"Diamonds are only chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." ~Minnie Smith, poet
I stole this quote from my friend Joya. I think it has a pretty deep meaning AND addresses a topic I love--things that sparkle! In my first blog post, I promised if you have the attention span of a fly then you would like this blog. I have a lot of random thoughts on my mind, so be ready to follow this train of thought...
First, a little Fun in the Sun!! My roomie and I headed to Milford Lake today to the beach. We tried to go to the beach at the South Outlet, but it was closed. There was a sign posted about stopping the spread of zebra mussles. Rats! Next we went to Thunderbird Marina, but a majority of that beach was under water. Determined to find a sandy spot, we headed to the campground at West Rolling Hills. When we stopped at the ranger station to ask about a beach, McHottie Ranger told us to try East Rolling Hills. 45 minutes after leaving home, we finally found a suitable place to land. Note to self: Self, sitting on a sandy beach when the wind is blowing 35 miles per hour is not a smart idea. It actually hurt when the wind blew the sand into us. Shout out to Maxwell House for letting us borrow her Pepsi chairs from school--we took good care of them!!
This has definitely been a week of reflection for me. Working in my classroom in an attempt to sort, purge, and pack has given me lots of time to think. When I worked at Kinko's, there was a sign in the bathroom that said "Leave a legacy of quality wherever you go." I am proud of the legacy I'm leaving behind at WE--a caring teacher who loved learning with and from my students, singing off-key at the top of my lungs, and creating a nurturing classroom environment where laughter was the norm. I hope people think about the legacy they're creating for themselves every day of their lives--especially those people who touch the lives of young people in some way, shape, or form!
The city of Joplin has been on the hearts and minds of most Americans this week. Amidst the stories of tragedy and terror, the stories that have touched me the most are the ones that describe how people have joined together to help those devasted by the tornado. People who haven't even thought twice about donating money to the Red Cross or other organizations. People who have driven hours to deliver essentials or help with the clean-up and rebuilding process. During his visit to Joplin Sunday, President Obama said, "How we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. How we live in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache, that's within our control. And it's in these moments through our actions that we often see what makes life worth living in the first place. That's what in the last week Joplin has not only taught Missouri, or has taught America, it's what Joplin has taught the world." No matter what your political views, you can't argue with President Obama's words.
Ok, no one could be more excited about Jim Tressel resigning than me. I've personally disliked the man for as long as I can remember--not because of his shady ways, but because a) he wears sweater vests ALL the time and b) his team wins WAY too much. The headline on espn.com says "The Sweater Unraveled." Pat Forde (now my favorite person to follow on espn.com) wrote, "But this has been a lie-and-deny operation from the beginning, and now it ends with Jim Tressel's meticulously polished reputation in tatters." This just goes to show that honesty really is the best policy.
How's that for random?!?
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