The Sunrise Story

I've challenged myself to participate in the hundred day challenge. One hundred days! I started on April 1st (the actual challenge began on April 3rd). Today is day twenty-four for me and I'm plugging along.  I've decided to write a poem every day on my pink typewriter. These poems are short and simple. Sometimes they aren't very good and other days I'm really proud of them, but I'm showing up every day. I think that's the lesson...showing up every day... even when, especially when I don't have anything to say.  That's what writing is. That's what writers do. They show up to the page every single day and write and I'll continue to do so for seventy-six more days. (That's July 1st, for those who are counting.) Twenty-four days into the challenge, I wonder...do I regret starting this? Sometimes I wish I hadn't. Sometimes it feels like it's just one more thing until I sit down at my typewriter and I write. Big goals are ...

Monday was rainy and cold and, well, it was Monday. Why was I awake and out of my house by 4:40 AM? We had a field trip to visit 94.7 Fresh FM . We were invited to be guests of "The Tommy Show" . We spent a few hours watching Tommy, Kelly, and Jen create incredible entertainment.They shared their tips and advice with the middle-schoolers. They listened. They answered questions. They treated the students with such kindness, generosity, and respect.   Students got the opportunity to record a promo for their segment, "Can't Beat Kelly". It was amazing getting to stand back and watch these kids speak on the radio. A few students interviewed Tommy and Kelly too.  As the morning came to an end, they decided to film some of our segments in the studio. Just watching these students grab Tommy and ask him to be in the joke of the day or asking for advice made my heart grow with pride. They had fun. They took our time here seriously and I watched them lear...

Today begins a new challenge. For 100 days I will create something new each day. It's called #the100dayproject I wasn't sure about starting a new project as soon as I completed the slice of life challenge, but I'm jumping in. What do I have to lose? The slice of life challenge this year was challenging. It felt different. I can't figure out why. I read tons of end of challenge reflections and I'm not the only one who felt different. Dare I say, it felt easier this year? I felt like my heart wasn't in it on lots of days...like I was doing it to do it. As I look back and reflect, I'm not sure why, but I've decided it doesn't really matter. I wrote every day for 31 days. I have eight sixth-graders that completed the challenge and six more that came close. The writing always nudges me to grow and doing it with students is an inspiration. Which leads me to this new challenge...I am going to write a poem using my typewriter for the ...

I just returned home from a walk to the grocery store. I had a couple of things to pick up and the sun is shining, so it's a good excuse for a walk.  Going to the grocery store engenders strong emotions in me. Some days I feel invisible and I feel sad and alone. Those are the days when people run into my cart or cut in front of me or stop in the middle of the aisle and never offer an apology or even recognize that they've inconvenienced me. Let me stop right here and own the fact, that I'm sure there have been days that I've been that person for others.  Today's trip started off rocky. A woman walked in front of my cart three times and stopped. I had nowhere to go. She didn't acknowledge me. Frustrated, I moved around her and tried to remember one of my mantras, "Everyone has a story." I imagined she might be having a troublesome day and I wished her well...silently, in my head.  When I arrived at the check-out, my usually swamped groc...

This year, I find myself kicking and screaming towards the end. In my best recollection, I've never felt like this before about slicing. I wonder what's changed?  Honestly, the only thing that's bringing me back day after day in this final week, is my students. I have students who have committed to this challenge. Sixth-graders are slicing over spring break. What can I possibly tell them? I didn't feel like it?!?! I forgot?!?! NO. That's why I'm here. Writing. Blogging. Slicing. Tomorrow is the final day. I confess...I'm excited to be finished. The feeling for me is different this year. I'll need to reflect on why that is, but right now, I just notice and accept it. Today is Friday. I spent the afternoon with friends. We laughed and talked and listened. It was the best part of my week. Sitting with people who know me and hear me and like me. I hope your Friday was filled with joy.  March is the Slice of Life Challenge. I'll be sharing a ...

My favorite things about this break... a more relaxing morning routine more time to read & write & create lunches out with friends going to see a matinee the freedom to make my own schedule The things I don't like about this break... lots of alone time feeling invisible sometimes rain and chilly weather no traveling so much to get done Yet as this break comes to an end I'm grateful for time to reflect I'm grateful for time to write I'm grateful for time to finish things I'm grateful... March is the Slice of Life Challenge. I'll be sharing a post each day in the month of March. Please join me at Two Writing Teachers to read more slices!

I have too much to say... Thoughts swirling  in my head about life and the path of life and the twists and turns but I don't want to  write about it here. Where does that  leave me? My confusion stifles my ability to write. Nothing else sounds real,  important, authentic. Instead these thoughts refuse to leave- they strangle, simmer,  and swirl- Where can I go? Where can I share  these wonderings? Where I can untangle  this mess? The pages, the private  pages  of my  notebook... Sometimes a blog is not the right place for me to write. Sometimes I need privacy to figure things out. That's how I've been feeling the past day or two. Today I started and stopped this blog post more times than I can count...until I realized what the problem really is. My writing is private today. It's for me. That's what the poem was trying to say.  March is the ...