118. My Dentist

Health 0

Yesterday, there was a cracking sensation when I chewed my lunch.  Today my dentist got me in to see her tomorrow.  (It’s not hurting, but I think something’s going on.)

At work after I made the appointment, several of us got to talking about Awful Dentists Who Only Want to Make a Buck.  For awhile I went to one because I thought I needed an “in program” dentist.  Well, being in program meant they weren’t supposed to charge me if the insurance wouldn’t cover it — but they got an awful lot of money from me before I figured that out.  Silly me, thinking if the dentist said something needed to be done, it needed to be done!

But then I went back to Wanda Garrett, a wonderful dentist in Herndon.  She’s gentle.  She listens.  And she thinks about what will be good for me.  Some work that the other dentist said my son needed — she determined he didn’t need at all, and he has been fine.

Anyway, though I’m not happy I have to go to the dentist tomorrow, I am very happy that I have such a good dentist to go to.

 

116. The Feeling After a Good Decision

Events, Little Things 0

I made some decisions today.  I’m an INFJ.  I love making decisions!

One of them was to continue my sabbatical from online dating for awhile longer, or perhaps forever — until I can jump in whole-heartedly and enthusiastically.  I’m just not interested in giving it my time and energy right now.

And, once I made the decision, I feel happy about it.

The same is true of the other decisions I made today, including one to apply to be a Cybils Award judge again this year.

And that’s just a nice feeling.  To know in your heart that a decision was right for you.

112. Cleaning House

Little Things 0

It’s kind of funny to list this.  I’ve never liked cleaning up after other people, and resentment about cleaning was a source of conflict in my marriage.

But today, playing my music, I caught myself truly enjoying cleaning my house (or part of it — no rush) and knowing it’s going to stay clean longer when I’m the only one here.

And it’s fun to clean while singing, and it’s lovely to have a clean house, and how nice to have a lovely, cozy home of my own.

I am blessed.

111. Happy Coincidences and Disaster Averted

Events, Libraries 0

Yesterday, we had a Computer Deconstruction program scheduled at the library to be run by TechShop.

I found out fifteen minutes before the program was to start that they weren’t coming.

That was the potential disaster.  Here are all the happy coincidences:

  1. This is the only TechShop program that doesn’t use their fancy equipment.  For this one, they do bring lots of screwdrivers and automatic screwdrivers.  They also bring old computers.  But this one was not dependent on their equipment.  I looked in our supply cabinet, and we did have two toolboxes with lots of screwdrivers.  We had been collecting broken electronics from the staff for months and even had a laptop computer and a notebook computer.
  2. I’ve seen this program done twice before.  I knew that mainly the facilitators cheer the kids on and encourage them to figure out how to get the machines apart.
  3. For some reason my co-worker Amanda was scheduled to host the program with me.  (Usually we only have one host scheduled when a performer is coming.)  So I didn’t have to scramble to get some help.  The two of us together could run the program!
  4. One of the mothers of the kids who came happened to have an old computer in her car!
  5. If I had found out they weren’t coming sooner, I might have been tempted to cancel.  As it was, the kids were arriving — and we did the program.

And it was awesome!

I love this program because I love watching the kids figure out how the things are put together and succeed in taking them apart.  It’s empowering!

(In fact, I like to tell the story that it was because of this very program that I dared to look up youtube videos and take apart my own film scanner and fix it!)

Here’s a girl working on a printer:

printer3

And here’s how the printer ended up:

printer4

Thanks to all those happy coincidences and awesome kids, the program was a huge success!

We think we’ll probably plan to do one on our own next summer!

 

110. Quiet Beautiful Things

General, Spiritual Blessings 0

This morning I was reading in the Bible about the Battle of Jericho.  It occurred to me that it’s easier to see what God is doing in my life when there’s big drama going on.  “My son just moved out.”  “I’m interviewing for a job in Oregon.”

I’m not sure how long it will last, but for now there’s not big drama in my life.  Yet — there are many things I’m excited about.  Quiet, Beautiful Things.  Things that God has brought into my life and that are His special blessings to me.

Today, it’s simply getting to go play games with friends — friends I’ve only known a couple years, but whose company I enjoy tremendously.  Tomorrow, it’s going to be getting to teach Scratch programming in a playful way.

And there are lots more things coming up.

And I hope I will remember to notice them.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”  Green pastures are lovely at times, too.

And may I not forget to be thankful.

 

109. Playfully Touching Lives

Activities, Libraries 0

I love my job!  Today I ran Family Math Games — a program where I have a bunch of board games and card games for all ages that promote math skills.  I only ask that at least one parent plays with the kids.  The program was my idea, and today I had 41 people in that room happily playing games — parents and kids playing together.

This fills my heart with happiness.  Once upon a time, I taught college math.  Then, so many of the students saw me as their adversary, since I wrote and graded the tests.  This way of teaching is so much more wonderful!

And my job is filled with things like this.  On Monday, I’m going to attempt to teach kids Scratch programming — but I’m planning to do so just by letting them mess around with it, play.

On Wednesday, Tech Shop is coming for a Computer Deconstruction program.  They’re going to bring tools and old computers, and the kids will take them apart and find out what’s inside.  It was from attending this program that I was brave enough to take a screwdriver to my film scanner — and I actually fixed it!  During that program, it’s so much fun to see the kids’ curiosity and confidence increase as they go.

And storytimes are about learning through fun, too.  Listening to stories lays the groundwork for learning to read — and it’s completely fun, not painful at all.

Can you tell?  I so love my job.  Because I get to touch lives by encouraging kids to play!

I am truly blessed!