August 28, 2009
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The Daily News
1 Ah, good news it seems is so rare these days.
2 Yesterday I finally got two unrelated letters, both good.
3 The first came from the State of California, with a huge congratulations telling me that I had FINALLY received my CLAD credential, something I had worked on from February of last year to July. Most teachers get this thing, so I guess it isn't so huge, but I wanted to whoop out a blower thingy that kids blow on birthdays, and don a party hat!
4 Didn't happen, but one can dream, right?
5 Haha.
6 After THAT, I got a letter from Human Resources in the ESUHSD telling me that I had added 15 units to my total grad units in the past six months, and will now be getting a substantial increase in pay.
7 All this came to me in the U.S. mail yesterday afternoon!
8 So to sum it up, I received two letters yesterday, one from the State of California, and the other from the ESUHSD telling me that I have officially earned a second credential, AND 15 more post-grad units, all straight A work.
9 Yeesh. You know, sometimes you just want to brag a bit. I don't normally, but beginning in November of last year, I dealt with taking those classes to save my job, dealing with all the college boushit that everyone has to deal with, going into work prepared every single day, AND getting up to visit my Mom every moment I had available.
10 Eventually, I had some of the best classes ever, got three more units than I needed, saw my Mom as often as possible, and got all the units as well as a substantial raise, which went into effect in July.
11 To this minute I have NO idea how I managed all of that, but the two envelopes yesterday tapped me on the shoulder and told me I had succeeded!
12 So yeah, it isn't really a boast, it's more a discovery that somehow in the walking Hell I went through last year, I actually blew past it all and successfully completed all of my goals. I got straight A's as well. Last year I buried myself in research, paper, tears, frustration, and deadlines that often went until four in the morning.
13 I had no idea that it all worked until yesterday at around 11 a.m. when I got the two envelopes, as I mentioned, completely unrelated.
14 Last night I celebrated with iced tea and crumpets, as you could well imagine.
15 I don't usually use the DN for this sort of thing, but if it were a friend, I would stand up and tell others.
16 I discovered yesterday that I guess I'm my own best friend.
17 Actually, I write this now because there may be someone out there struggling and trying to make it all happen. The secret is to work your ass off, to stay focused, and to believe even when there is fire burning all around you.
18 I also have to believe that my Mom gave her support all the way up to her final departure. She knew I had a vision, and honestly lived to watch it all happen.
19 Without getting too morose, I must say that my very last paper, which was a 9,0000 word paper describing my lesson plan on the JFK assassination, was sent through the mail exactly one hour before my Mom passed away. Honestly? It was almost as though she KNEW I had to finish that thing before she closed her eyes and drifted back to her own Mom and Dad.
20 Anyway, that happened just before I finally broke away and headed for Tahoe this year.
21 I still stressed all the forms, papers, fees, and boushit all the way up until yesterday, when it all came back in the mail, a new degree, 15 more units, straight A's, and a pay raise exceeding eleven thousand dollars!
22 ...and I STILL don't even believe it!
23 As I said, I won't often use the DN as anything more than a lark to start the day, but really, I had to let others know that the hard work, determination, absolute frustration and tears I struggled through finally resulted in my reaching goals that were planned and outlined. And again, it isn't a boast by any means, but a story.
24 There will always be a teacher in me. Here is the story: even though I had enormous moments of wanting to quit, of screaming in the middle of the night, or of breaking down to the ground in almost pathetic frustration, I always knew that somehow, with absolute hope and determination, I could do it. And if an old brown shoe like I could do it, then ANYONE could do it.
25 And I did, even though to this moment I can't BELIEVE that it happened. In a lot of ways, I want publicly to thank my family, my friends, as well as all the wonderful people who read the DN for THEIR inspiration and devotion to excellence. I thank my family first, and then all the former students who inspired ME through the years. Thank you all for showing me how to keep going, to keep struggling, and to stay focused.
26 I hope this doesn't sound too full of meself; it is really one of the only moments in my life when everything pulled together after years of turmoil and struggle.
27 If an old brown shoe like me can do it, I'm certainly convinced that we ALL can do it!
28 So if you're hitting struggles, hard times, tears, and thoughts that things will never happen, I'm here to tell you that with a new approach, a positive attitude, and the will to kick everything's ass, you can reach your dreams.
29 It was the toughest go in my own personal history, lemme tellya.
30 But I knew that others were watching, perhaps with a closed eye, or maybe not at all. Either way, the hard work and determination despite all odds finally worked.
31 I guess I'm just still reeling from the reality that the hard work paid off, but, well, it clearly did, all in one innocent afternoon.
32 Keep going; reach for your dreams, willya?
33 Thanks a whole bunch for listening; you are my inspiration.
34 Now quit talking about it; go do it. You can because you're awesome. If an absolute imbecile like meself can get there, so can you. I really mean that. Go out and make it better. You can.
35 Peace.
~H~
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