If you give an educator a February Break

With many apologies to Laura Numeroff.....


If you give an educator a February Break,

She will want to spend some time in the craft room working on a  quilt project....

When she goes into the craft room, she will see the piles of papers sitting in the corner that need to be sorted and added to the tax paperwork pile.

As she spends the day sorting the paper pile, she will be reminded of the fact that she needs to find her W-2 so she can update her license so it gets a fancy gold star.

While spending the second day of break gathering all 276 forms and proof of identity papers required by the BMV, she is reminded that she will have to drive to town to finalize this transaction. There are several things in the house that need to be purged and brought to the thrift store. She shouldn't waste the gas to make two trips civilization this week, so she spends day three sorting and organizing closets and corners to gather up a full load of donations.

While de-cluttering the bathroom closet she sees her reflection in the mirror and is reminded that the BMV will probably take a photo, and she hasn't trimmed her bangs in a while. After finishing the closet and trimming her bangs she will also Clorox-wipe the bathroom sink, faucet, mirror and backsplash.

Finally, on day four, she will drive the car loaded with donations, bottle returns, snack, drink, book, and all 276 forms and proof of identity papers to the BMV to get the fancy gold star on her license.
She will spend day four completing transactions, running errands and finding a few "new-to-her" school-appropriate articles to add to her wardrobe. She may also sneak in a quick trip to the beach, since its February and she won't have to share the ocean with tourists.
She will return home to add the clothes to the laundry pile, and start a load of laundry.

On day five, she will remember that she left the laundry in the washer and head back to the basement to switch the load over. On her way through the living room, she will spy the pile of 276 forms and proof of identity papers that she left on the book case and realize they should go back in the safe in the craft room.

Upon entering the craft room, she will realize that the quilt is still sitting on the cutting table waiting to be finished.

Sighing, she looks at the calendar to see how long it is until April vacation when she has another
week off.....
'Cause it looks like she missed the class on project management....

Dirigo*

1 Year
12 Months
365 Days

However you say it, December 3rd marks my first full year in Maine. It has been a year of transitions and discoveries, for all of us.

Some transitions were easy.  It was not hard at all to get used to the smell of salt air, walks on the beach and the cry of sea gulls when running errands in town.  It was also not a hardship to discover the wild strawberry, blueberry, and blackberry patches for fresh summer fruit.
Also not difficult....
Waking up to a backyard of pine, birch, and maple trees every morning.
Settling in with people who "get" my New England sense of humor, and who wear Red Sox shirts and Patriots ball caps.
Adding a chicken coop and eight chickens to the chore list.
Living life in our current town...where the library buildings are on the historic registry, a house isn't "old" unless it was built in the 1700s, and the families that aren't "From Away" have cared for and worked for the municipality for generations....and made room for those of us from weird places like "Iowa".

Some transitions were more difficult:
Leaving the #bestsummerjobever....and the people and cookstove that went along with it.
Starting a 3rd (short-lived) career, then restarting a first career...with all of the paperwork, testing, and licensing requirements that entails.
Kiddos making life changes and major decisions while I (mostly?) cheer on instead of nag....maybe....sometimes....
Knowing it was time to say goodbye to our beloved fur baby.

These were not unusual, or unexpected stressors, just all piled into a shorter time span than I would have liked.

*But today I finally looked up the translation for the Maine State Motto,  Dirigo   Latin for "I Direct" or "I Lead".
Which, intended or not, is the best summation of the 23rd Psalm that I have found.
There is an entire back story as to why I shake my head and chuckle every time I think of my plans in college to be hired on at a school in small-town Maine, settle in, and live in the state that has been tucked in a corner of my heart since childhood.  Ask me about it when you have a few minutes or time for coffee. It covers a few years/decades.  The short answer is.... I was led.

And I didn't miss the class on that.

Summer

A Mainer's*  timeline for summer....

May
1) For the first 3 1/2 weeks spend as much time as possible at the beach. This is the last chance for a long while to have easy-to-find, whenever-you-want, free parking.

2) Get your teens to start job hunting at the best local ice cream shops where they give family discounts.

3) Remind your husband to not mow over the wild strawberry patch in the yard.

4) Think about putting the snow shovel in the cellar.

5) Think about packing away your sweatshirts and jeans.

Memorial Day Weekend.  The Official Start of All Things Summer.  It is an unwritten state law that summer does not start until this weekend. Ever.

June

1) Forget the beach.  Unless it's a random, rainy, Tuesday morning, there will be no parking available, but there will be all.the.tourists.in.the.world** complaining about how cold it is in the ocean.

2) Find all the wild strawberries.  And eat them. :)

3) It may be warm enough to get your veggie garden it.  Or it may not.

4) Think about putting the snow shovel in the cellar.

5) Think about packing away your sweatshirts and jeans.

July

1) Spend some time looking at the long-range forecast to plan the 2-3 days you "maybe" will go to the beach this month.  Sometimes it's cheaper to pay for parking at the beach than it is to run the A/C....if you even have one. There will still be tourists complaining about the temperature of the ocean.

2) Find your local newspaper.  It will have all of the free concerts and firework displays to help with the entertainment budget, since you think you may pay for beach parking this month.

3) Remind your husband not to mow over the wild blueberries in the yard. Pick the blueberries. Make muffins, pies, and jam.

4) Forget about the snow shovel still on the front porch. It's blocked by the 4th of July decorations.

5) Dig out your two pairs of shorts and your summer T-shirt while you think about packing away your sweatshirts and jeans.

August
1) Still no beach. The tourists are still here. Unless you know someone with lake or ocean-front property that can be bribed with a blueberry pie to let you park at their place....then....beach.

2) Start picking the wild blackberries before the birds and bears get to them. Continue with the blueberry hunting and the muffin/jam/pie making.

3) Pick the green beans out of the garden your husband planted, because they were the only thing that survived the month of June.

4) Rediscover the snow shovel on the front porch when you finally take down the 4th of July décor.  Decide it's not worth it to bring it down to the cellar.

5) Put away your two pairs of shorts and your summer T-shirt. They're getting in the way of your sweatshirts and jeans.

Labor Day Weekend.  The Official End of Summer.  Also an unwritten state law that it can not be summer after this weekend.  Ever.

September
1) Start planning trips to the beach, mostly to avoid all the tourists/tour busses heading inland with leaf-peeping tours.

2) Get the rest of the produce out of the garden before the frost comes. Get the apples off the tree before the deer start snacking. Make apple jelly and pie filling.

3) Winterize the chicken coop....you don't want to have to thaw your eggs before you make breakfast.

4) Start thinking about adding another shovel on the front porch.

5) Assess the sweatshirt and jeans situation. You may need to add a few of both to the closet rotation.  And a new flannel shirt.

Because while the snow may be a few weeks off yet, nothing says "Fall in Maine" like a warm, comfy, plaid, flannel shirt.  And I didn't miss the class on that :)


*I know....I'm not a Mainer. My kids are not Mainers. My husband is not a Mainer. My dog is not a Mainer. My chickens are Mainers.  They were born here.   I'm from away.  But a piece of my heart has always been in Maine...


** I really don't have a problem with tourists.  I occasionally am one.  They bring money and job opportunities for the state.  Especially jobs for teens who work at local ice cream shops that give family discounts...

Lasts

This year has been full of them.

Some of them are good....
As in...This spring was the LAST time I had to drive through parent pick-up/drop off line at the freshman building.

Can I get an A-Men and a Hallelujah!



This August was the LAST time I had to drive the children to school in the morning or worry about pick-up schedules in the afternoon.

Woot!

Some of them are bitter-sweet....

Our son ran his last high school cross country race yesterday.
We used the last jar of pumpkin from the garden this week.
We paid our last car insurance bill with only adult drivers last month.




Some of them are hard.


I taught my last lesson in the one room school house this week.

Tomorrow I will "chaperone" my last 1875 baseball game.

Next week I will spend one last day in Greteman's General Store.




If you had asked me three months ago, I wouldn't have had any idea that October would be the month of "lasts".
But things have happened rather quickly.


My husband got a job that is perfect for him, that he wasn't even really looking for.
Total time from first inquiry to official job offer....5 weeks.

We put our house on the market.
Total time from official posting to accepting an offer.....6 days


We reserved a moving truck.
Total time to pack, move a child in with friends to finish their Sr. year in IA, get a second child set up in their new school, find a new job (ugh...resumes and cover letters), say goodbyes and move to Maine.......14 days.

I'm excited about the move.  I just wish I could take Iowa with me.

Cause while lasts are not my favorite, they do make me so grateful for all the firsts that we have had over the previous 6 and 1/2 year in this state.
First State Fair, First Caucus, First trip to Fareway, First ICubs game, First cookstove meal, First cow milking, First petticoat...….

And I hope that many of you will make your first trip to New England to visit, for your first taste of lobster, a first walk on the beach, a first bowl of real clam chowder (with NO tomatoes) a first Red Sox game and a first trip to Acadia National Park to see the sun rise on the first point of the United States for the day.

Because while lasts can be difficult, they hopefully mean that some exciting firsts are just around the corner....
and I hope I didn't miss the class on that.

Welcome to Iowa!

I may have mentioned, once or twice, that I am not from around here...…
That things like State Fairs, and crop reports, and weather(tornado) conditions and mid-west life in general are a cultural shift from my earlier years spent living in Massachusetts.  It has been a pleasant learning curve to adjust to a life of "Iowa Nice", low cost of living, and a grocery store chain that still has a butcher that will cut your meat to order.  I could probably do without the -20 temps in the winter and the 105-heat-index-for two.straight.weeks. temps, but as someone once said....It's not Heaven....it's Iowa.

In my current position as a museum professional, I have the opportunity to interact with guests from all around the world.  People from India, Pakistan, China, Japan, France, Germany...….have all meandered their way through 300 years of Iowa's agricultural heritage.  We have discussed the similarities and differences of farming and technology in our respective countries.   We have enjoyed learning new things about new-to-us cultures.   I have become entranced with Iowa life, and feel like I have been here long enough to  be able to say "Welcome to Iowa" to those who are newer to the state than I.  It's fun greeting people and assuring them that while Iowa may be new and different from the culture they left behind, it is well worth their time to settle in and make this their new home.


I have created a small check list of things to recommend to future Iowegians :)
Even if you don't participate in them, it is nice to know what they are so you can follow along in a conversation with the "locals".


In reverse order...
10) Maid Rites

9) Detasseling Corn

8) how to use a 4-way intersection with stop signs

7) bacon

6) E85

5) Cyclones vs Hawkeyes

4) Caucus season

3) RAGBRAI

2) Dyersville

1) The State Fair

I may or may not geek out over this list when meeting new transplants to the state.

Okay....I do.....geek out....more than a little...…

But that didn't seem to phase the young couple that found themselves in 1875 Iowa this past Saturday.  After passing a pleasant few minutes discussing all things medicinal in the Victorian Era, we discovered that we were from the same part of the world...and had experienced some of the same cultural shifts.   They had already started on the recommendation list....and had already prepped for the top 3!

After spending a few moments describing all the glorious things that are the Iowa State Fair and why it was so important for them to see the Butter Cow, I was able to leave them with this small bit of wisdom....


Iowa is a great place to work and live.....especially now that we run on Dunkin....


The look of relief on their face was almost comical.


Because while I didn't miss the class on all the things that make this place close to Heaven, I also didn't miss the class on comfort foods and having a small link to your former home.....


Welcome to Iowa, former New Englanders.....relax and have some coffee :)

April 20.....before and after Columbine

OK, I'll admit it.    I'm from the age of dinosaurs.  Old as dirt.  Maybe even pre-historic.

I know this because I looked at today's date, listened to the news on the radio and realized:

I remember teaching before and after Columbine.  

My student teaching practicum involved learning the emergency procedure for fire drills.  Just fire drills.  We did them once a semester.

For my first few teaching jobs, I'm not even sure if the front or side  doors were locked during school hours.

And then Columbine happened. And things changed.

Locked doors, lock-down drills, check-in policies, evacuation procedures....our new normal. Multiple times a year.

Things you never found in your college curriculum and training classes were now part of your  professional duties.

Such as:
Asking the school board to find enough money to re-do the locks on classroom doors because your current lock could only be turned from the outside, with a key.

Hearing an alert tone on the intercom and your first thought being...."How many students can I fit out the window before someone makes it into my classroom?"

Walking into work and thinking..."Hmmm, I wonder if today is the day...."    Every. Day.

And now, as a parent, making sure my own children understand their school's active shooter response.

It feels terrifying and hopeless to get up, the day after a school shooting, and drop your own flesh and blood off at a school building.  To watch them walk away from you and into a "soft target".   Sometimes it makes me want to go back to teaching, because if something happened, I would at least be in the building with them, and not one of those parents on the other side of the police line, waiting for some small bit of information.

Because this is life after Columbine, and Sandy Hook, and.....and......and......

There are days when it feels so dark for this generation.

But there is a glimmer of hope.  And I was honored to see it last night.

A group of freshman in our district presented their Humanities projects on Conflict Resolution.
They lead presentations and discussions on  everything from "How to handle conflict on Social Media", to the current events on the South China Sea, The Ukraine and Russia, The Israel/Palestine conflict, and how conflict in other countries influences  people to come to the United States.
It wasn't just the topics presented, it was the presenters themselves.  Freshmen, who can barely drive a car, were driving well researched conversations with their adult audiences.  They could even find The Ukraine on a world map.  They challenged the adults in their lives to be more informed about world and local issues.  They made us talk to each other about how we, personally, handle conflict in our own lives.  And one student spoke about his desire to return to his birth country to share the peace of Christ, which, despite being what could get him killed, could also be what brings an end to conflict in his home land.

I teared up a bit on the ride home telling my daughter how proud I was of her and her classmates.
Her response: "Yeah, sometimes I think people forget how much teenagers actually know. They should listen to us more often.  Things would get done."

Oh, the naivete of youth ..... and..... oh, the pain of my stepped-on toes.

April is an odd month.   It marks the beginning of so much conflict in world history.  Including two of our own country's wars for freedom.  Which were fought with guns.  Which brings me to today.  The day that marks 19 years of life after Columbine, and a national student walk-out.

No, not all of the students fully understand the issues.  Some may think this is just a way to get out of class for a few minutes.  Some, however,  may have done more research than most adults and have a future in law school or Congress.   Remember what you were like in high school?

Regardless of where you stand on the issues they are protesting, remember life before Columbine and listen with patience.

Because their school day reality is very different from when this dinosaur was a student.

 I hope I didn't miss the class on this one.  Because while I was not in Colorado 19 years ago, I was in a school, and class has never been the same.

Armistice Day

Someone once asked me to describe my favorite part about the Fourth of July.

My answer:  It is the one day of the year when there is a peaceful use for gunpowder.


I am an historian.  I know and appreciate the fact that gunpowder has been used to defend many of the rights and privileges  that I have been blessed with.  I watch the battle reenactments where the participants use a small fraction of the gunpowder and ammunition used in the actual event. 

And I cringe at the smoke, and the noise, and the chaos and the destruction.

And can't begin to imagine the real event.   
And because of the time and place in which I live, I do not have to.   But others must.


Here in the United States we are celebrating Veterans' Day.  We thank our current and former military members for their service and sacrifice.  Please don't confuse this with Memorial Day

In Europe they are marking the 98th anniversary of the Armistice of WWI.  Please don't confuse this with a Peace Treaty.

100 years ago this week, we were re-electing Woodrow Wilson because he "kept us out of the war".
April 2, 1917 that same President goes to Congress to ask for a Declaration of War. 
 For a comprehensive timeline of events in WWI please see this link:
You'll notice quite a few places that are still in our news feeds today.
https://www.theworldwar.org/explore/interactive-wwi-timeline


Armistice Day was when the troops stopped shooting each other, but not when the war was over.
Political Peace would take much longer.  Some would argue (myself included) that it never really came.  

And here we are.  November 11, 2016. 

Can we call an Armistice?
It is not a surrender, but a cessation of hostilities.   So that talking can get more results than shooting (our guns or our mouths).
But this time let's do it better than 100 years ago.   Let's not just talk, but listen.
Let's not send us straight into a political WWII.

I can think of no better way to honor our military veterans, than to be a part of the peacemakers who also help protect the country they defended.



Because political warfare can cause just as much smoke and noise and chaos and destruction as military warfare and is just as hard to heal from.
I have 100 years of history to learn from and I didn't miss the class on that.