Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 |
As I welcome a hundred or so new teenagers into my classroom and prepare myself for a new semester of graduate school, I can’t help but look back at this simple, glorious summer longingly and give thanks. It sure was swell. See, it felt as though the crazy train stopped dead in its tracks and let me off for a few weeks. As a family we said goodbye to our jobs, our house in the burbs, Denver traffic, (oh and Starbucks) and went home to northern Michigan. Now, I don’t mean to be cliche; I hope this blog doesn’t come off corny or holier than thou as I go on about our summer of relishing the simple things in life – please know this gal loves her Indian take out and The Gap – but, it was really fulfilling to walk away from it all (cell phone reception included) and just be someplace else.
There was this one moment that I think can sum up the entire experience: sitting down to dinner in my mom’s backyard – I was soaking wet from a swim in the lake – I realized that everything we were about to eat we found ourselves. My husband caught the salmon the night before, the redskin potatoes were from our neighbor’s garden, and I picked all the blueberries in the blueberry crisp. Pretty cool moment there. It felt like everything else sort of melted away. I think I’ll make that memory my new happy place. So long, Tom Petty concert ‘01 and summer camp ‘87. You’ve been replaced.
A few other highlights from the trip included watching the litter of gray fox pups that lived under our deck, looking up to see a bald eagle fly straight over my head on a morning jog, sleeeeeeping in, and kayaking until my arms were jello. Did I mention sleeeeeping in?
Even with all that fun stuff, I am happy to be back and ready for school/work to commence. Sure, it feels like I’m climbing right back on the crazy train again, and I know the semester might get hairy with 7 grad. credits, but it’s my kind of crazy. CU Online helps me make this wild ride possible. Also, one of my classes this time around is a field study where I will log 80 internship hours. I am excited to get out there and get in the action. After a year of functioning online and doing all this book learn’en, it’s great to know that online education can still be interactive and hands on. Do you hear… a train whistle? Uh oh. Here comes the crazy train. All aboard. Let’s see if I can teach high school, take a full load of grad. school classes and keep my family alive. Choo choo!
Posted in CU Online, Classes, Family, Online Experience, Student Life, Traveling | No Comments »
Friday, August 7th, 2009 |
So, dis here is my first blog. Whadda ya think, eh?
Oh, geez. Oh no. Sorry! My northern Michigan accent keeps creeping back in. You see, that’s where I grew up, and since my husband and I are both teachers here in the Denver area, we spend our summers back home with our families. In fact, we just got back from an eight week stay in the mitten.
Summertime in Michigan is glorious. (It better be glorious considering that 10 months out of the year will find snow up to your behind!) We swam everyday, drove on bumpy dirt roads, went kayaking at sunset and picked blueberries off the bush and ate them without washing them first. Ahhhh, most days we smelled of campfire and mosquito repellent; I jumped off the end of the pier into Lake Michigan like I was a teenager again; I helped my little girl build her first sandcastle. Should I tell you that sometimes we ate ice cream cones for dinner?
Doesn’t it sound pretty perfect? Well, almost… until you understand that we did live in our parents’ basements for two months. Aaaauuuugggghhh! And Starbucks? What is this Starbucks you speak of?
It was all worth it to get away for a bit and spend time with our folks. Besides, the school year requires being grown up, very grown up. There is the mortgage, the daycare, the high school kids to mold into responsible members of society. Going up north gives me respite from all that and, well, a chance to live outside of my head for awhile. For instance, it is nearly impossible to think of anything else when a bald eagle flies over your head while sipping your morning coffee.
In fact, my only connection to my life in Denver was my online class. It was a welcome link because I really enjoy my program. I am getting a MA in Library Science – no Dewey Decimal jokes, please! Yes, I can see my future now: respectable, studious librarian during the school year – carefree, skinny dipping bohemian every summer. I feel great about getting a quality education that allows me this kind of freedom. In fact, I can say with conviction that I wouldn’t be going for another degree if it wasn’t online; the other parts and people in my life are just too important to compromise. Also, it would be poor of me not to mention that the professors and fellow students are wonderful!
By the way, I must say that I am very happy to be back in Denver. I missed so many things: Target, Thai food, mountain views, Geeks Who Drink, and cell phone reception! I’m even excited about starting the new school year as both teacher and student.
Peace,
Sarah
Say yah to da UP, eh! (That one was for the Yoopers!)
Posted in CU Online, Traveling | 2 Comments »
