Merely Day By Day

Today's post is part of the  Slice of Life  roundup at  Two Writing Teachers .  Stop by for links to many great slices or, better yet, join the fun by linking your own piece.  Thanks to all for hosting. "A winner is a dreamer that never gives up."  Nelson Mandela Last Saturday I had the opportunity to see Bryan Collier at the Dublin Literacy Conference .  I'm always fascinated to listen to creators talk about their work.  Bryan started out by asking the group, "How many writers are in the room?"  A few hands raised, but I'm guessing there were truly more writers in the room.  "How many of you have a story to tell?" he asked.  "How many of you hope to get something published?" "What are you doing about it?" he added, letting a long pause fall across the room. His statement found its way into my head where it swirled for awhile.  It bounced.  It rested.  It whispered.  It shouted. "What are you doing a...

Today's post is part of the  Slice of Life  roundup at  Two Writing Teachers .  Stop by for links to many great slices or, better yet, join the fun by linking your own piece.  Thanks to all for hosting. In case you haven't heard, it's cold outside.  It's true, a good portion of the United States is under the coldest freeze in many many years.  If you just take one step outside, your breath just gets taken away.  I'm guessing a hundred years ago people went outside to figure out how cold it was.  In today's world, you don't have to leave your house to know it's cold.  There are all kinds of media and gadgets to tell you in case stepping outside isn't enough for you to know.  For today, here are a few ways you know it's cold outside if you can't figure it out yourself. Turn on Your Television:   Those sharing the forecast are happy to build the drama of the cold.  They'll teach you about the polar vortex.  Show yo...

Today's post is part of the  Slice of Life  roundup at  Two Writing Teachers .  Stop by for links to many great slices or, better yet, join the fun by linking your own piece.  Thanks to all for hosting. The blog isn't the place to confess your addictions, but admitting you have a problem is the first step.  Right?  My addiction is worse on the weekends, but lately I'm finding I'm falling victim to it during the week too.  It keeps me up late at night.  It makes me mumble in my sleep.  It has me searching into the night to find just what I need. My addiction?  It isn't Reese's Peanut Butter cups, though that would have been a good guess since I have a stash hidden in the freezer.  It isn't  Twitter, though one could make an argument that I have a Twitter issue.  It isn't coffee, though I do have a slight headache if I haven't had a cup by nine in the morning.  My addiction will shock and repulse you. ...

"I must write it all out, at any cost.  Writing is thinking.  It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living."                                  --- Anne Morrow Lindbergh Today's post is part of the Slice of Life roundup at Two Writing Teachers .  Stop by for links to many great slices or, better yet, join the fun by linking your own piece.  Thanks to all for hosting. Why Write? If you didn't have time to check out this week's Big Fresh by Brenda Power be sure to stop by.  In it Brenda talks about the different kinds of writing we do and compares our writing to gardening.  She shares, "A garden is a great metaphor for writing, because it helps me to think about what I need to prune, plant again, or trim back to keep myself thriving as a writer." I've been trying to rethink my writing habits --- or maybe I should say begin to shape strong writing ...

Today's piece is part of the  Slice of Life Challenge hosted on Tuesdays  at T wo Writing Teachers.   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth .  Yesterday was the first day of Teachers Write hosted at Kate Messner's blog .  I was excited to see many of the participants from Slice of Life joining this writing event.  This is my first year to participate and I'm looking forward to continuing to build my writing community.  Today's post is a reflection of yesterday's conversation --- and a continued problem for me.  I hope you can help.   Notebooks:  The Beginning It's been a little over ten years now since I trained to work as a literacy coach in my district.  I often look back at that time, not just as training to be a literacy leader, but also a training in life.  I learned many life lessons along the way and changed the way I do so many things.  Our trainer at the time, Max Brand, taught me perhaps the ...

Today's piece is part of the Slice of Life Challenge hosted on Tuesdays at T wo Writing Teachers.  Thanks Stacey and Ruth .  It is written in response to the numerous "I quit" letters written by educators that float around the internet.   A few months ago our son, at that time a business major with nearly two years of business classes completed, came to us with news. I could tell he was worried and nervous as he sat us down to talk. My husband and I listened intently as our son explained his reasons for wanting to switch his major to education. Jeff and I, both educators, looked at each other and smiled. I think we both had known this day would come eventually. John's decision made me think carefully. It is one thing to endure the current stresses in public education, yet quite another to envision your child (another one of your children) in that situation. The long hours, the continued attacks by politicians, the enormous amounts of mandated testi...

National Poetry Month:  Poem 23 of 30 My students have been collecting ideas for poetry in their writer's notebooks.  This week we were talking about some of our favorite things.  I was reminded of this quilt ( and my grandma who made it ).  We will soon take some of these ideas and turn them into poems.  I thought I'd get started here.   Double Wedding Ring Quilt  Material collected from outgrown dresses worn out pants fabric pieces salvaged. Carefully stitched together by caring hands piece by piece stitch by stitch day by day. Sewn patterns circles entwined no beginning no end interlocked accepting. Pieces joined useful once again as the quilter brings them together one quilt one new story. © Cathy L. Mere A Little Quilt History Quilt Patterns Through Time History of the Double Wedding Ring A Most Romantic Quilt

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   31 of 31 It is hard to believe that we've been writing for 31 days.  We made it!  Today is the final day for the Slice of Life March Challenge .  I've been amazed that so many people have participated.  I've enjoyed stopping by blog after blog and reading the small stories in people's lives.  I've realized that the small stories are really the big stories.  Life is full of small moments that are quite significant.  The threads of this challenge weave together to form a quilt of story. Life is full of endings, but it seems endings are quite often new beginnings.  As I sat in church this morning listening to the Easter story I was once again reminded of how endings are often new beginnings.  Jesus died on the cross and most thought that was the end of the story, but then on third day ...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   30 of 31 All of my music fits in my hand.  Who would've guessed?  That little device kept me singing from South Carolina to Ohio. La la la. #25wordstory Many of you asked about the songs on my iPod.  It is an eclectic collection spanning many of the musical phases of my life....and the music my kids have sent my way.  I like to listen to a wide range of music. Today I traveled home from South Carolina.  I'm not the best at sitting still so driving these long distances can be a bit of a challenge.  My iPod kept me singing for miles and miles.  The musical Rent kicked off the trip. When I entered the country music highway I switched to genre:  country.  Garth, the Dixie Chicks, SheDaisy, Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney were among the most played.  Of course, you have to sing to ...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   29 of 31 Today is Poetry Friday.  Mary Lee is hosting at A Year of Reading .  Stop by to enjoy the poems.  Two days until National Poetry Month begins!!!   Today is my mom's birthday.   I'm lucky to have one of those amazing moms who is always there when you need her.  I should be writing a sweet sappy poem for her birthday, but instead I'm listening to her and my daughter play a game of hand and foot.  So I decided to write this fun "rhyme-y" poem instead.  Happy birthday, Mom. Our Gamin' Grammy She's getting the cards, when you walk in the door. She's ready to play, when your feet hit her floor. She'll deal the cards, make sure everyone's in. If you don't join the fun, is a really big sin. She shouts if she loses, and will dance if she wins. Her game manners need w...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   28 of 31 Recently I read this post, A Pocketful of Questions , at Box of Chocolate 's blog (isn't that a great name!) written in a question format.  I thought it was interesting so I added it to my mentor text board on Pinterest .  I decided today to give it a try.  Thanks, Stephanie.   As I travel I often ask myself, why do I live in a place where the land is flat?  Why do I only see sky when I look across our horizon?  Why do I spend my summers looking at corn and beans lined neatly in the fields?  Why do I wake to the sounds of coyote roaming the night?  Why do I spend June evenings looking from our patio out into the prairie-like land watching for the hummingbird and hoping for a heron?  Why do I sit by our french doors with a warm cup of coffee and stare endlessly at the whit...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   27 of 31 The Road Winds The road winds      over the river,             bridging communities,                     where coal trucks wait           to deliver black rock to warm our homes,      down the country music highway,           through small towns                once sustained by mining. The road weaves      through the mountains,           where snow cloaks the ground,                where earth meets sky,           as white clouds rest atop,      making it hard to determine ...

Today I'm sending happy thoughts to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater  ( @amylvpoemfarm ) as her new book, Forest Has a Song:  Poems is released!  Today is the day it steps out into the world!  I have ordered my copy and can't wait for it to arrive. If you haven't visited Amy's blog, The Poem Farm , you'll want to stop by.  The first time I came across Amy's blog was when she was writing a poem a day for a year.  Yes, for 365 days she wrote poems.  At the time I was trying to post a picture each day and couldn't keep up with that.  I had no idea how she came up with a poem every day, but she did.  I was in awe of her perseverance --- and in awe of her poetry. I've continued to follow Amy's poetry on her blog.  At The Poem Farm , Amy not only shares her poetry, but often the thinking behind her poems.  She often adds photographs and audio recordings of her poetry as well.  As a teacher, I find there are so many resources available o...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   25 of 31 It's Memory Monday so here's a little story about our trip out west. It's spring break and I'm sitting on my couch looking at a backyard blanketed in snow.  At least it's a pretty snow with white fluffy flakes piled in layers on the trees and covering the still brown ground.  All of this snow is making me want to take vacation someplace warm.  We've been fortunate to take some great vacations with our kids, but the best was the year we traveled out west.   It was hot July when we packed our van with our three kids and all we would need for several weeks of travel.  The sun sizzled as we put the final items into the van and closed the doors.  We were traveling from Ohio to Washington state, then through Oregon, down to California, over to Arizona, and home.  To cut down on the ...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   24 of 31   Thanks, Carol , for this " me by the numbers idea ."  It saved me tonight as my other slices "I tried on" (thanks, Christy) weren't working out.   Me in Numbers 2 the number of brothers I have 3 the number of children I have 531 the address of the house I grew up in 3 the number of houses I've lived in  4 the number of school buildings I've taught in  24 the number of students in my class this year 7 the number of educators in our family 33 the number of states I have visited (I think) 4 the number of countries I've visited 11 the number of countries I'd like to visit  3 the number of cups of coffee I drink in the morning 13 the number of live musicals I've seen  3,578 songs on my iPod 10 teams still survive on my March Madness bracket (soon to...

This post is part of   Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   23 of 31   Greenday's American Idiot musical was playing last night at the Palace Theater in Columbus.  At the last minute we decided to purchase two tickets to see it.  We did something we don't normally do, we purchased seats on the floor.  We were midway back in the theater which seats about 2,500.  It was a new experience to actually be able to see the facial expressions of the actors in the show. The story is about three friends who part ways to pursue their dreams, but life doesn't always turn out as we plan.  Each struggles with his own obstacles along the way. The three stories weave together simply and the play seems more about the music than the story.  Most songs featured in the performance are from Green Day's American Idiot album.  If you like the music of Green Day, yo...

Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   22 of 31 Poetry Friday hosted by Greg Pincus at Gotta Book .   Stop by! One Wish One star shoots across the night sky. It's bright light a contrast to the darkness that surrounds it. Below I watch it race across the sky, drawing a line on the ebony canvas. I make a wish. One I have been saving for this very moment. But can one star, dancing in the darkness, grant the wishes of the many below who stand watching it's final flare across the night sky? © Cathy L. Mere

Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   21 of 31 If you're on Twitter, you may have noticed Kevin, @dogtrax , share his 25 word stories ( #25wordstory ).  I find these stories fascinating.  They provide just enough information to give you a taste of the story, and leave you with much to wonder.  I thought I'd give a few a try. Yesterdays I walk into the kitchen in my new white Keds now brown from the creek, I look away.  She glances at my shoes --- then laughs. We walk into our new home.  The foyer takes my breath away.  As I wander from room to room I can't believe we'll live here. Driving onto campus a wave of freedom rises within me.  Turning the corner, large buildings surround me.  For the first time, I'm on my own. For years she took care of our children while we were at school.  She fed them, played with them, and loved them.  A tr...

Spring, Where Are You? The calendar says  today is the day  you arrive. Yet, when I step outside a cold wind blows. The grass is brown  and the sky is the same gray it has been  for months. But the calendar says you should be here. I've seen you peeking about, in the green leaves  of the tulip  waking from its  winter sleep, in the buds waiting on the tips of the dogwood's long fingers, in the purple blooms of the crocus daring to be among the early arrivals. The calendar tells me it is time for winter to say goodbye and for you, dear Spring, to make your entrance. © Cathy L. Mere Slice of Life Challenge   Thanks  Stacey  and  Ruth :   Two Writing Teachers #slice2013   20 of 31