Today, left for the Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL. I believed it was going to be all science and math, but was pleasantly surprised that it also included visual arts! SUPER DIGITAL MICROSCOPE Question and answer period with scientists & authors Seth Darling and Douglas Sisterston. Signed book afterwards by both authors!!
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Visited two art classes Waukegan High School today, where friend Stephan P teaches. Watched the class work on linoleum design and cutting. The second class contained Special Needs Students who were given a tour of the set for their upcoming musical, Beauty and the Beast. Stephan has a wonderful way with his students and they feel safe and respected in his classroom. Lucky students. In the evening, I met other teachers at Northeastern Illinois University to help the Education Department rewrite specifics for the new state requirements for teachers of Middle School Students. I was inspired that so many teachers were willing to give up their evening to help out the university and so loved teaching the Middle School aged child! It was a very productive meeting.
Being by myself has never bothered me. In fact, I enjoy silent time to think, reflect and cleanse my mind. Has anyone ever noticed the words Silent and Listen contain the very same letters? I have had solitude longer than I ever have had in my life. From the middle of January until today, my home has only housed me. Today, my husband returns and in two weeks my daughter will graduate from college and again join our family unit. More changes, but I look forward to enjoying their company and getting back to "real life." Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul. ~Marcus Aurelius
SOLITUDE Needed to write my reflection paper on the Book Talk from yesterday, but funny thing... My computer would not turn on!!! Are you kidding me??? I JUST got it back on Friday from getting repaired. Grrrrr. Contacted Apple AGAIN and the soonest I could get an appointment would be at 5:45, right at rush hour. So I spent the day painting a small acrylic collage that I have been wanting to try, and continued on my oil painting. I also worked on my reflection paper using my iPad, which is quite different when you are used to a laptop. I completed it and of course had difficulty getting it into Google Docs and sent it in to the Northwestern Canvas website. It took me 5 times as long as a "normal" person, but hey, I'm learning. Hopefully I will be able to recall steps for Tuesday's class reflection, when I have to do it all over again-since my computer had to be sent out this time to a genius in another land. CRASH X 2
Sunday. Church. Inspiration. Book Talk. More inspiration! The talk was at the Wilmette Jr. High and was sponsored by the "One Book Everyone Should Read" Wilmette Library Program. The auditorium was quite full and ready to hear the Pulitzer Prize author Jane Smiley speak about her current book "Some Luck" from her trilogy - historical fiction biography of the Langdon Family, starting in the 1920's. She read a small excerpt from the book and took questions from the audience. She seemed very down to earth and approachable, telling several of her own family stories including some from her four marriages and three children. Afterwards, she signed two of the books I purchased that afternoon - the second book of the series comes out this Tuesday, but those in attendance were able to buy them early. SOME LUCK
If you have been following this, you may have noticed something. 5-6 new posts were made miraculously in one day and many more edited, so you may wish to run through to see new stuff! That's because my new best friend Ken (Tech Genius) formatted my computer and I have it back after not having it for 5 days!!! Everything is new and improved, except that it is all different and I HATE CHANGE! But again, I must remind myself, "No challenge, no change." So all day In order that this is as coherent as possible... if possible? .. I had to CATCH UP
Got up early. Finished my painting inspired by colors in Matlacha, Florida and varnished it. Left for class early and read one of the books needed for discussion during the day. All 10 of us "Fellows" were there for the first time all together. Each one in the class is so different, yet we chose a common theme to work on -"Innovation." Also, last class I found out that I was an "INFJ" (Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Judgemental)
No, I am NOT JUDGEMENTAL... well, saying that out loud... proves that just maybe, I am. It will be an interesting next few weeks with the 10 Today, I went with my good friend Colette who has been ill and needed to get out of the house since she has been feeling better. We went to see Les Miserables which is playing at the Paramount Theater in Aurora. If you have not been there, please go. The Theater itself is ornate and spectacular. It reminded me of the Oriental Theater downtown Chicago. One of the best musicals I have every seen and the scenery was spectacular and moved, twisted and turned in all directions. And boy, can people out there sing!!! Every voice, pure and crisp. One little problem... I wanted the BEST tickets in the house, so I bought them SECOND ROW RIGHT...
Up close is not the prime spot in an auditorium. Our necks are still sore for looking up. SECOND ROW Got up this morning, worked on a painting and was going to run to the store to buy varnish. As I looked out the front picture window.. I see, "Oh Noooo! Today is 'The Day." Men out with big trucks and chain saws ready to cut down the 38 year old ash tree in the front of our house. It had the mark of a red dot which meant it was "on the list" to be cut down. Since I was blocked it my driveway, I sat in the window and photographed and filmed the entire event. First, though, I drew a picture of the dirty little bug- head on that was the cause of the premature death of our tree. Dirty little bug. Below is the video of the cutting down of our tree. The sound that I heard, only in my head and "Oh No!!"
I just received an email from our Tech Genius, Ken, who gave an online address for an external hard drive, suggesting each teacher purchase one. I took him up on his advice, since I have not backed up my computer for a very long time... a whole year actually- and I ordered one. No sooner than I did that, I continued blogging and the "Color Wheel of Death" my students call it, showed up on the screen. Restart. Work some more. Freeze again. Restart. Work some more. Froze one more time. Restart. This time though, it almost restarted, then shut down. Oh Nooooo!!! Tried time after time after time to no avail. But I knew it did not crash because it did not have the "sad face logo" = :-( that the older model computers used to have! No luck. I flew back to Illinois and tried it at home hoping the change of scenery and WiFi had something to do with it... nope. Contacted Tech Help at school, Ken checked it out and said, "Good news, bad news." Hate those 4 words. He said, "Good news, your data can probably be saved off the hard drive. Bad news, I have to break open your machine which will void the warranty. You have to take it in to the Apple Store. Maybe they can get the data off. I set up an appointment and traveled to the Deer Park Apple Store with my fingers crossed. There were "Genius's coming out of every crevice in the store. More than there were customers! I took a seat at the "Genius Bar" and Genius Rick came out from a secret room in the back. "50% chance I can retrieve your data," he said. My emotions went from high to low as he tried several different methods. The icon continually turned RED, and you don't have to be a genius to know what that means. He said, "I have one more idea to try. I closed my eyes, held my breathe and ...ding ding ding! It worked and started downloading data! "Saved," I exclaimed. "Not exactly," he answered back. If the saving stalled along the long journey, all of the data would be lost. It would take a little over an hour to have it download onto the external hard drive, and I wasn't going to sit and watch the "pot boil," so I went shopping. An hour later I came back to the store, Rick smiled and said, "All done, no charge." I could have hugged him. I went home, sat on the couch and CRASHED I am so appreciative for my loving husband for spending the week away from his work in order to continue my journey in the warm climate of Pine Island, Florida. His unselfish giving of time and seeing that I was experiencing the island arts and life and making sure I had a week of pure renewal.
I am in affectionate gratitude for all he has done. (And he taught me if I go swimming in the Gulf and lick my hand, it will taste like potato chips!) THANKFULNESS Vermillion, turquoise, periwinkle, chartreuse, lavender, teal, yellow ochre, on and on and on! Glorious combinations of color. A colleague of mine, Dave F once remarked, "Have you ever noticed, no matter what color flowers you plant in a garden, they all seem to go together?" He was right. Look at these wonderful houses in Matlacha (Mat -lah-shay) Earlier this year, in speaking with one of my 8th grade students, he mentioned that he lived across the street from the "Robin's egg blue house with the pink shutters." It may sound funny, but I knew exactly what neighborhood it was in and where the house was located.
In this quaint town in Florida, students probably describe where they live as, "Across the street from the 'white house with the beige roof!'" I believe I am now somehow "changed" and am no longer afraid of bright colors and hopefully will become a little bolder because of my experiences. Maybe I will live in a house of COLOR Today a spectacular day of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. Spent the day boating in the canals and gulf passed Sanibel Island and around to Captiva Island. The same Island Anne Murrow Lindbergh wrote one of my favorite books, "A Gift From the Sea," which describes her need for solitude. She describes how she found it through the inspiration of sea shells she collected on Captiva Island during her needed recuperative vacation. This is also the location of our own family's fondest vacations. We have been coming here for the pat 27 years and each time we come, we find something new and exciting, like these funny little birds. LOW TIDE... OOPS! CAPTIVASpent the day in St. James City and the City Center in Pine Island, visiting the local stores and the shops. The art they have throughout the towns on the island is so bright and inspiring! I have to show you some of the art they paint on the telephone poles!!! That's right...telephone poles! And they reach 12 feet high. They have an art club that meets on a regular basis and paints the poles with vibrant color and island inspiration. Such CLEVERNESS
OK. One of the reasons for this visits is Goal #6- Visit Art Museums. I have 3 on my list and this is one of them - The Salvador Dali Art Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. I have seen pictures online, but it was nothing like I imagined. An 8th grade student from 5 years ago was "hooked on anything Dali" and she mentioned she went to the museum and was blown away. The building is extraordinary- full of triangular panes of glass forming the windows in an arch shape, with a spiral, metal staircase in the center of the building. My husband and I entered and were asked it we wanted to listen to the follow along headsets and walk through the exhibit at our own pace or follow with a group tour. We decided the headset route was best. About 1/3 of the way through, I knew I had made the wrong choice!! ALWAYS TAKE THE GROUP TOUR!!! As I was listening to my headset, I had my other ear listening to the leader of the group. He had background information, great insights about the paintings and was a wealth of information & you could ask questions. So at the end of the tour, I started over again, this time with the tour guide until I was where I started the first tour. Before leaving, I noticed a tree filled with paper tied to it. Not knowing what it was, I approached and noticed that it was a tree that people attached their torn off wristbands to the branches of the trees. It in itself was a work of art in progress, Dali would have loved it. I removed my wrist band and added to the art. (It reminded me of the bridge "Locks of Love" in France where lovers write their names on locks and locked them to a bridge to signify their love and throw the key in to the Seine River.) It caught on in Chicago, but the Mayor had them cut off the bridge and called them "Eye Sores." Not an art lover, I guess. The Dali exhibit was combined with a Leonardo Da Vinci Retrospective. I would never have thought of putting those two artists in the same category?? Who knew. They have very much in common. DaVinci was one of Dali's heroes and looked to him for inspiration and used many of his ideas in his own works. He made CONNECTIONS
"Mulligan," which in golfing terms means, "Do over!" I went from "person on sabbatical" to "teacher teaching." Didn't want my blog to become that! So if you have read this already...it's going to read a little differently. We left our island to visit the summer homes of Thomas Edison & Henry Ford. (Spending winter climates in warmer places was "the thing to do" during the Gilded Age of the late 1800's & early 1900's.) We knew we were getting close to the homes because the street was lined with palm trees, Edison had them planted from his home all of the way to town. There are 1800 in all which stretch to the Gulf shore. Edison was the inventor of the lightbulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera to name just a few. His inventions changed the way we live. But where did his ideas come from? He had a thirst for knowledge, saw a need, made connections with facts he knew and tried various combinations with a "pile of junk" - anything he could get his hands on- and his imagination. It has always been my conviction, that ideas do not just "pop into one's head." The more things you know, the more you see connections. Thomas Edison was not just a scientist. He was a "Renaissance Man," ..."a man who can do all things if he wanted." He experimented and made hypothesis. He had interests in all areas, not just science: art, architecture, music, mathematics, literature, botany, sports & philosophy. Innovation and creative inspiration was essential in his everyday life. The reason he was in Florida was not just to get away from the cold Northeast. It was to experiment, find new discoveries and make new connections. He used bamboo as a filament in his lightbulbs and he was searching at that time for a domestic source for growing natural rubber because the U.S. was dependent on foreign supply, he bought land in Ft. Myers, Florida where plants would grow plentiful. He imported hundreds of plants from all over the world, planting and over 17,000 different plants in order to find which would be the best in producing rubber = the banyan tree. He planted it as a sapling in 1886 and below is a picture of it today. Humungous!!! As I walk where he once walked, I am reminded of his saying above. A child's mind is the greatest invention in the world. All subjects are linked and of equal importance. Today's experience has reaffirmed my conviction that students need exposure and access to as many opportunities as possible. Who knows what spark will be set off or connections discovered? IDEAS
New surroundings, new state of mind... new state, actually!! FLORIDA - the Sunshine State. Flew last night via Rockford Airport. If you never tried it, I suggest that as it as an alternative to O'Hare. Free parking. No stress, no lines, no problem. They even had a lounge singer playing an acoustic guitar as we waited to board one of the three gates. Friendliest people I ever met. This morning, woke to the sounds of birds and warmth. Visited local shops and acquaintances and took a boat ride to Sanibel Island via the mangroves. (A different story this week.) As my husband drove the boat as I relaxed in the open bow with the warmth of the sun smiling down- full speed ahead, full wake!
This event reminded me of life itself. Others have traveled before us, we are given the signs, but it is up to us on how we will proceed. Full steam ahead, or back it up and go in a different direction? What we expect to have happened, where we wish to proceed, may not always work out. Expect the unexpected, it is bound to occur. HOW you react to what happens, is what life is all about. Sometimes you "run aground" and have to go in another direction to get to your destination. Sometimes IDLE...NO WAKE I attended the Golden Apple brunch this morning, honoring the 30 new candidates for the 2015 GA Award. The theme was # BE GOLDEN. I met so many new people and enjoyed reuniting with those I have met before. Every one of them has an exciting story to tell. My colleague Anand's Middle School band played several pieces and they were phenomenal! (Just as he is!)
Speaker Dom Belmonte, http://www.goldenapple.org/blog/ said so eloquently, " There are 5 simple words, 'My teacher believes in me!' which should be heard in schools everywhere. Words teachers use DO make a difference and has great influence in student's lives." So teachers out there - #BE GOLDEN I have been secretly wishing for a rain storm - hearing the drops against my window, majestic thunder, followed with bolts of lightning... But then again, rethinking my wish, do I relish the thought of continuing my journey, walking on campus, not knowing again where I am going in the pouring rain? Thus, leaving 3 hours early to prepare myself for this inevitable outcome. I performed a "practice run" earlier in the week to find the parking garage closest to my class which starts at 2:00, so easy breezy. I parked and kindly asked the attendant "please show me how this works?" He came out of his protective glass and explained the two ways of paying for parking, how to insert the card and how to pay. Such a nice guy. Then he pointed to Sheridan Road. Since I was 2 hours early, I decided to follow NU Freshman Ann's advice and get a "Wildcard" which gets me free into various venues - luckiest of all -THE ART INSTITUTE!!! (Can't wait to use it there) Yes, I did have to get directions to the Wildcard office at the Student Center. I asked the delightful girl at the desk where to find the office, and then forgot my wording and made a square with my fingers. She directed me without even me asking. She said, "She gets that same question continually, plus these NU students are wicked smart. I did find the office and the people there were so helpful, even though I did not know what if anything I was called. Just had name my ID number. They ran it in the computer and found I was referred to as a "scholar." (My head swelled just a little). I asked how to get to Annenberg Hall from there. Before directions could be given, an angel named Nathaniel, who just happened to be getting his card too, said to me, "I will take you there, it would be my pleasure!" Mind blown. As we walked on our journey, the rain stopped, the sun shone and Nathaniel and I told each other our "stories". His was that he is from Oak Park and started at NU in 2009, but was unsure of his future, so he discontinued his college route. He was assured by the University that he could return as a student anytime he wished. So this year, he returned and is now an Anthropology major and has more of a direction in his life. He will be successful in what ever he does. Such KINDNESS
Received 2 gifts today. One in the mail, one at lunch. The one in the mail was from my son Patrick, who has the natural ability to get you a gift that you need even before you know you need it! An easel! ...Never owned one before and started an oil painting How have I ever live without one? ...and he is a GIFT Goal # 5 Paint, draw or create something daily. The second gift I received at lunch was from "Mary". I am the "other Mary." She first gave me the gift of knowing how she got her name and what she was called when she was small. Ask someone! It is amazing what stories you can find. Her gift was "The Daybook of Positive Thinking" A Blue Mountain Arts Collection. How did she know? I read daily and am a keeper of great thoughts. Perfect. Mary is a GIFT. . Everyone has a story to tell., and everyone loves stories. A story is a photo of where you've been and where you want to go. You see yourself in it and they are growth opportunities. They are authentic and pure, told with generosity and love. It is a gift given as human beings. Writers write for the eyes, storytellers write for the ear. "Let me tell you about the time..."
Fabulous quote: "When a grandparent dies, a library burns to the ground." Truth. Two more goals: 3. Become a better listener when stories are told 4. Be aware and ask others for their STORIES Ok here it is, "my issue." I am having a very difficult time leaving my students. 1st day without them. A part of me feels like I am deserting them, even though I know they are being left in good hands.
When I said goodbye to students before Spring Break, I said to them with tears in my eyes, "If it were up to me, I would continue to teach and be on sabbatical at the same time. When I was told by Golden Apple, that was not possible, my heart sank." After telling this story to one 6th grade class, a boy paused, thought a great thought and said, "Mrs. B, have you ever thought, THAT is probably the reason why you were chosen?" Silence. You could have heard a pin drop. If only hugs were allowed again in school. Now you see why I have MY ISSUE Usual day...then decided last minute 4:30 P.M. to drive to Northwestern Bookstore to pick up my needed books for class this coming Tuesday. (Maybe important to start reading now if assignment is due by then?) I have a feeling most students would not agree with that logic. Arrived and spent time browsing, found the books I needed - YES, I did need help locating them if you are wondering. Purchased them with an obligatory NW tshirts- (buy 1 get 1 =1/2 off! ...can't resist a deal like that). I was about to leave to drive home and thought, "What the heck...I might as well enjoy the atmosphere of college life." Eyed a purple comfy couch in Norris Center, I began my reading. "The Power of Story...Teaching through Storytelling," by Rives Collins & Pamela J. Cooper - I HIGHLY recommend it! Plus Rives is the professor who teaches the class. Sat down, then ...I look up and saw out of THOUSANDS of students at NW... Ann!
We paused, stared in shock and screamed out each other's names! You see Ann not only attends NW as a freshman, she lives around the block from me at home AND was one of the main reasons I am at Northwestern! Exactly one year ago, she and Katie Mac, her best friend from Middle School, were excused from classes as VHHS Seniors, to speak on my behalf at my Golden Apple site visit at Hawthorn! How can I ever repay them for their kindness? We reminisced for the next 2 hours- they FLEW BY, and I had to hug her farewell. Best news, she is going to give a walking tour of the campus designed JUST FOR ME. :-O COINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT... PRAYER ANSWERED! Up at 6:00 A.M. - getting closer to my regular hours. Spent the entire day at a K-6 school as an advocate for a nominated teacher for the Golden Apple for this coming year. Gotta give back! The first meeting started at 7:30 A.M. and worked straight through until 5:00 P.M. Goal 2= visit other schools Great learning experience.
Called this "EXHAUSTION" because of meeting after meeting after meeting, probably 10 in all... * News flash -Administration is not my forte! Now we have to compose and condense all of the notes into a 2500 word document after all of the interviews today. Piece of cake! At 7:30, drove over to Grayslake North High School's Art Show to visit my former student teacher, Randy Schweitzer, who now instructs there. So many talented students & they are so lucky to have him as their teacher! I took lots of pictures for inspiration. |
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August 2015
AuthorI have been given the amazing gift/opportunity to attend courses at Northwestern University and become reenergized in creating my own art. |