e-vent

While emailing my former dept chair from Chicago I found myself in the middle of a good ol'fashioned "Lisa Roll." When I was a kid I would get on a rant about one thing or another and get real cranked up and just go on and on and right when you thought I got it all out I'd say, "and another thing..." and just keep right on rolling. So my parents named it a "Lisa Roll." Most of my rolls were back in high school regarding my shitty volleyball team. This one is a positive roll. Here is an excerpt:

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Did I tell you Chris and I taught together? We had the most amazing opportunity at University of Washington! For the last three weeks in July we taught Energy through Chem, Bio, and Physics to incoming and outgoing gifted 6th graders at the Robinson Center of UW. We had 24 cute little guys and 2 college TAs and practically an infinite budget. I carpooled during the schoolyear with a science teacher who passed it along to us because he could no longer teach it.

We went to a solar cottage community, and a hydroelectric power facility, and several professors guest lectured. Gifted kids are awesome! Not to mention teaching with Chris was so much fun! The first few days were tough but we caught our groove really fast. The hardest part for me is not having a clue about many of the science concepts. I loved teaching science though. It was a really cool change. The absolute best part was watching these students interact. Normally, they don't fit in too well with their peers (as the parents informed us). They LOVED the class because everyone there loved learning and noone made fun of you for being the smartest person in the room.

we had an Energy Science Fair the last week, which was hilarious in and of itself. The parents came to watch (and videotape of course). Many of them stayed to talk with us after and tell us, with tears in their eyes, how nice it is that their child is coming home loving the school day instead of crying that the other kids picked on them for being so smart. All of these kids scored in the 95th percentile on standardized tests. They can continue with the summer courses through the end of 8th grade. Some then decide high school isn't for them (before going!) and then go to UWash for high school. It takes them 1 year to finish "high school" and continue on college courses through UW! Can you believe it? One of our TAs was 19 and had enough credits already to graduate from college.

Anyway, I had to geek out about that to you cuz I knew you'd dig it! The weird thing is that many teachers I told about the experience didn't seem at all interested for themselves. They nodded and said wow a few times. I definitely got the impression working with gifted children wasn't appealing to them. Weird to me. I loved it! Obviously! ;)

I enjoyed CorePlus although it is difficult to teach. I felt I learned more math in one year than my six years at Hinsdale. Not to mention I felt my teaching management style improved the most too. It was great I only played 1 game all year because the rest of the we actually used the book!

It is true I left the classroom. I haven't even cried about it yet. I may return someday who knows. I love Seattle and don't want to move. I took a $15,000 pay cut to live here and don't see the salary schedule improving anytime soon. The teachers here are quite complacent that it'll never change and they can't do anything to bring on change. So sad and defeatist. I could pursue admin but it is a 24-7 gig out here where they work you to the bone, although the salary jump is huge. Truthfully, I want to try something else and see what it is like. Mid-October I start classes for a fast-track program in Microsoft Database Design Certification. Eventually, I would like to get into Business Intelligence and help companies interpret the massive amounts of data they collect through databases. I think my math teaching background will be a natural fit for explaining the data so anyone can understand. We'll see where life takes me. I will finish the program in mid-April and look for a full-time year round (gasp) job. I hope to still take time to teach the Energy course. I realize that is a pipe dream but it is ok to dream.
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Told ya, the rolls are LONG

no job, no cry

Late September, the school year is well underway and I am still doing my own thing. There are definitely "About a Boy" moments where I look at a long unfilled day as units of time to occupy myself. Walk the dog 2 units. Do daily push ups and sit ups 2 units. Drink coffee and check email 5 units. Brush teeth 1 unit. Make chocolate covered pretzals 4 units. Check email again 3 units. Then somedays are pretty busy and I wonder where the time goes. Chris has been trying to help keep me busy with various errands but even those run out eventually. I suppose I could clean and organize... It just doesn't seem right. I can't change and forget who I am just cuz I have a little extra time ;) One thing that's for sure is I haven't cried yet. I take it as a sign that I haven't lost it completely yet. Classes start Oct 19. I'm sure a tear or two will fall within the first week if not day with the realization that I have a lot of work ahead of me.

I am tutoring math. I have picked up 4 hours per week tutoring some Geometry, Alg 2, and SAT. It is fabulous money and will help out so much in the coming months. Such a relief.

I finished reading Under the Banner of Heaven. I joined Becky's book club and it was this month's book. It was fascinating yet difficult to read. I can't believe how different the world is a few states away in the fundamentalist towns. Dad and Jeni recommended Skinny Dip and that is next on my list, not on the book blub list but oh well.

This Friday is wine night and Becky and I are hosting. That should be fun. We are featuring Sauvignon Blanc. I'm not a big white wine fan but I'm a trooper. Then Saturday night we are going to see Wicked. I am super psyched to see it. I have heard it is amazing. Wow I sound so cultured.

Big news flash as well, my dad turns 60 this Saturday. He visited last weekend and we sort of celebrated then. The next few weekends they are off to various fun fun places, Nashville for bluegrass festival and then Mexico for an Elder Hostel at Copper Canyon. Happy celebrating and Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

Car Camping @ Lake Chelan!

Chris calls it "reserving a driveway." This weekend we camped with my former teacher mentor, Carol, and her husband, Don, and many of their family in Washington (all transplants from Chicago!) at Lake Chelan State Park. It is car camping to the nth degree! We had a blast!

Got in Friday evening, pitched a tent - margarita/beer in hand. BBQd and chatted aroudn the campfire. The site was literally across from the campground bathroom, can't beat that. Plus, about 400yds the other direction was Lake Chelan. It is a 50 mile long lake (How wide? Don't know). We bummed at the beach and jet skied Saturday and schmoozed with everyone. I drove the ski with Chris and got it up to 35 mph (fast for me) and truly felt exhilerated!

Sat afternoon we even played the bean bag toss game and had a water balloon contest. Later with appetizers of stuffed portebello mushrooms, brushetta, roasted garlic brie blue cheese and toast we had an old fashioned wine tasting. Each couple brought a bottle of red Italian wine for the evening wine tasting. It was hilarious and tons of fun. We lost but I really don't feel bad cuz we brought a $7 bottle. There were 7 wines to taste. Needlesstosay, we were all beyond tipsy by the end. I'm pretty sure I embarrassed myself more than once. It felt really good to let loose.

True to car camping form we enjoyed a kick ass dinner and more gabbing at the campfire. My clothes smell smokey and fabulous and I am relaxed yet slightly worn from sleeping on a so-so air mattress. One thing that's certain is I'm loving that it is Sunday night, a school night, and I feel light as air and happily typing a blog rather than nervously preparing for school. No matter how well I planned I just never felt ready, unless I was giving a test. :)
Much love and hugs and have a great week.

Link

No more white pants or shoes!!

Labor Day has come and gone. Becky assures me that I can still where white pants these days but it just won't feel right.

Yes, it has been awhile so if anyone is still checking thanks for hanging in there in my hiatus. OK we finished the Energy class for gifted students (6th graders). It went REALLY well! Much fun in fact. Maybe I've been teaching the wrong age or maybe the wrong length of time. Three weeks is a breeze.

We flew to Chicago to see family and friends. It was fantastic to see everyone!!! The weather was awful. I mean steam bath hot and miserable. My dad and Jeni BBQd for family one night and we went to a Cubs game and hung out with friends too. Great time for sure.

Then off to Italy! That was a trip of a lifetime! It was our first time in Europe and we spent 3 solid weeks in Italy. In order - Rome, Siena, Montalcino, Florence, Pisa, Vernazza (Cinque Terre), Bologna, Venice. I journaled the whole way which I thoroughly enjoyed, not too much of a shocker given my blogging. It was definitely better to have waited to honeymoon a year later. I was a nervous wreck before, during, and after the wedding and couldn't have handled the stress of planning a vacation as well. No way.

The odd thing about writing in a journal is once you get it written down I don't feel like jotting it down again. Yes I still like talking about the trip (please I have wonderful conversations with mutes). Instead I'm going to rely on nuggets coming out where they fit in. Recently, I've been putting together the Ofoto albums and figure I am about halfway through the trip. ugh. If you want to see the slideshow drop me an email and I'll send you the links.

Other than photo detail I've been pretty busy getting my life in order. Chris has been super-supportive and letting me do my thing. I am still planning to take the 6 month fast-track program at our local community college. Ultimately, I'll walk away with a Microsoft Certification in database design. Classes don't start until Oct 19th. In the meantime I'm looking to tutor math and/or pick up a fun low stress part-time gig. I've put in resumes at a local wine shop and a store called "Dinner's Ready!" The second one is kind of an interesting niche. You order 6 or more dinners from the menu and sign up for a session (a certain day and time like taking a yoga class by appt). When you show up you bring a cooler and prepare you pre-ordered dinners and fill up your cooler. When you get home they can go in the fridge or freezer and feed up to 6 people. Cool concept plus I love cooking. They contacted me and that might be cool. We'll see.

This weekend we are going camping with my mentor from last year and her husband. They're a riot plus originally from Chicago so you know it'll be a great time.

alrighty that's enough for now... I'm back on bloggin so keep watch.
L