May Memories

(I wrote this on May 4...)

I really can’t tell you what made me start thinking about this, but on the way to work this morning as I prepared to observe the North Carolina State Board of Education meeting, I had a flood of memories from about seven years ago. (Actually…now that I think about it, I can tell you. I started thinking about how the current Wake County Board of Education is about to flush the school system down the toilet because certain folks were completely bankrolled by a couple of people who have no more business dabbling in education than I do in engineering. Then, as I was driving through Wake Forest, I remembered that the Wake Forest-Rolesville area Board member when I was teaching was Kathryn Watson Quigg, who happened to grow up next door to my grandmother in Franklinton. She was the chair of the Board of Education when I was Teacher of the Year at Wakefield High, and that’s what brought me to what I was thinking.)

Seven years ago this week, I was about to head to the Embassy Suites in Cary to find out if I’d been selected as Wake County Schools’ Teacher of the Year. (How in the world did I get there?) I had only been at Wakefield High School six months when I was chosen by my colleagues as Teacher of the Year. I came to WHS in February (February 4, to be precise) to replace a teacher who I later found out had spent the entire first semester teaching absolutely nothing. When I came in on the second day (the first day was my rules, procedures, etc.), and I put a few things up on the screen and said, “So, who can tell me about these things?” and nobody answered…and it was Chapter 1…I knew it was going to be a challenge. I think the big surprise for my colleagues was that it stopped sounding like Pee Wee’s Playhouse all day long. My friend Maureen used to tell me that it sounded like they were moving furniture every day (her room was directly below mine).

Of course, the main reason I was effective in those first days was my friend Luther Johnson, who was an Assistant Principal at WHS at the time (I’d followed him from West Forsyth). I had one problem with one kid on my first day – his name was Corey, and he decided to try cursing me out in my first fifteen minutes – and Mr. Johnson, who was standing outside my door at every class change that day, only had to hear me say, “Excuse me?” He walked in, put his hand on Corey’s shoulder, and walked him right on out. Corey didn’t come back for a few days, and I never really had issues with him again. Didn’t get much out of him academically, but behaviorally, he didn’t step out of line again.

The Physical Science End of Course Test Scores I got that spring were the highest test scores I ever had in all seven years I taught. Still can’t explain that one, because I never took Physics…but I’ll celebrate anyway. J The kids I taught that semester stuck with me for the next three years. (Most of them were freshmen, and those that weren’t still stuck around in one way or another.) I had many of them in Biology, Anatomy, or they were in Science Honor Society, Pep Club, or on the Junior Class Council. (The JCC I worked with in 2003-04 were literally all students I’d taught that first semester I was at WHS.) I cried like a baby when they graduated. So, I guess it’s only fitting that it was because of them that my colleagues thought I was worthy of being named their Teacher of the Year.

The selection process was held in September, and even though it was a huge deal to me, my principal at the time tossed it off in an afternoon announcement like it was a bus change. (He wasn’t the biggest fan of compliments, so it wasn’t a surprise.) Fortunately, my friends came and celebrated with me – Amy brought me a HUGE cookie, I got lots of yells and cards and shoutouts and e-mails. Over the three months, I put together my TOY packet…and thanks to the help of my friend Amy Davis (the cookie Amy), I put together what I thought was one fantastic submission. (This was back when you had to put in a video, also…and Marilyn Bushey worked her magic yet again to help with that.) In February, on a random Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Johnson (who we all started calling Dr. J) called me to his office, and rather officially (and kind of coldly, or so I thought) sat me down to tell me something official. I had been named one of the 24 semifinalists for Wake County Teacher of the Year. (That’s right…he played me. I thought I’d done something wrong yet again.) He then called up our friend Vernestine (who had been North Carolina Teacher of the Year several years ago) and we told her. She flipped out of her gourd, and blessed me with her TOY keychain from when she was NC TOY. J A few days later, I had a site visit from a team of five people, one of whom had replaced my current principal when he left Ligon Middle School (where my 8^th grade Social Studies teacher, Sandra Carter Shipp, was teaching…and that same year was their Teacher of the Year). They came, I did the best lesson I could with them (I taught my students about digestion, and specifically how when you chew bread, it starts out tasting like bread but then turns to sugar because you’re breaking down the polysaccharides in the bread…can you tell I miss teaching?), and then sent them on their way. After they left (about fifteen minutes before the class period was over) and were safely out of earshot, my kids all said, “Mr. Senter – were we good enough? Did we do it right?” They were so worried! I told them yes, they were perfect…if I didn’t go any further, it surely wasn’t because of them.

A month or so later, in mid-April, every Teacher of the Year was invited (with special invites to the 24 semifinalists) to a lovely gathering (a very nice reception) at NCSU’s Centennial Campus. Greeting everyone at the door was the Chair of the Wake County Board of Education. I went to shake her hand and she looked at me and said, “Elic, I grew up next to your grandmother.” Mind you – I hadn’t seen this woman in my adult life, so I didn’t make any connection until she said that…and I looked at her and said, “You’re Mrs. Watson’s daughter!” Indeed she was. Her father had built the pond in front of my grandmother’s house, and when his son drowned in it, he sold the land to my grandfather, who built my family’s homeplace there. So, after that fun reunion, we went in, and mingled. The time came to celebrate everyone, and all 24 semifinalists were called up, and given a lovely keychain (which was later stolen from my desk). From that, each team who reviewed the semifinalists named one finalist…seven teams, seven finalists…and my name was called. I almost peed right there. Luther Johnson and Amy Davis were against the wall and were about to explode. (Dr. J already knew it though…it helps to have connections, as I have since found out in my own travels.)

After the pomp and circumstance were over, they took our photos…and if you look at mine, you can see that I didn’t have on a tie originally…that’s how I met my friend Johnny Gatlin. Johnny had a tie…didn’t match, but it was a tie. So, I borrowed his tie and there I was. (Who knew you had to wear ties to these things? I was 25!!!) And that’s how my photo went on the WCPSS website…and in this HUGE ad in the News and Observer that ran three times. Three times with a mismatched tie and a pudgy face. Ugh.

Johnson, Amy, my principal and I went to the Edwards Mill Bar and Grill to hang out and celebrate. My principal bought me a drink, which was nice. We had a good time. (See, I was special and in favor when I was winning awards and bringing home the bacon…but when things weren’t going so swimmingly, I wasn’t worth very much.) Amy and I went out to dinner. Dr. J made a special announcement the next day in the middle of 2^nd period. (Finally, some celebration at school!) Life was good.

Through this process…and the process of working with Junior Class Council, who did Prom, I met Lorraine Miano and Nan Maples, who were the co-presidents of the WHS PTSA. Lorraine and I became rather close because her daughter Jackie was on the JCC, and we spent a huge amount of time together. It was from that relationship that I became the teacher representative on the PTSA, and it’s also how I became the host of the Caring 4 a Cause Variety Show that the PTSA put on each fall. (I only missed one year…they got Lodge McCammon to host, he was a hit, but didn’t want to do it again…and nobody else did either, so back to me it was. Apparently, I’m Billy Crystal.) Nan and Lorraine got an invitation for themselves and me from the WCPSS PTA to come to Meredith College for a celebration of the TOYs and other special award winners. Apparently, they thought it was a bigger deal than it was. We got there…they called me up and gave me a certificate, and sent me back to my seat. My principal was there…and got a “phone call” so he had to leave. Within five minutes, the rest of us did, too. We went to dinner instead. Nothing like dinner and drinks with Nan and Lorraine! (The same can be said for dinner and drinks with Cindy and Debbie…and they know who they are.)

After having spent the entire year planning, the following week was go time for Prom 2003. The theme was At Last. Michelle von Hoene and I had spent a full year (and some change) with our kids preparing. We’d hosted the first Mistletoe Market to raise money for it. (That first year, we raised $6,500. By the fourth year, which was the last year I worked with it, we were pulling in three times that each year.) And we had an AMAZING experience, in spite of the freakin’ rain. (Apparently, any outdoor event I am to work with must involve water from the skies.) We had horse drawn carriages, and even though we had a gorgeous courtyard in the back (where six months later a bevy of beautiful trailers were put up), thanks to some diligent moms, Michelle and Diane Roof, we had a BEAUTIFUL event in the auxiliary gym. After it was over, we cleaned it up, and stored everything in my room. (My room became the storage area for prom for the next three years. I moved twice…and had to move all that stuff twice, too. Ugh.)

All was well and good until Monday morning, when the School of Communication Arts (the three domes in Wakefield) showed up to do a video of me (while wearing a sweatshirt and jeans) for the TEACHER OF THE YEAR DINNER. #!(@#$(&*^! My room looked like downtown Baghdad right after they found Saddam! They came up, said they’d be right in, and asked for a student to follow in. I sent them Jacob Carr. I knew he could stall. I looked at the rest of my 2^nd period Anatomy class and said, “Alright guys, we’re going to clean like I do at my house. Grab EVERYTHING Prom and put it in the closet. Grab everything science and put it out!” And in five minutes, that room was CLEAN. They came and did a lovely video…and while I was ‘teaching’ in the video…I said the same thing five times. Oops.

Two weeks later, we got to the TOY dinner, and had a lovely time. My mom and dad, me, Lorraine and Nan, my principal, and Amy were all with me. They called us up on stage, and gave us each a lovely Lucite plaque (which sits in my office today), and then from the seven of us, announced the WCPSS TOY. And I’ll be damned if it wasn’t Johnny Gatlin. An environmental science teacher from Middle Creek High School, Johnny is a fantastic teacher, and through the process of becoming a finalist, we’d gotten to know each other. He’s a super nice guy. And if I had known that borrowing his tie would cost me WCPSS TOY, I’d have gone tie-less! (Just kidding.) But, as Johnny will tell you, it was kismet. See, the WCPSS TOY gets a brand new Saturn to use for the year…and a week later, he wrecked (and nearly totaled) his own car…so off in the Saturn he drove for the next few weeks while his car was being fixed!

After it was all said and done, there was still one thing missing. I realized that I had nothing that said, “Wakefield High School Teacher of the Year.” I was with Lorraine and Nan somewhere doing something for PTSA later on in May, and offhandedly said, “You know, I love my WCPSS TOY Finalist plaque, but I don’t have anything that says Wakefield on it. You know Steve’s not real big on things like that…oh well. I’ll go make my own.” (And I was serious.) About a week later, right after Memorial Day during the workdays (and the day before my birthday, oddly enough), I was paged to the office. Lorraine and Nan had a cute little gift bag with a Happy Birthday balloon on it. And inside was a Lucite plaque that said “Wakefield High School Teacher of the Year – Elic A. Senter – 2003.” And it sits in front of my WCPSS plaque in my office. After all…it is a little more important…it came from my family.

Memories are good things…especially when they are good memories. Got one to share? (Or are you bored to death after reading this?) Feel free to share it here!

Man...Almost a Month!

I'm glad I beat the one month mark, at least. So...first, an update on my mom. She's doing fine! Her speech is still a little bit affected...she sounds a little drunk, which is kinda fun for me...but otherwise, she's fine. She is, however, still coming to terms with what it means to have cancer. Her hair is growing back nicely, and she's been released from her neurosurgeon. She will have a PET scan within the next couple of weeks...and that will tell us whether she has major cancer anywhere else. Radiation on her head begins after that. I cannot thank everyone who has sent a card, sent well wishes, called her, me, my dad, Town Hall, sent e-mails...all of those prayers and well wishes mean more than anyone will ever know.

We had an AWESOME 4th of July! Ed arrived on the 2nd. We stopped by and saw a few of my colleagues, and came by the house...new and old. He's really happy with the house on Vine Street...as am I. I would REALLY like to be able to get back to work over there! Ugh! We stopped by the house on Second Street, grabbed a few things, and then headed to the lake. Our family shindig on Saturday was fantastic. Ed and I were both a little sore (because we'd played on the Sea Doo...and were tossed around like fish!), but we had a great time. Being surrounded by friends and family was exactly what we all needed.

We zipped on down the highway on Sunday for a great time on the 4th here in Franklinton. What an awesome event! Ed worked with the volunteers from Town Hall to sell glow bracelets, flashing glowing things, tons of glowing things while I emceed. I had a blast! There were at least 3,000 people there...which means we had visitors given that Franklinton has only 2,497 citizens! How awesome is that?!?! If you were there...and I hope you were...I do hope you had a great time!

The next day, we celebrated my mom's 70th birthday with a surprise party at the lake. Most of my mom's friends were there, and some of our family, too. Being able to celebrate her birthday surrounded with friends and family meant the world. I'm so thankful we were able to have that party...and that my mom was able to enjoy it.

Ed headed back to RI on Tuesday afternoon...and I managed to get a refill on my antibiotics after dropping him at the airport...because alas, my four-month funk came back (thanks to mildew in the house at the lake...and never stopping to take a break so my body is totally confused when I do). So...I spent all of last week trying to come back from the crud. Bright side? I don't have mono again. Not as bright? I've worn out Ceftin, so I'm back to Levaquin to try to get rid of this junk. Brighter side? Four hours after taking my first Levaquin and Round I of Prednisone...the sore throat is dissipating! Yay! So...now, I wait for it to go away, and then I can get back to the house.

I've got more to share...I'll do my best to come back soon and write more!

Success!

My mom went into surgery this morning at 7:30, and was out before 10:30...and her doctors were able to excise the entire tumor! She's in recovery now, and my dad just went back with her. She's slowly beginning to wake up, and I imagine she's interested in having her teeth and glasses. :) From what we understand, her surgery went fantastic. They will do a CT scan in the morning, and if there's no swelling, she can move from NICU to a room where she'll stay for a few days.

My thanks go to you all for your love, prayers, thoughts and words. It means more than you know!

Elic

Suck It, Cancer

Apparently, I should have called this Elic's Thoughts of the Year. I beg your apologies. I've had many thoughts about things I could write about...and then I never get to do it. Lots of things get in my way...but the biggest is the fact that I don't make the time to do it. So...for that, I'm sorry.

Most of you likely know by now that on May 29 (and what was supposed to be a lovely birthday of massages and facials) my mom was diagnosed with brain cancer. She has a tumor in the left parietal lobe of her brain, located right in the middle of her speech and vision centers. Turns out, headaches can be a harbinger of something much, much more problematic. Thankfully, the tumor explains what we thought were 'strokes,' because of its location. However, it also means that tomorrow morning, she will be having major neurosurgery.

The path of getting to her diagnosis was a long time coming. My mom actually had been having miagraines and tunnel vision for several years back in the mid-80's and early 90's. Her doctors were finally able to stop them in the early 90's. However, when these started anew, she thought something was wrong, but wasn't sure what. Her doctors this time told her she was having ministrokes, similar to what she'd been having twenty years ago. It went on until about a month ago, when she had a headache so severe that she couldn't walk, or leave the bed. My dad put his foot down, and she went to her doctor the following Monday. He demanded an immediate MRI, which happened the following Saturday - May 29.

I've had lots of folks say to me, "What a crappy way to spend a birthday!" Yes, it was. There's no denying that it was more depressing than the birthday I spent in Burlington after graduating college (I graduated a week before I turned 22) and nobody did anything. I was right by myself. Ugh. But you know what? I look at it like this...I could have spent my 33rd birthday in a funeral home. Being able to spend it with my mom in the emergency room, being there for her when her doctor told her she had cancer...there's no replacing that.

Having this happen to my mom...and to some degree, to me and the rest of my family, as well...has really opened my eyes to the support system around me. At first, she wanted to keep it quiet. Well...that's all fine and good until you tell someone and don't say, "Keep your mouth shut." I told exactly two people in Franklinton, both of whom I can trust with Fort Knox. My mom, on the other hand...she told the world inadvertently. By Tuesday morning, the phone calls started. I had planned to work in the Vine Street house (that's a whole other post) all day that day...and got up and dressed for it. Turns out, I spent most of the day trying to intervene so folks that I'm close to wouldn't hear it out on Main Street...or any of the other WRAL-like institutions that exist in my fair community. All joking aside...that experience is how you know what love feels like.

Twenty years ago this August, my mom's mom was killed in her kitchen by a man who used to mow her lawn. It was very public, very publicized, and very wide-open for lack of a better term. I've always been used to everything I do, and everything that happens in my family, being public knowledge. But I also know how this community can pull together to support one another in a time of need. That happened again in the days following the Memorial Day weekend diagnosis.

I came to Town Hall (still under my mom's orders to keep things quiet, I was being very specific in talking to my colleagues and friends here at Town Hall so they would know before people came in and asked about the First Mother. :) Raymond Bragg, whose daughter Jennifer had had a similar operation last year, not only was very sympathetic, but also made sure that Jennifer knew it so we had a shoulder to lean on, and a voice of experience. I am so thankful for all of you who have reached out to make sure we knew you were there...right down to Jackie Hedrick-Oakley, who will not hesitate to tell you that my mom was her first friend in Franklinton, and she will never forget that.

So...surgery is tomorrow. I'll post updates on my Facebook page, so that's your best best to keep up to date. I'll try to do better in posting here...but don't hold me to it. :)

So It's Been a Month...

And one CRAZY busy month it's been! I know I shared previously about the first Boot Camp...well...we had a second one at the end of the month, and it was a fantastic success! We had nearly 200 candidates there, many of whom were repeat participants. We had a great time! And now that the two Spring Drive in Clinics are behind us...what lies ahead are only a packing party, because the countdown is on! National Board Certification candidates are mailing their boxes in just two weeks...and I couldn't be happier! I must admit though...I'm a little sad, because I know my life and my work will change dramatically once the new loan program goes into place. That's okay...change is good...but I sure will miss the work I've done with this program in the last four and a half years.

I have continued the work on my house. I'm keeping a list of everyone who's helped out with the house. I have to - otherwise I won't remember them all! So far, we've almost gotten the upstairs ready to completely paint...and then we can do the floors up there. Just as soon as we thought the master bedroom was ready to trim and be done...I decided I wanted the old trim to be taken down...and that jacked up parts of the upper wall, so Kim's gotta go back and do some puttying and fixing so we can then go back and paint it...stupid ideas for grand wallscaping. Ugh.

I had planned to go over to the house this past Sunday and work...but was waylayed by a stomach virus. (More on that later.) So...I haven't made much progress...but what I have gotten a great deal done. We've nearly gotten the last bedroom upstairs ready to paint. The hallways are also almost ready to paint upstairs. Downstairs we've gotta drill the sheetrock back into the walls (it's covering plaster, which is stupid to me, but hey, I didn't do it, and I'm not undoing it because that's a mess I don't have time for), and then we can paint downstairs. I started sanding in the entrance foyer and the Great Room downstairs...and that's where I ended. I'll get back to that this weekend after Convention. Once I get all that sanding done, we can move on!

My uncle HB has come and covered an old vent hole in the upstairs kitchen, and I ripped out an old window up there that was cut in half. (Odd people, those upstairs people.) HB and Candace also corrected an issue with the upstairs rear entry where there used to be a window...now there's just a wall. (No song suggestions, please.) Kim and Terri have been busy destroying things, which is just the way I like it. After I ripped out the shelving and partial cabinets upstairs (man, that was fun), Kim came behind me and pulled out the front wall to the 1/2 bath. (I'm going to convert the room to a full bath with a storage/linen closet). Terri's also working downstairs to help complete the removal of wallpaper in the downstairs bathroom. My brother's going to come over (I know, I can't believe it either, but I'm pretty freakin' jazzed about it) and help me move a wall, lower a ceiling or two, and create a doorway. My HOPE...note it's a hope...is that by Easter or so, we'll have the place ready to work on the floors. There's a lot to be done, and that's one ambitious goal...but I think we can do it. I can see it...I really can see it. Paint helps.

My one wish? Tiling. I wish I knew how to tile. I'm going to learn, though, by God. I'll figure it out one way or another. See, I have this bathroom upstairs that I need to put tile in around the bathtub and shower area. Then, I can just paint the rest of it and call it a day. Then, I've got the other full bath I'm trying to put in upstairs, where I want to put in a tub/shower combo...and I'll likely want to tile the floor because we'll more than likely have to rip up the good, beautiful old hardwoods to do the plumbing. And downstairs...well...whatever mastermind put in the shower downstairs apparently didn't have a level, because the ENTIRE THING is crooked...so, I'm just going to pull it out, stick in a drain, and tile the whole thing...it'll be one BIG shower. I may even put in one of those two headed showers. How hot would that be? :)

So...yeah...that's what's going on in my world. My house is the center of my universe right now. If only the other half would get his whole half down here to help...or at least enjoy watching the rest of us. LOL. Eh...soon enough. :)

Until next time!

What's On My Mind Tonight...

Good evening fair readers! (Or, reader, as the case may be.) I know it’s been awhile, and there’s a reason. Tonight…I’m not talking Town…and let me tell you why. Most of you know what I do for a living…or at least that I work. LOL. I work for the NC Association of Educators…which, in most states, would be the teacher’s union. I don’t bargain contracts…I facilitate professional development for educators, among other things, in my role at NCAE. One of the biggest pieces of work that I do is coordinate support for candidates for National Board Certification. In the past month, I’ve spent most of my time, awake and asleep, planning for a series of workshops that are occurring this spring for candidates. The biggest of these is our Boot Camp, a get-away to work weekend for candidates to be able to come to Raleigh, sit and work that we held for the very first time this year. We decided to offer this workshop when we realized that there were absolutely not going to be enough spaces at NCCAT for all the candidates – a record 5900 candidates this year thanks to the General Assembly’s threat to discontinue funding – and so we came up with this idea.

So…last week, as final preparations were underway…it snowed. And even though NCAE was closed on Monday, Tuesday AND Wednesday of last week…I slogged my behind into my office and worked on Tuesday and Wednesday, after having spent time on the weekend working on different things for the session, getting ready for this event. It was a big deal to me! J Those of us who worked on it, worked very hard. I cannot say thank you enough to Jasmine Hart, Beth Edwards, Monica Webb, Jennifer Elmo, Angela Farthing, Cathy Barnes, Naomi Chisolm, and Sheri Strickland. Without them, it wouldn’t have happened. There were many others involved, and I appreciate you all…but without those eight, there’s no way it would have been pulled off.

For this event I was, for all intents and purposes, the lead. So…if it succeeds, I’m partially responsible…and if it fails…it’s all mine. We did all kinds of little things to prepare. We had tote bags made, and in the bags, we put pens, pencils, Post Its, snack bars, and a folder of materials for candidates so that they could choose whether or not to attend mini-sessions. And God bless my mother, she spent a week baking and cooking and made treat bags for every single one of the 325 candidates that were there. I was intent on making this a special experience for each and every candidate that was in attendance.

So…why am I writing about it?

Well…let’s just say it got a little larger than I planned for it to. It really needed to be about 250 or less…but, when all of the registrations come in on one day, how do you select from the 150 registrations that arrive on one day to determine which 75 to turn away? So, we chose not to, in fairness. And to be honest, in reflecting on the event, I think we did fairly well with the size of the group we had. I had many positive comments from many of the participants – and about 1/3 of them are coming back for a second round at the end of the month.

So why has this gotten me up in arms? Because I sent out an evaluation survey. Now, when I ask for criticism, I’m truly asking for it – but I also ask for constructive criticism. Telling me something sucked (their words) doesn’t tell me anything. Sometimes, for some reason, folks take an evaluation as an opportunity to be as mean and nasty as they possibly can. It never ceases to amaze me…but I sure do look at evaluations differently than I used to.

I don’t do anything that I do – whether it be work, volunteering, my work with the Town as mayor, any of it – for praise. If it comes, great, but truth be told, about 60% of the work that I do will go completely unnoticed or credited to someone else. It’s the nature of the work that I do, and my personality…and I’m just fine with that. You see…my mission in life is to leave this world better than how I found it.

Some folks do all they can to work against such a mission. I could care less if anyone says, “Elic did this.”

However, it’s a hard pill to swallow when you work yourself sick – literally, to the point that you have to take a day off just to sleep – losing time from your personal life, losing time with your family, ignoring other pertinent priorities, calling on others to help keep your life going so this one thing will go off as well as it can, and folks are just mean the very thing you've been working yourself to death on. Just absolutely rude! “I got nothing accomplished.” “I paid $100 just to stay in the hotel room for two days.” “I could have saved $100 and stayed home.” "What a waste of my time." "The food was horrible."

Is there really a need to make such comments? I already knew these things! When the FIRST THING that greets you on the FIRST DAY of something is to be blessed out, it’s not going to be a great day. I also don’t understand why it is that those folks that have such good things to say NEVER FILL OUT AN EVALUATION! I think it’s something along the same lines as the theorem of student attendance…the worst kid you ever teach will never miss a day of school.

It takes a lot to push me over the edge. It takes a HUGE amount for me to write about it. I asked for feedback. I didn’t ask for abuse. I’ve had more than one person tell me, “You know…you have the patience of Job.” Most days I do…because I know what it’s like to work your butt off and have things go awry. I’ve planned events that involve months and months of work and thousands of dollars and hours of preparation and work only to see it rain. (And I’m not just talking about Frankenfest on Main, either.) So, when I go to an event, a conference, a workshop, a concert, a convention, or whatever, and something goes wrong, I smile and ask what I can do to help. Why? BECAUSE I’VE BEEN THERE AND IT AIN’T PRETTY. Take life as it comes…what is the use in getting so angry? The only person you’re affecting is yourself! Anger does nothing to someone else – it only does something to you! Take a moment and remember how far a kind word will go! How far a hug will get you!

My advice to anyone who ever has to complete an evaluation is this..if you can’t be constructive, and you can’t be nice…be quiet. Say thank you, and stay home next time. Don’t involve yourself next time. But don’t be rude or hateful just because the opportunity presents itself. The bridge to Heaven isn’t built with rudeness, but the many opportunities to be rude that you pass by.

Now…for the positivity. Yes, I still have some. J By Saturday afternoon of Boot Camp, I’d reached my breaking point, and when I was thanking the fantastic NBCTs who did such a wonderful job and did nothing but assist me and stopped at nothing to make sure that every plan I’d laid was put into play…I broke. I didn’t mean to…but the emotion blew right past my gates, and I cried for a second. And I meant every word I said…and every tear I shed. But you know what was pretty cool? After I finished, someone shouted, 'Thank you Elic!' and the ENTIRE ROOM stood up and clapped. That was one of the most validating experiences I've had in many, many moons. I couldn't look up...because I'd have lost it if I had. So many candidates stopped me to say thank you. And it's those thank yous, it's those "I think I can do this now!" comments that prevent me from going postal. :)

I shouldn't name names...but I'm going to. Kris Biddle, thank you for bringing me a surprise treat. I didn’t even get to eat it during the weekend. Bring me a refill. I promise, this time on Friday I’ll eat more than a Reese’s Cup. Betty Shirley, thank you for helping out with everything we needed from 2:00 until we got started at 5:00 on Thursday afternoon. I couldn’t have asked for a better assist, and it was truly appreciated – and you didn’t have to do it. Shannan Benton, I received your note. It means more than you know...you are a blessing. Janet Courson, I got the e-mail on Facebook…and I smiled a lot...and I shared it with my mom. :) Krista McGuire, I read your e-mail on Thursday night and literally started crying. Beth Edwards can prove it. It meant the world. To all of you who’ve sent e-mails, sent cards, sent notes...THANK YOU. I’m keeping them all.

I have this thing called a Blue Day file. (Thanks , Judy Darling.) All of these notes are going in it. And when I read comments like, “this just was a waste of my time and money,” I'll pull those out…and they'll warm me right up. As Ashley Montgomery told me on my Facebook page a few days ago…”Just think about the number of candidates you’ve touched, and the number of students whose education experiences will change.” That’s what keeps me going. That’s what puts me to sleep at night.

And speaking of…it’s time for bed.

Annie…I know it’s not my norm…I don’t usually talk about the job. But, that’s what’s on my mind tonight. Hopefully, I’ll get to be a little more regular. But then again…everytime I say that…well, you know the rest.

Night friends. Thanks for being there.

My Big Fat Christmas Present

So...I decided to give Ed and myself something for Christmas...I bought us a house. :) That's right friends! I've been waiting a long time to take this step. I had planned to be able to do this about three years ago...but you know how it is...one thing gets in front of another thing, and the next thing you know, you're a mayor. So...I started looking at houses a year ago when the big tax credit was announced. (See...it really is a stimulus.) I saw on the Realtor website that the home known around Franklinton as the Nowell House was up for sale...and it was pricy! It originally listed at $149,900...and I knew I couldn't pay that. But I fell in love with it when I walked in. Everywhere I stepped, I could see something cool. Something new. Something...me.

Then, someone made an offer and snatched it right out from under me. So, I figured, eh, it's not meant to be, and moved on. Gave up, actually. Then, about two months later, I got a call from my real estate agent - a local agent named Tanisha Holmes. (I firmly believe that it's important to do as much locally as you can.) Tanisha called and said it was back on the market. We put in an offer immediately...and it was accepted. I had it...I had it! Then...we discovered a HOLE in my credit score blown by a an error in the report from DiscoverCard that Discover wasn't willing to correct - no matter what, and it's my word against theirs. (Again...another reason to shop locally - even for credit.)

So...away it went. I went about paying off credit cards, other debts, etc. Then...I thought...let me check my score. And it had gone up! A LOT! So...I called Tanisha...and we discovered that the Nowell House had been purchased and was essentially off the market. And much though I loved that house...it eventually came to be that it really wasn't for me, no matter how much I liked it. I liked it (loved it) because of the size. I've lived for eight years in a house on 2nd Street - a great little house, good enough for me...rent free - that is 675 square feet. That's right. It's a shoe.

So...that's been one of my criteria. It needs to be bigger...and big enough to have several rooms. And...I wanted a second floor...because I've never had one, really, except for my apartment in Burlington. So the search was on. Tanisha and I looked at nearly every available house in this town! I looked seriously at a cute little house (that would be great for someone without a need for many doors to keep four mischevious cats off the dining room table and the kitchen counters) on Chavis Street. I looked at a house on Oak Ridge Road that just needs a little updating, but just wasn't the right fit for me. I looked very seriously at a house on Green Street - great house, with the possiblity of expanding the lot...needed just a very little bit of work...but ultimately, I decided that I wanted to be in a neighborhood, not on a major thoroughfare. So, back to the drawing board.

And then, I saw it on Realtor.com. I saw a very familiar house - familiar to anyone who's ever banked at First Citizens in Franklinton...or anyone around my age who went through Franklinton area schools. 12 Vine Street. I couldn't believe it. The house where my fifth grade teacher sewed my costume when I played the Velveteen Rabbit in the play of the same name. The house where we built my 9th grade float for Homecoming (the theme that year was soap operas...and I hadn't yet discovered General Hosptial - that came two years later...so our's was The Bold and The Pitiful...and it was...). So, off Tanisha and I go...and I thought she was going to try to wrestle me to the ground to buy it herself.

Then, the dance began. We'll pay this much, but you've got to do this. We'll take this much, but we won't do that. We'll pay this much, but not without this. We'll take this much, but you'll have to handle this and that. Jeez, can't I just get a freakin' loan and buy the place???

It took THREE MONTHS of wrangling between the first offer and having keys in my hand...but on December 28, I closed on it. And boy, it was a hard secret to keep. I told Tammy because I had zoning/permitting questions, and I told Kim because I had HVAC questions and I knew she knew some folks...but as close as they are, they didn't even tell each other! (I mentioned it right before Christmas...and they looked at each other, and looked at me, as if to say, "What does she know?") I didn't want anyone to know it until I had it because I'd already lost one house - and it was rather public because I'd told the world I was buying it.

So now, the world knows. And here's the plan...

We've got to finish patching the holes, sanding the built in bookcases, completely overhauling the informal dining room, and I've got to have HVAC put in...and then I'm moving. I figure, sometime in late February/early March. Why so long? I already have a house. In fact...that's a point I shared with someone when I was looking for homes in the first place. I already had a place to live - and it was working just fine. Even though buying this house is going to stretch my budget to the MAX...it's something I wanted to do...to put down roots. To have a place of my very own - not something subsidized by someone else (even though it kind of was). To have a place to grow...to have folks over...to have an open house!

So...if you like to paint and you're interested, we're looking to have six rooms ready to paint by January 30 so we can get rolling! Let me know if you wanna come hang out with us!