reaching out

You all are so amazing...I hope you do enjoy getting to know the Tico's that were in Afton last month. I hope that you find common strings of interest that will weave you together as global citizens that have the future in your hands.

It is all about connections.

...new quarter new rules...

Ah the beauty of a fresh new start!!

You all seemed to enjoy the new furniture arrangement!! When I told you all that you can sit where you want to...the looks on your faces were priceless...but sadly the grupo de cuatro came together like a drop of mercury would after you try to squish it!!

We have to remember that in my world, it is all about YOU....I am here to be your teacher, to share with YOU the things I learned in college...it is up to YOU to open your minds enough to let me in...not to have a discussion on how you don't NEED to hear anything about what I know...N'est pas???

So that being said let's use this calendar moment to make a fresh new start and Strive for Excellence!!

All I am asking you to do is try...be open minded....shift your perspective....hey, ya never know, you might like what you see!!

Super Bowl Sunday

What a weekend...flew so fast I can't believe it!! My Costa Rican exchange student is leaving tomorrow and I am trying to not be SAD...hard but I will cope!!

We went shopping to Bingo again today, then snow tubing, and once we got home I had to make a dish to pass for the "Tico's" going away party tomorrow. Since all the kids were gathered together I figured I would ask them what they wanted me to make for them...see Melina has been ranting about my cooking....so I figured ot only fair to ask them if they had anything specific they wanted...half wanted lasagna (my lasagna ROCKS!!), and the other half voted for rice and beans. Needless to say I made both...and a chocolate pie.

I also have more house guests today than I have children...lol!! One of the Tico's asked if they could sleep over, and one of Alexa's friends had already made arrangements to stay over last week...so they are "camping" in the girl's room....OY!!

Well the student world has a day off tomorrow...but us in the teacher world have Schoolie Duty tomorrow....hope they keep it down long enough for me to fall asleep without having to go in there and force lights out on 'em....ROFL!!

¡Hasta el martes mi gente!

...happy hump-day...

kind of a weird day, being on campus and not teaching....seeing some of my students through the window of a closed door, laboring and toiling away at the English Regents, hoping in my heart of hearts that my review of English grammar or my shpeil on how to take a standardized test may be resounding in the deepest fathoms of your minds....I could only sit back and watch.

I spent my day preparing to move furniture around in my room so having nobody to teach was a bit of a welcomed reprieve for now. As I get used to this whole teacher thing I think my methods will work better if I made my room a bit more Feng-Sui for you guys.

After all it is all about YOU!!

I had my day in the sun...now it is your turn....will you shine?? Make me proud mi gente....I dare you!!

time flies...

and I must say I am having fun...so I guess that is the excuse I am posting for not having written in like almost a week...

Busy doesn't begin to cut it....all the stuff I have going on lately, between the Miss Ridikas course planning and teacher work, the almost grad student applying to school and financial aid, the mom sitting in the stands watching the JV volleyball team (every night last week mind you), the staple chaperone for ACS school events, the maid doing chores and the cook making meals for the week all in one day....*whew*

I have to send a shout out to my girls in Spanish IV class....HEY Y'ALL.....I must say that my Spanish IV class is getting into the swing of things with this video project...too bad we are running out of time. I will be editing the tape we have to date during regents week, and with their permission I will post it here for all to see what my kids think of the things going on in this Big Blue Marble we live in!! No worries...we have subtitles...*giggles*

I must also RANT about the kids in my life who should know better...yet still want to test my good nature. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but what is your point?? why even try....*shrugs* I couldn't tell ya!! I mean you DO realize how many people would LOVE to be in my class, yet there are some of you that still want to be by your standards cool and disrupt...I just don't get it!! Is it my age showing again??? Must be!!

history in the making

...what a surreal feeling today to watch history in the making!!

What is it that I will remember most about this historic moment?? The gratitude and appreciation of my students when I informed them that I felt it my civic duty to allow them to witness this momentous event...or the chit chat from others as we watched in silence and awe..or the poor guy's slip of the tongue as he was being sworn in...the outbreak of sympathetic laughter in my classroom made us all realize that this man is human just like us and gets so nervous, even HE forgets the words!!

Hope is in the air....SWEET!!!!

My kid's first all nighter...lol

We are expecting an exchange student from Costa Rica who is landing with her group at some ungodly hour of the morning at JFK Airport...so Alexa and some of the other host sisters and brothers went with Afton's Spanish teacher on a yellow bus to the city!!

She wasn't sure if she was going but I am glad that she took the chance to make a memory both for herself as well as Melina!!

It was a bit of a no brainer for me to allow her to go...could any of you who know me see me doing any different...NOT!! Let's just hope that she doesn't fall asleep in class tomorrow *giggles*

¡Hasta mañana mi gente!

the learning never ends...

ya think it is over when you finish school...but it in not!!

But what is it that we really learn...is it just stuff you will never need?? or is it more just perspective?? Some of you seem to think you know it all....at least in foreign languages...it becomes challenging I must admit...but then..I remember that it is all about perspective....my perspective and my ability to try and help you guys see it from a different point of view.

I know what I know...I have had a lot more years to acquire all these pearls of wisdom than most of you have...and it is my duty to place these pearls in your satchel of knowledge now....and when I am dealing with interruptions, whispers, and talking...I can get mad, write you up...but instead it just made me realize that I was just doing it all wrong...a simple shift in perspective helped me realize that it is more about me and how I teach than anything else!!

Thanks for helping me see that guys...

feelin' frumpish today...

Dunno if it is the idea that I should call some parents tonight or the fact that I had to ask myself if I should be writing more of you guys up that is bothering me more today. Maybe it is all the "stuff" on my plate...from school, to certification, to my life, to my future.

I try and be the best teacher I think I can be...you all know that!! But it does get difficult at times when I find myself looking for strategies that enhance proper behavior for students who should know better!! I mean honestly...your very peers say that ISS is not punishment!! My rant for today I suppose is this...What is it that makes you need to challenge the establishment when all I am trying to do is teach you guys a foreign language??

keeps getting better...

I can't believe that everyday I like what I do more and more. It is nice to have you guys be on task with your lessons...even if it sometimes means that I have some of you sitting on desks during lecture or need to have an earphone in to stay focused..there are times when I can relate to your need or inability to be the most conventional of students. I think that is why I enjoy what I do so much. But head my warning....my kindness should never be mistaken for weakness!!

I realize that I know what I know....it has taken me a long time to learn it....and it is my responsibility to offer that knowledge to you in away that it not only makes sense, but also in a way that you retain it and make it part of your intellectual baggage. My goal, I believe is to make sure that if you ever need to communicate in either Spanish or French...that you can with confidence!!

I love snow days....*Smiles*

It was too cool to hear my telephone ring this morning at 5:55AM. It was our fearless leader with the smashing news that we are better off staying hunkered down at home rather than to risk harm trying to get to school today. I LOVE MY JOB!! (If I haven't said that enough so far let's just say it one more time).

See ya tomorrow!!

Priceless moments....

Ya know that commercial for Master Card...well I had my priceless moment today after getting gas at Stewart's....I had someone admit to me that they actually understand Spanish...eavesdropping at the Y...lol!! It is so nice to know that I helped make that happen for you!! It makes doing what I do way worth it...Thanks

Great First Day Back...

Hey guys...I realized that the days are getting longer...on my way home tonight the sun was still up even after I pulled into the driveway! How cool is that!!

At this time of the year I like to think that I am looking forward to Spring so much, that I see signs of it anywhere I can....even if it is only in something as simple as the onset of darkness.

I must say that I honestly liked being back at work today. While we were still on break, it was hard for me to imagine wanting to get ready for work, but this morning I was quite stoked about it!! I feel so privileged that I really want to go to work everyday. Thanks to all of you guys...Happy New Year!!

As it all winds down....

back to school tomorrow...I am excited to see you all again! Sure it was nice to be with family celebrating the holidays, but I am looking forward to getting back to work.

When I was downstate I cruised all my old haunts looking for cool stuff for you guys. I hit the Ideal Foreign Bookstore looking for material for you all, but the prices made me feel faint, so I figured it wiser to surf Amazon for some cheaper options. It was kinda cool to be in there again after all those years. I shopped there when I was in college because my Prof's used to give us long lists of books we had to read for class, and they always had all the books in the list. It still smelled of dust and decomposing paper...kinda made me flash back to my younger days *smiles* I liked it!!

I hope that you all have rested your bodies as well as your minds...and we are all ready to hit 2009 running!! Make me proud!!

Happy Old Year...

Well I finally found a hot spot to piggyback on so I can have access to you all thru my laptop. As I said before I trucked me and my kids and all my animals downstate on Christmas Day. It was a nice day and has been an all around nice visit to my old stomping grounds with old friends...all up until Saturday when I found out that an acquaintance of mine was a victim of violence and unfortunately has become just another NYC statistic.

It is moments like this...the ones that make you go numb...that ultimately make you take inventory of your blessings!! It has been a difficult time for me I must admit...to accept that fate has played itself out and has taken yet another vibrant life from this earth...and to find the justice in it all.

Needless to say my New Year's Eve plans have changed as they are laying Bobbie to rest today...so if I do unite with my posse from Brooklyn...we will all be remembering a man who was taken from us in a botched robbery attempt...and by the way, the guys who did this...GOT AWAY!!!

My moral of this story?? Life is to be appreciated EVERYDAY!! Never take anything for granted...and all my young people out there...we are not infallible and indestructible!! Be safe and be happy...Today!!!!

Happy Kucios...*giggles*

Well this traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve went over very well....I think my grandma would be proud!!

I was up at a whopping 5:30 only because Gilligan was pacing and needed to go out....so once I was up I figured I'd stay up....I started cooking at like 8 and only finished when the guests started showing up....I forgot how many dishes there were to make the 12 that tradition calls for...LMAO!!

I also made my sis a huge cake for her official college graduation....at 45+!! Congrats Lina....she made the Dean's list!!

We sat and ate and had a serene time....I can't remember the last time we did that!

I hope that you ALL feel the Christmas Magic...it is there....trust me...just tune in!!!

Buona Vigilia.....I am gushing unconditional love and peace to you all!!

You all inspire me...HONEST YOU DO!!!!

I thanked the powers that be for bringing me to you tonight at the Christmas Eve table...as a good pagan would...*giggles*

¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Well...I think I am done...

I do believe that I am ready for Christmas...lol!! All of my best laid plans were dashed by the weather...you know how the saying goes...while we are busy planning God is laughing...well in my case it was the weather man!!

I am doing a traditional Lithuanian spread for Christmas Eve and have my family coming over to feast and make nice...I just hope we get the last part right!!

If any of you are interested what it is we "Lugans" do for this holiest of nights follow this link: http://www.javlb.org/educat/tradicijos/kucios.html
Mind you...we Lithuanians have been around since the beginning of time...and were pagans....so there are many let's call them non-holy reasons why we do what we do...lol!!

After our family pow wow ...I am having Christmas morning with my girls, then hitting the road to head to mom's in Queens...need a NYC fix so I can appreciate my country life a bit more. *giggles*

If I don't get a chance to post before landing downstate...I wish you and all of yours Christmas Magic....it is out there...just tune in!!

Last week of school this year...*giggles*

Well tomorrow starts the last official school week of 2008 and I am pumped!! You all are doing so well in your own right it makes me gush with pride when I talk about you guys to folks I know here in Afton.

My youngest had her theatrical debut as Maxine in the Afton Community Theater's rendition of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" this weekend...so I found myself catching up with so many people I haven't seen in a long time and singing your praises to them all. I felt a bit like a hen brooding over her clutch of chicks...LOL!! But the sincere gratitude and good fortune I feel in having been found by your administration oozes from every part of me, because all the people that love me for me...can see the good you all do me.

So Thank You!!

Super Sunny Saturday

Ah...it is Saturday and it feels like Sunday...thanks to that wonderful snow day we had yesterday!! I love being a teacher!! This time Afton closed too so I couldn't aggravate my girls as they left for school and I didn't. So we all stayed hunkered down at the ponderosa and did absolutely nothing...well except me, I did lots of holiday prep work!! Can't decorate a messy home...well at least I can't.

So as I enjoy my second cup of coffee and find the energy to get up into the attic to bring down all that stuff...I wonder....why does this whole holiday thing make me feel the same way that going to the dentist does??? It seems like I have been putting off decorating and getting a tree since the official holiday season started...I mean I even blew off the Black Friday ritual this year...so unlike me *giggles*

Can it be that all this "drama" going on in the world is getting even the most flamboyant holiday junkie down?? I love Christmas...even at my tender age *cough, cough* I FEEL the magic of the season....but I can't seem to sense it yet...am I getting Scrooge-like in my old age??

What do you think??

culture shock?? NAH not at S-E

...it is so cool to see you guys going bilingual and liking it...the first step for me was back in college....sure I took Spanish since 7th grade and finished Afton's program in my sophomore year...then took French for the rest of my years in High School...but I believe I turned bilingual in college...my best friend Monica was dating a Chilean guy and we hung out in Spanish...all the time....the language began seeping into every facet of me...from how I ate...what I listened to....and who I hung out with!!

My hope is that you guys begin to allow other cultures in...test drive 'em a bit...and feel it for yourself before you pass judgement...because no matter where you go in life...you will have to be open to other points of view....my goal is to help in that shift of perspective...just because it isn't how you do it...doesn't make it wrong...just makes it different....and different is not a bad thing!!