tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10740805719893120982024-03-13T09:24:12.028-05:00Pamela CavesPeace, love, and creativity.Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-60372064904593772342017-12-29T11:34:00.000-06:002017-12-29T11:34:12.553-06:00I wanna really writeI've spent the last several months engrossed in a plethora of lesson plans and graduate assignments. It's been hectic to say the least. I never thought I'd even attend graduate school much less do it while managing a full and a part time job. But things tend to work out the way they are supposed to. I'm making it. I have only a few more months to go before I complete my graduate degree, and then I can breathe some.<br />
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On top of that, though, I can begin writing again. Like really writing.<br />
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Like not a research paper or assignment guidelines or class announcements or syllabi or anything else that is writing but not really writing.<br />
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Really writing. Like draw you in to examine a character's humanity and therefore all of humanity with a situation that pulls you in and keeps you reading. Like a conflict that leaves you satisfied that it has resolved but that conjures more questions upon reflection. That kind of writing.<br />
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I cannot wait for that again. I'm getting this antsy feeling inside me, the same antsy-ness I get every time I go without this type of writing for a period of time. I've had readers asking about when the next <i>Barrier</i> will be out. It's been a few years since the last <i>Barrier</i> emerged, leaving readers wondering how the war will progress. I've also been asked when <i>The Influence</i> will be re-released. I recognized about a year or so ago that my first novel needed some major revisions, so I pulled it until I can accomplish that goal. I've also been asked about a sequel to <i>Future Past</i>. I kind of just left Herrick out there to cause chaos while Dayel took the throne. <br />
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While I know that I'm going to tackle these things and more upon my return to "really writing," I'm also struggling with a concept that is not new to other writers. I'm trying to decide if I want to strictly go the self-publishing route as I move forward or if I want to continue submitting to traditional markets. I need to reexamine what my goals are and weigh my options. If you have insights on this, please comment. I'd love to read them.<br />
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In the meantime, I am pushing forward and will be back to "really writing" very soon. I'm about to push into another semester of constant work, so it will be a while before y'all hear from me again. Until next time...<br />
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Peace, love, and goals,<br />
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PamelaPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-72415271155631139792017-07-31T21:25:00.000-05:002017-07-31T21:25:15.853-05:00I'm employed!!!!!Advice is just that. Advice. Sometimes it's spot on, sometimes it's not. More often than not, advice is simply experience-based guessing.<br />
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My heart is singing at present because a couple of weeks ago, I finally got that full-time job. I've been on the hunt for over a year, and I've been on many, many interviews. I've sought the advice from seasoned veterans which generally goes something like this:<br />
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"Substitute in the schools you want to be in. That will get your foot in the door."<br />
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"Take your resume to the school itself, even if you applied online. Talk to that principal."<br />
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Well, the job I got was at a school where I'd never subbed. I also didn't go to the school and turn in a resume. I didn't know anyone at that school and never talked to anyone before the phone call to schedule my interview.<br />
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Ironic that I put in hours at other schools and tried to kick that door open with all of them... only to be rejected over and over and over and over... then I saw the job posting for a school I'd never been in. At that point, I already felt defeated and thought I was about to start another school year barely employed. I hit that submit button to turn in my application, and I never gave it another thought.<br />
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Then I was called for an interview. Less than a week later, my placement was approved. I'm now doing the teacher shuffle; I'm getting my classroom ready, going to meetings and PD, and planning my lessons. I'm thankful and ecstatic, and I'm looking forward to meeting my students next week.<br />
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Sooooo, in the interim, while I'm completing my graduate degree, teaching full-time high school and part-time college, I will very likely be unable to devote any time to anything else. I still have various writings floating around the marketplace, but new material will have to wait. That's okay, though. I'm learning, I'm loving life, and I'm moving forward.<br />
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See you all very soon!<br />
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Peace, love, and teaching,<br />
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PamelaPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-24131111323835392142017-06-17T11:57:00.001-05:002017-07-05T10:59:47.134-05:00I want to write a new post, but not quite sure where to start.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I always tell my students that even when you're not sure what to write about, just start writing and it should lead somewhere. So here I am. Writing. Blogging. Something I don't do near enough of anymore.<br />
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Time is an obvious factor in my inability to blog lately. I feel like I've been in school for 68.2 years and that it will never end. I'm in graduate school now, and I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in a sea of academia with little emotion in the material with which I am immersed. It sounds like I'm complaining, and maybe I am a little. The thing with creative types, the thing with passionate types, (the thing with INFJs), is that I want to feel useful, and I want to feel like what I'm doing has meaning. I've been making it through, but I have yet (even one year later) to find a full-time job in teaching. I absolutely LOVE what I am doing with the local college classes that I am teaching, and when I finish my graduate degree, I'll be qualified to teach a variety of college English courses, but secondary schools in my area just aren't hiring me. I've had some wonderful interviews and not so wonderful interviews. I've followed up. I've asked for feedback. I've planted my big tail in offices and waited sometimes for an hour or more for a principal to finish whatever task he or she was on. But it's not working. It's hard not to be discouraged.<br />
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Other than my lack of experience, I'm not sure what else to improve upon. I could probably go to another location in a more populated area, like Huntsville or Madison, and teach easily (they always seem to have positions posted), but I have two children in different grade school levels, and I'm the only one who can get them to and from school. So until everyone can be in the same building, it's not going to happen. But it is what it is, and I'm trying to not let it get to me. In the meantime, come fall semester, I get to teach my developmental college classes again, and my heart sings at the thought of getting back into it. I love those students so much and their success makes me immensely happy. (On a side note, this is a part-time position with part-time pay and no benefits, so before I get more comments about making big college bucks... um, no. It doesn't work that way.)<br />
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In the meantime, I keep on. With what, I'm not sure. In less than a month, secondary teachers will be heading back into the classroom, and I... well, I'll still be struggling to make ends meet. I'm going to pick up some tutoring this fall, and that's about all I can do.<br />
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Peace, love, and endurance,<br />
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PamelaPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-23649613759224803092017-03-09T09:46:00.001-06:002017-03-09T09:46:42.455-06:00Teacher's Facebook CoverThis teacher's Facebook cover is free to use as long as it isn't altered. Subscribe to get new updates for my blog! Thanks for visiting!<br />
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-36563787653254140082017-03-09T09:44:00.000-06:002017-03-09T09:44:19.613-06:00Author Facebook CoverFeel free to use this writer's Facebook cover for your personal or professional page. I only ask that you do not alter it. <br />
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-52054215852172106762017-03-06T21:08:00.000-06:002017-03-06T21:08:15.434-06:00I'm not crazy. I'm just INFJ.Hi y'all. I don't often share something online unless I'm impressed by it. I realize that this is going to sound like marketing, but I promise that I was not paid to share this or write about it in any way. I was browsing through one of my editing groups on Facebook today and came across a personality test. I usually don't think much about these things because most quiz apps that connect to Facebook are just looking to highjack information. This one is not associated with Facebook, it was just a link, and when I shared it on social media, immediately several people confirmed that it was, in fact, legit. <br />
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There's a good chance that you've heard about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality inventory that can tell you more about... well, yourself. I took the quiz on <a href="http://16personalities.com/">16personalities.com</a> and when I finished, I was rather astonished at the initial accuracy. <br />
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Over the course of a handful of pages, this personality profile detailed my mannerisms and behavior as an INFJ, and was so on-point that I am still rather in awe of it. And here's why I'm so taken with it:</div>
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I have often felt so out of place with friends, family, ANYONE. I often feel terribly isolated, even within a room full of people. I wonder sometimes if I'm the only person who can ever see logic, who can look into veiled manipulation and call it out, and who cares about issues that are important. When I read the profile, though, it was a relief to know that I'm not out there on my own. I somehow needed that relief today. I've been horribly stressed under the weight of job hunting, graduate school, and just the general venom of politics that seems to swarm wherever I look. And it doesn't help that I usually don't have much, if any, daily conversation time with any like-minded individuals. </div>
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This was a nice respite. I'm looking forward to learning more about the INFJ personality and learning more about myself. I hope you get something out of it as well. :)</div>
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Peace, love, and INFJ,</div>
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Pamela</div>
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-86409215479919462292017-01-04T11:30:00.001-06:002017-01-04T11:32:08.029-06:00Foggy Woods<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-34741936657694494652017-01-04T11:28:00.001-06:002017-01-04T11:31:57.996-06:00Smoky Mountains: still as beautiful as ever.<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"></span></span><br />
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My family and I headed out to Gatlinburg last week; we'd had reservations long before the fire. We saw many, many signs of the fire that had passed through, but I wanted to share this pic because it conveys the beauty that still rests there. The scene was amazing really; have you ever seen a place devastated by tornados? Have you ever felt the awe that comes with seeing a patch of destruction here a<span class="text_exposed_show">nd there, but right next to that destruction are buildings and trees intact? This is how the park felt at Gatlinburg. We saw charred areas, but next to those charred areas were places that were completely untouched. Those burnt scenes came with a sense of renewal and new growth. It also came with a sense of humility; the power that passed through is humbling, and is a reminder of life's short wick.</span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">Peace, love, and gratefulness,</span></div>
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-65852847313718591782016-12-15T16:57:00.000-06:002016-12-15T16:57:28.296-06:00Just a little tooth pulling story.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A random memory popped into my head this morning, and I want to write it down before it files itself away again. The memory appeared when I saw a picture of my niece on Facebook, my sister exclaiming that my niece lost another tooth.<br />
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When my youngest son, Zeke, was little and began to lose teeth, I remember that his first tooth loss was not an ideal experience. He went to bed one night with a very loose tooth, and woke the next morning with no tooth in that socket. After searching the bed, we came to the conclusion that he'd swallowed his first lost tooth in the middle of the night. No one was willing to wait a few days and search for it.<br />
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For his second loose tooth, Zeke was determined to have the tooth in-hand. He spent days wiggling it. He was extra careful about testing its level of detachment before going to bed. <br />
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Not long after the mission to extract his own tooth began, the hubs, the two boys, and I went to Walmart to pick up a few groceries. I urged him to pull his fingers from his mouth while we were there because it seemed that all he wanted to do was loosen it, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. He continued to wiggle it; on the bright side, he was quieter than normal while shopping that day, and I don't deny that I wasn't a little relieved with it.<br />
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As we began to check out, I heard a triumphant exclamation from behind me. Zeke held the freed tooth high into the air like he'd just removed the sword from the stone. I noted first the delighted and proud smile across his face... then I noted the blood. My incredibly happy boy had blood running down his fingers and dribbling from his mouth and chin. I couldn't help but laugh as the people around us looked on in horror. <br />
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After I cleaned him up and secured the tooth, I decided that the tooth fairy would want to pay just a little extra for that tooth. ;-)Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-86322485655808493992016-09-02T13:17:00.001-05:002016-09-02T13:17:39.287-05:00Hello, from the losing side. :)Elections were early last week. I meant to update soon after, but lost myself in a sea of playing "catch-up." (Don't we all?)<br />
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So... I lost the election. It was no surprise really. When I qualified, I'd been told by a number of reliable people that the incumbent was not going to run again. Then, the next thing I knew, he did decide to run. As soon as I found out, I knew I would be hard-pressed to get my name out there enough to run a successful campaign, especially when I had many on the council against me, the reason being that many of them didn't agree with a stance I'd taken some years ago concerning a micro-managing of the police department. And that's okay. To each their own. I suspect that they also knew that I would fight what's been going on with town employee raises versus personal property sales. But, as things often go, life goes on, and I find myself trying not to care because there really isn't anything I can do now. I put myself out there, and that's all one can possibly do.<br />
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In any case, I've resumed regular programming. I often feel like I have about a thousand tabs open in my brain on any given day, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't know how often I will be able to update this blog, but I will try to pop in with tidbits of stuff now and then. In the meantime, I hope your Intro to Fall 2016 is off to a great start!<br />
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Peace, love, and moving on,<br />
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PamelaPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-26220782201261988612016-08-13T13:42:00.000-05:002016-08-13T13:42:12.261-05:00Well, THAT was unexpected...Last week, I wrote <a href="http://pamelacavesblog.blogspot.com/2016/08/next-summer-will-be-better.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>: my feeble attempt at remaining positive when I couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. I'd spent the last few months of my job search being rejected over and over and over. One rejection in particular made me feel like utter crap because I'd gone above and beyond the base requirements and requests to obtain the particular position I was going for. I sank, and I let my grief run its course.<br />
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Then I dug right back in. I was looking for work outside of teaching as well. I love teaching, but I don't think that love has to be exclusive; it works in much the same way as my joy of writing. I find joy in many things. I don't have to only find joy in one thing.<br />
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In any case, there I was last Wednesday, working my last day as an English tutor. For almost three years, my work there brought me immense satisfaction. My students, my colleagues, and my supervisors have been fantastic. My colleagues threw me a little going-away party and I found myself in tears on more than one occasion that day. The next day, I was helping out in the admissions office when one of my mentors came bounding through the door looking for me. She informed me that I'll be teaching a class this upcoming semester. The title of Adjunct Instructor has a nice ring to it. :-D :-) I'd had no idea that she'd been trying to get it approved for the last couple of weeks. Now I have a sharp incentive to go ahead and start applying to graduate programs. I'll greet 2017 by beginning my journey to obtain my master's degree.<br />
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In any case, I'm prepping for class, applying for another position at the college, looking forward to working in the admissions office this week, campaigning for council, and overall, just relishing the notion that my life is moving in places I'd never thought was possible for this point in my life. My friends and colleagues kept telling me that something would happen when I least expected it, and that God had plans for me. I couldn't see it at the time, but they were certainly correct.<br />
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Peace, love, and surprises,<br />
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Pamela <br />
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-29437056205246056792016-08-05T11:05:00.000-05:002016-08-05T11:13:29.717-05:00Next summer will be better.<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back Stuff</b></span><br />
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An update on my back pain saga: I realize that I haven't updated since January. I left off waiting on new MRI results. I have another rupture at L5/S1. The SAME disc I'd had surgery on in 2011. The rupture isn't as pronounced as it was then, so at least I don't have the disc pressing on the root nerve and shooting pain down my leg. After the round of steroids which helped dramatically with the pain, I've taken to making sure I don't miss a single day of physical therapy. In fact, my hubs and I got rid of our *Dish Network so we could spend that money on a Body Vision membership instead; now, I can continue aquatic therapy. Swimming and aquatic therapy are the best strengthening (and thus pain relieving) options for back issues.<br />
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*<i>Note: We rid ourselves of Dish Network partly because of their continued refusal to carry WHNT. Really, Dish Network? And now I've heard the problem has extended to WAFF. We also took that plunge because it's just an outrageous amount of money. We don't watch but maybe 5% of the channels, if that.</i><br />
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In any case, my doc said another surgery would be in order should the pain become too much. I told him I'd rather not. As long as I'm not in constant pain so much that I can't sleep, I don't see the point. I'll be in pain, surgery or not, so I might as well deal with it in other ways first. So far, it has been manageable. Like I said in one of my previous posts, I had to find a new normal. I had to stop focusing on what other people's "normals" are, and create my own.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Summer from... </span></b><br />
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I'm not just talking about the heat.<br />
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In more than one way, this summer has been one of the more difficult summers I've had in a long time. I've been dealing with an allergy issue that pretty much tore me apart emotionally and physically. I'd walked out and about looking like I was Patient Zero for the next apocalyptic plague. Yes, perhaps I'm being a bit dramatic, but the roller coaster I was on leaves no room for anything but. Thankfully, this issue is being resolved, and the roller coaster has departed. But that leads me to the next issue...<br />
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Back in May when I walked to get my diploma, I was on top of the world. I'd gotten my degree. I could accomplish anything. I admit that my expectations were probably just a tad too high. I'd allowed others' praises to boost those expectations. After all, my grades were fantastic, and I'd been graced with memberships into even the most prestigious honor societies. I'd been invited to present papers at conferences, and came highly recommended by many strong professors, supervisors, and colleagues. I pride myself in being able to take a struggling student at the beginning of a semester, and assist their learning of material and concepts, so that by the end of the semester, they reach their goals. My heart swells with so much happiness every time a student thanks me for helping them.<br />
<br />
None of this has mattered, though.<br />
<br />
I don't say this for pity, and while I admit that I have pitied myself here and there over the summer, overall, I'm sharing this because I know others go through this, too. I thought my honors and grades and recommendations would easily land me a job, but right now, I can't honestly say that any of it matters. I've been on a number of interviews, but have been passed up each time. A couple of those jobs have simply been because others with more experience applied. One was because I didn't have the exact qualifications the principal was looking for. Others, I'm not quite sure why I was passed up. I requested feedback from some of those principals, but have yet to receive any replies.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rsKaUXEtGoA/V6S1wWArBXI/AAAAAAAACHU/i4q2S_JertEZI7b-pmC7h4g0No_nSsw3ACLcB/s1600/20160805_093011.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rsKaUXEtGoA/V6S1wWArBXI/AAAAAAAACHU/i4q2S_JertEZI7b-pmC7h4g0No_nSsw3ACLcB/s400/20160805_093011.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The space under my dining table has become my supply stash; I've been hoarding things for a few years now, and I still need to buy more totes! I'm just waiting for a classroom to put it all to use.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So right now, as the school year gets back to business, I'm finding myself leaving the only job where <br />
I've ever felt like I'm making a difference, and the only job where I've felt that my talents and skill-sets are being fully utilized. I'm highly disappointed that I'm in the same rut I was in before I started college. It's rather dejecting, to say the least. I know I'm a good teacher, and I have the background and recommendations to prove it. But I'm heading into a job that doesn't require any degree, and where I can't implement the lesson plans that spontaneously pop into my head at random hours of the day. Don't get me wrong; subbing has it's perks. I still get to be in the classroom, and each day brings along something new. In some ways subbing is like being a grandparent; I get to spend time with the kids, I get to lavish them with attention, and then I get to give them back to their regular teacher. It is a blessing, but it's not where I'd like to be.<br />
<br />
As a result, I'm working on ways to improve. I first need to get past my initial social awkwardness, because I think this is one thing that is holding me back in interviews. I'm also looking into other ways to better utilize that time with the principal. There has got to be more effective ways of proving that I'm good at what I do, while also conveying that I'm eager to continue learning and growing.<br />
<br />
Sooooo, on that note, I'm going to dive right into it.<br />
<br />
Peace, love, and job searching,<br />
<br />
Pamela<br />
<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-34170109941720709762016-07-19T13:24:00.000-05:002016-07-19T13:24:54.083-05:00MushroomI dabble in hobby photography. If you like my photos, you may share at
your leisure, and give me credit. You can click on the label
"photography" below for more of my photos. Enjoy! (Click on the image to
enlarge.)<br />
<br />
*Remember that photos are not "up for grabs" just because they are on the internet. They are copyrighted
property. Proper credit and attribution must be given to use my photos. A
link to my website would be awesome as well. :)<br />
<br />
Mushroom<br />
<br />
Taken near the gazebo along the Fyffe Town Park walking trail. No filters, no editing except for a little cropping and centering.<br />
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Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-87151259969744837292016-07-07T18:36:00.000-05:002016-08-20T13:19:58.355-05:00Running for Fyffe City Council<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9dWmyJH4qGg/V37m8JQZm2I/AAAAAAAACG0/zUQpSjSa64AaEqlA8QfhjwlST7nRTNbCgCLcB/s1600/13062354_10207193977261939_6895236625131135751_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9dWmyJH4qGg/V37m8JQZm2I/AAAAAAAACG0/zUQpSjSa64AaEqlA8QfhjwlST7nRTNbCgCLcB/s200/13062354_10207193977261939_6895236625131135751_n.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
Hi everyone! I'm announcing my candidacy for Fyffe city council. I'm running because I have a desire to serve, and to show my children and students that community involvement does not have to seem like such a foreign concept.<br />
<br />
I have two primary goals in mind as I begin my campaign:<br />
<br />
First, I feel like UFO Days needs a facelift. A few years ago, I served on the committee for UFO Days, and while the event is handled well, and is generally just fine otherwise, I feel like it could use an overhaul. For example, it shouldn't have to cost a small fortune for a family of four to come out and have fun. Yes, while some inflatables are free and the music is free, I think that we should really look into adding more free activities, games, and events. When I take my kids out, I am "dollared" to death at these festivals; I can't imagine what it costs those with more than two children! Another example is the lack of music targeting Fyffe's youth. I think we can do a better job at showing the teenagers of Fyffe that we value their participation in the community.<br />
<br />
Second, I'd like to explore the possibility of putting together a technology center. Fyffe needs a Wi-Fi hotspot without having to buy drinks and food, and we need a place with multiple computers for the community to use. I can envision tutors teaching Joe Fyffe how to work his email and Jane Fyffe how to create files and folders for the recipes she wants to digitally store. I can envision classes on the basics of computer use, or classes on how to work specific programs or websites. A community technology center would only benefit Fyffe.<br />
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A little about me: I have lived in Fyffe most of my life. I'm a graduate of Fyffe High School, Northeast Alabama Community College, and Athens State University. I'm currently an adjunct English instructor at NACC. I've been married to my fantastic husband for eleven years, and am also a mom, stepmom, and Nana. In addition to being a teacher, I am also a writer, editor, and designer. I am capable and ready to serve my community. I hope you vote for me and allow me that chance.<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">I've been answering questions and sharing thoughts on my Facebook group, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1650147498638383/1668132420173224/?notif_t=like&notif_id=1471713058818880" target="_blank">Pamela Gifford for Fyffe Council</a>. Feel free to read and/or join! </span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ETA: Please mark AUGUST 23 on your calendars, and go vote! :) </b></span><br />
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Thanks y'all!<br />
<br />
Peace, love, and voting,<br />
<br />
PamelaPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-13141979563366672802016-06-29T18:52:00.000-05:002016-06-29T18:52:06.536-05:00Facebook Cover for AuthorsHere is another Facebook cover for authors. If you want to see more,
click the "Facebook covers" label at the bottom of the post. These are
free to use on your writer Facebook page. Please do not alter them.
Thank you!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pG_NEwNrmvg/V3Re1AUdlKI/AAAAAAAACGU/e25NzqbL9Low0r541IN2eFT1-kyQdUohwCLcB/s1600/coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pG_NEwNrmvg/V3Re1AUdlKI/AAAAAAAACGU/e25NzqbL9Low0r541IN2eFT1-kyQdUohwCLcB/s400/coffee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-7987726178939958682016-06-29T18:35:00.000-05:002016-06-29T18:35:25.415-05:00Now on Fiverr<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3kbb3QzUNas/TtJq1Q4-tiI/AAAAAAAAAsU/rhcaZ3EsO_M0l1VjiY7zGmM7z_061AYXwCKgB/s1600/cohdra3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3kbb3QzUNas/TtJq1Q4-tiI/AAAAAAAAAsU/rhcaZ3EsO_M0l1VjiY7zGmM7z_061AYXwCKgB/s200/cohdra3.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
If you've run across my website, you've no doubt noticed that I've markedly cut the freelance services I once offered. Instead, I've opened up shop on Fiverr. I won't have time to edit longer works or pursue prolonged projects. If you're looking for a nifty Facebook cover, an original ebook cover, or a short story edit, all at affordable prices, check out my Fiverr page at <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/pcgifford" target="_blank">this link</a>.Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-89409092775626202022016-06-29T11:08:00.000-05:002016-06-29T11:08:17.783-05:00Independence Day Facebook CoverEnjoy this free Facebook cover from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Photo-Graphics/1397491233845492">Photo Graphics</a> (and me, of course!). You have permission to use on your Facebook page so long as the image isn't altered. Happy upcoming 4th!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XCdejOyj3RI/V3PyLQL-9PI/AAAAAAAACGE/deaR16jAv0YhFmpTpq8WLPyL_UB-k9cAACLcB/s1600/americanfbcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XCdejOyj3RI/V3PyLQL-9PI/AAAAAAAACGE/deaR16jAv0YhFmpTpq8WLPyL_UB-k9cAACLcB/s400/americanfbcover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-14446202674526807102016-06-27T13:50:00.004-05:002016-06-27T13:51:09.160-05:00To WhereI dabble in hobby photography. If you like my photos, you may share at
your leisure, and give me credit. You can click on the label
"photography" below for more of my photos. Enjoy! (Click on the image to
enlarge.)<br />
<br />
*Remember that photos are not "up for grabs" just because they are on the internet. They are copyrighted
property. Proper credit and attribution must be given to use my photos. A
link to my website would be awesome as well. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">To Where</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8c1G4ZwL0ZU/V3F1f0BwI5I/AAAAAAAACF0/Gh5mWvYwaiUbptzmQOhb-E0XcXk0WzH2QCLcB/s1600/windingroad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8c1G4ZwL0ZU/V3F1f0BwI5I/AAAAAAAACF0/Gh5mWvYwaiUbptzmQOhb-E0XcXk0WzH2QCLcB/s400/windingroad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-48141543992518737152016-06-27T12:08:00.004-05:002016-06-27T13:51:22.116-05:00Smoky Mountains I dabble in hobby photography. If you like my photos, you may share at
your leisure, and give me credit. You can click on the label
"photography" below for more of my photos. Enjoy! (Click on the image to
enlarge.)<br />
<br />
*Remember that photos are not "up for grabs" just because they are on the internet. They are copyrighted
property. Proper credit and attribution must be given to use my photos. A
link to my website would be awesome as well. :)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Smoky Mountains</span><br />
<br />
Gently sloping, yet majestic.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KimLmHxdg2U/V3Fdlcxe3gI/AAAAAAAACFk/9Ox8Q-fL1PgP3Sy5y74RVlIQjtwI5n6PwCLcB/s1600/smokeymountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KimLmHxdg2U/V3Fdlcxe3gI/AAAAAAAACFk/9Ox8Q-fL1PgP3Sy5y74RVlIQjtwI5n6PwCLcB/s400/smokeymountains.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-27961849567772115012016-06-27T11:58:00.004-05:002016-06-27T13:51:32.573-05:00Peek-a-Boo SpringI dabble in hobby photography. If you like my photos, you may share at
your leisure, and give me credit. You can click on the label
"photography" below for more of my photos. Enjoy! (Click on the image to
enlarge.)<br />
<br />
*Remember that photos are not "up for grabs" just because they are on the internet. They are copyrighted
property. Proper credit and attribution must be given to use my photos. A
link to my website would be awesome as well. :)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Peek-a-Boo Spring</span><br />
<br />
This little gem came from the magnolia I have in my yard. It was taken at the very beginning of spring.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SlOo95If_lM/V3FbNv17vdI/AAAAAAAACFY/SCc-SQtVn-URlOZhOdQwBwvcpZHwT0aTwCLcB/s1600/magnolia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SlOo95If_lM/V3FbNv17vdI/AAAAAAAACFY/SCc-SQtVn-URlOZhOdQwBwvcpZHwT0aTwCLcB/s400/magnolia1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-49980478426336866272016-06-27T11:11:00.000-05:002016-06-27T11:11:05.728-05:00Sunlit CypressI dabble in hobby photography. If you like my photos, you may share at your leisure, and give me credit. You can click on the label "photography" below for more of my photos. Enjoy! (Click on the image to enlarge.)<br />
<br />
*Remember that photos are not "up for grabs." They are copyrighted property. Proper credit and attribution must be given to use my photos. A link to my website would be awesome as well. :)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunlit Cypress</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This photo was taken at Legoland in Florida.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8bK6zUNHbY/V3FP2hHu3iI/AAAAAAAACFI/rNb4OIYTGCMzi93lTYJ-AhXlBaeX1tAdgCLcB/s1600/20160522_111820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8bK6zUNHbY/V3FP2hHu3iI/AAAAAAAACFI/rNb4OIYTGCMzi93lTYJ-AhXlBaeX1tAdgCLcB/s400/20160522_111820.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-13802597615789220232016-05-04T12:43:00.000-05:002016-05-06T08:02:30.067-05:00College is Finito!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j60TBRS_KEg/VyozqF18YWI/AAAAAAAACE0/iH7L9CfQmOEjDEVP5AYhEQeEECZ-52eMQCLcB/s1600/diannehopemorguefile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j60TBRS_KEg/VyozqF18YWI/AAAAAAAACE0/iH7L9CfQmOEjDEVP5AYhEQeEECZ-52eMQCLcB/s200/diannehopemorguefile.jpg" width="169" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diannehope/morguefile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for me. I have finally (and suddenly, it seems) completed my education. I keep being asked about going forth with another degree; my answer is, simply, not at this time. Maybe one day I will, but for now, I want to get back into the writing that lights my life. I want to focus on teaching, and I want to take a little time to breathe and be with my family. I feel like I've been running uphill for the last few years, so it's time to crawl over that peak and see what's on the other side.<br />
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And it seems to have hit me and sunk in all within the last several days. I turned in my last assignments. I am making plans for graduation. I'm printing out resumes. Then I realized that I was saying goodbye to over a hundred students. Teaching has been a challenge, but it has been a remarkable experience. When I realized I wouldn't get to see those kids everyday... well, it put a hole in my heart. I love those kids and even as great it is to be done, I still feel incredibly glum. Top this with the knowledge that I will not be returning to my tutoring job in the fall. This summer is the last semester I'll spend helping students with their college courses. Everything is changing, and while I'm happy about it, I still can't help but feel a little overwhelmed with the reality of it all. I hope that makes sense.<br />
<br />
The last few years have been remarkably fantastic, but also terribly difficult. We almost lost our home. One of the cars died, and we couldn't get it fixed for many months. I spent a semester and a half worrying about how to get my hubs back and forth to work, how I was going to get back and forth to work and class, and how we were going to manage with the kids. There have been many sleepless nights, and many days where I didn't know if I was going to make it through. Heck, the last few months struggling with the revenue commissioner's office in Fort Payne (in which none but one employee knew the whats, hows, and whys of their job) seemed to be just the last kick in the long line of attempted road blocks.<br />
<br />
On the flip side, I have made some incredible friendships, and I've been advised by some great mentors. There is no way that I can possibly list everyone because I'm sure to miss someone that's had a prominent role in the last few years of my life. So if you've given me advice, if you've answered a question (or 1,000 questions), if you've driven me or my hubs or my children somewhere, if you've watched my kids so that I could go to class or to my observations, if you've answered panicky questions about exams, if you've made me smile during a looooong and dull class, if you've been understanding about my lack of time and stamina, and if you've endured my mood swings, I thank you from the deepest depths of my heart. I couldn't have done it without you. :)<br />
<br />
Peace, love, and onward,<br />
<br />
Pamela Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-16937027056087016532016-01-13T18:59:00.000-06:002016-01-13T18:59:35.176-06:00I'm still here. Sorta.Hi! I just looked back at the posts I've written in 2015 and realized I didn't pop in much at all last year. This isn't really surprising to me considering <a href="http://pamelacavesblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/ill-see-yall-in-two-years.html" target="_blank">this post</a> I shared a year and a half ago. Still, though, I like to come in from time to time to share a thought or two, just so those just now joining the blog know that it isn't one of the oodles of abandoned blogs out there. So, here's an update on how things are going:<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">School</span></strong><br />
<br />
I've just started my final semester at Athens State University. I've started my internship this week, and am on my way toward graduation. The last few years chasing down my education has been some of the hardest years of my life. It has taken more will and determination than I ever thought I possessed, but I'm finally on the home stretch.<br />
<br />
In addition to this has been my job as a writing tutor at Northeast State Community College. Over the last few years, I've seen many students pass through toward graduation or higher education, and seeing them push for their futures has helped motivate me to continue my own push. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPANBGX5DKM/Vpbrkm974zI/AAAAAAAACDY/PWZthp6I3yA/s1600/walking-dead-s06e02-jss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPANBGX5DKM/Vpbrkm974zI/AAAAAAAACDY/PWZthp6I3yA/s200/walking-dead-s06e02-jss.jpg" width="200" /></a>So here I am, only months away from graduation with probably the hardest semester I've ever had facing me. I told my Facebook friends that my mantra this semester is courtesy of the character of Enid from <em>The Walking Dead: </em>Just Survive Somehow. I'll get through it the same way I've gotten through the last few years of study: by working hard, taking one day at a time, praying often, and understanding that there are just some things that I have no control over.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Back Pain</span></strong><br />
<br />
I could summarize the entire saga of my back pain but I'll pass on that. If you want to read up on it, you can <a href="http://pamelacavesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/back%20pain" target="_blank">click here</a> and scroll back through my posts on the subject. The last time I updated about this subject was when I got a steroid injection and was doing physical therapy. That was over two years ago. I never went back for another steroid injection. The shot only worked for a few weeks. During the weeks following, I continued physical therapy for the recommended time and after my sessions ended, I kept up those exercises in an effort to keep the pain away. It worked well. I did have days where I hurt more than others, but I was able to recuperate fairly easily by just resting and engaging in general ache and pain relief. Overall, I've had to learn what my new normal was. What doctors don't tell you after a discectomy like mine is that your life will forever change. I was so focused on getting "back to normal" that I didn't realize that I had to find a new normal. <br />
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Now to the present. Week before last, I noticed that something was a little "off" about my back. I couldn't explain it and it wasn't really painful. Not at first. Through the course of the week, I went from "Okay, this feels odd," to being in debilitating pain by Friday. I had to make an emergency appointment with the doctor I haven't seen in over two years. A round of oral steroids has helped me function, but now it's just a waiting game. I just had a MRI today and will find out what's going on later.<br />
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In the meantime, I guess that's all I have updates on. Nothing much has changed for us. The kids are growing and thriving, and aside from this little stint with my back, I'm very much in love with my life and family. I haven't written any new fiction in a while, but I'm writing research papers so that still counts. :) I promise to come out with some new stuff after May. <br />
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Peace, love, and carrying on with life,<br />
<br />
Pamela<br />
Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-65568456545438396302015-09-11T11:59:00.001-05:002015-09-11T11:59:41.755-05:00Never Forget <strong>Only one story of millions. One perspective of 9/11.</strong><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCri5-I3ppc/UdWVF7CvXUI/AAAAAAAABj8/idf9WRyEo9o/s1600/file000493772015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCri5-I3ppc/UdWVF7CvXUI/AAAAAAAABj8/idf9WRyEo9o/s320/file000493772015.jpg" width="272" /></a>Sixteen years ago today, I married my ex-husband. Two years later, I had the day off and we were planning an excursion to Chattanooga to celebrate our anniversary. I emerged from the shower and my then-husband said, "A plane crashed into the Twin Towers."<br />
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At the time, I was young and uneducated. All I pretty much did in those days was work, come home, repeat. I didn't generally watch or listen to the news. So when my then-husband told me about the crash, I didn't even know what the Twin Towers were. My brain went somewhere that told me it was a horrible accident and nothing more.<br />
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On our drive, we listened to the radio. The news was talking about the crash and had indicated that another plane had crashed. And another at the Pentagon. I was trying to force myself to believe anything other than a terrorist attack. That stuff didn't happen in the United States. However, I knew that three planes crashing into structures within such a small time-frame couldn't be coincidence. But I couldn't, or maybe I was trying to refuse, to make sense of it.<br />
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As we muddled through an oddly sparse Chattanooga, I still couldn't bring myself to believe in that type of malice. The memory is hazy and maybe that's how I walked around that day: in a haze, listening to the scared whispers and murmurs of those around me. A older woman at the aquarium caught my eye after saying something about the attack (which I still couldn't process) and I remember the look of anxiousness upon her face as she searched around her for normalcy and comfort. I'm sure when she looked at me, instead of kind eyes and shared panic, she saw a confused young woman.<br />
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I began to accept that the United States had been the target of a horrendous attack. The death toll began to sink in and I flipped on the television that night to learn more about what had happened, to try and grasp the concept of what forever would be a changed world for myself and everyone in this nation. I saw footage of people in a country of which I can't remember the name. They were celebrating in their streets: whooping, smiling, laughing, cheering, dancing. The image of an old woman in a black dress and black scarf over her head pumped her fists in the air, and with a huge grin across her dark, wrinkled face, chanted enthusiastically in a language I didn't know. My heart fell and I sobbed as my world shifted. I didn't understand how she or those in that crowd--or anyone anywhere in the world--could be so happy over so many lost lives. I still don't understand.<br />
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When my students or children ask me hard questions about why some people do the horrible things they do, I can only shake my head and tell them I don't know. That's the answer I learned that day. I just don't know. I understand that people will exhibit behaviors that I don't understand. We can reason with ourselves and say, oh, it's the way they were raised, or they were betrayed and hurt by their parents or family, or they have a physiological or behavioral disorder, but it doesn't do anything to quell the sadness and loss, especially when so many people out there are bent on hurting others with a wave of people behind them ready to cheer them on.<br />
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But the flip-side to this is that I saw so many <em>more</em> people stepping up and binding together to rebuild, to comfort, and to give of themselves. What others do is beyond our control. What we <em>can</em> control is our reaction to what those others do. What I can do as an individual is try to maintain positivity in all aspects of my life. I can do for others. I can retain my empathy for those around me. I can love. I can help when I see a need.<br />
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That is the rest of the response I have when those hard questions come: I don't know what makes some people do the terrible things they do, but I can react in a positive way. <br />
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Peace, love, and never forget,<br />
<br />
PamelaPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074080571989312098.post-64400301361295026042015-07-23T16:29:00.001-05:002015-07-23T16:29:55.353-05:00It's all about perspectiveI get so irritated when I see politicians bring up a decision or stance that someone made 5 years ago, 10 years ago, or even longer. "We should all hate Candidate Doe because he was for legalizing wild bobcats as pets 20 years ago!" Think about it. We see these claims ALL THE TIME now, especially since the presidential election is coming up. Is it not plausible or acceptable for people to regret decisions they've once made or change their minds on issues or situations after having a little perspective? Can you say that you would make the same decisions now that you did when you were younger? Changing one's mind, changing one's stance, changing one's perception... it's all part of human growth. <br />
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I think about this concept more now as I creep closer to graduation. As I read some of the things I wrote even as close as two years ago, I'm amazed at some of my decisions and stances then. Education has truly changed me. I am not the same person I was and it's hard to look at some of my old posts and not consider deleting them; I fear that someone might see those posts and think that what I posted then aligns with my thought process now. But I resist that urge only because I want to remember where I was then and how much I've grown. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AsXV1L_8dj8/VbFZlOEeG0I/AAAAAAAACC0/KnEiaDZUHls/s1600/DSC03800-B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AsXV1L_8dj8/VbFZlOEeG0I/AAAAAAAACC0/KnEiaDZUHls/s200/DSC03800-B.jpg" width="200" /></a>One such post came across my TimeHop app recently. Apparently, I'd just been told that I was about to have to pay $100 for my childrens' "free" educations. Understandably, I was upset. Not unlike many families, we struggle financially. I questioned the purpose of us paying $50 a piece for supply fees for our kids when I could have gotten all the supplies both children needed for school for less than $50. I was certain that what I was paying for was not only supplies for my child, but supplies for the children whose parents weren't able (or willing) to pay. Why was it my responsibility to provide for those children? <br />
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In response to the post, I can now tell Former Me some things about education and schools that she didn't know or didn't really think about then.<br />
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<em>"Hey, I get that you're upset. I understand your point, but I think that you should first take into account those workbooks. Do you remember when you were a kid and had to wait in line at a local store to buy workbooks and how expensive they were? Now consider that these materials are going through the school. Yay! No more waiting in line and hoping you got the right workbook! Considering this, $50 doesn't seem like a whole heckuva lot now, does it?</em><br />
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<em>"Also consider how fantastic it is not to have to wedge your way into the back-to-school section at Wal-Mart and hope that you can get every exact specification on the list. You'll like that plan when Zachary goes into the 4th grade and you have a list of precise supplies to buy. Oh, so you don't understand why a kid would specifically need a green folder and a yellow folder? Why can't it be just any color, you ask? Well, it's easier for a teacher to say to 30 young students, 'Get out your yellow folders.' This allows for smoother transitions between subjects and allows more time for teaching. You'll come to realize that in teaching, every second counts!</em><br />
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<em>"Finally, I know that there will always be those parents who honestly can't afford to pay the fees for their children. I also know that there will always be those parents who will refuse to pay the fees, whether they can really afford to or not. In either case, you have enough problems, right? Why should you have to pay for supplies for those other kids, especially if you don't know which kind of kids are getting the waivers? On that point, forgive me, but I have to say, GET OVER YOURSELF. It isn't the child's fault when parents can't or won't pay their fees. If you have serious money issues, talk to the teacher and work out some sort of payment plan, otherwise, pay it and stop worrying and whining. Do you realize just how much money teachers take out of their own pockets to pay for things so your children can be comfortable and happy and ready to learn? No, you don't know it, yet. You will soon, though. Point is, it is not the teacher's fault and it isn't any of the kids' faults. Don't take out your frustrations on them."</em><br />
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So, yeah. I would have given Former Me a good swift kick and reminded her to remember the importance of giving and doing what we can for the betterment of society. Being on the other side of things has provided me with a perspective I never once considered before. <br />
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On that note, I must get back to business. I finished my last exam for the summer semester yesterday and am gearing up for the Praxis exams in less than a month. The kids will go back to school in two weeks. This summer (and the year!) has totally flown by. It's hard to believe that by this time next year, I will be finished with this part of my education. I told you, dear reader, that I wouldn't see much of you in the interim and I apologize for that. When I emerge, I will be ready with new stories and new experiences to share! Until then...<br />
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Peace, Love, and Teaching,<br />
<br />
Pamela Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01884714619277657759noreply@blogger.com0