Staying connected - 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all
I wish you a blessed and peaceful 2011.
now onto our story!
Spart reminded me about this (to be honest I'd completely forgotten).. in fact, I realise I never did write a "Staying connected" about 2009 (wrinkles face, sorry!)but there it is:
Time flies - whether or not your having fun - so you better make sure you're having fun!

So, before any more time flies, let me try to recap 2010. (seriously - does anyone else feel like that just can't be right - has it really been 10 YEARS(??!!!!) since the whole millennium bug scare?)
I looked back at Sappho's original ideas on the post to refresh my memory - we've been doing this for over 4 years now! how cool is that! Kudos Sappho - once again, this was a great idea!

Staying connected - 2010

Academic/career
I worked with Reception (ages 4/5) from Jan until July, sharing a classroom with a great fellow teacher - she really kept me sane and continues to teach me lots about teaching.
I completed an intermediate course in Sign language and a Trainers course - but like most languages - you don't use it, you quickly loose it... so I'll have to make a concentrated effort to practice it.
In July I started my Diploma in Education at the teacher's training college. I heard so many negative and discouraging things about the program - but I was excited because I thought I was finally going to be trained in my field..... I learned quickly that the questions I have (even when I do manage to articulate them) and the struggles I face - can't really be answered by people - no matter how experienced they are..
One tutor put it this way: read read READ!
That's the best response I've gotten so far from anyone.

*sigh*
I was hoping for the movie version.

I've been trying to learn the piano. I've been working through a beginner's book on my own - it's slow going. One of my goals for 2011 is to have a few tutored lessons.
In September I started teaching Nursery (age 3/4) - Oh my goodness cute!! but extremely challenging - I'm still feeling overwhelmed some days... what on earth am I supposed to teach them? And how do I keep up with them?

Family
One sister moved back from England, and the other moved back from Trinidad. It's been years since the three of us have been living in the same country at the same time - so it's kinda cool.
Sad news... our Grandmother died in September, just short of 92 years. She had not been well for some time - so, in a sense it is good to know that she is at rest. But I do miss her.

Personal/ Relationship
In 2009 I met a really cool guy who blew all the other guys out of the water. He and I became better friends in 2010 - but did not progress any further than that. That's ok. I'm thankful for our friendship. The best part was learning to trust God for the details - big and small. So I'm trusting God for His best.

My hopes and dreams and plans for 2011
To be more thankful for my many blessings
Complete my diploma in Education (July here I come!)
Have some actual piano lessons
Learn to drive
Visit my friends and family in Canada (!!!!!!) (July here I come!)
Eat more salad
Pray more
I also hope to be more organised and to be a better planner - but that hope is so vague (disorganised and lacking clarity) that I feel like I have far to go!
But I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

Today I celebrated my birthday! I'm thankful for another day (year) of health and peace. I'm thankful for my sisters - by birth and by friendship.

My girls, my sisters - I wish you all a wonderful year, full of blessings and gratitude :)
God bless you all.
Tulip

My Birthday

*Happy Belated birthday Sappho, I hope you had a wonderful one*

Ok so I wrote this one on my birthday - almost 2 months ago - but it's still true.

Thank you Lord for 26 years!!
I had a great day. My unit sang us Happy Birthday (another student and teacher had their birthday this week) and another teacher made a smashing chocolate cake.
All sorts of people remembered and called or wrote.
And I had a revelation this morning which made the day good.

(*Disclaimer* This revelation is an eyeopener. Do not continue reading if you still believe in Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy or other magical occurrences)

Today I realised that my birthday is just an ordinary day.

I usually think of it as a magical day, full of wonder and pleasant surprises. A day when I have a special glow and am entitled to every special treatment: Breakfast in bed, flowers delivered to my door, a candle light dinner, a huge cake specially marked and at least 3 wonderful renditions of the Birthday song. And most importantly, all my friends and close family must remember to call, and if they don't I have every right to be upset.

Needless to say- I've had a lot of crushingly disappointing birthdays.
But today - after my paradigm shift I realised that it is just an ordinary day. Don't get me wrong: it's still the best day of the year and should be declared a national holiday (obviously). But if you have stuff going on and forgot, or if you haven't highlighted the day on all your calenders, I shouldn't take it personally. I can have a great day pleasant surprises or no.

And a great day was certainly had.

heart, Tulip

Staying Connected - 2008

thank you Sappho for upholding the tradition.

2008 was one of the shortest years I remember (though it's technically one of the longer ones : 366 is a lot of days for a year).



Best moments


*teaching primary level and special needs. without a doubt - enjoyable. Special needs education is one of the most challenging things I've ever done.

• Emotionally challenging because these children (and any children really) are so vulnerable sometimes it hurts... you can't help but take that worry with you. And some of them - you know they understand just what's going on - but they can't communicate (how they feel or what they think). Lord, teach me how to listen when they do not know how to speak.


• Physically challenging because I met a little/big 5 year old (I dubbed him "sumo wrestler born on the wrong continent") he can bring almost anyone of any size to their knees with a well placed shove and a knack for finding your centre of gravity. Also stubborn children can be heavy (even when they weigh nextkin to nothin). note to self - next year - no lifting if possible - my back and my knees can't take it.


• Mentally challenging because I know they can learn and often even have a thirst to learn... but finding the way that they learn is a challenge. keeping them occupied and stimulated and out of trouble takes excessive amounts of mental energy. books, videos and traditional games are insufficient.

* learning how to live on my own and go grocery shopping and cook healthy food for my self..... I'm still learning - but I'm getting better at it. Even though I lived "on my own" for 4 years (i.e in the TO) living on my own here was like a totally new experience - complete with running out of food a couple times and eating cereal for dinner. Now I feel a sense of accomplishment with every trip to the market.

* beaching it on a regular basis. Thank you God for my sight - and allowing my to see clear blue skies and beautiful sunsets.

* entering my photos in a photo competition - sadly I didn't win anything but it was a great experience. I felt quite special.

Worst moments

Thankfully I've been healthy and safe this year and the only rough moments have been few and far between.

* my two best friends "breaking up". Now we're no longer the three musketeers. I'm still trying to find my way in this (does anyone have any suggestions?).

* not getting everything I want (I know it's part of life - we deal with it from the time we're 1 - but this year it's been hitting me hard). Lord, please help me to accept graciously and gracefully that whatever you withhold is for good reason.

Hopes and Dreams for 2009

* to spend more time with family - 2008 flew by and I only saw my aunts here a couple times. I live in Barbados for goodness sake! I should be seeing them on a regular basis. so I plan to make a concentrated effort.

* give myself enough time to write. it's not that there aren't ideas there - but I've been shortchanging myself in terms of time... so hopefully I can finagle a few more hours into my day. (If I figure out how I'll be sure to let you know how)

*be hope-free and faith-full. I know it sounds odd - I don't want to be hopeless, only hope-free... living in the real present, not the imagined (never going to happen) not too distant future. Faith is about trusting God for my future, not believing I know what's best for me (and living in a dream if/when I can't obtain it).

HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVELY LADIES

take care

love, tulip

Summer Camp

Happy Canada Day!!!!
(yesterday)

I'm currently helping out with summer camp at the school I teach at. I'm working with 5 and 6 year olds instead of the regular 7/8. I wanted to see if they were just as cute.
They generally are, and today I learned some useful lessons.

5/6 year olds are very happy playing tunnel (a game where you arrange a set of desks in a line and tell them to crawl under in a line). They love it - they love crawling on the ground. They did it for almost half an hour. Who knew it could be so much fun?
Had I suggested that game to the 7/8 year olds in my class they would have been thoroughly offended, as though I'd insulted their intelligence: Crawl on the floor?? The floor is dirty! (well, maybe not all of them would have thought this up - but you better believe if one person said it, the others would soon follow suite)

5/6 year olds play Blue-bird-blue-bird through my window until their little arms and feet are too tired to play any more.... so cute!!

5/6 year olds have difficulty playing games that involve going through the alphabet - some of them just don't remember that b comes before c.

The game "When I grow up I want to be a statue" - can provide minutes of wonderful quiet entertainment that does not involve running around. CUTE!!


So long as I can keep up my energy levels I think I'll be able to survive camp.
wish me luck!

A few random thoughts

thought while on the bus (May 9th)

• I just saw a woman with big curlers in her hair - and perfect posture.
• I wish I has the sort of posture that made a stroll up the driveway with yellow curlers in my hair look like a walk on the catwalk...

thought on June 4th (new moon)

• Today I feel decidedly under the circumstances, under the weather and under the moon. I'm blaming it on the New moon (which was yesterday) and lower than usual blood sugar (haven't eaten in hours). I'm going to go make dinner! (I can't change the moon).
• One of my students wrote a whole composition on potato wedges. Even I'd be hard pressed to write a composition about raisins (though I do recall writing a poem). And as much as I love them I flat out couldn't do marshmallows.

Two Tom thoughts

• I just opened and emptied a can of tuna - unharassed.
• I accidentally taught my class to give stink eye (it's so cute when 8 year olds do it!)
• Mid convo one student stopped and pointed out the window - cat!! (I love children)
• (ok, that was more than two)

Nuances

• The things - the - something that happens between men and women. The tiny little *things (zings) that pass between brief touches - even across the space between them. Do they exist? and to what extent?
• L, I'm in love with the language you speak. Like I'm in love with French men -ooh la la! sigh* I wish I knew all that you say. You understand me so much better than I understand you (thought to my deaf sign language instructor).

Seseme Street

• "Yeah, well, I'm a grouch - I'm not pleased to meet anyone. So SCRAM!" (oscar The grouch)