PAVEing a Blog

Yeah yeah, I know, 1:56 AM in the morning, WHAT POSSIBLY could I have to say of any significance that early in the AM?  Exactly, it was not me but the actions of others that is so important -which seems to be the case most of the time.

Okay – this is a blog, a place where it is okay to release innermost feeling, reactions, and thoughts, at least for me, so here goes…:)

Today – FRIDAY – YESSSSSSS…..:) Yesterday (actually 2 days ago now since this is officially Saturday Morning…) – I stayed in the wee hours replacing the items back from the event we had, a premiere of the film Despues De Lucia, the director was here at ASF, and I have to say, that was awesome., it was excellent having that many people together for such a cool film and issue to be discussed – and the opportunity to see a great film – so I put the chairs, desks back, vacuumed a little, and just needed to spend some quality time in the library, lol.  I set up the Christmas tree for the next day – for the Repentino. staff Secret Santa exchange – I have to admit it was late but FUN to set up a tree!  – hung snowflakes on the ceiling, then went shopping late at night for candy canes, extra candy for holiday messages we were sending out as a fundraiser, and collapsed.

Friday morning, I arrived at the library around 6:00 AM ( I know) – and began the process of filling about 25 bags that still needed filled for delivery, thanks to a fellow teacher we moved the couches from upstairs back into the fiction room, and I just got settled in with getting ready for a busy day of Secret Santa with Repentino. staff, a breakfast I was putting on for the Advisory group, and yes, I was assigned (by volunteer) breathalyzer duty at the front gate ( um, long story if you are not familiar but after a huge party, it was a measure to make sure students were more aware of their actions and reactions, as well as their responsibility, after a large planned party).  I have to say – I was very proud of the students, they seemed to be in better shape regarding their responsibility in this area than last year and Mega Kudos to them! – however, the bad things was I was missing Advisory and my Repentino. staff in helping them deliver messages and YET – they handled themselves QUITE well without knowing specifics etc, and I was so proud of them!

To make an even longer story short – the highlight of the day was my students in Repentino., after we got the pizza back (they left, came back after not seeing me at the gate for pickup, but I WAS THERE – lol,  just by the luck of the draw somehow missed them, and then never received a call, so getting the pizza back the second time was a dream come true – the brief (30 minutes) we had together did not last long enough – I want to sit down as a whole staff and tell them how much I appreciate their seeing the way through the toughest times, but the gifts I got them did not come in yet today, so I think I will have the chance to do that before they leave (lucky them!) – some people’s Secret Santas did not or were not able to come, but this lets us have another few days for more presents! –

Many highlights – Miguel provided me with a gift of two photographs he took and doctored, they are my first photographs for the apartment

and let me tell you, they are gorgeous, I will take a picture of them and post, it will not do them justice but perhaps they are one of the best gifts I have received in a long time I can remember!    

Alia gave me a gift of coffee mugs that ROCK – again, I will post pics before Sunday – I love them – they are super cool,  almost too cool to drink out of – Kim gave me the awesomest gift of the holidays – CHOCOLATE – and on to top off that, Hershey Kisses…:)  MY GOSH!

yet the staff as a whole did the awesomest thing, even in not knowing exactly how to organize or where to start – even without me – they did and jumped in and did what they could – an awesome lesson for life – they are risk takers and if they are willing to do that – to jump in and see where it takes them, they have captured the very essence of what Repentino. is, that makes me VERY proud of them! –

Highlights all day were the times I could advise on Extended Essay, Personal Projects, and just reflecting on the light work of the holidays in general, i was stretched in different areas all day but today, it was okay….

Okay, so the worst of days – ;(  (there is a good ending though) – Thursday, when I set down my camera, my small red Digital camera, and went running around to help someone, it “disappeared” – that drove me crazy thinking I misplaced it but no, checking every crevice, every space – it was lifted….the sad thing that weighed on my mind was the pictures and video I had taken, that was worth more than the camera honestly, so coming into Friday I had that on my mind….but…

what drove the nail into the coffin of the day, (so to speak) – was this – being within the vicinity  that complain – backtalk – criticize, and carry a sense of the adult is right and the student is inferior – sorry, this drives me CRAZY – like getmeoutofherebeforeiwanttogoinsane crazy – and as much as I tried to ride these incidences out today, THANK GOODNESS for the Repentino. staff gathering because otherwise, the day would have been a wash – I take these kind of criticisms personal as I feel I represent the students too and when they are put down, or unduly criticized, or just complained about in general, I feel I am being put down and it takes alot out of me.  I dealt, and dealt, and then – was amazed to see…

Individuals that criticize, gossip, say comments with no regard to those around them, or the results of such comments, do not thin to say thank you, do not think to look on the bright side of anything amid frustration, these are not important people to me, in fact, they resemble the size of a pin needle – and to get through the day with such actions as these ? – I would rather run a marathon – TWICE – lol.  Okay anyways, you get the idea, so with this type of cloud over my head, I ended the day in the best possible way – I was lucy enough to be able to sit down with one of our staff – the last one in the library – and discuss her blog – about Autism, and is was so coool!  It made the end of a Friday just, well, better….but I still went home emotionally EXHAUSTED – I had stopped on the way to grab dog/cat food, and walked in the door, and instead of walking Kinah – as I should have, I literally collapsed in bed – collapsed and woke up around 9:30 PM Friday night – so that goes to show you how tiring the negative aspects of personalities can affect others – kind of like second hand smoke, lol.

I woke up, still angry because I let someone else’s ugliness mar my day and while walking Kindah – two – okay three, things made me feel so much better.  1- talking and venting to a friend on my phone that I have not do so for awhile – thank you D.L! – 2-meeting two awesome people waiting to get their dinner in Wok This Way – on Cordoba in Roma Norte, and it was one of the most relaxed and just shoot the breeze conversations about Kinah, Mexico, teaching, ASF, just in general, it was refreshing. And yes 3rd – I thought about what the best part of the day was for me, and I realized it was the students – today, that helped offset the other half of the  Y*(#(#*)$#&(^Y$*@#&$(G@#BEVD   day that had gotten to me, lol.

There is a lot of truth about holding your tongue a moment occurs until you cool off or have a chance to sleep it off, because if I would have said what I wanted to say?  I think the day and night would have looked different from behind a set of prison bars….  🙂

I am thankful for the students that continue to refocus my goals, motivations, and energy – specifically today, my advisory and Repentino. staff, and I would like to request a royal fart on those that continue to spread their gossip, ugliness, negativity, and bleak outlook on others around them.  If life is that bad for them, and they cannot even a string of silver lining, instead of infecting others around them, they should just let me hire a friend names Guido to put them out of their misery…or show them life is better than they are seeing it, lol.  Amen, sermon finished for now….What did I say earlier, one more week?  🙂

As a testament to the power of students, check this out…:)

http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/video-interview-the-importance-of-choice-for-igniting-student-passion-and-learning-through-research-projects/

and some favorite links of mine – Digital Is, Good Reads, and Flickr!