On Friday afternoon we braved the crazy LA traffic and drove from Santa Barbara to San Diego. We stayed at a hip hotel in the Gaslamp district. I loved the heated pool and sunlight. They also had free coffee in the lobby and a complimentary wine hour. Woohoo.
Andrew was at a science conference (still is) so I had time to chill. I work with people in kind of an intense way, if you count 28 five-and six-year-olds consuming and excessive company. I really do appreciate moments solitude. Am I an introvert? Or, am I an overspent extravert? Not sure.
Meerkats remind me a lot of chihuahuas. Oh, and I went on the skyfari pod thing across the park even though I was a big baby about it being scary (it wasn't so bad).
We also braved the San Diego zoo. I am not a zoo person, really. I like animals as individuals or from afar in nature or as a pretty detail in the landscape. Think: smiley little chihuahuas, whale watching, sad-faced cows in golden pasture lands. This sound like an unfriendly statement but I am more of a plant person than an animal person; with the exception of people, most of the time.
This zoo had beautiful landscaping and was cool and lush with bountiful shade. I didn't feel overly-sorry for trapped-looking animals: it felt like their space, we were the ones crowded into the corridor. There were a lot of strollers to dodge. I forgot my memory card so all the pictures are courtesy of my iPhone 4 and the PicFrames app.
Mama panda bear eating bamboo and Papa panda bear passed out. There was a separate line to view these Chinese citizens. They were under high security with their own narrator. . I felt like Papa Bear's body language was a bit uninviting.
I wish I knew what these creatures were. It was better than the ballet! First rate performers. I wasn't sure if it was sibling rivalry or a romantic encounter.
The fashion inspiration of many fancy ladies...giraffes and zebras. And, meerkats piled like puppies in the sunshine.
I drove back solo which made me feel like an empowered independent woman. It was four hours and through crazy LA during the Oscars. And, I grew up on an island that only takes a couple hours to drive around (at 30 mph). But I did it just fine. I love the bluetooth radio--I chatted with family members and listened to my fairytale (A Game of Thrones, Book 2). This is the first audiobook, well second, I've ever listened too. I read the book version in bed before I sleep.
Oh, and I took a couple of pee-breaks and back-hurting-prevention breaks. One break was at a dusty gas station and the other was in Calabasas. Which is really quite pretty and swanky... On google maps, I saw the Kardashian store DASH was a block away from the Barnes and Noble I peed at. Their show is on Netflix so I am finally hip to who they are.
Colorful kids--and generous parents. My class is looking good.
Beautiful children and their self-portraits.
Last week they did an exciting tie-dye project led by some terrific parents in my room. We frequently talk about primary and secondary colors, so it was wonderful to see all the colors blended together in a real-life way.
Today we made a beautiful book of thank you notes. My students are so creative and growing so much as a writers and independent humans. It is so fun to witnessed. And I found the perfect use for a fancy tie-dye patterned pad of post-its I was gifted.
I did all the paperwork (not my strength) required to transfer to a new salary class. Moving to a new state, I still started at Class 1 even with a high quality Masters degree. I managed to earn over 20 units in two years (evening classes, summer Writing Project) since working for this district. I feel accomplished and am happy to make a bit more money.
Really late in the game on this, but I bought an eyelash curler. I curled my lashes and think it actually DOES make a big difference. Va-va-vooom. A little scary. Do you get use to it?
Tonight I will eat pineapple upside down cake to celebrate a friend and neighbor's 32nd birthday. I don't have fancy digs but I love my community. My neighbors are my friends. We borrow things from one another, crowd together and watch TV in our PJs, and stumble upon easy conversations at the laundry room or mailboxes. Dorms for grown-ups.
My eyes are so tired of pinks and red and glitter and hearts. I can't wait for the switch to March. I find spring the most thrilling and dramatic season....I LOVE flowers and rainbows and clovers and soothing green. If Summer is the weekend of the Year, Spring is like Thursday night before the weekend. Friday Eve... Two more days and then I refresh my calendar and classroom and begin celebrating spring.
Do you see signs of a new season? What things are you looking forward to?
I did so little. I puttered around. I woke when I felt like it. I experimented in the kitchen. I played with my plants. I made space and parted with stuff I don't need...a couch, bags of clothes, a rug. I selected fresh food and bright flowers at the farmer's market. I sat in the sun and drank coffee with A. I read in bed in the middle of the day (A Game of Thrones, Book 2). I noticed cute dogs (everywhere) Note: I may have the dog version of the baby-bug...some people feel pangs of longing for children, I feel them for canines.
I went to the beach, of course.
Bounty: In my fridges, on my counters, and in Andrew's ceramic vases.
I went to yoga. I wandered through the garden store and felt the comforting/familiar draw of a farm life. I wept through "The Descendents" set in my beautiful Hawaii heart-and-homeland.
Slow food. Warm food.
Put up my Instagram collage!
Fam life attracts me (and repels me).
This wilty looking 3rd-hand dendrobium rebloomed. I am awestruck.
At work today, I was happy to see my students smile and laugh. I took time to really notice them and practiced being a careful listener. There was time today to be scientists/historians/writers/performers/readers/thinkers and garden-growers. I felt fulfilled.
In honor of Presidents' Day and my love of teaching US history to kinders.
Happy Chinese New Year. Happy 100th Day of School. Happy Groundhog day. Happy Valentine's Day. Happy Birthday Old Abe Lincoln. Happy Birthday G.Washington P.S. I like your hair!
LOTS of celebrating this month. I probably missed something. Oh wait, today was Susan B. Anthony's birthday so I got on my soapbox about women not being able to vote less than 100 years ago. Then I cast a vote in my class over something--of course many 5-year-olds vote twice no matter what you do--and announced the girls votes don't count. I showed them a cartoon biographical video clip about Susan B. Anthony. They were mesmerized. Issues of segregation (MLK), slavery (Lincoln), assassination (both) come up with these topics. I just sadly shrug and say, "It was a very dark time in America" or "Remembering their lives is more important than their death." The first thing they will want to know about George Washington is "Who killed him?" "Well, actually, it was a throat infection." "Yeah, but who killed him?"
I am weirdly patriotic and love history. I wavered between a history and English major in college; English won but they overlap a lot.
We celebrate everything in kindergarten. I mean, we celebrate the alphabet. I have been an unabashed (though sadly ungifted) singer my whole life. I always thought singing really well would be a great super power--then you could listen to great music whenever you wanted.
Still, I remember feeling a little uneasy about leading students in singing when I was a student teacher. Now I have NO SHAME. I use and abuse music in my classroom each day. Name a topic, I might have a song for it. My life is becoming a musical.
If you ever glance at your clock from 8:00a.m. to 8:03, West Coast time, know that I am dancing and singing. My students stand in a circle as they trickle in the room after the last bell....and sing Good morning, Gooood morning to you! (as they wave to one another). Our daaaaaaaay is beginning, there's so much to do... Then the student rotate to the center of the carpet with a dance move. Everyone else imitates their move.
By 8:03 we have said the Pledge of Allegiance and are on to attendance.
Note: we have a few dance rules: Nothing on the floor. No rolling. You have to stay in a two foot square space as you do your move, no run dancing. The scissors and jumping jacks are popular moves.
When the kids are exhausted and unfocused and really difficult to the get the attention of (perhaps the entire day after Valentine's day) that's when you start whisper singing "America the Beautiful." When children are singing they usually aren't teasing or hitting or telling or crying or yelling. Usually aren't. , I do have to demonstrate the difference between YELLING THE WORDS FROM A SONG and singing in a loud, clear voice.
Anyway, I am moving on from Heart Day and have been teaching about Lincoln this week. Old Abe Lincoln he came out of the wilderness, out of the wilderness, down in Illinois. Next week will be Washington and "I cannot tell a lie." Again, I teach these topics with songs. And books. And coins. Coins are very high interest... did you know you can actually see Lincoln on the back of a penny, in his monument? We have been examining them with a magnifying glass. Also, we make penny necklaces with yarn and construction paper (bling).
A pal of mine just posted a link to this video called Death to Penny:
I am still a sentimental sap who wants pennies to stick around. And yes, I'm the lady counting out 3 random pennies to hand over with my cash, just to ensure I don't get any back. Sorry, guys.
Below, random DC pictures from last December. My dad grew up in Bethesda and I've made many a trip back there. I do love that pretty city.
Winterscape.
The bottom.
The top.
It cracked during a recent earthquake so you weren't able to go up. I still have never been to the top. And don't really want to go to the top. Glad I didn't need an excuse.
This was my Aunt and Uncles' last evening living on the West Coast. They moved to Hawaii the next day.
We plodding through a field to a beach I heard was somewhere around here...
At the edge: The view from the top.
I scaled down this cliff. It was scary. But going up is always worse.
But worth it! There were very few people around. A teenage couple nearby had found a whale bone. And then a guy paddled up on his stand up board to chat...he had no idea where this beach was and planned to bring his girl back here.
Driving back through Hope Ranch. I love the mountains here.
My dad and husband run as I lounge in the grass of my old middle school.
I grew up in the country side of Maui. We had a dirt road. There is no shoulder on the winding, lush roads of my neighborhood. We were taught to make a dive for the bushes as soon as we heard a car coming around the bend. As kids we still braved it and explored the neighborhood by street regularly. But more often we traveled through the field, cow pasture, or gulch.
My parents are happily divorced. They still have a lot in common. The love of dogs is a big one. My mom has her chihuahua, Koa, and my dad has his beagle, Jubilation. Oliver, the shorter haired chihuahua (front) is my sister's.
A new thing my parents have in common is that they both enjoy walking at the park. I spent a big part of my last trip home to Maui walking at different parks. Parks are wonderful spaces in general--they make me feel better about paying taxes. They ought to be enjoyed. I think this current love of parks is due to my parents being over the whole jumping-into-the-bushes thing.
When we are home, mom and dad are forced to interact. It generally goes okay. My dad offers my mom coconuts that he opens with a machete he keeps in the back of his truck. And they are nice to one another's dogs. (phew!)
Koa has the best smile. I like to call him Coco--or Cocoa Puff (but my mom doesn't care for it). When you scoop up this dog up he goes limp and melts into your arms. He lets you cradle him like a baby. Talk about a comfort pet!
Sidenote: Even though I am on the mainland I have two student in my class named Koa. I feel like it is rude to say, "Oh, wow, that's my mom's chihuahua's name!" even though it was my immediate reaction. Koa is a beautiful, native tree of Hawaii, highly valued for its strong wood. It was used for canoes and surfboards in the olden days and is now built into furniture and guitars.
A beagle's joyful gallop... my mom and dads' dogs get along well.
The master of fetch! The ball is behind him. No, really he is...I don't know what was going on.
Jube, my dad's dog, jumped in my mom's CRV and was not eager to get out. A little bit awkward.
Christmas pooch--all tuckered out. While the chihuahuas relish my love, he only tolerates my adoration. I realize this blog is light on Oliver pictures. No worries...he has his own blog which is about his previous gig as a Honolulu hound.
Andrew's birthday weekend was super low key. We went to the beach twice...and got in the water Sunday. I also decided to revamp my old camera habit. My iPhone has been my camera since I got it. Why lug around two? Anyway, while I am due to invest in a big heay REAL real camera, I broke out my Panasonic Lumix.
Walking down a dirt road...
...to the nearby "lake."
Another cute couple....
Pretty (hungry?) swans in the background did a little show for us. I love the self-timer, and precariously balancing my camera; I'd never dare ask a stranger for a picture. Though I am quite comfortable around people I know, I have severe stranger danger (I'm shy).
