What a Wonderful World

Despite loving music and finding solace in its authentic lulling chords and poignant vocals, I must confess: I really, really adore...(gulp)...cover songs. Yes, yes, I know; they scream of impurities and, much like films, the sequels or remakes are never as good as the originals. Except...

There's the newer version of "Boys of Summer" which deserves credit simply for its reference to the Black Flag sticker on a Cadillac:

https://youtu.be/NzIZbd0K2CM

And even with my love for the twangy original country outlaws, 

it's hard to fight the soul in Iced Earth, Michael Poulsen from Volbeat, and Russell Allen's version of "Highwayman."

https://youtu.be/9unWRsD2QQM

There are missteps in covers, don't get me wrong. (Like a new version of "American Pie" by...Madonna. Honestly, who heard about this and decided, Ooh, good idea!?) But perhaps my favorite cover is one many would consider sacrilege because the original version is, of course, stunning. After all, Louis Armstrong singing "What a Wonderful World" is timeless, but for me? 

I need the song to have urgency and brightness and absolute joy; Joey Ramone brings that (and then some) to his rendition.

https://youtu.be/8IoO5nkxT_4

I see trees of green...

Red roses, too.

I see them bloom for me and you,

And I think to myself,

What a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white, 

Bright sunny days; dark sacred nights.

And I think to myself,

What a wonderful world 

The colors of the rainbows are so pretty in the skies

And also on the faces of the people walking by. 

I see friends shaking hands saying, "How do you do?"

They're really saying, "I love you."

I see babies cry; 

I watch them grow.

They'll learn much more than I'll ever know.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world...

Yes, I think to myself:

What a wonderful world!

My friends, it doesn't matter if your path is fully original or a new twist on an old favorite: wherever you go, take time to enjoy this wonderful world.

The Journey is the Destination

I I know I'm not the only one who thinks that 2016 was, well...challenging. Personally, I've experienced deaths and difficulties and really shitty decisions I'm ashamed I made. The world in general has dealt with loss, and disappointment, and tragedy in unmatched (at least in terms of publicity) numbers. And the overall consensus seems to be:

It's weird, because I'm not sure it's typical for personal and public challenges  to align so directly for so many...yet here we are. So there are a lot of people suggesting that, in ideal circumstances, we try again...

Don't get me wrong; I don't entirely disagree. I voted straight Democrat (what can I say, I like the D! 😜), yet I haven't hopped aboard the apocalypse train. I suppose, at the end of the day, I consider myself a realist. That means, then, that I look for the possibility in every situation. So what is the possibility exactly? Well, there's this:

And then there's my daughter, who has achieved constant status as my Greatest Hope for the Future. She's creative and funny and smart and kind and...like, honestly, do you expect me to say every single thing that's amazing about her?! Because, really --

Oh, relax...I kid, I kid (kind of...I'm actually really digging on me lately)! See, sometimes it seems the world is falling apart around us; other times, it's like we're shattering around the world. And either way, that's okay: 

Because it's true, you know. Trial by fire is the only real test. And if we win? Well, then we have the honor of letting the fire, the light, burn through loud and proud. If we lose? Hey, man...we tried. Truth be told, yes: as a mother, as a teacher, as a woman -- I feel threatened and downright violated. It doesn't really matter, though. Because it's not about me. It's about what happens after me.

So what exactly do I expect to happen after me? It's simple, really. I expect passion and sincerity and the quest for what is right. Honestly? I've no clue. But I do know that, through it all, we keep trying. It might seem weird or tough or outright impossible...but we keep trying! 

https://youtu.be/PNpSpMMfQis

And that, my friends..well, that's worth the time and effort. Because my baby??? And your baby, too? Let's keep fighting for that little bit of everything they hope to achieve. ❤

https://youtu.be/fRgqy_iuWKo

✌🏼

Get on With It

I haven't written for a bit. There's been writer's block, holidays, and a lack of major moments. In my world, no one died, or was born, or got impregnated, or made any tremendous life changes. 

So for the last month, I've been cruising along with daily chores and plans and responsibilities, just waiting for IT to happen. I've held my breath. I've braced for impact. And.....nothing.

Yet today, the United States held the formal inauguration for the 45th president of this amazing country. 

It happened amidst protest and contention and all-around uncertainty on each and every side of the fence (wall?)... In the microcosm, my kiddos and I went through the second day of midterms, a mark of the official halfway point in this school year, a time that is both stressful and a relief.

So with new oaths and dozens (ugh!) of essay exams, do you know what's different this Friday night than any other Friday night? Not much, honestly. I've been in my PJs for an embarrassingly long time, cuddled in with my baby girl while we slurp our respective juices.

I do realize that my experience is not necessarily the experience. Some people I know spent the day in rain-soaked ball caps as they vowed to make America great again. Others are letting the paint dry on their posters as they drive overnight to March on Washington.

Our ideologies might not align. I might not understand or fully empathize with your place in this world (nor you, mine). So, it begs the question: how do I sleep tonight, or any other night for the next four years? (Short answer? I don't really sleep, so if you have a suggestion...)

So how (theoretically) do I sleep? I know that this too shall pass. Often, we encounter struggles that require us to learn and grow through some painful processes. Occasionally, we find that situations work out better than we'd expected. And most of the time, we break on through to the other side.

No one has a perfect record. There are no absolutes, and there are no guarantees. People, and things, move and change and betray...and we endure. D'you know why? Because there's no other possibility....we owe them the future, after all...

Hold on, my loves. We got this. ✌🏼️❤️😍

Past & Present - Imperfect

Today is
Today was
Today would have been 
On this day, December 8, in the year 1952, Robert F. Klett was born. It's a day that's been marked with a celebration for the last 63 years, commemorating his entrance to the world. 
On this day, December 6, in the year 2016, Robert F. Klett, is gone; he died on March 10, 2016 just before midnight. So this is the first December 8 without Bob here to celebrate.

Facebook remembers. A lot.

We've already felt his first absence from birthdays (he so would've crawled through here with her!),

trick-or-treating,

and Thanksgiving day cuddled on the couch or enjoying the brisk air.

In just a few short weeks, we'll spend our first Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, and a whole entire year, without Bob. It's interesting because I'm so entrenched in a time when firsts tend to be happy occasions: first smile, first tooth, first word, first steps...every brand new start with my little girl is cause for celebration. Her first celebrations, even (especially?) those in hindsight become slightly less joyful when realizing that many of her beginnings were many of Bob's endings.

 We decorated our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, and the event of course included the traditional lugging of the boxed-up ornaments down from the attic. Many of our ornaments, and definitely our favorite ones, are those that Mom and Bob made for us less than two years ago.

And then there's the tree topper, which we didn't have because we could never find one we loved...until Grace, Mom, and Bob made us one together. Bob shaped and cut it out while the ladies decorated it. When we pulled it from the tissue paper a few weeks ago and held it out to Grace, she thought it was beautiful. She was also a bit mystified, though, because when we told her that she'd made it with Mom-mom and Pop-pop...she didn't remember crafting it with them.

 I suppose this post is my present for Bob today. It's true that he's not here to celebrate. But I think I screwed up earlier when I said he's gone; he isn't gone. He's here in the goofy pictures he took and in the gorgeous woodworks he created and in the New Jersey Bob-isms that no one else could think up (or comprehend). I know that I can't keep him as vivid forever; like all memories, and all voices, and all people, he'll soften over time. But even as the edges blur, he'll be here because we won't ever completely let him go. 

I love you, Pop-pop. ❤️

Wandering Aimlessly with a Purpose

I couldn't wait to leave high school. The reason I looked so thrilled at graduation? Because it was yet one more senseless (I thought at the time) hoop to jump through before I could move forward.

For all of the great people and experiences (and there were many) in my high school career, it never felt like a place I belonged. Peers and teachers alike weren't sure how to handle me because I've always been a bit out of the ordinary, for both better and worse.

But I got through high school, and I got through college (a place I genuinely loved and would revisit any day). What did I do from there? I went back to high school, of course.

When I became a certified secondary English teacher, through a series of fortunate events, I knew one thing above all else: my classroom would be different. It would be safe and welcoming, a place for everyone, including kids who felt like they didn't have a place at school. And at least some of the anecdotal data -- and after all, school is all a-effing-bout the data -- I'm on to something. For starters, kids outright tell me that they value the class and our time together:

Then there are the moments where we have fun learning, whether it's a silly costume for a presentation...

...or spending an unconventional class period celebrating the National Day on Writing (zoom in for their awesome reasons about #whyiwrite!).

There are also the most important moments to me, the ones where we transcend the teacher-student model and come to value one another as people. It might mean students are partaking in goofy jokes, just because it makes us laugh (and FYI, the other side says I Haz the Dumb, and it's amazing!!!).

Or it might mean my professional and personal lives collide, and my awe-struck (birth) kid gets to hang out with my lovely (classroom) kids. It's hard to beat.

And lest you think it's just me, or just me tooting my own horn, it's not. Certain coworkers have been voted Class Mom, or have students planning years ahead to be in her class as seniors, or merit a major mention in the superintendent's blog, or...how much time do you have? Because I could go on and on (and on...) about the amazing teachers and students at my school. At the end of the day, what matters most when you put us all together? Well, it's what we make, of course.