The Changing of Times

  So this title is misleading. I'm not talking about Daylight Saving Time....maybe in a later post. I'm talking more like me getting semi-up-to-date with the changing of the times.    I have never claimed to be anywhere near a technologically savvy person. I rocked the tiniest television for almost a year when I first moved into my "adult home". It was about 16" wide. Seriously. I was fine with it until NBA season rolled around and I couldn't make out the players' numbers on the jerseys. Anytime my Celtics came on and I watched the game I would have to sit in the floor right in front of the television. Now I have a much larger television (thanks to my parents). It's still not anywhere near a newer model television. It's one of those that are really deep and heavy, but it works for me.
   I don't have an Ipod. Of any kind. I think they're super-cool, but I just don't have one. When my MP3 player got stolen at the beach last year, I went to Wal-Mart and got another. It was cheap. It got the job done. Can I do the cool little swirl thing like on the Nano? Nope. I have to manually click down the list of songs. Can I check my FB account on it like the Touch? Nope. Can I take 8 mega pixel pics with it? Sure can't. But I can listen to music when I occasionally work out (that's the only time I listen to it). And that's all I need.
   I don't have a Kindle. I read the old-fashioned type of books. They're alright by me.
   I got a DVD player last year for Christmas. That was a nice upgrade.
   One of the (few) goals I have set for my life is to lead a simple one. I think there's something to be said for simplicity. In this society it's pretty scarce. We try to make everything complicated. You can't even go to the drugstore without being bombarded with choices. Even getting into my shower and trying to wash my hair is not a simple task. There are multiple choices and combinations of shampoos and conditioners to choose from. Nothing is simple anymore. I always felt like my lack of interest in technology just helped with my simplistic goal. However, I am pleased to announce that:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Could you feel the anticipation building as your eyes scrolled down? That's what I was going for anyway. But for real, I am pleased to announce that after four years, that's right four years, of rocking the Crazor, I have finally upgraded cellular phones. And I didn't get just any phone; I got the Droid 2. The latest on the market. Practically unheard of for me!!
  I got my Crazor back in the day because I was starting my contract with Verizon and it was one of the free options. Naturally I went with that. I went in there after giving myself a pep-talk that I could stand up against the evil sales people who would try to sell me the latest and greatest phone with apps (this was before there was actually something called apps) that I didn't need. All I cared about was dialing out, receiving calls, and texting. I didn't even care if it had a camera on it since all the cameras on phones sucked. My goal was to keep it simple. And I did. Mission accomplished. I got everything I needed and wanted from that little Crazor. It served me well.
   Probably my favorite thing about my outdated phone was that I could take it to work and leave it all over the place. For some reason last year we could not keep a working clock in my classroom. We didn't have a SmartBoard for the better part of the year so we couldn't just look at it and know the time, and I don't wear a watch. So my cell phone (always on silent btw) was our classroom clock. Now I lose anything that is not attached to my body. Well, maybe lose is not the best choice of words. Let's go with misplace. I am known for my, shall we say, restlessness while teaching. I am constantly up moving around and since the old faithful Crazor was the classroom clock, it got left all over the room quite a bit. But the great thing was that I never worried about someone stealing it. We all know that things get stolen at school. Doesn't matter which school--it happens. Especially if the item deals with technology. Fortunately, any child who had a phone (which is the vast majority) had one that was way cooler than mine. And any child who was not fortunate enough to have their own cell phone didn't want my old thing. That would be too embarrassing. So I liked the freedom to just toss it anywhere in the room and know that it wasn't going to come up missing.
   But I finally decided it was time to get a more current phone. I really like that the new Smart phones can do just about anything. And really you can save a good amount of money with them. They have a GPS system. Just saved about $100. They have free ring tones. Just saved more money. They have a nice camera. Cha-ching. They come with the Internet. No more calling Info. They're just so convenient. The Droid 2 comes with mobile hot spot. For $20 a month you can have the phone put off wi-fi that will power your computer at home. I am cancelling my Internet at home and going to try it. Just saved $45.
   The only problem I have with my new Smart Phone is that I'm not smart enough to use it. I have no clue what is going on. I have no clue how to work my apps. I had trouble even answering my phone earlier today. I no longer have to be sympathetic to the elderly who get phones and don't know how to use them; I can now be empathetic. Oh well, I'm sure it, just like everything else in life, will get easier with time.

                     Here's me with my Crazor: A Tribute.

A Shelter in the Time of Storm

     As most of you know, I am a teacher. I absolutely love my job!!! Very much! I felt the calling to be a teacher around the 2nd or 3rd year of college, but I was already majoring in something else. When I told my parents of my intentions to change majors, they quickly tried to change my mind--understandably so. Teachers put up with a lot of flack and disrespect all while getting paid what most would consider to be a menial salary. I grew up in a small school where it was considered taboo if you didn't go to church on a regular basis. For the most part, if you got in trouble at school, your parents came up the school, not to get onto the teachers/administration for getting onto their baby, but to give their child a good tongue-lashing (or worse). My parents feared that this was not an accurate present-day  model of the school system, and that if I did become a teacher, I would wind up under-paid, under-appreciated, and unhappy. I got the "kids today aren't what they used to be" speech. Still, I remained unwavering. They conceded, knowing that it was my life and ultimately my decision. They were just trying to point out the cons to what I saw to be a pros-only list.

     I am pleased (and so are my parents) to say that I am so completely happy with my decision. This is my second year teaching, and I absolutely, positively love my job and my students. Sometimes I feel like I love my kids a little too much since I'm always making excuses to myself for their lack of effort or good behavior. But the point is: I'm happy. Could I be making more money doing something else that I'd probably love just as much? Sure. But I've never known what it was like to have lots and lots of money at my disposal so, you know what they say, ignorance is bliss. I'm all about simplicity and leading a simple life. I do alright. I don't want for anything that is a necessity (but an English Bulldog), and I have enough to do what I want for the most part.

     I don't know what it's like to be a mother, but I can honestly say I love every single one of these kids like they were my own. I get upset with them if they don't meet their potential, proud when they do, mad when they act a fool, excited over their milestones, etc.. If they do something that I don't care for or are disrespectful, I forgive them instantaneously (for the most part) because I love them so much.

     I turn the twenty-minute commute that I have to work each day into prayer time. I like to take that time to recognize my blessings, pray for family and friends, put on my spiritual armour (I certainly need it--not to stand against the wiles of the devil but my own self), and pray for my kids. I don't know what it's like for them at home. I work in a fairly large school system so there is definitely a variety. Some kids come from great prosperity;some from poverty. Some have a great support group at home; some are lucky to get dinner. It is my prayer every day that our school, and especially my room, will be a safe-haven for these kids. A shelter in the time of storm. That they will see God's love for them through me and my love for them. I have them for less than an hour a day. And during that hour, we are hitting the ground running doing some serious mathematics. A lot of times I don't know what is going on in their personal and/or home lives. Sure there are some key indicators, but I don't know for sure unless I talk to them about it. That's why I pray for them. That no matter the situation at home, whether it be good or bad, they know that my room is their getaway zone. For that hour of each day, they are loved and cared for. Hopefully that is the case with every class, but I know I can only be accountable for my one hour that I personally have  with them.

     I say all this to say this next sentence: God is good and faithful to answer our prayers! I don't want to put information about any of my students out there for the world to see so I'll just say this: I recently got confirmation that the above paragraph is much needed and appreciated. Some of these kids do feel the way I hoped they would--school and my classroom is their shelter from life's storm.  That may not seem like much, but to me it is everything. I know that my room is a haven. That even though a child's life may be upside down sometimes, they are happy in my room. Their problems aren't there for that hour. And that's what makes it all worth it!

     I'm so grateful that I have led a problem-free life. Now that is not to say I haven't gone through some tough times, but in the grand scheme of things, I've been dealt a good hand.  I had a normal childhood. I knew that I was loved by my family and my Savior. I lead a normal adult-life. God is good and so are His blessings! I cannot thank Him enough!

I'm calling it even.

     So every year I have an internal (and pointless) battle over which season I love the most. It always comes down to summer and fall. For some reason, I feel the need to only have one favorite. When summer rolls around, I'm soooo glad that it's here and I inevitably think to myself, "yep, my favorite is definitely summer." Then fall rolls around, and I'm so ready for the cooler weather, lightweight jackets, football, changing leaves (you get the picture) that I think, "yep, fall is definitely my favorite". This year was no different. I thought I had finally decided on summer since my job allows me to have summers off. This past summer was my first summer off and it was A-MAZING!!! So yeah, naturally, summer was it. Fell right into the number one spot, easily. Buuttt, now it's fall, and I'm thinking I love it just as much. So, after 24 years of battling my own self, I'm calling it even. I love them both. --Disclaimer: if you're thinking, "Wow, I just wasted a couple minutes of my life reading this meaningless paragraph", you're right. My apologies. I just really felt the need to put that out there.

     This is my second year officially living as an adult. (This constitutes living by myself, paying my own bills, and not just having a job, but having a career.) I have really gotten into seasonal decorating since becoming "an adult". Wreaths are my favorite! I think the majority of people would say their favorite decorating season is Christmas. Not mine! It's fall. Everybody decorates for Christmas--it's expected. But not everyone decorates for fall--it's appreciated. I love the burnt oranges, the burgundies, the deep purples. I put up a fall display in my yard this year. Not gonna lie--I'm pretty proud of it. (Which is why I'm posting a picture of my boss display.) It brings so much enjoyment to me, my neighbors, and passers-by. And hopefully you.