The Good Old Days

Today, I spent the day in Athens. I drove down with a friend from work to visit my brother and of course, good old O.U. It was awesome to be back and to see my brother, but it made me realize how much I actually miss O.U and Athens. It was a beautiful day out and everyone was outside throwing the frisbee, playing cornhole and just drinking some beer. It reminded me of all the Sundays that I would walk next door to 19 Foster or actually just wake up there ( which was the majority of the time) and we would reminisce about the happenings of the night before. Then we would just sit around and do nothing or play outside! Ahhh, that was the life. But I guess now it just wouldn't be the same without my bestest friends! The sweet memories!!

It's done!

Here is the Big Trim in a photo journal! Enjoy!!

The day before from all angles. Pretty long, huh?












The day before from all angles. Pretty long, huh?
















Before...


(Beth and I)











Tobey, the wonderful stylist who put up with me!









The first snip.
I know, I know... the face not so attractive.












Halfway done...there's no turning back!











The 10"!












Glamorizing!







Final Product





Sideview








After
I recommend donating your hair to everyone! Hope you enjoyed the show!

The Cut

Tomorrow at 6:30 the cut will take place. I will be 10" of hair lighter! I am donating my hair to locks of love and I am incredibly nervous. I mean I've been growing my hair out for like 4 years and it is the longest it has been since I was 5. I actually like it too! But I realized that it is JUST hair. It has made me happy, now it can make someone else happy. I just hope I don't look like too much of a fool when I bust out in tears!! Nah, hopefully it won't be that dramatic. I keep telling myself that it is just hair and tomorrow at like 7:00 I guess I will really believe it. I will try to post pics of the before and after (if I can figure out how). If not I will try to send an email! Wish me luck!!

Code what???

Today, I had an enjoyable, but not too eventful morning back at work after having a long weekend. Things were going well, I was able to tutor my students, while doing many other productive things of course. Then we had a little excitement! I happened to be checking my email in the library when the librarian came in and said, "Guess I should lock the doors." We were under a Code One Lockdown. Apparently this happens when there is some sort of danger in the area. There were six shots fired around the school! No one panicked and when the principal had called the police, they had no idea what she was talking about. Apparently, the folks in the area are used to it and didn't think it necessary to be called in. It was just like taking a break for an assembly or something, very interesting! Just one more thing I learned!

It Finally Happened!

Ok, so most of the exciting things in my life deal with my students. So here is another amazing story, well, at least for me. There is one student in particular who has taken a while to warm up to me. I mean we get along and he is definitely coming around. He is one of those hard kids, who no one or nothing can get to him. He has had an extremely rough life, so I can't blame him for his distance. He is not one of those kids that you can smother either. I've been trying to play it cool

Today at school, we had an assembly. A principal from the local middle school came to talk to the students. He proceeded to talk about his life and he said that he taught in Youngstown( where I'm from.) I got excited and whispered to my fellow City Year friends around me. My particularly difficult student knows I am from Y-town and he was born there also. I happened to look at him at this moment and he smiled at me, a real smile! It finally happened. Wow, I know this is not life shattering, but a simple guesture like a smile can really make a person feel good!

It's The Little Things

Well, it has been brought to my attention that I have not posted for quite some time. So with a little reassure from Robyn, here I am again.

I absolutely love working with my students and being in the school with them, but sometimes I wonder is it really all worth it. I try and try to steer these kids in the right direction, but when they leave the school, I have no control over what they do or where they go. Sometimes it seems as if I have to reteach them everything I taught them the next day! But yesterday was a breath of fresh air. It's really the little things that count!

My favorite student, we'll call him Student X, turned around and said to me, "Ms. Lauren do I look like someone who wears glasses?" I said, "No Student X, you do not look like someone who wears glasses because you don't have any on." Then het urned around and pulled out a case, he had just gotten glasses the day before. He was not wearing them though, and I knew he was having a hard time reading the board. I asked him why he wasn't wearing them and he just said, "Ms. Lauren, I don't have to wear them 24/7."

His glasses were quite snazzy, but I knew that he was maybe embarrassed to wear them. He's a pretty popular kid, but man those 5th graders can be ruthless. On Thursday, the next day, I made a conscious effort to wear my glasses. I was not in Student X's classroom in the morning. Student X was not wearing his glasses. Then after lunch I came into his classroom to spend the afternoon, he said, "Ms. Lauren, when did you get glasses." I proceeded to tell him that I have had them for a long time, I just don't have to wear them everyday.
The next thing I knew, Student X reached into his desk and pulled out his glasses. He wore them for the rest of the day!

I guess it is the little things that really count!

Caution: Beware of Closing Doors

Yes, I'm sure you are wondering what that titles is referring to. Well, let me tell you. First of all, I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and New Years. Mine was enjoyable, but busy. For the second part of my two week break from City Year, I spent a few days in the Big Apple with my uncle and cousin. We had a great time seeing shows, shopping, walking, lots of walking, and eating!

One morning we were venturing to Grenwich Village from our hotel in Times Square. This would have been quite a long walk, so we decided to take the Subway. I was excited to at the NYC subway to my short list of public transportation I have used. We approached our stop and I was the last of my group of four to get off the subway. As I am exiting, the doors close! Yes, the doors start to close on me! The doors slowly started to push into my shoulders and I started to see my life flash through my head. I could see myself splashing around the pool with my brother, playing house with my cousins, going to a high school football game and drinking at a bar in Athens. I see my uncle and cousin walking away, they didn't know I was stuck in the door. Then I imagined what it would be like if the Subway began to move with me stuck in it! My cousin finally turned around and noticed that I was being eating by the subway door. As she came towards me, I was able to use my muscle to push the doors back open. I walked onto the stable ground and could not believe what had just happened! After I realized that I was still alive, my cousin and I began to laugh hysterically about the situation that only I could get into.
I mean come on, who gets stuck in the subway door. In my defense, those doors did close rather fast.
So even if you think you have enough time to get through the subway door, my advice= RUN!