. ketchup or mustard
42. lemon or lime
43. lucy or ethel
44. happy or sad
45. shaken or stirred
46. orange or grapefruit
47. ocean or bay
48. stones or zeppelin
49. angelina or jennifer
50. high school or college
51. hamburger or hot dog
52. hipster or nerd
53. glitz or schmaltz
54. redford or newman
55. pasta or rice
56. pen or pencil
57. elementary or middle
58. bath or shower
59. text or call
60. early riser or stay-up-later
61. blonde or brunette
62. oscar or felix
63. billy joel or elton john
64. east hampton or montauk
65. cowboys or indians
66. east coast or west
67. north or south
68. teacher or administrator
69. hot or cold
70. oil or vinegar
71. spanish or french
72. barefoot or slippers
73. roses or tulips

Opting Out

I teach third grade. Third grade is the first year children will take standardized tests here in school in New York.

Some parents are worried about the undo stress these exams are causing their kids. I’m doing my best to keep things low key in our classroom-doing the required test prep but trying to make it seem less dry than it actually is. A daunting task!

My own kids are adults now but I do find myself wondering what I’d do as the parent of an 8-year old regarding the upcoming ELA and Math tests and opting out.

I don’t believe in quitting.

As a parent, is it possible to opt out without sending that message?

However, these students are young. Are they even developmentally prepared to sit for so long to take these tests?

And what about the curriculum?

What most parents do not consider is that opting out will not erase what is happening in our classrooms. Our instruction has become measurement-driven.

And to them, I say; “Opting out is just prolonging the inevitable.”

Remember To Put On Lipstick

7 things to know before you go

(Inspired by Cosmo’s Waking Up With Taylor on Sirius Radio)

1.   The right decision to make is usually easy to know but often difficult to carry out. 

2. You don’t have to wash your hair every day.

3. Practice makes awesome…perfection is overrated.

4. Nothing lasts forever….truly.

5. Drinking lots of water is good for you!

6. You can always feel proud of yourself for taking the high road.

7. Put your lipstick on before you leave the house and don't forget to re-apply!

What Fun Can Be

This poem was inspired by Greg Pincus who was inspired by Marilyn Singer.

A jump in a puddle

         Splashy fun

Cooking for two

         Romantic fun

A day at the beach

         Solitary fun

Visits to new places

         Travelling fun

Giggling little girls

         Delightful fun

Finding a good book

         Reading fun

Walking the dogs

         Rambling fun

No matter the fun

         Just have it!