Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Well, That Was Fun

This blog has, for almost twenty years now, promised Wild and Absolutely True. Well, buckle up, buttercup. I have a story to tell.

I got off to a fantastic start with my New Year goal of running--so great, that I was really happy to get up last Monday (the 8th, my first day back at work from Winter Break) and run at 5:30. Okay, not "really" happy. Moderately happy. If-I-have-to happy. After all, it was 5:30 and it was also 30 degrees outside, a rare dip below freezing for us here in the greater Sacramento Valley. 

But I did it! I put on a hoodie, a headband that covered my years, and gloves, and I went out and ran for 30 minutes in 30 degrees. I came home and promptly bragged about it on social media, because that's what we do, right?

That's right! So I posted that chipper picture to the left there, and set off to warm myself up in a nice, hot shower. (Remember this.)

That shower felt great. Really great. I warmed up my cold little self, got out, and set about making breakfast--my usual, yogurt with some Kashi Cinnamon Harvest on top. I made my knock-off Starbucks cold brew drink, and settled on the couch to read some emails and eat.

Then the troubles began. A few bites in, my stomach started to protest a little. "Ugh. I don't wanna eat." I waited a moment, things settled, and I ate some more. I got a bit more than halfway through my meal when I started feeling like I might throw up. Concerned, I got up and walked into my 2nd bathroom (nearest the couch), where I hovered over the sink.

I could feel bile rising a little, but not coming all the way up. I coughed to try to move it.

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And then I woke up. My first thought was, "Ugh, is it time to go back to work already?! I want a bit more sleep!" But then I realized that my body was hurting, especially my head. I opened my eyes and saw some clothes I had hung to dry on the shower rod in that 2nd bathroom. I realized I was on the cold, hard floor, sweating profusely, and my head was not feeling great. 

I sat up, swaying from dizziness. I felt the back of my head and my hand came away wet. It took a few seconds to realize that was not water. 

As I gathered my thoughts, I realized I had fainted, that my head was bleeding, and that this was not normal. I had never fainted in my life. 

Next to me was the drawer I keep cleaning rags in, so I grabbed a clean rag and pressed it to my head. Fortunately, the bleeding wasn't heavy, and every time I dabbed, there was less blood coming away, so that meant it was stopping pretty fast. I got up and gingerly walked to the living room. At this point, I was completely confused. Why did I faint? What is wrong? Do I go to work? Of course not. But what now?

I called Dad. I didn't want to alarm him, but I also knew I needed his help. He immediately got in his car and started driving over. After that, I called my vice principal, Chrystal, to let her know I wouldn't be in. She was driving to work, and she was very concerned for me. "Don't you worry about putting it in Frontline. I've got you. Please keep us all posted!" Then I called the Kaiser Advice Nurse number. The nurse was as baffled as I was--what next? She put me on hold to talk to the doctor on duty, and came back just as my Dad was letting himself in the front door to tell me the doctor recommended the Emergency Room.

So Dad and I set off to the Roseville Kaiser ER. Again, I hated worrying him, but I'm so grateful I had him to drive me. 

I checked in at something like 8:00, 8:15. I had fainted at around 6:45-6:55, the last time I remember seeing on my phone is 6:45, before I felt like I might throw up. My head was no longer bleeding, but I had blood drying in my hair, creating a sticky, matted mess on one side. The ER was quiet at that point...a lull in the usual chaos. 

When I checked in, I was immediately taken for an EKG, and then back to intake to have my vitals taken. My blood pressure was super-high, but no one was surprised at that. 

The RN at intake deemed me a fall risk and put me in a wheelchair. I got the yellow bracelet and everything.

I was wheeled back to wait for my initial visit with a doctor. It didn't take long. After about 15 minutes in a hallway, a doctor came and sat next to me, and the whole process really got rolling. The good news off the top--I didn't have symptoms of a concussion or a brain bleed, but she wanted to do a CT scan on my head as a precaution. I was fine with this. She would also need to do blood tests, a urinalysis, and a chest X-ray. They also swabbed my nose to test for COVID, flu, and RSV. Also, I wouldn't need stitches, as my head had only a tiny cut, and it had stopped bleeding on its own.

"Be prepared to be here about four hours..." she warned me. 

I texted Dad to let him know he should go home and come back later. The poor man had skipped breakfast and showering to come help me. I wasn't about to make him sit in the waiting room that long, and besides, I was in good hands.

Here's where I start tallying all of my "good ideas" of the day. The first was having Dad drive me to the hospital. Driving myself was out of the question, and an ambulance would have been overkill. I have local friends who would happily help me if need be, but they work, and Dad doesn't. The second good idea was grabbing a mask before I left. 

I waited in that hallway for a bit more. Another nurse came by and put an IV port in my arm, drew blood, and swabbed my nose. Then he wheeled me out to the waiting area, where I stayed about 15 minutes, before another nurse came to my now-open bed. Here's where Good Idea #3 comes into play. Before I left for the hospital, I grabbed that mask, and a book. God, I was so happy to have that book. (Good book, too--The Spectacular by Fiona Davis.) 

By the time I landed in my bed in the corridor, I had had blood drawn and the nasal swab. Next up was the CT scan on my head. My new RN in charge, a very nice guy whose name has now escaped me, helped me back into my wheel chair and took me to Radiology. The scan was uneventful, and I was wheeled back to my home-away-from home to read some more.

Thing is, as all of these tests were processed, I kept getting emails, and then logging into the Kaiser app on my phone to see what they said. 

Happily, the tests for COVID, RSV, and flu all came back negative. My blood draw showed everything in normal range, except for one thing--my d-dimer score. It was 0.62, and normal is >0.50.

What the hell is d-dimer? Well, under that in the test results were the words "pulmonary embolism." Say what?

I did some googling, realized I was just going to have to let all of this be in the hands of the universe, and went back to my book. I had my chest X-rays. It was at this where the tech (a woman) apologized and told me I'd have to remove my bra. I did, and when we finished she asked if I wanted to put it back on.

"Oh, you know, I'm sitting here with blood matted in my hair, so who cares if I go braless at this point?"

We both laughed, I kept it off, and I was wheeled back to my little plot of property in the ER. My RN in charge took my vitals--blood pressure better but still a bit high for anyone's liking--and then left me to my devices. I asked for water, and was allowed some ice chips.

At this point, I'd had about a 300-calorie breakfast, and by now I would have had my morning snack and be cruising towards lunch. But I missed snack. And lunch.

It was about this time of day that I texted Sarah. I had started to a couple times before that but I didn't want to freak her out before I knew a bit more about my condition. My best advice is to find yourself a friend who is willing to look at pics of your blood-matted hair, and also ready to storm the local emergency room to make you happy and comfortable.

"I'm so hungry."

"Want me to bring some food to you?!? Will they let me?"

"If I don't reply, I'm just saving my phone battery."

"Can I bring you a charger?!" 

Bless her and her I'll-storm-the-ER-for-you heart. 💟

And, of course, Dad checked in from time to time. 💗

Sarah started googling d-dimer and pulmonary embolism and we speculated a bit but decided that if I did have a clot on my lung, at least I'm in the best possible place to deal with it.

Finally, my awesome doctor from earlier came by. She had seen all my test results and she wanted a CT scan of my chest. 

"You see, your--"

"The d-dimer?"

"You've been reading your test results!"

"I have the Kaiser app, so yeah."

"Have you googled all the ways in which you're dying?"

"Nah, I held off on that. But I assume that's why you want the CT scan for my chest."

"That's exactly why. Here's the thing--the d-dimer test is very imperfect, and it can be affected by other things. Your score is very low to be of concern, but I would rather have a look and make sure, instead of send you home not knowing."

"And I'm perfectly fine with that!"

So the predicted four hours turned into more time, because there was a back-up in radiology, and I had to wait my turn. I had my book, so I was mostly fine. I mean, of course I would rather be at home, and I was hungry, but priorities, you know? 

I texted Sarah a bit, read a bit, watched paramedics come and go, watched patients come and go. I overheard my RN in charge telling some paramedics that they couldn't take an incoming patient in the room that was right at the foot of my bed because it had been housing a COVID patient and "it needs to be burned."

See Good Idea #2 above--I wore a mask all day.

Eventually I was taken back to radiology for the chest CT scan, which was weird because they sent some sort of liquid through me via the IV port. But it was quick and painless, and I was soon back to my comfy little home in the hallway. RN in charge came back to take my vitals again. I asked him, "Do you ever get used to all the beeping in this place?"

"No. No, I don't!!"

"How could anyone? It's constant! I mean, I teach middle school, and I thought that was noisy..."

We had a good laugh, and my vitals came back with excellent blood pressure and a calm heart rate. 

Finally, I saw the awesome doctor again. My chest scan came back perfectly clear. (I had seen this on the app already, of course.) 

"Are you ready to go home?"



We discussed the biggest question everyone had all day: WHY did I faint?!

"So here's my answer: I don't know. But I can tell you that it is not any of the Big, Scary Stuff."

"That is very good to know."

"Yes! I'd suggest you follow up with your primary care physician tomorrow. But for now, go home, wash the blood out of your hair--carefully! And just rest. You can go about your normal activities tomorrow, but maybe just keep the workouts on the easy side for a few days."

I called Dad to let him know to get in his car right now because I was so ready to get home. A nurse (not my RN in charge, a different one) came by to remove my IV port, and I was so glad to not have to see that stupid thing sticking out of my skin anymore. (I had my sleeve over it most of the day because needles in skin gives me the heebie jeebies. Gosh, it's gross.)

Dad got on his way, and I was allowed to walk out on my own. I stopped at the discharge desk to pay my copay, then headed down the hallway, and out the doors to sweet, blessed freedom. 

My wonderful dad drove me home, walked me all the way to my place to make sure I got upstairs alright, and then drove home to fall in an exhausted heap in his recliner. I showered, and watched rust-colored water drain out of my hair for several minutes before ever-so-gently shampooing around the massive bump/bruise/small cut on my scalp. 

I ate about 1,000 calories for dinner (I'm not kidding, I entered it all in my FitBit app) to make up for fasting from 7:00 that morning 'til about 5:00 in the evening. It was all healthy stuff I'd prepared for lunches and snacks for the week. It was just a lot of food because my body was in serious need of fuel.

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That was Monday. The rest of the week I was able to return to work (kids came back Tuesday so I didn't miss any time with them), and I held off on working out because I still had a little bit of dizziness in the mornings when I first went from horizontal in bed to vertical getting up. 

On Wednesday, I had a previously-scheduled appointment for some gynecology stuff that I won't get into here--nothing serious, just a woman seeking some reassurance for impending perimenopause--and on Thursday, I had a video call with my primary physician to discuss the fainting. By this time, I had a theory.

A friend on Facebook, seeing a post I made about fainting, messaged me. She thought that maybe, my run in 30 degree weather, followed by a hot shower, might have been what made me faint. Over the next few days, I mentioned this to others, and a few people have had similar experiences--going from one temperature extreme to another quickly messed with them in some way, sometimes leading to fainting. 

My doctor was on board with this idea, as well, so that's what we're going with. My head has healed very nicely, and quickly! 

I was looking forward to the three-day weekend so I could rest from the craziness of last week, but I got hit by a nasty case of strep throat. God, that one sucks. Still negative for COVID, but I managed to get the strep nasties. A couple days of amoxicillin have me feeling much better, but I stayed home from work today because after the last eight days, I'm not willing to push too hard, too fast. 

Nope, I'm going to let my body rest and recover, because I have had enough poking and prodding the last week. I want to resume running (maybe Friday or Saturday). I want to bleach the hell out of this house after spending all weekend breathing strep everywhere (I have cleaned the bathroom, kitchen, and my bedding and towels, plus washed every single dish I've used). 

I also want to NOT have to take a sick day as I have done each week now since returning from our winter break. 

Fortunately, my colleagues and my admin team are very supportive and caring. A lot of people have held me up this last week, and I'm profoundly grateful for my community. 

Monday, January 01, 2024

2024 Goals

 In the interest of improving myself and being that life-long learner I encourage my students to be, here are some goals for the new year, 2024.


Read 100 Books

This has been a goal every year for a while now, and I've never quite achieved it--the closest I've gotten is 95, and this year, I made it to 81. I know I can do it, because if I read more and put my phone in my face left, I'd far surpass 100 books. So this year is about finding balance between the allures of my phone (I'm addicted to the New York Times Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections, and Sudoku) and books. I'm also working on knowing when to "say when" with a book. If I'm not digging it, it's okay to pass! I've hate-read too many books and I need to stop.

First book of the year goes to Home by Toni Morrison. And I've got a stack of four Agatha Christie books waiting for me, too. 

Run. That's it. Just RUN.

I am currently on Week 2 of Couch to 5K. I started Week 1, then had a week of Winter Celebration craziness at work, and then came home for my Winter Break to do Week 1 again. So I'm technically in my third week of "being back" to running, and it's going pretty well. Now I just need to keep on doing it. I'm signed up for the Shamrock'n 5K in March, which gives me plenty of time to get ready.


Play My Clarinet

Sadly, I kinda burned out on clarinet in college. I still dabble from time to time, but it's been a while now. I have a gorgeous Buffet R13 sitting here in my home, ignored. I want to change that this year, and work on getting my embouchure and technique back. In time, maybe I'll find a community band to join, but for now, I just want to find my love for the instrument again, because it truly is beautiful. 

Of course I will also continue playing my piano, practicing some of the pieces I've been working on for a year or two, and adding new ones. 



Saturday, December 23, 2023

Best Reads of 2023

 My Goodreads goal for the year was 100 books. With about a week left of the year, I'm sitting at 80. Not too shabby. I decided to dig into my ratings of these 80 books and post some of my favorites here.

These reviews are meant to be vague--I don't want to spoil anything!

The First Book of the Year

The first book I read this year was All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle. A lonely older man in London, cut off from his community after the death of his wife, sets out to create new friendships in order to impress his soon-to-visit daughter. 

But instead of finding the people to fill the roles he's made up for her in their weekly phone calls, he finds friendship and love in unlikely places--a young single mum and her toddler daughter, a delivery driver, and more. 

Filled with humor, and empathy for the lonely people of the world, Hubert's story was both heartbreaking and delightful. There are a few heart-rending twists in the story, so have a hanky handy. I gave this five stars on Goodreads.


The One that Everyone Read

I usually prefer to read on paper or Kindle, not listen to audiobooks, simply because I get distracted with audiobooks. Disclaimer: I fully believe that audiobooks qualify as reading; it's just not a form of reading that is best for my style of retaining information, unless I'm in the car, or on a long flight, as I was for much of my listening to this book.

Hoooboy, where to even start? If you've read Spare by Prince Harry, you can understand my plight. I like Harry and Meghan. I admire how they've stepped away from the nonsense to protect themselves and their children. And Harry's story, while shocking, isn't truly surprising in the long run.

This book is filled with lots of juicy insider bits, but it's also a story of a man who grew up in a fishbowl while navigating childhood, puberty, adolescent shenanigans, and the death of a beloved mother who adored him.

My friend Sarah originally thought it a bit odd that a now thirty-something man refers to his mother as Mummy still, but I don't. When my mom got cancer, I was 39; and suddenly, I was thinking of her as "Mommy" and "Mama." Since she died, I have a tendency to think of her as "Mama" a lot. It's like that little Meg inside me has come forward to loudly protest losing her mommy. It doesn't surprise me that a guy whose mom died when he was just a boy would be stuck on "Mummy." 

I gave this one four stars. It was very engaging, but a bit long. 

The One That Made Me Laugh and Cry

I had been meaning to read The Guncle by Steven Rowley for a while, and finally got to it on my summer break. 

I was expecting a light-hearted and silly romp...and yes, there is some of that. But this book is also a study in deep grief and how we keep living after losing someone who is so very important to us. 

Rowley does a brilliant job of exploring how loss affects us, and how we act out, shut ourselves off, and everything else. I laughed at the silly parts, of course, but this book also made me cry--in a good way. Truly a lovely, lovely story. 

Sarah has informed me that a sequel is coming in 2024. Sign me up! 

The First in a Series I Can't Wait to Devour

A book that brings together some of Jane Austen's most beloved characters after their happily-ever-afters? And the death of one of the most hated cads in Austenland? Yes, please. Oh, and we're adding children of these beloved characters as the intrepid investigators? Tell me more.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray, and its sequel The Late Mrs. Willoughby, are delightful. Written with a splash of Austen-esque language, and featuring a neurodivergent character in the lead, with a sympathetic love interest, these stories give us a new twist on the many Austen-inspired books out there. A third book, The Perils of Lady Catherine DeBourgh, is set to be released in 2024. I can't wait.

The Airport Purchase

I purchased The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune at the Lisbon airport on a layover on the way home from Barcelona. I had finished listening to the audio of Spare, and needed something for the long flight back to San Francisco.

This book is absolutely charming. There are magical beings, a spot of romance, and plenty of wry British humor. 



The YA Romance 

Talia Hibbert's Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute checks a lot of my boxes:

          • Smart heroine who takes no crap
          • Smart hero who the heroine really...wants...to...hate.
          • A very real, very empathetic depiction of anxiety and OCD
          • A best-friends-to-enemies-to-friends-again-to-in-love plot
          • Plenty of humor
I gave this one five stars on Goodreads. I tend to enjoy a lot of YA anyway, but this one was above and beyond. 

The Best Autobiography

While Spare was juicy, it doesn't hold a candle to what Jennette McCurdy gave us with I'm Glad My Mom Died. Yes, the title is shocking. The cover photo, too. But that is nothing compared to McCurdy's life of growing up with the Stage Mom From Hell. 

Forced to diet recklessly, sexually abused in the name of "health," and gaslit for years, McCurdy has had to do a lot of work in her adult life to undo the damage her mother caused. Yet, she still loved her mom, and she still reckons with missing her. The story is heartbreaking, and be warned, the talk of her eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia) are absolutely graphic and harrowing. This book is not for anyone who struggles with depictions of eating disorders. 

Still, it's an important autobiography. McCurdy has worked hard to carve out a place in the world where she feels comfortable, healthy, and happy. And while her story is absolutely shocking, she tells it with a twist of wry sarcasm that makes it slightly more bearable. She's done the work and she continues to do the work to heal. I can't say I "enjoyed" this book, but I appreciate it.

The Classics

I made it a summer break mission to read some classics I had not read in my school days. Books I read included:

  • The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway): Four stars--very gripping, a bit tedious in parts, but I suppose being at sea with a massive fish would be tedious, too.
  • The Maltese Falcon (Dashiel Hammett): Four stars--a really great detective novel. I watched the movie years ago.
  • The House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros): Five stars--it was not what I expected, with it's short, choppy chapters, but I really loved the depiction of growing up Latino in Chicago.
  • Maus--Volumes 1 and 2 (Art Spiegelman): Five stars for both--brutal, but brilliant. 
  • A Room of One's Own (Virginia Woolf): Four stars--this one was bearable. I also attempted To the Lighthouse and had to stop. Just as I couldn't stand Mrs. Dalloway when I read it in college, I couldn't stand Lighthouse. I am just not a fan of Woolf's fiction. 
  • The Alchemist (Paolo Coelho): Five stars--people seem to either love or hate this book. The people who love it often seem to see it as some sort of guide to life. The people who hate it see it that way too. I didn't read it that way. I simply read it as a fun adventure story, and not a parable. As a fun story, I loved it.
  • Farenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury): Three stars--well-written? Yes. Thought-provoking? For sure. Timely? Absolutely. And neither hugely engaging nor totally boring for me. A sold three stars.
  • And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie): Five stars--this was a re-read for me. I read it in high school and loved it. I thought I remembered it well, but on this re-read, I realized I'd forgotten a lot of details. Ms. Christie was a fabulous writer. A goal for 2024 is to read more of her works (I've also read Murder on the Orient Express but haven't delved deeper into her prolific list of books). I'd also like to read some biographies about her.

What were some of YOUR favorite books this year? Please feel free to comment. 😀



Saturday, December 16, 2023

Moments 2023

With only 15 days left of December, here we come crashing into 2024...twenty years after the year that I started a Little Pink Blog and then moved to England to teach. God, I was so young.

Where the hell does twenty years go, anyway? 

But here I am, still having Wild and Absolutely True Adventures. The coming year already promises to be a fantastic travel year--I'll be spending my February break in Prague, Czech Republic. Then in June, I'm making a long-time Bucket List item happen--I am going to Australia!! 

🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳

Yup, Australia!! Fiji Airways had a sale going on, and through Expedia, I got a fantastic deal on round-trip airfare and hotel right in the heart of Sydney. It will be a quick jaunt--just a week, but I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

But this post is about 2023! It was a pretty good travel year, too, adding Spain (as a grownup who can remember) and Mexico to my list of places I've been. I visited Summer in Phoenix for a couple days of my Thanksgiving break, too.

And, of course, I had those normal moments that prove extraordinary.

After the Storm

And...before yet more. California had a very stormy winter, and well-above-average rainfall. Part of the fallout of an early January storm was the sad loss of one of the grand old oak trees in the park across from my condo.

But there were blessings, too. A few months later, I would go for walks in that very park and marvel at the tall grass, so green well into the months where usually things start to yellow. There were wildflowers everywhere. California will always be one dry winter away from drought conditions...but this winter was abundant.


The First Daffodils

There is nothing that makes me quite the same type of happy that I feel when I see my first daffodils. Those sweet little faces peeking out of my water-logged late winter garden are a reminder that spring is coming. And gosh, they make me think of England. 

These two little beauties were the first of the year in my garden. They were perfect. 





A Moment of Clarity

Last December, after several months of thinking about it, I finally asked my primary physician if I could have a hearing test. "I just feel like I miss a lot when people are talking to me," I told her, before adding that both my mother and grandmother wore hearing aids in their later years. Oh, and I'm a musician. She agreed a test was in order, so off I went, a few weeks later, to the audiologist.

The tests were a bit more intensive than your usual "raise-your-hand-when-you-hear-a-beep." (Not that they were difficult or stressful--I was actually really happy to be exploring my hearing.) Turns out I have very healthy ears--no obstructions--but I do, indeed, have hearing loss. Some of it is genetic, and some of it is environmental. 

So 2023 was a year in which I embarked on a new adventure with hearing aids. They're virtually invisible to others when I wear them, and all these months later, I'm still "learning" them and how/when I need to adjust. Here's the great part: I hear everything so much more clearly. Here's the bad part: I hear everything so much more clearly. When you work with fidgety children, sensory overload is not far behind. 

Remembering Mama

At some point in early spring, I was at Dad's house and he mentioned that Mom's rose bushes were blooming. I stepped out to the back yard to see, and got a picture of one of her perfect little roses. She loved her roses, and her garden. Most of the garden is no longer--Dad didn't have the energy or passion to maintain what she loved so--but her rosebushes remain.

We hit five years in June. It doesn't hurt quite so much as it used to, but of course I miss her still. 



A New Classroom

At first, I was kind of dismayed to get assigned to a portable classroom. But the space is really working for me, and after having seven different "home bases" in eight-and-a-half years at this school, I'm hoping this one sticks. I even have my own water cooler, provided by the school, for those of us in the portables to use. I drink a lot of water, so this saves me a lot of trips to the office. 

I also did some light begging last year, and my boss agreed to the purchase of about seven grand worth of Orff instruments for my program. They are beautiful, and the kids love them. I also asked for stools and a large round rug so that I could eliminate most tables from my room. It looks like a proper Music room now!

A Beautiful Moment

I made a bigger effort this year to go to Music Circus shows, starting with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. I enjoyed all of the shows I saw (Beautiful, The Music Man, Ragtime), but Beautiful in particular was...well, beautiful. Carole King was a prolific songwriter before she ever became a recording artist, and the woman who played her in the show was incredible. 

More important, however, was seeing so many Sacramentans supporting the arts. The arts scene here is improving, and it makes my little music nerd heart happy.




A Moment of Zen

In June, a couple days after school got out, I hopped in Sarah's car with her and our friend Debbie, and we drove to Long Beach to catch a Royal Caribbean weekend booze cruise to Ensenada and back. It would be my very first visit to Mexico in 45 years of life, most of which has been in Mexico's next-door neighbor, California. 

Like, my home state owes so much of its heritage to Mexico, and I had never made it there. It would become my 17th country (18th if you count the ten minutes I stood on the tarmac of the Lisbon airport in February, and the fact that my passport was stamped there, not in Spain).

It was on our slow cruise Saturday day at sea, after a somewhat stressful school year had just closed, that I sat in our private casita on the pool deck and felt so relaxed. Should I have swim? Nah, a bit too chilly for that. Should I have another daiquiri? Absolutely. Read my book? Yes please! Complimentary fruit plate? Gorgeous!

Say something about the kids who were running on the slippery pool deck despite the signs everywhere warning them not to?

Nope. Nope. Nope. As I said to Sarah, "This teacher is off-duty." 


A Moment (Many Moments) in an Egg

If there's anything I've learned, it's that the super-annoying phrase, "YOLO!!" is actually true. Seriously, you go around once. Don't wait for things to happen, make them happen. Fiji Airways is having a sale? Book that dream tip to Sydney. 

You want one of those hanging egg chairs? Don't wait for the maybe-in-a-couple-years-I'll-sell-this-condo-and-buy-a-place-with-a-bigger-patio, buy it now. So I did. I bought my egg chair, and then I proceeded to spend a large chunk of my summer vacation in it. I read books, I played on my phone. I sipped cold brews and I sat until the heat of the day drove me back inside. I watched hummingbirds zoom above me to the feeder, completely unconcerned by the lump of melted Meg happily rocking in her egg chair. 

It made me sad to bring the cushion in for the winter, but we're expecting another rainy one. 

A Moment to Stop and Appreciate the Beauty

My condo complex isn't particularly fancy--it's a solid middle-class place with the typical ridiculous HOA (the meetings are...spicy). It has its ups and downs, but I love my little home, and I can't complain too much. 

But every fall, for a few too-short weeks, these trees in front of one of the buildings catch fire. As I drive in, and get out of my car (I was standing next to it to take this picture), I can't help but notice that Mother Nature is asking me to take a moment--just a quick one--to stop after a busy day at work and just bask in what she provides. 

Then I trudge up the stairs to my unit, grumbling about how the landscaping in front of my building needs some attention, damn it, and god, I'm tired, and why wouldn't that kid listen today?! 

A Proud, Non-Impostor Moment

Thirty-five years of studying music, one BA in Music Education, and twenty years of teaching experience, and sometimes I still get a smidge of impostor syndrome.

Then I remind myself that hey, I know music. I really know music. And I know how to teach it. I've devoted most of my life to this pursuit. I am passionate about it. 

In October 2022, my school district had a "Con" (they called it that) of sorts, where anyone could volunteer to teach an hour-long class. Everyone has to attend, and everyone has to attend (or teach) three classes. That first year, I ignored the request, but when I attended that first Con, I realized something was missing: anything to do with the Arts.

I vowed to change that, and this year, when the email came out, I filled out the Google Form proposing a course called "Music for Engagement and Learning," designed to help non-musicians incorporate music into their classrooms. Elementary classroom teacher? I gotchu. High school social studies? I gotchutoo.

I spent a lot of personal time working on my presentation. I included a Music Break in which I made everyone (including my PE teacher colleague Kevin, who took my course to provide moral support) sing a song, so that I could show them how I teach simple songs to younger students. 

For starters, my class was one of the first ones to completely fill up. And while a good number of my own colleagues took it, there were many from other campuses, as well. The day of, I snapped a quick picture of me in my school shirt. My presentation went very well, and the feedback I received was all positive. We had fun in there, and I think I provided my district colleagues with ideas and resources they can take back to their classroom immediately. A few days later, one of my GIS colleagues told me she was already using one of my suggested sites in her Kindergarten classroom. 

Imposter? Not me!

A Moment the Kid is Proud of the Parent

For the time I spend with him (lunch or brunch almost every weekend, occasional day trips together, I don't have many pics of my Dad, and I really need to rectify that.

Dad is 80 now, but he's still living independently and doing the things he likes. He's very active in the veterans group in his community, and very proud, every year, to be part of the Veterans Day ceremony. This year, he did the Two Bell Salute for every member of their group who passed away in the last year. 

Whether you're a dove or a hawk, it can't be denied that our service members give so much to protect American interests. My dad served with honor and distinction for twenty-one years in the Air Force, and he is proud of the things he accomplished. 

Growing up in a military family has definitely influenced how I navigate the world, and nothing makes this daughter prouder than seeing her Dad representing our country, still. 

A Moment of Awe (and a Bonus Moment of Connection to My History)

In February, I returned to the second country I had been to in my life--Spain. Dad's Air Force career took us there briefly when I was a toddler, and I celebrated my 2nd birthday in Zaragosa. I have zero memories of that time in my life (not surprising), so when Summer and I booked a February break trip to Barcelona, I told her I would definitely be making the two-hour train ride to Zaragosa for a day. 

"I would love to have you come along, but if you're not interested, I totally understand. But I will go without you, just FYI." 

"Oh, I'm interested! It will be fun to see a different part of Spain besides Barcelona!"

So after moments of awe in Barcelona--La Sagrada Familia, and so much more--we took a quick day trip to Zaragosa, that city I once lived in, but have no recollection of.

It was wonderful. 

While Barcelona is an international port city, full of tourists from many lands, Zaragosa is quintessentially Spanish. In Barcelona, world languages from far and wide float around you as you explore. There are shops and restaurants from the US and the UK, and plenty to cater to the varied tastes of tourists. 

In Zaragosa, you're simply in Spain. Summer and I spoke our halting American Spanish ("Hablamos el espanol de Mexico!"), delighting the cab drivers we rode with, and people who served us coffee when we arrived. After consulting Google Translate, I managed to tell one cab driver, "Viví en Zaragosa cuando era bebé." He grinned at my image in his rear view and told me he hoped I would enjoy my visit. 

And did I! Summer and I agreed that Zaragosa was perfectly lovely and charming. We visted Al Jaferia, a Muslim medieval fortress, before heading to the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a large and incredibly beautiful cathedral beside the Ebro River. We walked across the bridge (picture above) to lunch outside in the sunshine, in the European style. That is, unrushed, unbothered, happily hogging a table for a couple of hours. By the time we started, it was siesta, and unlike Barcelona, where places stay open to appease tourists, Zaragosa shuts down. We wandered empty streets, stopped for ice cream at one open place, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Around 4:30, stores slowly started opening back up, so we did a bit of souvenir shopping. 

And in truly Spanish style, we arrived back in Barcelona just in time for a 9:00 dinner on Las Ramblas, right by our hotel. 

A Dude Moment

Thousands of 'em, actually. This year, my amazing little dudes, Archie and Popcorn, turned eight (*sob* time flies). They are healthy--down about two pounds each on their recent vet visit thanks to a better diet--and still the sweetest and happiest little guys. 

Every day they make me smile. From their white tippy-toes to their pink noses, they are the softest, cutest ginger boys. Friends and colleagues alike tell me they delight in the pictures I post of them. I like to think their personalities shine through. And I never get tired of watching their sibling bond.

A few days ago, we marked seven years since I adopted them. Here's to many more years of good health and happiness for The Boyz.

More Musical Moments of Joy

Aside from Prague and Sydney in 2024, I'll be traveling a bit to see Keane again. They're going to be touring all over the world, and I have tickets to see them in Berkeley (my "home" show), San Diego (Summer's going to drive over from Phoenix), and Atlanta, Georgia. Why Atlanta? 

Because after thirteen years of friendship, two visits (one in California, one in New York City), and even attending Mumford and Sons together, it turns out that my best Keane friend, Maayan, and I have never actually seen Keane together. In a phone chat, she said, "I guess I'll buy two tickets to their Atlanta show, but I'll have to find someone to go with me."

"You're taking me."

"WHAT?!?!"

"Buy 'em. I'll Venmo you. And next year, I'm flying to fucking Atlanta to see Keane with you."

But anyway, in the absence of Keane in this calendar year, this year I got to see another favorite: Trombone Shorty. His shows are just so happy. There's nothing like live music. AI will never be able to replicate what human beings can do with music. Never.


A Moment to Look Forward

There's no picture for this section. I'm writing this at my home computer, wearing snuggly pajamas and sporting a serious head of couch hair. 

I look forward to some really great moments in the year ahead--my 18th and 19th countries, and my third continent! I'll also be adding a state to the twenty-something I've seen (Georgia). Three Keane shows, two with dear friends, one on my own (but are you ever truly alone when you are experiencing live music?). 

One big hope is that I can plan a trip-within-a-trip, and fly from Sydney to Alice Springs for an overnight. Alice Springs is home to a well-known kangaroo sanctuary that gives sunset tours--did you know kangaroos are nocturnal? I follow them on Instagram, and honestly, nothing will make me happier on that trip than having a chance to see the place in person, and maybe even hold a joey.

After the new year, I want to sit down with my mortgage broker and talk about interest rates and what might be possible in the next year or two with looking for my "forever home" (or as forever as a Cooper can get, we're kinda known for our wanderlust). I love my condo, but it's always been my starter home. I want a bigger kitchen, a garage, and maybe a couple hundred more square feet. I'd love a townhome-type place. 

But then, there's my travel fund to consider, too. 😏

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Evolution of a Classroom

 Over the summer, I moved rooms at my school--a good thing, because my previous room was being reserved for a new Art teacher, meaning I would not have to teach Art anymore. At first, I wasn't excited to get one of the portables, but as I shuffled all of my stuff around in the space, I realized it actually worked really, really well. I had made the decision to get rid of most tables, and keep my teaching space open and flexible.

But first, there was a mess to sort out.


Walking into the room to be greeted by chaos.

My media table was piled with stuff.


I started piling all the furniture and other clutter I 
no longer wanted/needed in one part of the classroom.
I also had to pack up the Design materials that would be 
moving.


I made a commitment to spend most Mondays of my summer vacation working in the room. I started by shuffling things around, kind of like the world's biggest game of moving-box Tetris. Before long, things started to take shape.


I kept two tables under the back window 
for "Inquiry Corner." 

I kept a few more tables for storing my 
brand-new Orff instruments (still in boxes 
at this point), and for "Reflection Island."

Unpacking my huge collection of books
was almost half the battle!!

I have to have a clean, functional desk area,
and it took ages to sort all this stuff out.

I waited to unpack my beautiful new
instruments, to keep them safe and
dust-free.

Slowly, I started adding the decorative
touches.

That blank space was reserved for my
Chromebook cart.

The hardest part was waiting 'til August for the custodial staff to be back and able to move the massive stack of boxes and furniture that would be leaving my room. It was previously the Design classroom, so there were boxes of materials for that, books, and other large items.

At least I was able to start decorating.







Then my new rug arrived, happy days.


One of the last things I did was un-box all the new Orff instruments. They're absolutely gorgeous! The kids have been enjoying them.



I put an Inquiry Corner sign up, and the IB
Learner Profile Traits.

My work area came together more and more.

I set up "Reflection Island" for those times that
students need to be away from others.

Borders make everything look better.

I added twinkle lights in strategic places. 

This is the view from my desk. Two para-educators have their
desks in that back corner.

By the time school started, the Music room was ready to go--inviting, cheerful, and organized. I'm very happy with how it looks, and how the space is working for my classes. The kids can sit on stools or on the floor, and in my middle school classes, they can choose the tables, as well. My 7th graders (last period of the day) are good at making sure stools get stacked nicely so that our custodian can come in and vacuum quickly. Despite having fewer windows, I'm finding that there's still enough natural light, and that I can open the window on the far side of the room (opposite the door) and get a lovely cross-breeze when it's not hot enough for the A/C. 

Now, my room is an inviting, open space, ready
for music and movement!