I just read this book What Great Teachers Do Differently, 14 things that matter most, by Todd Whitaker. I want to reflect on how I think about it, so that I learn a little bit more than just reading it.
I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the latter chapters were a bit annoying. I was annoyed because he uses logic that I don't totally agree with. For example, "You don't have to like all of your students. You have to make it seem like you like all of your students." I think that's just sad. Regardless, the book overall was pretty helpful because it hammers on this topic that I am in the middle of figuring out. The topic is, "What do I believe is possible in a classroom?"
I keep hearing from teachers and principles that in order for our students to learn they have to care about the teacher and know that the teacher cares about them. That's great, I can do that. The challenge I'm facing is about whether I truly believe that every student can achieve success in the classroom. In order to effectively challenge and teach each student, I have to believe that each student can meet expectations of learning math and behavioral discipline.
When it comes down to the wire, I believe that each student has the potential to learn math and behavior, and to learn it well. Do I think that a classroom of 30 students is the place where all 30 will succeed? No. BUT - as a teacher, if I can communicate my passion and belief in my students, they can carry that with them to the environment that will provide math skills. I DO believe that each student has the capability to develop gumption, persistence, and discipline, wrapped up with trust in themselves. Those are the skills that a student needs to succeed in academia, trade school, etc.
These are the points from this book - with my comments:
1. Great teachers never forget that it is people, not programs, that determine the quality of a school.
2. Great teachers establish clear expectations at the start of the year and follow them consistently as the year progresses.
3. When a student misbehaves, great teachers have one goal: to keep that behavior from happening again. I would add that the greatest teacher wants to know why a student misbehaved.
4. Great teachers have high expectations for students but even higher expectations for themselves.
5. Great teachers know who is the variable in the classroom: They are. Good teachers consistently strive to improve, and they focus on something they can control - their own performance.
6. Great teachers create a positive atmosphere in their classrooms and schools. They treat every person with respect. In particular, they understand the power of praise.
7. Great teachers consistently filter out the negatives that don't matter and share a positive attitude.
8. Great teachers work hard to keep their relationships in good repair - to avoid personal hurt and to repair any possible damage.
9. Great teachers have the ability to ignore trivial disturbances and the ability to respond to inappropriate behavior without escalating the situation.
10. Great teachers have a place and purpose for everything they do. If things don't work out the way they had envisioned, they reflect on what they could have done differently and adjust their plans accordingly.
11. Before making any decision or attempting to bring about any change, great teachers ask themselves one central question: What will the best people thing?
-I'm not sure I'm on board with any part of this question...
12. Great teachers continually ask themselves who is most comfortable and who is least comfortable with each decision they make. They treat everyone as if they were good.
-I agree with treating all students as if they are good. However, the comfort piece is not something that jives with my thought process.
13. Great teachers keep standarized testing in perspective; they center on the real issue of student learning.
-I agree with focusing on the important piece, learning. However, I also agree with individuals standing up for systematic change if/when it is necessary. For that reason, I think a teacher should be concerned with standardized testing and who benefits and who does not benefit from it.
14. Great teachers care about their students. They understand that behaviors and beliefs are tied to emotion, and they understand the power of emotion to jump-start change.
-I need to find a way to emotionally engage my students on Day 1.
I'm excited to learn more about teaching through experience!
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Mrs. Clifton is checking in to stay!
Well, I certainly didn't write down as much as I wanted to during our engagement...so I think it's pretty impressive that my first married post is coming a short 18 days after our wedding day!
Yesterday (June 26, 2012), I finished my errands and tasks to change my name to Tara Jade Clifton. Woo HOO! I primarily am happy that my facebook official name is truly my legal name. I am secondarily happy that I have crossed off tasks from the list-inside-my-head so that I have that much more space for re-studying for the Audit exam. Restudying begins today...
But before studying commences, I need to write some of the feelings and memories that I shared with Emily, because I didn't realize how much I want to capture until I talked to her and she drug this stuff out of me!
The first memory I want to capture is that our wedding was beautiful, everything fell into place, ran (relatively) smoothly (Coordinator Karen dropped a couple of balls - Cresta resolved them of course), our guests had fun, and most importantly - our wedding glorified God! Bmom keeps telling me how people were blessed by our ceremony, our love for each other, etc. Even Kim & Ron decided to have a 'recommitment' to each other, vowing to love each other better & to have more fun. I'm not totally sure if it was just our wedding or the fact that their anniversary is June 10, but I would suspect that both factors added to their renewal.
After we got married, I had some emotions that I didn't expect to come out. I know my emotions are common, so I'm not worried about this. However, I did have a moment in time that I was kind of 'in shock' we were actually married. It felt really surreal that Tyler and I will be together for life, having a new family member; and I guess I could identify with feeling 'scared'. I described to Tyler that it was like I all of a sudden became scared that we have a marriage (almost like a third person in our relationship) that we have to work really hard to protect.
-What if I mess it up?
-What if our marriage gets 'ugly'?
Those are thoughts that need to be banished because God promises that if we live in Him, Christ's love makes it possible to love one another, no matter the circumstances. I think that third person is the Holy Spirit that Tyler and I share. This feeling is really too new to describe any more tangibly. I suspect I'll have more revelation as God enlightens both of us.
Another interesting feeling I've been having is that now that we're married, it feels like I don't know Tyler as well as I thought I did. Because we're both new people, being one with each other, I am surprised to figure out that I have a new standard in my mind of the level that we have to know each other. So whenever something comes up that I don't know about him, or don't expect, I feel an underlying bit of awkwardness with a side of, 'I should have known that already'! In reality, I'll be learning about him for the ENTIRETY of our marriage, why should I expect anything different? We have only known each other for approximately 10% of each others lives; and people change as we grow - so why should I know everything about him? That'd be boring if I never learned anything more about him!!
Sidenote: there have been so many times that I can't recount (from the past few weeks and before) that Tyler has said something to the effect that shows me that he knows me REALLY well, and that has been a HUGE blessing that God knew I desired before I could really put that into words. I think that as a woman, it is nearly a requirement that the close people in your life have to know you well for emotional relationship to thrive. As Tyler has predicted my thought processes, or done something for me without being asked, or given me something that I wanted but never said, I have been so fulfilled and blessed!
All in all, with the weird feelings, awesome blessings, honeymoon, name changes, moving transition, etc.; being married for the past 18 days has been the best 2+ weeks of my life. I love it. God did a good thing creating a covenant like this.
For the first time, I'm signing off as Mrs. Clifton!
Yesterday (June 26, 2012), I finished my errands and tasks to change my name to Tara Jade Clifton. Woo HOO! I primarily am happy that my facebook official name is truly my legal name. I am secondarily happy that I have crossed off tasks from the list-inside-my-head so that I have that much more space for re-studying for the Audit exam. Restudying begins today...
But before studying commences, I need to write some of the feelings and memories that I shared with Emily, because I didn't realize how much I want to capture until I talked to her and she drug this stuff out of me!
The first memory I want to capture is that our wedding was beautiful, everything fell into place, ran (relatively) smoothly (Coordinator Karen dropped a couple of balls - Cresta resolved them of course), our guests had fun, and most importantly - our wedding glorified God! Bmom keeps telling me how people were blessed by our ceremony, our love for each other, etc. Even Kim & Ron decided to have a 'recommitment' to each other, vowing to love each other better & to have more fun. I'm not totally sure if it was just our wedding or the fact that their anniversary is June 10, but I would suspect that both factors added to their renewal.
After we got married, I had some emotions that I didn't expect to come out. I know my emotions are common, so I'm not worried about this. However, I did have a moment in time that I was kind of 'in shock' we were actually married. It felt really surreal that Tyler and I will be together for life, having a new family member; and I guess I could identify with feeling 'scared'. I described to Tyler that it was like I all of a sudden became scared that we have a marriage (almost like a third person in our relationship) that we have to work really hard to protect.
-What if I mess it up?
-What if our marriage gets 'ugly'?
Those are thoughts that need to be banished because God promises that if we live in Him, Christ's love makes it possible to love one another, no matter the circumstances. I think that third person is the Holy Spirit that Tyler and I share. This feeling is really too new to describe any more tangibly. I suspect I'll have more revelation as God enlightens both of us.
Another interesting feeling I've been having is that now that we're married, it feels like I don't know Tyler as well as I thought I did. Because we're both new people, being one with each other, I am surprised to figure out that I have a new standard in my mind of the level that we have to know each other. So whenever something comes up that I don't know about him, or don't expect, I feel an underlying bit of awkwardness with a side of, 'I should have known that already'! In reality, I'll be learning about him for the ENTIRETY of our marriage, why should I expect anything different? We have only known each other for approximately 10% of each others lives; and people change as we grow - so why should I know everything about him? That'd be boring if I never learned anything more about him!!
Sidenote: there have been so many times that I can't recount (from the past few weeks and before) that Tyler has said something to the effect that shows me that he knows me REALLY well, and that has been a HUGE blessing that God knew I desired before I could really put that into words. I think that as a woman, it is nearly a requirement that the close people in your life have to know you well for emotional relationship to thrive. As Tyler has predicted my thought processes, or done something for me without being asked, or given me something that I wanted but never said, I have been so fulfilled and blessed!
All in all, with the weird feelings, awesome blessings, honeymoon, name changes, moving transition, etc.; being married for the past 18 days has been the best 2+ weeks of my life. I love it. God did a good thing creating a covenant like this.
For the first time, I'm signing off as Mrs. Clifton!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
If ____, then GOD.
"It's tough being a woman in the tight fist of fear."
It's not enough to say that God will not let my worst fear happen, that's conditional faith.
I have to be able to say, IF [any fear], then GOD will take care of me. My God is faithful. I've seen that happen before. And yet, fear still comes into my life.
Powerful Beth Moore study: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUbdkUil6U
It's not enough to say that God will not let my worst fear happen, that's conditional faith.
I have to be able to say, IF [any fear], then GOD will take care of me. My God is faithful. I've seen that happen before. And yet, fear still comes into my life.
Powerful Beth Moore study: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUbdkUil6U
Monday, November 28, 2011
Spirit Wind
This past semester has been a whirl wind. In 2 short, beautiful weeks I will be done with my college career! I remember counting down to my arrival at A&M, and man oh man, I was BLINDSIDED by all that I would find down that sweet Highway 6.
I have been reflecting on the fact that I have always had the intention of coming to A&M, getting into PPA, then going to work for a big 4 accounting firm. Now that I am in the throws of finishing this up, I still can attest to the fact that plans for my life are not my own; God has given me a new direction, and a set of circumstances I never expected. My personal examples of God changing my plans are easy to show & tell: Tyler & Austin. I was the first person to say that I wouldn't have a serious relationship in college, and that as soon as it was over I'd be out of the country for an unknown amount of time. Oops. I fell in love with an amazing man of God that reminds me to give up worries & trust God, nearly everyday. A man that makes me pee my pants in laughter, who reaches to the Lord when he sings, a man that holds his ground in ruthless banter with family friends looking to make him embarrassed...and now I'm moving to Austin, TEXAS? Ha, this is going to be good.
The Lord knows what I need, and where I can best serve Him. At 18, I didn't know what God wanted. It is still (obviously) a daily challenge to ask & learn what God wants of me in the moment.
Tonight I was blessed with encouragement, prayer & affirmation by my friends that I study the Bible with each Monday. I got a glimpse of reflection of this semester, realizing that this group of people are exactly what I have needed. A consistent source of God's word, honesty, transparency, a group of people to minister to about their needs & prayers...I could go on, but I won't because I need to write about their prayers for me, and I also need to sleep.
Michael opened by saying that the verse he chose seemed cliche, but after looking at some of my Facebook profile pictures, the verse was just 'Tara Bradley':
"You are the light of the world, A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on the stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
*I LOVE this verse.
Michael also read the Priestly blessing:
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6: 24-26
Michael spoke about my confidence to be me in all situations, even if that could be embarrassing to others, ha.
Courtney appreciated the way that I am helpful, and look for ways to give to others.
Zach read the verse that his grandmother gave to him for his life verse:
"Be strong & courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers...Be strong & courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1: 6 and 9
Zach spoke about the fact that Austin might not be too scary, but if I ever am fearful about my purpose & mission in this life, to rely on the fact that God has planned all that is set out. That has been my comfort and prayer, so many times.
One of my favorites:
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
I have struggled these past few months to determine what God's will is about where I will live starting in January, and really about what God wants from me in the subject of ministry...but as I remember my prayers for 2011, I have seen God more than fulfill them. I am faithful that He will bring my steps to me as I need to know what to do & where to go.
The Spirit is alive & well, keeping me close to the Lord, speaking truth & life...that in itself is an answer to prayer.
[Casting Crowns-Spirit Wind]
I have been reflecting on the fact that I have always had the intention of coming to A&M, getting into PPA, then going to work for a big 4 accounting firm. Now that I am in the throws of finishing this up, I still can attest to the fact that plans for my life are not my own; God has given me a new direction, and a set of circumstances I never expected. My personal examples of God changing my plans are easy to show & tell: Tyler & Austin. I was the first person to say that I wouldn't have a serious relationship in college, and that as soon as it was over I'd be out of the country for an unknown amount of time. Oops. I fell in love with an amazing man of God that reminds me to give up worries & trust God, nearly everyday. A man that makes me pee my pants in laughter, who reaches to the Lord when he sings, a man that holds his ground in ruthless banter with family friends looking to make him embarrassed...and now I'm moving to Austin, TEXAS? Ha, this is going to be good.
The Lord knows what I need, and where I can best serve Him. At 18, I didn't know what God wanted. It is still (obviously) a daily challenge to ask & learn what God wants of me in the moment.
Tonight I was blessed with encouragement, prayer & affirmation by my friends that I study the Bible with each Monday. I got a glimpse of reflection of this semester, realizing that this group of people are exactly what I have needed. A consistent source of God's word, honesty, transparency, a group of people to minister to about their needs & prayers...I could go on, but I won't because I need to write about their prayers for me, and I also need to sleep.
Michael opened by saying that the verse he chose seemed cliche, but after looking at some of my Facebook profile pictures, the verse was just 'Tara Bradley':
"You are the light of the world, A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on the stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
*I LOVE this verse.
Michael also read the Priestly blessing:
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6: 24-26
Michael spoke about my confidence to be me in all situations, even if that could be embarrassing to others, ha.
Courtney appreciated the way that I am helpful, and look for ways to give to others.
Zach read the verse that his grandmother gave to him for his life verse:
"Be strong & courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers...Be strong & courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1: 6 and 9
Zach spoke about the fact that Austin might not be too scary, but if I ever am fearful about my purpose & mission in this life, to rely on the fact that God has planned all that is set out. That has been my comfort and prayer, so many times.
One of my favorites:
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
I have struggled these past few months to determine what God's will is about where I will live starting in January, and really about what God wants from me in the subject of ministry...but as I remember my prayers for 2011, I have seen God more than fulfill them. I am faithful that He will bring my steps to me as I need to know what to do & where to go.
The Spirit is alive & well, keeping me close to the Lord, speaking truth & life...that in itself is an answer to prayer.
[Casting Crowns-Spirit Wind]
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Pop's Pickles!
Molly and I made these this weekend:
Our variations:
We used pint size canning jars; used 1 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp dill seed, and halved the juice mix as we made it because my pan wasn't big enough to make the 'full' amount. We repeated the canning process three times with three jars each batch. We also didn't know if we should take the jars out of the hot water after 'sterilizing' while putting cucumbers inside them, so we didn't. I'm hoping that keeping everything hot will make the pickles stay crunchy. One jar didn't seal because I accidentally got hot water in it as I tried to put the lid on.
This was a huge mess, but totally worth it. Very fun for us to do together!
9/27 Update: I broke down and tried a pickle (I was supposed to wait until Saturday but I got really hungry last night). In my defense, I ate from the jar that didn't seal, so I didn't mess anything up. I LOVE them. It's kind of weird to eat pickles that don't taste like Vlasics or whatever, but I like them because their mine. Maybe some of the vinegar flavor will dissipate or something after some time. That's what it is, they taste too vinegar-y. The garlic and dill amounts ROCK.
Can't wait for my next canning project. :)
Ingredients
- 8 pounds small pickling cucumbers
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup pickling salt
- 3 tablespoons pickling spice, wrapped in cheesecloth
- 7 1-quart canning jars with lids and rings
- 7 heads fresh dill
- 7 cloves garlic
Directions
- Place cucumbers in a large pot and cover with ice cubes. Let them sit for at least 2 hours but no more than 8. Drain and pat dry.
- Place the water, vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, and pickling spice into a saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the cucumbers into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Place 1 dill head and 1 clove of garlic into each jar. Pour the hot pickling liquid into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes, or the time recommended by your county Extension agent.
- Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). If any jars have not sealed properly, refrigerate them and eat within two weeks. Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 1 week before opening.
Our variations:
We used pint size canning jars; used 1 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp dill seed, and halved the juice mix as we made it because my pan wasn't big enough to make the 'full' amount. We repeated the canning process three times with three jars each batch. We also didn't know if we should take the jars out of the hot water after 'sterilizing' while putting cucumbers inside them, so we didn't. I'm hoping that keeping everything hot will make the pickles stay crunchy. One jar didn't seal because I accidentally got hot water in it as I tried to put the lid on.
This was a huge mess, but totally worth it. Very fun for us to do together!
9/27 Update: I broke down and tried a pickle (I was supposed to wait until Saturday but I got really hungry last night). In my defense, I ate from the jar that didn't seal, so I didn't mess anything up. I LOVE them. It's kind of weird to eat pickles that don't taste like Vlasics or whatever, but I like them because their mine. Maybe some of the vinegar flavor will dissipate or something after some time. That's what it is, they taste too vinegar-y. The garlic and dill amounts ROCK.
Can't wait for my next canning project. :)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Passion
Ignited my fire again. Made me feel the Holy Spirit. Taught me more than I can learn on my own. Made me convicted, conflicted. Stronger. I need to live it out.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
king ranch casserole
jessica and i love krc.
we have made two batches together.
recipe 1:
what we like: corn tortillas
what we don't like: too many ingredients, takes a LONG time
recipe 2:
can corn?
can rotel
can beans?
4 boiled chicken breasts, shredded
tortilla chips crunched up on the bottom of the baking dish
mexican cheese
medium onion, chopped
what we like: crunch of chip
what we don't like: too many onions, chips not crunchy on 2nd day, difficult to get out of the pan bc of the slippery chip bottom.
we have made two batches together.
recipe 1:
what we like: corn tortillas
what we don't like: too many ingredients, takes a LONG time
recipe 2:
can corn?
can rotel
can beans?
4 boiled chicken breasts, shredded
tortilla chips crunched up on the bottom of the baking dish
mexican cheese
medium onion, chopped
what we like: crunch of chip
what we don't like: too many onions, chips not crunchy on 2nd day, difficult to get out of the pan bc of the slippery chip bottom.
Monday, November 15, 2010
birthday camp trip
-reservations
-burn ban
-forgotten things...towel, food, foil...
-broken lantern
-creepy Marshall "I always feel like if i have a light on me I'm just a target..."
-9 mi walk to gorman falls
-also Marshall: motorcycle jump...."I've got tattoos older than you"
-PT let us borrow a lantern & showed us jupiter and 4 moons!
-4 armadillos on the trail...
-raccoon in the trash, on the stove...and in the chair
-cheeze its and wine
-tyler's crazy dream: both in army reserves...nuclear fall out...tara called to duty, then tyler. out in the woods....heard a racoon. saw louis (anne's dog), anne comes running out to get him, had made a clone of herself so she could take care of jerry & the kids and find louis.
-burn ban
-forgotten things...towel, food, foil...
-broken lantern
-creepy Marshall "I always feel like if i have a light on me I'm just a target..."
-9 mi walk to gorman falls
-also Marshall: motorcycle jump...."I've got tattoos older than you"
-PT let us borrow a lantern & showed us jupiter and 4 moons!
-4 armadillos on the trail...
-raccoon in the trash, on the stove...and in the chair
-cheeze its and wine
-tyler's crazy dream: both in army reserves...nuclear fall out...tara called to duty, then tyler. out in the woods....heard a racoon. saw louis (anne's dog), anne comes running out to get him, had made a clone of herself so she could take care of jerry & the kids and find louis.
Monday, August 9, 2010
faithful you are faithful
i want to sing you a love song
singing this song on Sunday at church completely took away my breath and my voice and it was the most in touch worship experience i have had in a very very long time. i think those experiences are the kind that you most want to talk about, but have the hardest time explaining.
i love God and i've been away from Him for so long, but he's been faithful. He's been loving, when I've tried to forget Him.
Psalm 39
p.s. why do i keep finding blogs about iowa?
singing this song on Sunday at church completely took away my breath and my voice and it was the most in touch worship experience i have had in a very very long time. i think those experiences are the kind that you most want to talk about, but have the hardest time explaining.
i love God and i've been away from Him for so long, but he's been faithful. He's been loving, when I've tried to forget Him.
Psalm 39
p.s. why do i keep finding blogs about iowa?
Friday, June 25, 2010
Divine Romance
I'm listening to this song that Becca walked down the aisle to in her wedding, and I am just so thankful for God's love and His hand in my life. Tonight was a great night of just being with joyful girls that love God-and the way everything in my life is taken care of and orchestrated is just beautiful. I love Jesus and I love how He romances me.
The fullness of
Your grace is here with me
The richness of
Your beauty is all I see
The brightness of
Your glory has arrived
In your presence God
I'm completely satisfied
For You I sing, I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
A deep, deep flood
Emotion flows through You
A deep, deep love
Yeah, is fillin' up the room
Your innocent blood
Has washed my guilty life
In Your presence God
I'm completely satisfied
For You, I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
For You I sing I dance
I rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
For You I sing I dance
I rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
The fullness of
Your grace is here with me
The richness of
Your beauty is all I see
The brightness of
Your glory has arrived
In your presence God
I'm completely satisfied
For You I sing, I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
A deep, deep flood
Emotion flows through You
A deep, deep love
Yeah, is fillin' up the room
Your innocent blood
Has washed my guilty life
In Your presence God
I'm completely satisfied
For You, I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
For You I sing I dance
I rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
For You I sing I dance
I rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love
To show my love
Sunday, July 19, 2009
My Suckumentary
At work today (at Target), I was assigned to infants. That includes "infant hardlines" a.k.a. toys, bottles, and diapers. I felt like Tibby from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Any job where your "work" gets distroyed in 5 seconds by a shopper leads to thoughts of worthlessness and dialogue such as, "Why should I line the edge of this box up with the shelf?" But no one is there to listen.
This is only my third day to work at Target, and I do not think I like it, but I have learned a few things. Since this is my second job in retail, I've realized that there are a lot of differences between T and BRFS but there are also lots of things that are standardized in retail. People who work in retail are similar; it's an easy job that attracts slackers and people who don't want to work extremely hard. To be good at it requires someone to really have a passion to make a difference to others, otherwise the simple tasks that retail workers have to do seem meaningless. Sometimes I think that if I start thinking my tasks are important, then "THEY" will have brainwashed me. So I try to keep a healthy perspective while I work. I remind myself that my tasks aren't the important things, it's doing my work to be a good employee. As far as working at T, I have gotten barely annnny training at all on the way things actually work. The hour and a half video that was called training was mostly to tell people to not join unions. One of the employees gave me good advice for T, and turns out to be good advice for life. He said, "Just do things your way until someone tells you to stop." I put that into use tonight, and I closed down infants like a badass. Dan was mad because I didn't understand the standards for baby food, but then I showed him what is up.
I think I have been operating life with that attitude mostly since I was about 14. When I get an idea into my head, I think it's possible right until it fails. This summer for instance, has been about proving myself. I told my Dad I could save money, and that I could pay for my bills on my own. In my eyes, I still have about 25 days to make that money. I'm doing ridiculous things to make that money: babysitting random families, independent contract work, working retail (for the same amount of money that I was paid when I was 16 to work retail), cleaning a ridiculously dirty house; and that's not to mention the extents I have gone through to not spend too much money.
Sometimes I have been sad about not being able to go through a fast-food restaurant without feeling guilty about the wasted money, but the opportunities that I have had in College Station have more than made up for the cravings I haven't been able to feed. My opportunities have mainly been in the realm of relationships. Without school, there have been few things to keep me from seeing or calling anyone I want. However, some relationships have still done better than others, and I know that availability isn't the culprit.
I wonder why some people are friends. Wondering about how married couples got together and how they stay together is common because their relationship has to be strong and deep. But friends have to be deep, dedicated and selfless, too. Two people can be extremely different and still be friends, and I want to know why. Jessica and I are really different, and we still haven't figured it out. Haha. Eventually, she and I will solve the riddle, because that's what friends are for!
Yes, solving riddles.
This is only my third day to work at Target, and I do not think I like it, but I have learned a few things. Since this is my second job in retail, I've realized that there are a lot of differences between T and BRFS but there are also lots of things that are standardized in retail. People who work in retail are similar; it's an easy job that attracts slackers and people who don't want to work extremely hard. To be good at it requires someone to really have a passion to make a difference to others, otherwise the simple tasks that retail workers have to do seem meaningless. Sometimes I think that if I start thinking my tasks are important, then "THEY" will have brainwashed me. So I try to keep a healthy perspective while I work. I remind myself that my tasks aren't the important things, it's doing my work to be a good employee. As far as working at T, I have gotten barely annnny training at all on the way things actually work. The hour and a half video that was called training was mostly to tell people to not join unions. One of the employees gave me good advice for T, and turns out to be good advice for life. He said, "Just do things your way until someone tells you to stop." I put that into use tonight, and I closed down infants like a badass. Dan was mad because I didn't understand the standards for baby food, but then I showed him what is up.
I think I have been operating life with that attitude mostly since I was about 14. When I get an idea into my head, I think it's possible right until it fails. This summer for instance, has been about proving myself. I told my Dad I could save money, and that I could pay for my bills on my own. In my eyes, I still have about 25 days to make that money. I'm doing ridiculous things to make that money: babysitting random families, independent contract work, working retail (for the same amount of money that I was paid when I was 16 to work retail), cleaning a ridiculously dirty house; and that's not to mention the extents I have gone through to not spend too much money.
Sometimes I have been sad about not being able to go through a fast-food restaurant without feeling guilty about the wasted money, but the opportunities that I have had in College Station have more than made up for the cravings I haven't been able to feed. My opportunities have mainly been in the realm of relationships. Without school, there have been few things to keep me from seeing or calling anyone I want. However, some relationships have still done better than others, and I know that availability isn't the culprit.
I wonder why some people are friends. Wondering about how married couples got together and how they stay together is common because their relationship has to be strong and deep. But friends have to be deep, dedicated and selfless, too. Two people can be extremely different and still be friends, and I want to know why. Jessica and I are really different, and we still haven't figured it out. Haha. Eventually, she and I will solve the riddle, because that's what friends are for!
Yes, solving riddles.
Timeless
Timeless, as in, I don't have much time to write. Since I wrote in this blog the other day, I want to write more and more and more! But I've always had a problem with making myself too busy. This weekend is no different. Everything I have done are things I wanted to do, but I guess I want to do too much. Tonight I am going to write out all my thoughts. And then I will feel better. Hopefully.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Free Spin
Today is probably a little bit past the halfway point of the summer, but I'm going to write about my entire summer anyway. It's been quite a wild ride. Today for instance, I learned that I need to practice a "free spin." It's a move that relies on tension and balance. In a lot of ways, my summer has been full of tension and balance as well.
I started off with the idea in my head that I was going to be working 40 hours a week, every week, from May to August as a camp counselor. However, I quickly found out that I would not be getting that many hours, and that I would be done working for the city of Bryan on July 10.
So I have had a quite constant nagging to find jobs to make money. In this economy, it's been extremely difficult! However, I have found some random endeavors that have been helping ends meet. And whatever I make in this upcoming month will be going to my savings account for school this next semester. All of this is leading up to the point that my summer has been extremely random and very different than I thought it would. I have enjoyed each minute though!
I've learned a lot about motivating myself, holding people true to their words, patience and saving money. I have also accomplished things like learning how to dance better, spontaneaity, How I Met Your Mother, relaxation, and why I like to run.
Hopefully, I'll get the free spin dance move down before school begins. And then I can add that to a list of things I have accomplished this summer.
I started off with the idea in my head that I was going to be working 40 hours a week, every week, from May to August as a camp counselor. However, I quickly found out that I would not be getting that many hours, and that I would be done working for the city of Bryan on July 10.
So I have had a quite constant nagging to find jobs to make money. In this economy, it's been extremely difficult! However, I have found some random endeavors that have been helping ends meet. And whatever I make in this upcoming month will be going to my savings account for school this next semester. All of this is leading up to the point that my summer has been extremely random and very different than I thought it would. I have enjoyed each minute though!
I've learned a lot about motivating myself, holding people true to their words, patience and saving money. I have also accomplished things like learning how to dance better, spontaneaity, How I Met Your Mother, relaxation, and why I like to run.
Hopefully, I'll get the free spin dance move down before school begins. And then I can add that to a list of things I have accomplished this summer.
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