#174: Felicity

Having the day off for Memorial Day Weekend, I decided to indulge myself in some major tv viewing time. Even though I personally own the box set, when I found the entire Felicity series on Netflix I decided that I would start it (Netflix plus: no need to change DVD disks!) and make it a summer goal to rewatch the four seasons.

Felicity was on air when I was in high school, and I was a faithful viewer. In college, when I started buying the DVD seasons, my friends and I started making our way through it. These connections to the series at two of the most significant time periods of my life have always set it aside as not just a tv show; I always felt that I could relate to the conflicts and self discovery of the characters, always felt like I wanted my life to somehow feel the way life seemed to feel on the show...whatever that means. It may have come at the hey-day of young adult dramas, but I think it's more legitimate than being lumped in that genre. I think it's really well written, and there are many poignant lines that I remember fawning over in my youth, and still appreciate now as an adult. Literature will always take precedence over tv or movies, but there are often stories told through those mediums that are just as meaningful to me as some of my favorite novels, and Felicity is one of them.

#173: Kyle

When the phone rang at the end of my class today, I wasn't greeted with a hello.  "Are you busy? You're using your busy voice."

My coworker, Kyle, was on the other end of the line. And he was right. A circle of kids were around my desk, each with frantic questions about their papers due tomorrow; students helping me put away the laptop computers were panicking that one was missing; the class clown was about to draw on posters hung on my board. "Actually, I am," I responded, promising to call back. I hung up, surprised that he could tell so much just from the tone of my "hello". Then again, I shouldn't have been surprised at all; Kyle knows me extremely well, and this simple reminder of our closeness made me think how thankful I am of it. If that wasn't enough, when I eventually did call Kyle back and remarked how stressed I was, he immediately asked if there was anything he could do to help, and then followed up that we needed to find time to catch up-- exemplifying how great of a person he is, how lucky I am to have him as a coworker and friend.

Kyle and I were both first year teachers together and our classrooms were across the hall from one another. At the time we weren't a part of the same team, but we spent most afternoons together, lesson planning or grading in my classroom to keep one another company. If I were asked by a preservice teacher for advice regarding how to survive their first year, I'd tell them to find a Kyle for themselves. It was really wonderful to have someone who was also experiencing the beginning of a teaching career, someone to bounce ideas off of, vent to, assure you that you weren't crazy. Over the course of the past six years we've been lucky enough to be given opportunities to actually work together. We coached track together, co-advised student council, and two years ago were put on the same team. He's an unbelievably talented teacher, a colleague you observe with his students and realize you're witnessing a master educator at work. He comes to school willing to give of himself entirely to his students and activities for them, and he tackles projects enthusiastically and efficiently. While we have a wonderful working relationship, one irony of it is that we have a tendency to disagree; what I've found to be so amazing about that is we have a tendency to use our differing opinions to develop a workable compromise that was better than either of our original ideas, or we work so hard to convince the other that we're right that whomever wins has the other as their biggest proponent. I once stated to my administration that I've never collaborated better, in any capacity, with anyone, than I do with Kyle, and that made me realize that he's my favorite person to work with. 

I'm further blessed that Kyle is also one of my closest friends. He has all the makings of a great one: he's trustworthy, attentive, supportive, selfless, honest, funny, genuine, busts on me and calls me out when I need to be called out. Getting to know Kyle over the years I am not surprised we are good friends-- we have similar personalities and find each other easy to talk to; however, I am still often reminded, like today, how lucky I am to be friends with him.  He's an all around amazing person, the type of guy who makes you a better person by knowing him. 

It's that time of year when decisions are being made about who is going to work in what unit next year, and it's always possible that one or both of us will be moved out of our team. This year we are both retiring from student council, and I stopped coaching track last year. It hit me today that these final weeks of school, potentially, could be the end of my time working with Kyle. The thought of that possibility saddens me. And yet I know, ultimately, there's no reason to be sad. We won't work together forever, but in Kyle I know I have a friend forever, and for that I am unbelievably grateful. 

#172: Sharing Dinner

A creature of habit, I have a tendency to order the same menu items when I go out to dinner. Tonight was no exception-- until I was faced with a rare conundrum: my two favorite meals from a restaurant  (one a regular menu item, one a special) were both being offered! I found myself faced with making this decision until Allison, my dinner companion, chimed in that she would get one and I could get the other, and then we would split them. I love doing this when dining out, having the opportunity to eat half of two meals, and I also love a good friend who's willing to make their dinner selection based off your inflexibility.

#171: The Kindness of Strangers

A stereotype was confirmed for me this weekend: Midwesterners truly are the nicest people. We rode the subway twice, and both times were immediately offered seats; at a crowded beer garden two groups of people made room at the tables they were sharing so that we could have a table, too, and then they offered us their appetizers to share; crossing the street a man walked at an angle and slightly stepped in front of me, then turned to apologize profusely for cutting me off. We were in awe all weekend at this, and it became a running joke to compare it to the stereotypical New York/New Jersey treatment in these scenarios. Of course I am not a believer in true stereotypes: there are unbelievably selfless, kind people in NYC, and likely jerks in Chicago (although we didn't come across any...) But I think there is definitely truth to the culture. NYC is so on-the-go I think courtesy gets a bit lost, whereas amidst the slower pace of the Midwest people actually see one another, making them more kind. I am so grateful I witnessed this culture of kindness.

When we landed I witnessed a rather terse interaction between an airport employee and a passenger, I sighed, already missing the politeness and friendliness I was immersed in all weekend. After this weekend I am on a mission to cultivate midwestern manners more in my life here on the East Coast. 

#170: A Weekend with Katelynn

Katelynn accompanied me to Chicago and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to experience the city with her. More importantly, I am thrilled that we were able to have a whole weekend together. When you're in college and you spend nearly every waking moment with your best friends you take that time for granted. As cliche as it is, I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish I could've told myself 10 years ago that I should savor every moment spent with Katelynn and my other college best friends; that someday adult life would take over and we could go weeks without seeing one another, a few hour long dinners becoming the new normal. But adult life brings some perks to your friendships as well: like being able to jet off for a weekend in Chicago together, and having the wisdom to know that this was unbelievably valuable time.

I so thankful for the weekend Katelynn and I just spent together. I am thankful to have had the time for us to talk, laugh, reminisce, reconnect, muse about the future...just like old times. We packed a ton into our days, and while on one level that was to get as much out of the city as we could, it was also to get as much out of our time together as we could. I'm exhausted, but it's the best kind of tired, when you know you're tried from laughing so loudly, smiling so much, trying so hard to hold onto the hours that are inevitably going to slip away-- the kind of tired you get after spending time with your best friend. 

Buffas at The Bean

#169: Chicago

I spent the weekend in Chicago. This was my first time in the city, and there's so much wonderfulness to appreciate about it. Anyone who knew I was going there and had been before told me that I would love it, that it's a cleaner, quieter version of New York, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. It has hustle and bustle without the claustrophobia of literally being in a mass mob of people, and it was very cool to go from metropolitan streets of skyscrapers to the lakefront beach. We covered the town, seeing Willis (Sears) Tower, Navy Pier, Millenium Park, Wrigleyville and Wrigley Field for the Crosstown Classic, The Maginficent Mile and of course deep dish pizza. The food was great, the people unbelievably friendly and kind, the weather perfect. A Cubs win would've been nice, but as any faithful (24 hour old) fan would say, there's always tomorrow!

#168: Inspirational Stories

I am a sucker for personal transformation stories, so I loved watching this video sent to me by Erinn. No matter how confident of a person you might be, it's easy to occasionally doubt yourself. This story is a reminder why we shouldn't doubt ourselves, and I am thankful to now have this in my repertoire of inspirational stories.

"Arthur's Transformation"