My Favorite Things

The original cast of the 'Sound of Music' got their first (and chances are quite high that it will be their last!) reunion @ Oprah. A friend of mine (thanks I!) shared on her Facebook the link to that special broadcast. It turned out to be quite nice to see some of those familiar faces back on stage. Jullie Andrews still has got plenty of style and that certain flair that it takes to turn a certain thing into an instant hit. Christopher Plummer (my mother called him numerous times 'hot') can still blow very convincingly on a whistle. And last but not least there were 'the Von Trapp-Kids' who lined up once more for good old time sake.

Yes, I still remember very vividly the first time that my parents introduced me to these songs. My dad owned a vinyl disc filled up with these songs. 'Maria', 'Do-Re-Mi','Sixteen going on Seventeen', I do consider for sure songs that will always stand out in a musical dictionary. But my favorite one, and I even have it hidden in a music box that is standing on my night stand, is 'My Favorite Things'. Some of the things Jullie Andrews sings about I also truely consider my favorite things.

So, just before we are about to exchange Summertime for the long dark Wintertime I want to share some of my favorite things that for the moment can brighten up my day. Things that hopefully will help me to survive the long dark winter that is ahead.


1. Perfume. I am very picky when it comes down to choosing a scent that is good enough to join me for the average nine-to-five-day or the glamerous night at the town. In most cases it has to be instant love and make me dazzle. Last month, while I was in Italy for the Comenius Studytrip, I fell in love with the smelly creation inspired by the talented fashion designer Marc Jacobs: Daisy. It was a 'coup de coeur' and the bottle now brightens up my bathroom and the precious content can chase away some bits of my notorious morning moods.



2. Macarons. Yes, I have a major sweet tooth. You can for sure punish me with making me eat less sweets, cookies, chocolate, cakes, croissants, hard or soft candy, cupcakes,.... Once in a while these sweet cravings can mess up my mind. Like when my sis announced that she was moving back to Belgium. I was not jumping up and down for joy because this would mean no more cute little pink or green boxes filled up with Luxemburgerli made by Sprüngli. When P last night arrived home from a medical focus meeting that took place in Switzerland I just hugged him to death because of the little edible gems he was holding out to me. The Champagne and lime ones I consider as extremely delicious. I am keeping this precious little box not in a fridge but in a highly secured vault.



3. Music and my cute little iPod Nano. This tiny cool looking musical device is so small but don't be mistaken by its size. It for sure can brighten up my grey days. Love its design, the high tech touch screen and the mega space it offers me to load up all my favorite musical notes. According to me I do think that 'Life should have background music to it'! For the moment I have something going on with a Canadian-French artist named Mylene Farmer! I really got into her music when we moved to Brussels and I do now own some of her albums that are filled up with her soothing and rather sexy voice. When the song 'Desenchantee' fills up my car, living room, kitchen, garden or head then you better get out of the way because then Stallie goes wild. And yes, I do try to copy the choreography!



4. Blogs. Yeah, right Stallie, that is a good one!! You blog so you must love blogs. But for the moment I do try to find some other worthwhile blogs to read up on while the nights will be darker, longer and colder. The Twitter thingy has enabled me to get on some surprising blogs. My favorite is one that is written by someone who fascinates me. Just like me this person seems to like Twilight/Carlisle Cullen/Peter Facinelli but her blog is about so much more. Her last entry did me write down a passage in my life that did change me for good. I did get to share it with her and she did mail me back. Just to give you an idea:

IndigoPetra: News from Nathalie

5. BOOKFAIR Today my colleague booklover auntie L called me to ask if I wanted any tickets to go to the annual bookfair down in Antwerp. YEAH!!! Picture me going insane for pure joy! Best of all: they are for free! 'You only will have them by Tuesday! Is that okay?', she did ask me. Are you kidding me! As long as I get to go! After all, the Antwerp bookfair is one of the annual highlights in Stallie her existence. Not that my wallet will be celebrating along. But can't wait to go and meet up with all the inspiring authors and their new and old creations. In case you want to come along I seem to get two tickets.



6. My 'Kersenpitje' Every night just before brushing my teeth I pop something into the microwave. It is an object that brings me happiness and warmth when I feel the cold entering my the bones. Because that is what I do experience once I walk into our bedroom. P must have been an artic explorer in his previous life because he seems to survive the polarlike temperatures that come along with Wintertime. Thanks to this red colored pillow case that is filled up with cherry stones I do feel so much more comfortable between my cooled down sheets. And yes, this little warm object can make me fall asleep and take me of to dream country where I meet up with many of my favorite things!



Guess that I am armed well enough to get through the cold months to come. And if not I can still turn to this musical evergreen in order to get some more inspiration. Need to go to bed now, my 'Kersenpitje' is calling me and I hope that I will find some sweet dreams waiting for me once that I have closed my eyes. If not I still have a wonderful sight to look at that is lying next to me. Still, he better stays at his side of the bed, the cold side! Cold things, must be for sure something that is on P his favorite-things-list! Still I doubt it that the list includes any vampires by the name of Edward or Carlisle!

Happy Halloween! Happy Midterm!

Midterm!!! So this means that the first report card have been delivered, that I have met up with the first parents across the table and that I have seen some extremely happy teenagers. Some even cried for joy and relief! I am not kidding! This year some extreme hard working Junior ladies are in action and they don't want to give up after trying just once. Nope, this year I am a blessed teacher when it comes down to kids who want to find out where their limits are and then push it just a bit further.

Not that the first weeks were very easy on me. They first checked me out intensly before being prepared to show me them their real faces and personalities. The longer we got to spend time in a classroom the better we seemed to get along. Okay, there are days that a few will walk in with a face that only speaks anger, defeat, sadness or boredom. Their body language then seems to beam over: 'Surprise, surprise! Today it is one of these days that you just will have to deal with me being a real teenager kid/youngster!'

Okay, my newborn sophomores are still quite a catch! They still seem not to have settled down for the whole ride. They keep on kicking and they want to be sure that they are allowed to use my classroom as a showcase for a very dramatic play. Still I am very hopefull that even these groups will be finally ready to hand over their boarding passes for a quiet flight. Have already seen some moments that they were about to tresspass to the other side where they can come to terms with life. A scary act for them because it means that they have to show that don't seem to have all the answers, that they are in a pickle/fight with many and themselves and that they need to ask for help.

Still, I had some very remarkable moments in class with all of them. Especially the last few weeks have been unforgetable and even fun. And this with inspection being in the house and Stallie being a bit less self secured teacher. And I happily share them with you:

1. Newborn giving comments about my personal style of clothing and accessories.
'Hey Mrs! You are wearing very funny shoes! They look like Pinokkio-shoes!' Uhm, I can tell you that I was not sure what to reply but the classroom was filled up with genuine laughter. Even the assistent teacher in the back of my room was have her fun moment.
Relieved I was then that my nose did not started to grow when I told her that they do look a bit like that. Don't know if 'Camper' did have in mind this wooden character when designing them. But from that day on I did start calling them my Pinokkio shoes! My co-workers do now check frequently under the table what shoes I am wearing!
Still, I do think that part of this comment was caused by the size my feet look like when wearing them. Yes, I do have big feet. But as an ultimate test I have been wearing these shoes for parents evening and my nose did not change what so ever! Seems I still am a very honest teacher! ;-)

2. My talented Juniors and their very sincere questions! Five star teaching moment of these last two months was a moment in Religion class. While they were discussing the cross as a religious symbol (they did think that it was rather a less appropiate symbol to choose because it reminds them of death!) there was a very straight forward pupil who suddenly asked out of the blue and in full class:'Mrs S, what do you to show to others that you have got faith? Because after all, I don't see you wearing a cross or anything religion related!' The room became suddenly as silent as an empty church. In front of me were sitting 12 very focused teenagers. Scary image!! It felt a bit like being up for the Inquisition.
But it is right there, right at that moment you can see a class in action that is ready to travel along and is about to creep into your mind. They then want to get to bottom of a certain issue, subject and find out something that they can work with. After all, these kids also have the sixth sense when it comes down to being honest and sincere. I dare to admit openly that I then not walk out there on solid ground and that these are not answers I have putten down in a very structured lesson plan. These are the unprepared answers that have to come straight from the heart.
I then dive into the shallow water and hope that I won't go under! That for once the pupils will catch me and that they for a split second do open up their pre-occupied and so busy minds and grasp my hand. Luckily they did! We had a great swim together out there!

I am happy that it is midterm break! I do need this week for many reasons! Also to catch up a bit with P&A! The last few weeks where a bit too hectic. Althought I admit that this is a bit how I like it best! The three of us have been in and out quite a lot. Including myself! The following days I do want to have just an ordinary week amongst my two lovely men. One who finally fully recuperated from the hair explosion that made him resemble the Muppet character Beaker and the other who is for the moment out there celebrating his first Halloween-party. You better watch out for Darth Vader who is armed with a very flashy flashlight and did shrunk a bit! Happy Halloween! Especially to all my American friends out there who I do miss sincerly when these days are up on the calendar!

P.S. Thanks you so much P for that lovely pink box filled up with ultimate bliss! A nice cup of George Clooney Coffee in the company of a glamerous Champagne Luxemburgerli that is all it takes to let me travel to seventh heaven! Especially when you are sitting across the table reading your digital newspaper and wear that one blue shirt that can make me melt!

P.S.: I came across this nice Halloween poem what makes me realise that pretty soon we are about to enter the darker period of the year! Out there the ghosts, spirits and many less appealing side effects of Winter are waiting to meet up with us!! But also means that I am about to spend some very special moments with friends and family in good spirits . And that the moment is coming near that I am to become something I wished for so badly! Can't wait!

Halloween

Witches flying past on broomsticks,
Black cats leaping here and there,
White-robed spooks on every corner,
Mournful moaning in the air,

Goblins peering out of windows
Spirit-things that rap and run-
But don't be scared-it's just October,
Having one last hour of fun!

(by Mary Jane Carr)


P.S.2: Just an extra to brighten up this entry for A!

The Twitter Helpdesk

Stallie does Twitter and she does like it!! I do have some favorite persons that I love to follow and twitter along with. Some twitter back some are rather there to be followed. But today I hooked up with my favorite standup comedian but also a bit of cynical person when it comes down to many things in life: Youp Van 't Hek.

Seems that this one guy, started a tiny revolution out there. And it all started with his son who tried to obtain a new phone! T-mobile is now in a pickle and by now Youp has found a new mission: tackling the so well functioning (uhm, uhm) helpdesks we are blessed with.

Helpdesks you do need them when the brand new washing machine seems refusing to function as promised by the hot shot salesperson, or what when you need to find out what happened to your package that they lost track of (even when they have promised you on paper they have a splendid tracking device!) and what when you booked a ticket for London to do some 'chique' shopping but never obtained the tickets in time? Or what when your laptop suddenly out of the blue refuses any action and you looked up the number of the helpdesk adviced by many! Do I need to rave on? I don't think so.

Once I a while I call myself a helpdesk. Especially as a teacher because I tell my Juniors that they have the opportunity to use me as often as they want as a helping device. Not that they have my phonenumber. Nope, but once in class I am the one they can call on when needed! I don't have a button I can push when I want to put them on hold, I can't hide behind a phone or screen when called on! No,I am forced to make eye contact and can't ignore my clients. Also I can't make up any insane sounding excuses when I don't seem to offer the help they are after. Sometimes I need to be painful honest with them! And the last thing on my mind is that I will charge them extra (or in this case deduct any points) when they call for me!

This school year I do feel sometimes rather lost when it comes down to my own portion of extra help I am after. Because extra does also cost extras! Money is in many cases the key issue and in education financial aid is rather abstract. So for the moment I am one of the millions of teachers out there who does try so hard to do more with less. This does cost me energy and it also drives me insane.

Especially that I seem to be the only one who seems to notice that the clock in my classroom needs new batteries (my ASD-kids are challenged by this!!!) and that when I am in the computer room with 12 hyper active teenagers the half of the computers seems to have a bad day! I then want to scream for a helpdesk myself and just get my mobile out of my leather handbag and call the helpdesk. In the hope that a fairy godmother will pick up the phone and then fixes any problem in a split second with the help of her magic wand. Stallie, dream on!!

But I do know that as long I manage to be an honest helpdesk and handle/solve/fix/grasp/keep under control most of the situations on my own I do still feel fine! Honestly, I don't carry all the answers, and do not own a fortune to fill up the place with Smartboards or some other cool educational equipment, I do not seem to get all the logistic aid that I wish for in order to create some of the dream lessons I do have already created in my mind. But do I blame anyone for that? Uhm, no!! Still, a phone in my classroom would be nice! So that I at least can live with the illusion that help is only a phonecall away or that I can pick up the receiver once in a while and then just scream out loud:

'Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone, help.'

P.S.: In case you wonder how it all started out with Youp and his helpdesk adventure I have copied his column! Sorry, it is Dutch but you will find out there on Google some English articles on Youp his issue. Or just get it through a translation machine! Or just call the .........!! ;-))





Klantenservice

De details zal ik u besparen, maar het gaat om een maandenlang probleem dat onze zoon, een aardige student, met T-Mobile had. Een zaak waarin hij overigens volkomen gelijk had. Dat vond ik niet alleen, maar dat vond ook T-Mobile. Ze konden het probleem alleen niet zomaar oplossen. Waarom niet?

Omdat ze het niet konden oplossen. Maar het was toch hun fout? Klopt, maar de helpdeskmevrouw kon hem niet oplossen. Terwijl dat in een handomdraai kon. Inderdaad, maar daarvoor had zij niet de bevoegdheid. Dat moest schriftelijk. Binnen zes weken kreeg onze zoon dan antwoord. Of hij dan iemand anders van T-Mobile kon spreken? Nee! Waarom niet? Omdat dat niet ging! En kon de mevrouw het door T-Mobile veroorzaakte probleem niet aan iemand voorleggen en dat die dan terug zou bellen? Nee, T-Mobile belt nooit terug. Kafka in de polder.

Mijn vrouw heeft er nog een ochtend aan besteed en werd met dezelfde kluiten hetzelfde riet in gestuurd. Drie mobieltjes heb ik zelf geduldig hangend in de wachtrij leeg gebeld, kreeg hetzelfde begrip van de mevrouw, ook weer het grootste gelijk overigens en de mededeling dat het helaas schriftelijk moest worden afgehandeld. Uiteindelijk gedaan, mijn zoon heeft nog een week in een winkel op zijn beurt mogen wachten om de laatste details te regelen en afgelopen woensdag zou na zes weken zijn nieuwe toestel komen. Hij naar de winkel, uurtje op zijn beurt wachten en toen… toen klopte het weer niet! Weer een fout van T-Mobile. Sorry overigens. Maar de man kon zijn fout niet herstellen. Binnen dit Sovjetsysteem was hij niet bij machte om… Ik besloot om een hoog iemand bij T-Mobile te bellen, maar dat was dom gedacht. Die krijg je gewoon niet aan de lijn. De receptioniste van het hoofdkantoor heeft op straffe dat ze met een gesaboteerde parachute uit een Belgisch vliegtuig moet springen beloofd dat ze geen ontevreden klanten doorverbindt. Ik moest weer een brief schrijven en zou binnen zes weken… Genoeg, dacht ik en uitte mijn ongenoegen boos op Twitter. Nou is mijn account aldaar geen zeikerig onderonsje met vrienden, maar ik word gevolgd door meer dan veertigduizend mensen, die mijn probleem onmiddellijk herkenden omdat ze zelf ook allemaal in een zo’n soort conflict zijn verwikkeld met Ziggo, Eneco, UPC of een andere onbereikbare T-Mobile. Mijn berichtjes werden een vrolijke olievlek en binnen een half uur kreeg ik een aardige meneer van T-Mobile aan de lijn. Wat het probleem was? Maar problemen waren er toch om opgelost te worden? Daarbij had ik volledig gelijk. Alle fouten waren inderdaad gemaakt door T-Mobile. Sorry, sorry, sorry! Had u maar eerder gebeld! Onze zoon kon onmiddellijk naar de winkel gaan om zijn nieuwe toestel op te halen, zijn oude contract werd daar ter plekke verscheurd en hij mocht met kerst twee weken skiën met de familie van de hoogste baas van T-Mobile Nederland. Onze zoon blij, mijn vrouw verbijsterd en ik vooral vrolijk verbolgen. Twee maanden bonkte onze zoon op de machteloze T-Mobile-vesting, werd van kastjes naar muren en terug het woud in gestuurd, sloeg wanhoopskreten uit tegen medewerkers die hem telkens gelijk gaven, maar helaas niks voor hem konden doen en op het moment dat zijn kwade, beetje bekende vader tegen 40.000 landgenoten twittert dat het geduld op is en hij T-Mobile vrolijk doch beschaafd gaat slopen op het internet, belt het bedrijf in een geur van angstdiarree stotterend dat alles geregeld is. Ondertussen ben ik een soort nationaal meldpunt van de helpdeskterreur geworden en ik proef ook dat het geduld op is. Men is het spuugzat. Klantenservice betekent klantenservice ofwel: service aan klanten! En dat begint niet met een uurtje hangen terwijl je naar zaaddodende muzak moet luisteren. Om over het machteloze vervolg maar te zwijgen. Revolutie? Wat mij betreft wel. Hoe? Nog even geen idee, maar voorlopig raad ik iedereen aan om te beginnen met de nuchtere mededeling dat je eigenlijk Youp heet. En nogmaals: niet alleen tegen T-Mobile, maar echt tegen allemaal! We zijn begonnen!

Mail uw klantervaring naar youp@nrc.nl. Lees hier meer over deze actie.

'Stallie, doe iets!'

-I am back!
-I am a wreck!
-I am totally wrapped into Turkish education and culture!
-I am feeling VERY COLD after the sunny Turkish weather I felt down on my skin!
-I am sure that education is for a sure an universal right!
-I am able to open a door of a toilet for colleagues when they feel a bit lost! 'Stallie, doe iets!'
-I am about to get used to being offered candy and eau de cologne poured on my hands when I enter a public building!
-I am believing in the fact that education is a kind of art.
-I am still keen on men wearing suits and ties!
-I am totally 'zen' because of a certain hidden treasure that was located in the basement of our lovely hotel!
-I am happy to have a toilet that is bit more sophisticated.
-I am envious of Turkish schools who can afford 'Cleverboards'! ;-))
-I am still very fond of Turkish delight and kebab!
-I am aware of the fact that a good teacher manages to do more with less!
-I am still convinced that education never ends!
-I am still a person with a disasterous morning temper!! Sorry, in case you were a victim!
-I am to admire in certain Facebook photo albums made by minors!
-I am still smiling when I remember being dragged into a school's kitchen to kiss the cook! And this by a very nice and smiling Turkish teacher (I did not knew what he was saying and where he was taking me!) dressed in a nice suit!
-I am in full admiration for an average busdriver on Turkish roads!
-I am not good at speaking Turkish! Unless the words sound a bit like Dutch: Oto (auto), polic (politie), vitrin (vitrinekast)
-I am missing the sound of the crickets before dozzing asleep in my very nice hotel room! The sounds an average mosque produces around 6 am I don't miss at all!
-I am still impressed with the many daring educational adventures I got to see out there!
-I am not sure that I already know enough about ASD to make a difference in my own classroom! But at least I keep trying like most of the people I have met!
-I am now into Turkish music thanks to a last minute buy at Izmir International Airport.
-I am very grateful that I got to go along and made some new educational friends!
-I am going to have a smile on my face the next time when I see blue plastic shoe covers.
-I am still translating signs, posters, conversations, etc. into English/Dutch!
-I am not a big fan of Turkish killer coffee and therefor cuddled her Nespresso machine when she arrived home!
-I am sure that Turkey is trying very hard and hopes that this will last!
-I am about to fill out my first lotery ticket in order to get some extra funding for one of the educational dream I had the last few days!
AND....
I am looking forward to hearing some different music and having a hamburger in the company of my beloved colleagues!! Let us have a party! Don't be surpised to find out that I leave behind a trail of eau de cologne and humming Turkish songs!

P.S: Ajda Pekkan is the lucky Turkish pop queen I do now own a CD of. 'Vitrin' (showcase!) reminds me a bit of the feelings I experienced when we got of the bus for the next visit and faced our curious hosts! We were checked out, observed and photographed by many! ;-))

The Ripped Off Band Aid

'Dear, you always take things so personal! That is the part of you that has not changed what so ever!', my mum was so kind to point out. Mothers, they can be so straight forward even when you call them after one of these crushing scenes that just took place. 'Yeah, mum, I know that I should not but.... blah blah blah', was my rather cliché reply. After a 10 minute talk (way too short) she told me she had to go and get lunch ready for my brother J &Co who were paying her visit. Before I knew my busy mother was of the phone and I was facing still the mental crime scene and not knowing what to do.

I was so tempted to send N a text message but she is for the moment hanging out in Paris. I then picked out my sis. Not that I expected her to get back to me asap! By the time P called to meet up @ Foodlion for some last minute shopping I was staying over at the dark side. While picking out a birthday cake for A his lovely spanish cousin A, who we were going to have over for her first birthday, I gave P one of my so well known speeches that I am so fed up with this.

Hey, some things you never seem to get the hang of or rid of . Even when you think having composed a very straight forward list to live by. There seem to be always loopholes and there are always people that are waterproof or immune when it comes to mindfullness! I do still get hurt the most by the same person (and this over and over again) when it comes down to a certain aspect of my life. Believe me, I have tried to mend fences. Even considered some very drastic changes involving my own personality.

Over and over again it is this one little hiccup that manages to invade my mind and then I get so drama queen like. Stallie then would fit right into one of those B-rated crime movies in which a 30-something is trying to reshape her personal welfare by committing the perfect criminal act. Next she moves to the other end of the universe in order to start a new life under a false identity. Surprise, surprise,she then happens to fall in love with a fab gorgeous looking FBI-agent (would prefer Mathew Mcconaughey playing that part!!) who then convinces her there is so much more to life then she ever imagined. Of course just before putting on her wedding slippers she then gets very remorseful and then decides to tell him the truth..... Do I need to go on... Don't think so.

But stil this never-ending-emotional-story does cause me heart pain. P fails (in my honest personal opinion) also over and over again to make it a bit eassier on me. To take a stand when I feel there is an urgent need that he does this. Up till now he has not lived up to my (perhaps insane & illogical) high expectations. It is not that he has not tried to pump some useful advice into me but what seems to work for him is not good enough for me!

After nine years I still seem not to be able to put this in the right perspective. Even when there are moments that I do think that I got to the point where I seem to be able to deal with it in a very grown up way. And that it can't invade my mind uninvited. These are the days, weeks, months that I feel rather relieved and assume that we have come a truce. That we can face each other and letting bygones be bygones.

Today, once more I found out the hard way that we have not still come to that point! Today, the band aid once more got ripped of and started the just healed cuts once more dripping. Today, my blood managed once more to start racing against the speed of light and my heartbeat would have enabled to get Doctor Mc Dreamy or Doctor C. Cullen paged!

Now that the champagne glasses are washed by hand , the good table ware got stored away, the napkins and other table linnens have moved on to the laundry basket, the dishwasher is filled up to the brim and the last crumbs of the birthday cake have been hoovered away, I am sitting out her in my couch watching 'Hannibal'! Don't worry it won't bring me on any ideas but agent Clarice Sterling her Gucci little black dress and dito gorgeous high heels I would have loved to get my hands on! Guess, that an emergency shopping trip is going to be once more the perfect way to re-apply once more the disinfectant and a colorful (just got the Ice Age 3-design) band aid!

After all, I am a big girl now and don't need my mum anymore to do this the right way!! But the kisses she used to give on top of these little cuts and bruises were the best after care ever!!


'Keep your clever lines
Hold your easy rhymes
Silence everything
Silence always wins
It’s a perfect alibi
There’s no need to analyze
It will be all right
Through the longest night
Just silence everything'

(source: A-ha, Foot of the Mountain)

P.S.: My sweetest band aid of the night was this:
www.dolcegabbana.com/dg/perfumes/the-one-gentleman/man/
Just love guys in tux, La Dolce Vita and the smooth voice of Mathew! And yes,'When you know who you are, there is nothing to proof!'

Kicked Off The Merry Go Round?

Uhm, the merry go round came to a sudden stop and I was kicked off!! Moaning, moaning, that is what I am about to do! Not that the day had not started of nicely and in good spirits! After a very nice lunchbreak with M I drove to work and I was still high high high up in the sky! Also got my hands (finally) on 'The Worldbook of Happiness'! Now less then 10 hours later I do feel like I got slammed right in the face.

1. My skin still hurts! Nothing works and it is only getting colder.
2. Report cards seem to be a last minute thing because there will be last minute changes!! Hate last minute decisions and changes!
3. Got shot at! ;-) Anual flushots @ work. Ever since the Mexican flu I decided to get every year a shot! Unfortunately it was not Doctor Carlisle Cullen standing there with his tiny little needle! Ouch! Stiff arm as a result!
4. In about two weeks time chances are high that a hot shot inspector walks into my classroom and is going to ask me tons of incredible hard to answer and at the same time illogical (at least to me!!!) questions. And nope, I am not looking forward to that meeting. I am already fired up with negative energy. Six years ago I did not sleep for days and got so nervous that I even started loosing weight! Well, now that I come to think of it that is a nice side-effect of this dooming visitation.
5. Got some nasty comments to swallow! Not that I do not understand their anger and frustration! But unfortunately I can't do a lot about most of these expressed feelings. Unless I would multiply by 10 and then take a squareroot!
6 Traffic!! 'You big car, you small .....', I screamed at the guy in the huge BMW who almost moved into my tiny Corsa Vauxhall/Opel.
7. I still take many things too personal and in some cases you can't keep every single soul happy out there. People have as well let me down and have used their brain,sense, mind in a rather strange logical way. When I seem to do it (in their honest opinion) then I feel so empty inside and wished I could fix every single problem in a split second. But just can't do this! Sorry but I am only human!

P was the one who tried to put a smile back on my face! While he was still wearing his trainers and black running outfit he was getting a nice spaghetti carbonara ready for me to diggest. He let me moan (so did N, who has got so much more on her precious cute mind, thanks!)and then he made me eat!

I then digged into the hot pasta. P was so nice then to make table conversation by sharing a very meaningful story that happened this week at the hospital when he had to deal with a certain issue. P works very, very, very hard and still there are people who keep pointing out that they need him more often. Sometimes that is very hard on him. I gave him an extra pat on the shoulders when he told me what he had done/said!


By then he got dressed for a night social networking amongst overworked co-workers @ a very fancy restaurant! Oh, love that nice colored shirt and pants so much more then the trainers! Guess, that I came home! A then was then so kind to leave most of the pasta for me!! Good boys!!! Love you, P!!!! Love you, A! Especially on days like this when you try to give good & useful advice and feed me! XXXXXXXXXXXXX (Cheesy I know but they deserve it so much more then I can ever express in words!!!)



P.S: This song is one of my favourite 'Awakening'-songs and kind of very fitting to go along with this entry!

Cold, Sunny Mornings

The few last days we have been blessed (at least, over here in Belgium) with some nice Autumn weather! Once the morning has pulled out its grey atire the sun does come out and brightens up the surroundings. Like it! To me it does not even matter that temperature-wise it already feels a bit cooler. Can also handle the darker mornings I need to tackle in order to get to work.

Still, this morning I found out over the radio that snow is coming closer to home. Yesterday it hit Moscow and that I do consider already close enough to feel cold. But today they announced that Scotland and the North of England would get to see snowflakes.

Scotland!!! Northern England!!! That is too close to home to my personal liking. A is already wearing his winter coat. Still his old one! The new one we are desperately seaking for but shopping seems to be the last thing on our busy minds! Because A does not have some extra heating (fat) he is the first to call out that something is tropical warm or freezing cold.


My skin is also spilling the beans on this colder period of the year! So I will be moisturizing in order to hide the flakes that are covering up my face!!! My cheeks will be turning red when I am taking a peek outside! My hands will be itching all over and turn red when I not attack them with enough sticky cream. And last not but least my back injury will be announcing its comeback! Hernias have the tendency to let you know that the cold monster has invated once more your body!

Still, I have restored the faith in my personal list! Did not take me that long to refocus. I only try to moan about situations, places, feelings, current affairs and global issues for perhaps split seconds and then move on. Not that I do not care about them! Surely I do but the world keeps on turning and I do not wish to get of the merry go round as long as I still have that option.

To cheer up my colder mornings and also evenings that are bound to show up in heaps I bought yesterday a new CD! I do now own 'In and Out of Consciousness' by Robbie Williams. All his greatest hits from between 1990-2010 are in that one carton box. Not all I like also think that Robbie has got some serious issues going on. But lately, he seems to get/sing his act together. Getting married and then decide that joining back the old gang (Take That) are for sure some hopefull signs!

My personal favorite: Morning Sun. Very fitting to listen to when driving to work while the sun is coming up and an other day is about to start. And yes, it does not help entirely to chase away my notorious bad morning moods but it does make me feel much more alive. So thanks Robbie, that you once in a while come out of unconsciousness and then see the (sun)light.

How do you rate the morning sun
After a long and sleepless night?
How many stars would you give to the moon?
Do you see those stars from where you are?
Shine on the lost and loneliest
The ones who can't get over it
You always wanted more than life
But now you don't have the appetite
In a message to the troubadour
The world don't love you anymore
Tell me how do you rate the morning sun?
Stuck inside the rainbow yields
You could happen to be
Cause I've been close to where you are

I drove to places you have seen
It all seems so familiar
Like they've been sent to kill you
It doesn't take an astronaut
To float in the space is just a thought
The morning brings a mystery
The evening makes it history
Tell me how do you rate the morning sun?


And the village drunk
Sadly passed away,
It was a shame I never knew his name
I wonder if he sat there every the morning
Watched the sunrise


How do you rate the morning sun
It's just to heavy for me
And all I wanted was the world
If you were the stars that's in the sun
Don't go wasting your time
Cause there is no finish line
And you don't see anything,
Not even love not anything,
The night can take the man from you
A sense of wonder overdue
The morning brings a mystery
The evening makes it history
Who am I to rate the morning sun?

( source: Robbie Williams)

Our Lives Will Stay Swiss

Auntie Lily is back!!!! A and many others are over the moon to have their favorite auntie, sister and daughter closer to home. To A Switzerland seemed to be the end of the world. And I just did not manage to get over as much as I wished for! The last 18 months we only got to see her at very special occassions. So when she announced she would move back to the land of the non-decisive politicians, beer, richer chocolate and many contradictions we all were thrilled.

Not that Switzerland was the wrong place for her to hang out! I do think that it did something amazing to my younger sibbling. Out of experience I did know that a country where you hang around a bit longer then the average city trip or beach holiday can change you for the better. So, that I saw my own sis going through a very interesting evolution was kind of nice to witness!

When I got to see her in action in her Swiss habitat I was impressed. And every time when she was over I saw a certain sparkle in her eyes that made me smile. Okay, the Swiss nation has got its reputation of being rather self centered and many words are used to describe its inhabitants that would not be used in a travel advert. But still,...

That L now decided to call it the day in Zürich is due to a very decisive factor called LOVE! So, last month she had her farewell visits, trips, parties, moments and acts. I guess, it was not easy to make that decission. After all after 18 months you have been able to call a place home and the people around more then just passers by!

I am happy for her that she did find a job and that she has got a person to come home to and share her deepest feelings and thaughts with. Also thrilled about the fact that she is now closer to us and I do not need to book a flight before I am able to punch her! BUT....

I do regret now that:

- she can't bring me anymore frequently a box of Sprüngli champagne macarons!
- she won't be speaking her funny sounding Swiss German over the phone when I call her!
- she can't be anymore the best excuse to travel to Switzerland!
- she can't introduce us anymore to less known things, facts, places, food, brands of this mountain-rich nation.
- she can't tell us some cheesy gossip about very important people she met up with on the plane or who where running around in Zürich city.

And many more things that I got so used to. Switzerland will never be the same again because in my mind it has got an L-touch to it now. It does now stand for so much more then all the things that I mentioned in my blogpost about 1,5 year ago when she was leaving.

Sis, I am happy for you when you happy. I wish you the very best out there! Good luck with the new job, driving a car ( can't wait to see you in action behind the steering wheel!), filling up a new apartment with your personal colorful and stylish wardrobe and belonings. But most of all I wish you the very best with C, who is now the lucky one to get his daily life spiced up by your presence! You deserve it! And thanks a million for introducing me to the Real Swiss Life!!

So, I guess: WELCOME HOME, SIS!!!!!

P.S.: Here above I posted my all time favorite pic taken of my sis (not me!) in Switzerland! It reminds me a bit of an Evian advert! Just love the sight!!! Hopefully she can keep up the zen-attitude! A poem, that, I think, goes along nicely with this is by Emily Dickinson. Rather short but so powerful! As powerful as the life energy my sis showed when she was out there living the Swiss Life!:

Our Lives Are Swiss

Our lives are Swiss
So still -so Cool-
Till some odd afternoon
The Alps neglect their Curtains
And we look farther on!

Italy stands the other side!
While like a guard between -
The solemn Alps -
The siren Alps
Forever intervene!

Emily Dickinson

Poetry Of Motion

There was a time that I did spend every single week at least two to three hours in a ballet studio. And my whole room was filled up with tunes with a rather classical touch to them. On top of that many things I owned were ballet inspired! During my Senior year my ballet folder, that I got as a first communion gift, got stolen and I was heartbroken. Okay, my historynotes were a big catch just before finals!!

Got my first pink balletshoes with very long ribbons at the age of 6 and closed permantly the door of a ballet studio about 6 years ago. In a way I was forced due to a growing little bump (that turned out to be A! ;-) ) and a back injury. I do have days that I would love to go back out there. After all it is in the middle of a dance floor I do seem to be able to let go everything and at the same time express my inner feelings in the best way ever.

Not that I ever did have the potential to get into a prestigious balletschool of Antwerp. Theoretically I was even too tall as a ballet dancer to get matched up with a male dancer. Of the last category I only got to meet a few. Overall the ballet world is considered a very female world. Most boys who wear ballet slippers and tights seem to have this very 'gay' look all over!

Due to many reasons I visited numerous balletschools. All had their own teaching style and dance instructors. Still, the bottomline was everywhere the same: just dance and feel more alive! This I took very close to my heart. My parents were so nice to add some ballet studio feeling to my room in the form of a mirror and a small ballet barre . But to be honest I could have danced anywhere and anytime! After all a dancer does not need a stage, only a soul!

It still hurts do see other people dancing away! Love the sight but I am aching to be out there with them and move along on the rhtyme and feel so much more alive! Not that I have too much wrinkles to sign up for a dance class. In this specific case it is my back injury that will give me away once I put on my dancing atire.

All the ballet reminders are now hiding out in the back of my wardrobe. I am even holding on to my pink toeshoes and I sometimes get them out and hold them in my hands. They can make me travel back to the time when I was dancing away and able to put my body in some amazing ways. My feet, legs, arms, hands and for sure my face were out there in order to express my inner feelings and show what music could do with me!

So a prima ballerina I never was but I do know that I felt at my best when I was out there on a wooden floor, standing straight, focused, spotting, turning in all directions, stretching my legs and even enjoying (!) the pain when the ballet teacher pushed it a bit further! Loved every second of it! The moment the sweat hit my back back and the first pearl of it was running down my neck I got into a certain trance! Even the hyperventelation that took place in the changingroom after dancing my solo for the annual ballet exame! I once crashed in the changingroom but at the same time I felt the adrenaline running wild!

I refuse to throw away my 'pointes' because after all almost 30 years of dancing are wrapped into them. Honestly, the fact that A is not showing any real interest in ballet I do regret a bit. When he then makes his cool Michael Jackson moves and starts to look at himself in the mirror while doing so I do get a real crack out of it and start to move along!

We will see where it ends? He got signed up for athletics and so I guess that we will be buying some cool trainers very soon and they for sure won't have the color pink! A & ballet I don't think so. At least we already seem to be able to dance together through the kitchen. I am wondering if he would want to sign up for ballroom dancing with his mum? Too much to ask of a 6 year old?

P.S.: Yes, I did own the book 'Tiny goes to ballet' and I hold on for a very long time! The pages even got teared. Basically I was dressed about the same way and I even had the white hairband!

P.S.2: Turns out that exactly today the 60th album of 'Tiny' came out and that the author, Marcel Marlier is blowing out 80 candles on his birthday cake! What a coincidence!!! Uhm, guess that it worthwhile to look for that one particular album when I am back home! ;-)))

Me Happy?

Okay, I blew the list but I promised myself it is only for a day or two!! Because up till a day or two ago I just managed to handle everything just fine. But now that the days are getting shorter and that also the trees are loosing their leavy Summer attire it seems a bit harder to take it at heart.

As long as I was inside the school building and facing pupils I was well behaving. It was started dripping into the teacher's lounge around 2.30 where I just talked back when spoken to and this in a less soothing tone. Some replies were rather daring. My 'Green Wing'-attitude was coming to the surface. By four o'clock I was ready to jump out of cupboard and perform a tune on a recorder!

Please believe me that I have tried to fight back! It still looked good when I managed to keep my act together. Unfortunately I am not alone on this planet and forced now and then to interact. So I proudly present you here the list of things, situations who got me headbanging, pulling faces, cursing, screaming (sorry P but you just pushed it a bit too far with that one particular nasty smile!) and also talking faul language:

- the word meeting/consultation! Love having them and being part of them. Especially when they are useful and called for the right reason. But for some people they stand for some others things that don't fit into my daily vocabulary. And you better have a clear agenda and the right reasons to call a meeting to get me around the table. Not that I not want to help out but I have still not gratuated from Zweinstein. So, who is attending too many meaningless meetings with certain individuals who still not seem to get the message?

- tyres: P is selling his winter tyres! Not that we are moving to a place where there are no Winters. Nope! There is a different motivation behind this act. Just can't spill all the beans on this one. Still, I was the one who had to drive my small car to the tyre station and load them into my trunk! Even cleaned out my whole car for this special occasion. Up till today I am returning with no tyres because they manage to unload their truck at the wrong place! Guess who is going to have to pick them up on a Saturday morning in her tiny car?

- ears: A got his whole teeth taken care of!! The cliniclowns paid him a fun-visit @ the hospital and he brought back home balloons twisted into strange looking creatures. He has got now that toothpaste smile but also painful ears. This is partly a nice side-effect caused by the anaesthetics. A now is not a very cheerfull kid and by night time he turns into an insomniac unless he is forced to take some nasty tasting pain medication. Get the picture!?

- bookclub: I had to cancel my performance at the awesome Nicola's Bookclub. And that is already painful to handle for one month! Reason: P!!!! Instead of being granted to enter Brussels and get to talk about 'The Kite Runner' I ended up Twittering my excuse. I was the one who was so kind to sacrifice my day of all days to a good cause: P educating other doctors on some heartdisease and do some social networking! But who is now pissed and is still waiting for a well meant sorry or thank you?



Now that I got started I don't seem to be able to call it the day! Okay, there were some things to be happy about:

-Yes, I am happy for Mario Vargas Llosa who got the Nobel Prize for Literature! Nicola had made me read 'The Bad Girl' and it was one of those books that stood out.
-Yes, I am happy that our National Football team 'The Red Devils' finally got to win a game for once and in a rather convincing way!
-Yes, I am happy with Summit for picking out McKenzie Foy as 'Renesmee' in 'Breaking Dawn'. Can't wait to see her out there!
-Yes, I am happy that our Comenius team can have efficient meetings and this even on a Friday evening!
-Yes, I am happy that our dinner with some friends we have not seen for a very long time at a very tasty and cool restaurant (that happens to be up high on my resto wishlist) place still not got canceled.
-Yes, I am happy that my sister moved back! A is as well thrilled about having auntie Lilly back!
-Yes, I am happy with our extended (only 1 m, but it seems now huge!) living room floor and new central heating!
-Yes, I am happy with the awesome cool drawing A produced and the story he made my mother in law write along with it!
-Yes, I am happy with my new Italian leather (love the smell!) bag that takes me back to San Marino every time when I take a look at it!

And finally:

- I am extremely happy that 'The Worldbook of Happiness' hit the shelves. I ordered my copy and can't wait to dig into it. Because I am sure that it will help me to restore my faith in my important list. And that will enable to get 'my moan goat' back into its stable and only come out for a split second and then move on



P.S: This is also a sight that can make me feel so much happier: the sunset @ San Marino! Yes, taken with my little camera that seemed to decide to give it an other go! Uhm, I just had my mind put on a new cooler and faster camera to attack the world with! Me happy or not? You tell me asap because I am about to get my moan goat back out?!

Zen In The Classroom?

Teenagers can be very fierce when it comes down to getting their point across. For sure when they are spending time in Puberty Country! According to my mother I did never checked in there. Still, I have seen enough that it is for some kids a rather painful experience. My sister rather got stuck in that period of time, also according to my mum, and I do think that it were the Swiss and a nice fellow named C that turned her into a real lady!

At work I am so fortunate to walk into a classrooms filled up with wild hormones and kids who are about to errupt because of the specific feeling mentioned here above! As a teacher noticing that there is a pupil out there who is staying over in teenage hell then you can do two things: ignore or try to make it a bit eassier on him/her. In most cases I go for option 2. One of my golden rules in my classroom is that 'disturbances always get priority'! After all they can affect my teaching style and also the quality of learning!

'Please, get it out in the open!' or 'What is bothering you?', 'Can I do anything do fix it or at least let me find some help for you to make it any eassier on you?', are just some of the opening lines when I am picking up negative vibes. They then also get two options. One: they talk about it for 5 minutes privately with me or when it affects a whole group I try to get them all involved in a group discussion. Or they can deny themselves that right but then also start working without any further disturbances! If they go for option one I then turn into a modest moderator without choosing sides. Try to be a good listener and guide them through the very difficult process of trying to settle the score! And this without extra punches!

In most cases it is my personal formula to turn a bunch of hard core teenagers into hardworking sensible kids with still enough punch in them! Helas, yesterday it was not enough! One look at the 12 faces standing or sitting out there was enough to know that they just were about to go for the kill! And it was their stresslevel I was experiencing and I was fighting back not to let it get under my skin! 'Oh boy, where is Jasper Cullen when you need him badly?!', I was thinking.

After being 10 minutes in my room they had spilled the beans and there I was facing a class in complete turmoil. Not that they were passing out punches (nope, that chapter appeared to have taken place just before they had entered the school! Visit to the ER included!) or were going to attack me! But what I was experiencing was not a positive atmosphere in which I was ready to teach them about some significant social skills that can make the difference in their lives!


There in front of me were sitting very hurt kids and my bag of tricks was empty! My classdoor was knocked on numerous times. Many got to go out to have a meaningful talk but the dust did not get settled by recess! By noon I was the one who was very tempted to drive over to N for an emergency shiatsu treatment or booking a ticket to the tropics. When I left my classroom I was more than ever convinced to get that one sign made:'Beware, Class of Newborns In Action!' with a very colorful 'Twilight'-twist to it! When it is out on the door you better keep out unless your name is Jasper Cullen!

P.S.: In order to snap out of this mood I tried to imagine to be something else for a few hours. In the background I had this Donna Lewis song on. As a teacher I need to have many aliases. But on an average Wednesday I seem having rather the impression that I need to be most of these things mentioned in this soothing&velvetlike song!

A Hamster to Celebrate World Animal Day

You can choose many things in life and think very carefully before you go for it! Even about your partner you can have second thaughts. You then can move on hoping to find a better match. But once you have found Mr/Mrs Right you do realise you can not just return him or she to sender. Even when he/she turns out to be allergic to animals. P is one of that kind. He just can't manage to stand close to any cats&dogs and many alive and kicking inhabitants of the animal kingdom.

In the beginning I did not mind. As long as my mother's cat Baziel was alive I still had a pet to turn to when needed. But since he is way up in cat heaven I do miss some extra company at home. Many neighbours have got dogs and this in order to feel safer! Our next door neighbour has got cats. And we are blessed that they pay us a visit once in a while.

A also loves them having over! He then starts talking to them and asking them very catlike questions like 'Did you find any mice?' or 'Are you feeling hungry?' Our favorite cat visitor is Tyson. He (I assume he is male, have not checked but his name rings a bell, I think!) is a black 'medium' sleek normal cat. Nothing thrilling but I can tell you that when he is sitting in front of my kitchen window I do feel so much better. Like he is an extra accessory that came along with the house!

When we found out that also A had inherited P his allergic pet genes I did feel so down. Because now it is two against one. But in the name of love and health you do have to rest even such cases. So from our top to bottom is our house animal free. Except if you count in the stuffed animal kingdom that is permanent living in A his bedroom. That room is bit by bit turning into a real petting zoo!

One day A got into car after school being very excited!

A: 'Mum, I can take my pet along to school!'
S: 'Uhm, honey you don't have pets!'
A: 'Mum, I do! You know we can bring in our stuffed animal to class!'
S: 'Are you sure about that?' (Thinking 'What is the point of taking a stuffed animal when others are bringing in something real!?)
A: 'I am telling the truth!'
S: 'Uhm, is this somewhere in your diary?'
A: 'I guess so!' (looking out of the car and singing along with a song over the radio!

I have to be honest that I did not believe him in the first place. While he was winding down in front of his Star Wars car park I was checking out his assignments! And he was damn right. There was a official letter of the school in which they told the parents that their kid could bring along any animal and the ones who did own an alive one were allowed to bring in stuffed ones.

So today on World Animal Day I packed his personal favourite to celebrate the animal kingdom we are blessed with: a hamster in a plastic running bowl. It is an electric animated stuffed animal who makes the bowl roll over! It was the souvenir I had bought while being in London this summer. Very cute to watch. I did feel a bit sorry for him when he was so over the moon that he got to settle for this imitation animal and having to face tons of real pets!

Uhm, I guess I am the one who really is after the real thing and still misses something she can cuddle and to talk to when others don't seem to have time. For now I settle for a very nice website. One that is stuffed with tons of pics and videos of some real animal lovers who wish to share their love for animals with the human race! A & I had already some real fun in front of our computer.

We therefore wish to thank our great friend and awesome godmother N who was the one who had this as a link on her blog! THANKS A MILLION for letting me enjoy animals in the most non allergic way ever! And for the ones out there who do have pet please feel blessed and spoil him/her/them a bit today! They truely deserve it!


http://www.cuteoverload.com/

P.S.: N give your dotting hamster L an extra cuddle today!

Just A Quick Note

Just a very quick note to say that I returned home after a very interesting Comenius trip. That Stallie is fueled up once more. That she was in very good company the last few days. She gained tons of weight (als in knowledge!) and brought home a heavier suitcase. But believe it or not did not buy one single book!

The last few days I have not blogging for myself but when I did find the time in between meetings or just before going out for dinner I tried to post something on our very interesting project site. In case you wonder what I posted there you are always welcome to take a peak at:

http://autautcomenius.blogspot.com/

Don't worry about the fact that you might not be able to read any Dutch. Google translator might help you out! Sometimes very funny translations as a result. Enjoy and LOL!

P.S. One of the inspiring bookmarks I got from L, a very inspiring English teacher at CEIS, Rimini read as following:

"FRIENDS DO
Listen, Help, Play,
Understand, Trust, Support you,
Talk things over, ....

FRIENDS DON'T
Hurt, Lie, Annoy,
Say mean things,
Yell, Curse,
Tell secrets,
Talk behind backs ...."

For sure some fitting words for my dear Comenius-friends!!! Miss you already!

P.S.: And in case you did not already knew Comenius is a name of a certain person. Google him and you will find out many interesting facts. To tickle your interest I posted her already picture of this a cool inspiring person!