What if I made this into a banana mask?

I have been attending the after school computer tutoring sessions at my elementary school. I've noticed over the last three sessions that this autistic boy had been working on the same lesson. I decided to talk to him, noticing a banana peel he had in his hands...

"I need to recycle this banana. Can I go recycle it?"
"Well, can we work on your math lesson first?"
"I don't like math."
"I don't like math either. Maybe if we work together we can figure it out."
(silence/confused facial expression.)
"Why don't we use this banana peel to figure it out?"

I took the four banana peel pieces, formed them into three peels and we used them to count. Along the way, he did put the banana peels on my arm and over his face, it was gross, but at least he finished his work and learned.

30 points for Gryiffindor! :D

Details

Pretending to be a first grade teacher is amazing. Do you know how difficult the most simple things are? One of the teachers taught our class about writing details. We've been working hard on writing journals and including details. I keep trying to explain how to write a detail and it's pretty difficult. Who knew first grade was so hard?

Things I've tried:
1. Give me more.
2. Provide me with more information.
3. Is there something else you tell me about this?
4. What is soccer? Pretend I have no idea what it is and you have to describe it.
etc. etc.

AWESOME!

Quotes

I love quotes.
I am a quoteaholic.
I like these ones.
I think they will help me grow and be a better, happier person.
I have these posted on my desktop stickies :)

‎"Consider, Sir, how insignificant this will appear a twelvemonth hence."
— Samuel Johnson

"Somebody's boring me...I think it's me."
— Dylan Thomas

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."
— Lao Tzu

"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence."
— Publilius Syrus

"Nothing can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness."
— Leo Tolstoy


Random other note. I love Zachary. Zachary noticed that I do not mention him often. Truth is, I didn't want to sound too obsessed so I avoid talking about him. If I didn't care about PDA, this blog would be called Zak. I would write about him 24/7. Maybe I'll start a new blog. haha

O so thankful for the children in my life :)

Today, one of my first graders sang me approximately thirty seconds of "You Belong To Me" by Taylor Swift.

Top that.

REVERB #3 & #4

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

I am feeling particularly grumpy today. Feeling like I should probably read, write, and exercise to get my mood going.

I had to let go of a lot of things this last year. It's kinda ridiculous. I tried really hard to let go of drama or my hurt feelings. I created my first two modern pieces and I love them dearly. The first was exactly what I wanted, it was weird and explored a movement vocabulary I didn't know I had. The second was a problem for a long while. I had to work really hard to not let my higher up get to me. She made me feel like it was awful the whole time I created it. She kept saying things that made me think I could never finish it and it would never be good enough. I was offered no constructive feedback and was forced to figure out everything on my own. In the end, it was pretty good, I believe if I wouldn't have been so stressed about it, I would have created a piece with higher quality choreography. Anyways, I really had to let her words go and let go of my inner fighting thoughts and just creating what I could.

I also obviously, had to let go of my bestest friend and the person I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with. It was brutal at first, I didn't really know what to do without him, but I have found that I am much better off without him. Though, I do hope that some day (far far away) we can be friends again.

I also had to let go of my perceptions of my sister. I found out a lot about her this year, she is going through some tough stuff, and I hope that she can get happy & healthy so we can get to know each other...


This is kind of a downer... maybe I need to write about something else...


December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

I need to talk about myself in a positive way. Maybe this will cheer me up :D

My brain always comes up with the most awkward and weird thoughts. This makes me feel unique because of the reactions I often receive. I enjoy being different, I think most people aspire to be different, it's fun. Erica still always makes fun of me because when she was pregnant, I asked her if she thought people thought we were lesbians having a baby. Obviously, no one actually thought that, and that's probably why Erica looked at me in the weirdest way and laughed hysterically. She still brings it up, I am embarrassed that I said something that off but it makes for a good story now. I guess this also goes along with my choreography. I loved challenging people in Orchesis and we had a lot of fun with my random crazy movement. I love you brain. :D



(Don't let this picture fool you. I love babies and I am not violent. I just love being silly and playing with Erica.)

I think I also have a pretty great sense of humor. I have found people in my life, that think the same way I do and I love how funny we all are. I love making people happy, and I specifically love making people laugh.

Sometimes I can be too honest. I used to get yelled at for it, I would make people feel uncomfortable, but really we all need a little honesty. I rarely get praised for it, but the few times make it worth it.

I also like wearing weird clothes. Or I used to, I've sort of pulled out of the weird to more layered and random? I think it does affect the way people see me and it does "light them up." I have a secret to share... every time I have been dumped, the boys always bring up how they love my clothes and/or style. Perhaps, it shows some confidence in myself? I think it's the weirdest thing ever. I have also gotten while I am dating, does anyone else get that? Do boys actually care about clothing? Well, the ones I know do. lol.

REVERB #2

I think I am just going to be lazy and pick the prompts I like and attempt to write when I feel like it? It's winter break, I can do what I want :D

December 3 – Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

One of my most vivid memories of the year, for some reason, was when I spent the afternoon reading Hunger Games in Ellensburg this summer. I think this was one of the first times after the big break up, that I felt content with myself, like I was alive and human again. I remember sitting outside in 90 degree weather on my lawn drinking pelligrino with lime (in a wine glass, I am fancy). I set up a towel by the tree in the front yard, laid out on my belly and was visited by ants. After about 10 minutes I quickly switched to my nicely air conditioned apartment... I snuggled up with piper and a blanket and continued on with Katniss Everdean's adventures. I think the mixture of the heat, a good story, and my puppy made this day absolutely wonderful :)

Reverb.. my change of pace for December Gratitudes

I found this website from the happiness project's website. "Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. Use the end of your year as an opportunity to reflect on what's happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead."

Sounds fun. Let's try it :) Maybe I'll use pictures too!

These will take forever to write... I'll find a day to catch up :)

December 1 - One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?


(Me. Naked on the bathroom floor. Flu. Definitely gotten better since then..)


If I were to describe my 2010, I would have to go the positive route and go with the word Growth. My goodness, it was such an emotional year! (I'm so thankful for the friends that helped me!) I've dealt with a great deal of depressive emotions in the last five years, and this year, after hitting a new low, I decided to focus on myself by reflecting on my daily happiness. I've learned a lot in the last year, my capacity to love and experience happiness has grown a great deal. I feel like I can be happier and do more than I thought in the past. If you asked me a year ago, I would probably say that I was truly happy and could not be happier. Well by comparing that feeling to today, I can say that I feel a great deal happier than 2009 :) I am so thankful for the year's events. Oh geez! . . . I look forward to 2011 and I hope it will be a fantastic year!

AND...

If I were to guess what word I would describe 2011 with, I would say... Real? I guess my big plans for 2011 consist of student teaching, substituting and hopefully, getting my first real teaching gig! To me, I might actually begin to feel like I am really living life and that I am a real big kid. Or maybe an adult? I'm probably going to have to really support myself (Whoda thunk it?). I will have to be a real live adult and do real grown up things. I think Peter Pan has it right..."To live would be an awfully big adventure."


I think that sounds about right?