30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 17 - My Crush

Today's task is to "write about your crush." For subjects such as these, song lyrics generally provide the best commentary. In my case, this posting can be summed up with "Not a Day Goes By" from Stephen Sondheim's musical, Merrily We Roll Along.

Not a day goes by,
Not a single day
But you're somewhere a part of my life
And it looks like you'll stay.
As the days go by,
I keep thinking, "When does it end?
Where's the day I'll have started forgetting?"
But I just go on
Thinking and sweating
And cursing and crying
And turning and reaching
And waking and dying

And no,
Not a day goes by,
Not a blessed day.
But you're still somewhere part of my life
And you won't go away.
So there's hell to pay.
And until I die
I'll die day after day
After day after day
After day after day
After day
Till the days go by
Till the days go by
Till the days go by.

'Nuff said. If you want to hear this amazing song, check out this video of the incomparable Bernadette Peters.  I can't get through this video without crying no matter how many times I watch it.  Perhaps I need to not watch it.

Next up:  Day 18 - Writing

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 16 - 3 Best Friends

Day 16 - write about your three best friends.  This topic will be an enjoyable walk down memory lane because the three friends I will write about were people from my distant past, and while I don't physically spend time with these best friends anymore and am only in virtual contact with one, they will always remain three women whom I adore.

My very first best friend (when I was actually old enough to appreciate what it is to have a best friend) is Terri.  I actually have mentioned her before in my Music Doesn't Lie (Blinded by the Light) blog, but I didn't go into much depth.  Terri was my best friend from the ages of 10 to 13, while my family resided in Honey Brook, PA. I met Terri the first day I moved to my new neighborhood.  I happened to just be walking down the street, checking out my new 'hood and she came right over and started talking with me. Terri was worldly in my eyes because she was a whole 2 years older than I was.  2 years is a lot when you're talking 10 and 12.  We had similar families: her family was Irish Catholic with 6 kids (she is the eldest), mine was Italian-German Catholic with 5 kids (I am the youngest), so we had a lot of bonding over these similarities. Unfortunately, our families each moved away after 3 years of living in Honey Brook.  My family went to Florida (near Ft. Lauderdale) and her family moved to just north of Chicago.  Alas, long distance friendships can be hard to keep, especially through the teenage years, but we were great pen pals for a long time.

My best friend all throughout high school was Paige. She is one of the smartest people I know and it was only through her friendship and brains that I managed to get through Advanced Econ my senior year.  Although, it WAS her fault that I took that ruddy class to begin with, so she better have come through for me. I can't remember exactly which class Paige and I met in but I know we definitely bonded over our insane Chemistry class.  I'm not entirely sure how anyone passed that class, but it was a ton of fun.  I still chuckle over it today. I definitely am grateful that I had my friend Paige to lean on through high school.  As these things often happen, Paige and I lost touch for a bit after leaving high school and going our separate ways to college.  I moved 2 days after graduation to New Jersey and she went off to the University of Miami (the lucky dog). But I am happy to report that we are still friends (even though it's mostly through Facebook) and though I can't comprehend her weird passion for marathon running, I am proud of her achievements!

My next best friend was during my first couple of years of college and then a few years after that.  I met Lisa after moving to New Jersey and getting a part time job as a Sears sales representative (ugh!) and we became fast friends.  Although I spent most of my late teens and early 20s in a drunken haze and spent a ungodly amount of time and money at nightclubs, Lisa was always right there by my side.  We saw each other through disappointing relationships, broken down cars, and family losses. We celebrated our lives through music, dance, and alcohol.  (Are you sensing a theme here?)  Disappointingly we had a falling out after a few years (over what else -- a man!) and I'm saddened by the fact that I lost that friendship.  I often wonder how she is.

I truly believe that people come into your life for a reason, whether it be for a brief time or a lifetime and I treasure those relationships no matter how long they last. I raise a glass to toast all my friends throughout the years!!

Next up:  Day 16 - My Crush

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 15 - High School

Today's posting: High School.  I fully admit that I have many, many fond memories of high school. It's been nearly 30 years since I graduated from my high school, St. Thomas Aquinas in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and I still keep in touch with almost all of my bestest friends from those 4 wonderful years. While I'm sure there were many days of teenage angst, I don't remember those nearly as well as I remember all the good times at STA. Such happy memories of football games, pep rallies, homecomings, fantastic and inspiring teachers, incredible learning experiences, and all the rest of it. Was I the popular cheerleader?  No.  Was I the outcast?  No.  I was more of the middle of the road kind of gal, which is pretty much the way my life has always been. But I think the top reason I enjoyed high school so much is that it was a time of innocence, learning, great friendships, and laughter. Really, is there anything better than that??  Well, maybe, there is but those 4 years will always hold a special place in my heart.

But I will say the following:  I don't have a desire to go back and repeat high school.  While I loved my time there, that was then and this is now.


What's next?  Day 16 - 3 Best Friends

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 14 - Prom Mishaps

Today's posting (Prom Mishaps) will be short but sweet.  I never went to prom, never got invited to prom, didn't care that I didn't get to go to prom, and know nothing about prom - except what I saw in the movie Carrie, which if that's the standard for prom, then I'm glad I missed it!

If you've never seen Carrie, check out this link to watch the trailer. Other notable prom movies I've seen are: Prom Night, Pretty in Pink, and Never Been Kissed.  That's the sad limit to my prom references.

Tomorrow's topic:  Day 15- High School

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 13 - Panic

Today's topic is panic. All I keep thinking about when I see the word panic is Queen's Under Pressure.  Besides I'm so crazy swamped with TFA teaching stuff, I don't have time to come up with something more creative than this!  :-)

Enjoy!

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 12 - Favorite Day of the Week

Today's topic: What's your favorite day of the week?  Today's topic is not as easy as it seems.  At first I thought that this was a no-brainer, but the more I gave it serious thought, the more difficult it was to answer the query. My comments here are based on when I have employment.  Over the past several months when I've had no employment, every day was a favorite day!  :-) 

There are certain days that are definitely not my favorites, such as Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but the rest of the days have equally good points about them. Thursdays start the slide into the weekend and are actually not too bad to get through. Plus, if you end up going out on a Thursday night, you only have to push through Friday. Fridays, generally speaking, are fairly easy to get through because people are moving a little slower and by early afternoon are starting to wind down to get ready for the weekend. Then you have Saturdays and Sundays which are pretty much all playtime for me with a few necessities thrown in, like grocery shopping or cleaning the apartment, both of which do not take much time and I find to be semi-enjoyable. Therefore you can see my dilemma on picking a "favorite" amongst those four days.  I suppose if I am hard-pressed to pick just one, it would probably be Saturday. Sunday I suppose would run a close second, although if you're not prepared for the week to come, Sunday nights can be as brutal as Monday mornings. 

Next: Day 13 - Panic

Career Change: Drinking the Kool-Aid at Induction

This past week has been a fascinating one in the career change arena. Over the past few days, I have been at Induction. What is Induction? In the Teach for America model, Induction is the first week of summer training in preparation for teaching in our region starting in the Fall. But that doesn't really tell the whole story of Induction. I don't know how many people have been involved with these types of institutions, i.e. Teach for America, Americorps, the Peace Corps, the Girl Scouts, etc., but usually this first week is the touchy-feelly, Kumbaya singing, "drinking the Kool-Aid" week. Now I'm not saying there's anything at all wrong with that. In fact, I actually did drink a small Dixie-sized cup of Kool-Aid this week (not the huge vat that was being served to me) but enough to know that I'm completely on board with TFA's core values of trying close the education gap that exists in this country but still mature enough to not fall into a Vulcan mind meld.

This past week was a long, tiring and emotional one. I obviously cannot possibly relate the entire story because it would be too long and tedious, so I'll regale you with the high points of the week! It started on Tuesday afternoon on the campus of Boston University with my arrival at the residence. I was pleasantly surprised with the accommodations which consisted of 4 single bedrooms with 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room and dining area. Having never experienced university dorm culture due to being a commuter student, I was nervous about how much I would love and/or hate this part of the week but I lucked out in having the MOST AMAZING dormmates (Sarah and Lindsey). I had opted into the option that was given to me of rooming with people over the age of 25 and jumped at the chance without a single regret. Not that I don't adore my younger corps members, but rooming with someone just out college would have been...erm...difficult.

Tuesday night's opening ceremonies started with a keynote speech from a unique TFA staff member - the custodian from the TFA office who gave the most moving speech. Brought to the US from El Salvador (I believe) at a young age by her family, she (sadly) received sub-par instruction from her local public schools and was even told by a high school guidance counselor that she had zero chance of ever getting into college.  (BTW, that counselor should be fired!)  But did she let that deter her? No! She spent the next eight years after her high school graduation working three jobs and saving her money, and, beginning in the fall, will be attending college in order to get her nursing degree (a long held dream).  Not a dry eye in the house. 

After some Kool-Aid speeches on Wednesday morning, the entire corps of approximately 90 members drove to Lawrence High School in Lawrence, MA (duh!) in order to have a chance to actually sit and chat with some of the types of students that we will be teaching come fall. Spending time with such amazing kids energized the entire corps and reminded us of why we have made this commitment! One of the best moments of the week.

Because Thursday was not a good day at all, I'm going to jump ahead to Friday, which was the best day of the entire week. Friday was "Community Day" in which the corps members traveled to the communities where we will be teaching. For me, that is Revere. I didn't know very much about Revere and was completely thrilled to be able to spend some time there on Friday. After a tour of Revere High School, the 10 corps members who have been placed in a Revere school had a chance to have a panel discussion with some Revere leaders, including the school district's assistant superintendent; a representative from Revere CARES (an organization committed to improving the health concerns in Revere); one of Revere High School's vice principals; a parent/community recreation director, etc. It was a fantastic opportunity to really get to know the community in which we'll be teaching and how we can best serve this culturally diverse and interesting city.  Later in the day I got to spend some time at my school, Seacoast, and after meeting with Principal Misci and the ESL Director Mogavero, I am more excited than ever to start my teaching career.  I've been asked by Principal Misci to teach a couple of additional classes over and above my ESL responsibilities and they are 2 English classes and an Intro to Drama class!  Woot, woot!! Director Mogavero loaded me down with a ton of ESL reading material in order to prepare me for re-taking the ESL MTEL. Bless his heart!

Friday night ended with a barbecue at the 18 acre estate of Chris and Hillary Gabrieli which is located in Beverly Farms.  If you don't know who Chris Gabrieli is, check out this link and be astounded!  They are an amazing couple who are long time supporters of TFA and education reform and they were gracious enough to open their lovely home to us.

We finished up on Saturday with a few Institute prep sessions and finally a little more Kool-Aid was handed out at the closing ceremonies.  Now the real work is about to commence now that I have traveled to Institute, which is 5 weeks of intensive training in Philadelphia where I will also be teaching summer school for some of Philadelphia's kids. Check back next week and see how Institute is going! I hope I'll have the time to keep posting about these experiences.

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 11 - Foreign

I am certain that everyone has their own definition of "foreign." The dictionary's definition reads: "of, pertaining to, or derived from another country or nation; not native; external to one's own country or nation," which technically is correct, but it's not exactly how I define foreign. I find Webster's definition pretty limiting.

Sadly, I grew up in fairly homogenous neighborhoods - generally, middle class, Judeo-Christian and mostly caucasion. Thank goodness that changed as I grew older.  Then I was fortunate enough in having been a part of a huge melting pot (aka NYC) and my exposure to a greater number of ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual identities, etc. blossomed. As a result, I no longer consider people who have a different background from mine as being 'foreign.' They had different experiences growing up to be sure, but I find that fascinating not foreign, because I can appreciate our differences. My friendships run the gamut of nationalities and I just love that I can be introduced to a whole host of thoughts and beliefs and ideas that are from a country outside the US.

What is 'foreign' to me are the people whom I cannot comprehend. People who hate others due to race, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, political views, religious views, etc. are foreign. The intolerant, the ignorant, the haters! Don't be a hater!!

Next: Day 12 - What is your favorite day of the week?

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 10 - Internet Love

Wow, I'm up to Day 10 already. Note to self: Probably not a good idea to take on a 30 day writing challenge while also in the middle of training for a career change.  Just sayin'...

Today's Topic: Internet Love. Do we think this topic is about internet dating or just a general love of the internet? If we're talking about internet dating, I think I made my views on that well known in my posting from January 8, 2012 (Online Dating? Ugh!). Yeah, not a fan... at all!!!

But if we're talking about the internet and our love of it or lack thereof, well now that's a completely different story. As I've mentioned repeatedly regarding technology, I have a love/hate relationship and the internet is right there in the mix. The 'net is great for many things but can be incredibly destructive if put in the wrong hands. What are some of the negatives of the internet?  Just to name a few: it's always on; people lose their minds when it's down; it makes people angry; it's easy to fake things; it's hard to tell the truth from the lies; it's addicting; people are mean; and it's easy to spread hate.  That's just a few off the top of my head.

In general, though I think the good of the internet outweighs the bad. The time and money that is saved by having the internet is worth the price of admission.

Thank you Al Gore for creating the internet.  ;-)

What's up next? Day 11 - Foreign

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 9 - Fertility

Seriously? I have to write about fertility today!! Oh jeez, I can't think of a subject of which I have very little interest or knowledge! I certainly have no problem with people using science for procreation, therefore the only comment I have about fertility is that people really should learn to use it wisely. A woman who can barely keep a house over her head, should not have 14 children. Yes, I'm referring to Octomom, who cannot support her children and is on public assistance which means that you and I are paying to support her 14 children. Basically, you shouldn't have more children than you can afford and can give the necessary love and care to. Which for most people is somewhere between 1 and 4 children, unless you are Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie. I fully recognize that if my parents had stopped at 4, I wouldn't be here, but I stand by my statement that it's almost impossible for kids to get the necessary love and attention from their parents if they're breeding like rabbits, let alone the cost. But as we all know, some people are stupid, ignorant and narcissistic and will continue to 'pump out a unit' (in the immortal words of George Carlin) every year.  

Next: Day 10 - Internet Love

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 8 - In-Laws

Day 8's task is "In-Laws."  

This is a fairly simple task for me. I have extremely limited experience with in-laws, consisting of the spouses of my siblings only.  My eldest brother was married twice and frankly I didn't like either of his wives, then again neither did he. My next eldest brother has been married to his wife for 24 years and she is hands down my favorite sister-in-law. She's fantastic. In fact, I actually like her better than the brother she is married to. My sister has been married twice (as far as I know) and I've never met either one of her ex-husbands, so I cannot form any opinion on them. The youngest brother in our brood has taken marrying to a new high, having been married 4 times. Oy! I've met only 3 of the 4 wives.  Ex-sister-in-law #1 I really, really didn't like ... kind of loathed, in fact. Sister-in-law #2 was very nice - sweet even, but she was a born-again Christian and therefore we had absolutely nothing in common.  Wife #3 is the one I never met.  And current wife (#4) is a carbuncle on the butt of humanity. Fortunately I don't have to live with her.

That's the extent of my in-law experience.  I don't have in-laws though marriage and am pretty confident that never will experience married life and the joys of being a part of another family. We've all heard the tales of nightmare in-laws, but I'd like to think that those stories are in the minority. Although that could be the 'Pollyanna' in me talking. That might make for an interesting study: What percentage of the world actually gets along with their in-laws. I wonder which research facility would take on that task. Perhaps Bellevue?!

Next: Day 9 - Fertility

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 7 - A $5's Day

Today's challenge is "a day in the life of a five-dollar bill."  I have tried and tried and tried to actually do this task but I completely suck at creative writing. It's the reason I didn't put "write a novel" on my bucket list because I cannot write fiction to save my life.  I made approximately four different attempts to complete this task and each story was quite possibly the worse written text on the face of the earth.  Oh no, wait. 50 Shades of Grey is the worse text so maybe what I wrote is the 2nd worse text.

Then I thought maybe I'd find a short film on a day in the life of a 5 dollar bill and post the link. There are a couple films on YouTube, but I found them to be a bit of a snooze-fest. I briefly considered "borrowing" a story that someone else wrote, but I couldn't do it for a couple of reasons. One, it's called plagiarism and that would be dishonest and two, the story wasn't that good.  :-)

So much as I hate to admit failure, I have decided to call this posting a washout. If someone would like to write this for me, I'll gladly post the story!

Next post: Day 8 - In-Laws

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 6 - Summer

Day 6 of the Writing Challenge is "Summer."  Darn it!  So unfair.  I feel like I've already written about one of my best summers in my Music Doesn't Lie series (Blinded by the Light).

Funny enough, tomorrow is the first official day of summer. Strange how that happened. Okay, I suppose I enjoy summer as much as the next person, although it is not my favorite season. That privilege goes to autumn. For me, summer means longer days, more outdoor activities, ice cream, baseball, picnics, backyard barbecues, more time spent with friends, bike rides, fresh garden vegetables, and vacations. I'm sure many people would list the beach, but I'm not a beach person. Oddly enough though, when I think of summer, I think of Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys. The playing of this song makes it officially the summer season!

 

Coming up: Day 7 - A day in the life of a five-dollar bill

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 5 - Keep Only 5 Things

Today's task is: "You can only keep five things you have. What will they be? Why?"  Only 5?  Hmmmm.  Very interesting.  The way I came up with my list is that I have decided to keep the things that I use on a daily basis, with one notable exception. Guess which! Here are the 5 things I would keep...

#1:  Cell phone.  I would assume that a cell phone would be most people's number 1 item, as it has become such a necessity. My daily uses are: as a method of communication (phone, email, text), for tracking exercise and food, taking photos, looking up information when away from the computer and a whole host of other uses. Sad to say, it has become an invaluable item - an item I once upon a time swore that I would never own. That old adage is true: "never say never."

#2:  iPod Touch. Before moving to MA, I transferred hundreds of cds to an external hard drive so I didn't have to lug all those discs around. I then put most of those albums on my iPod Touch, making the Touch the most convenient way in which to listen to music. I use my Touch every day. I absolutely must have inspiring, fun music to listen to when I go out for my daily power walk and the Touch is the perfect device. With over 6700 songs, I can always find something great to listen to.

#3:  A copy of Pride and Prejudice. Yes, Jane Austen is my favorite author and yes, Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book. It's a book that I read with such regularity (generally every 6 months or so) that I can quite possibly quote the entire novel verbatim. Having a copy of this book is a must! I suppose I could have listed my Kindle as an item to keep, which would allow me to keep hundreds of books including P&P. But I hate my Kindle. The only reason I have one is that when I packed my apartment last year to move, I had no reading material around so I bought a Kindle in order to read.  Since the move, I haven't even glanced at my Kindle. Why do I hate electronic readers? I am one of those weird people who prefers physical books over e-readers. Books encompass the usage of nearly all senses; sight being the most obvious. Many people have never noticed this, but books have the most amazing smell. Yeah, yeah. I've already said it. I'm weird. I smell books! There's no better smell than a new book ... except perhaps the smell of an old book. The feel of the paper under my fingers is always a comfort and a source of joy. Taste and hearing are the only two sense not involved with the act of reading a book.

#4:  Computer. Technology has really become an evil necessity. I have a complete love/hate relationship with technology, which is why I have a "technology fast" on my bucket list. Yes, technology makes our lives easier, but it also makes us less social physically with people because it's so easy to be social virtually.  But that being said, my computer is a daily necessity.  I'm on my computer for a good portion of my day, much to my chagrin: doing research for my new job, keeping in touch with family and friends, playing games, listening to music, writing blogs, etc. Much as I hate to say it, I need to keep my computer.

#5: Toothbrush and toothpaste:  Alright, I know it's a little strange to include a toothbrush, but really is there anything more disgusting than not being able to brush your teeth??  <shudder>  And I count the brush and paste as a set, it's not 2 items. Therefore, I'm not cheating and keeping 6 items! Really! I'm not!!! Okay, okay. I'm cheating, but it's my game, so I'll cheat if I want.

Those are my 5...okay...6 items. Also, these are NOT the items that I would want to have on a deserted island. All those electronics would be pointless on a deserted island.  In the case of being a castaway, I'd want a first aid kit, a small ax or hatchet, a utility tool, the complete works of William Shakespeare (this would take awhile to get through), and a shitload of duct tape. Why duct tape?  Because Mythbusters showed just how useful duct tape is when stuck on a deserted island!  :-)   

Next: Day 6 - Summer

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 4 - My Bucket List

Today's challenge is "What do you sense you're supposed to do before your life is over?" Similar to yesterday's task, I'm not entirely sure the meaning of this query. Do they mean "my purpose in life" or "my bucket list?" I've decided to go with bucket list because I honestly don't think I actually have a purpose in life. <shrugs> Besides, creating a bucket list is much more fun to contemplate and write about. 20 years ago, I created a  very different bucket list and some items I have been lucky enough to check off, for example - I've gone skydiving, rode on the back of a motorcycle, and been in a television show.  A reality television show in Japan counts!! I've taken off a couple of others due to the improbability of them ever happening, such as being in a Broadway musical/play or meeting Kenneth Branagh.  Time to create a new list.  Here it is - in no particular order:

1. Get a Masters degree
2. Get a PhD degree
3. Drive a Formula 1 race car
4. Go on an African safari
5. Visit Victoria Falls
6. Take a 'technology fast' for one week (doubtful I'll actually be able to do this)
7. Ride a tandem bike
8. Attend Space Camp
9. Go zip-lining
10. Visit the Great Pyramid of Giza
11. Own a golden retriever
12. Swim with dolphins
13. Sleep under the stars
14. Kiss in the rain (this is never going to happen, but I can dream, can't I?)
15. Hike Machu Picchu
16. Learn to speak a foreign language fluently
17. Live in England
18. Purchase and restore a 1966 Ford Mustang
19. Drive from Seattle, Washington to San Diego, California in a convertible
20. Go hang gliding

There are a bunch more, but I'll start small with a list of 20. I need to start making a sincere effort to check off some of these items as a few have been around for a long, long time. Everyone should have a bucket list.  What's on yours??

What's next?  Day 5 - Keep Only 5 Things

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 3 - The Holidays

Day 3 of the Writing Challenge is "how do you feel about the holidays?"  Now I'm not entirely sure to which holidays they are referring.  Do they mean all holidays or just 'The Holidays' (the ones in December that everyone stresses over)?  I guess I'll have to wing this one. There are certain holidays I love and certain ones I loathe, which I suppose is normal. The holidays I love are: Thanksgiving, Halloween, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. The holidays I loathe are: Christmas, New Year, my birthday, and Valentine's Day. Seriously, if I could hibernate from the day after Thanksgiving until February 15th, I would sign up for that every year.  Bears are so lucky! They get to gain 500 pounds and sleep through the worse part of the year. :-) About all other celebrations I am completely indifferent.

Of course I could be completely mistaken on the task and they could have meant The Holidays, "an  Australian indie pop/soul band" which formed in 2006.  I don't know them all that well, but what I've heard is alright.  Not my favorite but enjoyable enough, I suppose.  Listen for yourself:

Next up: Day 4 - My Bucket List

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 2 - Roses

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Not all poems rhyme

And this is one of them.

             - Unknown

Sorry, but I had to post that lame but slightly amusing poem! Ready for Day 2 - Roses?? I personally am not a fan of the rose. Yes, they're a somewhat pretty flower, bbbbbuuuttt... I think they're way over-priced, they die entirely too quickly after cutting, and I have never liked their smell. The odor just overwhelms the senses. Therefore, while I have planted a small rosebush in my side yard, and if it blossoms, great.  If not, whatev. That's the sum total of my interest in roses. Ergo if someone wanted to surprise me with flowers, they would do well giving wildflowers, tiger lilies, tulips, sunflowers, daisies, carnations, or pretty much any flower other than the rose.

Although I do like the song, "The Rose," so here's some classic Bette Midler!  I do adore her!!

Next up: Day 3 -The Holidays

Career Change: The Job Offer

I am interrupting my regularly scheduled Writing Challenge blog post to bring this Career Change update.  I'll still be posting the writing challenge blog a little later today.

When I last wrote about my career change, it was to post my test results, which, by the way, I will be receiving my ESL test results later today. I do not have high hopes for a passing score and will, most likely, be retaking the test in July. Since that early April posting, I have been spending the past several weeks going on several different interviews all over the Greater Boston area.  The interviews have been equally for English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Learner (ELL (f/k/a ESL)) positions. I've been keeping my fingers crossed for an ELA position, which is where my teaching heart truly lies.

Today, I was advised by Teach for America that I had received a job offer and I cannot lie - I have mixed feelings over this teaching position. 75% of me is thrilled beyond words that (1) I have been placed, (2) been placed in a high school - AND (3) placed in a high school where I can do much good. The school is SeaCoast High School, located in Revere, MA, which is an alternative high school for students who have had difficulty in other educational settings. What about the other 25%?  15% of me is disappointed.  I have been hired to teach ELL. I guess that means all the English literature lessons that I had been planning on teaching will have to go in my hope chest.  The last 10% is pure, unadulterated terror! I have absolutely no idea on how to teach ELL.  I know that this summer I'll receive some guidance from Teach for America on how to teach ELL, yet I still feel hugely out of my element.  Teaching English is still my dream subject and I am hoping that the statement made during my interview at SeaCoast, which was that they may ask me to teach an English or drama class in addition to my ELL classes, will be true. Fingers crossed.

The other good news is that it's only a two year commitment. It could be that after the two years, I won't want to teach anything but ELL. Or at the end of the two years, I'll be free to find a new position in which I can teach literature.  Time will tell.  All in all though, I am psyched!

Update at 5:31 pm, 6/15/12:  As I suspected, I failed the ESL MTEL.  Miserably, I might add.  I scored a 216.  240 is passing.  <shrugs>  Oh well, I'll take it again in July.  Hopefully I'll do better.

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 1 - Ten People

The first task for the 30 Day Writing Challenge is quite possibly one of the harder ones! The task is: "Pick ten people you know and write a one-sentence description for each of them." Ten people?!?! What the...?? Okay, okay. Just suck it up, Sandi, and come up with ten people. As I'm trying to keep a positive spin in my life, I've decided to list ten of my friends, as opposed to perhaps listing a few of the douche bags that have blown through my life. I think karma will eventually get to them without my pointing out their flaws.

Here we go with my list of 10 people ... and these names are listed in no particular order:

1. Sheryl is a brilliant, hysterically funny, wicked, attractive, incredibly supportive friend and, sad to say, an attorney, but one of the many attorneys in which I have much respect.

2. Christy, another respected attorney friend, is an unbelievably warm, kindhearted, smart, adorable, accomplished woman and it is thanks to her that I now live in the most amazing town.

3. Steve is a talented, funny, sexy, smart creative writer, critic and brilliant English professor, who was the first professor to really make me think about and analyze literature correctly. 

4, 5 and 6. Raina, Yolanda and Franka are three sassy, hot, astute and hilarious heroines that I befriended during my recent college years and they are the reason I got through college with so much laughter, love and friendship, all done without us killing a bunch of stupid people - Vaya con Dios! (I had to group them together because it would be like splitting up the Three Musketeers - can't be done.)

7. Stacie is an extraordinarily talented actor/singer who is a smart, funny, drop dead gorgeous woman to boot - she is the complete package, who is going to be the next big star in Hollywood.

8. Warren is a consummate stage actor and acting coach and one of the hardest working, most dedicated actors to ever grace the stage and deserves to be starring in a Broadway production.

9. Steven is an über-talented vocal coach, music director, singer and all round great guy and brainiac.

10. Mark is hands down one of my favorite people in this entire world due to him being the funniest, most intelligent, and highly accomplished Renaissance man that I know - not to mention that he's also incredibly good looking!

You'll notice a theme throughout this listing - smart, talented, funny people. I prefer to surround myself with people with those attributes because "like speaks to like" (not to pat myself on the back or anything).  Life is more interesting and fun by having such friends.

Next up: Day 2 - Roses

Taking A 30 Day Writing Challenge

Today, I stumbled upon a Facebook page dedicated to a 30 day writing challenge and I thought to myself: "Hmmm. This is intriguing." And even though the page appears not to be a very active page, the challenge sparked my excitement.  Here's the challenge:

"This challenge is to stimulate creativity in your writing, and to just have fun! One post a day, using these prompts. It can be poetry, short story, lyrics, anything you want!

Day 1:     Pick ten people you know and write a one-sentence description for each
Day 2:     Roses
Day 3:     How do you feel about the holidays
Day 4:     What do you sense you're supposed to do before your life is over
Day 5:     You can only keep five things you have. What will they be? Why?
Day 6:     Summer
Day 7:     A day in the life of a five-dollar bill
Day 8:     In-laws
Day 9:     Fertility
Day 10:   Internet love
Day 11:   Foreign
Day 12:   What is your favorite day of the week?
Day 13:   Panic
Day 14:   Prom mishaps
Day 15:   High School
Day 16:   Write about your three best friends
Day 17:   Write about your crush
Day 18:   Writing
Day 19:   Love Letter
Day 20:   Clueless
Day 21:   Pillow Talk
Day 22:   Write about your worst relationship
Day 23:   Valentine's Day
Day 24:   Anniversary
Day 25:   Penguins
Day 26:   Archery
Day 27:   Design a perfect day
Day 28:   Honor roll
Day 29:   Write about tests
Day 30:   Write about where you see yourself in five years"

I was never someone who wrote a lot growing up, other than required writing in school. No diaries, no journals, no unfinished novels, no short stories, no poetry, etc., but since I've been regularly writing this blog over the past year or so, I am finding that the act of writing is extremely therapeutic and liberating. I can understand why people would want do this as a full-time career. Although, lately, I've been worried that I'm running out of ideas. So I'm taking this 30 day challenge and will begin it tomorrow. The interesting part of this challenge is someone else dictating what I'm going to write about and as I look ahead at the list, I'm a little nervous - some of the ideas are formidable indeed. If any of my writer friends would like to join me, I'd love to have company.  Wish me luck and check daily to see if I get through all 30 challenges!

Skunks? Really?? Cooooooool!

Cute little critters!

Living in a concrete jungle (aka NYC) for 17 years and in the suburbs for dozens years before that, I have limited experience with wildlife.  The last time I came in contact with a skunk was probably in the mid-70s, back when my family would vacation in a campground in the Pocono Mountains and/or the 3 years that we lived in the mountains of Pennsylvania. That is, until today. On my daily (weather permitting) 6-mile power walk around town, I came in contact (not literally) with a family of skunks.  Holy cow!  They are ccccuuuuuute!  I didn't get too close for fear of being sprayed, which is why the photos are not the best, but I couldn't resist shooting a couple of pictures of these adorable, albeit smelly creatures. There were approximately 5-6 skunks, just hanging alongside the Clipper City Rail Trail, a scenic "1.1 mile multi-use pathway running between the MBTA commuter rail station and the shoreline of the Merrimack River near downtown Newburyport" and part of my daily walk. 

This encounter just blew my mind.  After all, I'm living in a town of 17,000+ residents ... and a number of skunks, apparently.  But it's not the wilderness. In the year that I've lived in town, I have had on occasion to smell the little rascals as their scent would waft up into my apartment's open windows and had been told by friends that they were a bit of a menace in town, but for the life of me, I couldn't imagine actually seeing them. After today's skunk-capade, I will be a little more vigilant during my walk.  I'd hate to miss seeing something so amazing as these adorable beasts.

The Truth is Incontrovertible!

"The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may

deride it, but in the end, there it is." - Winston Churchill

A short while ago, I wrote about about the under 30 set ("The Under 30 Dilemma"), which espoused my personal views on the disservice being done to today's youth by their parent's over-coddling of them.  Last week, a high school English teacher, David McCollough, Jr., came under fire for comments which were directed toward the 2012 graduating class of Wellesley High School, in which he bluntly told the graduates that "You are not special. You are not exceptional ... You've been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble wrapped ... feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie."  Well said, sir!  He ended his speech with the following:  "Selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself. The sweetest joys of life, then, come only with the recognition that you're not special - because everyone is. Congratulations, good luck. Make for yourselves, please for your sake and ours, extraordinary lives." Click the photo to see the entire eloquent speech and news report:

Let me give you a little background on Wellesley, MA and Wellesley High School. Wellesley is located just west of Boston and is one of the more affluent suburbs of Boston, ranking 7th in the state for income per capita. "Wellesley's public school system is nationally well regarded. In 2007, Wellesley High School was ranked as the 70th best public high school in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report, and on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test, the district regularly scores higher than the state average." All in all, it's a pretty nice place to live, I'm sure. But, in my experience, the more wealth, the more sense of entitlement the youth have. So what's wrong with a well-respected teacher espousing some honest facts to these students?  In my humble opinion, absolutely nothing.

It's a sad statement that the teacher then had to go on national television to defend his address. Well, I say it was about time that someone spoke the truth and gave these young adults a little bit of a wake up call.  As they head out into the world, they have learned that you have to earn your way and not have it handed to you on a silver platter.  I suspect that they will remember this commencement speech for a long time and not just because it made the evening news.

Strange Spitting Lady

I came across this video the other day on Funny or Die and reacted with a strange mixture of amusement, horror and disgust, so naturally I had to share this video with others. Entitled "Strange Spitting Lady," this woman ruins a perfectly good news report and is indeed strange.  The best part of this clip is the reporter's on-camera reaction.  Truly priceless!  

All It Takes is a Determination!!

I saw this segment on Anderson Cooper last night and found it inspiring. There are zero excuses for not working hard and being able to get whatever your heart's desire is. This bright and resilient young student worked as janitor in her high school and faced homelessness and abandonment, all the while maintaining straight A's and eventually getting into Harvard! Watch and be inspired. I plan on showing this segment to my students!

Reminder: Never Judge a Book by its Cover...

I know this statement is an old adage that everyone has heard at some time in their life, but I have never seen a more perfect example of how much this maxim holds true. On a recent episode of America's Got Talent, a young man by the name of Andrew De Leon, bedecked in metal spiked bracelets, piercing blue contacts and full-on guyliner, blew the roof off the theater with his performance.  Full disclosure: I do not watch this show, but was shown this clip by a friend.  Watch this video and see for yourself.

Not what you expected?  Me either. So just remember that old adage. It will do me well to remember it when I start teaching in the fall. Well done, Andrew, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for you.

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 12 (Baby Come Home)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,

then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

I'm seriously starting to think that I've been living under a rock (musically) for the past decade or so. I keep coming across all these new and fantastic artists that I have never heard of before. Obviously they are 'new' to me, not to the world. Just to recap: first there was Bruno Mars, then Gotye, Fun., the Basics, and now, it's Scissor Sisters! I was watching The Graham Norton Show the other day and Scissor Sisters performed toward the end of the show and I was rockin' to their song, "Baby Come Home," which is from their newly released album Magic Hour. Formed in 2001 in New York City, Scissor Sisters have "incorporated diverse and innovative styles in their music, but tend to sway towards pop rock, glam rock, nu-disco, and electroclash."  They have such a great sound that is completely a throwback to the '70s disco era, but better.  Much better!! I am in the process of purchasing all their albums of which they have released four in total: Scissor Sisters (2004), Ta-Dah (2006), Night Work (2010) and Magic Hour (2012). Bono has called them “the best pop group in the world."  Quite a testament!

You must check out their website! It features the funniest, cheesiest 'As Seen on TV' infomercial for their new album. Very creative. They have a ton of great songs. Just to name a few: "Only the Horses,"Any Which Way," "Kiss You Off," and "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'." I'm posting the song that started my love affair - the one they sang on Graham's show, "Baby Come Home" (click this link ← to see their performance and the follow up chat on Graham's show, otherwise the official video is below). Put your dancin' shoes on first though!  Lyrics can be found here.

Bear Attack!

I have decided that if I'm ever to be attacked by a bear, I'm hoping that this is the bear to do the task.  Word of caution:  Cuteness abounds!

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 11 (Just Hold On)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,

then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

As I mentioned in my Music Doesn't Lie - Part 8 (Somebody That I Used to Know) posting, Gotye (aka Wally De Backer) is part of the three-piece band, The Basics. I stated that I was going to check them out and it was time well spent. Formed in 2002, the Melbourne-based band currently features the über-talented Gotye, Kris Schroeder and Tim Heath. (Tim Heath replaced original band member, Michael Hubbard, in 2004.) As of today, they have released 4 albums: Get Back (2005), Stand Out/Fit In (2007), Keep Your Friends Close (2009) and /ðəˈbæzɪtʃ/ (2010).  The last album, /ðəˈbæzɪtʃ/, is available to download for free on their website and no, that is not a typo. It really is entitled /ðəˈbæzɪtʃ/ (The Basics).  So far I've listened to Stand Out/Fit In and /ðəˈbæzɪtʃ/ and really, really enjoy listening to both albums. I particularly like Stand Out/Fit In in part because it draws its influences from the music of the '60s. If you like The Beatles (and really who doesn't?), then you will love Stand Out/Fit In.  I would be hard pressed to pigeon-hole them into a specific genre though. I'll just repeat what I mentioned in my previous blog: "Their style has been described as anything from 'indie-pop' to 'rock'n'roll' to 'pop-rock', though their records show they span a wide range of genres, including reggae, ska, country, and electro-pop."

Some of my favorite recordings are:  "The No. 1 Cause of Death Amongst Youth Today" (love this song and video), "Rattle My Chain," and "Hey There." I'm posting my ultimate favorite, "Just Hold On" which is from Stand Out/Fit In and you can definitely hear/see the Beatles influence - in both sound and look, in this video. I've been either humming or singing this song for two days!! It's so infectious. Listen/watch for yourself and let me know if you agree. Lyrics can be found here.

A Passion for Correspondence

Back in January of this year, I wrote a blog about the Lost Art of Letter Writing. Thanks to the bloody awful weather that Massachusetts is currently experiencing, I've been stuck inside for what feels like forever, which gives me lots of time to surf the web. Today, while surfing around, I came across the most amazing site that I just had to share, as it directly correlates to my passion for keeping letter writing alive.  Letters of Note is "an attempt to gather and sort fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes, and memos." The tagline of the website is "Correspondence deserving of a wider audience." Just brilliant! Their compilation of letters runs the gamut from hilariously funny to touching to outrageous to infuriating and everything in between. As of this posting, they have posted 752 letters and that number will keep on growing.  The letters date from as far back as ~1350 BC (written on a clay tablet) straight up through to today.  The site has six ways in which to navigate the collection, by: (i) correspondence type (letter, memo, telegram, fax), (ii) writing method (typewritten, handwritten), (iii) date of correspondence, (iv) categories of correspondence, (v) correspondence written by, to, or about notable people, and (vi) site publication date - in addition to having a search function and a list of the most popular letters.

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (right) and
his assistant Beaker (left)

Some of the letters dispense advice, others make complaints, some give their gratitude, other express their love, and a whole host of other topics. One of the funniest letters is from Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (aka  The Jim Henson Company) to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory written in 2004 congratulating them (sort of) at the success by NASA of landing two rovers on Mars. Priceless!! MEEP! Another hilarious missive was from the English playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw to The Times written in 1905 registering a complaint regarding an evening at the Opera House in Covent Garden. It wasn't the production of Mozart's Don Giovanni which offended but rather an extravagantly dressed woman. Oh, GBS, I heart you so! One of my favorite letters was fairly recent - written by Pulitzer-prize winner Harper Lee (author of one of the greatest novels ever, To Kill a Mockingbird).  In 2006, Ms. Lee responded to a fan who had asked her for a signed photo.  She gave him the following advice:

06/07/06

Dear Jeremy

I don't have a picture of myself, so please accept these few lines:

As you grow up, always tell the truth, do no harm to others, and don't think you are the most important being on earth. Rich or poor, you then can look anyone in the eye and say, "I'm probably no better than you, but I'm certainly your equal."

(Signed, 'Harper Lee')

Sounds advice that we would all do well to remember. I found a good many of the letters to be inspiring and touching. Check out the site and perhaps you'll find a letter from, to, or about someone that you admire.

A copy of Harper Lee's Letter

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 10 (Hymne a l'Amour)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,

then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

If you've been following my Music Doesn't Lie posts, you'll start to get the idea that I have eclectic taste in music. I listen to nearly all genres of music with the possible exception of country & western, heavy metal, and rap. The past couple of posts have been about some of the current top 10 songs on the charts that I've recently discovered. Now it's time to take a trip to the past... specifically, 1940s and 1950s Paris. This morning, my iPod Nano woke me with one of my favorite songs from that era - albeit sung by a performer from today, the brilliant Josh Groban.

A dozen years ago (or thereabouts), I was researching some French songs for a cabaret I was working on.  My vocal coach insisted that I have the perfect voice for French music and he's correct - in all modesty, I say this. Naturally, I looked at Edith Piaf because when you think of French chanteuses, you think Piaf!  Or at least you should.  I adore Edith and her music. She had so many great songs - the most famous, of course, being "La Vie en Rose."  Although, it's not my favorite Piaf song. Actually the song I choose to sing was much more upbeat and fun: "Mon Manège à Moi." But even that song wasn't the song I really, really wanted to sing.  I had wanted to sing either "Hymne a l'Amour" or "Mon Dieu" (killer video), but my vocal coach wouldn't let me add another ballad to my song list.  As usual, Steven was correct.  An overly ballad heavy cabaret show is tedious for both the singer and the audience. To this day though, I would kill to sing "Hymne a l'Amour." You can't imagine my excitement when I purchased Josh Groban's cd Closer in 2003 and it included "Hymne a l'Amour."  Much as I love Piaf, Josh Groban is a god! This song just makes me melt. I don't even care that I can never remember the song translation, it's that beautiful. Here's a link to the lyrics with English translation.  Sing to me, Josh!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

Earlier today, a friend of mine shared on Facebook a posting from Buzzfeed.  The posting was described as: "a moving collection of iconic photographs from the last 100 years that demonstrate the heartbreak of loss, the tremendous power of loyalty, and the triumph of the human spirit" and I was reminded of the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. Most of us have seen photos that have changed our lives in some way and those moments remain fresh in our memories whenever we see those images. Whether we're talking about John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s salute toward his father's coffin or the Australian man who kisses his Canadian girlfriend during the Vancouver riots, each of these photos is a reminder of the unbelievable power that an image can hold.

Click to see 40 Of The Most Powerful Photographs Ever Taken.  Fair warning, you  may find yourself weeping. 

Jacqueline Kennedy wears her pink Chanel suit,
still stained with the blood of her husband,
as Lyndon Johnson takes the oath of office in Air Force One.

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 9 (We Are Young)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,

then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

I've been on a mission the past few days to discover some new bands and/or singers to add to my music library, hence my discovery of Gotye and Bruno Mars. I realized that as of late my music selections have gotten rather stale and, in the past, my friends, whose musical opinions I respected, would introduce me to new bands and singers. Lately though, I haven't gotten any recommendations from friends. What's up with that? Therefore, I am forced to break out on my own and find new music to listen to. Don't get me wrong, I still love all 6700 songs on my iTouch, but it's time to add some new blood.  Where do you start looking for new music? Well, I started by checking out Europe's Top 100 songs. I generally prefer to start with Europe because the US charts invariably have someone like Justin Bieber in the top 10 and I just can't wrap my head around that concept.

It was while checking out the Top 100 songs in Europe that I discovered Gotye. But I also came across an American alternative rock band, Fun., who currently holds the #1 hit in Europe and #4 in the US with "We Are Young."  Fun. has released two albums to date: their debut album Aim and Ignite (2009) and Some Nights (2012).  I can't quite commit to saying that I love their albums as I haven't listened enough to them to form a strong opinion either way. But I am completely enthralled with "We Are Young" (featuring Janelle Monáe). Billboard magazine describes the song as a "grandiose alternative number, built on theatrical orchestration and a propulsive, immediate chorus that beams with inspirational effect" and the song has apparently been covered on the television show, Glee.  Erm. Okay. I wouldn't know as I'm not a Gleek and can proudly state that have never seen one episode.  But I suppose that they covered the song can be considered a 'Fun' fact (pun intended).

Take it away, Fun. and Janelle.

Here's the link to an alternative (acoustic) version. I'm not sure which version I like better but both recordings are pretty amazing. You can find the lyrics here.