Rainbow Sparkles and other Supernovas

So, I feel like I'm about to get a big old scolding for disappearing off the face of the blog universe. Don't fret though, I brought my towel!

It is the end of the school year and life is chaos. Not to mention having to go to a training for 4 days. Chaos. I've also been crazy busy trying to find a summer job. I have applied everywhere. And no luck. Sigh. It's tough times right now peeps, tough times. It actually scares me a bit. Glad I'm happy being a homebody! And glad I have lots to keep me busy here at home this summer.

So FGS readers, I ask you, what are you doing to hunker down and ride out this economic storm?

On the weight front, I've kept my promise to myself to maintain, despite constantly sabotaging myself with Chipotle (not actually my choice -- and it didn't even taste good! How's that for progress?) And after this week, I'm planning on getting back on the wagon. Big time. After this training I went to I got it in my head that I wanted to try out what I learned so I think I'll tutor four days a week (who says teachers don't give their time for free!) and coordinate my tutoring with gym time. And maybe, fingers crossed, I can coordinate all of it with a second job!

In other news, look for some changes on FGS! I have a host and some exciting changes in the works. I'm also going to be starting a blog about frugality and saving money. Changes changes changes -- for the girl who loves change!

Okay, it's time for work. Booooooooooooooooooooooo! I'm just happy there are only 3, yes THREE, more days left. Wahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Keep it realz,
FGS

Why I do my job.......

In search of my whys, I thought I would add why I do my job. As I have mentioned before, I'm a teacher. I work in a small, low performing, low socioeconomic, mostly non-English speaking district in a large urban area. To say that my job is challenging is describing a good day. To say that I sometimes feel helpless to make change happen is an understatement. I don't think I've ever felt so loved and so hated all at the same time then when I started my career as a teacher. But this really isn't about me today, because I could go on forever!

This time of the year as a teacher always becomes chaotic. It's inevitable. Nice weather, graduating seniors, kids gone wild. Yesterday, however, was a day worth noting. It was my answer to why I teach. Hell, I'm even tearing up thinking about it now. Yesterday our seniors had to present their graduation projects. Listening to these kids, our future, talk about their dreams and hopes and plans always gives a teacher hope. But our kids take it a step further. Our kids are immigrants, often illegal. They come from families who have very little but the wish for a better life for their kids. And they come from families who don't want them to go to college. They come from families who love them immensely. And they come from families who don't or can't show up to their presentations, their graduation or scholarship award ceremonies. They come from families who don't care if they make it, who don't value their safety or health. And they come from families who are with them every step of the way. It is such a dichotomy. To see these kids make it, despite everything they are up against always makes my year.

Of course, writing this I have a student in mind. Our valedictorian. I doubt that she has a 4.0 for all her years of studying, especially with her rebellious freshman and sophomore years as big failures on the books. But this kid is our valedictorian -- and rightly so. This kid came to the US as young kid, mastered English, took charge of her life and made a difference in her school. Her parents told her that they didn't want her to go to college but she went out and got full ride scholarships to some schools and applied for every scholarship she could to fulfill her goal of becoming a doctor in the Latino community. But, she's illegal. So she had to turn down her acceptance to her dream school because she can't get loans to cover the difference. But has she given up? No. She'll get there because this kid doesn't give up -- despite horrible things that have happened to her in her life, a family who doesn't care if she makes it, and a system that is working against her. This kid will make it because she has her why. And she won't take no for an answer.

So I don't want this to be a political blog. But... I can't seem to help it today, especially after watching students who stood up in all their illegal glory, with college acceptances in hand, scholarships received, and outlined their plans to become a doctor, an architect, a teacher and a Peace Corps volunteer. And all I could think was: wow! These kids are going to make a difference in the world. And we are damn lucky to have them here, in our country, with their energy and drive and desire to make change. All people seem to see from our border dilemma is unwanted baggage. We get so much more than that. We, the United States, get their children, their future. Now let's help them attain their dreams of getting to college so that we have one more Latino doctor and another bilingual teacher working in our communities to make change.

FGS

What's your WHY?

Only 17 more days of work! If you haven't guessed, I'm a teacher and work is almost over for the summer. For those of you nay-sayers out there who think teachers don't need a summer break, well don't get me started! I for one know that if I didn't have a summer break, I'd go insane. You try being in a room with 30 mouthy, needy children for 182 days......

But I digress.

Yesterday was run a mile day. I didn't get to run because a)I'm having a hard enough time managing work commitments and actually getting sleep and b)I'm just super tired. Excuses, excuses. I should have been running 20 miles after eating that Pastel de Tres Leches one of my students brought on Monday! She decided we needed to have a Cinco de Mayo party in my classroom and so told her sister that she needed to bring a cake. Crazy kiddo! It was a fun and impromptu party and if you've never had a Tres leches cake, I strongly advise you NEVER NEVER NEVER to do so. It is quite possibly the most amazing cake I've ever had -- and I'm generally a chocolate fan so that is saying a lot!

And the tangent queen strikes again........

Back to the whole point of this blog! What's your WHY? Weird title. Yesterday during the run a mile day coverage on my local news network, this professional runner/trainer guy was on talking about exercise and getting healthy and losing weight. And he said something very subtly profound. He said something to this extent: we all have our who's, what's, when's and how's of our exercise and weight loss plans but often times we end up with really shaky WHY's. And at the end of the day, if you don't have a really good WHY (like one Fat Grl I know right now!), it gets hard to stick with the plan. How true are those words? I think we often underestimate the power of why we do things. I realize that that's one of the main reasons I've been treading water -- I've forgotten my why.

Thank you all for your kind words and support these last few weeks of me floundering. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to get a random email in my inbox with kind words of support or kicks in the arse. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Humbly yours,
FGS

Treading Water

I am treading water.

Yup. Stuck in limbo land -- not gaining, not losing, not moving forward, not totally standing still. Just living in limbo. I am somewhat okay with that. This time of the year is generally abysmal and horribly stressful. It's the nature of my job and I do my best to cope. I am sticking to my goal to maintain though. And most importantly, I'm not, NOT giving up.

I've also decided to start another blog to be more accountable about my finances. Something about blogging everything makes me stick to my plans and goals. I don't want to be in debt for the rest of my life, just like I don't want to be fat for the rest of my life. So, a new blog is born -- made by the financially clueless, for the financially clueless. I'll post details when it is up and running!

As for the other thing, those lingering pounds, well June 1st I'm coming for you......................


FGS