J'land friends met today in person

Today I met a journal friend. Two actually, but one was already a friend of several years, and I had worked with her as a teacher for a few years. The other I had only met here at aol journals, beginning about September or so.

Many of you know the two ladies. You have visited their journals, left comments, and been visited by them. Today I had lunch with Aimer (aka Sheria) and Caromarls (aka Caroline).

We had been planning this trip for over a month. I first mentioned it in an entry about a week or so ago. However, throughout the week I began to wonder if Caroline would make it as I read of her struggle to deal with severe bouts of some kind of stomach virus. As the week progressed, first the baby, then her husband, then her son, and finally herself all came down with something that laid them all low for a couple of days. I called her this morning to find out if she was able to meet with us. She said she was well and ready to go.

I pick her up at her house. I haven't seen Caroline since last May when school let out. She looks great. How big her kids have grown. I say hello to everyone, then goodbye, and off we drive to Chapel Hill.

                                                              

As Caroline and I drive down Hwy 54 and into Carrboro, we have lots to catch up. Her new position in the second grade classroom is the best thing to happen in recent months. She shares stories of home, of South Africa, of her children, and her faith in God. I remark how much she and Shauneen (Bits of Me) look alike... they could be sisters. She laughs... she says lots of people back home said that to them.

Then my cell phone rings. It is Sheria calling to let us know that traffic is going to prevent her from getting to the restaurant by 12:00, that she is ten minutes away. I tell her not to worry, that she would get there before us because we are possibly 20 minutes away.

Finally, we're standing inside Mama Dip's waiting to be seated, and I'm looking into the dining area scanning for a single black woman. I know what Sheria looks like from the picture in her journal. I am sure I can pick her out. She has told me how tall she is, so I have that to help me identify her as well. Last night, in an email, I had told her that I'd be wearing purple and black. That, and my journal picture, is all she has by which to find me.

It is enough.

As we wait to be seated, Caroline and I chat on. A couple walks in behind us, and then a black woman. I look at her. No, couldn't be her. Too young. The woman's hair style is not Sheria's. Besides, I know Sheria is already here somewhere, seated, waiting for us. My neck stretches, I lean forward to catch sight of her in the dining room. Then I look back at the woman standing just a few feet away. I wonder, can she be her?

Finally, she turns and looks at me... at first, like a stranger, and only a cursory glance. But then, the upturn of the eyebrow... signaling recognition... the corners of her mouth raise just a bit, her brow creases in question.

"Bea?" she says.

"Sheria?" I return. I am sure I smile right then.

                                                            

And then we hug... it is the only thing to do, and then Caroline and Sheria hug.

We are seated at last, our orders are taken, and the three of us ease into conversation like old friends. It is that relaxed.

I like Sheria as much in person as I do reading her journal. Her laugh is infectious, her voice is bold, and her manner is easy-going. She has so many stories to tell of family and of growing up, so many more than I would think to tell. I admire her even more in person. She is dedicated to family, friends, and neighbors. Her outlook is positive. The things she tells us about, her teaching career, her decision to become a lawyer, inspire me. I would love to have worked beside her in the classroom. I am so pleased to count her as one of my friends.

We have questions for each other. Nothing written down, of course, but in our minds, I think we each come to this table with the kinds of questions one asks a new friend. We talk about school, our significant others, and of course, we talk about why we journal, and of the experience of being an aol journaler.... how we came to find each other, what we liked about each other's journal, and what we would like to do with our writing some day.

                            

Screen names drop from our lips like old friends. That is one of the things which we have in common... familiar screen names, the ones we've seen in our own journals.

You all! 

I haven't realized the importance of screen names until today... they are the names we know each other by in J'Land.... although we address each other by our given names when we email and leave comments. Our screen names are a code that only those of us who journal/blog would recognize.

We take several pictures, of course. That was a given even before we arrived. I almost lose my chance to take pictures, however, when my camera decides to display strange wavy lines on the little view screen. Fortunately, this has happened before, so I know how to fix it: I slap it twice on the side, and it works fine. Even the incredible technology of a digital camera responds well to a swift whap now and then.

The food is great... I order chicken and dumplins', they order fried fish. The cooking at Mama Dip's is southern country. I am tempted to order the pinto beans so I can try some homestyle chow-chow, but I order the peas, and turnip greens instead. Cornbread is a must. Three hours pass before we know it, and finally it is time to say goodbye.

As we step onto the great front porch of Mama Dip's, I say I want some pictures of us outside in the sun, and Caroline suggests we stand in front of the sign. I laugh as we take our places beside the sign... we are acting like such tourists.

                                    

In a way, we are tourists. We are journeying through life, stopping along the way, taking in the sights, and meeting new people. Tourists don't stay anywhere for very long, and they take lots of pictures. They only see the surface of where they pass through, but they often are able to catch the flavor of the moment.

That's what we did today. We tasted the flavor of a new friendship, discovered online.

                                      

This was fun! I'm so glad we met. I expect we will do lunch again someday. Sheria can call me or Caroline anytime she's in our town now. Maybe she'll even be able to visit my classroom one day!

I would love for that to happen.

Tags: Meeting online friends, aimer, caromarls, Mama Dip's

I am a poem... You are too!

The Poem

If I were a poem

I think I’d be

Jiggly as jello

And tepid as tea.

I’d pounce like a panther

And squeak like a mouse.

If I were a poem

I’d creak in my house.

I’d make you laugh

Or bring you to tears.

If I were a poem

I’d calm your fears.

But, …

I am a poem

Planting through deeds,

Words that rhyme

When someone else reads,

Words that move

And words that change,

Words so familiar and

Words so strange.

There is a way

That you can be,

Metaphorically speaking,

A poem like me.

For you are the words

That someone else reads.

Your life is a poem -

Go plant good deeds!

 

I wrote the above poem this week for my fifth grade reading class. We've been studying poems, in particular the use of similes and metaphors. In my writing class, they are learning the proper way to write a friendly letter. Seems kids don't write letters these days, and not one of my students has ever received a letter from family or friend that they can recall.

For our poem lessons, I had copied several funny poems from Kenn Nesbitt's website, Poetry4Kids.com. After reading them and finding the concepts I needed to teach, I wrote my own. Haven't shown it to them yet. I had made copies of his poems (permission from author granted), and put them on the overhead projector. The kids laughed at them, thought they were very clever.

I had asked them to pick one or two poems they liked, which they did with no trouble. Coming up with reasons for liking the poems was a bit of a struggle, though. Most of them managed to think of 3 reasons they appreciated their chosen poem. The last part of the task was to write a letter to Mr. Nesbitt telling him which poem they liked best, and why they enjoyed it so much. Their letters were supposed to be completed by today, but it seems the final copies won't be finished until Monday. I'm going to mail them off after the kids address the envelopes.

I know Mr. Nesbitt will enjoy the letters... he has a fine sense of humor!

I need a collection of poems suitable for 3rd-5th graders. In fifth grade, students need to be able to identify the mood of the poem, the narrator, rhyme pattern, and any figures of speech such as simile, metaphor, idiom, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and personification.

I know many of you like to write poems. If you are up to it, whether they be funny or somber, reflective or trivial, would you share them with me?

Either write one in your journal and link here, or email them to me. I will give you credit and include your name on the poem, of course, and I would need your permission to copy it for classroom use only.

If you are going to do this, I thank you in advance!

 

Tags: Similes and metaphors, Kenn Nesbitt

Such Great Heights - from a Blackhawk

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Such Great Heights

Get ready: this week's Monday Photo Shoot:

     

Finally, I have a picture to add to John Scalzi's Monday Photo shoot!

This was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities that I jumped on when it was offered.

Two years ago, a Math and Science Program called STARBASE came to our school, my former school, I should say. As part of its week-long events of science experiments that culminated with the building and launching of rockets (each 4th-5th grade student had their own rocket to build and launch), the National Guard flew in on their Blackhawk helicopter.

After all the more than 300 students climbed in and sat in it,  (which took several hours of the guardsmen's time), the 4th and 5th grade teachers, including yours truly, were flown up and over the school, and over neighboring towns, villages, and cities. It was the most exciting adventure I have ever had in school!

I took nearly a hundred photos that day, and several from the air, of course. I wrote several entries about it that week, but here's a link to the entry I wrote describing the helicopter ride, the National Guard pilots, and other crew members who kept us safe that day.

                                     

As you can see here, I was totally and unabashadly excited about the BlackHawk ride. Here I am with one of the crew as we approach the helicopter, waiting for us on a nearby baseball field.

I wouldn't even have this picture to remind me of how I felt had it not been for my best friend, Alyson, who showed up with her digital camera and snapped it from afar. I am so glad she took this one. I wish I could tell you the name of the handsome young National Guardsman walking with me there, but I don't remember his name. I'm telling you, I was so pleased and proud to be going up with them.

        

This is an aerial view of my then school, taken from the helicopter ride, in September of 2005.

Like I said, the details of this day and event are already written in a previous entry. I'm not going to fill this entry any further.

Let the pictures tell the story.

                 

Tags: Blackhawk Helicopter ride

Technology 500 years ago, and today!

                         

I came across this video clip at another website. So funny! But really, there are many people out there who are totally unfamiliar with technology, and they do need assistance figuring out what seems so simple to someone who has mastered it.

I don't claim to have mastered the technology now sitting at my fingertips, but when I look back at what I knew about the internet and computers as recently as two years ago, it's incredible to see what I have learned since then.

I have had to request help from Helpdesk many times at school, and then of course, here at aol, there are the aol service people.

I can remember the first time we bought a computer, when my son started middle school (about 1991), and we used it only as a word processor. It was an old dinosaur, a used one. I remember learning the program, how to save, move copy, change fonts, print, name files,  etc. 

Then, in June of 1997, we bought a brand new computer, and went online for the first time. I got to play on it for the summer, until my son took it with him to college. I had to settle for the dinosaur, which I had mastered by the time 2005 rolled around. That's when I purchased my own brand new HP computer and printer, and my husband paid for the online connection.

I remember how strange it all was in the beginning ... hot links, pop ups, surfing the net, junk email, saving favorite websites, creating files, and storing information I might need for all my areas of interest. Then I became aware of blogging, aol journals, reading them, and then creating my own (in the beginning I had named it ant farm analogies). It became a part of my daily routine. I'd go about my life, and anytime I'd have a question, I'd sit down at the computer, do a quick search, and find an answer. Since I had dial-up, searches took forever! I couldn't wait until high speed became available in our area.

With high speed, I could move about faster. Searches were quicker. School work was faster. I wasn't hesitant to click on icons and hot-links and find out where they took me. I sent out email to people I hadn't met in person, and I wasn't afraid to add people to my alerts.

The problem was that while I was searching, I'd find myself wandering from one topic to the next as new questions arose. I realized that I was wandering wherever my thoughts carried me (hence, the present name of this journal).

I'm more cautious now. Mostly, I've become accustomed to the finest people who journal here, and I understand why it is called a community. I enjoy the interactiveness and the connectedness of the process of journaling, reading other's journals and commenting, and reading and responding to the comments left in my own.

What I enjoy doing most is adding tags, pictures, and videos to my journal. I didn't know how to do that as recently as 18 months ago.

I do worry about the limitations of my computer, though. I don't know what adding videos to my journal, or those thousands of pictures and tags that I've saved on my computer will do to its performance. There is no doubt that since I first began this activity, downloads take longer. From time to time I do delete cookies, and clear the cache, and even defrag the hard drive. But if there is anything else I need to do to keep my computer running smoothly, and quickly, I don't know what it is.

If you'd like the link to this Norwegian masterpiece, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRjVeRbhtRU

 

Tags: Technology

While I was away

Yesterday, she wasn't my student teacher. Yesterday, she was the paid substitute teacher!

She taught my classes the entire day while I attended a training workshop at Elon University.

For both of us, it was a first-time experience. I must say it was a successful experience for her.

When I returned to my classroom at 2:40, just as the kids were loading on the buses to go home, I found her in the classroom beaming. That made me smile.

Then we sat down and she gave me an overview of how the day went. There was one incident where a student had to be sent to the office for throwing things, but other than that, she reported it went well. Even my fifth graders had stayed on task when she followed my lesson plans for the reading and writing group.

Eventually, we got around to planning for next week, or at least a partial plan. Sunday we will do the majority of planning. I had a 4:30 hair appointment yesterday, so I had to leave earlier than usual on Fridays.

She said before I walked out the door, "This is the first day I didn't feel tired by the end of the day!"

I thought for a moment, and replied, "And this is the first day you didn't have me observing you, making suggestions, asking questions,and generally just being around most of the time. That can be quite stressing, day after day. I'm sure that has something to do with it."

She smiled, hesitant to reply. J has a sweet smile. Her eyes curved up to match her mouthbeam. "The entire week has been good, actually. Maybe that's why I'm not tired today."

I was glad to hear that. It had been a good week for both of us. She had planned for and taught all but two of my classes (I have ten different groups/classes to work with throughout the day.) for four of the days, and all of them on the fifth day. After school, she had a seminar to attend on Monday, and I had a computer data program to learn at another workshop on Tuesday. Wednesday, there had been an IEP meeting we prepared for and held after school, and a committee planning meeting to attend on Thursday.  It had indeed been a very good week.

Yes, there will be good days and not so good days ... as in any profession or occupation. For us, it had been a good week!

                                               

 

Aimer, Caromarls, and Wanderer will meet in February

Some of you might have caught wind of it in the comments I have left behind in Sheria's and Caroline's journals, but in case not, I'm going to report it here and now...

I am going to meet Sheria (Aimer) of On My Mind, and Caroline (Caromarls) of A New Adventure for lunch in a couple of weeks!!

I have known Caroline (for nearly five years, I believe)... when she came to my school as a VIF teacher from South Africa. We grew very close during her two years with us, but as her time as a VIF teacher expired, she had to return to her homeland in June of 2004.

It was a distressing parting for herself, her family, her friends, as well as all the teachers and staff that had come to know and love her. For over a year, she was missed, and while she was gone I missed her voice and our morning talks, our prayers, and our whisperings of concerns as we passed each other in the halls.

While she was away, and I knew it would be temporary, though there were never any guarantees that we would ever see her again, but only faith and trust in God encouraged us to believe that we would, she kept in touch with her friends here in the USA, including myself. She sent me pictures of her third child, born two months after leaving our country. Email kept us in touch for that year of separation.

After she returned to our USA, she was with us for another year as an assistant, fighting all kinds of educational requirements and paperwork so she could get back into the classroom as a certified classroom teacher. She worked on the opposite end of the building, and I didn't pass her as much in the hallways, but it was great to see her smiling face and hear her wonderful, melodious British-like accent, so notably South African. Her children had grown so much during that one year away, particularly young Zane.

Then, in August of 2006, I began teaching at another school within the same school system, and if you've been following her journal, then you know the rest of her story. We, here at aol journals, celebrated with her in December 2006 when she posted her jubilant announcement the day she found out that she had passed all her teacher certification examinations.

So, though Caroline and I share some classroom history and a lasting friendship, we haven't seen each other very much since June of 2006.

Then there is Sheria. I didn't begin to know Sheria until after a few visits to her journal. She was Aimer to me in the beginning, when I came across her journal, featured on the Guest Editor Six Picks in November of 2006. I found her writing to be quite engaging, entertaining, and thoughtful. Only recently I discovered she had a poetry website called The Poetry Shop. I knew from her prose and occasional poem that she was a poet at heart, which was confirmed when I visited her Poetry Shop. You should check her website out if you like poetry.

What I like about Sheria, besides her wit with words and her wisdom from having lived a full life thus far, is that she is about my age, a teacher-turned-lawyer, she's an opinionated southern black woman, and she possibly lives within 45 miles of my hometown.  I always knew that someday we would meet, and last month, through an email, we made arrangements to do so in February.

She suggested we meet at a restaurant that is about half-way between the two of us, and so we are going to meet in Chapel Hill at a nice place that serves home cooked country-style southern cooking. Neither Caroline nor I have ever been to this place, so it will be a surprise for us.

We're bringing our cameras, our questions, our smiles, and our thoughts about each other. Like, I wonder what her voice sounds like? I wonder how tall she is (I'm short Sheria, real short... say about five feet!).... I wonder what her laugh sounds like... I wonder what we will talk about.... . Does she talk like she writes? (I don't... definitely not... I think my writing is more organized than my speaking).

I can't wait for Sheria to hear Caroline's voice... well, I don't want to remove the suspense, just want to build it up a bit... because, about a year ago, or perhaps even longer ago than that, I remember reading about two aol journalers who met... one drove to the other's home in the country... I can't remember who the two ladies were. I wonder if they're going to read this and think, "she is talking about me!"

In a couple of weeks, I'm going to come back and post an entry about our visit. There may even be pictures!

 

A little girl misses her brother...

Young Heather Martin, 6 years old, sings a song that her mother wrote for Heather's older brother, Shaun, who is serving in Iraq. The song is written from Heather's point of view. I hope you can see the video here. The lyrics are provided below. 

                           

                           When Are You Coming Home?

You were almost sixteen when I came into the world.
Mom and Dad had you first then 3 more boys I'm the baby girl.
I sure have a lot to look up to in you, you're really smart and funny with a big heart too.
After one year of college you knew what you had to do.
It's just like you wanting to help with the war.
So you joined the army when I was only 4.
This time of year we talk of big plans but you're over seas in some distant land.
You can't be here for Christmas, I don't understand.
Chorus:
When are you coming home, Shaun?
When are you coming home?!
We lit up the house like we always do but it doesn't seem bright 'cause we can't have you.
In my prayers I ask God to keep you safe.
And I'm trying to be really brave.
Tell me that the fighting's through.
Come home!
I really miss you.

It's hard to enjoy the holidays without you.
But we're so proud of you and all the red white and blue.
Remember that Jesus is your best friend,
And someday our families will be together again.
Wow! You know we'll have a great big party then.

Chorus

I want to show you how tall I've grown and introduce you to my new friends at school.
Maybe we could go and get some ice cream together but I really don't care what we do.

Chorus

I read a description which says that at the beginning of the video, where she looks like she is crying, she is just rubbing her eyes like any 6 year old does. She had been acting silly just before singing the song. Still, it is a very sweet message.

I found it at YouTube, of course. Proof that there are some very good things coming to us from YouTube.

This is yet another entry to link you to children who inspire. Other children who inspire: Bindi Irwin, Akiane Kramarik, Mattie Stepanek, and the Invisible children of Uganda

YouTube Video Link

 

Tags: Heather Martin Video, soldiers in Iraq,