Christmas Calm

Honda ran a great ad campaign this holiday season, with the theme "At a time it's easy to go overboard..." The ads showed people making a huge deal of the holiday season: hiring Bette Middler to sing carols, for example, or Bobby Flay to cook Christmas dinner. I loved this ad campaign because I think so many of us in America can relate to the pressure the holidays bring to do things bigger and better. After all, it's Christmas! It's here! Once a year! Make a scene! But ever since my dad was sick a few years ago, Christmas has taken on a new meaning for me and my family. Contrary to the stressful norm of the holidays, my family treats Christmas as a time to unplug, eat good food, and just enjoy spending time with one another doing absolutely nothing.

(Katie and I ... being ourselves.)

Christmas 2011 was exactly that, to a greater degree than ever before. It had been more than a year since we managed to get the four of us- just my mom, dad, my sister and I- all together to enjoy some plain and simple family time. And since I only had a few days off, we decided to stay in the Berkshires this year and just relax. My mom cooked amazing food all weekend- one night was an Italian antipasti feast, another a seafood smorgasbord, and I'm still dreaming about our Christmas eve "roast beast." We watched movies together, played xbox, went for walks with our dog, and sat around in front of the fireplace reading books. For the first time in practically forever, we sat down as a family for a football game and got to cheer on the Pats together (ok, not our WHOLE family...sorry Mom.) Our only excursions into civilization were to the Berkshire Mall for some necessary last-minute shopping with Dad.

(He helped us wrap.)

Overall, it was a lazy, calm holiday. But I needed it. I think we all needed it. What's the point in ending a year in a frenzy of stress? For me, at least, 2011 has felt like a non-stop panic fest. It's been a year of perpetual transitions. And I still am not settled! Christmas was a time to take inventory of all the blessings in the year, and take a deep breath before launching into 2012.

Check out the albums from my time home, and the prerequisite family photo shoot. The albums SHOULD be public:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100325942061346.2558575.5515657&type=1&l=45e1f1206a

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100325935215066.2558572.5515657&type=1&l=8673ec8b92

Peace and Love- see you in 2012!

Trash to Treasure

As the gaping time between blog entries can tell you, life's been a bit of a mess lately. Figuratively speaking, it's been a year of messy transitions. 2011 was a year for switching careers, switching homes, switching routines, and switching priorities. But literally speaking, it's been a mess lately too, as any visitor to my small apartment could tell you.

Call it an early New Year's resolution, but I decided last week that it was time to clean up the mess. Time to knock off those nagging to-do lists. Time to follow up on emails, follow through on promises, and get my life in order to kick off 2012 the right way. And there may not have been a better symbol of the mess in my life than my disgusting, broken, get-what-you-pay-for dresser, which can best be described by this online review:

Rating

Do not Recommend

tprice80

from Auburn, AL, Nov 24, 2010

This was the worst money ever spent. It is a total piece of junk. Not sturdy, falls apart, completely unusable about a month after purchase. Drawers will not open. Drawers fall apart. Screws fell out.

I wish I had taken a picture of this thing, for the sheer humor of how BAD it was. As of two weeks ago, exactly 2 of the 6 drawers still worked and the top of the dresser had warped into a U-shape. It was like the dresser was a mouth full of bad teeth, sneering at me. So, none of my clothes could go into it, leading to piles of wrinkled filth all over my room. As I tried to push it out of my bedroom, it literally collapsed into a million pieces, and I collapsed with it. Anyone who has seen me fall in real life before, please take this moment to laugh a little evilly in your head.

When it comes to furniture, I have commitment issues. I've moved every year of my life (sometimes more than once in a year) for the PAST 7 YEARS. This is clearly not the time in my life to spend cash on actual furniture. Actual furniture prices make my head spin. I think I always planned on winning my furniture from a Showcase Showdown on the Price is Right or something. When do people actually go out and buy this stuff?

But there simply was no way I was going to buy another iteration of fake furniture: No more clear plastic drawers, particle-board trash heaps or milk crates. So I decided to go to Goodwill, and embrace the DIY- "design on a dime" spirit. And that's where I found this:

What a beauty. And for only $45. I could tell it needed a little -- ok, a lot-- of love. It was filthy. It was missing handles. The stain and polyurethane was chunked off and melted by an... iron? Well, melted by something. Time to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

I drove straight from Goodwill to the Home Depot and picked up just a few basic miracle workers: Rags, Sandpaper, primer in a spray-can, and black acrylic paint. And, battling cold and the setting sun, I began the attack.

One intense session of scrubbing, a very sore right arm (sanding is really tough labor! I swear!), 3 coats of paint, and only a few minor cuts and scrapes later, I couldn't believe how AWESOME it came out. I'm so proud of it and it's totally changed my whole room! Now my clothes have somewhere to go- and I have a piece of furniture I'm proud of.

This silly dresser project was a great way to kick off the "clean up the mess" campaign in my life. My to-do list is getting smaller and smaller. I'm not there yet, but I'm on my way. Epilogue to the story: I told my mom about the brand of dresser that this is, and she told me that it was worth $700-800! Incredible!! Thanks to my Mom for the painting advice, Meredith for the use of her SUV, and Ron for his incredible lifting powers! Peace and love.

A Little Trip to the Big Apple

New York, New York. To all of my friends living in the Big Apple, I salute you. Every time I visit your metropolis, I return to little DC utterly tuckered out. In one day of business meetings in New York, I easily walked more than three miles! Cabs are expensive and your subway scares me (really, how long does it take you to learn that thing! I am so spoiled by the DC metro.) Also, every time I visit your city it is extremely hot and humid, which is not conducive weather for pre-business meeting nerves. But I have to say: when I took this job, trips like this were exactly what I envisioned, and overall I had a fantastic time!

Awesome perk number one was my room at the Algonquin Hotel. I was told it is the oldest hotel in NYC, and has a very rich Hemmingway-esque look and history. I’ve never stayed at a place like this and since my family is really more into lodgings that have “Budget” or “Econo” in the name, I doubt I’ll stay someplace like it again any time soon. The bed was an enormous king and the Victorian bathroom fixings and décor were lovely. The lobby was luxurious and the walls were papered with old cartoons from "The New Yorker." And you KNOW it was high class when the mini-shampoos are from Bath and Body Works! You better believe I brought those home. The free cocktail upon arrival and free sit-down breakfast in the morning didn’t hurt either. I was only sad my work took up more time and I couldn’t lounge around and enjoy the place more!

During the day I went around Manhattan meeting some of CER’s supporters and donors, talking to them about CER’s priorities and asking them about their needs. It was exciting tromping around the city in heels and a blazer, handing out my freshly minted business card and learning a lot about the state of education in NYC from some amazing people. I had a real “living the dream” feeling when I was there, and hope it’s just the start for me doing trips like this.

Best of all, I got to grab a bite with Stephanie and Stacey and catch up on their NYC lives since we last visited. My old Syracuse girls are so dear to me and I’m happy to report that they’re both doing very well in their journalism careers. I’m so proud of them! I enjoyed my copy of “Parenting” magazine compliments of editor Steph the whole train ride home, probably to the surprise/judgment of my fellow passengers!

Since my return to DC, my schedule has been packed with the usual joys of life these days- visiting new restaurants in my neighborhood, wine nights with the ladies, babysitting my adorable charges, cocktail parties, delightful dates, amazing fall weather… I take back the phrase “usual joys.” There is no such thing. I’m amazingly grateful and lucky for all the cool and special things I get to experience lately.

Tomorrow I go to an official “weather watchers” training class with the Washington Post. Prepare for a gleefully nerdy entry soon!

Peace and Love.

Jumping Out of a Plane

On my birthday in January, there was a Groupon for a skydiving session at a seriously reduced rate. And although skydiving has always been on my bucket list, probably since I heard my dad's stories of jumping out of helicopters, I had no plans to do it this year. But, here was the coupon, it was my birthday, I was feeling crazy, and my friend Brian wanted someone to go with... so in one swift click I had a skydiving ticket on my hands.

We finally set the date and drove out to rural Virginia to redeem our ticket. It gets REALLY country REALLY fast outside of DC, and we were in some serious farmland by the time we got to the dirt road leading to the address. I was a bit miffed- in my mind I was definitely expecting an air strip, but as we followed the spray-painted signs on scraps of corrugated tin that said "skydiving", I realized I was not in for such luxuries.


I'm sure the guys who we skydived with were professionals, they had something like 6,000 jumps each to their names, but nothing about this place made you feel like you were in good hands. It was a certifiable redneck operation. Packs of random dogs ran around the yard, there were little kids clattering around in a go-kart, and the woman who put me in my harness was absolutely chain smoking and wearing pajama pants. The random barn where they kept the plane was adorned with an enormous confederate flag, and the plane itself reminded me a little bit of my dad's old 1988 Bronco II (in size and quality.)

As if I weren't nervous enough, this pack of characters who I was trusting my life to would not stop messing with us. I guess it's how they get through their boring skydiving work days. For example, they'd be like "oh man, they put you in THAT harness? I thought we grounded that harness yesterday. Oh well, it's probably fine..." or "Skydiving is really a lot better after you take some E, don't you think, man?" Against all logic, and probably driven by the sensible thought process of not wanting to look like a wuss, I got into the plane. After rumbling down the field we were off, and up into the air.

At 11,000 feet they start a 3 minute countdown. I have to say- it was sunset when we went, and it was like being in a cartoon of heaven. The sky was full of fluffy cotton-boll clouds, rimmed in gold, and below the farmland was bright green. It calmed me-- just a little-- and then they whip open the door. There is a blast of icy, sharp air, and suddenly, your feet are out of the plane on a little ledge. There's no way to describe that "looking down" moment. I know there's no way I could have jumped on my own- but thankfully, I had a push, and then you're falling, falling, falling...

This must be what shock feels like. You fall at a rate of 120 mph and your face and whole body is consumed by freezing, penetrating wind. I thought I'd scream, or flail, or something- but I was totally and utterly without reaction. I was mentally blank. I just watched the ground get closer and closer and let myself feel the burn of the cold on my face. Then- without warning- you are snapped from your stupor and jerked suddenly upright with the opening of the parachute. My guy did some tricks with me, swirling it in fast circles and letting me "steer". In about 5 minutes time from plane to ground, we landed. Brian hit the field a few seconds after me. All we could do was stagger around and say, "Whoah. Oh my god. That was...that was so cool."

Processing 15 gallons of adrenaline does something to you. I was not hungry for the rest of the day, and Brian and I were in a state of semi-shock the whole way home. We hardly talked about anything and parted ways. I crashed asleep pretty early and days later was still trying to process the feeling of the free fall.

Now the million dollar question: Would I do it again? Nope. Not any time soon. It was wild and crazy and shocking and unreal. And for me, that's a one-time feeling. When I think back to that moment where I looked out of the open door of the plane, I still get chills. It was cool, but also utterly terrifying. I feel no need to go rushing back. Never say never, I suppose- I'm sure someone will peer pressure me into it again one day! And besides, maybe it would be different if it was any kind of operation that at least took your picture as you leaped from the plane. At least I have Brian as my witness that I did it!

Now, off to sleep after a work trip to NYC. That deserves its own blog, which I'll try to get to later this week. Peace and Love!

My Favorite Things

Last night, I participated in possibly the coolest* and most joyful thing I've ever done in D.C.

I went to a Sound of Music Sing-a-Long at Wolftrap, an outdoor Tanglewood-esqe performing arts venue just outside the city. A singalong, you say? Yes. A sing-a-long, just like that Disney series we all had as kids with the little bouncing ball and that owl that introduced each video.

I had no idea that the grown-up sing-a-long was an actual phenomenon. But apparently, it's all the rage in England (research credits: Meredith Rosenberg) where Elton John had a Sound of Music sing-a-long for his most recent birthday party. Other movies that get the honor include The Wizard of Oz and Grease.

So here's how it works: You arrive to the movie, and set up your picnic on the lawn. We brought a spread of wine, cheese, chicken kabobs, dips and chips, brownies and other tasty delights! If you're an expert, you know that you're supposed to dress up for this, because the night starts out with a costume contest. Ushers pick the best Sound of Music look-alikes and invite them to the stage. People were so creative! There were herds of kids in hand-sewn curtain playclothes, plenty of nuns (some in drag!) and every variety of "favorite things". Of course, the cutest little Gretel walks away with the prize, but it's awesome to see what everyone is wearing.

Next, you look at the little baggie of props you were given at the door, and the host for the evening proceeds to tell you what to do with each of them. My favorite prop was a firecracker that you had to pop the moment Maria and the Captain kiss for the first time. Seeing thousands of firecrackers go off at the same moment of the kiss was hilarious! The kit had edelweiss for you to wave, cue cards, pieces of curtain fabric- it was adorable.

It was about more than the kit though. There were very specific instructions for how to best interact with the movie: For example, every time the Baroness enters the screen, you're supposed to let out a mean "hissssssss," and every time Rolf came on, you're supposed to bark like a dog "ROLF, ROLF!" We learned hand motions for every song, and the audience obeyed this without question.

And of course, the singing! The movie played from beginning to end with the words on the screen so everyone could sing along. And I have to confess something: I got all choked up! It was like being in a chorus of thousands of people, and it sounded so beautiful! More than that, it was a special night because it was just so simple and fun and pure. Grandmas and grand-kids, men and women, all ages were there, just enjoying being together, eating a nice picnic, and watching a joyful and beautiful movie. There's not too many events like that out there, and much like my trip to the fair a few weeks ago, I find the simple things make me the most happy.

If you get a chance to attend one of these sing-a-longs in your city, I can't recommend it enough. You will walk out of there on cloud 9 !

Watch the video of the experience here: http://www.wolftrap.org/Find_Performances_and_Events/Performance/11Filene/0910show11.aspx

Peace and Love.

* Cool is what YOU think is cool. - Dad Hornstein

The Rapture

Blizzards, Heat waves, Tordados, And now, the biggest earthquake in 10,000 years!
(Hurricane pending!)

Since so many of you have been wondering and calling, I figured it was time for a special bloggy report about the trembler that hit D.C. this week.

I was sitting at my desk, typing at a proposal, when the building started to rumble. The rumble was big at first, then softened, so my initial reaction was: "Oh my goodness, a truck just ran into the building!" I even tilted my head out the window to look into the alley to see if I could figure out where it had hit. But, the rumbling never completely stopped. Suddenly, the whole building started to rumble louder, and my next thought was: "Whoa! The A/C system is short circuiting ! I can hear all the pipes and lights shaking!" And THEN I realized that everything on my desk was bouncing around, and it finally dawned on me what was going on. At this point, everyone popped out of their offices and starting running around a little bit ridiculously saying "What do we do!? What do we do?!" "Get in the door frame, guys!" I yelled and took my post under my own door frame of my office. I remembered this protocol from my childhood earthquake drills in Washington State, where we actually had to bring earthquake survival kits to school.

Then, just as soon as it started, it was over. I won't lie, it was a significant earthquake- bigger feeling than what I remember in Washington, or my summer in LA. I immediately got online and logged on to the US Geological survey. Yep, it showed a magnitude 5 earthquake had just hit somewhere in Virginia. I pulled up seismographs (To my fellow nerds: they give Dopplar radar a run for its money) and began googling the news. We turned on CNN, and realized that most of DC had streamed out of its buildings and had been evacuated.

If you saw the news, you saw that the Pentagon, White House, Capital, and most of DC's offices were evacuated and sent home early. Not us. My initial reaction: Come on people, it was an earthquake. Not one single person in the entire eastern U.S. who felt this thing got so much as a scratch of an injury. On the other hand, we don't DO earthquakes here. So much of DC's architecture is Victorian, or older, and lots of the buildings just aren't safe. Even some of the new stuff is not really built to earthquake code: A brand new shopping center downtown burst a pipe and destroyed a lot of the goods in Best Buy and Marshall's below it. Later in the evening I drove by the national Cathedral, pictured above, and saw the crumbled spires. Bricks fell off of tons of old buildings and chimneys. Heck, even the Washington Monument got a crack! 5.8 is real for us, so I guess better safe than sorry.

DCPS and PG county public schools were cancelled for a few days to assess the broken buildings and potential pipe leaks. Apparently more than 60 schools were damaged in PG county, my old stomping grounds. The other major catastrophe was the evening commute. The metro simply was not running. There were thousands of people packed onto the trains, which ran at 15 mph. Police were brought in to manage the crowds. I read all of this online and decided to try and take a bus home. But then, to my great dismay, I read that the traffic lights were out downtown and the entire city was gridlocked. My coworker told me it took him 2 hours to drive 3 miles!! I realized it would be better to stay in Bethesda and wait it out, so I called around for some company and went poking around the shops uptown. Eventually, I made it home after 11pm.

This post already feels outdated with the approach of Hurricane Irene this weekend. It's hard to say how bad DC is going to have it when it comes to this storm. Some reports have it tracking west, putting DC in the middle of the path of destruction. Other reports have us missing it all together. But a strong possibility for tons of rain and wind and power outages are definitely on the horizon. As a matter of fact, I just got a very disconcerting robocall from our electric company. The message essentially was, "Hello, you're definitely going to lose power, and we've got a lot of trucks we're borrowing from other states, but uh, it may be a few days, so uh, get ready."

Great.

I'll be sure to report how things go this weekend- until then, it's off to the grocery store to try and pick up the last of the batteries, some bottled water and maybe a brew or two to get us through the storm !

Peace and Love.

The 63rd Annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

All of the families walking the streets of Bethesda were talking about it. The old guys in line at the bagel shop were excited. Even the Washington Post dedicated a whole section to discuss it. It's fair season, and the 63rd Annual Montgomery County Agricultural fair was not to be missed!

I've been going to fairs all my life. I have lots of fun memories as a kid being addicted to the impossible carnival games, riding gut-wrenching upside-down rides and stuffing myself with sickening fried food. I loved seeing the animals and staring at the beautiful produce. I've been to tons of fairs, from the famous Puyallup fair in Washington to the ever classic New York State Fair in Syracuse. So when I heard talk of a fair here in DC, I knew I had to go!

Saturday was the last day of the fair and Jason had the day off, so when a bright and sunny day arrived we set off for the fair grounds. The fair was in Gaithersburg, about a 40 minutes' drive from my house, and we got there at a perfect time in the early evening when the scorching hot of the day was past and the sun was beginning to set.

My first priority is always to visit the animal barns, so we took a lap around the grounds and arrived at the rows of stalls. Sheep, goats, cows, pigs, horses, even a barn full of fancy chicken breeds were all there to see and pet (and...smell.) We definitely ran into the Mongomery County Beekeepers' Association and of course I had to stop and talk about my dad's honey with them. We gobbled some fried dough and went on some silly rides. I felt like a little kid!

The fair was just the happiest place for a beautiful Saturday afternoon. There was live music and demonstrations, and little kids bounced everywhere eating cotton candy and holding - joy of joys - helium balloons, or better yet, some silly stuffed animal or glowing toy someone won for them. Community churches sold ice cream and cookies and turkey legs and ethnic food. You could find anything you wanted to eat or drink! We saw a guy swallow a sword and watched a pig race. Seriously, is there anything more carefree and ridiculous than watching a pig race?


As the afternoon faded to evening, Jason and I moved towards the game booths and tried our hand at winning some prizes. I had my eyes set on the goldfish booth, where the game was tossing a ping pong ball into one of many tiny fishbowls. On my very last shot, I sunk a ping-pong ball and won a fish! We took our prize and headed towards the last amusement of the night: The Ferris wheel.

Ending the night with the Ferris wheel was a great choice. The sun was setting and it was almost dark, so from way up in the air, all the lights of the fair glittered and you could see for miles. The weather had cooled down and great music drifted up. It was a perfect end to a fantastic day.


Now, it's back to the grind. My poor goldfish didn't make it even 24 hours alive. Let's hope I do a little better than he did this week!

Peace and love.

Still Processing the Holy Land

I've been back from Israel now for 2 whole weeks, and I still find my mind spinning from the experience. I hope many of you had a chance to look at my pictures and read the mini- stories that I put in the captions.

The REALITY experience wasn't meant to be a one-and-done deal for the participants. We're now part of a network that we can continue to access to help us with our professional and spiritual growth. And, in classic TFA style, our trip leaders and coordinators are making us do a lot of reflecting on the trip, how it may have shaped our values, and how it is influencing our professional decisions.

One of my favorite leadership exercises on the trip was a session we did profiling the greatest qualities of some political leaders in the Bible. We did what you might call a "case study" on the book of Exodus: What did it take to move an entire nation out of slavery against the wishes of the most powerful king in the world, mobilize them, journey them across the desert, reestablish their culture and identity, and establish a new nation? Thinking about that in a modern business mindset is kind of shocking! What would that look like today? And who did it back then? We looked at the 4 big guys involved in that project and what made them special:

1. Moses: He's our visionary, but let's face it. Buddy wasn't really popular. He stuttered, he was always yelling at everybody, and sometimes he'd tromp off to a mountain and hang out there for more than a month to figure stuff out and talk to clouds and bushes. People could not have been confident in a guy like that, but you have to hand it to him- he had a vision, and he stuck to it.

2. Aaron: Made life a lot better for old Mos' by being the great communicator. The people loved him and he made it all make sense for them with great speeches and fabulous rhetoric. Can't say he was very deep: he let the vision slip as soon as Moses was gone and he was in charge (golden calf anyone?) But even though he slipped up, the journey would have been impossible without his instructions.

3. Miriam: When things are tough and a vision is starting to feel impossible, someone on your team has to be the optimistic cheerleader. Miriam did a lot of singing and dancing, she cheered the people up and kept their spirits going. She was the USO of the wandering tribes, you could say. Without good morale, can any any leadership challenge succeed?

4. Josh: This guy kept the books. He organized the tribes and set people on the right path. He probably figured out the best ways for manna distribution and the like, but the bible skips that part. We do know he was essential for the logistics of the operation, and even though he wasn't super cheery or had any kind of ground-breaking ideals, we learn from him that pragmatism is key to undertaking any huge venture.

Since I've been back to work and starting what is presumably going to be my career, I've been giving a lot of thought to who in that group of four I most relate to, and how the other people in my office and life fill those different roles. I've been thinking about different leaders I've worked with in my and what qualities made them successful. I've also been doing a lot of thinking about when they needed help, and what things I need the most help with. Who, from that Exodus case study, do you most relate with?

Deep thoughts for a Sunday night. Next week should be a crazy one at work. I'll have lots to tell about what it's like to write a proposal for Bill Gates! I'll be calling on my inner-Josh so I don't lose track of the disgusting amount of paperwork that I'll be handling.

Peace and Love.

Israel

... Is better told through pictures. So visit my album, where instead of a long, long blog entry, I've broken down my trip in captioned bits.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100170805526206.2524437.5515657&l=068d3f21b5&type=

That should be open to viewing by all.
If the link doesn't work, let me know!

Peace and love,
Tori

June in Review

The last time I wrote, I was living a different life. Since then:

- School is over.
- My time as a Teach For America Corps member is done.
- I received my first ever C+ in a college course, which I totally deserved for slacking off so much at the end of the year.
- I completed my master's degree anyways, so who cares.
- I went to a ball at the French Embassy.
- I went to a Kenny Chesney concert. And A Mumford and Sons concert.
- I got certified in the State of Maryland, and soon the District of Columbia as a Spanish teacher for life.
- Two of my best friends moved away. Betsy is in New York teaching at Uncommon schools. Kate is in Denver working for Senator Johnston.
- Meredith and I bid adieu to 1368 E Capitol St. and our front -yard view of the capitol.
- Meredith and I moved 10 blocks closer to the Capitol. So we can't see it anymore, but we can walk to it in 5 minutes.
- I got my first-ever plaque as a thank you for my time at Gwynn Park.
- I hung my first-ever plaque in my first- ever office (yep, I said office. It has a window. And a door. And a leather high-back chair) at my new job. See photo!


- I started my new job, working in Development at the Center For Education Reform.
- I now officially take the 8:15 into the city.
- I had my first- ever phone call with a billionaire. He owns a little chain of stores called "The Gap" and happens to love education reform.

There's more. There's so much more. In the last month, my life has turned upside-down. And frankly, I haven't accepted all the changes yet. I keep thinking my friends will walk in the door any minute. I wake up a bit startled every morning with the feeling I'm on vacation and borrowing a guest room somewhere. My job just feels like a summer internship. But this is life 2.0 ... This is how it will be indefinitely.

That's not to say 2.0 is bad. It's just very, very different. And it all happened so fast! On Friday, I was at Gwynn Park sitting in a circle of highschoolers talking about boys. On Monday, I was on the metro to Bethesda wearing a business suit and reviewing donor lists. One week I live in a house. Now I live in an apartment!

Life 2.0 is full of blessings. I really couldn't ask for anything better- I'm working in the line of work I love, for a cause I believe in, with hilarious coworkers and a beautiful office. I've got a gorgeous apartment and a roommate I love and a social life I wouldn't trade for the world. Soon the stress of this transition will melt away and life will feel normal again. And probably just as I'm feeling settled, it will be off to Israel!

Peace and Love.

Good Dog Brewer

Goodbye, Brewer. (I think) You would have been 13 this month! In honor of your 13 joyful years with us, here are my 13 favorite things about you.

1. His nicknames: “Surfer dude,” for his laid-back disposition, “dairy boy,” for his love of cheese, ice cream, etc. and “Houdini” for how he escaped every tether we ever put him on (including a body harness. This confounds us to this day)

2. The way he’d run, at lightning speed, from anywhere in the house or yard at the tiny, soft pop of the cap coming off the can of whipped cream. (I still don’t know how he heard it!)

3. How he could retrieve the paper- not from the ground, but FROM THE MAILBOX! (We had to halt this trick after we started getting newspapers from the whole neighborhood.)

4. How when you commanded him to “bark,” he’d just open his mouth and “air-bark” without making any actual sound.

5. How when it snowed, he’d bark to go outside, and roll around making “puppy angels”.

6. How when there was food around, he’d just start “shaking” and putting his paw on your lap, unrequested.

7. How he’d always be in your way, picking the most inconvenient locations (example: in front of the stove while cooking thanksgiving dinner) just so he could be near you.

8. His abject fear of geese.

9. His “bear bark,” whenever a bear came near the property.

10. His total and complete discipline, knowing all hunting commands by hand, voice and whistle.

11. His status as “mayor of the neighborhood,” visiting every dog on the mountain each morning, getting treats from all the neighbors, and accompanying all the kids to the bus stop.

12. How he’d just start “talking,” making little woofs and growls if he felt like being petted or wanted some attention. As he got older, he did this from other rooms in the house to make YOU come to him to pet him. (who owns who now?)

13. His unquestioned loyalty, devotion, obedience, and love for everyone in the family.

Miss you Brew! Have fun with Buck, Otis, Maddie, and all our other furry friends in the great beyond!

Catching up!

It feels like a long time since I've written...life is extremely hectic right now, and there's lots to say!

Last week, I started my new job at the Center For Education Reform. Tuesdays and Fridays after school, I go to the office in Bethesda and work in the evenings, training and preparing to start full time June 20th. So far, my new coworkers have been welcoming and I'm excited to get started full time. It's going to be an odd adjustment to work in an office after two years in the classroom. I was struck by how quiet it was compared to a day at school! And there's plenty of small perks that have me excited - the least of which is Georgetown Cupcakes directly across the street from the office!


In Gwynn Park news, the seniors had their graduation this week. The picture is of them waiting nervously in the tunnel before heading out onto the floor for the ceremony. Graduation was bittersweet. I have very strong personal relationships with a lot of the seniors and I was thrilled to see most of them in their caps and gowns. In the United States, less than half of black males graduate high school. Some of my favorite students didn't make it, and despite the joy of the day, my mind was dwelling on those few students. I'm still struggling with the guilt of leaving the classroom, especially in moments like that. I think I'm going to try and tutor or something next year so I stay in touch with my reasons for working in Ed Reform.

Finally, I got a cool taste of life in education politics last week. It's an experience I hope to repeat many times over in my time in DC. Congressman Steny Hoyer happens to represent the district in MD where my high school is located, and he wanted to meet with the TFA teachers who work in the schools there. Seven of us responded to the invite, and we met with him at a local high school to tell him about our experience in TFA, our work in the classrooms, and what our future plans are. I didn't know any of the other corps members there besides my roommate, Meredith, but it was a great group and we really did a good job representing TFA and Mr. Hoyer was so impressed with us! We followed him to a session at Bowie State University. He was on a panel with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, the Lt. Governor of the State, the national teacher of the year, the Md. State teacher of the year, and a number of local university presidents and superintendents. The point of the panel was to promote teach.gov, a new initiative from the dept of education to encourage careers in teaching. Hoyer saw Meredith and I there and called us out by name in front of the whole auditorium! He made us stand up and praised us for being "on fire for education" and told the entire assembly to speak to us afterward if they wanted to meet people that really understand why teaching is the most important job, etc. It was a really cool moment and I was like "wow, Arne Duncan just heard my name!" Silly, but still fun. The pic below is of us with the congressman. I'm in green!


Finally, a big shout out and thank you to my mom, who visited me for the holiday weekend and helped me shop till I dropped and eat till I burst! I love you and can't wait to see you soon.

Peace and Love.

What a Riot

Spring Fever has arrived at Gwynn Park. The weather is nice, the year is winding down, and all anyone can talk about is summer. As much as I love this time of year, it's the worst time to be a teacher. Keeping kids in line who just want to be done with school is a miserable process. I can't say I blame them for wanting to get out. I also want the school year to be over! But at some point, all that tension boils over, and for a number of high schools in the area, that tipping point was this week.

Wise Senior High School, our neighbor, had a riot on Wednesday. This week was the last week of school for Seniors in the county, and a Senior prank food-fight there quickly turned into a real fight. Twitter was abuzz with pictures of kids engaging a swat team, and the local news reported nine students were arrested. Wednesday night, I couldn't sleep. I knew that this kind of drama would have the kids at Gwynn Park buzzing and that Thursday would be a long day. Our principal sent out a warning message to all the homes, asking parents to tell their kids to avoid senior pranks and stay in line. We took precautionary measures, limiting hall passes and forbidding bags and backpacks. But alas, it wasn't enough.

Third period at Gwynn Park, all hell broke loose. Students dumped baby oil around the ramps and stairwells of the school as a prank, and students slipping into each other quickly broke into widespread fistfights. We went on lock-down mode and herded any student close to our classrooms inside before we closed and locked our doors. We were stuck there, without directions, for almost three hours till the end of school. I had no idea what was going on. The students thought it was hilarious, but as a teacher, it was terrifying. Lock-down means danger. It's the same code we use if there are firearms or intruders in the school.

Finally, we were released safely and everyone made it home. Two students at Gwynn Park were arrested, and mace was used to get the student body in line. That said, we apparently had the school locked down and hallways cleared in only 30 minutes. This is an amazing feat and speaks to the efficiency of our administration, staff and security. Wise could not clear its hallways for an hour and a half.

The week ended on a pleasant note Friday with Prom. Everyone was beautiful and with all the miscreants suspended after Thursday, there was no one there to cause a problem. Prom was peaceful and lovely and I was so happy for my kids. I love seeing the students I care about, the students that work hard and act with kindness, rewarded with the kind of events they deserve. I took some pictures with some of my favorites and put them here!




Peace and Love.

Cloud 9

Yesterday, we had more than 40 people in our backyard for an end-of-the year bbq, and we certainly had reason to celebrate! It's been a few weeks since I've posted (yes, the New Year's Resolution breaks in April! Not too shabby) but those few weeks have been some of the craziest of the year.

I went home for a lovely Easter with my family, and although we enjoyed good food, good company, and a phenomenal egg-decorating celebration (see below) I couldn't fully enjoy myself knowing that my fate in DC was still a mystery. The job search was weighing heavily on my shoulders, and I was stressing about finding an apartment for next year without knowing where I was working and how much I was making.


Seven hour car rides are bad for the psyche. They give you far too long to over-think and over-worry about everything. On the car ride home, I was feeling pretty glum. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was a number I didn't recognize, so I let it go to voicemail. When I pulled over at a rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike, my life changed forever. The voicemail was from the Center For Education Reform. They are a think tank in DC and their CEO, a woman named Jeanne Allen, spoke to my grad school class last December. I loved her so much and was so impressed by her work that after class I chased her, got her card, and arranged a meeting with her. We talked about the work she does and I asked for advice on how to transition into the realm of Ed Reform from the classroom. She kept my resume from that meeting months and months ago, and when a position opened up at her organization, she brought me in to interview!

That car ride and fateful call was Monday. Tuesday afternoon I was in the office interviewing for the position and a week later, I was offered the job! My new title is "Manager of Development" and I'll be working closely with Jeanne to develop a number of strategies to grow the organization and spread the news of its work. I'll also be building relationships with many major donors, exploring why they have a vested interest in Ed Reform. The position has so much untapped potential and I think there's a lot of room for me to grow! Best of all, they are letting me start work after school as a "consultant," go to Israel, and come back to officially start full-time in July.

As if this isn't all exciting enough, Meredith and I also found a gorgeous apartment on Capitol Hill and signed the lease for it this weekend. It is LITERALLY 2 blocks from the Capitol Building and one block from Union station. The location could not be more ideal and we are so excited to have a place where we can put down some roots and hopefully stay more than a year!







Everything is really coming up roses right now. A mentor of mine from college summed it up perfectly: "You're living the dream! A place you love, great friends, and a chance to do work you believe in....that's what it's all about! Kudos."

I know things would not be so great for me if it were not from all the love and support from family and friends. I am so thankful!

Peace and love.

Welcome to Mississipuh

Prior to doing Teach For America, if anyone was talking about "The Delta," I probably thought the conversation was about a hot sorority girl. But in the spring of 2009, one of my best friends got the news that she was accepted to Teach For America and would be placed in Mississippi. And thus, the word "Delta" took on a whole new meaning.

The Shana Fisher that I knew in college was a Staten-Island girl who I never thought could survive in the deep south. I remember my Dad and I giving her a lesson in the finer points of rural life: shooting guns, drinking beer, talking about Jesus. (see: EASTER 2009) Now the tables have turned and she's a country-life expert! After 2 years of crazy stories, I knew I had to come visit her before our time in Teach For America came to a close.


Where to begin describing this wild weekend? It was nothing short of a culture shock. My first surprise: brown tap water. "It's brown and slimy," Shana explained, "But we put it through the Brita." I pulled out the Brita. "Shana, it's still brown!" I was dumbfounded. "Yeah, but the Brita gets rid of the slimy," she said. "It's fine!!"

The next morning I planned to accompany Shana to school. I was dying to compare my teaching experience to hers and see what her students were like. "I can't wait to see if you understand them," she said. I wondered how bad it could be- how different could these students sound from my students?

I walked into the classroom in the 300-person, decrepit highschool. "Hoo-da-ee!" The kids pointed at me. "Hoo-da-ee?!"

I had no idea what they were saying. Shana had to explain... "Hoo-da-ee?" = "Who that is?" The southern drawl was unreal!

Thankfully, Shana is a Spanish teacher...so we switched to a language all of us could understand and began interviewing one another in Spanish. I loved it!

After school, we drove to a local "restaurant," called "Chucks." It was a dairy-bar, order at the counter kind of place, where nothing was more than $5. Shana introduced me to heaven on earth: Corn-nuggets. They were deep fried balls of creamed corn and I can't explain how amazing they were. The corn nuggets were just a small sample of the mounds of fried food I ate that weekend. Doughnuts, chicken, catfish, hush puppies, french fries, more doughnuts, and as much beer to wash it down as you could want.


Mississippi was a beautiful place in its own way. It's very flat and there's not much to see, but the sky was so enormous! Shana lives on a farm next to a river. We spent a lot of our time outside partaking in all sorts of joyful southern activities: searching for alligators, climbing grain bins, riding horses, and of course shooting guns. All of Shana's neighbors, including her landlord and his family, came by to chat with us about life in the Delta and enjoy the beautiful day.


The conclusion of the trip was a fish-fry dinner with some of her Delta friends followed by an evening at "The waterin hole" - the only "bar" for miles and miles. I'm fairly certain there were more confederate flags in this bar than full sets of teeth, but everyone from the surrounding towns comes in to hear some live music, have some beer, and cause a whole lot of small-town drama.

There's so much more I could say about the weekend there but a blog entry could never do it justice. I think Shana and her friends should work on a book about life down there- it's a whole different world that us east-coasters can hardly imagine. Cheers to life's great adventures!

Going to Massachusetts to finish out vacation at home. Peace and love!

Waterfront, Boats and Ducks

This week in review seems to have a nautical theme!

Monday, summer peeked its head out in DC and gave us our first 80-something degree day of the year. It was not an evening to stay inside. Everybody poured out and jammed every outdoor restaurant patio and park, trying to catch the fresh air. I was no exception and made my way across town to the Georgetown waterfront, one of the nicest places to spend a happy hour in the city. The cheezy bars there set up rows and rows of patio chairs facing the Potomac- perfect to catch a breeze, people watch, and sip a cold one.




Simply watching the boats go by wasn't enough for me this week. On Thursday, I cashed in a Groupon I'd been hanging onto for a Fondue cruise on the Potomac. (Yeah, yeah, I broke my Lenten rules- AGAIN- but you know what? I don't think Jesus would have wanted me to let that coupon expire. Jesus would have LOVED fondue.) The cruise was great! The evening was clear and mild, and I loved seeing the monuments from the water at sunset. I think my friend and I were definitely the youngest people on the boat. I didn't care- anyone who knows me knows I'm an old lady at heart. The cornier the adventure, the better!


Finally, I wrapped up the week with the delightful Spendley family for a fancy-schmancy dinner at Proof in Chinatown. Cocktails? Amazing. Tuna tartar? Amazing. Beet salad and goat cheese? Amazing. Roast duck? Toffee cake? Bottle of organic wine? French press coffee? You guessed it- all amazing. It was seriously some of the best food I've ever eaten- but even better was the company. Many thanks to the Spendleys for treating me to such a wonderful evening! Perhaps the right term would be O.M.G- right Mr. Spendley?

Peace and love- MISSISSIPPI with SHANA FISHER next weekend!

Dr. Edmund Henry Hornstein Jr.

Wow! What a couple of dorks! It's no secret that I adore my dad, and so this weekend was super joyful. My dad came to DC to visit me after weeks of planning and I could not be more happy. Top 10 reasons to enjoy when dad comes to town:

1. Introduces you to a new kind of beer/restocks your fridge with quality brews
2. Free dinner all weekend! Thanks, dad!!!
3. Is okay eating a massive steak on a Lenten Friday (sorry God)
4. Inappropriate humor/dating advice for roommates
5. Still remembers how to drive to childhood home in Silver Spring for a memory lane tour
6. Military ID= cut the line EVERYWHERE
7. Home-made honey and maple syrup delivery. Yesss
8. Insists on taking "myspace" picture together using camera phone in front of Gorilla statue at the zoo. Multiple times. (It is never going to come out good, Dad. See above.)
9. Only person in the world I can count on to enjoy the invertebrate hut at the National Zoo as much as I do
10. Believes in me no matter how unemployed my future looks!

Love you dad! Thanks for coming.
Here's to another visit soon.

Peace and Love.

The Big Apple

Greetings from a Bolt Bus! I just enjoyed a lovely weekend in New York City with my two college friends Stacey and Stephanie. They are living the post- journalism school NYC dream together! Stace is working at Fox News (nope, she's not a republican) and Steph is working at Parenting Magazine (nope, she's not a mom.) The two of them share an adorable apartment in Astoria, Queens. Everything they need is literally right outside their door: a laundromat, nail salon, grocery store, bakery, produce stand- it's just how you imagine living in NYC is supposed to be!

Many of my college friends found their way to the Big Apple after graduation and we caught up with a few of them Saturday night. Katie, my roommate for 2 years, is now working in an ad agency, and our old next-door-neighbor Zach is continuing to hone his writing skills at Columbia. Everyone is doing really well! We're all so old and grown up.

When girls get together in NYC, there's an essential checklist to complete: Shoe shopping, mani-pedi's, cooking, movies, cocktails. Oh, and of course- a boozy Sunday brunch! Mine was fit for a queen. I couldn't believe I got to eat the food in front of me. I had fried potato-bread waffles topped with poached eggs and a spinach-Gruyere cheese hollandaise sauce... it was so pretty and soooo delicious. It inspired me to do more creative brunch cooking!

Even though it's sad to go back and face the real world after a mini vacation, I've gotta give thanks to whoever invented the Bolt Bus business model. They deserve to be canonized. I am typing this entry from a comfortable, spacious leather seat on my computer using free wifi. The bus is clean, the people on it are quiet, and we departed right on time. And best of all? It cost me $19. What a way to travel!

Dad is here next week. YAYYYYY!
Peace and love.

Chiste Mal...

Was one of my college nicknames. It's spanish for "bad joke." I earned it junior year because I was prone to so many awkward mishaps. Nothing dangerous... nothing actually tragic... just the kind of dilemmas that are the stuff of sitcoms.

This weekend's adventure was a perfect example. My friend Brian and I found a deal for an hour-long massage for 45 dollars. It was an amazing bargain- and we decided to get together, make brunch and treat ourselves to our coupon on Saturday.

The spa was in Arlington, VA- which is the opposite end of DC from my house. We drove out together and followed the directions to the address. The instructions from the spa said "free parking in the back." We pulled around the back of the building, but it wasn't clear if we were at the right place. "Do you think this is it?" I asked Brian. "Yeah, this is fine!" He replied. "Besides, even if it's not, it's a Saturday, no one will bother your car back here." Fateful last words...

We walked around to the front of the building and headed a few doors down the strip of shops to the spa. Both of us enjoyed a lovely massage, but we came out looking like something the cat dragged in. Every inch of us was slicked up with grease from the massage- including our hair. I looked like I hadn't showered in days. Brian's hair was spiky and slick. We thanked and tipped our masseuse and headed out into the beautiful day.

And as we rounded the corner of the building, of course- the car was gone.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I screamed. And then I broke my lenten resolution of not cursing with a special string of unbridled expletives.

Only when it was too late did we notice the "Private parking, vehicles towed at owner's expense" sign. We called the number. They had my car- but we had about a mile to walk to get to it!

We were an absolute sight to behold. No one should be seen in public as greasy and foul as the two of us were. We had to walk through Arlington's cutest neighborhood that way. Everyone was out eating at restaurants on the patios, ogling curiously at the oily, sweating, perturbed kids in sweatpants.

All's well that ends well- after forking over 115 bucks to a chain-smoking lady guarding the lot, I got my car back. Suddenly the $45 massage had become a $160 afternoon. Whoops! Chiste Mal.

Till the next episode,

Peace and love!

What in the Ham Sandwich

So, even though it says in the Bible you're not supposed to talk about fasting when you're fasting, or complain when you give up stuff and make a big scene of it, I'm breaking that rule for the sake of this post because 1) I think it's got some entertainment value, and 2) I'm looking for some suggestions (the more hilarious, the better.)

Most Lenten seasons past, I've given up all sweets and any form of chocolate, but this Lent I'm adding something else: I've given up cursing. 40 days and 40 nights with no f-bombs, sh-words, d-dash dash dash... basically, anything that I would yell at my students for is off limits for me.

The thing about cursing is that I can turn it off. I do at school every day- but when I get home, I'm a regular foul-mouthed sailor! I'm not particularly proud of it. I like to think of myself as a classy gal. If anything, the last five days have made me realize how frequently I want to call someone something that starts with "mother", or how regularly I yell an expletive over a minor incident (forgetting my cell phone upstairs, dropping a can of peanut butter, etc).

The real challenge here though, is how to replace those words with something that fits in the context without sounding TOTALLY ridiculous. I've been stumbling all over my sentences trying to make it work! The best thing I've come up with so far is saying "wow," to replace "damn." Hot guy walks by: wooooowww. Kid scores a 3% on a test? Wooooow. Stub my toe? Wooowwww!!!

But otherwise, I'm really laboring. "shoot" is working out ok...most of the time. Today I said "shoot the ...shoot" and it failed. Meredith has suggested replacing "b*tch" with "super nice person" every time I'm tempted to use it. The F word has become..."fooie" or "fangul" (which is actually just Italian for F yourself in the A. Thanks for putting that one in my vernacular, mom.)

So my question to you, my readership, is to help me! What are your favorite curse/cuss/swear word replacements? Any family favorites or childhood censorships? I look forward to your suggestions!

Till next week... Peace and Love.

Rainy Days

My roommate Betsy crashed through our front door Sunday afternoon, coming back from a run. "It is straight up Noah's Ark out there!" She yelled from the foyer. She was so soaked she looked like a cartoon character- hair limp and dripping, sweatshirt hanging heavily off her shoulders, feet in pools of water gathering on the floor. She looked totally defeated, and it was hilarious!

Sunday was a rainy, dark day in DC but reminded me why I love living in this city. What is there to do on a Sunday afternoon in the pouring rain anywhere else? Here, the answer is easy. Rainy days are museum days! So that's exactly what I did. And of course, I headed straight for the Dinos at the Natural History museum, my favorite.

The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History NEVER, and I mean NEVER, gets old to a science nerd like me. Every time I go back, there's something new I haven't seen yet. That's probably because I'm normally too distracted by the dinosaur bones to make it anywhere past the first floor. Yesterday, however, I felt like exploring and went upstairs. I found perhaps the most underrated exhibit there- the insect zoo!

The insect zoo was DISGUSTING. It was full of the most enormous, gross bugs I'd ever seen. They looked like the bugs Timon and Pumba eat in the Lion King- or the bugs that popped out of the Oogie-Boogie Man in Nightmare Before Christmas. Brightly colored centepedes as long as a ruler creeped around their cages, and spiders bigger than your palm stared at you. The coolest/grossest of all, however, were the variations on stick bugs and leaf bugs. They were ENORMOUS, so big you could see them breathing! Their camouflage was incredible, and I was humbled by the beauty of their evolution. (I use the term beauty loosely, they were still gross.)

The museum had to kick us out. Personally I think 5:30 is way too early to close! I feel like I'm always getting kicked out of the Smithsonian, but it just means I'll have to go back soon- rain or not.

Peace and Love.

Code Orange Weekend

Georgetown University tried to keep Syracuse Fans out of the Verizon Center Saturday afternoon. But try as they might, the Orange spirit squeezed strong in Washington DC as our boys reined victorious on the court.

Chinatown was insane. The streets were flooded with crazy 'Cuse fans, decked in orange, causing traffic jams and screaming at the top of their lungs. Grumpy Hoyas milled around, trying to avoid the huge alumni base that descended upon the city for the game and took over every bar within walking distance of the Verizon Center. It was a rush, and just like last year, I was so happy to be an Orange. Even though college seems in the distant past, that beautiful title of "alumna" stays with you forever, and the benefits never run out!

At least 16 of my friends from school came to town for the game. A handful of us graduated together, but most of the visitors were still undergrads. I felt old as dirt! It was great to see everyone, especially kids from my fraternity, but there's no denying the huge difference that two years in the real world makes. They say nostalgia is bitter sweet, and I felt that way this weekend. I had a blast with my college friends, but also felt that haunting "You can't go back" feeling. Props to Brian Spendley for throwing a fantastic party and planning the weekend so wonderfully for everybody...

It's on to another busy week- parent teacher conferences, grad school, appointments. Lots of late nights!

Peace and Love.

9:30 Club

Yay DC Bucket List! This week, I finally made it to a concert at DC's famed hipster haven, "The 9:30 Club."

For my western Mass readers, the 9:30 club brought memories rushing back of nights at Northampton's Pearl St. It's a small venue that caters to local, under the radar, or college-station performers. It's located in DC's U street neighborhood, which means it is way "cooler" and "off the beaten path" than many hot spots in the city. From the outside, the building looks unmentionable, almost abandoned. Only a few neon spray-painted parking signs tell you you're at the right place.

The venue isn't large at all. The capacity is for a little more than 1000 people, and there is no seating- just an open floor in front of a small wooden stage. The room felt like a large dance studio, dimly lit except for the purple glow of the stage lights. Fog machines add to the mystic effect of the space. In fact, it is so intimate that microphones aren't entirely necessary, and at times the musicians walked towards the front of stage and sang directly to the crowd. Each side of the wooden floor had a bar, and the back of the venue had a small cafe.

I don't ever pretend to be hip when it comes to music, and I never know about new artists or sweet local bands. But I surround myself with people cooler than me, so they always introduce me to new music. We saw Josh Radin play. He had a gorgeous voice and definitely fit in with my John Mayer "white guy with a guitar" preferences. Apparently, Ellen DeGeneres used one of his songs at her wedding, so you know he's good. Here's a video of him below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyHQQWY5FAU&feature=fvst

I love my city and how much there is to do and see here. There are millions of other music venues to try- we had a great time and resolved to get out and see a concert more often!

Peace and Love.

Reeling, Reflecting, Re-evaluating: The TFA 20th anniversary Summit

I'm not really ready to write this blog post. My brain is still spinning too much, my heart is still beating too fast. This weekend, I attended the Teach For America 20th Anniversary Summit here in DC. I'm never at a loss for words, but I'm struggling to illustrate the emotional magnitude of a weekend that was so extreme and condense an event that was so enormous.

The event, in many ways, paralleled the Teach For America experience itself. 11,000 of the nation's brightest and most passionate leaders descended upon the Convention Center. The number of alumni nation-wide and the work they do, coupled with the extreme displays of heart, innovation and persistence was utterly inspiring. But the hard facts of the crisis in our country leave your soul feeling beaten to a pulp. It's what we struggle with every day in the classroom and in this movement: "This is a solvable problem and I can make a difference," vs. "The problem and the layers behind the problem are so stunningly huge, who am I to do anything?" In 20 years, we've done so much. But in 20 years, we've done nothing at all- the achievement gap has actually grown.

Optimists speaking at the convention repeated a common theme: The difference between now and 20 years ago is that we know what works. 20 years ago there was not one example of turning around a failed school or school district, there were no successful charter models and a good teacher was a rare, natural phenomenon. Now, thanks in great part to the work of TFA'ers nation wide, we have expansive charter school networks defying the odds and obliterating the achievement gap, research about teacher training, and models for successful administration and funding. We have hard data to back up our claims. There was the rallying cry for a revolution at the conference. The theory is that now we know what works, we have to move whoever or whatever is in the way of implementing reforms and saving our kids.

I saw some real spitfires speak at this conference. Among my favorites were classic rebel rousers Joel Klein, Geoffrey Canada, and Michelle Rhee. My new favorite guy was John Deasy. He was the former Superintendent of PG County Public schools and will take over in Los Angeles this year. He was so bold and direct and passionate. I loved him.

It wasn't all dark and serious, though. Personally entertaining moments abounded. Malcolm Gladwell delighted everyone with a taste of nerd humor, but I thought he was upstaged by panelist Gloria Steinem's low cut shirt that flaunted her saggy, braless, 70-year-old feminist boobs. Newly-elected DC Mayor Vince Gray might be the most awkward public speaker I have ever seen. His speech reminded me of the old SNL Will Ferrell sketch about voice immodulation. And of course, no one complained about John Legend live in concert. He.. is.. so.. beautiful.

My friend, Spain roommate, and Mississippi corps member Shana stayed with me for the weekend, but she wasn't the only long lost friend in town. Syracuse friends, Massachusetts friends, institute friends, people I have not seen for years- all under the same roof. It's so funny how my paths have diverged and reconnected with people under the TFA umbrella. It was impossible to see everyone I wanted between sessions, job fairs, dinners, and speakers.

I am exhausted and this post is already too long. Another busy week is ahead. Happy Singles' Awareness day to everyone tomorrow!

Peace and Love.

Gecko Drama

I preface this entry by saying: I understand that geckos are not capable of love. I know that Geeky doesn't know me and will never wag his tail or bark for my attention. I know that he is not capable of higher level thought and that he's just a stupid lizard. But I've had him since my freshman year of college- and he's listened to a lot of boy problems and witnessed a lot of drama. He's been a source of entertainment for family and friends, he's been a muse for artists, and he's my special little dino. So when he got sick this month, I wasn't going to let him suffer. I had to take him to the vet and make my little friend well!

Geeky stopped eating a few weeks ago, and I knew that was a bad sign. He's done this before- a few years ago, he got hook worm and needed parasitic treatment. It was dramatic to treat him then too. Do you know how many vets laugh at you when you ask if they'll see a gecko? Parasites were my first suspicion, but then I noticed that his left eye seemed cloudy. I called my dad, who said it sounded like it could be a bacterial infection of some sort and that I should get him to the vet right away. Honestly, how long can a gecko withstand systemic bacterial infection?

After many calls, I finally found Dr. Stahl in Fairfax, VA and headed out Thursday night through rush hour traffic to Fairfax . Dr. Stahl was the answer to my prayers to St. Francis. As soon as I walked into the practice, I knew I was in good hands. There were gorgeous framed National Geographic-style photos of lizards on the walls. There were statues of birds, reptiles, and turtles adorning arboretum in the middle of the office. And best of all, the walls were tiled to look like reptile skin!

Dr. Stahl was so caring and compassionate to my little friend. He is a famous reptile doctor, so he had interns from all over the country studying with him and checking out little Geeky! I asked him to teach me anything he could and he was very generous with his time. He drew me diagrams, showed me different parts of Geeky's anatomy, and explained to me every in and out of Geeky's illness.

As it turns out, Geeky is a girl. And Geeky wanted to lay some eggs! Her belly was swollen with two pea-sized, half grown eggs that were responsible for depleting levels of Vitamin A in her system. The brand of reptile vitamins I use didn't have sufficient Vitamin A to replace it, and so her immune system began to fail and she fell prey to natural bacteria in her own system. Her little mouth was swollen and infected, her eye was infected, and she also had skin problems. All needed mini-surgery, so the doctor drained the infection in her mouth, cleaned out her eye, and removed the dead skin from her face and feet.

My poor little Geek was exhausted by the end of the night, and so was I. I loved learning about reptile medicine, but am embarrassed to report that watching my friend bleed left me a little faint and nauseous. At one point the doctor joked, "Are you ok, mom?" I'm sure I was pale and clammy! I don't know how I'm ever going to have children. Geek (whom I will now refer to as "she") is on a system of antibiotics, vitamins and creams and we are hoping for a full recovery. She is shedding her skin today so I gave her a warm bath and have been doting on her incessantly.

My dad wanted to know how many new geckos I could have bought with the bill from the vet. I told him that is NOT the point! Thanks to everyone who's had a smile and a thought for me and Geek this week. A pet is a pet and you don't become a pet owner to let them suffer or give up on them when they're sick. Peace and Love- I will update you all about her progress soon!

24 is Wicked Old

24. Wow! I am now in my mid-twenties. Cue the quarter-life crisis, John Mayer! 24 is old. I got my first batch of grey hairs this year. I go to sleep at 9:30 pm. I'm filing taxes with something other than the 1040 EZ. Disgusting! College is a far distant memory. Where has my youth gone?

Ok, melo-drama over. I had a lovely birthday week and can't thank the big man upstairs enough for the gift of a 2-day work week. It was a wintery mess here this week in DC and we had no school Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and a delay Friday. It was the perfect chance to network for jobs, cross things off my "to-do" list, and enjoy some terrible reality TV.

Friday night, my roomies treated me to dinner at "Founding Farmers." It had to be the best food I've eaten in DC. It's the perfect menu of delicious, simple, locally-sourced American fare. Everything is hand made and cooked to perfection- fresh fish and game, warm crispy flatbreads, home-made pasta...mmm. The cocktails are to die for. Best of all was the ambiance- unlike many fancy restaurants, Founding Farmers is relaxed and comfortable. You feel like you could stay there for hours, and you do! We followed dinner with a few rounds of billiards downtown and some dancing in Dupont.

Saturday was my party at our house, and it was a huge success. My friends brought delicious treats but the winning dish was JinSoo's Pumpkin Cheesecake. Props to Kate P for the photography below, she caught me at the perfect birthday moment:

We ate, drank and danced the night away- well, Wii danced that is. Betsy bought a Wii and it arrived right in the middle of the snowstorm (thank you USPS!) It is our new obsession and was a huge party hit. Seeing huge boys dancing to Beyonce was hilarious and our chandelier almost hit the deck more than once. To finish the night, we caught a cab to H st and danced at Sticky Rice until closing time. I may have skipped the gym all weekend but I know it can't matter all that much considering how many hours my friends and I logged on the dance floor!

Many thanks to all for the birthday love and warm wishes. Peace and Love!