When you find yourself in a hole... STOP DIGGING!: inspiration

Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

measure

I'm trying to pull together evidence to support the high school library and my job as a professional librarian. Not in response to anything recent so don't panic, I just know I need to be doing this in general as a professional. It's not like I can present test scores or adequate student progress so how do I measure or prove that my salary is well spent on a certified librarian. Today as I was reviewing some things students were pouring in and when I sat back down I thought here's the dialogue of the last 15 mins in the HS library.

I need a book
I need a book
can I renew
can I check this out
I don't know what to read
I don't like this
I'm thinking of doing my English project on like the end days or like the breakdown of the government- what do you have in here on that?
wanna see my grades
wanna see my drawing...
Thank you Mrs. Lovin

That last one made me tear up a bit. It's from the kid who comes in everyday. He does homework beside me at my desk. We check his grades and discuss what we are going to do about that. His artwork had some really personal stuff going on. I paused my work of trying to put my job on paper and poured over his art project he brought in just to show me. We talked about what was in there. As he walked away he muttered Thank You Mrs. Lovin. And I know it isn't just for doing my job. It's for paying attention. We all do it. I'm not the only one. I'm just trying to figure out how you put a price on that. How do I measure that? How do I include that? Rambling I know but it's my struggle lately. And I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to book talk and work collaboratively alongside teachers and students doing phenomenal work.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Listen

Listen. People want to know that you are listening.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Just for Today...

Just finished All Over but the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg. Sounds very familiar especially when his mother and aunt are speaking. Or speakin'.

Woke up to the smell of coffee.. .ahh the pleasure of traveling with early risers who drink coffee :) now add a little Cinnabon creamer and we're ready for the a day at the beach! — with GeorgeandLouisa Rise.

Weezy read me this me this morning... Just for Today

Just for today: I will try to live through this day only,
and not tackle all my problems at once.
I can do something for twelve hours that
would appall me if I felt that I had to
keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for today: I will be happy. This
assume to be true what Abraham Lincoln said,
*Most folks are as happy as they make up their
minds to be.*
Just for today: I will adjust myself to what is,
and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will
Take my *luck* as it comes, and fit myself into it
Just for today:I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study.
I will not be a mental loafer.
I will read something that requires effort.
Thought and concentration.
Just for today: I will exercise my soul
in three ways: it will do somebody a good turn
and not get found out; if anybody know of it, it
will not count. I will do at least two things I
don't want to do-- just for exercise. I will
not show anyone that my feelings are hurt: they may
be hurt but today I will not show it.
Just for today: I will be agreeable. I will
look as well as I can, dress becomingly, keep my voice
low,be courteous,criticize not one bit. I won't find
fault with anything, nor try to improve or regulate
anybody else but myself.
Just for today: I will have a program.
I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it.
I will save myself from two pests: Hurry and Indecision's.
Just for today: I will have a quiet half
hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour,
sometime I will try to get a better perspective of
my life.
Just for today: I will be un-afraid.
Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what
is beautiful,and to believe that as I give to the
world, so the world will give back to me.

At Hilton Head and we are getting along swimmingly.
The drive down here was easy and humorous. Yolanda drove the whole way and she made good time! I flipped through magazines and finished reading All Over But the Shoutin'. Then we listened to MetroGirl by Janet Evanovich together. Lovely.

We drove by my first teaching job location. Barbourville. I told the ladies about the student who came by my room and asked me to carry her home?!?!?! Took me awhile to realize she was just asking for a ride in my car.

Yo threatened a local at the gas station! Lady didn't pull up to the first pump but just the first. Yo leaned out the window and shouted, "Did you not see the pump in front of you?" "No" "REALLY?" Then she whipped around got out and continued gripping VERY LOUDLY!

One of the fun parts of the ride down here was Yo and me telling Margy about growing up. Yo told her she used to prick me with the diaper safety pins (telling my age there) and making me cry then telling my mom I cry too much she should take me back.

Last night we ate at Nick's Steak and Seafood. Grouper was panko encrusted. Good stuff.

One of the mag articles mentioned Breck shampoo. My best childhood friend Christie's mom used it on us when I spending the night. The smell is heavenly.

Summertime. A time to forget what day it is. The date. The day of the week.
A time to forget what time it is. Lingering day... That's when I know it's summer and I'm in the groove!

So fresh coffee, green smoothie, an english muffin sandwich (made by Weezie) and what a wonderful morning served up wonderful.

Milton was our tour guide on the gullah tour. He was very knowledgeable and well received as we drove around the back roads and he pointed out houses, people, and history. Wonderful tour.

Margy had the first craft night and it was hilarious. She did not do the craft ahead of time and it was a total flop. It is absolutely amazing how something could go so wrong and we could have one of the funnest most memorable times ever!

We went to a local seafood place and I bought scallops and key lime pie. Both were good but the scallops were to die for in our pasta dish that night.

The three of us all wondered why Margy chose us to come to Hilton Head with her. An odd assortment of people. She said this was her wedding anniversary (she's getting a divorce) and she wanted to be surrounded by 3 strong women.

My (borrowed) laptop died while I was at HHI so I'm now trying to suss out my notes.
We each were assigned an evening to cook. We had Orzo chicken zucchini and thin spaghetti scallops and flounder among other things. It was delicious.

We watched The Descendants. It was fabulously quirky.

I can't really remember is our gullah guide was Milton or Irving. I jotted both names down. He recommended Chef David's roast chicken and cornbread. We'll go there next year.

He pointed out Broad Creek and a little community called Jarvis. That was my grandfather's name. I wonder if he was from here. He also pointed out Port Royal, a large gullah community.

Another first was clearing the beach because of lightening and trees falling on my head. Seriously. It was downright scary.

We left by 7 on Saturday morning and we were back by 8pm. That's not bad.

Another notable event was the Riesling incident. Really funny. And that's all I've got to say about that.

We listened to Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich on the way down there, driving around there and on the way back. Favorite quote by the manly man main character. Something going on that the girl main character wanted him to do. His response was no way...

I'd get my testicles repossessed.

Funny stuff.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Syndicated columnist Molly Ivins dies at 62

favorite quotes, "I'm sorry to say (cancer) can kill you, but it doesn't make you a better person" and "We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action..."

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

In Book Retailing, Neatness Doesn't Count

I love this quote..."Some people don't like too much order in bookshops and want to feel like they're finding something. You can have 300,000 books perfectly arranged on the shelf, and every time, people will walk in and want to look at the books stacked up on the floor. So if you really want to sell something, jumble it up and pitch it on the floor."--Larry McMurtry, author and owner of Booked Up, Archer City, Tex., in "How to Run a Bookstore" inBloomberg BusinessWeek.

And I have found it to be true. 5000 books in a library organized by Dewey Decimal code and almost without fail each student peruser walks straight to the reshelve cart first.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Snuff said

Not some of my best OOTD pics but documented!

Today Hub's tracked down an unwelcome visitor in the building today. Where's your hall pass mister?!?!?!?

Friday is the first day of Autumn and I'll finally say goodbye to open toe shoes but can I still go bare legged? It's not cold enough for tights yet and I refuse to wear hosiery. Right?
We ended up going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner since we had to drive south to pick something up from my mom's. She and my dad joined us for an impromptu dinner. Nice. Hubs and I are on a diet. He has dropped ten lbs in a week to my 2. Poop. Of course he is so strict it sickens me and I... well
Hubs- "So I heard you ate a piece of cookie cake for breakfast."
Me- "What??!?! Who told you?"
Hubs- "K. tried to give me a piece and I told her we were dieting. She told me."
Me- "Ok but I thought she said coffee cake (sideways glance) not that bad and it was 9am and I didn't have time to eat breakfast. But then it was a cookie cake and she was already cutting it and waited while I ate it!"
Hubs- "um hum"

My mother visited my great aunt in Kentucky last weekend. My great aunt sent Bubs some things including this glass and she wrote the significance of the glass. Love her.

Over the weekend Bubs had his year end party for his fishing league. So apparently I am completely uninformed because they paired off with adults and had a mini tournament and their was a guy from some cable channel there to interview the boys. It was precious. These boys are anywhere from about 12- 18 and they stared into the camera and were INTERVIEWED. Priceless.