Box of Chocolates

I'm guilty. Anyone that reads my blog knows I commit word crimes. The worst lately was in my last post. The first word of the first sentence. I really do know the difference between it's and its. I worked on the last blog for a while on Friday.  I read it multiple times before I posted. When I went to look at it later, I just about died. I probably should have walked away and went back and posted later.  I can make excuses for my lack of grammar or word choice but here's the thing, I am writing.  For that I am not going to feel too bad about my grammar errors. I am sure there is someone that would love to take a red pen to my blog. I sometimes wish someone would. I'm know I have a lot to learn. You would think at my age I would already know how English works but I really was not interested in reading or writing when I was a kid. I tolerated school because I had to go. I guess you could say I am a late bloomer.  It wasn't until I was in college that I feel in lov

It has been 24 days since I changed my password and logged off Facebook. I have logged on twice to see if anyone messaged me and logged back off. Which I am glad that I did because someone messaged me about math tutoring. The only thing I missed was if someone had had their baby. I was interested to know and while I tried so hard to stay off Facebook I did search her name just to see if she had the baby. Then I thought if she did have the baby and I don't know then are we really friends?   We are not friends by the true definition, just virtual Facebook friends. Top 10 Things I Don't Miss About Facebook 1. Selling of Rodan & Fields, LuLaRue, 31, Ketones or Scentsy.  I like some of these products and support you 100% and hope you do well.  The multiple posts on your product daily but nothing else in your life, blah. 2. Bragging. I love to see pictures of your vacation, if it isn't the only time you are on Facebook. 3. Posting fake news. 4. Making a comment I ho

Today I remembered something from fifth grade.  It isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things but in my world I was surprised at the timing. Earlier in the day I was reading Modern Library Writer's Workshop A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch. I read the first part of chapter two, The Writing Life. It is odd that the day I read about remembering and what writers do to remember I had a flashback. Just hours later I had this moment when I was visited by a shadow of my past when I least expected it.  Proof a writer should always have a notepad.  I am taking a student for math lessons starting tomorrow. It isn't that they can't do the work. They don't want to do the work. I get it. Math in fourth and fifth grade, although easy as an adult is tedious as a child. I have been researching the why behind the inevitable phrase,  "show your work".   Long division is, long.  It takes time and seems pointless to a 9 or 10 year old kid.  I want my

Idioms, they are clever words with a meaning that have transcended time. I remember when I was a kid my mom would tell me, "that is the pot calling the kettle black".  I understood the meaning but the history behind those words took me longer to understand. I remember the day I had the aha moment when saying those words. As a child of the 80's we really didn't have cast iron kettles or pots. I am not sure where I was or how old but I do remember the connection to a black pot and black kettle.  It those moments when you audibly make a noise at the connection.   As a student teacher many moons ago in my first internship I had to teach one lesson. I was given the reins to a fourth grade science lesson on earthquakes and plate tectonics. One of the students had an aha moment that day. It was one of my first times teaching a class and to hear a kid audibly make a sound when they understood the topic makes a life long impression on you. I love aha moments. They seem t

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.    ~ Thomas Edison   As a parent I really struggle with how much should I meddle in the affairs of my kids. At what point are you just making your kids decisions for them? Recently I went to a winter retreat with a group of middle and high school students as a chaperone. We had fun, but as a chaperone we were talking about a choice one of the kids was making and the other parent said to us along the lines of it will be a "self correcting error".  At what point do we has parents let our kids fail, not to be mean spirited but at some point you learn by error. Clearly something that is going to cause them or others physical or emotional harm needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. What about the kid that wants to take AP history? The class you know will be hard. It will take a lot of work and might not be worth the AP credit. Do you let them never even have a cha

This is a time line of how one can be very busy but get very little done. Some times are estimates, some are recorded by phone call, text or email.  I had that much going on yesterday that I have many events time recorded and because of technology I can sit here hours later and sum up my day. 6:15AM I get up get kids ready for school, pack lunches, get dressed, etc. 7:25 AM We leave for morning drop off. 7:44 AM Pick up mom for a scheduled procedure at hospital (text from driveway confirms time). 8:00 I know the time because I commented how the boy walking from the church to the high school was going to be late with two minutes and over a block to walk. I then pull into Dunkin for coffee. One highlight of my day. 8:15 AM We get to hospital and wait. 8:57 AM We get a text, "Report to lobby desk". My mom goes back for procedure. We (homeschool kid and I) wait some more.  She is trying to do some school work.  I am trying to read but I am fascinated with people and w

CampNaNoW riMo is right around the corner. Yes, another NaNoWriMo writing challenge. This one is a little different but I love a challenge and for whatever reason they motivate me to write. CampNaNoWriMo starts April 1st, no joke! April fools, get it? No joke... Anyway, I am going back to an idea I had in 2013 and although I plan to start a new story I am going to use my notebook to get me jump started. CampNaNo is about writing anything and setting your own goals.  It is also a camp like atmosphere where you have a virtual cabin of 11 other writers you can encourage or chat about writing (although in the past it seems we are all too busy writing to chat). The challenge is more self monitored and you set your goals and you can write anything, not just fiction. My last post I told you I am looking into a new way to journal/write in my notebooks.  I have always labeled my notebooks so they are easy to find later and it came in handy today.  I pulled my 2013 notebook out today and st