Call Me a Dreamer

I'm at the Learning Center, between students, and getting ready to brush up on my algebra skills (I've started helping students with math, as well as writing), and I came across the following quote in an algebra text:

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

I love the quote, but must acknowledge that there's a bit of irony in my use today, since I'm attempting to remaster something I had previously mastered, but have since forgotten.

Just dropping by to say hi and share this thought with you:

Just one more reason we should be kind to those around us, no matter how small, weak, or unimportant they may seem.


But, while I'm here, I just can't resist bringing you up-to-date on the highlights of what's been going on in my life.

My schedule recently has been very full. I'm enjoying my work at IBM (well, actually, at home, most days). I'm part of a great international team and I'm getting the chance to learn new technical, geeky stuff, which is a blast. In addition to the new skills I'm picking up on the job, CTG (my direct employer) offers a great selection of online training courses, which I've been taking advantage of.

I've continued to tutor twice a week in the evenings at the Pima Community College Learning Center, although I won't be able to do so over the summer, as they don't offer evening hours for the summer sessions. I love working with students, so I'm going to miss even my short visits, but at the same time it will be good to have those evenings back.

I'm home for the weekend, but haven't had a chance to get caught up, yet. Karl was out hunting for used books (for his business as a reseller through Amazon.com), which he does in partnership with two of his sons. I spent the morning doing laundry, a load of dishes, and some mopping. I've also got a stack of homework papers and tests to grade that's about three inches thick, so much of this weekend I'll be spending grading. Ah, the life of a teacher. :/ But, I have to say that I'm just loving what I'm doing. Karl commented one night when he picked me up from work, that even while he worries about how little sleep my schedule allows me, he loves the way I come away from work smiling and energized.

Speaking of sleep, I'm going to go take a nap. I hope that once I've got my homework done, I'll have a chance to catch up on at least the last few days of everything that's been going on with all my friends. If there's something you especially want to share with me, please either send me an email (pdlloyd at gmail.com) or leave a note in the comments.

Love to all,
Pamela

ETA: My grading is finally done. Now, all I've got to do is write a make-up quiz for students who missed Quiz #1 (including some that are new), write Quiz #2, write the mid-term exam for Thursday (we're on a modular system, so my classes are only four weeks long), and prepare my lecture notes for the coming week.

This may seem like a lot of work (it certainly feels like it), but a lot of this is up-front work that will get smaller or go away, once I've got an established base. However, this means I won't have the time to do much catching up with my friends, which makes me sad. :(

Hi, All! These ten hour days are tough, but I'm really loving being at the school. The instructors have been friendly and helpful. The students are curious and welcoming. This is such a great place for me. I start teaching my first classes, in Career Development, in April.

I hope all is well with you and I'll try to catch up with all of you over the weekend.