I Am A Teacher - Sharing What I Learn

When I was a child, one of the favorite things I like to play was teacher.  I had a roomful of imaginary students and I would set up my desk and prepare tests and tell my students what I knew.  Maybe it was because my mother was teacher and I wanted to grow up to be just like her.  Maybe it was because I loved to read and I got excited when I learned something new.  Maybe it was because in the 50's the typical career choices for a girl after being a wife and mother, were to be a nurse or a teacher.  At any rate, I followed this path and ended up teaching elementary school for 18 years as both a full time and a substitute teacher.

Fifth Grade around 1983

Even after I changed careers, I continued to use my teaching skills as a security manager and Organizational Development specialist, giving briefings and conducting workshops, and as an adjunct professor teaching business management courses for a local university. In my heart I am a teacher.

When I retired, I saw this time in my life as an opportunity to return to the role of student and learn all the things that I had put on the back burner.  Jay and I enrolled in all kinds of classes and felt energized by all the fresh "input!" But water that flows into a area with no outlet just sits and becomes stagnant and we yearned for an avenue to share what we were learning with others.

William Glasser, an American psychiatrist, who has written many books on Choice Theory and its application in education has said that we learn:

“10% of what we read, 

20% of what we hear, 

30% of what we see, 

50% of what we see and hear, 

70% of what is discussed with others, 

80% of what is experienced personally, and 

95% of what we teach to someone else.”  

Stephen Covey, author of "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" writes that if you really want to learn something, teach it to someone else.

With this in mind, Jay and I have sought ways to teach. Our primary venue is through our Learning-in-Retirement organization, Omnilore, where we participate in a peer-learning model, as student and teacher.  We have also found opportunities at local community organizations, adult education programs, University Extension classes.  Recently, I was invited to teach a class on any topic related to the computer.  I had wanted to become familiar with the free software program, Picasa, so I said that would be my topic, and I used the opportunity to learn the subject, organize the information and present it to others as a way to deepen my own knowledge.

Teaching "Energy Use in the Food System" to an Omnilore class.

Jay has spent the past 6 years studying about serious topics such as the energy crisis and climate change.  He has gathered and organized valuable data and when he shares it, he knows he is contributing to the greater body of knowledge that can impact the direction that might be taken in this area.

Jay teaching a UCLA Extension Course on Energy

Jay teaching at Pacific Unitarian Church

 Teaching is a two way street and the benefits we receive are tremendous. When I teach a subject, reviewing the content of the material refreshes it in my mind and makes me ask questions that lead me to research and gain an even more in-depth knowledge of the subject.  It provides a sense of value to my life, knowing that I have contributed something to another.  Just talking about the subjects I love energizes me and gives me a "high" and a deep sense of satisfaction.  It is a wonderful feeling to have others appreciate what you have taught them, to see them learn and get excited about something.  It makes me feel ALIVE!

What do I want to be when I grow up?  I still want to be a teacher!

I Am A Reader - The Lady in the Palazzo

I recently read a book that transported me to one of my favorite places in Italy...the Umbrian hill town of Orvieto!  Twice Jay and I have spent time in Orvieto and each time we have been captivated by the ancient, Etruscan vibe that permeates the town.

Orvieto at dusk  2001

Orvieto, our hotel in 2004

The book I read was "The Lady in the Palazzo" written by Marlena DiBlasi.

Marlena is the author of various Italian Cookbooks and a number of years ago she met, fell in love with and married a Venetian.  That story is told in her book, "1000 Days in Venice."  After marriage and living in Venice for a while, she and Fernando moved to Tuscany and their experiences there are chronicled in her book, "1000 Days in Tuscany."

In "The Lady in the Palazzo," Marlena and Fernando have moved to Orvieto where they attempt to purchase a home inside the walls.  Their endeavor is detailed in this book and Marlena tells more than just the story of her experience.  She brings the reader into the "soul" of the Italy where she finds herself.  Because she is a transplanted American, she sees through American eyes and hears through American ears.  As a result, she is constantly just a little bit out of step with life being lived by the Italians around her.  This slight disconnect makes her notice things that locals would take for granted.  She describes the places and the people with such insight that I want to hurry off to Orvieto and find these people and make them my friends as well.  From her husband, Fernando, she begins to learn the "Italian way" of doing things...the nuances of interactions.  She begins to see how every encounter is like an act in an ancient opera and that nothing is really as it seems.  If you have been to Italy and visited family, then you have also experienced what it is like to be in a situation and to feel that more is going on here than meets the eye but you can't quite figure out what it is.  She describes such incidents in her book.

The main theme is that she and Fernando want to purchase a large apartment in a very old palazzo that has been in an Ovietani family for generations.  However, the family, who needs to sell the apartment, cannot bring themselves to part with it.  So they enter into a very "Italian" arrangement where Marlena and Fernando pay for all the renovations and are permitted to live for as long as they want...for all their lives if they want...but the apartment never officially changes hands.

I think her writing is wonderful.  She uses words in a poetic way and tells you not just what happened but what it is in the Italian soul that made it happen the way it did.  The text is peppered with Italian phrases and translations that give you a real sense of place.  Marlena herself is a personality bigger than life.  She is the "Americana" who dresses wildly and with flair.  She is bold, willing to do and try things that cause the Italians to observe with their mouths hanging open and yet she is able to pull it off.  At the end, you are gifted with some of her recipes.

Marlena di Blasi

I have read varying reviews of her books, some thumbs up and some thumbs down...but for me...I enjoy them! The book is my selection for the month of July in the Italy in Books Challenge at the Book After Book blog. To see what others are reading this month click here.

I Am A Student - Learning to Text

Warning:  I am going to sound "old" in this post.

Remember the days when the family gathered around the table and people engaged in eye contact and conversation?  Today's meals with adult children are likely to be interrupted with a buzzing occurring on the electronic device that is set on the table next to the water glass. The son, picks it up, averts eyes to device while continue to say "uh-huh" to me and then says, "Excuse, me I have to take care of this."  My sons do not work 8 to 5, they work 24/7 tied to their employment by their smart phones and conduct business often with a text or a tweet.

I was waiting for some information from my son, Marc, and finally called him and asked for it.
His reply to me, "I already text it to you...didn't you get it?" 
My reply to him, "You can text me until the cows come home, I will not get it because I do not text."  
His reply to me, "Mom, you really should text."

So I went kicking and screaming into texting and discovered that, in truth, it is the most expedient way to get information to and from my adult children. It is their information highway! So when we were able to upgrade our phones, I opted for a phone with a QWERTY keyboard to assist my thumbs in their new task.

I am still not willing to invest in a data package for a smart phone but for $5 extra a month I can send or receive about 250 text messages. While texts do not provide the pleasure of hearing my loved ones voices, it does get the job done!  I have tried to learn the coding to make the texts brief and though my teacher's soul cringes, I will use lower case and I will type a "u" for you.  So when necessary I send brief texts using some Senior codes, like..."Had surgery today for my left cataract and got a Crystalens, not CBM (Covered By Medicare)"  and if I get lost in the middle of a thought, I just type in the code FWIW (Forgot Where I Was). :-)

Jay has watched me texting periodically and has said, "I suppose I should learn how to do that."  Jay opted to keep his flip phone which he has only used to find me in a store.  In the past, if it rang he would hand it to me and say,  "Here...answer this."  But he too has decided he needs to get current so it was wonderful this weekend to watch him venture into this new world.  It is all thanks to our grandson, Gabriel.  Gabriel is 10 and he is using his mother's old phone to learn how to text. Friday night, the day after Gabriel and his parents left for a vacation in San Francisco, Jay's cell phone beeped.  There was a little enveloped displayed on the screen.  After figuring out how to open it, he saw displayed a message that said..."Good night, Grandpa Jay!"  

He immediately found reply, placed his thumbs on his keys and typed a text back.  So together, the two ends of the generation spectrum are learning to text.

I Am An Admirer - Awesome Milli

This past weekend we celebrated Gabriel's 10th birthday and his entry into "double digits!"  He had two parties, one with his friends and one with his family. Milli asked if I would come to the friends' party to take pictures so I was able to see a 2011 version of a children's party.  In the past, many of his birthday parties have been the work of others and held at various venues...like a puppet show, or a bowling party...but this year he asked his mother if she would plan a special party for him, a "Minute to Win It" Party.  I was not familiar with it, but I learned that there is a television show with this same name which is a game show where contestants compete to win prizes by accomplishing various physical feats, racing against the clock and other contestants.

Well...Gabriel gave the task to the right person.  If there is anyone who has the drive, focus, commitment and energy to accomplish the overwhelming it is my daughter-in-love, Milli.

I call her "Mama Bear" and I have watched her attack seemingly impossible tasks, some related to his education, some related to his health, some related to his emotional well-being, on behalf of her son.  So this was doable for her!

I loved observing this party. It was so well-thought out and orchestrated.  12 children, divided into three teams of four, competed in 12 events.

Each event had all the necessary tools at the ready.  Milli explained the rules of each event and guided the children through the paces.

My son, Michael, was her very capable "assistant producer."

He had downloaded the actual theme song of the TV show and played it in the background as each event transpired.  He helped judge and handed out the chips to the winning contestants.  The games were so clever and they did things like stack ding-dong cakes into a chocolate unicorn on their foreheads,

roll marbles on a TV tray to stick on sticky tape,

move a cookie from their foreheads to their mouths without using their hands,

threading penne pasta on a strand of spaghetti.

What creativity! I couldn't help but recall parties of my own sons in the 60's where we played simple games like "Drop the Clothespins in a Milk Bottle," "Pin The Tail on The Donkey," and "Musical Chairs."

In the midst of all of this was Gabriel, reveling in a dream come true provided by the love and effort of his parents.

I decided that in this struggling economy, Milli could have a new career...she could always hire herself out as a party organizer or at a minimum rent out all the equipment she organized for this event.

One thing I do know for sure...If I am EVER faced with a daunting task or situation, I want her in my corner!!

Milli, you are AWESOME!

I Am A Traveler - Visiting An Argentinian Market!

Los Angeles is a very diverse place.  Driving into specific neighborhoods I feel like I am in another country.  In a matter of minutes I can be in Little Korea, Little India, Little Ethiopia or Little Croatia.  Today I felt like a foreign traveler, when on the way home from one of our Omnilore classes, we stopped at El Gaucho Meat Market on Inglewood Ave. in Lawndale.

It is advertised as an Argentinian Meat Market and it has one of those dying breeds...a real, live butcher who will actually cut your meat for you. There are unique cuts of meat for body parts I have not yet been adventurous enough to try! Think Sweetbreads, Heart, Tripe.

Just stepping inside this store I am transported to South America.  The sounds that fill my ears are music and language. The smells are exotic to my California senses.  I love wandering up and down the aisles and looking at products unique to Argentinian Cuisine.  However, I also find familiar items.  Many Italian immigrants emigrated to Argentina so it not unusual to find the instant polenta here that I use to bread my chicken cutlets, as well as other items, like frozen gnocchi, that remind me of my roots.

When I think of Argentina, I think of gauchos, steak, TANGO!  One item I always buy here is their skirt steak marinated in a spicy mixture with onions and beer!  And then to go with the steak, a nice hearty Malbec wine.

It was near noon so we treated ourselves to an empanada taste test at their little deli...one beef, one chicken and one spinach.  The spinach won and Jay had a hard time sharing it with me.

I hope he can find his sunglasses!  What a nice respite...a little mini-vacation in a foreign land that did not require going through airport security.  Now all we need to totally transport us to Buenos Aires is a tango dance floor!

I Am An American - Celebrating Our Freedoms

This is the weekend of celebration...of our nation's "birthday!"  Our little town has a traditional 4th of July Parade and community groups, young and old, join in the march down a main street.  As I looked at the newspaper this morning I was aware of the headlines that cause concern about our country and our way of life.  The economy continues to falter and there are still so many people searching for employment.  My brothers and friends wonder if they will ever be able to retire with the assurance of having enough to live on for the rest of their lives.  The California State budget is in shambles and my mother worries that MediCal will be cut more and my sister will not have the medical coverage and the services she needs.  School tuition increases and students wonder if they will be able to continue their education.  Politicians take the podiums across the US vying for a coveted place on the Presidential slate of candidates and I don't see anyone with whom I can identify and I question their messages.  There is much between the pages to make me feel disenchanted.

Then I read an article online written by Regina Brett, who writes for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  In it she reminded her readers of the "WE" in 'We the people" and of the freedoms we are so privileged to enjoy in our country.  She wrote that "Freedom isn't free. The price is paid in blood, but it's also paid by smaller sacrifices, by people willing to serve on jury duty, by those willing to run for political office, by those willing to take time to educate themselves before voting." She reminded us that our American way of life is a gift to those of us born here and how naturalized citizens must study and "qualify" to become citizens.  And she challenged us with the statement: "America isn't perfect, but a more perfect union hasn't been created. It's made more perfect by each generation, by new citizens who choose to be part of the We."
 If you want to read the full article, it can be found here.

My father always told me that whenever I want to call attention to the faults of others by pointing my finger at them, to remember that there are 4 fingers pointing back at me.  I have to look at myself first to see how I am contributing to the problem and what I can do to improve things. So this 4th of July also asked me to do that. I carried that thought with me as we attended a wonderful BBQ at David and Gloria's home in El Segundo and as we joined some of the family at Mike and Milli's to watch Gabriel host and emcee his own fireworks display.

Gabe offering fireworks to Milli and Michelle

Marc, Mom and Mike picking out fireworks!

We live free and we are grateful.

I Am A Guide - Introducing Gabriel to the Public Library

Today was one of the days I wait for...a day spent with my grandson, Gabriel.  Gabe will be 10 years old next week and he is at a wonderful age where his enthusiasm for the things he loves just carries you along with him and you get to remember what it was like to be...10 years old!

And I want to share the things I am enthusiastic about with him as well.  So, he gets to spend time in the garden, planting seeds or picking ripe vegetables.  He gets to go on walks to see what the ocean looks like today. And...he gets to read books.  Since he was little he has had his own little stash of books kept at the side of the fireplace hearth that he reach for anytime he wants. I have often taken him to the library with me and he knows where the children's books are located but today when we went to the library, we decided to make him an official library patron and he got his own library card.

Gabriel with his library card!

Of course, he wandered to the section that has the books of HIS enthusiasm...Sports.  He grabbed books about various sports, various players, various teams and wanted everyone of them!  But we went through a process of elimination, knowing they would always be there to get another day!

Deciding which books to take home. Grandpa Jay has his books!

We came home with a book about hockey superstars, one about the New York Yankees baseball team, a chapter book for his summer reading program called "Batter Up" and also a graphic novel about Shrek!

Gabe checking out his books.

Now I have to be sure to teach him that library books have a due date!!