Personal Success

The Light in Your Eyes

Our guide informs us about American history and politics, sprinkling jokes and anecdotes as the bus rolls from one museum to another.

He’s always smiling with a light in his eyes.

On Day One, he asked me how to pronounce my name. Ever since then, he has called me by name (voice booming with cheer) when he addresses me. 

He loves his job, you might surmise.

He loves his life.

Undoubtedly,  you’ve met someone like him. Always smiling,  never complaining. Joyful. 
It’s an attitude that pervades his life and affects every person he meets. The common cold… the flu and attitudes are all contagious.  

What are you spreading?


I’m Glad I Asked

He came in the second day without his backpack.  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and sigh. How can a 5th grader forget his backpack? Didn’t he feel like something was missing? 

Instead,  I asked him to walk me through his morning. Maybe I could help him.

“I pack my things and walk to the garage.  I put my backpack down and get my little sister.  Then I strap her into her car seat. I guess I forgot to get my backpack. ”

My irritation became empathy and respect. 

This illustrates why judging others can be harmful – to others and ourselves. We each have our own cross to bear.

Kids and Socializing

We took a Red Eye yesterday from Mesa, AZ to Crystal City, VA with one layover. Fueled solely on excitement and junk food, 28 8th graders gleefully walked to the Newseum. They read about the history of journalism and watched a sobering video on 9/11. The kids sat in suspended disbelief while the adults cried in remembrance.
As we walked everywhere,  I brought up the rear of the group to maintain our number of 28. It was hard to prod kids normally taking selfies to “rush” their snaps of cherry blossoms.

One overheard conversation:

“Why don’t you eat cheese?”

“I gave it up for Lent.”

“Huh?”

“Cheese is really hard to give up! I mean, REALLY hard!
At the end of the day, I asked kids,  “What has been your favorite part of the trip thus far?”

They thought for a long minute. 

“Being able to do everything here with my friends.”

Isn’t that what makes everything better?

Minimalist Traveling

alex-holyoake-157978My 13 year old daughter and I are leaving tonight for a week in D.C. I’m still practicing “simplistic living” (subtract, subtract, subtract (!)) and my goal is to pack as little as possible.

 

I’m not checking a bag and everything fits in two my carry on bags. A small, nagging voice is wondering if I have everything I need, but I know I do. With little to worry about, we’re ready for a great time!

 

Clean Up!

catt-liu-1624.jpg

A group of Taiwanese elementary school students came to visit our school today. They wanted to play music for us and see how Americans learn in school.  Because our students learn some Mandarin, they were able to communicate – a  little bit – with each other. It was a wonderful cultural exchange.

One thing we learned is that these Taiwanese students dedicate some time in their week – every week- to clean their school!

Other schools clean up after themselves too. Here is an article about Japanese schools that dedicate time to housekeeping.

“The practice, which starts when students are in first grade and continues right through high school, involves floor dusting, furniture moving and cleaning the hallways.”

Mic.com

The rationale makes sense: if students are personally obligated to keeping their school clean, they will treat it with more respect all day, every day.

I wish our public schools did this. I see students scuff walls with their shoes and our custodians complain that students urinate on the floors on purpose!

A Mother’s Twisted Take on “Vacation”

liu-jiao-16485.jpg

I am about to chaperone an 8th grade Close-Up trip. It will be hard work: a red eye flight and then lots of walking, talking, learning, and teaching for 6 entire days (and nights). BUT, I will not have to:

teach all day and then…

  • cook meals;
  • vacuum;
  • dust;
  • grocery shop;
  • feed the dog;
  • do laundry; and
  • drive kids to schools and violin lessons

This trip ought to be an R&R of sorts!

 

 

If You Build It, They Will Come

adamara-174040.jpg

Our daughter played in a symphonic concert tonight. She’s almost 14 and is very active in several orchestras at the moment. The symphonic group she played in tonight celebrated their 50th anniversary this year.  This group is a district group, including all the kids in the city who audition and make it. The kids then come to three different rehearsals of 2 hours each. They perform in the local Ikeda Theater for parents and friends. Admission is free.

Wayne Roederer started this program 50 years ago. He has conducted and started many programs and just retired two years ago. He conducted one of the groups and spoke to the parents, his voice breaking with emotion. “It was a joyous experience for me,” he said, “to work with your children. It was well worth missing Judge Judy for several days.”  We all laughed.

The kids played with pride. They moved to the music.

Afterwards, we spoke with him. We congratulated him and told him how we appreciate his work. He said that he has worked with children who grew up to be adults who started orchestra programs of their own and now those kids have grown and are starting programs…

What might appear to be his legacy at first glance: the kids he worked with directly…is much more than that. This man has literally influenced thousands of people.

One man. An idea. And many helpful hands, parent volunteers and eager students. That’s all it took.

You are one person. You have an idea. Start building it…people will help you.

 

 

Toe Bone Connected to the Foot Bone…

hisu-lee-30601.jpg

Photo by Hisu Lee

My lower back has been hurting lately – and, the cancer survivor in me jumps straight to fear. It’s a tumor, it’s come back, I assume. I fight the urge to Google it. Believe me, nothing good comes from Googling “pain” + “cancer”!

Of course, after thinking about it, I realized that my plantar fasciitis has returned and I’m walking in a different way to compensate for it. Consequently, my posture and walk has been thrown off kilter and voila (!) back pain.

Have you ever had headaches and/or dizziness and realized that your shoulders are super tight?

Everything is connected.

Doing a body scan on a daily basis has become effective for me. Try this: When lying down to sleep, do a scan. Start with the top of your head, down to your temples, your shoulders, your arms and so on. Check in with your body. Relax each part as you settle in to sleep.

It can be informative. You’ll be able to relax tight muscles and maybe put to rest any worries you have.