50 mm lens giveaway!

http://www.ohsoposhphotography.com/blog/?p=5558

Passing down the flute

Tomorrow I am donating my first flute to the Norfolk Public Schools Music Dept. I was fortunate enough to get a newer flute in my high school years, so I haven't really used this one in a long time. I had stickers on the case that brought back memories. Stickers of baby Goofy, the Jetsons, and I drew Elmo on it!
I am just excited that some student will get to enjoy the instrument as much as I did! I always enjoyed playing the flute, and played for 9 years! I would love to play again if anyone wants to jam!
On to new adventures first flute...

All smiles

My former student posted this on my facebook page today and it made me smile big! She's in college now, but I always felt like she was a "mini-me".
Being back at school in general just reinforces the feeling I am doing what I am meant to do. I also got my first hug from a student---and it was a boy! A boy that was supposed to have a free block my class, and now doesn't want the free block just to say in there. 3 days in-stoked.

Retired Apron

2007-2011

RIP

Earthquake putting things in perspective

So yesterday's earthquake really made me realize some things. It obviously wasn't anything dangerous, but it got me thinking...

When the earthquake was happening, I was sitting on the couch and was trying to process the whole thing. The cats were on the floor looking at me like "what is going on?!" Pictures shaking, doors rattling, etc. So I was like, "do I need to leave the house!?" So I got up, pretty frantic, heart racing, looking for my crutches. Tried getting my one shoe on, and looked around and was trying to decide what to grab! Keep in mind, I had no one around to verify what was happening, so I was just reacting. I looked at the cats, and sadly thought, "I can't grab them". That really made me upset. On crutches, can't get my baby boys. I accepted that if things got crazy, they would find furniture to hide under and be secure. So I grabbed my wallet and phone and headed outside. (Asking a girl walking down my street if she felt anything, and she looked at me like I was crazy, so I still wasn't sure what happened!)

Things calmed down and I was trying to call Templeton. Calls weren't going through. I never realized how much I wanted/needed to talk to him. I just wanted to hear a comforting voice. I still hadn't known what was going on, fearing that a tree feel on our house again?!?! Tried my parents, no luck. So I went online, and found a friend on instant message, and he told me it was an earthquake. I felt a little better I wasn't crazy, but I still wanted to talk with Templeton. We eventually got a hold of each other, and I think it was comforting for both of us. When he came home from work, I felt so relieved and at peace.

All in all, I just think I learned how much I truly love Templeton. How I don't like to be alone in a crazy situation, and how limiting having an injury is in an emergency. It'll make me think twice for older neighbors or ones with disabilities.

Things keep getting better...

So last night Templeton took me to my MRI, I forgot how crazy they are. If you are claustrophobic, not the Friday night thing to do...Full of angst the whole time, but got passed it. Temp wanted to take me out to dinner afterward, so we went to Sirena's in downtown Norfolk. We ate, and as we were walking down the sidewalk to the car, my crutch went through a hole. There was a manhole cover for water, about 8 inches in diameter. The cover wasn't on right, and my crutch pushed down passed it. This was on my left side, so to catch myself, I stomped down on the ground with my bum foot out of instinct. It hurt so bad =o( Temp had to pull my crutch up while I held myself up with with the wall. I came home in such pain, I called my doctor so upset I JUST got my MRI, now I could have done more damage. The doc said take it easy, I will be seeing him Thursday. Only to go to the hospital if I think it was broken.
This is the 2nd time I have fallen since this injury, I am so ready to get better and be done with this. Be grateful for your 2 working feet, seriously!

New classroom!!

So today I finally spent some time in my classroom and I am really excited. There is SO much storage, it's big, and the courtyard is really nice! My friend Stacey helped me out and we kind of took inventory and took some cheesy stuff down that really had been there for awhile.
Here are some pictures!!

me with my keys at my door

Stacey in the picture! It's a really big room, I have a computer station, light table, tons of storage!

This is the courtyard where I have an entrance from my room and the other teacher has a door as well. This has so much potential with pinhole pictures, cyanotypes, etc! Plus just relaxation!

The darkroom has 6 stations, and kind of a mess! I need to really clean things up!