A sauté pan and the magic bullet

When I drive home from work, I think about my workout an eating. I love food. In college, Amanda graciously made homemade scones, tasty Asian dinners and fantastic fries. Megan would throw together a secret Italian sauce with some pasta for us too. What did I do? Provide wine, laughter and maybe a healthy salad.

Thanks to them, I had to learn to cook when I moved out. Or else I wouldn't eat anything but packaged goods. Me.

So today, I had these cute little mini squashes and an acorn squash. I made a fabulous almond orange pesto with cilantro. And too much garlic. I need to lay low on that. At least I warded off the vampires tonight. I sautéed some onions and microwave cooked the squash. I crave savory.

I threw some butter, brown sugar and raisins into the acorn squash. That'll be a delicious winter lunch tomorrow!

Don't forget the seeds! I baked them with salt and curry powder. Delicioso!

Another relaxing night by the oven side.

Tomorrow? Potato leek pizza!

New Year.... New Me? Yeah, right!

There is one new habit I do need to develop.

Flossing.

My dentist had me imagining a life without teeth when I was sitting in that chair. I had visions of applesauce, Jamba Juice, and flan flying across my taste buds. No more chewing gum!? Pass me the floss. Apparently, flossing every day is a big deal. So, here we go. I did not floss last night. But, I didn't really have a night that ended.... so tonight, I will floss.

The idea of new year = new habits is silly to me. I already am in pursuit of my best self. I'm a fire, an Aries. We already take life by the reins and compete with our best self. I can't lose, because I am keeping a tally of almost every big positive and negative event. When I see big gains in my students' scores? That earns big positives. When I forget to follow up with an email? A negative. But then, I take a tourist's photo for their family at the mountain. That is a positive. And fun because I get to play the accent game: Where are they from?

If I were to reflect on my competitive nature, I know my competitive spirit is like a piece of green play-doh. The essence is all there: the eye on the prize, the strategy to be #1, the determination and dedication. But, ask a high school friend, a college friend, a Teach for America friend and a present-day friend about my competitive spirit and I'll bet there are a few different interpretations. Every time I get a chance to mold something new, something better - I take it.

I like the present-day version best. Obviously. I'm an Aries and we improve - not go backwards.

When I look back on last year and look forward into this year, I know I will continue to make mistakes - just hopefully not the same ones. I made plenty of wrong turns in 2011 so I am ready for the time when I take a path and need to make a U-turn, and put myself back on the right track. I'm prepared to fail because it has happened often. I'm equally as prepared to win.

a new year? What does that really mean for me?

Make mistakes (again). Improve (again). Reflect and change course (again). Find a new challenge (again). Become a more effective teacher (again). Seek out my best self (again).

first world problems

some friends and I had a mini road trip and I caught up with the times.

I'm sure I've heard it in the past, but I've got buzzing between my ears all hours of the day. So, I became fluent in the phrase:

"that's a first world problem"


1 - facebook changes AGAIN. how do I block that crazy stalker?
2 - google plus. what is the purpose? no one uses it!
3 - I can't remember the log-in and password for my student loans website. wait, I have ANOTHER student loan to pay off? shoot!
4 - damn traffic lights. Oh yeah, I have a car to drive, money for gas and no payments
5 - I-70 traffic is horrible coming down from the mountains on a Saturday evening!
6- my bike helmet doesn't match my bike.
7- no PBR on tap!? WHAT! How can I be a hipster!?
8 - I forgot my iPhone charger. No cell today.
9 - Our dryer does not dry clothes well. It takes 2 rounds
10 - ah! the garage door opener sticks and it drives me nuts!

Here's some perspective
1- Less than 60% of Denver Hispanic students graduate from high school
2- Less than 50% of Denver students who enter in 9th grade graduate from high school
3 - By 8th grade, there is a 32% gap in Hispanic students' and white students' math scores on the national test
4- Latino and Black students in Colorado are unsatisfactory in 10th grade math. That means, they are significantly failing the state math test. That is a score of below 50% on the math test.
5- 70% of special education students nation-wide are African-American. Can someone stop and check that out, please?
6- Fewer than 10% of black and Hispanic students participate in higher level, rigorous courses. Why NOT!?
7- There is a 31 point difference in 8th grade math standardized test scores between black and white students. 31 points!
8 - The gap between male and female black and white students widens between 4th and 8th grade
9 - there is a 30 million word gap by age 3 for children from low income homes versus children from middle-income homes. 30 millions words! That is already 3 years - or more - behind in reading
10 - The black student college graduation rate is 42%. Black women are far more likely to graduate than black men: 47% vs. 36%

Think twice before complaining that you are out of dishwasher soap. And remind me to think before I am sad my snowboard wasn't waxed before a big powder day.

Ask yourself this question -
How much money do you have invested in yourself right now?
How much is it worth to invest in someone else?