Need a Lift?

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This totally makes sense! I love to look up when I'm taking photos and when I'm on vacay. I'm often happiest in those moments, especially when my hubster's by my side.

Falling for Fall

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I adore fall. I have tried to think of the possible reasons why I've fallen for fall. From my childhood, my all time favorite Winnie the Pooh video was about the blustery day and leaves falling everywhere. On that same video, Pooh and Piglet were throwing sticks and pine cones into the river. Those memories are rather faded and worn.

Now, fall reminds me of college days gone by. The relief of seeing the hubster after an endless summer. The cool crisp air nipping at my nose while strolling through Farmer's Market on Thursday evenings. The savoring of the last of the tomato and avocado crops. The need to purchase a new cozy jacket or hopping into my favorite worn out jacket.  

As a teacher, I think of turkey and pilgrim crafts. Most important, I love hearing what the kiddos are thankful for. I can only dream of the day when a kiddo will say that he's thankful for me and his dad. 

Why Do I Love: Traveling Part 2

I love traveling because in each place I find a new piece of myself. Through my travels, I'm piecing together the person I want to become, the person I know I can become.

Why Do I Love: Traveling

I love traveling because of 

the newness,
the unfamiliar,
the sense of adventure,
the feeling of a dream being fulfilled. 

Why Do I Love: Words

I adore words in all their forms. Adore poetry. Adore song lyrics. Adore novels. Adore random quotations. Adore overheard conversations. Adore early morning conversations with the hubster. 

I've been infatuated with words ever since I was a little one. I used to write stories about my teddy bears. My mom used to take me to bookstores as a special treat. I studied them and wrote about them for four years. 

We are the words we say. We are the words that we keep hidden deep inside ourselves. Words can hurt. Words can heal. Words are everlasting. For all these reasons, I love words.  

Why Do I Love: Cow Poly

Now, I need to give my college years some credit. I skipped over high school because all I could dream about during high school was going to college. My hubster made one of the best decisions ever, and he decided to go to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Being two years younger than him, I followed him there. Romantic? Yes, I know. It was one of the best decisions.  It would take me sometime to realize it. Better late than never? And the answer is yes.

At Cal Poly, I found my voice. Cheesy. I know, but it's true. My favorite prof Mark Roberts encouraged me to use my voice in my writing rather than being consumed by what I think he wants to hear. Best advice ever. I learned that I didn't need convoluted writing. I needed clarity. I needed to connect with my reader. I'm forever grateful for that. He's not just a professor but a dear friend. He went to our wedding. I email him at least once a year with our annual updates. In the latest reply, he wrote, "I'm so grateful that you keep in touch." That kind of connection doesn't happen at every university. Another gift that I'm very thankful for.

Other than that fundamental lesson, I learned how to truly appreciate beauty. When my hubster first told me that he was going to Cal Poly, I thought, "Where is San Luis Obispo?" I looked on the map. It's in the middle of nowhere! When I got there, it's the most beautiful middle-of-nowhere imaginable. I had never been to the central coast. The beaches are heavenly. The surrounding hills show the beautiful wear of the seasons. I've been to many beautiful places, but San Luis Obispo and the entire central coast has my heart. It's the unpretentious serenity that sweeps me off my feet.

Why Do I Love: Teaching

 

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The other day, I helped my friend Jove with her cover letter. I was so in awe of how she was able to display her personality so well in her letter. My hubster is always on me that my cover letter doesn't sound like me or the teacher that I am. My excuse is, "That's what the professional me sounds like." Weak. I know. Well, I'm working on jazzing it up a bit. I figured I would start with the basic question: Why do I love teaching?

I love teaching because it's the only time when I feel free. Most of the time, I spend my day over analyzing everything I do and say. When I teach, I follow my heart without question or fear. I intuitively read the cues in the children's voices and motions. When I ask the children questions, the questions may not come out perfectly. However, I am still able to lead them down the road of reasoning that I want them to discover. They seem to follow with ease and interest. In the classroom, my creativity and love for color coordinated organization systems are benefits. When color coordinating doesn't work, there's always old reliable alphabetizing to fall back on. As I'm standing in front of 40 or 56 eyes, I actually enjoying being spontaneous. I have to. You never know what they might say. Overall, I love teaching because more than one teacher made me feel special, made me feel smart, made me feel like I could be anything that I wanted to be. I want to pay it forward.

Hmmm...how do I get all of that into a cover letter?