Rhyming!
How cute!
You may now take a seat
in Ms. Smith’s classroom.
(Love you Ms. Smith.
The name just fit perfectly.)
Let me kindly introduce myself.
My name is Lucy Lu,
otherwise known as
the new,
improved ‘copy’.
How ‘bout I spell that out for you.
M-E-J-O-R-A-D-A.
I’m the final draft,
in fact...
my book comes out in May,
no autographs please.
Musical things,
see that’s a funny thing.
Can’t wait to sing the words,
“Go Cubs, Go!!”
In the season that comes.
On this subject we can agree,
For your daughter I am,
baseball is baseball,
cards is cards,
but family is always family.
However,
soccer is another thing.
Get your head in the game,
set your priorities straight,
soccer is a gift sent
from the heavens above.
Cooking competitions,
(talk about more funny things!)
My cousin Danielle
with the killer crust,
and cousin Damon!
What perfect execution!
Dena,
the bacon wins by far.
My mom?
Melted crust,
and cheese
that tumbled to the floor,
slipping off your mistake of a pizza.
“Thanks,” squeals the mouse.
“I’ll stay an extra week!”
Granite countertops.
Who came up with this one?
Quite creative.
The countertops were bought in a time
where you were
‘economically high’?
Who has 2 jobs?
Right... me.
#EconomicallyHigh
Well,
homework is calling.
It takes work to keep up
my standards.
Oh, but yes,
the bar keeps rising.
Your little game was fun,
but next time try and put up a fight?
Gloves up Mami,
this war has just begun.
I’m Marquez, and you’re just Paquiao.
Have fun sniffing the floor.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, September 10, 2012
Wear Red
Curious what the CTU strike is all about? It seems there are so many questions and the messaging has been messy. Here's my take: It is about
A Quality Day in the Classroom (not creating a babysitting service so kids can be 'kept busy')
Reasonable Classroom Size (not the up to 55-students-per-class that has been threatened)
Necessary Social Services (not the 'just sit here and breathe' response when a nurse is not present)
Investment in Schools (not 'step over the puddle in the bathroom, honey' facilities)
Fair Contracts for teachers (not 'suck it up' re-negotations that fail the sniff test)
How do these issues play out in real life? In my child's school, which practices an 'inclusion' model of instruction, the class size is more likely to be over 30 - even in primary grades. Because everyone is included in an inclusion model class, that room will have several English-speaking students who are, at least, average learners. It'll also include several children with varying degrees of special needs - hearing impairment, speech impediment, learning delay or more severe concerns. That classroom will also include a few children who don't speak a lick of English and a few others who are still learning the language. And, not often understood but true, the classroom will include special needs children who are at another point on the spectrum - they need accelerated instruction and greater challenge. Over 80% of the children in that classroom - or at least 24 of 30 - meet the criteria for a free or reduced lunch. (In an ironic twist, when those same children apply for high school the system forces them to the bottom of the priority list because, according to census numbers, we live in a high income area.)
That's why we need a quality day - especially if it's a longer one - and we need a reasonable pupil-to-teacher ratio.
In my child's school, the classroom can be extremely hot (over 90 degrees) or extremely cold (closer to 60 degrees) and the presence of either extreme is not necessarily tied to the current climate outside. The fancy new heating and cooling system they put in place as part of a rehab still doesn't work so today while it was 80+ degrees outside I was wearing pants and a full coat in the office and I was still cold. We've had tons of work done to our school and I'm grateful for it, but if we're still the mess we are, what's going on in poorer neighborhoods?
That's why we need investment in school facilities. Basic stuff. Stuff we have in our cars, for crissakes.
In order to meet the needs of all children, teaching often occurs in smaller groups, with several children working independently while the teacher works with one group, and a resource teacher works others, if there's one assigned. Almost on a daily basis, you can walk through the halls of that school and see groups of children sitting on the floor in the hallway trying to read or work on group projects because there's no adequate space for them to do so in the classroom and no adult available to supervise or guide the learning. What did you do when you were left in the hallway with a group of your buddies at age 9? Learn?
That's another reason we need reasonable classroom sizes and pupil-to-teacher ratios and investment in school facilities.
A nurse is present only a few days a week and with the increase in allergies and other health concerns in the general student population we've had to make absurd adjustments to day-to-day 'normal' activities to accommodate the lack of a health professional on staff. 850+ children in the building on a given day. Think about that. Today, with less than 100 people in the building the nurse was called upon three times and one of those injuries required an ER visit. A child entitled to X number of minutes per day for his/her learning support needs gets exactly those minutes. So if they need a few more but the schedule doesn't allow, the teacher is forced to move on rather than stay with the child and get them to the next level. It's cruel and awful and the teachers are sickened to have to do it.
That's why we need appropriate levels of social services in the building at all times.
In addition to traditional curriculum requirements, teachers are required to meet testing requirements with their instruction. These tests currently serve to measure not only students but schools. The children who don't speak English? They take those tests. The children who are delayed in learning for one reason or another? They take those tests. The teacher whose student rarely shows up for class, or spends half his time in detention? He takes that test too. Children in our school whose parents take them to their home countries for weeks on end and must actually re-register when they come back because they've been gone so long? Yup. Test. Why do you think those scores look like that?
Again, if you want children to succeed - if that's really your goal - you need to have reasonable pupil-to-teacher ratios and invest in support services that work and can be measured by the teacher not a chart.
Send your child to a school building with mud instead of grass on its playing field, jammed doorways that didn't always work, an intercom system that frequently beeped without warning, inadequate heating and cooling so that your child might be sweating or shivering depending on his/her location in the building throughout the day, leaking plumbing in bathrooms, classwork being conducted on the floor in hallways, gym in the classroom because the gym is being used as storage, no textbooks because central office didn't get them to us on time, and a teacher who had to tend to 32 other children in the classroom during the day. OK? Still feel like you are in the third largest school district in the country? Still feel like you live in the richest nation on Earth?
That's why we need honest, meaningful and intentional investment in school facilities which reflects our high prioritization of education.
Now how about if I asked you to work in that environment and then promised you a raise and then renegged on the raise and then asked you to work more hours and offered to evaluate your performance based on how well those kids did in your classroom - would you be cool with that?
And that's why teachers deserve a fair contract. They deserve it. They earn it and are entitled to it and we owe it to them. Fair. That's all.
A friend of mine is considering leaving the city because he's afraid the end result here is that there will be a huge tax increase to pay for the resources the city needs to effect these changes. My answer? No. It's time to pay attention to how the budget is written so that our real priorities are reflected and dollars are spent where we want them spent. It's time to stay and fight our asses off to make things better for ourselves and our children and everyone else's. It's time to insist policymakers stop playing politics with our children's futures - and our own - as more and more ill-prepared children become ill-prepared adults and take our futures into their hands. The future of the country is at stake. It is really that important. And it's just that simple. Our teachers deserve our full and undivided attention, our loyalty and our support.
Because, really? Forget all that stuff I just said. You just need to ask yourself one question in order to sort this whole thing out: who among us has become anything without a teacher? Not one.
Wear red.
A Quality Day in the Classroom (not creating a babysitting service so kids can be 'kept busy')
Reasonable Classroom Size (not the up to 55-students-per-class that has been threatened)
Necessary Social Services (not the 'just sit here and breathe' response when a nurse is not present)
Investment in Schools (not 'step over the puddle in the bathroom, honey' facilities)
Fair Contracts for teachers (not 'suck it up' re-negotations that fail the sniff test)
How do these issues play out in real life? In my child's school, which practices an 'inclusion' model of instruction, the class size is more likely to be over 30 - even in primary grades. Because everyone is included in an inclusion model class, that room will have several English-speaking students who are, at least, average learners. It'll also include several children with varying degrees of special needs - hearing impairment, speech impediment, learning delay or more severe concerns. That classroom will also include a few children who don't speak a lick of English and a few others who are still learning the language. And, not often understood but true, the classroom will include special needs children who are at another point on the spectrum - they need accelerated instruction and greater challenge. Over 80% of the children in that classroom - or at least 24 of 30 - meet the criteria for a free or reduced lunch. (In an ironic twist, when those same children apply for high school the system forces them to the bottom of the priority list because, according to census numbers, we live in a high income area.)
That's why we need a quality day - especially if it's a longer one - and we need a reasonable pupil-to-teacher ratio.
In my child's school, the classroom can be extremely hot (over 90 degrees) or extremely cold (closer to 60 degrees) and the presence of either extreme is not necessarily tied to the current climate outside. The fancy new heating and cooling system they put in place as part of a rehab still doesn't work so today while it was 80+ degrees outside I was wearing pants and a full coat in the office and I was still cold. We've had tons of work done to our school and I'm grateful for it, but if we're still the mess we are, what's going on in poorer neighborhoods?
That's why we need investment in school facilities. Basic stuff. Stuff we have in our cars, for crissakes.
In order to meet the needs of all children, teaching often occurs in smaller groups, with several children working independently while the teacher works with one group, and a resource teacher works others, if there's one assigned. Almost on a daily basis, you can walk through the halls of that school and see groups of children sitting on the floor in the hallway trying to read or work on group projects because there's no adequate space for them to do so in the classroom and no adult available to supervise or guide the learning. What did you do when you were left in the hallway with a group of your buddies at age 9? Learn?
That's another reason we need reasonable classroom sizes and pupil-to-teacher ratios and investment in school facilities.
A nurse is present only a few days a week and with the increase in allergies and other health concerns in the general student population we've had to make absurd adjustments to day-to-day 'normal' activities to accommodate the lack of a health professional on staff. 850+ children in the building on a given day. Think about that. Today, with less than 100 people in the building the nurse was called upon three times and one of those injuries required an ER visit. A child entitled to X number of minutes per day for his/her learning support needs gets exactly those minutes. So if they need a few more but the schedule doesn't allow, the teacher is forced to move on rather than stay with the child and get them to the next level. It's cruel and awful and the teachers are sickened to have to do it.
That's why we need appropriate levels of social services in the building at all times.
In addition to traditional curriculum requirements, teachers are required to meet testing requirements with their instruction. These tests currently serve to measure not only students but schools. The children who don't speak English? They take those tests. The children who are delayed in learning for one reason or another? They take those tests. The teacher whose student rarely shows up for class, or spends half his time in detention? He takes that test too. Children in our school whose parents take them to their home countries for weeks on end and must actually re-register when they come back because they've been gone so long? Yup. Test. Why do you think those scores look like that?
Again, if you want children to succeed - if that's really your goal - you need to have reasonable pupil-to-teacher ratios and invest in support services that work and can be measured by the teacher not a chart.
Send your child to a school building with mud instead of grass on its playing field, jammed doorways that didn't always work, an intercom system that frequently beeped without warning, inadequate heating and cooling so that your child might be sweating or shivering depending on his/her location in the building throughout the day, leaking plumbing in bathrooms, classwork being conducted on the floor in hallways, gym in the classroom because the gym is being used as storage, no textbooks because central office didn't get them to us on time, and a teacher who had to tend to 32 other children in the classroom during the day. OK? Still feel like you are in the third largest school district in the country? Still feel like you live in the richest nation on Earth?
That's why we need honest, meaningful and intentional investment in school facilities which reflects our high prioritization of education.
Now how about if I asked you to work in that environment and then promised you a raise and then renegged on the raise and then asked you to work more hours and offered to evaluate your performance based on how well those kids did in your classroom - would you be cool with that?
And that's why teachers deserve a fair contract. They deserve it. They earn it and are entitled to it and we owe it to them. Fair. That's all.
A friend of mine is considering leaving the city because he's afraid the end result here is that there will be a huge tax increase to pay for the resources the city needs to effect these changes. My answer? No. It's time to pay attention to how the budget is written so that our real priorities are reflected and dollars are spent where we want them spent. It's time to stay and fight our asses off to make things better for ourselves and our children and everyone else's. It's time to insist policymakers stop playing politics with our children's futures - and our own - as more and more ill-prepared children become ill-prepared adults and take our futures into their hands. The future of the country is at stake. It is really that important. And it's just that simple. Our teachers deserve our full and undivided attention, our loyalty and our support.
Because, really? Forget all that stuff I just said. You just need to ask yourself one question in order to sort this whole thing out: who among us has become anything without a teacher? Not one.
Wear red.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
It's Me
It seeps in,
from beneath the oven
and around the corner.
It slides next to me,
slipping its belly on the freshly wiped counters.
Completely granite.
Screeches and squeals,
louder and more vibrant.
Stronger...
Sharper...
They pierce my body.
It sticks in the room,
pointy needles, arrows,
all directed at me.
Lights start flashing.
But there's only darkness.
My eyes,
throbbing.
Pounding starts against the walls of my mind.
A whisper behind the banging,
pleads for help.
Get me out.
I open my eyes.
The noise remains.
The lights still flash.
The thumping continues.
The room is empty.
Silence surrounds.
Blank walls cover me.
There isn't movement for miles.
I'm sitting alone.
from beneath the oven
and around the corner.
It slides next to me,
slipping its belly on the freshly wiped counters.
Completely granite.
Screeches and squeals,
louder and more vibrant.
Stronger...
Sharper...
They pierce my body.
It sticks in the room,
pointy needles, arrows,
all directed at me.
Lights start flashing.
But there's only darkness.
My eyes,
throbbing.
Pounding starts against the walls of my mind.
A whisper behind the banging,
pleads for help.
Get me out.
I open my eyes.
The noise remains.
The lights still flash.
The thumping continues.
The room is empty.
Silence surrounds.
Blank walls cover me.
There isn't movement for miles.
I'm sitting alone.
Monday, August 6, 2012
And She'll Walk Right Back
Through the brush and under bushes,
and deep beyond the marsh,
lay footprints of a little girl.
Feet grow in size,
past the buildings,
and weaving through bus stops.
Starting out like peas...
And growing up like trees.
Her feet begin at a doorstep,
and travel up into the world.
The land has been injected
with tiny little change.
Slowly, and faster,
the wind moves along.
The feet move more swiftly,
and shuffle to and fro.
Walking.
Running.
Sprinting.
Far, far beyond.
The trees change in color,
and leaves begin to depart.
Mothers say goodbye,
and babies start to age.
Snow decides to fall,
then dry up over again.
Patterns have been formed,
as her feet walk on by.
Watching with everything,
seeing it all fly away.
Everything comes back.
And the feet return to the doorstep.
Rewind.
and deep beyond the marsh,
lay footprints of a little girl.
Feet grow in size,
past the buildings,
and weaving through bus stops.
Starting out like peas...
And growing up like trees.
Her feet begin at a doorstep,
and travel up into the world.
The land has been injected
with tiny little change.
Slowly, and faster,
the wind moves along.
The feet move more swiftly,
and shuffle to and fro.
Walking.
Running.
Sprinting.
Far, far beyond.
The trees change in color,
and leaves begin to depart.
Mothers say goodbye,
and babies start to age.
Snow decides to fall,
then dry up over again.
Patterns have been formed,
as her feet walk on by.
Watching with everything,
seeing it all fly away.
Everything comes back.
And the feet return to the doorstep.
Rewind.
Totally...
No one even likes freshman.
Hey, what's up, freshie!
You're totally gonna get pennies thrown at you.
Can't wait to start this year...
Hey, what's up, freshie!
You're totally gonna get pennies thrown at you.
Can't wait to start this year...
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Stupid Sister.
If I ever become a professional writer, my sister, without a doubt will be my biggest competitor. This girl is a genius when it comes to writing. Which is pretty funny because in every other aspect, she's pretty stupid! Just kidding. She's actually a rock star in everything she pursues. Did I tell you that my sister placed third in her grade of 100 students in science fair? Yeah, I know. She's obnoxiously brilliant at anything. It's like she's magic or something. Imagine growing up with THAT. The smart, beautiful, curly haired, talented, artistic, scientific, creative, goofy, relatable, social, entertaining, willing, experienced, and loved Sarita. It's impossible to ever outdo her.
Stupid sister.
Basically... I'm Yoda.
So last year, I was an unofficial coach for my brother's baseball team. I helped warm the boys up, played catch with them, and taught them the mechanics of batting. But not this year my friend. No. This year, I am an official registered coach for Minor Division boys baseball. Oh yeah. I'm certified. With an automated email to prove it!
So now, Sam may no longer refer to me as his sister, or even call me Lucy. No. He must call me COACH Lucy. Yeah. I went there. I'm basically Yoda, and he's like my young padawon... or however you spell it. I'm totally going to make him run laps around the house at like six in the morning.
Actually, no I'm not. See apparently, even if you decide to coach your little brother, he doesn't really listen to you. So when I woke him up at six to run some laps, he just pushed me out of his room and told me,"Dude. It's six in the morning on a Saturday. Go to sleep you dork." SO... I suggest to all older sisters planning on coaching their little brothers or sisters, only so they can make them do ridiculous things NOT TO DO IT, because I have learned that they really don't care if you have an official email. You're still just the annoying big sister.
BUT IN ANY CASE- I am totally Yoda... except not green...
Right Daddy...?
The things my father makes me do. This could be a very interesting story. Care to take a listen??
I shouldn't really say that my father makes me do these things. The truth is, I volunteer to do these things. Except sometimes, I don't really know what I'm getting myself into...
I'm a mathematical person. Just like my daddy. So construction and measurements and fixing things is kind of what we do best. My brother Sammy was always the assistant in all of my dad's experiments, until he wasn't there one day. Sam was out at a friend's house and my dad needed some help on the Jeep, (a project he'd been working on for years. No worries. He finally fixed it!) and I was the only person in the house who was done with all my work for the day. So I went outside, and chatted with my daddy, handed him tools, grabbed things that only my small hands could reach... We had a pretty nice time.
Since then, we've been doing more and more projects together. I built a 'vine holder' with him this summer. Basically, it's a bunch of planks of wood attached from my garage to my house that hold up the vine we have growing on the wall. This upcoming summer, we will install a lighting system and having hanging pots to form a small garden seating area. Should look beautiful! We've also cleaned out his garage, which is no longer the dungeon of despair. You can actually put a car in there! We've made a counter in the office and a cabinet above it to hold supplies. I've helped build a bench/swing, and we finished fixing the car.
I love my Pappi so much. He's the best. No other way to put it. And so now I will start my homework... Because I'm a good child... Also his favorite child... Right Daddy...?
High School Is a Stressful Thing.
I'm not even a freshman yet. And high school already drives me insane. I'm only applying, and I still feel like I'm going to rip my hair out.
I'm in that whole 'interviews, applications, testing' faze of the process. Let me tell you- it's not as easy as it looks. There are a lot of pieces to put together when applying. At least in Chicago.
Best Friends
There's a lot that you learn from losing your best friend. There's a lot to be said about never seeing them again. And there's a lot to feel about missing an important person in your life.
I'm going into high school next year, and my best friend and I had this master plan that we were going to go to the same high school and be best friends forever. Nothing was going to separate us. Until his family moved out of state.
Now I'm left here without my best friend to talk to, to sit with at lunch, to gossip with, to laugh with. To share pizza with every Friday. Every single Friday. Without fail.
He's doing great. He has friends and is on the basketball team at his new school. He'll be successful wherever he goes. And I know that one day I will have to be a big girl and go to high school without him in my class. I will have to graduate without him, walk home without him, eat pizza without him... But in the end, best friends are best friends. And he will always be mine. I will always be his.
So it doesn't matter. If he's here on Friday or not, he'll always be my dorky BFF. And I'll always be his science fair winning nerd. Forever and always.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Grand Slam Sam
My brother is a little baseball champ. He's an amazing athlete. I wish I could take the credit, which I try to do all the time, but the truth is, he does it all on his own. He hits the ball every single time and pitches a strike without any help at all. And so he and his teammates made it to the play-offs. Round one... An amazing battle, a close call, but we won. A great victory.
Round Two:
A shocking loss. First inning, the other team got a five point lead. We struggled to catch up, but only managed to score a total of four points. Our second pitcher held them at five points. He's an amazing player. A great kid for sure. My brother hit two of the RBIs. My baby tried so hard. He really did his best.
The heat didn't help anyone. A scorching 105 degrees. One of our players was ready to pass out from heat exhaustion. Everyone had hats full of melting ice and shirts drenched in sweat. Ew. Gross.
In the end, it didn't matter who won. All that mattered was that the whole team was going out for ice cream. But it wasn't over yet. First we had our team huddle, and our "GO CARDINALS!" Cheer. Being a die-hard Cubs fan, it was so hard to spit out the words 'go Cardinals', but some how I managed to do it.
Finally, our coach announces the four MVPs who will be representing the Cardinals in the All-Star game next week. We hear the coach call a pitcher's name. And then another one. And then we hear a third baseman's name. And finally we hear "And finally, I would like to ask our home-run hitter, Grand Slam Sam to be our fourth player in the All-Star game. Are all of you up for it?" The coach asked. Sam was astonished to hear his name called. He was speechless, and quickly nodded his head. Sam went from sad about losing to thrilled about being an MVP.
So we went out for ice cream. The whole team, fans, and coaches were glad for having a great season. We improved so much throughout this year, and have all become great baseball players. My brother has made life-long friends and learned the importance of team work.
And from this whole experience, I've learned that my brother is dumb for thinking that me, his batting coach, is the reason that he succeeds. He's a little superstar. He's doing it all by himself, and so, if you read this Sam, just know that next season, I will be sitting in the shade instead of standing behind you while you bat because truth be told, you are a big boy now, and you can handle it. You're an amazing second baseman, a hysterical outfielder, yes I remember the mosquitoes, and the best batter I've seen.
So congrats Sam. This Blog is my excuse for sitting in the shade next season :)
Round Two:
A shocking loss. First inning, the other team got a five point lead. We struggled to catch up, but only managed to score a total of four points. Our second pitcher held them at five points. He's an amazing player. A great kid for sure. My brother hit two of the RBIs. My baby tried so hard. He really did his best.
The heat didn't help anyone. A scorching 105 degrees. One of our players was ready to pass out from heat exhaustion. Everyone had hats full of melting ice and shirts drenched in sweat. Ew. Gross.
In the end, it didn't matter who won. All that mattered was that the whole team was going out for ice cream. But it wasn't over yet. First we had our team huddle, and our "GO CARDINALS!" Cheer. Being a die-hard Cubs fan, it was so hard to spit out the words 'go Cardinals', but some how I managed to do it.
Finally, our coach announces the four MVPs who will be representing the Cardinals in the All-Star game next week. We hear the coach call a pitcher's name. And then another one. And then we hear a third baseman's name. And finally we hear "And finally, I would like to ask our home-run hitter, Grand Slam Sam to be our fourth player in the All-Star game. Are all of you up for it?" The coach asked. Sam was astonished to hear his name called. He was speechless, and quickly nodded his head. Sam went from sad about losing to thrilled about being an MVP.
So we went out for ice cream. The whole team, fans, and coaches were glad for having a great season. We improved so much throughout this year, and have all become great baseball players. My brother has made life-long friends and learned the importance of team work.
And from this whole experience, I've learned that my brother is dumb for thinking that me, his batting coach, is the reason that he succeeds. He's a little superstar. He's doing it all by himself, and so, if you read this Sam, just know that next season, I will be sitting in the shade instead of standing behind you while you bat because truth be told, you are a big boy now, and you can handle it. You're an amazing second baseman, a hysterical outfielder, yes I remember the mosquitoes, and the best batter I've seen.
So congrats Sam. This Blog is my excuse for sitting in the shade next season :)
Isn't it Strange?
Isn't it strange
that all it takes to make me smile is a funny face?
Isn't it strange
that it is not hard to love someone?
Isn't it strange
that all we want is to be happy?
And isn't it strange that
as simple as it is,
we can't seem to get along?
We all fight and we all argue.
But if its so simple,
then why is it so hard?
I find it strange.
And you should too.
that all it takes to make me smile is a funny face?
Isn't it strange
that it is not hard to love someone?
Isn't it strange
that all we want is to be happy?
And isn't it strange that
as simple as it is,
we can't seem to get along?
We all fight and we all argue.
But if its so simple,
then why is it so hard?
I find it strange.
And you should too.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Recognize
Open your eyes,
smile at me.
Notice my pain.
And do something to help.
Watch me work hard,
and reward me with love.
See me strive to do my best
and feel proud.
Recognize that I try.
Feel happy for me.
Open your arms,
and let me leap into them.
Give me a kiss
and leave a make-up stain.
Let me sleep in
because you know that I'm tired.
Cut me some slack
because you see I deserve it.
Recognize my abilities.
And do something about it.
Look at me.
Try to feel like I feel.
Think like I think.
Work like I work.
Every day is a chance for you
to walk how I walk.
To sing like I sing.
To breathe how I breathe.
To learn how I learn.
Recognize ME.
And all the obstacles I overcome.
Recognize ME.
And all the good deads I've done.
Recognize ME.
And you will soon see,
that it's not easy to
recognize me.
smile at me.
Notice my pain.
And do something to help.
Watch me work hard,
and reward me with love.
See me strive to do my best
and feel proud.
Recognize that I try.
Feel happy for me.
Open your arms,
and let me leap into them.
Give me a kiss
and leave a make-up stain.
Let me sleep in
because you know that I'm tired.
Cut me some slack
because you see I deserve it.
Recognize my abilities.
And do something about it.
Look at me.
Try to feel like I feel.
Think like I think.
Work like I work.
Every day is a chance for you
to walk how I walk.
To sing like I sing.
To breathe how I breathe.
To learn how I learn.
Recognize ME.
And all the obstacles I overcome.
Recognize ME.
And all the good deads I've done.
Recognize ME.
And you will soon see,
that it's not easy to
recognize me.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I'm Ready
I have been so patient.
I have waited so long.
It's time for it to come.
I'm ready for the wind to whip past my hair,
and I'm ready to feel the lake's spray.
I'm waiting to feel the sun,
beating down on my tan skin.
I can't wait for the music filled parties,
everyone passing out cups of lemonade.
I'm expecting it to hurry its way over.
And I want it to happen soon.
I'm so eager to just get on with it.
I will walk along the beach's side,
and bike all around Chicago.
I will play soccer until my feet can't kick anymore.
I will shoot hoops with all the power I have,
and I will swing on swings
as high as I can.
I'll practice baseball until the bat cracks in two.
I'll run,
and I'll run,
until my feet become stubs.
And then I'll get back up, and run some more.
I'm ready to go to highschool,
and face those kids with pride.
I'm ready.
I'm so ready.
I will walk through those doors, without a doubt in my mind.
I'll show them who I am,
and I'll make my teachers proud.
I'll make friends with everyone,
and know the janitors by name.
I'll walk with confidence in my step.
And no one will block my way.
I'm ready to face what I'm given
because I know He's on my side the whole time.
I'm not scared to try things
and fail them.
I know I can't be the best
the most perfect
the leader
everytime.
That's why I got ready.
Ready for it all.
I will keep preparing myself for what comes next.
And I'll keep my eyes open the whole time
in case I fall
or need some help.
I'll do what I want,
share it with the world.
I'll put myself out there,
and show them who's boss.
I'll be a champion,
and I'll do my best.
I'll help anyone,
and everyone,
as long as they need it.
I'll be a learner, and a teacher all day.
I'll leave my mind open,
no doubt.
I will work hard, and face my challenges with class.
I will have manners and act repectfully.
I will be proud of all of me.
And I will make the world proud of me too.
I am ready,
for what I have to deal with now.
And I'll be ready for the challenges that come when they come.
I'm ready to be ready,
and ready to make myself ready.
I'm as ready as the get.
I'm ready.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Thumpity
Have you ever felt like the wind was just drifting you away, or like everything was cold, but you still felt warm? I did today. It was pretty strange, I'll admit, but I think I owe it all to the snow. Let me tell you a little something about what happened today.
You can ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you that I'm always freezing. Always. Like ice. They'll tell you that when I touch them, they shiver, and that they can feel an icy chill run up and down they're spine. That's how cold I get. But today, on the coldest of all days, I was warm. Sure, my skin was the same as always, but I was different. Inside was warm. I layed flat on the frost covered ground, four feet up, ontop of all that snow. And I was warm, the warmest I've ever been. That snow gave me some sort of magical powers, known to man as hope. Yeah, I'll admit that sounds pretty cheesy, but that's how I felt. OK, there were days I felt hope, like the birth of any of my cousins or siblings, but never before like this.
Have you ever been on stage before? In front of lots of people? You know that feeling you get as you're walking down the stairs of the stage, and you're worried your going to fall, and the croud will laugh and point? I felt that feeling, but like twenty times smaller. It was in the pit of my stomach, and I could feel it beating away. Thump, thump, thump. And when I smiled, it went thumpity, thumpity, thumpity. And I could feel my heart smiling too. And I could feel my soul thumpitying right back at me. It was really hard, and really confident. Right then I found my inside. I had left the shell in the snow, and I took a ride in the sky. And I touched the clouds, and I sat on the moon. But when I got cold, I visited the sun. And I just lived. I felt like my own thumpity. I felt like a smile. I felt like a part of something. I felt loved. I felt full. I felt heat, pushing my cold body. I felt smooth, but not flat. I felt soft, and open. I felt.
There's no other way to put it besides I felt like a thumpity. Moving and flying, living and smiling. And on this snowy day, on this freezing day filled with shivers all around, I wish that everyone, someday, can find their thumpity. Can feel hope and love. And maybe, even take a trip to the sky.
You can ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you that I'm always freezing. Always. Like ice. They'll tell you that when I touch them, they shiver, and that they can feel an icy chill run up and down they're spine. That's how cold I get. But today, on the coldest of all days, I was warm. Sure, my skin was the same as always, but I was different. Inside was warm. I layed flat on the frost covered ground, four feet up, ontop of all that snow. And I was warm, the warmest I've ever been. That snow gave me some sort of magical powers, known to man as hope. Yeah, I'll admit that sounds pretty cheesy, but that's how I felt. OK, there were days I felt hope, like the birth of any of my cousins or siblings, but never before like this.
Have you ever been on stage before? In front of lots of people? You know that feeling you get as you're walking down the stairs of the stage, and you're worried your going to fall, and the croud will laugh and point? I felt that feeling, but like twenty times smaller. It was in the pit of my stomach, and I could feel it beating away. Thump, thump, thump. And when I smiled, it went thumpity, thumpity, thumpity. And I could feel my heart smiling too. And I could feel my soul thumpitying right back at me. It was really hard, and really confident. Right then I found my inside. I had left the shell in the snow, and I took a ride in the sky. And I touched the clouds, and I sat on the moon. But when I got cold, I visited the sun. And I just lived. I felt like my own thumpity. I felt like a smile. I felt like a part of something. I felt loved. I felt full. I felt heat, pushing my cold body. I felt smooth, but not flat. I felt soft, and open. I felt.
There's no other way to put it besides I felt like a thumpity. Moving and flying, living and smiling. And on this snowy day, on this freezing day filled with shivers all around, I wish that everyone, someday, can find their thumpity. Can feel hope and love. And maybe, even take a trip to the sky.
Titles
OK, the only reason I titled this blog "Titles" is because of the poem below. You should understand in just a second... or not... I don't know. Maybe, but then again, maybe not...
Oh, who cares, just read the poem.
Oh, who cares, just read the poem.
Titles are pointless.
They serve no purpose.
Cliche and cheesy,
boring and draggy,
titles just bore a reader.
Titles discourage people,
and make them put down a piece.
They are too short,
and too simple,
too plain and flavorless.
Because they're no fun,
titles are just dumb.
OK, I know that if you write a title right, then it should pull the reader in, but the way I see it, titles are just a sneek peek at what you are about to read. If a person really is interested, then they should just read the piece. I don't think that people need to be treated like babies and have to be encouraged to read something. It's like when you parent tells you to do something. When you're young, you don't understand that you're probably going to get in trouble for not doing what you were told to do. But once you get older, you know what to expect, you know what's coming. I just think it's pretty dumb to treat older people like that. And so, for my reading teacher, I will say this:
The significance in this poem is that people these days don't know how to properly create a title, and therefore no longer serve any point at all. If you're going to do a job, do it right the first time, not the second, because by then, you have already ruined it.
Are you happy Mr. R?
Friday, January 21, 2011
My Brother
My tiny, tiny little brother is just so annoying. I wish that he could just learn to be quiet.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Questionable
I couldn't tell what to expect.
Your face was blank,
yet you held your hand out,
there for me to grab.
You asked me before if I trusted you enough.
I said yes then,
and I'll say yes again.
I'll hold your hand,
and I'll hold it tight.
But I'll keep my eys open and my feet on the ground.
Just in case later you decide to let go,
I'll be ready to stand up,
and dust myself off.
Your face was blank,
yet you held your hand out,
there for me to grab.
You asked me before if I trusted you enough.
I said yes then,
and I'll say yes again.
I'll hold your hand,
and I'll hold it tight.
But I'll keep my eys open and my feet on the ground.
Just in case later you decide to let go,
I'll be ready to stand up,
and dust myself off.
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