6 Word Library Story Winner

Congratulations to @GrammaofBoys for submitting the winning entry: Helping students find answers. Excellent grades!

National Library Week - Fourth Month 8-14, 2012

Today concludes National Library Week. This week has been great. I had the opportunity to share my experiences at the Colorado Teen Literature Conference and I was introduced to the You belong @ your library: 6 word story sweepstakes. The most highly rated story will receive Season 1 of Brad Meltzer's Decoded on DVD. Brad Meltzer is National Library Week Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2012. If you didn't participate in National Library Week here is your chance to get involved and have some fun.... VOTE! I would love to know the story that won your vote and why. If you are so inclined please share your own 6 word library stories. Comments are encouraged and welcomed

I thoroughly enjoyed the contest and wrote several of my own 6 word stories (more on that later). The winner will be announced Fourth Month 23, 2012.

Trust Him More

Third Month 24, 2012

Yesterday was my birthday. I went to see The Hunger Games. Obviously it was a post 2006 birthday celebration. A few words of explanation: My dad died the day before my birthday in 2006. I was in New York watching my Knicks defeat the Celtics. That was my 2006 birthday celebration. Birthdays have not been the same since.

I am a HUGE birthday person. I start celebrating my birthday the first day of each year. There are 81 days from the new year to my birthday. I was in Baltimore for my 30th birthday and called my favorite local radio station to join the 30 and over birthday club.You see I love celebrating the anniversary of my birth. I love getting older. I am just as enthusiastic now that I am 41 as I was when I was 21.

That enthusiasm is dampened by memories of 2006. After celebrating the best birthday ever, I returned to Baltimore to a note that changed my life. I did as the note requested and made a phone call and was informed that my dad was dead. I made subsequent calls and within days went from seats at Madison Square Garden to seats in the front pew. I don't remember much about that time, but these things I do remember.

• Countless people talking about my dad's "transition." Nobody used the words death or dead.


• People who didn't know better offering me seemingly endless platitudes. They meant well.


• The presence of the Morehouse contingent. They made me smile. "You can always tell a Morehouse man, but you can't tell him much."

• A colleague of my dad's having a conversation with me. This was one of the most important conversations of my life.

I don't remember the woman's name. I don't remember the name of the church she pastored. I do know that this woman of God recognized my grief and responded in a loving way. She sat next to me and just began talking. She didn't touch me and she didn't pretend to know what I was experiencing in the moment. She told me she loved me. She told me she loved my dad. She told me that she loved God. She told me that she knew I trusted God, and I needed to TRUST HIM MORE. Three simple words that have had a huge impact on my life. This woman didn't question my trust in God; she simply exhorted me to Trust Him More. Powerful!

My dad adopted me when I was 20 years old and died, aka transitioned, when I was 35. I loved having a father figure and I loved having a dad even more. 15 years was not enough time for us to have together. However, I have been given more time and that time is a gift. I am still a  HUGE birthday person. God has given me the best birthday gift imaginable...life, and this year I will TRUST HIM MORE.


Thanks to my friends and family for the birthday gifts:

• doc popcorn
• Big Hunk candy bar
• Sweet Factory treats - chocolate covered orange sticks, boston baked beans
• earrings
• The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales because "Everyone should have a little magic in their lives"

Thank You Dr. Seuss

Third Month 2, 2012
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! 

This post is dedicated to fans of Dr. Seuss old and new. I read this article and wanted to note two facts that brought a smile to my face.

Fact 4  The first recorded instance of the word “nerd” is in Seuss’ 1950 book, If I Ran the Zoo.
I am a nerd and I happen to like the word... Thank you Dr. Seuss

Fact 6  Dr. Seuss practiced what he preached: his first book, And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was rejected by 27 different publishers before it finally got picked up. “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” Seuss once wrote. Try, try, try again, he did.

Thank You, Dr. Seuss!

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter won't mind." Theodore Geisel

We Wish You a Merry Christmas aka Give me 10 Pesos

Our First Meeting

What a beautiful child, I thought to myself. I smiled and she smiled back. She joins me as I walk home from work. I stroll leisurely across the campus and the beautiful child begins to sing. "We wish you a merry Christmas. We wish you a merry Christmas. We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Glad tidings we bring.." She knows the entire song. I do not. We continue walking and she begins singing "Jingle Bells" Again she knows the song. I do not. She holds out her hand and as I don't have any food in my bag and I do not give out money, I simply shake my head. I smile and we part ways.


The following day I ask one of my colleagues how she handles "carolers" She knew right away what I meant and asked, "street kids or carolers?" She doesn't give out money either and she told me to be extremely careful if there are a group of "carolers". I thanked her as she confirmed what our safety and security officer had already told us volunteers.

Second Chances

There is that beautiful girl again. I smiled, greeted her, and continued walking. We pass each other. She turned around and followed behind me changing her original course.
"We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas. Give me 10 pesos." 
"No" I thought about the food in my bag...
She turned back around and continued on her way. I guess she was busy today. It happened so fast I didn't even have time to offer her the food in my bag.

The Third Time is the Charm...?

Twelfth Month

One aspect of Peace Corps training is learning about Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA). During training, part of conducting PACA was creating a seasonal calendar with the teachers, pupils, and parents in the community to identify key events in the year that impact each group. An emphasis was placed on times of the year that are particularly stressful AND particularly joyful. Twelfth month fell into both categories. Christmas preparations and parties, end of year bonuses, and competitions dominate the final month of the year. Here is a brief recap of some of the activities the pupils, parents, teachers and I engaged in before vacation began yesterday.

Journalism Competition

The competition was a 3 hour bus ride away and pupils and teachers were gone for five days. We had competitors in the editorials and feature writing categories. They slept at the school hosting the competition, had intermittent access to water and the comfort room. We did not place in this competition, but the teachers were very glad that the pupils gained experience even though they said that the conditions were "very difficult". I would call that an understatement.

Dance Competition

This was an afternoon trip. The competition took place at the local university campus. We placed second in the group competition and one of the pupils from Grade VI - Rizal placed first in the individual competition.

Choir Competition *This is a funny story and illustrates just how much I laugh at myself here. 

I was delighted when I was invited to attend the choir rehearsals. It was fun to interact with the pupils outside of the classroom and I got the opportunity to spend some time getting to know the choir director. During one of the rehearsals I asked Sir the date of the competition and if I could attend. He said yes and that he was going to invite me so I was mildly embarrassed that I had invited myself before he extended the invitation.We were discussing logistics and Sir said we would all meet at school and travel together. Yay!

The day before the big competition we have this conversation after a dress rehearsal that I think went well.

Sir: I know it is inconvenient but we are meeting at 5:30

Me: 5:30?

Sir: Yes. Is that okay?

Me: I will see you at 5:30

The day of the competition I wake up at 4:00 as usual, but unlike usual I prepare to leave the dorm at 4:45. The water is not on in the dorm yet so I pack my toiletries to bathe at the school and proceed to walk down the path that leads to the road where I will catch the jeepney to the school. It is dark. I am legally blind. My glasses are steamed up. Big scary carabao is sleeping in the middle of the path that leads to the road where I will catch the jeepney to the school. Said carabao lifts its head in time to prevent me from tripping over it and falling flat on my face. Instead big scary carabao startles me, I jump and I stumble into a pothole. I laugh and tell Mr. Carabao to keep our secret and I continue on my way. I limp  to the jeepney and arrive at school, but nobody is there. I wait. I bathe. I wait some more. 2 hours later, Sir arrives at school and I ask him what time  we are  leaving. He gives me a look like I know I told you this yesterday, and says once again 5:30. Yes, he meant 5:30 pm as in 30 minutes after the school day ends inconvenient. I thought he meant 5:30 am as in 2 hours before school starts inconvenient. He tries not to laugh and he apologizes. I laugh hard and loud and tell him no apology is necessary.

Fast forward to 5:30 pm and we are all gathered outside of the school laughing, joking and taking pictures. The competition is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm so we are in no rush. The competition begins at 8:00 pm.

I quickly size up the competition in the youth category (5-14) Team 1 is no competition. Team 2 is no competition. We are team 3 and we ROCK! I clap, scream, cheer, and whistle. Team 4 uh oh definite competition. Team 5 uh oh more competition. The adults (15+) compete and there is a clear winner. The judges deliberate. Third place goes to not us (yippee) Second place goes to not us (YIPPEE) We know we have won it and we are already screaming. First place goes to us and the crowd goes wild. We are truly a hot mess - running, jumping, clapping, screaming, cheering and whistling. One of the girls claims I am their good luck charm and I smile. PhP 10,000 is the prize money. The adult winners take pictures with the youth winners and we climb back in the jeepney to go back to school. I stay on the jeepney and continue on to the dorm. I am so not a night person and it is well after 10:00 pm I get off the jeepney and consider taking a pedicab, but decide to walk like I usually do. After I am off the road and on my path to the dorm I spot Mr. Carabao who is thankfully not sleeping in my path. I laugh as I say "Good night Mr. Carabao". Yes, I talk to the carabao, the cows and even the horses.

Grade 4 Teacher Party

What is a Filipino party without karaoke

Class Parties for Grades 1-6

I attended as many as I could for as long as I could

Grade 2 Teacher Party

Awww crabs. I love eating wonderfully delicious messy crabs!

District Party

A mandatory 8 hour party attended by the teachers and principals. Teachers from each school perform a song or dance, and facilitate parlor games. I am sooooo glad our school was assigned to perform a dance.( I even taught the teachers the cupid shuffle) Retirees and New teachers are honored. Politicians stop by to deliver "inspirational" messages and extend Christmas greetings. Teachers order delivery from McDonalds and KFC. Yes they deliver here and I have pictures to prove it*. We sit at assigned tables and eat all day during and between all of the other activities.

* I am blogging from an internet cafe so pictures will be uploaded at a later date

Sendong

'Sendong' world's deadliest storm for 2011 | ABS-CBN News | Latest Philippine Headlines, Breaking N

www.abs-cbnnews.com

Please keep those affected by the storm in your thoughts and prayers throughout the holiday season and the new year. Over 1,000 are feared dead and 400+ are still missing. For the time being, the Philippine government has not requested international assistance but the Philippine Red Cross is coordinating disaster response.  

Philippine Red Cross

Cash donations:

Account Name: Philippine Red Cross

Account Number: Peso: 00-453-0018647 Dollar: 10-453-0039482

In-kind donations:

Philippine National Red Cross

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Bonifacio Drive, Port Area

Manila 1018, Philippines

For inquiries, email: fundgeneration@redcross.org.ph or call Hotline 143 or (+632) 527.0000.