prompting september: 2

Write down everything you can remember about your algebra teacher.

Ms. Shagaiya had extremely straight, thick, black hair.She wore it long down her back; I don't remember it ever being in a ponytail.  But her bangs.  They were buzzed short and probably didn't extend more than an eigths of an inch off of her scalp.  The shape of her bangs was that of a one-inch by two-inch rectangle, horizontally spread across her hairline.  Never since then have I ever seen bangs like hers.

Those were the days when the main teaching tool was the projector.  Scrolls of plastic were marked up in every imaginable color of dry erase marker.  Every day we would walk into algebra class and greeted with a warm up problem.  It was usually of a more difficult caliber than we were used to. She would chirp in a seussical voice, "Try it!  You'll like it!"

She wasn't my favorite teacher in high school.  I was so much a people-pleaser that my favorite teachers were the ones who I felt liked me.  I needed that positive reinforcement like I needed air, and Ms. Shagaiya rarely even acknowledged me in class.  I wasn't sure she even knew who I was.  In retrospect, I think I may be able to pin my declining interest in mathematics on her declining interest in me as a student. The year after her class was the year I took pre-calculus, which also happens to be the last year I ever took a math class.  

I tried it and I didn't really like it.

prompting september:1

Why You Write

There's a question that I've been contemplating for decades. I first wrote it down in my journal while on study abroad, on September 10th, 2003.

"Some are remembered by the world long after they leave it and there are some whose names have not been muttered for centuries.  What's the difference?  Why is that?"

I spent that semester studying artists, authors, architects, and philosophers.  People who I never met, but who inspired and moved my soul. With these dead masters, I made connections of the heart.

I don't write to be remembered by the world.  But I do write to be remembered.  I want to remember myself.  I want my friends and family to remember experiences we have shared.  I want to prove that I was here, and to leave something behind.  It might not be something all that good or praiseworthy, but it's something.

happy birthday to me

Testing...  Testing...  Does this thing still work?

I hope it does, because it's that time of year.  You know, when I actually craft posts for publishing.  For my birthday, I like to gift myself time to write each day in the month of September.  I've tried to do something new each year and here's my plan for 2015.

I bought this book of writing prompts for myself months ago and have yet to make a single ink mark within it.  Although I am not planning on writing 642 posts, I shall attempt 30.  A new one each day.  

Thanks for still reading!

week in reivew

I didn't take any pictures this week.  I just checked my phone and all I found from the last seven days were some silly selfies that one of my Mia Maids took of herself on Wednesday at mutual.

For shame.

Yesterday, Matthew and I were going through some photos of Henry as a baby.  I was able to recall a lot of details about those hazy years because I had written about them.  The urgency to document the present time pushed on my heart.  

But I didn't even take any pictures!

...

Yesterday, Henry told me he wants to be a doctor when he grows up.  This is quite a different life plan for him than what he usually discusses.  I remember one instance when he told me he would like to be a Seahawk football player or work at McDonald's.  He also has grand plans to own Target one day.  (I'm pulling for that one!!)  And he is always happy to talk about being a geologist or mineral engineer.  His comment wasn't totally out of the blue.  He loves his pediatrician.  A good, kind, easy-going doctor is a blessing to a boy who is nervous and anxious about almost everything.  And I love that my kind, sweet Henry wants to be that for someone else.

...

Charlotte is obsessed with animals.  She has a sweater that is white a fluffy with little lamb ears on the hood.  Whenever she wears it, the hood must be on her head at all times.  "Hat, hat, hat", she says until her wispy hair is covered.  We also have quite the collection of headbands that have animal ears attached, and those will do in a pinch when she can't be wearing her lamb sweater.  Bunny ears, kitten ears, wolf ears, and all the sounds that go with them.  There are a couple of cats that find their way into our backyard from time to time, and yesterday she spent 15 minutes watching them out the back door.  This love of animals is something all her own.  It is definitely not something Matthew nor I passed on.  But it's so dang cute how much she loves animals that it almost makes me want to get a pet.  Almost.

...

I'll try to take more pictures this week.  Sheesh.

happiest of happy birthdays

See how Charlotte is eyeing that delicious chocolate cake.  Oh, it was yummy and she would have gobbled it all up if we had let her.  

How could I not have an amazing birthday with these three in my family?  They are the best.

delish

So, here's the only picture I took today.  I don't take pictures of food often, unless it's really noteworthy food.  This is my favorite dinner meal that Matthew makes these days. We make it once a week because it's so easy and yummy.

He just cuts up lots of veggies and sticks a big ole' chicken in the middle and then cooks it all up.  

so very grateful

This is what Henry and I did during sacrament meeting today. We made lists of things we are grateful for. How grateful I am for that little boy. 

monkey do

Charlotte is all about copying Henry these days. Today during a walk around the neighborhood she followed right behind him and swung her arms just like he was doing. If he coughed, she coughed. If he said yes, so did she.  

Sometimes we really don't want her copying him. Like when he throws fits. As if we need that in stereo. 

But all in all, he is a great example for her to be following.  He has such a sweet, tender heart. He is funny and kind and smart. As someone who had an amazing big brother (and sister!) to look up to, I'd say she's really lucky. 

island view

Long day today...  Most of it spent on a job site on Mercer Island. At least the view was lovely and the sun was shining. 

stuck

Traffic has been horrible this week. Maybe it's the rain, or college starting, but I've spent far too much time sitting on the road since Monday.  

It almost makes a gal want to get up at 4:00 and just miss the whole circus. 

Almost.