Soccer

If there is one thing I regret in my life it is to not continue my soccer career after my sophomore year of high school. I had broken my ankle for the second time that year and found myself just burned out from the sport. It got political, it got stress-filled and just wasn't the fun sport I once knew. However I wish I would've just sucked it up and kept playing.

I started playing soccer the day I could walk. My dad was my coach growing up in the recreational program for 5 years. I was fortunate enough to make select as well when I was old enough to try out. I have won the state championship 3 times with my teams I have played for and took second twice. I then played high school in the fall and select in the spring with indoor teams in between.

I remember the cold damp ice crystals on the grass at 7 am in the morning. Our parents would wake us up with a banana I could hardly put down because of the nerves and excitement of how the game would go. My stiff muscles were hardly able to stretch for game time as the cold would suffocate my body. But when game time started, all the extremities and issues were put away as all I would think about was that ball.

I write all of this not because I want you to see how blessed I was to be on such great teams. I write this to you because I want you to not give up on something. I still play soccer today but I lost a couple of my years of my life not doing what I love. Life isn't about what you don't want to do, it is all about what you do want to do.

Family

I love my family more than I can put into words. It's almost useless trying to write a blog entry on how much my family means to me, but then again, it's my blog and I want to write about things that matter. The 12 past months have been so hard on me personally. I've gone through too many things to count and just can't see a light at the end of the tunnel. My emotions have been a complete roller coaster day in and day out. I have woken up mornings to find myself not wanting to move on with my life to turning to vices that aren't good for my state of being.

Some of the closest people to me don't even know all the things that have happened to me but without my family I wouldn't have been able to approach things better today than I have in months past. I have still been extremely stressed and all parts of my life have taken a toll on me, especially school. However my family is my bright shining star. They are they ones who hold me together. They are my glue. Each one of them holds such a special place in my heart and have been an intrigual part of my slow recovery of what I call life.

Because of my family I have been able to escape my extreme depression, anxiety disorder, my uncle's untimely passing, my broken engagement to a wonderful girl, and my sister's recent struggles in life. If there is one thing I am starting to realize is that this is a time in which God wants me to learn. When I am able to meet people with the similar problems in the future I will be there for them and help them understand there is a light at the end of the tunnel - there is hope.

My family is so important to me. With them I am who I am. Without them I am nothing. I feel I am going through these things because God wants me to grow closer to him and make sure I lean on him for everything and that is what my family has been able to teach me. That is what family is all about anyways isn't it?

Tips

It's how I survive. Without em' I wouldn't be able to support myself. With em' I can pay for school, car stuff, food, and dates with the ladies ;). I am a server at a restaurant and find myself not leaving for a long time and with $2.33 an hour pay, it kills you when you don't get tipped correctly. It's my only job and a perfect one with me being a college student but if people aren't generous or educated on the world of tipping it can leave you digging out the couch cushions so I can make my monthly bills on time.

Years ago the standard was %15 when folks went out to eat. Now a days it is %20. Why did it go up? I have no idea and frankly don't care, but %20 it is. It thought a couple of "rule of thumbs" would be appropriate for some of you that don't know much about the world of tipping at the restaurant... First off - it's always %18-%20 standard tip. If the waiter sucked tell the manager, and if they were awesome tell the manager. Second off - Verbalize tips are nice but we can't pay the cell phone bill with them. Thirdly - If you want to make the table your living room, leave a bit extra money as that table could've been sat and we as waiters are missing out on cliental....

Now I don't take my job for granted or expect people just to tip me well as I can act and work as I please, as a matter of fact I make sure I do well as a server and I always respect my tables as they come and go. I treat all tables the same with efficiency and respect but I do read my tables to find what is appropriate to discuss with my customers. I have found I have received many compliments and great tips in my career as a waiter so far. I love what I do and it shows.

I think in everyone's life time we all should hold some sort of customer service job. It helps us all to multi-task, deal with issues unexpectedly, and be able to communicate well to others. They are all skills we all should have down well and quite frankly I have learned a lot so far from being a waiter in those fields. So next time your at a restaurant don't just tip %20, also see if they are hiring.

Thanksgiving!

Oh where to start?! It's thanksgiving week and it has to be my favorite week of the year. This year I get to enjoy two thanksgivings. This time of the year brings forth family and food, both of my favorite things in life.

When I was growing up my family would spend thanksgiving week with my aunt and her family in Madison but now that our own family is getting older and bigger, we find ourselves having our very own year after year. The only negative about thanksgiving is I always find myself having to clean the house which sucks. Let's be honest, no one likes cleaning the house.

Wednesday is my family's thanksgiving night and thankfully (pun intended) I don't need to work. Traditional turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, potatoes, and much more I am forgetting. Thursday my brother and sister-in law have me coming over for a smaller, yet just as fun thanksgiving celebration. On the menu for thursday you ask? Much more of a non-traditional menu if you will... Chicken, unique appetizers all day, and other foods you would've find at your grandpa and grandma's.

The last 12 month's have been the most difficult of my time here on earth so far. I never thought I would have to deal with the amount of stresses that have hit me but I still have much to be thankful for. God always gives us what we can handle and we all need to be thankful that he is in control. We all need to keep in mind all the blessings we have in life, how fortunate we are with a simple roof over our head and food in our pantry. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, hope it's a great one.

Teaching in Chicago...

Chicago Urban School Experience:

St. Paul’s Lutheran Elementary School

On Tuesday November 2^nd 2010 I was blessed to attend St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran School in Chicago Illinois. The day was filled with much anticipation, as this was my first multicultural experience of teaching students in my life. The school was 100 percent African American and was heavily funded by the state. Two fellow classmates and I worked with 7 children from one of the 3^rd grade classes. We built a strong lesson plan, executed it and were able to connect with the students very well. I have been able to look back and assess my short but very impactful time spent at St. Paul’s Lutheran school. Through this experience I have been able to gain valuable knowledge and build a foundation of the urban setting that will grow in my coming years of being both a student and a teacher. Through this reflection I will be assessing the following:

1. How did our lesson assist the teacher in furthering the classroom objectives?

2. What did I learn about myself as a future teacher?

3. How does a teacher meet the needs of all students?

4. What techniques of a teacher are used in the area of communication?

5. How does content knowledge, enthusiasm, knowledge of diverse learners, and relationship skills impact learning within the classroom?

6. What system does a teacher implement regarding classroom management?

7. How does a classroom system of management ensure that all students are learning successfully?

8. What went well in our lesson?

9. What would I have done differently to connect the lesson plan and the children? Why?

This review of the day focuses on those questions.

How did our lesson assist the teacher in

furthering the classroom objectives?

Before we went into our rooms to meet the class we were going to be with we learned about the school itself. We learned about how the children weren’t where they needed to be in all areas of education. National test scores were not up to par and graduation rates were disappointing. With that being said the basic foundation of learning is literacy and being able to comprehend information. Our lesson plan centered around spelling, writing, and reading. Our entire lesson assisted the children to learn spelling concepts (silent letters within words, different tenses, and different ways to pronounce words), writing sentences that included the spelling words, and finally reading to the students to improve reading quality. I felt we as a group did a fantastic job in helping the students learn some material in English that would carry over into the classroom when we left.

What did I learn about myself

As a future teacher?

As this was my first experience in not only an urban school setting but also a private school setting it opened my eyes to opportunity. I always believed that I would best fit into a public suburban school setting but after this excursion my heart has began to open up to the different possibilities within the education world. I personally felt that when we as teachers can place ourselves within the lives of the

students and still holding that leadership role with respect, the students are much more likely to focus, participate and most importantly learn. I learned about putting myself within the lives of the ones I taught and made jokes and said things to them that showed them I cared.

How does a teacher meet

the needs of all students?

This is best answered in one characteristic that is most important and needed to be held highest in every teacher when being with their students. That characteristic is respect. I have found that when you care and reach out to the children they most often reach back and a form of trust is formed. When dealing with a child that is at or below poverty line, hope is something that isn’t too promising in their lives. When caring comes into play, it all changes because hope is then established through trust and will bring the child forth in their education.

What techniques are used

in the area of communication?

This is something that I will have to learn in time when one day I get my own class. However all I can do right now is observe and learn through other teachers in how certain techniques are used in the department of communication. Often times I see that consequence based classrooms are often the case in communicating to the students in what the teacher wants them to either do or to learn. This is something that is so prevalent and such the norm that I rarely hear about classrooms are structured differently than this way. If the children do their work and listen they are rewarded with either little toys and extra free time, but if they don’t, the negative side of things brings forth missed recess, extra work, and lost time with their friends.

How does content knowledge, enthusiasm, knowledge of diverse learners, and relationship skills impact learning within the classroom?

These four factors are key in not only the students learning the curriculum at hand, but also the key in one facet relating to another for a successful classroom. Content knowledge is the ultimate goal because that is where the students truly understand the information. However if the teacher is not capable of enthusiasm, knowledge of different students learning styles, and relate-ability, content knowledge can be a wasteful expectation. A teacher must be able to care about the students and when that happens, the teacher is able to be enthusiastic with his or her own class. When you care, relationship skills are built through one another that bring forth trust and once trust is secured, knowledge of diverse learners is easily tied together as both the student and the teacher can break down the wall of ignorance, disrespect, and tension in any classroom.

What system does a teacher implement

regarding classroom management?

Within a Christian private school setting, God can be openly accepted within the classrooms. I found that the system that was implemented within the classroom I was able to teach within had a stronger emphasis on God and who God not only wants the children to achieve but also the teachers as well. I felt at peace with this and thought about how powerful that is. The system that the teacher implemented tied God into the classroom which gives the children hope and a sense

of direction and purpose within life. This is a way in which children can build trust, feel secure and most of all learn about the world among them.

How does a classroom system of management ensure that all students are learning successfully?

A successful style of management needs to be executed by the teacher and the students need to follow honestly through with that style. Structure is key in bringing all the children together on the same page so that all students can learn. Structure happens when respect, trust, and caring are all in coexistence with one another. The classroom management system ensures that all students are learning when all are participating in activities, doing their work to the best of their abilities and when they ask honest questions when they don’t understand the curriculum at hand. Successful management of a classroom starts and ends with the teacher.

What went well in our lesson?

I felt what went well was the energy and passion that was injected within the entire lesson. Our lesson plan was plain and very vanilla on paper, but we as a group did a fantastic job in improvising successful techniques that drove home the goals and objectives in mind. For example we only had five words for spelling but had a total of 15 minutes to go over those words. As you could’ve guessed we really didn’t need those 15 minutes for such a little amount but with our quickness on our feet, we were able to ask the kids why they spelled the words the way they did and asked how they spelled them. That brought a sense of engagement that the kids weren’t just learning from us as the teachers but also from one another.

What would I have done differently

to connect the lesson plan to the children and why?

I believe that a solid structure and solid plan of any kind have little chance of failing. I felt through the lesson that my colleges didn’t share the same passion or drive as I did. I’m not blaming them though; I am blaming myself for that. I feel I should’ve called together the group I was teaching with to make sure we were all on the same end of the spectrum on what all our responsibilities were and what exactly all of our jobs were in getting the lesson across fully to the students. We as a group didn’t know exactly who was doing what and how we were exactly supposed to do our jobs at certain times and I thought that was very unprofessional and not a great way to show the kids we are capable of our job to teach them. Like I said earlier we did a fantastic job in improvising when we lost track of the structure of the lesson plan but we shouldn’t have been in that situation at all.

Halloween

October 1st rolls by and the leaves are starting to be noticed. The crisp cool air blows through the air as the leaves start blowing over my shoes. Football is starting to be in full effect. Lastly, Halloween starts being advertised all over the mall, television, and people around you.

When I was young I only cared about the people I hung out with on Halloween. What kind of candy I got and lastly, how long I could stay away from my house! Oh I miss those days!!! My favorite costume must have been when I dressed up like the villain in the Movie "Scream" (Dorky, I know).

This year I have been sick, dealing with so much school work and staying busy with work when not at school. I wanted to go out oh so very much this year but it just didn't work out this year. I had the best costume idea as well. From the NBC television show "The Office" I was going to write the word "BOOK" on my forehead; dressing myself as "FACEBOOK".

Oh Halloween. Every year it seems like the same old pattern of activities. However every year I miss out on everything. It seems every time I just get into the festive day, it passes me by.

From a gutter to the front door...

Oh man. I find myself stuck in the fall blues. I'm not sure there is such a term but I do. I just don't have that certain energy I used to have in the summer.

I've never enjoyed school yet I enjoy it now that I am able to study something I have passion for. Being a teacher will definitely go against my feelings towards school but it's weird how that sometimes happens for some people. I just have little motivation for things and find myself missing out on important dates throughout the week.

Life isn't about what you choose to do, it is about what you do do. I guess that may or may not make sense but I can promise you it does to me. The last few months have been extremely hard for me. Being single again after a broken engagement, my father having a massive heart attack, and not finding enough time to spend in scripture. Today was a huge step for me. I attended everything I told myself I would.

I hope I can keep this up. I understand it can fade quickly but after looking back I am so glad I wasn't stuck in my rut today and just deciding to cancel off my plans. I helped clean up the house, met some friends and family, a work party and most of all made it to Epikos which I haven't been in a several weeks. Life is good today.

Packers

Oh gosh, another loss. This one puts us at 3-3. It was a virtual lock that every analyst said that the Pack would take the NFC by storm this year. They (the Pack) would win almost every game, and have their offensive and defensive units respectively be towards the top in the League.

Well its just about the end of week 6 and no one even believes we may make the playoffs. Injuries are the main concern with our starting running back, safety, tight end, right tackle, defensive end, outside linebacker and numerous other important positions derailed. I'm not upset but bitter at how unlucky we have gotten in the injury category. For the most part there is nothing you can do about injuries and all it takes is for a certain tweak here, or a simple hit there and you find your team in the medical room.

I feel Ted Thompson needs to make a deal by this tuesday (trade deadline). If we truly want to get back on track with our hopes of a deep playoff run, we need playmakers. Earlier today we dealt for a safety we cut last year (smooth) so that will help our depth in the secondary but more needs to be done. We really need to deal for a better version of what we have in the backfield, and possibly another defensive weapon we can pair with Clay Matthews when he comes back.

The vikings come to town next sunday night where the nation can watch the drama unfold for the second straight season when the drama queen himself - Brett Favre and the Vi-queens, I mean the Vikings, take on our home grown Pack. I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't nervous about the game and even saying we would win. It will be a important game don't get me wrong and it will be interesting how we handle both their potent offense and defense. Let's just not get our hopes up like we did before the season...

10/10/10

Well today marks the 10/10/10 day or whatever you call it. For me though there are more things I am focused upon. Today is sunday, which are my favorite days. My absolute favorite days.

Sundays I get to relax, do really whatever I feel like. Sundays include church, football, time with family and getting ready for the week. I never work sundays, I never make major plans, and just love the idea of having one day or two a week where I can just relax, reflect, and prepare my mind for the coming week.

I used to fill my sundays with activities, events and felt myself crumbling under the anxiety of not having a day or two of rest and reflection. Anxiety sucks, trust me. All people aren't the way I am though. Some are busy-bodies and just can't think to have a day or two of relaxing and reflection though.

I write this because if you are one of those people with a lot of stress, or a lot on your mind and feel like you can't get a period of time where you can regroup maybe you need to find a sunday like me. Especially with work, school, extracurriculars, friends, family and so much more we all need our "sundays". Today isn't just 10/10/10 to me but more importantly sunday ;).

The Office

It is extremely rare that I find myself following a television series. I have only kept up with two my entire life. One being the ABC hit "LOST" and the other being the hilarious NBC hit show "The office". The office (for the one person who hasn't see it) is a comedy fiction documentary on a fake paper company set in Scranton, Pennsylvania named "Dunder Mifflin".

The boss, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carrell), is completely unfit for the job and spends most of his time either looking for a girlfriend or organizing time wasting conference meetings. The other main characters include Jim, Dwight, Andy, and Pam. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Phyllis, Creed, Stanley, Kevin, Meredith, Angela, Ryan, Kelly, Toby ("Toby is the worst" -Michael Scott), Oscar, Erin, and Darrell.

Throughout the episodes you find Dwight giving birth to a watermelon, Michael grilling his foot on a George Foreman Grill, Jim pulling countless pranks on Dwight, Toby receiving a rock for a present, and the others doing the most ridiculous things you can think of. Each one of the people within the office has their own identity which makes the show so much more fun to watch each week. It really reminds me of where I work. I have been working at the same restaurant for 6 years now and have a new found relationship with my co workers (mostly comedic) throughout watching the office because of its different story lines, the boss, and corporate bearing down on you in every way possible.

The office is starting up again this week every thursday night on NBC. If you can't catch it at night, try HULU.com for replays of the premiere and following episodes throughout the season. I love watching the office. It gives me a sense of comedy, release, relate-ability in the work place, and most of all something fun to talk about with others.

Procrastination

It's one of the things I do best. If there is one thing in this world I am good at, it's procrastinating ;). I can't lie though, I wish I wasn't so good at it. But hey, I am really good at it...

My entire life I have procrastinated. From elementary school to high school I have always been this way with projects, studying and daily assignments. It was always uncommon for me to sit down, and take care of all my work all at once. I wonder if it is my parents fault to a certain degree.

Taking 16 credits this semester, working 15 hours a week, 2 bible studies, and numerous other activities (fantasy football :) ) it really isn't a good thing to have right now. I don't even have time to focus on reading scripture on a regular basis because the work just seems to pile up. I want to be able to focus on everything I am given that means a lot to me.

I need to refocus, get my priorities straight and get this habit out of my system. Only then I will find myself feeling more organized, relaxed, and ultimately fulfilled. Fulfillment is what I am aiming for and God is the key to that. What's the one thing you need to get out of your tree of bad habits?

First Post

I've always wanted to do one of these. One of these "thingys" online. I always thought this was a great way to keep your friends and family up to date on your life and that is pretty neat. But since this is my first post I want to keep it simple and just tell you about what holds me together in my life. I walk humbly in Christ and know first and foremost I am nothing without him. My family is my second most important facet in my life. Not only are they family but some of my best friends. Their support in my life is beyond explanation and am so blessed with them. From my sister-in-laws to my nephew and nieces, I consider myself so lucky. Thirdly I would say going to school for elementary education at Concordia University is one of the most exciting goals I have going right now. My life is full of different events, activities and unexplained happenings, but it is because of my faith in God and family that keep me grounded as an individual and always know I have God to trust in every situation I find weary.