May 2024 WISH Thread

[PAsFab5]

Good Morning and Happy Weekend Everyone!!

Yesterday I went to a community yard sale and was pretty successful. Weather was gorgeous so that was good. I babysat after the yard sale until the evening then the women’s comfy at church started at 630 so I met my daughter in law there.

We had snacks, worship and one speaker last night. Today we have breakfast, lunch and snacks there and 6 speakers/workshops. Looking forward to it!

Enjoy your day!!

 

[Summer2018]

I would like to preface this by saying that it's rather funny that I don't remember my PreK or Kindergarten teachers, given the fact that those grades have been my specialty for over 23 years. Obviously, those teachers didn't make much of an impact. I know that my Mom sent me to a school with an outstanding reputation, but I don't have any good memories from that time. I recall getting a failing grade in Blocks, and my Mom being upset about it. Well, since the class bully lorded over the Block Center, who would've wanted to bother with it? I instead chose the Dramatic Play Center.

1. Think of your favorite elementary teacher. What made them special?
My 4th grade teacher was wonderfully fun and creative. She brought us to the school kitchen where we learned how to cook things like English Muffin Pizzas and Hot Dog and Cheese Burgers. Then we wrote and published a recipe book filled with our own creations. She always went the extra mile. The best thing was that she really "saw" me. She knew what I was going through personally, and she gifted me with a book specific to me. I could go on...

2. Think of your least favorite elementary teacher. What was wrong with them?
My 1st grade teacher was a mean, abusive, punitive nightmare who should have never been allowed near children. She went on to become principal and ruined countless lives.

3. Who was your favorite middle school teacher and why?
My 7th grade Social Studies teacher. She could see that I was absolutely BORED by Social Studies, but she did everything she could do to make it interesting. She later helped me get my first teaching job.

4. Who was your least favorite middle school teacher and why?
My 8th grade Social Studies teacher took boring to an entirely new level. She stood in front of the class every period of every day reading aloud from the textbook as we followed along. Then we were quizzed based on those readings every Friday.

5. Who was your favorite high school teacher and why?
My English teachers throughout high school were a woman and man team. With enthusiasm, creativity, and out-of-the-box thinking, they taught 10th grade English, Creative Dramatics, Contemporary American Poetry, Creative Writing, etc. I know there were more courses, and I signed up for EVERY SINGLE ONE. They were the kind of educators who dressed up in costumes and stayed in character for the entire day. I learned how to really write, edit, and make my final product good enough to publish. We worked cooperatively in groups or pairs at these big round tables. They were the ones who inspired me to become a teacher.

6. Who was your least favorite high school teacher and why?
U.S. History...ugh. Do you see a pattern? This topic could and should come to life for the students. I love Social Studies now because I make it FUN AND INTERESTING.

7. Who was your favorite university/trade school/etc. teacher and why?
My Early Childhood professor was outstanding...a real legend. She took us on field trips to progressive schools and even museums. She retired the year after I graduated. It was such a loss to early childhood educators.
When I went back many years later for my Masters, I had SO MANY OUTSTANDING professors...they were all out-of-the-box thinkers, project based, funny, entertaining, and brilliant that it would be impossible to choose one.
8. Who was your least favorite university/trade school/etc. teacher and why?
It was an Education professor who was just plain unreasonable and mean.

 

[newski_mom]

1. Think of your favorite elementary teacher. What made them special?

I really have good memories of all of my elementary teachers, except 2, but I will choose my 2nd grade teacher for this. Her name was Miss MIller and we did so many engaging things in her class that I still remember to this day. One thing I sometimes think about is we had to write how-to instructions about making a PBJ sandwich. We had to be very detailed as in pick up the knife, dip it in the peanut butter, etc. When we thought we were done, we would go to the back of the class where all of the things you would need to make said sandwiches were. We would go step by step and if we left something out, we went back to fix it until we could build our sandwich from our instructions. It was fun and taught us a lot about following directions.

2. Think of your least favorite elementary teacher. What was wrong with them?

My least favorite would be my third grade teacher. She was just a mean person honestly. She seemed to have no joy in teaching, so yelled at us a lot and just didn't make it enjoyable at all to be in her class. She also seemed to look for reasons for kids to get in trouble, she just nitpicked everything and never seemed pleased about anything.

3. Who was your favorite middle school teacher and why?

My favorite middle school teacher was my 7th grade math teacher. I had always loved math and she challenged us and made us always want to do better.

4. Who was your least favorite middle school teacher and why?

My least favorite middle school teacher was probably my science teacher. It was mainly because he just had very odd mannerisms. Looking back, I honestly think he was probably a bit of a "perv", but I didn't know that at the time, just that he was weird.

5. Who was your favorite high school teacher and why?

I'll say my mom even though I didn't have her. My mom was a great teacher and everyone loved her. She taught business classes, so I always said she was fortunate that those who took her classes wanted to be in them, but people wanted to get her as a teacher. So, if my mom had to be at my high school, I was very glad that she was well liked. I always found it interesting that people liked her so much because she was a rule follower, but she was fair and everyone knew what to expect.

6. Who was your least favorite high school teacher and why?

Probably my least favorite high school teacher would be one of my english teachers. She was also led our theater department, so was into the dramatic. Everything to her was an over the top issue. I'm just not that person - I'm at accountant lol.

7. Who was your favorite university/trade school/etc. teacher and why?

Oddly enough, I don't have super strong memories about many of my professors. I never though about it until now and I find it odd because obviously i was in those classes later in life, but I guess it is what it is. I'll go with my CS professor. When I was a freshman, I was debating between accounting and computer science, so I took a CS class. I remember many of the projects that we did in that class and I really liked it. This was in 1989, so computers were very different than they are now. It was the first programming class of any kind I'd had (and probably most of the people in the class) and he taught us a lot!

8. Who was your least favorite university/trade school/etc. teacher and why?

My least favorite would have been one of my accounting teachers. He was just so cynical. I think he was nearing retirement and just didn't want to be there. He basically told us that college was a waste of time (I know that's debatable), but he was just a real downer at the time.


Thanks for a fun topic and walk down memory lane!

 

[Summer2018]

SELF CARE SUNDAY

 

[Summer2018]

Yesterday was a very busy day. I got my emissions done in the morning, threw in some laundry, and cleaned up the kitchen.

I have been avoiding going outside because of my severe allergies, but it was time to transplant the flowers I bought into the deck planter boxes. So I masked up and got to work. The results are beautiful. I feel so much closer to summer days…

 

[PollyannaMom]

Catching up on Saturday:

Favorite Elementary Teacher
My kindergarten teacher. I was nervous about starting school, and she was soooo understanding. I also think I remember her more because I had her and her DH as "bookend teachers" - I started with her in kindergarten and finished with him for calculus senior year. (I grew up in a really small town.)

Least Favorite Elementary Teacher...became a favorite!
When I was in 5th grade, my teacher left mid-year. We all had a favorite sub we were hoping would get her job...and she didn't. We got the one we were all a little scared of. - But it turns out she was only strict as a sub because she couldn't rely on getting to know us. Once she was our "regular" teacher, she was awesome! She used to take us outside for reading time and everything. We all ended up loving her!

Favorite Middle School Teacher
I had a math teacher in 7th grade who had the patience of a saint! - When you went to him with questions, he would give you just the right hints at just the right time, so you could solve the problem yourself. He built my confidence in math at a time when girls were not as encouraged to go into math as boys were, and I credit him with a lot of my attitude toward mathematics!

Least Favorite Middle School Teacher
At the time, 7th grade English, because she taught what I called "formula writing" for essays - Tell 'em what you're gonna to tell 'em; tell 'em; tell 'em what you told 'em. - I hated that, because it was nothing like the stuff she assigned us to read! - I felt like she expected us to be mediocre. (But it came in really handy when I need to write a lot of papers quickly in college, and I forgave her. )

Favorite High School Teacher
Soooooo many! - All my math teachers were awesome (and part of the reason I majored in math in college)! Plus a special shout-out to an English teacher who kept maps in her classroom and always made us look up the settings of the books we read. I had her for 11th grade and took my senior electives from her as well. - I learned as much geography in her classroom as I did in my history ones, and continued that practice as a teacher myself.

Least Favorite High School Teacher
Nobody I really hated. I had a history teacher who was pretty burnt out and we just memorized essays for his quizzes and then promptly forgot them, and a Chemistry teacher who made you do calculations the long way eeeeven if you were ahead in math and could do them quicker another way. (I expect I frustrated him more than he frustrated me.)

Favorite University Teacher
I had a certain English teacher I really liked. He always took the time to make thoughtful comments on your writing, and just had a really chill, laid-back style. I took a couple different courses from him.

Least Favorite University Teacher
Freshman Calc - This guys really should have been teaching upper-level classes. Three of us had had high school calc (but not AP, so we couldn't waive out) and we took turns re-teaching his class in an empty room a couple of times a week to get the others through.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Self-care today will be as little socialization and as few chores as I can get away with! - Yesterday was really busy (comedy night fundraiser we help put on at DH's lodge) but fun. Today is a recovery day.

 

[ShannyMcB]

Today self care is I don’t know what to call it. The last piece of the modular couch came in and it’s kind of sitting out in the middle of the room. In order to get it where we want it we need to get down to one toy box and move a bookshelf. The kids and I through relocation and a donate pile got us down to one! Now to order a narrow bookshelf for where one of the boxes is and get rid of the big book shelf and we’ll be able to have a real 3 seat couch in the living room for the first time since we moved.

 

[Summer2018]

Self-care was a bonus hot shower first thing this morning (I usually shower at night) and then off to church. The sermon was essentially love conquering hate…such a simple message but so hard for so many. It was a great way to begin another week.

The remainder of my day will include resting.

 

[PAsFab5]

Hello Everyone! I have been at a “in house” Womens retreat Friday night and Saturday all day. It was really great, wonderful speakers, great workshops and I walked away with a refreshed mind and soul. Going to start implementing two of the things I learned tomorrow-waking up 15 minutes early and a method of Bible journaling called SOAP.

Glad we got to go home at night instead of traveling for the retreat. My daughter in law came with me and she loved it!! We both hope they hold another one soon.

Oh and the food was delicious! I ate terribly all weekend! Starting over tomorrow!

Today we went to church, I cleaned and did laundry, worked on baby shower stuff and took a 45 minute walk and a nap (selfcare)!!

I hope everyone has a good end to their weekend

 

[newski_mom]

My self-care for today was getting to spend the day with DD1 again! She didn't have anything going, so she joined us for lunch with my mom and sister's family and dinner with my in-laws. Between the two, we came back home for a bit and we went for a walk about the neighborhood. It was such a beautiful day and we had a great day!

 

[newski_mom]

What's motivating you this fine Monday?

 

[Oneanne]

Catching up...

I don't really have specific memories of teachers, good or bad.

As promised, the weekend weather was damp and cold. I started Saturday by re-potting the rest of my seedlings because it is still too cold for them to go outside. Then I spent about four hours at the pottery studio making up six little bowls that will become candle holders. Both activities felt really, really good. Sunday was not a lot of anything in particular... sleeping in, running errands, cleaning house.

Motivation for this week... today I am back to keto and intermittent fasting. Ugh. But I decided I really needed a structured plan to get going and this has worked well for me in the past. The next couple of days are going to be rough tho.

 

[newski_mom]

Motivation for this week... today I am back to keto and intermittent fasting. Ugh. But I decided I really needed a structured plan to get going and this has worked well for me in the past. The next couple of days are going to be rough tho.

Good luck getting back with it. The first few days are always the hardest!

I'm also trying a reset of sorts. Like you, I know what I do well with, so I'm going starting it again. I've had a bit of a stall the last couple of weeks and it's time to focus again. Yesterday DD1 was home and we went for a walk. My plan is to do that again today and I'm back to faithfully tracking.

My motivation is how good it felt yesterday after my walk. It was also terrible how difficult it was for me to talk with DD because of being so out of shape. In my defense, we do have decent grades on the streets that we were walking, but it still shouldn't have been as bad as it was! That's my next NAV type goal is that the next time she's home and we walk, I can carry on a conversation without sounding like I'm dying lol!

 

[ShannyMcB]

My motivation is the 5k next month. I did an indoor 3k guided run on Friday and did my own indoor jog today and did a mile in 15 mins so not bad. We are also having a step challenge at work to raise awareness for mental health month. My company did a “if this many people track their steps we’ll donate this much money” type deal. While other challenges donate per step and award prizes to top walkers this one is a bit different but I want to keep up with my colleagues as we are motivating each other.
The guided 3k was good because as I was starting to tire (early on) the YouTuber said you aren’t tired you’re out of breath and when she said that I focused on my breathing and by Jove she was right! So today I focused on my breathing from the start and I did not feel tired. Sweaty and I was not wearing the right bra by any means but I was not tired! I will take that as a win!

 

[Summer2018]

I am not currently motivated, but I think that working so hard for so long has me feeling burnt out.

With Teacher Appreciation Week, we are being treated to a lot of food so I am indulging but not going crazy. They had breakfast sandwiches and pastries for us this morning which I knew was coming. My solution was to not bring a sandwich from home, and I ate the breakfast sandwich for lunch. I skipped the donuts and pastries which is real growth for me.

So I’m not self-destructing…but I’m enjoying myself.

 

[newski_mom]

My motivation is the 5k next month. I did an indoor 3k guided run on Friday and did my own indoor jog today and did a mile in 15 mins so not bad. We are also having a step challenge at work to raise awareness for mental health month. My company did a “if this many people track their steps we’ll donate this much money” type deal. While other challenges donate per step and award prizes to top walkers this one is a bit different but I want to keep up with my colleagues as we are motivating each other.
The guided 3k was good because as I was starting to tire (early on) the YouTuber said you aren’t tired you’re out of breath and when she said that I focused on my breathing and by Jove she was right! So today I focused on my breathing from the start and I did not feel tired. Sweaty and I was not wearing the right bra by any means but I was not tired! I will take that as a win!

I'd say that was definitely a win! I did my lap around the neighborhood again today. I'm not sure how I'd describe how I was at the end. Definitely elevated heart rate and out of breath lol! It's 1.2 miles and my goal is to add an additional section each week until I'm doing two laps.

My issue right now is finding the right tennis shoe to walk in. I've never been a tennis shoe wearer because I can't find any that fit right. This past winter DH got an award at work and as odd as this is, it included a pair of OnCloud shoes for each of us. I was so excited because I've never splurged on a pair before and thought these would be perfect. Well, they would be for others, but not for me. They are too tight for my feet. It's strange, they just feel like the squeeze my feet and they end up cramping before too long. I definitely need to get something figured out soon!

I am not currently motivated, but I think that working so hard for so long has me feeling burnt out.

With Teacher Appreciation Week, we are being treated to a lot of food so I am indulging but not going crazy. They had breakfast sandwiches and pastries for us this morning which I knew was coming. My solution was to not bring a sandwich from home, and I ate the breakfast sandwich for lunch. I skipped the donuts and pastries which is real growth for me.

So I’m not self-destructing…but I’m enjoying myself.

Sounds like you're doing great for all you've had to deal with lately. I'd consider what you're doing now a maintenance break - those are great to do every now and then anyway!

 

[newski_mom]

I don't think this has been discussed, but it's something I've been thinking about lately - do you take any vitamins or supplements? Have you noticed any changes since taking them if you do?

 

[PollyannaMom]

My issue right now is finding the right tennis shoe to walk in.

Go to one of those places where you stand on the computer scanner thing, and they pay attention to exactly how you walk. I see ads for one called the Good Feet Store, but my DH went to a local place, and it made all the difference for him!

do you take any vitamins or supplements? Have you noticed any changes since taking them if you do?

I do - a half dose of a multi in the morning, and a calcium/magnesium/zinc at bedtime. I do think that one makes me sleep better.

 

[Summer2018]

Newski Mom, I appreciate your comments…I’m feeling guilty and I know that isn’t productive. Thanks.