Another Ode to Mr. Fariss

This is Teacher Appreciation Week. Earlier in the week, we were able to celebrate with the rest of the girls' school when one of the 5th grade teachers was named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. That's quite an honor. I'm not surprised it was bestowed on a teacher at our school. We have some super teachers. But I've been thinking about teachers in my life. I remember quite a few that were noteworthy. But I found myself quoting one of them in particular throughout the week.

I guess it makes sense that a band director, a teacher that I had for 4 years, would leave a huge impact. It makes even more sense when that band director is a larger-than-life character. I know he's known for quite a few signature sayings. Some were more colorful than others. But there are two that have stuck with me that I had the chance to pass along to my oldest daughter over the last few weeks.

HeyMama has been practicing a piano piece for tomorrow's school talent show. She's a kindergartener. She's been playing piano since this past September. So less than a year. And she wanted to play the Star Wars Theme. So with the help of a musician friend and some free online software, we obtained a version that was appropriate for a beginning pianist. Challenging, but attainable. She's been diligently practicing. Well, sometimes diligently.

"Practice like you'll perform."

This was one of Mr. Fariss' many sayings. If you practice something sloppily, you'll perform it sloppily. If you prepare and practice with the goal of a performance-worthy production, that's what you'll get when it's time to perform in front of an audience. I found it to be true in my marching band days. I found it to be true in non-musical endeavors since then. And these past few weeks, I've been saying it to HeyMama.

But as we've gotten closer to performance time, another saying has resurrected itself.

"Fake it 'til you make it."

HeyMama is concerned about what happens if she messes up during her performance. This is reasonable. I encouraged her to just keep going until she feels like she's got it under control again. In marching band, you can't stop moving on the field just because you forget what to do next. People are running all around you with instruments in their faces. Bloodshed would ensue. You keep moving until you figure it out. And if you've "practiced like you'll perform", it will come to you. And typically, no one is the wiser of your temporary lapse of memory. Again, I have found this advice to be helpful in professional and social situations.

But this week, I've had to take that advice to heart to merely get through the day.
This past Sunday, BestestHusband and I decided that we'd get the big girls on their bikes, HurricaneDebbie in the jog stroller, the dogs on their leashes, and running shoes on our feet. We'd take a family exercise excursion to the other side of the Arboretum to see the cherry trees in bloom. It was truly glorious. The weather was finally sunny and warm. The trees were extravagantly decked out in white and pink blossoms. The place was full of people basking in the glory of a warm spring day. And we had a great workout. I had to do some sprints to keep with the girls. The girls had fun on their bikes. And I think the run was even tolerable for BestestHusband. But two days later, it became apparent that the excursion was not the best idea. I had inhaled a lot of pollen, and my body was rebelling. I couldn't breathe. My nose was ok. It was my lungs that were in crisis. Here are some of the things that have left me out of breath:
Walking up stairs
Walking across a small room
Picking up HurricaneDebbie
Picking up a fork
Making phone calls
Sending emails
Lying still on the couch
Trying to sleep at night
Talking
Sitting quietly

I coughed so hard and so much that I strained my back. I went to the doctor, and got a nebulizer treatment and inhaler. I've been vaguely headachy and have had no appetite since then. I'm a mess.

But I had a job interview on Tuesday. I think I nailed it. I picked up extra work hours today. And I will on Friday and Saturday. Getting off the couch has required great effort. But the words "fake it 'til you make it" have echoed in my ears. It doesn't have to be easy. You just have to do it until it gets easier.

I only cooked dinner tonight because I was afraid of $15 worth of chicken going bad in my fridge. But I ended up making a pretty good meal. (Hey, I got BestestHusband to eat cauliflower and be happy doing it!) I only went to the grocery store tonight because buying ice cream sounded really appealing. (The fact that we were out of fresh fruit and a lot of food staples wasn't enough to get me there.) But I just got started doing the tasks, and they got done. Even though I really didn't feel like I could do it.

So the wisdom of my teacher's words becomes apparent yet again. And I am grateful for Mr. Fariss and all of my teachers that have gotten me here today. I just hope that my girls have at least one teacher who will leave an equally strong impression.

Stewardship Sunday: Vocal Rest Edition

Happy Sunday!
It was nice to have a weekend at home, not working. It feels like it's been a while...
It was a rainy dreary weekend, and it helped me feel better about not getting out and DOING stuff. Of course, we did actually get out and DO a lot of stuff. But I didn't feel the constant urge to take advantage of the sunshine and comfortable temps we've had lately. I love the calm quiet feeling in the air on drizzly days. And a few times this weekend, I was actually able to pause and enjoy it!

So this week involved working a holiday, having a workday afternoon off, two mornings in the swimming pool with the girls, a massage, a PT appointment (the massage was NOT just for relaxation!), playmates, errands, a trip to the library, preparations for Vacation Bible School, and research on which voracious insects would be best for our garden pests. We came home from Allandale Farms today with a container of Praying Mantis egg sacks. All of the literature on them says they make great pets. I'm content to just let them run wild in our yard. I have no need to domesticate insects in this household...

Anyway, back to the "Vocal Rest Edition" part of the title. I helped lead the music for Vacation Bible School this morning. Across 4 groups of kids, my voice was going strong for 2+ hours. I am not a singer. I do not have a professionally trained voice. I just have a lifetime repertoire of Sunday School songs and the guts to belt out songs in front of saucer-eyed kids all morning long. In other words, I don't know how to use my voice well in endurance situations. But as an SLP, I do know that this is an abnormally significant workout of my vocal cords, one that could lead to phonotrauma if not managed appropriately. So I'm trying to drink a lot. Let me rephrase that. I'm trying to drink a lot of water and herbal tea. The other kind of drinking would be more fun, but would not improve the health of my larynx. Now, if I were my own SLP, I would prescribe myself a bit of vocal rest. My advice would be to try not to talk so much, keep my volume down, and nod and gesture whenever possible. My advice would be ludicrous considering that I have 2 preschoolers...

Anyway, I want to go to bed before midnight, so let's get this stewardship accounting done!

Money:  OUCH. We went to the craft store. I got a massage. And sand toys for the girls. And 2 dresses at the consignment store. (They were a steal! And I need new summer dresses. But still, ouch.)

Exercise:  This week wasn't so great. I think I got in one good workout all week. Sigh.

M&Ms:  Not the worst week for Peanut M&Ms, but less exercise = more self-medicating with chocolate. I finished off a jar of Trader Joe's Cocoa Almond spread. Really dangerous stuff!!! But oh, so good!!!

Patience:  Middle-of the road this week. Again, by the grace of God, I have moments of patience that are beyond what comes from me. I'm thankful that I have awareness in these moments. It makes me feel better to know that God really is there in the mundane moments of life. Especially the ones that I suck at handling on my own...

Time:  Since thinking about it weeks ago, I really think I"m doing better at not frittering away so much time on the computer. That's perhaps helped by the fact that we don't spend so much time at home now that the weather's better.

Food waste:  I threw out half a bunch of basil, and have half a head of lettuce waiting for me in the fridge. I really am bad about letting greens die. I'm like a leafy-green executioner. I'm happy that we have lettuce in the garden that I can pick a little at a time. Because buying it to use for the week just leads to a lot of food waste. Thanks again to BestestHusband for helping to eat some of the more questionable items in the fridge. He is my household savior for food waste.

HeyMama saw these made on a video, and told me what we needed to buy at the craft store.

She did it ALL BY HERSELF! Just from watching it done once. I mean, it's a simple craft, but she's 3! And all I had to do was fetch the googley eyes from the closet and unclog the glue!

Hope you have a great week!

God Wanted Me to Get a Massage

So I had a pretty good day. It was one of those rare occurrences where none of my employers had a full day of work for me. I had a full day of daycare that I had already paid for, but only a half day of work. What to do?

Well, I knew in advance that this was the situation. And my gimpy shoulder has been nagging me for weeks, and I'd been hoping to make an appointment with the massage therapist. So I called Catherine. It was on a whim, as I know she's usually pretty booked up, and it was the last minute.

She had one appointment time available. It was not long after I'd get off of work. I took it. What were the odds? My employers had been begging me to take on extra work days lately, and I had worked a fair amount over the last week. Why not a full day of work today?

Because God wanted me to get a massage.

And He wanted me to run errands.

I had exactly an hour and 10 minutes between work and my appointment. I ran two errands in that time, and they were two towns over. It's amazing what I can get done without the girls around. After my massage, I walked down the street. I ran into a friend and her two boys. I sat down on a bench and had a snack with them. Then I checked out two local shops that I'd been wanting to visit lately. And scored two awesome summer dresses. Consignment, so defensibly reasonable.

It was meant to be.

The laundry? It wasn't meant to be. Maybe next time.

The FedEx Guy

For the first time in a long time, I answered the doorbell to find the FedEx guy still at my door with a package. "There's a bit of weight in that one," he said.


I mentioned my gimpy back, and asked kindly for him to move it the 7 feet into our condo. I apologized. I don't like to ask men to do my heavy lifting. I'm a strong woman. I can take care of myself. 


Except when my back is gimpy. Then, I'm just pitiful. Like today. I'm better, but still a bit pitiful. 


I told him I was on muscle relaxers. I showed him the wearable heat pack wrapped around my waist. I apologized again for even asking.


He was very kind about it, said it wasn't a problem at all. 


I offered him a muffin. Reflexively, he declined. 


I told him it was a healthy muffin. With apples. Carrots. Flax. Walnuts.


He took a muffin. 


So I don't feel as guilty about asking a guy to lift a box for me. 


The moral of the story? Good things come to those who lift weight.


Ok, so that was a one-liner worthy of Grandpa A. Or Pastor D. 


But I got a box lifted. And he got a healthy yummy muffin.


As Pastor D would say, "Life is good."

Geriatric Sympathies

So my gimpy back has spread to a spastic shoulder. I'm a mess. I'm cranky. I'm grumbly. I'm a complainer. And I'm spaced out on muscle relaxers.


This is why I'm not blogging much lately. And the posts that do make it up are a bit whiny in nature. Sitting at the computer is really uncomfortable. If I'm not up and doing, I'm lying on the couch on a heating pad.


I do have a new appreciation for my geriatric patients who deal with arthritis, GERD, spinal stenosis, etc etc on a daily basis. And I'm now even more impressed with those that are pleasant and sunny despite it all. I have hope that some PT and maybe a bit of acupuncture will give me back my pain-free life. This is not necessarily true for my 89 year old ladies at work.  


So I'm telling myself that this will make me a better therapist. I may have to keep repeating it for a while before I truly believe it, though...

Winners, Losers, and a Corset

So we lost the lottery. Big time. I'm not talking about Powerball, I'm talking about the lottery to get into Boston Public Schools. There were 2 schools in the West Zone with K0 seats, and I applied to both. We didn't get into either of them. Our wait list numbers? #289 for the first school, #168 for the second school. We REALLY didn't get in. Hey, I knew my chances of getting HeyMama into a K0 seat were about equivalent to winning the state lottery. And I entered it anyway. Unlike Powerball or Mass Millions, it didn't cost me anything to play. Hey, it was a good learning experience. I'll know more about the system next year when we apply for K1 (4 yr old kindergarten for you non-Bostonians). 


But I was a winner today. I saved over 50 dollars today because I have a friend named Anne. She's a great friend. She bought me almond butter today and saved me over 50 dollars. Because she prevented me from making a trip to Trader Joe's. I'm incapable of walking out of Trader Joe's spending less than $50. Even if I only go in for one thing (like creamy almond butter with sea salt), I come out with a cart full of yummy and well-priced provisions. Good cheese. Artisianal bread. High-fiber-and-still-yummy granola bars. Cheap-but-good cereal. Italian blood orange soda. Yum. But Anne sacrificed herself today. She had a Joe's shopping spree instead of me. Thank you Anne.


How does a corset play into all of this? Well, I forgot to pick up those thermacare wearable heat wraps when I went to CVS today. I was wearing my last one today to soothe my gimpy lower back. Between the excessive ibuprofen and that heat pack, I was mostly mobile today. But now I'm out of them. And I'm working tomorrow. And BestestHusband will have the car to shuttle the girls to a 4 yr old birthday tea party (lucky guy!) and I'll be taking the work shuttle from the T station. The work shuttle doesn't stop at CVS on the way to work. No heat packs for me. So I'll be wearing a corset. The physical therapists at work on Thursday told me to try an abdominal binder. I told them I had a support belt from my last pregnancy. They said that would work perfectly. Then I came home and realized that I'd lent it to someone else. But I have a corset. I think it will  do about the same thing... So tomorrow I will dose myself with high levels of ibuprofen and wear a corset to work. Wish me luck.


Happy Friday, hope you have a great weekend!