PAVEing a Blog

Hola! Happy King’s Day! TODAY is the traditional day to give gifts and celebrate Christmas in Mexico! I attached what that means here too, I think this is soooo cool!

http://gomexico.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/p/kings_day.htm

I love the idea of the baby being baked into this dough and the person who gets it hosts a party! WAY COOL! Also, the tradition of placing the Kings in the Nativity on January 5th is way cool too!

Check it out here too!

http://www.inside-mexico.com/ReyesMagos.htm
and traditions in Mexico!
http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/nacimnto.htm

Let me share a few pics that show what Christmas is like in Mexico!

Bringing Snow to Mexico and Making SNOWMEN! YEAH!

The Franz Mayer Museum all decked out for Christmas!

And let us not forget the Zocolo, and trees, and decorations!

At the Zocolo

Snowball fights in action!

Also, my friends in India celebrating Christmas and enjoying India!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrDCOv9JHgA&feature=share

There are so many cool things happening! I began tutoring last night for some interesting students, lol They are 7th and 9th grade going into next year, and my goal is to ready them for the 7th and 9th grade. We meet 7 times in January, and created a Wiki for them to use exclusively for their work. The funny thing is the first night, last night, I learned about Snow Patrol, Dave Guetta, and they love Zeppelin, U2, Aerosmith, ACDC, Coldplay. are the students great or what?! AnaPaula is going into 9th grade and Andres is going into 7th, they already have great musical tastes!

I like the tutoring gig, it is fun and pays my rent and I can actually put alot into it via a Wiki to save for future info! 🙂

I plan to finish off my Museum List for the Zocolo today, and then a walking tour I am going to on Saturday – to Iztacalco – I am excited!

This is called A Callejoneada which could be called a “walking serenade”. A group of 8 or more students (these groups are known as “estudiantinas”), sing and stroll around the narrow streets of Barrio Mágico Izacalco. The band sings popular songs and tells the people about the history and legends of Iztacalco.

Here is a more specific bio on the location! Walking Serenade

Overall, things are A-ok and Monday is back to school! AGH! lol…I have done mega amounts around the house preparing for my Master’s classes in the Spring, so that I will have a clear plate for that! 🙂

Look forward to seeing King’s Day through! (I thought it was cool that instead of Santa in the mall here, they had the three wis emen taking children! Awesome awesome awesome! I should have taken a picture!)

I received money (always good) and a great CD from My Mom for Christmas – Andrea Bocelli “My Christmas!” It’s awesome!

I received letters from the Sigai’s! Way Cool!

Triple the Christmas Cheer!

I skyped Daiuske today, he is hard at it studying for exams for NEXT YEAR! 🙂

He will do great! 🙂

Art is amazing, isn’t it? I wanted to show how things become full circle if you let them. After being honored in being part of the Clarice Smith American Art Education Initiative, I brought back Art into my curriculum of 10 Grade English, and the student were all of a sudden excited. Language became visual for them, and this was exciting foe me too!

Before this, having been, a member of The Endless Mountains Writing Project at Mansfield, then going to Kent State University and being part of the ASNE Reynold’s Institute Fellowship on Journalism, then being able to be a part of the Holocaust Educators’ Workshop, Kristol Center for Jewish Life, University of Delaware, so, what does it all mean? Taking these opportunities, and then implementing them sometimes is the hardest thing to do, for anyone. The demands of Standards, State testing, and more like to limit the opportunities of expanding the workshops and experiences you acquire past the immediate experience.

In May of 2011 I felt I had enough – and wanted to do more with these above experiences I had been lucky enough to be a part of. It was not merely attending, I needed to actually do something with these experiences! After a series of letdowns and coming to a dead end with trying to rise above discipline, state testing, and further restrictions, I decided, I needed to make a major change for myself, and to implement these experiences. I applied to ISS (International School Services) and took a position with ASF (American School Foundation) in Mexico City. This was not thought through, this WAS an unplanned reaction to the fact that I felt I was not using my talents to their full potential. I simply wanted to do more for students that meet their expectations on a test. Up to this point I had been able to do this, but in a very stressful environment trying to juggle standards, state testing, and relying on administration to back my discipline issues and when any one of these factors seem to be unbalanced, as an educator, you spend most of you time filling in that space to remedy situations. What would happen if 60% of that time could be devoted to meeting the needs of students? I wanted to find out. I wanted to go back and pursue my degree in Library Science to disprove the stereotypes of what Media Specialists do, expected to do, and are limited to do. This time, I wanted to incorporate art.

Now, As I look back, I see after starting my blog (please check it out at https://harrybrake.wordpress.com) that these experiences, wrapped into one, provide a powerful punch to curriculum and challenges to students. The blog I created documents my start here, and shows how the amazing achievements of students can be a reciprocal event for educators. I look back and see all my achievements tied to some dynamic students, that just wanted some creativity, challenge, and excitement in their learning. As I wander from Museum to museum in Mexico City, I am in we of the beauty and wonder of the sites I visit. I am pulled back to the moments at the Clarice Smith Opportunity that brought Art alive in all realms of critical and social literacy. I recall how the Holocaust and ASNE Initiative allowed me to put a voice to these opportunities. I praise the Writing Institute for giving me the ability to write grants to empower students. It seems being the advisor of the Literary Magazine in Mexico City, and serving as the Assistant Librarian, has allowed to to take these previous experiences, and filter them out to the very educators that desire assistance to reach their goals of empowering students.

The power to rise above restrictions is there, sometimes is involves some radical decision, but I am most afraid of looking back on my life, and having regretted not standing up for my students, for the opportunities to grow better for future students, and the chances to lead students to do the same. Mexico City is just the tip of thew iceberg, and the list of accomplishments could be 20 pages long, and not mean a thing if it does not take your students, and yourself, anywhere but within the confines of your mind. it is so vital in this age of technology, impersonal experiences and interactions, to step back, and recreate what education is all about – a very personal experience, that will remain with you forever. You can decide if you want that experience to be meaningful or not. I have been lucky enough to be involved in the mentioned initiatives that have continued to let me plan, create, and give these gifts back to future generations to do the same. I still think Art is amazing, but now for a hundred more reasons!

Whew…we made it to a new year, I think all of us can say WHEW confidently! 🙂 Overall, I did sleep through the New Year, but I have slept better the last few months than I have in my life, that I can remember? So that is good right? 🙂 I have to say this – The New Year is a chance for you not to erase the past, if you try to wipe it away, then you have nothing to improve on – embracing it and improving on it will be your best bet, lol. I hope in 2012 I can be more open, more giving, better able to be more open-minded, and widen my opportunities more!

I heard on NRP from the weekend edition that a group of people still make original diaries made out of old type setting like they used in old printers. I think it is amazing to be able to look back at any given year and see the things you might have forgotten, and it is all there, a living history of your thoughts, reactions, and day in and day dealings with this thing we call life. I love that I started a blog so I can look back and see where I have come and gone, and continue to move towards. That should be a basic goal of everyone, to leave a trail of improvements for the New Year. I will try to make 2012 about ME instead of others all the time but I keep going back to the others, you make me ME, so it is a cycle!

I see myself being a part of education in at least 4 other countries before really deciding to find my way in the U.S, the international scene has so many things to offer that I haven’t figured out yet! Ultimately, I would love to work in a Museum being a part of the educational programs, I think that could wrap alot of my interests in one package – but I have so many things I want to do before that!

What four countries? Australia – Japan – somewhere in Europe – and Africa. I am excited as Alyssa Casey is now in China, and hope to hear her adventures. 🙂 I urge each of you to keep a record of the 2012 before it goes too much further, I think you will be very glad to have when you look back!

I have 7 days left before the return, and hope to make some headway on editing the novel I wrote for Nano, the course I am taking called 21st Century Pathways for NCTE, as well as getting ready for my classes to finish up my Library Science Master’s – I am nervous but excited! On top of all of that, I am on book three of the Thrones 4 book series, 🙂 I hope to finish this third book, Storm of Swords and work on the 4th before I go back! 🙂 My museum quest is good, I have hit over 8 museums, and will finish my list of all the top Museums to see before break is over, then I can start with the ones NOT on the list! As I have said, I have learned more about Mexico lately from the museums than anything else….:)

I miss and love the fact I have so many close gifts in friends and family – so that will fuel any goals I have for 2012! Thanks for being followers of my blog, I look forward to sharing the countless photos I have of the last few days – and may 2012 bring many more gifts for all of you! It has to be better than 2011 I am thinking! 🙂 Happy New YEAR!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,500 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 25 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Note: People with alot of money have the following:

Way over ego syndrome – trying to compensate for um, well, I guess having alot of money and little personality or generosity towards others.

Complain way more about things that should not matter, but matter to them.

Way more social problems thanks to the money problem.

Are actually kind of boring, after all the things that money can buy, what is left? Sugarcoating life with money well, great at first, but um, I will still to the creative out of way ideas I have invented that do not need the almighty dollar

Have really creepy conversations, or on the other side of that coin – have boring conversation that always, seem to go back to money

Are very competitive and protective of seemingly to be better than alot of others

Usually are snotty and mean to their parents

Are the essence of the song – “End of the Innocence” by Don Henley

Have no regard for those that do not compare to those that work sweat, and strain under the burden of living from paycheck to paycheck

Now, here is the good news, not everyone fits this mold, (whew!) – I tend to like the people that do have money, but do not flaunt it, do not act as if they have alot of money – there are SOME that are like this, and still are generous in spirit and action, but they are in the minority…

The funny thing? I noticed and thought of this walking through the park tonight, and seeing a few people in the flashy cars, burning rubber at a stoplight, singing a little too loud as if they were Casanova, and realized…

“God, thank you for not giving me alot of money and when you did, thank you for letting me share it, not taking for granted the fact that there is not enough to go around to everyone, that showing it should be shared, the more you give the richer you are without a raising bank account, and thank you for letting me walk tonight and let me realize how valuable things are without money clouding them.” Funny how deep thoughts come an go….and all about money, lol….

Hola!  I am sorry I have been lazing on my posts, but but by now I hope everyone has caught up with reading!  🙂  Merry Belated Christmas!  And a Happy New Year to come!  Okay, here is the fastest update you will ever see, but it will keep you updated!  🙂

Christmas was great – I mean, I was here, and did not hang out with anyone, but some realizations – not being around alot of materialistic things, and motivations, and seeing children, families, and others that really just were happy to have something to eat – I needed a holiday like this to realize how grateful I was for the family I have.  The gifts I received from my Secret Santa were amazing, authentic portraits glazed from her studio, an airplane made out of tin, the licorice from Australia, the gift I received that represented Mexican handicrafts, and I can hardly wait to bring the cultural gifts that have deep meaning home, so overall, the holiday was a success for many reasons.  I mastered getting someone to come and turn on a specific internet instead of periodically as of January 8th thanks to Karen!  I am watching her awesome dog Maggie while she is away – and thanks to Karen I mastered the Eco Bici program, and I love riding bikes all over the D.F!

I am tutoring two kids in the Spring for 1 month, which will pay for me rent for one month and will give me extra too!

I am catching up on all my bills, thanks to Mrs Duryea, Sandra, Mrs. Vaughn, Brissa, Mom, and others, the “Dream team” I will be saving alot of money per month too!

I am finally finishing my 2nd Master’s in Library Science, so this will put me at 2 Master’s Plus 13 credits after Fall 2012!  Yeah!   

I am teaching in various classes periodically to keep my teaching experience current.

I am chaperoning the MUN trip to Dublin in April.

I hopefully plan to come back and work the Blades Summer Instructional class over the summer, and looking for a summer place to rent.

Dewey is growing very large!

I am getting my braces and teeth finally finished!  🙂   

New restaurants, Chopperia and VIPS!  🙂  ALSO, Karma Bagel, I will be writing reviews for these soon!

FInished Book one – Game of Thrones, awesome, working on the remaining three books before break is over, my George R .R.  Martin, they are good!

Finished Hunger Games, loved them!

There is more I am sure, but my main goals are by summer, have money saved in the bank, help Mom with getting her ahead in the next year, being ahead of my education so I can do multiple tasks and have choices with jobs, be more international qualified….these are some early New Year’s resolutions!  🙂  

I took some great pictures of Mexico in Christmas time and will be forwarding those over!  🙂 

I miss all of you! 🙂

Harry B

I like the Life is Good logo, and products! Today, well, for unusual reasons, was a GREAT day despite some crazy things that would normally be a BAD day. LOL. Okay, here goes, I digress (as usual).

Last time I left off trying a good pasta place Pasta i Basta. It was great. I was lucky! The week back from break, Thanksgiving, well, hard as usual but cool that we began to set up CHRISTMAS Decorations! 🙂 Speaking of this, I will not be coming home for Christmas, this bums me out as I had some sentimental gifts for my Mom, cousins, Melinda, friends, other family. Bummed. But, all things work out for a reason right? 🙂 (Keep saying that). However, I will get them the gifts I have here somehow! 🙂

Okay- so Christmas here, but, it will be cool to see how Mexico celebrates I have to admit. Speaking of WHAT A CHRISTMAS PARTY by ASF! HOLY WOW! The decorations were AWESOME, BIG SCREEN TV’s given away, Xboxes, ipods, laptops, all employees received a certificate for a TURKEY! I mean, wow! The food, seriously, despite having an adverse impact, :), I have never seen such an event for employees…WOW! I loved it! As thew week winded down, the lit magazine staff gathered and began to look through submissions!

Holy cow! We have over 60 submissions already and more from around the globe! I mean EVERYWHERE! 🙂 Friday, finally it is here! YES!

This week saw a good friend – Jen leave for her hometown of Canada. The funny thing, I had a chance to sit down with her, at a great restaurant, El Dragon (awesome authentic Chinese and wonderful to slip into a new environment just within a restaurant!) and we talked and talked and I really got to know her and she is amazing! It is amazing when you actually take time to get to know someone. I visited her apartment /penthouse. ohmygosh! A bathtub! Wood floors! it was a true penthouse and I loved, L O V E D the room there, Amazing view, amazing everything!

Saturday – Loved the day! Went on a look around to see the Angel in Reforma, and while I was reading on the steps, someone came over, wrote on a post it note “Sonrre ama y Disfruta” – she smiled at me across the way and they handed out post it notes to alot of people there….way cool! It was just nice though, I do not get what Sonrre means? Anyone? 🙂 I took some awesome pics, and then headed back. That night…

Wow. not sure what happened, but it seemed liked someone punched me in the nose, it hurt to touch it! I took like three hot showers, to try and rid myself of the migraine, and breathe in the steam. It had all the markings of a sinus infection I hoped. I looked up on the internet, and it was a cross between celulitis and sinus infection. I couldn’t lie down as the pressure was too much, and behind my nose it ACHED! I made it somehow through the night (one of those nights that seemed it would never, ever end and could not sleep!) and I literally bee lined it for the hospital next door. (One advantage of being across from the hospital!) It seemed I DID have a beginning of cellulitis, (GROAN), immediately bought antibiotics, and took them with Advil. I could literally tell the difference in a few hours, YES! I immediately went to bed despite the sunny outlook and I was OUT….

When I woke up at 2:00, I literally felt so happy to be alive, and to have slept! LOL…All through the night Dewey had been by my side, awesome! I got up, showered again (like 4 in one day!) – the hot water felt GREAT – and then headed to Condessa to El Pendula. I settled in and read a GREAT GREAT book – House of SILK by Anthony Horowitz, the first new Sherlock Holmes book in a series, and WOW! You NEED TO READ! I want to read all of Sherlock Holmes’ older ones now! – I loved El Pendula, the waiter was AWESOME – and I loved the atmosphere. Take a look at the cool appetizer, then vegetarian wrap, and then dessert . Seriously, my body ached, from the sick battle, most of you felt that way, after being utterly out of it and then it feels like your body was in a boxing match, and this place was perfectly relaxing WOW!. Food was stupendous, and was a great place to listen to music (Beatles!) and finish a book. All was great. I was not rushed, and the waiter was EXCELLENT! 🙂 I felt just sooo content and began to think…..You know. I have alot to be thankful for. Friends that are to die for in Delaware, friends here that are amazing, and there are so many people complaining about soooo much….I mean, look at the bad things that happened to me yet, you know what, pick yourself up and enjoy the good things despite that, and help others out. There are so many people that can complain a storm away, me included, yet, the weather, the food, people around you, can in fact be wonderful if you look for that. It is there. I miss my friends and family yes, ALOT, yet, if I was stressed out and answering to everyone above me, I would not be happy. It is important to have people trust you for the job you do everyday, what you are capable of, and have people challenge you to improve YOUR skills, not to make the others satisfied alone, that is a shallow place to be. Anyone that pushes another into that place for their own reasons becomes just as shallow. Good riddance to that, and hello Christmas.

The thought I am able to think about and receive about my friends are the best gifts in the world. I looked for gifts tonight for the Library cadets, and found nothing that was their value at all, and realized, I will write down the things they might not see about themselves and present that to them, in a special way, but the materialism of Christmas fades away when you push it aside and just spend time and do some creative things for and with the people that have shared things with you. Then, the material things begin to fade away and for the first time, you see what the holidays are all about and you can’t get enough time to spend with friends and family! That is satisfying.

On the walk back, I thought these thoughts, and then realized, Christmas in Mexico or Delaware, or anywhere, does not need to be Christmas without me being there. The memories, thoughts, and event I had with all those people, if they meant something, will be with them and myself wherever I go! 🙂

I hopped on the puter to update these thoughts, and ran into Lee Mayer! We talked about Zach Cain and the days of the XC team, and wow, I miss those days badly! I liked catching up on the doings of Lee, and again realized, how lucky I was to have had the chance and opportunity to spend with those students and learn so much about myself! I remember, when Zach (who tried out for XC the FIRST TIME and gave up a familiar sport) and when Lee and Zach ran together, they competed yet everyone else faded away, and it was them, the course, and Vince. That was it. You could see it in their faces. Over the years, people lose the ability to keep those important to them close to their heart, and in what they do. However, what I admired about Lee and Zach, they kept Vince alive and still kept a portion of the run for themself. Not many people do that, in XC let alone in life!

I always thought admin would be a great job, interact with students, etc,but no. I have not seen hardly any admin that are servants to the cycle of politics, being the bow down to someone else, and I never want to sacrifice my time to be able to share with someone else. I think the students at Seaford High were unbelievable and when given a curriculum that freed their minds, they could do anything in and out of school. Given freedom to soar, and being able to create a school that would allow that kind of freedom, can you imagine the possibilities? Amazing! Dreams, lol…

ASF is a great school to be able to spread your wings, but as anywhere, you have to learn to say no in some case, yes on others, and figure out which will let you grow the most. I am relieved the earthquake here was little, I did not even feel it, and I am grateful for the chance to truly experience another culture instead of out of a textbook. The thing is, this is so easy for anyone to do, the world is at people’s doorstep, and to avoid it or neglect that opportunity is such a shame! It is amazing, and Mexico can be the best and worst of places, just like teaching can be, however….it takes a group of people to stand up for what is right and what it was like to be a student and then change that results to make it better than anyone can before or after you…and the positive things start to float up….:) I have noticed about myself, when things begin to give me a hard time, it is sometimes easier to let them go, and move on to the things that matter more, people, your thoughts, time to reflect, time to enjoy. This is what makes life Good! 🙂

I was lucky enough to be asked to write about various experiences recently, and well, here they are! It is important to let your voice be heard sharing gains and bounds in education!

Collaborating with teachers and students on P2PU

So much has happened – and well, I still ned to go back to the NCTE posts and explain what happened at convention. That is like being at camp, and you can’t put into words the whole experience…I will try to do over the next few days…the words I heard, people I met, and things I shared and gained take me above what a teacher could possibly do and turn people into educators!

Before the weekend, I had an amazing teleconference with 10 people at the same time, on Teachers Teaching Teachers! Check it out!

This weekend, quite awesome. Friday, I came home relatively early, LOVED THAT! Went to Pasta i Basta , (see the restaurant page review!) – I loved it! The owners came out talking to me as we had previous conversation on facebook, and they were worth the visit just to visit! I like places because of more than them trying to be more fancy and above the bar than someone else, and when it comes to people people, :), winner! Great place, great food, and they defy that fast food can’t be healthy and good!
After that, I went to Starbuck’s, and began to get some actual reading done! I DID! I mean, I had alot done! One thing I did notice, I always, always, ALWAYS lately anyway, have had a drop dead, good looking lady come by and sit near me while at Starbucks! I have to say, it motivated me to get alot done, wow! I am not saying that because it as me they sat down there, trust me, they didn’t know I was there unless I made a move to place my things aside, and well, to be honest….I am not at the stage where I can breathe normal let alone tell them I love them in Spanish…LOL….I love Starbucks for the academic atmosphere, there were so many people that had books and resources out and were working on academic things, it was cool to see. Sure the Condessa and hip style/stereotype do stick, and there were plenty there that reinforced that, but overall academic won over trendy tonight!

It was peaceful just to wander back and relax, yes, relax and well I love Friday nights and single…strange maybe but I enjoy seeing and enjoying at my pace! I took Dewey to the park in Condessa and chilled and think she loved the fresh air too…:)

Saturday – slept in! (My version was 8:00 AM but was awesome!)
I decided, I want to see Libreria del Fondo Rosario Castellanos, and wow. I want to speak Spanish, then read it ASAP to take in all these books in Spanish! This place used to be a former movie theatre, and the children’s reading (and the reader could SING!) and just the overall AWESOME feel of the place, I loved it.

After that, I made my way to the metro, to San Angel, where I walked from the Metro stop and found Diego Rivera’s house/Frido Kahlo’s and now museum. There is something about seeing items that belong to people contained a mystery, a beauty, yet a mysteriousness about them. This was such a place, I loved taking my time and seeing it all at my own pace…It is free with a teacher id, and I paid 30 pesos to take pictures hoping it would help the museum. I also took pictures of the San Angel Inn across the street, it reminded me of a restaurant called Tara, in Ohio! While in San Angel, I happened across the shops we had been to when I first arrived, the restaurant, Sabado Bazaar, and a wedding! It was picture perfect! I took some great pictures, and headed to the Metro finally…:)

On the way back, I stopped at Sumesa, and bought some blackberries, a sandwich, and mineral water with lemon for the walk back to the Metro. It quenched my thirst! I ran into an art museum on Revolucion I want to see next time, and then boarded and decided to go to the school in Observatio, where I processed my application form for a Scholarship to finish my Master’s at Mansfield! (Fingers crossed) I got back on headed home, and realized how tired I was! 🙂 I slept the rest of the night!

Sunday! – I washed my own clothes, tons of shirts, socks for 2 weeks! YEAH! 🙂 Updated and finished a wiki project for P2PU – check out the wiki our groups made for educators!

I then hurried up, travelled to Freedom Bar/Restaurant for The Steelers versus the Bengals! YEAH! I love being among other Steeler fans, and wow, awesome awesome game! We dominated! Loved seeing Steelers, it has been awhile! 🙂 Next, the BROWNS! 🙂 And we are first in our division! 🙂 WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO! While there I was able to also catch up on my Spanish notes, that was GREAT!

Came home, checked out the World Trade Center on the way back, took some pics, checked on my laundry I left like 2 1/2 weeks ago but it was closed! –
Maybe Monday! 🙂

I still need to…..1)Update my bog from NCTE, work on that this week.
2)Work on NCTE 21st Century Learners PD on site!
3)organize my table in the living room
4)Celebrate that one of my Seaford co workers is coming to MEXICO next year! 🙂 YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
5)Get ready for Secret Santa in the Library!
6)Prepare for our meeting after school tomorrow for Lit Mag!
7)follow up with detentions for fine owers at ASF 😦

Make it the best Monday possible! 🙂

P.S What is the Harry Film Festival at ASF? Who is Harry, besides me? He has got to be good looking to have a film festival named after him? Should I claim I know what that is when alot of students keep asking me about it? 🙂 Maybe it will bring some people? Really? I have never heard of a Harry Film Festival, but I like it…..:)

After a great weekend, and reading the first “This I Believe” book, I decided to do my own. If you don’t like long blogs, you might want to shelve this one. I was motivated by the Steeler victory check out my contribution to a wonderful win today and being in first place of their division. But before we get to the Steelers who I value in this order:

God
Family
Steelers
Friends
Steelers
Food
Steelers
pets
Steelers
women
Steelers
toilet paper

Let’s look at a few personal This I believe’s I came up with:

I believe that life is too short for all things to be realized.

I believe the best parts of the week are Mondays – they challenge you to be your best on the lest unexpected days

I believe it is better to have more unanswered questions that answers to your life

I believe it is better to be single and hold no regrets, than married and have many

I believe the perfect marriages that exists are due to the willing of two people to sacrifice, and not one.

I believe money exists to be a test of true characters

I believe that people that have an attitude, have no personality worthy of notice

I believe money is the root of all evil, whether you need it or not

I believe dating many people is not the best philosophy for all people

I believe animals are the harbingers of people’s personality

I believe the more I have to suffer, the more I will learn

I believe the best classes, the best courses, the best education, and the best jobs are those that cost nothing, earn nothing monetarily, and intrinsically pay off the most

I believe looking down on another is also looking down on yourself

I believe being a friend is something you can’t define

I believe putting yourself last is not negative, and these actions will place yourself first naturally

I believe that tattoos, piercings, plastic surgery, are not negative, but do not make someone better looking

I believe the the beauty that exists without makeup

I believe in holding doors and placing coats on rain puddles

I believe in never sacrificing my beliefs for the sake of not being single

I believe money is one of many tools to help others

I believe education should not be earned for grades, points, credit, or certificates, it should be earned for intrinsic reasons

I believe that peanut butter and chocolate should be made a national food

I believe that free public internet should be provided in public places

I believe that women are more powerful than society allows them to be

I believe that running is a religion

I believe that your body is a sanctuary

I believe that a woman, with the right smile, personality, and perfume can make a life-lomg memory

I believe faith, pets, and friends have the ability to heal as much as medicine

I believe old age comes with inner happiness and selflessness to others

I believe less in others and more in myself

I believe technology is a tool, education is a staple

I believe the Steelers are the lifeblood of many attributes of generosity,selflessness, and kindness and example getting your hands-dirty and giving 100% of yourself in many ways – here are many reasons why-

The Steelers were the first team to demonstrate equality, believing in starting the first African American quarterback.

Being the first team to have the first wide receiver receive the Super Bowl MVP.

Being owner and recipient of the Immaculate Reception.

Being the oldest team in the AFC.

There is a reason Joe Paterno turned down the coaching job of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chuck Knoll accepted.

That 1969-2006 the Steelers only had two coaches.

On of the biggest mistakes was cutting Johnny Unitas in 1969, but then we did have Terry Bradshaw…:)

Loving that the Steelers were the first team to have professional cheerleaders.

Being the first team in history to win more than two superbowls.

There was a reason Al Bundy was released in 1969 from the Steelers.

There is a reason the Pittsburgh Steelers have won the most Superbowls.

There is a reason the Steelers are the only team that has the logo on one side of their helmet.

Being able to compliment another team when the Steelers fall short, and yet, loving them more than the other team.

Not hearing the Steelers complimented from other teams and realizing, Yes, am part of the Steeler nation.

I believe teachers impact every aspect of life and are not given enough credit

I believe state tests are a weakness to come up with a better education system

I believe should laugh at I told you so’s and use them to improve

I believe nontraditional approaches are the best

I believe in standing out in the crowd, quietly and loudly

Three generations of Rooneys show the power of keeping a team family, ignoring money as a factor, and facing issues players might have and trying to work through it, not hide them under a rug (sorry Joe Paterno).

For the above reasons, and from watching the Steelers in my grandparents as a child, and being driven to the funeral of Art Rooney’s wife and seeing the team in paying tribute, and knowing, there is a trace of lineage in my blood of Rooney’s, no matter how slight, I believe in the Steelers above any other team, despite good or bad.

Throw your excuses at me, once a Steelers, once a native of Pittsburgh, it is always in your blood, this I believe about the Steelers.

I believe in believing. 🙂