Author Archives: ramblingsofaperforatedmind

Mother Trucker-Part 1

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Pam! She's my hero!

Pam! She’s my hero!

Some of you may have noticed silence on my part since late last week. I will explain.

Do you ever get the feeling things happen for a reason? Yeah, me too. This weekend is one perfect example. I thought I had my clock set for 10:15 (p. m.) Friday so we could get ready to leave home by 11. My plan was to drive all night and get us to Virginia by late Saturday night. So much for my plan. The alarm went off at 10 instead, so I got up, showered and we left 15 minutes early. No big deal, right? Wrong. It was part of the master plan.

At the beginning of the trip, I had on my game face and was ready to drive. I felt like

My Uncle Roger has been a trucker for years, so if I need driving directions, he’s my go-to person. He always gets us where we need to be. Earlier in the week he had faxed me directions with approximate distances and other details. I managed to make it to Lincoln before the second step of my plan went awry. Uncle Roger is very precise, but this time, an exit number was off, and I ended up on what I thought was the right road, but I had to make sure. (I can get lost in a paper bag!)

We narrowly missed a collision when a truck passed me on the right side. I was struggling to move into the left lane to pass a tractor trailer. It was just getting dark, and I was taking my time. The driver behind me must have been in a hurry because after nearly hitting us, the truck immediately swerved in front of me to pass the rig. The important part is that we did NOT get hit. When near misses happen, I always wonder if someone was praying for me in that very moment.

After the near miss, the rig and I ended up side by side at a red light. Wanting to reassure myself of my route, I had Ysabela roll her window down and wave to get the driver’s attention so I could ask if we were in the right place. Imagine my surprise when a LADY rolled down the window to give us an answer. AWESOME! She was coincidentally (?) heading the same way we were, and she was kind enough to let us follow her until we hit the next road we needed.

The three of us stopped for a potty break. Pam and I had a chat and exchanged travel info while Ysabela chose a snack. I discovered Pam was driving while her husband, Joseph, was sleeping until it was his turn. She also warned me that she had a mandatory 30-minute rest coming up. I asked if it was OK if we hung out and waited since she was heading to Nashville. The part that worried me most was getting around St. Louis.

By this part of the 21-hour (we thought) journey, Ysabela had entertained me by singing her favorite songs. With headphones in. While I was trying to listen to the radio. And watch road signs. After the entertainment was over, she concentrated on beating me at “Banana!” and “Punch Bug!” She took a few naps in between all the fun. While she slept, I kept count of all the yellow (banana) vehicles I saw as well as the VW bugs. (I jokingly told her I had won the banana game 500 to 25 since she slept for a few hours.)

We drove a couple hundred more miles, found a truck stop and had a great meal. Pam made me laugh a lot! The conversation between Pam and the waitress went something like this:

Waitress: What can I get for you?
Pam: (on a fact-finding mission before making a choice) Do you have pepper Jack cheese?
Waitress: No, sorry.
Pam: Do you have Pico de Gallo?
Waitress: (confused look) No, sorry.
Pam: (sigh) OK, I’ll have……(something I can’t remember)
Waitress: Would you like toast, biscuits or English muffins with that?
Pam: Do you have any scones?
Waitress: (wincing) No.

Joseph woke up to find his lovely wife and two strangers in a booth awaiting sustenance. He seemed like a very even-tempered fellow, and Pam quickly explained why Ysabela and I were tagging along. I commented that I wasn’t spending as much on gas as I had expected, and Joseph reminded me of something I should have remembered—drafting! (Don’t panic—I wasn’t glued to the bumper!) I checked my gauges, and my gas mileage was better than on any other trip I have taken.

By now, we had swapped cell numbers and email addresses. If I got lost, I could call them for help. A few hundred miles later during yet another rest stop, Joseph and Pam offered us an alternative to our original directions that would alleviate some of my stress. I could follow them to Nashville, they would offload and I could catch I-40 over to I-81 and onward.

I am a very suspicious person by nature, but this awesome couple was put in my path for a reason. (If we had left home as scheduled, we never would have met them.) I am SO glad Pam and Joseph were part of my trip.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

The Chicken Chick

Thankfulness

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I have been planning a trip for the last few weeks. It causes a lot of stress to make sure things are lined up and will work. It’s hard to replace me at my house! My first concern is always making sure my furry kids are taken care of in my absence. I am thankful there’s a dog boarding facility in our small town. Koko’s Palace is a safe, happy place for Boxita and Chance. I am also thankful to have a great neighbor who will be in daily to care for the other critters we have. Our furry, four-legged “children” are considered family around here!

Now that I think about it, I have a lot of reasons to be thankful—people who want us to visit, good friends, a car, a roof over our heads, food in the cabinets and freezer, work that I enjoy, people who read my blog 🙂 and even more.

All that remains is to fill the tank, get some rest and have a safe trip.

Jersey getting some rest

Jersey getting some rest

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Worst Ever

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I have now convinced my doctor of something I knew long ago. I am the worst patient ever. Why? That’s easy……I have a very strong aversion to needles, so I refuse blood work. I usually don’t even step on the scale either! The nurse was a kind lady and had a good reason for getting my current weight, so I (at least) did that much today! It was a concession, however small.

After having an EKG in the office, the doctor informed me that it was normal. YEAH!!!! That made me feel better after all the “weirdness” I’ve been feeling this past week. My blood pressure was higher than she liked, and she suspects my thyroid is causing problems. Blood work would be the way to rule it out or confirm. I refused, of course. After offering me a beta blocker (which I also refused), her parting shot was, “So, what else can I NOT do for you today?”

Worst. Patient. Ever.

Bunny Tickles?

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Bella Bunny

Bella Bunny

Have you ever given your pet a massage-petting? You know what I mean, don’t you? You’re digging your fingers in the fur (gently, of course) as you pet. My dogs and cats LOVE it. Today when I let the bunnies out to binky (jump around), I decided I wanted to pet the rabbits. That’s what I did, but what happened surprised me. I was petting Bella Bunny’s back. She seemed to enjoy it, so I moved to massage-pet her right side. She curved her body toward the right as I petted. I chuckled and petted her left side. She curved her body to the left. Hmmmmm. And again. I concluded that she must be ticklish. For some reason, I think it’s hilarious. I never would have considered that a bunny would be! Maybe I’m easily amused, but these bunn-bunns are very entertaining.

Today’s Music

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Teachers and parents, I’m talking to you! Are you listening to the same tunes as your kids (or students)? Are you hearing what they hear? My daughter and I get in the car, and the radio is always on. Sounds normal, right? I’ll admit to being entertained by a catchy beat. Then again, some songs are catchy only if I don’t hear the lyrics. Bad lyrics make some songs unfit for teen listening. I have heard lyrics so bad that I get embarrassed! (That’s hard to do!)

Think of some songs you’ve heard on the radio (or your iPod) lately. Now, sing a few bars of each. Stop singing when the song refers to sex or if you encounter a curse word. You just sing a few minutes and come back when you’re done. I’ll wait for you.

A few songs stand out (at least to me) for their offensiveness. Miley Cyrus songs are, in general, very crude. Rihanna doesn’t do any better. Then there’s Kesha, Pitbull (who should know better) and even Enrique Iglesias. Those are all offensive, but today’s winner for making me gag is Beyoncé’s Drunk in Love. Gross. Really listen to the lyrics and you’ll hear for yourself. Are we supposed to take her seriously? Pardon me while I puke.

What happened to morals? What happened to editing songs for tender ears? Why are we not doing a better job of protecting our kids? What is wrong with society?

Yes, I know teenagers are going to listen to provocative music. I also realize there’s a difference in singing about something and actually doing it. I understand that our kids want to “fit in” wherever they may be. I think we parents and teachers should keep telling them that “fitting in” might be easier than standing up for decency, but easy is not always right. We have to make sure good values are instilled in our children before they go out on their own.

We, the adults, are frighteningly aware of the world that awaits our young when they leave the nest. The media bombards us all with nudity, trashy music and a message that thin equals beautiful even if unhealthy habits create that skinny silhouette. Another message that is loud and clear to our kids is that sex equals love. Not true! Enough already!

The Teacher is Crazy!

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Well, thanks to Berty Segal Cook, my students think I am loony. You should have seen their faces when they found out the test scheduled for next week has been cancelled. Then we tried some commands in Spanish. My students have been exposed to a lot of vocabulary, so they were able to do novel command combinations fairly quickly. Some students looked surprised (and a bit uncertain) when I told them to skip around the room or sit under a chair, but they were able to understand. That’s the most important thing of all.

I told them what the homework was, and a few students actually laughed. They were to choose six commands we did in class and draw a picture showing the actions. Colored pencils were passed out, and almost everyone finished before the end of the class period. I was happy to see they all felt successful and relaxed.

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Workshop!

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Berty Segal Cook, a phenomenal teacher

Berty Segal Cook, a phenomenal teacher

If I had to describe Berty Segal Cook with just one word, it would be….DYNAMIC. She is, however, so much more! Inspirational, dedicated, magnificent and amazing are all words that easily describe her. Honestly, you may not understand just how amazing she is unless you attend one of her workshops and experience language learning with her. That’s how several language teachers spent the day. I had been looking forward to it for weeks! Many of my colleagues drove hours for the privilege if that tells you how respected she is in the field of second language acquisition. Berty flew in from California last night to conduct the training. She has presented workshops in 22 countries. Jan Coone organized everything, including breakfast and a wonderful lunch! It doesn’t get any better than that! Words can’t describe how rejuvenated and refreshed I am. I feel like I can make it to the end of the year! (Excuse me while I happy dance.)

We began the day with coffee and donuts, always a good move when you’re dealing with teachers. Berty started promptly at nine because she had a full day of activities for us. She explained the differences between the left brain and the right brain. My preferences lean strongly toward the left brain, meaning I am more “linear” in my thinking, and I see details that make up the big picture. I need to take notes and figure out verbs! In many cases, this causes a lot of stress, especially for language leaners. Those “right brain” people can take in the whole of something and use the senses to absorb what is happening around them. I learned that by using right brain activities, intelligence is actually increased! Activating the right brain also determines long-term retention. Berty was able to prove that without a doubt. She indulged our left brains and cited the work of Asher, Krashen and Terrell. She allowed us to make a few notations in our handout, but not many. That was hard for me as a left brain thinker. When she started our lesson by teaching commands in Yiddish, I thought my left brain was going to have a seizure!

Yes, you read correctly—Yiddish (her first language). Berty would take breaks from the commands and let us stretch our legs and get coffee, discuss other aspects of language learning and come back to the commands. After three or four hours, all of us remembered what to do even without her modeling the command for us! She expected all of us to get immersed and involved, so we took turns throughout the day being examples for her lessons. I was chosen (along with four others) for the clothing description activity. I was first in line, so she started by describing my long hair, glasses and blue Cinco de Mayo shirt. Then things got exciting. She lifted my foot about 18 inches off the floor. I quickly grabbed the shoulder of Emily (to my left). My other hand landed on Berty’s back. She paused and asked if I had problems with my legs. My response: Not until today! She went down the line describing each of us. Then she asked the “class” to point out who was being described as she listed characteristics she had mentioned. All the participants were able to understand and be successful! Now we have to change our methods to reflect what we learned.

We were lucky enough to be able to order Berty’s books, and she was kind enough to have Jan copy lessons we can use as resources while we wait for our books. I don’t know about my colleagues, but I will be putting our text books on the shelf as of tomorrow. My kids and I need to have some fun with learning again.

To find out more, see Berty’s website (below). If you have the chance to sit in while she demonstrates her lessons, do yourself and your students a favor and GO! We need Berty in teacher prep classes at the college level! Jan Coone also has a great website for teachers. You can find it below as well. This was a day well spent.

http://www.tprsource.com/
http://jansconsulting.info/
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