Harry the Phoenix

This is a former student of mine, we are going to call him Harry. I met Harry when he was in Fifth Grade and worked with him until his Freshman year was almost over. He was such a brilliant and bright student. He was good at singing, good at violin, and a good actor...heck he was just a talented student. He was one of those students that you were drawn to. Always polite, always said hello, and always ready to learn. He was different than all the other kids and sometimes that can be a not so positive thing...socially, but I always champion those kind of kids. His kind of different was refreshing, and am glad that he had the courage to be different.

Harry's dad was very supportive and just a great guy. Harry's mom was a beautiful woman and her love for Harry and his sister was very evident.

When Harry was in Middle School his mom lost her battle with cancer.

Harry was hit hard.

He had a hard time with it...as any child would.

He left our school his freshman year...I was very sad.

However, he continued to play his violin in the youth orchestra system that my son plays in so when Harry's orchestra and Andrew's orchestra shared a concert I was able to see him, say hello, and catch up.

He is now completing his sophomore year.

This past Sunday at my son's orchestra gala I got a wonderful surprise.

Harry had written a piece of music that the Symphony orchestra, his orchestra, performed. He also got to conduct it...

...it was beautiful.

...it was inspiring.

...my heart, full of pride, burst into a thousand pieces.

Harry after all the sorrow and trouble in his life could have easily just given up, and turned into one of those statistics.

...he didn't.

...he rose from the ashes.

...like a Phoenix.

...way to go Harry...way to go.


More Later

-A Ro

Isabella

I have to say that I have the most beautiful, tenacious, fun loving, hard working, and just overall amazing daughter. She is such a blessing to me. She is loved by all. I am constantly told by all the adults that know her how kind and generous and loving she is and how she constantly makes them smile by just being around her. This makes a mother proud...very proud.

She had an assembly at her school today and she was a speaker, danced with the Lower School dance group, sang with the Lower School choir, and sang with the Third Grade Classes.

Here are some pictures...

...I know I am just a show off.

Sneaking a peek at her mama before she sings.

Action shot

Dancing the Hungarian Czardas

Action Shot

Bella and her good friends...I just LOVE this smile...she is just such a happy girl.

I am such a lucky mom...

More Later

-A Ro

Overcoming fears or stupidity??

So the queen of suspense is back, however my Saturday experience is gonna have to wait.


Because, you see, I have to document my bravery this morning.

So...I am getting tired of running my "longer" distances on the treadmill...it simply doesn't do it for me. I mean it is just plain boring, and spending the better part of an hour watching sweaty old men lift weights, skinny women chit chat while "working out", or watching the TV without sound or sub titles drives me insane...I mean c'mon how frustrating is it to see Paris Hilton on TV and not know what brilliant things are coming out of her mouth...geez...


Anyway I decided that I would run my three miles outside this morning. Now it is pretty dark outside at 4:30 am...

...I know I know what the heck am I doing up at 4:30...and running no less...it is a mystery to me as well...

SOOOO I was a little nervous about running outside in the dark...now I don't live in East Los Angeles or anything, but I am a nervous ninny.

But don't worry though I have decided to get some pepper spray, but until then I grabbed my travel size bottle of hairspray 'cause ladies you know how much that hurts when you get that in your eyes.

...It is kinda like keeping a big maglite flashlight beside my bed...not gonna be that effective, but it makes me feel better.

...I just hope that I don't run into someone holding my bottle of Aqua Net...they might think I was crazy...


...although that would be an accurate assessment.



More Later...(maybe a finish to my weekend...but maybe not, quite frankly I am getting bored with it.)

- A Ro

Somethings Have to Change

I apologize for leaving you hanging...my last post was filled with such promise of a much needed "good" weekend and I am sure you were wondering "Will she get her much needed "good" weekend? Will the weekend succumb to the power of the dark side and disappoint?"

well c'mon...

It was a wonderful weekend and no not everything went according to plan, but this fabulous weekend was just what the doctor ordered!!!

Here is a recap of Friday...

Friday night GS and I decided to drive the 45 minutes and go to our favorite restaurant. The Crab House. This is where we had our first date and we really don't go there often...too far and expensive, but that day we were all "oh honey, can't you wait to go to our special place" and "only 3 more hours until we get to go"

...I know pathetic, but it does hold a lot of memories for us...and if I am anything it's nostalgic

Anyway but the REAL reason we were excited to go was that we were looking forward to the "all you can eat crab"....now I don't know about you, but once you have all you can eat crab there is no going back to just a pound of snow crab...it just doesn't satisfy you any longer. It is like getting that solid chocolate bunny for Easter and then trying to be satisfied with that hollowed out impostor the next year...

...Ok maybe that is going a bit too far, but I am sure you catch my feeble drift...

And I just love going for that perfect "crack" and the perfect pull...for me it is all about the perfect pull of crab meat...the competition...the challenge...can I crack that shell just right and pull with the perfect amount of tension?

...yeah I need to get out more.

ANYWAY after all that build up we get to "our" place and lo and behold on the door is an eviction notice...yes that is right they are no longer there...booted...gone...a product of this crappy economy...

...sad I know

I think now, however, that maybe this is a sign to stop living in the past with past ideas and past celebrations and start moving forward...to a new chapter filled with new memories. I think that every once in awhile we just need to purge old habits and old memories and start thinking fresh...

...alright that solves my nostalgia, but not my need and desire for all you can eat crab...

So we did the only thing we knew to do...we took a picture...

...and went to Cheesecake Factory

...and ate way to much...

...thank goodness there isn't all you can eat cheesecake

...me and my thighs (and a number of other parts) would be in trouble.

More Later

My fabulous weekend...to be continued

...I know I am the queen of suspense...can you feel it??

-A Ro

Happiness

I thought that since it was a Friday I would post this picture...



...it makes me happy...and everyone knows that I need a lot of happiness this week.


However I am really looking forward to my weekend...Here are some highlights...

...Crab Shack tonight with GS for all you can eat crab...

...4 mile run tomorrow...

...Andrew's baseball game...

...Dinner and a show with GS on Saturday night...

...and then Mother's Day...and all the glory it brings...ha ha


More Later

- A Ro

Not Funny

Yesterday was a really bad day...and I am sitting here trying to figure out how to put a funny spin on the days events. Not coming up with too much. Now I am not going to go into most of the details but the events ranged from a not so nice e-mail, to getting a call from your child's teacher...but the day concluded with having to work at my son's little league's snack bar.

Now my first jobs in life were babysitting and teaching piano to little ones...I never worked fast food or waited tables...

...now I know why.

I can't stand it...but I am getting ahead of myself.

When one registers their son for little league, at this particular little league, one has to pay a snack bar deposit of $40. Then when one works their snack bar shift of about 4 hours they get their $40 back...sounds good...who couldn't use $40 bucks in their pocket, and I mean how hard can it be, I've done it before and no sweat.

...well there was plenty of sweat last night.

First of all we are in this tiny shack and it was in the ninety's and it was horribly windy. So I was kinda dreading it considering the day I was having, but I thought well...there are three possible jobs I could have, two people work the windows and take the orders, and one person does the grilling, the frier, and nachos. I was early enough that the first person there usually gets to choose which position they want...and today that was a no brainer for me...window girl. But NOOOO.

The coordinator must have been in cahoots with the rest of my day because she took one look at me and said "you will work the grill" and it came out very slow motion and with a devil tone...

...ok maybe that was just my imagination but those words hit me hard.

Working the grill sucked...there was real life flame coming from those burgers and I swear I am lucky to still have my eyebrows and, quite frankly, my fingers too...especially when the coordinator looked at me and said "you should really put the cheese on the burgers when the flame is surrounding them...it helps the cheese melt faster"...

...and my face...thank you very much

and the frier all that grease...plus it was SOOOO busy throwing meat on the grill and having to keep track of who needed what...and then I uttered words that no master degree holding diva should ever utter "I can't keep track of all the meat" what the hell...???

There are just some things that my lack of fast food experience hinder me from doing...

How do you know when the hamburger is done???

How do you know how brown the fries should get???

What the hell does "you should drop some more fries" mean anyway???

How do you know if the cheese or chili goes on first on an order of chili cheese fries???

Wouldn't you push the red button to start the cheese and then push it again to stop the cheese??? How was I supposed to know that each push of the red button meant a serving of cheese was coming out?

Then there was the clean up...OMG...

Afterwards the coordinator said to me...if you want to earn some extra money we can always use subs for the 4 hour shifts...that pays $25 a shift.

...she is just lucky that the words swimming in my head did not come out of my mouth...

I'll stick to herding middle schoolers...

and next year...

...you can keep your $40 bucks...instead I'll go sell some plasma



...or a kidney



...thank you very much...



More Later

-A Ro

My Seniors

With AP's starting and the year zooming to a close I wanted to take a moment to give a big thank you for the seniors I have been blessed with this year. Three of my seniors have been such an integral part of my program. They have been the kind of kids I wish would never leave and I feel the need to write about them. Now I am not sure how they would feel about being in my blog so I'll change their names...

Ariel - Has been with me for three years, but you would have never known it. She came in her sophomore year ready to go. She is a talented singer and musician and I can count on her to sing any part I ask her to and do it really well. She is compassionate, kind, loyal, and dedicated. She is a very smart cookie and is oh so very busy, but still finds time to devote to her passion...singing. She is a leader and such an amazing person. I will miss her terribly. She is going to be a doctor. She is going to make me proud.

Melody - Has been with me for four years, but has been at the school since middle school. I enjoyed watching her sing as a middle schooler (before I was the middle school teacher) and was so blessed to have her in my HS choir. She is also a talented singer and musician. She never gives up...she is a go getter and works so very hard. My favorite thing about Melody was watching her grow as a person and singer over the years. She has come so far and I can't wait to see how far she has yet to go. She is going to work at Jerry's Deli (inside joke) and will be a superstar someday. Whatever she ends up doing she will be fabulous at it. I can't wait to see where life takes her.

Buddy (I hope he gets the reference) - Has also been with me for four years, and has also been at the school since middle school. I also enjoyed watching him sing and perform at the middle school level and cannot believe how much he has changed and grown in the last 6 years...geez I can't believe it has been that long...He is also someone I can count on to be a strong leader in his section. He always brings a smile to my face every time I see him and really loves to sing. He works hard and is so passionate about what he does. He is excited to learn and grow and takes direction very well. He is going to school close by so I am hopeful he will pop in from time to time to say hello. He wants to work in New York someday...and I hope he realizes that dream. I know he will learn so much in the process and be a better person because of it.

I always lament the day that the seniors will graduate and move on...and the better I know them the harder it is. I am so very confident that I have taught them more than just how to be good singers and I am sure that they will go onto the next thing with a feeling of belonging and support. I am a better person for having known them and I wish them all the best. I am always here for you...Melody, Buddy, and Ariel...and all the others who have walked through the doors of room 504...always.

Buddy, Ariel, and Melody with their psycho faces on.

...I have taught them well.

More Later

-A Ro