Something's gotta give....

Between class, and conferences, and teaching, and...well....life....something had to give. And, unfortunately, it was my blog. Then, of course, when I do have time to write (which, admittedly wasn't very often lately) I get caught up in two different states. The first being "oh my goodness, I haven't written in so long I have so many stories saved up" and the second being "oh my goodness, I haven't written in so long, who is interested in what I have to write???"

Anywho....I'm back, briefly (class tonight and I have to track down a document that my professor insists is online but so far I haven't managed to find it) to give you a taste of some upcoming posts. I'm going to try this whole post a day thing in November. I know, I know, you are thinking, "The woman barely posted in October, now she's going to try every single day in November?!?' I have no idea if I'll make it, but I'm going to try.....So here it is, a list of upcoming posts to tantalize you:

1) Tales from my Tiny Kingdom (more stories about my delightful group of third graders)

2) Conferences: who are they really for anyway?

3) Beergaritas, boas and tambourines....a short guide to a fantastic bachelorette!

4) To raise a big stink... or not....that is the question

5) Fanksgiving--a (new) family tradition revisited (that one you have to wait for for awhile, since Fanksgiving isn't until November 10th this year)

OK, that's it for now....I'd hate to give away all of my posts ideas at once! Stay tuned....more to come, if not tomorrow then soon!

Putting things in perspective

My professor told a story at class this week...she was running a course with some administrators from around the U.S. and one woman from Ohio who was a newly appointed principal at a high school told how she walked into her school and saw, proudly displayed, a graduation requirement for all of the senior girls.

Any guesses?
Here's another hint- it was a small agrarian town, and many of the teachers had been at that school for years and years. Only the girls had to do this requirement. And it was something on display.

Are you running through the possibilities in your head? She made us guess, and we came close, but were a bit flabbergasted when we learned the truth....ready for it?
Men's boxer shorts.
That's right. The graduation requirement for the girls was that they could sew a pair of men's boxers. And their final projects were displayed in the foyer.
I'm sure you are thinking, as we were, that this must have been awhile ago. At least thirty years ago....nope. This was in 2000.
Crazy, right?
This story made me appreciate my Connecticut high school experience.

Then, my friend--my friend who is my age, whose wedding I was in, who is taking this class with me--my friend tells me that they found cancer cells on her uterus.
She isn't quite ready to become pregnant, but we have been talking lately about how she is closer and closer to that point. And, she is the friend who is ALWAYS sensitive to my situation....she always prefaces her conversations about getting pregnant by saying "who knows, it could take awhile..." and I have to say, I love her for it. So hearing this news....well... it kinda punched me in the gut. And of course, her biggest concern, the question she kept asking the nurse was "can I have children?" Which, of course, no one can answer yet...so...for a lack of anything else to do, I did the only thing I could think of....offered her anything she needed. And said a prayer for her. And while I was at it, I said thank you--for even in the midst of our pregnancy struggle, I am one lucky girl.

Nothing like a little perspective in your life....