The Power of Collaboration

Wow.  My brain is full!  We had our 'job alike' today and I spent 6 hours mixing and mingling with other learning specialists from our district.  It was one of those 'tasks' that I dreaded.  Didn't want to go at all.  I wanted to stay in bed this morning, sure that the day would be less than fun, and only somewhat useful.  I was sure that I could get so much done at work today.  Sure that my time would be better spent somewhere else.  Boy was I WRONG!  I hate it when I'm wrong :-(

It is amazing...the power of collaboration.  Just sit three of four people down together and the ideas begin to fly!  Get a bunch of teachers together and there may be fireworks.  Teachers are, I believe, some of the most passionate people out there!  Thank goodness.  Today I learned how much more I need to learn.  I learned that I have an incredible network of knowledgeable people at my fingertips.  There is something about being in a group of people that you really don't know, at least not well, that lends itself to opening up.  At least for me.  Today I had a lot to say.  I was not afraid to share my thoughts and concerns.  It felt good to suggest ideas as well as heed the advice of others.  Actually, I'm pretty excited for Monday.  There is so much that I want to try.  So many ideas that I can take back to my colleagues and kiddos!

It turned out to be a very productive day...and quite humbling.  So glad I rolled out of bed this morning!


Friday night (1800 Tequila~Anejo, fresh lime, kosher salt, and a beer chaser)!!!

~Cab Lover

The Alien Inside Me...

I think an alien has recently inhabited my body!  No joke.  I'm not sure who I am anymore.  But it's not a bad thing, in fact, I'm really excited about the changes I'm noticing.  Maybe that sounds strange...but, I'll risk sounding a bit insane to explain.

It started over Christmas break.  I began to do things that just weren't 'me'.  For instance, I started this blog.  Understand, I am not a writer.  At least in my mind I'm not (or wasn't anyway).  Then, my husband bought me a $269 KitchenAid mixer.  $269!  For a mixer!  I don't cook, and I certainly don't bake.  At least I didn't.  Then, I started the 365 Project...take a picture a day, everyday, and post it for the world to see.  Hmmm....who is this new risk taker?

I wish I could say that all of these changes, these risks, were well thought out...planned for...anticipated.  But they were not.  None of them.  Oh, I had been thinking, for years even, about  starting a blog.  But who would read it?  What did I have to say that was of interest to anyone? Then one day I opened up my Google account and saw eBlogger.  I  checked it out and I just began to write. True, I had just watched Julie and Julia, and was under the influence of a great bottle of wine (not the whole bottle), but still.  This was not the Marci I knew.

Blogging was one thing.  But the baking?  And I mean silly amounts of baking going on!  Cookies, cakes, candy, pies...some days I was in the kitchen for 8 hours!  Guess what?  Everything tasted good.  Better than good.  My cookies were awesome!  The Dulce de leche triple layer cake was to die for!  I was turning into someone new.  And I liked her!

Blogging.  Baking.  Then came the photography.  My husband is the photographer, not me.  However, I picked up the camera over fall break and started to like it.  Love it, really.   I loved it so much my husband gave me his camera and got himself a new one.  People began complimenting me on some of my pictures.  So I took more.  Along came the 365 Project.  Now I look at the everyday things in my life with a renewed lens.  My husband and I have just launched our photography website.  I'm having a blast!

Maybe 2011 is just my year.  Maybe I have been really insecure and afraid to venture outside my box and have always had the underpinnings of creativity.  Maybe.  But I don't really spend too much time thinking about why I'm changing.  I'm grateful.  I'm happy.  I'm learning something new everyday.  And most importantly, I'm digging this alien!

Here's to creative 'juices' (Robert Mondavi Private Selection, 2008)

http://www.at-every-turn-photography.com
http://365project.org/marcimurray/365

~Cab Lover

Spoiled!

I'm feeling pretty spoiled as of late.  Last week was very low key, as so many of my kiddos were off on their Voyage (yes, I know I promised to explain Voyages...soon).  Of course we had yesterday off to celebrate MLK, and we have a professional development day on Friday.  These three and four-day weeks are nice.  But we 'pay' for it in the end.  We truly do!

Today I saw my 1st graders for the first time in 6 days!  That's a lot of days when you are a six-year-old struggling reader.  Being away for an extended time like that does funny things to a little guy (or gal)...it's similar to the Barometric effect (see earlier post)!  If you don't believe regression can happen in six days...think again!

Out of the many kiddos I saw today, two of them cried and one wouldn't even speak to me.  It's not me (at least I don't think it is), they just have to get back into the groove.  Just like teachers do.  But we don't cry...well, not that much anyway.

One little guy could not for the life of him read the word 'ball'.  Really?  At first I thought he was just messing around.  He likes to stall so that he can linger on the page and look at the pictures.  Nope.  He wasn't stalling.  He really forgot the word 'ball'.  And 'by'.  He kept reading 'here' instead of 'where'.  As I felt my exasperation rising, I had to remind myself how hard it was for me to focus at my meeting this morning.  Then I had to reread a particular email 3 times before I could really comprehend what it said.  AND,  I spaced out an interview a coworker had scheduled with me even though she reminded me just a few short hours earlier.  So...I get it.   I regressed too. 

It helps to have empathy (another of our character traits)!  Kids are great for that.  They can really help you to step back and say, hmmm...in the scheme of things, is this really a big deal?  Sure, I can get upset that little Johnny forgot some high-frequency words (words he knew just six days ago)! Or, I can choose to delight in the fact that I get to spend 30 pretty awesome minutes with some pretty amazing kids!  I get to hold little Joey's hand while he cries for 10 whole minutes and hear the story of one little guys brand new baby brother!  Not a bad way to spend my day.  Not bad at all!

I still like four-day weeks  :-)

We had dinner at a friend's house tonight and enjoyed some yummy wine but, I forgot to ask what it was.  I know it was red...

~Cab Lover

Not sure what wine we had...but this was dessert!!!!

Lazy Sunday!

Well...it's been a lazy, but great day!  Yesterday I had the worst sinus headache of my life (thus, no post), and today I worked all day on the website for you new business~ At Every Turn Photography!

I do love days like these... a little bit of this, a little bit of that.  Enjoyed spending some time taking pictures today and thought I would share some.

A glimpse of our Sunday~

Matt made me breakfast!!

Yummy!

A teenager's treasures

I guess we know who wears the pants in this family...

Our Jolie

Sweet Kiana!

I hope you had a restful day!

Tried a new wine tonight (Robert Mondavi, Section 29 Lodi Red Wine, 2008)!  Not bad :-)

~Cab Lover