I am thankful for kindness and gentlemen.

My husband has been working the trade shows circuit of late – Outdoor Retailer and now Ski Industry Association show – on behalf of several of his clients.  SIA is in Denver, so I thought I would use a couple of my “Personal” days to tag along to see family and friends.  This is when I spied my first set of gentlemen.

You see lately, I have noticed that many of the children I teach, have not been taught the same “manners” as my generation or generations before me were engrained with from the time we could walk and talk to say “please” and “thank you,” and in general to kindly think of others.  Chip and I had just walked over to retrieve our large bag from the carousel when I noticed a group of men (only men) standing at the chute of the baggage carousel waiting for their luggage to come tumbling out.  Normally I would have not even thought twice but I’ve been looking for things to be grateful for, or in other words, people doing good, especially the little things.  All of these men, including my husband, were doing this for their traveling companions who incidentally were women.  And they weren’t doing it because their female counterparts weren’t capable of doing the same, not one of the women were injured, feeble, or extremely elderly, these males were just being nice, they were being gentlemen.

I don’t see as much “gentlemanly” behavior as I did twenty years, or even forty years ago for lots of reasons that can be simply be summarized into one lump statement, society has changed.

Yesterday, another gentleman appeared while I was out for breakfast with my brother, sister-in-law and my two nieces.  We were occupying a very small table, not intended for five, when a man sitting next to us with his companion, offered up their small table next to us and graciously moved to a nearby spot, so that we could spread out a bit and have room to eat.  This nice couple didn’t have to do this, they were just being thoughtful.

If you were to look up the word gentleman in Merriam-Webster’s, you would find my father-in-law mentioned in the example sentence.  He was always polite and never failed to open doors, pull out chairs, and offer his arm when crossing streets. In fact, he had a long list of ways he showed his kindliness.  He didn’t do it because he saw women, children, or elderly as a weak, he did it to be kind and thoughtful.  It always made me feel special.  When his son does the same for me, I feel genuinely cared for and attended to.  I hope that I in turn also cause my husband and others to feel the same way, when I find things I can do to show kindness and appreciation for them.

I realize this are very small acts, but its tiny incidents like these that can cause pause, and can truly help to bring a smile to one’s face and a spark to one’s heart.

I am grateful for kindness in those around me – whether I know them or not – thank you!

I am grateful for Christmas.

I know, I know Christmas was last month but I have been grateful for its reminder today as I reenacted the joke of about the ‘How many ________ does it take to replace a light bulb?’  My version involves wandering around a very dry, scratchy, dead Christmas tree about a hundred times as I removed the multiple strings of, what were a few weeks ago, twinkling lights upon our glorious tannenbaum.

As I delicately took each ornament off tonight, the Christmas melodies were once again booming through the house.  Thank you Pandora for being able to play my favorite Christmas music stations whenever I please.  I know that sounds kind of weird, but for me it seems almost sacrilegious to not soulfully (and loudly) sing along to carols when handling our Christmas wares.

Well the boxes of Christmas ornaments and decorations are currently being hauled downstairs to the utility room for much later this year, when we will once again carefully carry them upstairs as one way to express the special Christmas spirit we get during our annual celebration.   

When I started the process tonight, I was dreading it.  However, once I started the much needed task, it actually ended up being exactly what I needed.  With all the hustle and bustle of grading last minute assignments, finalizing report cards, staring new classes , and preparing for an Open House at school tomorrow night, I am fried.  On the other hand, Christmas brings cheer to my life.  I know we often talk about trying to keep the “Christmas Cheer”or “Christmas Spirit” with us throughout the year, but what if we really did greet each day with that same excitement and anticipation and had a Merry Monday or Happy Wednesday?  And when that snow starts flying (hopefully starts flying) later this winter, why not break out in a chorus of “Let it Snow” or “Frosty the Snowman”?  Anyway, I think you understand where I’m going with this rambling, so as I finish up the final clean up of Christmas, I would like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a very joy filled New Year, tomorrow, and in May, and in October and every other day of this year.

I am grateful for Christmas and all that it means to me.

 

I am thankful for food.

I thought I better get some gratitude flowing today since it’s been a few days since I wrote on my blog.  It’s report card time and I hate to admit it but it consumes me, and almost every waking hour.  It didn’t help that I have a huge science project to grade, along with a math test.  What was I thinking having assessments like this due right before the semester ends?

Anyway, back to food.  I don’t know if we really sit and think about our food as much as we should.  Do we really picture the farmers and migrant workers out slaving away to prepare the land, plant the seeds, grow, water, and pick the grains, vegetables and fruits we eat, let alone the ranchers who tend and watch over the animals that some of you eat, or the dairy or egg farmers who hope that their animals are healthy and can produce the quantities of milk and eggs needed for millions and millions of consumers. Not counting the feed lots, or other suppliers that we don’t think about when it comes to the production of food.  And lets not forget the fishermen.  All these people working away for our survival.

We then add in the distributors and grocers around the world that ship and market this food for us to purchase, take home, prepare, cook, bake, broil, saute, and eat, and even waste.  Let alone the options we have – the varieties and brands of everything.  Plus, there are the issues of affordable organics, the distances our food travels and the impact that it has on our environment, the health of the land we use, etc. Food is a complicated industry and yet we hopefully, sit down to two or three meals a day not necessarily giving a thought to all of that.  So right now I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped put food on our table – where would we be without you all. (That includes my Uncle Delmar, my cousins Roger, Dan, and Larry, and the other relatives on my mom’s side of the family that are farmers and ranchers,etc.) Literally where would we be.  I like to garden, but there’s no way I have the know-how to put the food we eat on our table each and every day.

Anyone who really knows me, knows how much I love food and how much I love to cook.  It’s a HUGE part of who I am.  Although, right now due to dietary issues, it’s a lot less of me, but is still in my heart.  I can’t think of anything else that is necessary to sustain life and offers people something to be passionate about as well.  I’m lucky enough to know a few professional chefs, as well as have friends like me who just love to be in the kitchen to create.  Food can really be an art form.

But there’s also another aspect of food that I am also grateful for – I’m grateful for being able to sit down and eat with my someone special, or with family, friends, and even soon to be friends.  Food has a way of bringing us together in a way that nothing else does.  The conversations, celebrations, and even discussions that happen over a dining room table very seldom happen anywhere else.  

Is it because we are sharing in something that we all need, maybe – and maybe, in more ways than we think.

I am grateful for food.

 

 

Image Source: Linda Scheels Facebook Page – Photo from their farm

I am grateful for evidence of learning.

Boy that sounds stuffy doesn’t it.  It’s not meant to be stuffy but believe it or not its from the heart.

I teach three subjects = science, math, and keyboarding.  I love teaching all of them, not necessary everyday, but in general.  This week is the end of the semester and although my science and math classes will continue as usual come next week, (with maybe a bit more motivation from receiving their report cards), my keyboarding classes are coming to an end tomorrow, with fresh victims entering the Mac lab next week.

These two very special classes and very uniquely different classes had their KEYBOARDING FINAL EXAM today.  One class is full of sweet, kind, quiet students with few exceptions.  This class has been easy to teach and fun to be with.  Some of the students I have in one of my other classes but some I don’t and I will miss most of them.  The other class, well let me tell you!

No teacher should ever be allowed to have more than 2 or 3 at most “behavior issues”/”challenging students”/”problem children”/”…” students in a given class; more than that and it grossly changes the make-up of the class and alters the time given to the class by the teacher.  But no, this class has 8, yes EIGHT of those special students.  They are LOUD, obnoxious, … beyond belief.  The stern, strict Mrs. Smith often has to show herself in this class just to keep order and to protect the other amazing, kind, academically-oriented students that inhabit the other seats in the classroom.  I could tell you story after story about these, yes boys.  Stories that you wouldn’t believe, kind of stories. Anyway, the teacher with the invisible ruler in her hand today, instructed everyone that if they said one word during the KEYBOARDING FINAL EXAM that they would be ousted out the door, down the hall, down the stairs, to that dreaded place called the office to face the harshest of consequences every seen to a middle school student.  Well it worked.  They were completely and quietly compliant.  This complete tranquility was at first shocking but as it continued, it gave me a few moments to really take in the class and think, think about what I was seeing.

In this almost zen-like atmosphere, there were 30 students typing. A few looking at their fingers pushing keys on their shiny keyboards here and there, but mostly looking at their screens just typing away.  It was at this moment, that I realized this evidence of learning.  Most of these thirteen and fourteen year olds knew nothing about how to type with the ten digits attached to the ends of their arms when they entered this room in August, let alone where any letter was housed on the keyboard.  Wow! They have learned how to be very proficient typists.  Well there are two that will leave the course able to speed across the keyboard with two fingers (not because they only have two fingers but they’ve only chosen to use two fingers.)

These types of moments rarely come to a teacher.  They are the priceless seconds that make you want to keep being a teacher.  These seconds can keep me fueled for quite a while – they are my real paychecks.  I’m grateful for receiving this special bit of time today.

I am grateful for seeing evidence that my students have learned a skill from me.

 

 

Image Sources: Classroom – http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/wolimages/type.gif; Keys – http://2fm9xz2drvqemrbu.zippykid.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/typewriter.jpg

I am grateful for substitute teachers and my shopping buddy.

Since I didn’t get to writing my blog yesterday, I thought today I would share my gratitude for two things – substitute teachers and one of my favorite shopping buddies.

I had a doctor’s appointment today, and unlike when I worked in marketing, I can’t just pop out of the office for a couple hours to go to the doctor.  Instead, I have to get a substitute teacher to come in to teach my classes for the entire day.  Substitutes don’t make enough money to just cover one or two hours/classes, so a teacher typically has to take the entire day off to go to the doctor, especially when the last appointment for the doctor is at 1:40 p.m. Anyway, that’s another topic all together.  I appreciate the guest teachers, as they’re called in some schools and districts, that come in without any idea of the size of class, situation, or often subject that they will be teaching for the day and just put themselves out there.  Prior to my recent move,  there were two subs that I used on the rare occasions when I need to go to an appointment or I had deemed myself to sick to go to school.  With these super humans, I never worried about what was happening in my classroom.  Both women are amazing teachers in their own right.  However, with the recent change in schools and districts, I don’t have any idea who covered for me today.  I hope and pray that things went well.  I am grateful that I could get someone to step in and help me out today. (Okay I’ll be honest – I hoped they helped me out – sometimes you never know if things went as planned or there will be a crazy story to hear the next day.  So let’s keep our fingers crossed I’m being appropriately grateful.)

After my doctor’s appointment and blood letting (8 tubes), I got to spend the rest of the afternoon with my favorite Brazilian-American-British exchange son and we went shopping.  It was fun!  He gets very excited about shopping, whereas I hardly ever go shopping, so we make a great team.  Regardless of the new items purchased, the best part is just spending time with him.  We don’t get to see him often, because he now lives in London; so having time with him to myself was more than a special treat, it was one of those priceless memories that I will hold dear to my heart.  He’s growing up and is becoming a very amazing young man.  My husband and I are extremely proud of him.

I am grateful for a substitute teacher and a super shopping buddy.

I am grateful for my commute.  I know that some of you are going, “What the heck?”  Well my commute doesn’t take me the hour plus, it used to when I lived in Southern California, nor the 45 minutes it did when I lived in San Jose, nor the 30+ minutes it has during the last 9 years here in Salt Lake.  My commute is 10 minutes max. by foot.  Yes, by two feet, my feet.  Some days I’m lucky, and I am accompanied by my husband and our two dogs when going to work in the morning.  I know you’re jealous.

The walk itself is down hill in the morning, the momentum comes in handy, on the off chance I’m running a bit late.  The uphill in the evening isn’t bad.  I have a tendency to walk a little slower because I am “detuning” from my adventures of the day.  The stroll ends up being good thinking time.

Needless to say we’re also saving money on gas, car insurance, and helping the air quality – which is a BIG deal, especially here in the winter.    Plus, I get a bit more exercise and it’s nice to walk instead of dealing with traffic.  And yes, I do walk in the weather too.  It’s a lot easier to walk through the snow, sleet, and rain then to drive in it. I’ve got a husband that supplies me with various coats, boots, gloves, hats, scarves, etc. for any kind of weather.  I still have my backpack from when I went back to school, so I am all set.

Overall, its one of the best perks I’ve ever had – well I do miss my bonuses (and salary if we’re being honest) from Adobe, but what’s money.  I would highly recommend commuting by foot to anyone who can.  Although, I must share with you that my commute is actually longer than my husband’s – he walks downstairs.  I guess you could call us a pair of foot commuters.  It’s the best!

I am grateful for my commute.