A World Gone Mad

Yes, we are in a crisis situation with schools, college students face the challenge of online learning, churches and non-essential businesses closed. Meanwhile, families and friends are separated by social distancing, and medical facilities are short on protective equipment while they treat patients. Covid-19 pandemic is taking over our lives!

The importance of preventing the spread of this virus is not hard to understand, but some people are taking the warnings lightly. Sure, we do not want to become a dystopian society such as depicted by George Orwell in 1984; however, we are being asked to follow precautions for our safety.

There are doctors, nurses, CNAs and other staff keeping our loved ones safe within hospitals and other healthcare facilities. I am relieved to know my mom is cared for, and give kudos to Lifecare Center of Wilbraham for all they are doing for their residents. Earlier I was able to see and speak with mom because they set up video chatting so families can ‘be’ with their loved ones.

I miss being with my parish family at St. Anne’s but God is with all of us during this crisis. I miss my job of supporting students with their writing and hope that in previous meetings I gave them tips and skills to get them through the end of the semester. Hopefully, the layoff will end and I can be on campus with the students and my colleagues.

What I will not miss is the frustration when I try to follow my normal schedule of shopping! This is not the apocalypse, but a virus that will end. I have faith that the CDC and scientists will find a way to help those infected. You do not need to buy enough toilet paper, fresh meat or vegetables and canned goods for a year! Be considerate of others in the community before you hoard food and cleaning supplies. By making purchases as you did before Covid-19, there will be enough for everyone.

Halloween Has Changed

How well I remember Halloween events from my childhood.Sometimes there were parties, but always a night full of laughter as I went around the neighborhood with family and friends. My sisters and I were pretty lucky because mom was very creative and talented with costumes. We would go to the store and find patterns for her to sew, or sometimes she came up with an idea and designed it herself.

My dad was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and every year they held a costume party. One year mom sewed balloon-type pants for herself and dad. She was a Harem girl, and dad was a Sheik. Some sheets, towels and strips of cloth finished off dad’s look, and mom wore a swimsuit top and sheer material covered her face. She designed a pointy, curled and stuffed shoe covering for both of them, and dad’s sword was cardboard covered in foil. My favorite was definitely when dad was the Jolly Green Giant and mom was an ear of corn!

One year my younger sister and I were animals from patterns we picked, although mom instead used one piece fuzzy pajamas and added ears and tails. She used makeup to put whiskers or spots on our faces. Another year I recall a Peter Pan and I Dream of Jeannie prowling our streets.  We were so excited to gather candy, homemade treats and apples from the houses we stopped at.

As toddlers a parent was always with us, but not when we grew older. Our neighborhood was safe because everyone looked out for each other. We would spend so much time knocking on doors and saying “Treat or Treat”, while homeowners would “ooh” and “aah” no matter how we were dressed. Each of us would go to our own doors several times to get more to fill our bags (pillowcases worked great!). It was amazing they never recognized us!

I have fond memories of the year we had a big party in our basement, which was partially unfinished. The pillars were covered with orange and black crepe paper, creepy spider webs festooned walls and hung from the beams and ghosts and witches floated here and there. The food was Halloween themed, such as the punch filled with creepy-crawly critters, and the ball-shaped cookies decorated as eyes. All the neighborhood kids were invited, and we had games and a costume contest.

Now so much is different with the holiday. A major concern with parents is safety. This includes the goodies collected and the need to protect a child from harm. Fruit and homemade items are thrown out, and some cities no longer allow Trick or Treating. The mystery and neighborhood camaraderie on Halloween has nearly vanished and parties are often the norm. Even costuming has become so commercialized it lacks a personal touch.

Like many things have changed, the neighborhood feel of yesterday has disappeared, and a fun tradition has turned into a costly event.

The Importance of a Team

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Some people may think a team is an athletic unit; however, teams can be found everywhere.The first place is our family, and it is begun when two people come together to build on their love. Even though we may get mad at parents or siblings, each member is embraced.The bond of family love is a team of support throughout our lives. In school, educators embrace students, and classmates work as a team with different projects. Most religions, (or at least those I am familiar with), come together to worship as a community and team. Wherever we work, and whatever our career, teamwork should exist. Sometimes workplaces can be segmented into hierarchies without cohesion, but this is wrong. I experienced this in the past, and am glad my current job is not like that.

Within the Writing Center, we work as a team helping students. I have a boss who welcomes ideas from us, and if one of us has a question, there is usually someone to turn to. Along with other departments, the new Dean is bringing “team” to fruition. Don’t think this means the separate groups used to ignore each other. We all worked toward achievement for students, but for different goals. Some overlapped, but not always. Now there is more interaction, goals and ideas are shared among all the departments, forums are being used, and each section is getting what is needed.

In other words, we are totally embracing all members!

Fate Sometimes Steps In

Sometimes we are lucky enough to find a position that fits like a glove, even when the monetary benefits are slim. Every day there is pleasure from being in a place where our skills can be used to help another person. You could say I am in that place, and the rewards are found in phrases like “Thank you Kathy, you taught me so much!” I may not be in a full-time position or have benefits such as medical coverage, but the feeling I have every time I work with a student is special.

I worked hard to get the degree and license to teach in a classroom, yet my searches and applications have yielded no results to use them. However, since January of 2010 I have worked part-time in a college writing center, and couldn’t be happier. Fate seems to say to me “this is where you belong”, and I do not regret being here.

The Director of the Writing Center tells others I have a following, and that is true. Some of the seniors have been making appointments with me since they were freshman at the college! I have watched them grow academically, and formed bonds that go beyond student/teacher. The majority are International students, often sent to me specifically by professors or by word of mouth. Explaining the English language and assisting students from other countries has become my forte, and students are comfortable around me. When students return from previous semesters and schedule several appointments with me, I am the one who is blessed. It is a joy to see the excitement of understanding a rule or vocabulary word, or the fun in using visuals, body language and examples to explain meanings.

The students sharing a simple thank you, smiling when they see me, and pride in getting a good grade make me feel I am in the right job. The trust and faith in my abilities by my boss and several others in the campus community make me confident that I have found my niche. Fate surely stepped in when my mentor suggested I might like working in the writing center!

Job Hunting and Loving Where I Work

  Thinking back to high school days, I remember how easy it was to find a job. I did babysitting, housecleaning and cleaned a pediatrician’s office. All of these were found within my own neighborhood…simply from my reputation of a young lady who was friendly and kind to children. It is hard to remember how I became a bus monitor, but I remember the children with disabilities that we shuttled to and from school every day. Later on, I could walk into any store or business and apply for a job. No resumes at first, simply filling out a questionnaire of experience, interests and basic information. I had some cleaning jobs, but also gained knowledge in accounting skills. This led to well-paying jobs in offices, complete with fully paid medical/dental benefits and vacation time.

  Those days are gone, since even retail and grocery stores require applying online. Sometimes this can be time-consuming, since not all sites allow for uploads of resumes. Even when they do, formatting can be quite different. I once did an upload which was so horrendous because dates and experience were not properly aligned. This meant I spent an hour just trying to figure it out before giving up. Some sites may be fairly easy to maneuver through, but ask for information I did not feel comfortable giving. In one case my social security number was requested, but I noted the connection was not secure. Two things came to mind: 1) That information is only needed if hired (for payroll purposes), and 2) A well known company should know better than to ask. The application could not be completed, so that went by the wayside!

  I have registered with several well-known search engines, most which have the same job openings. I should have just gone with one, and it seems one must jump through hoops to unsubscribe to the e-mails sent daily, weekly or monthly! I mostly focus on schoolspring.com, since it’s all about education jobs, and is user friendly. Several sections help build a profile, including experience and education. Transcripts can be uploaded from most colleges, references can be chosen from any in your profile, and searches can be done in different ways.

  The drawback is that it may take time for the application to be seen. I’ve had some in for months, but they have not been opened yet. Why post an opening with a start date a month before the deadline for applications? Who will be teaching these students the first month of school? According to a middle school principal I know, they sometimes get hundreds to look through. This is where the personal contact would be beneficial. Not everyone can stand out from writing a cover letter or basic information on experience.  The impression given during an interview, or walking in the door to apply for an opening can tell much more about a candidate.

  I know I can make a difference in teaching, if given half a chance. My position in a college writing center is proof of that. Professors comment on how their student’s papers have improved after one or more sessions with me, I have been commended for my rapport with students, not just when working individually, but when doing classroom presentations. I am rewarded by the wonderful words of my students as they tell me about a grade they received or how they finally understand a concept. It’s a pleasure knowing professors ask for me to do a presentation, or students wait patiently for me to assist them, even when the other tutors are able and willing. Needless to say I am anxious to get back to reading papers, giving suggestions and explaining the nuances of English to the students my boss calls my “following” along with already scheduled presentations.

  However, since this is not full-time, the job hunting continues. My M.Ed. and initial license will eventually find a way to put me in front of a class of my own students, because I won’t give up. I will continue to look and apply for positions in my field, mainly because I took this journey to lead students towards academic achievement. Yes, I need the hours, but don’t want to waste all I have done to reach this point. I’m just glad that I have a wonderful opportunity where I am close to my dream. This position is reminiscent of my high school days, since I was recommended because of my accomplishments and character. Thank you to my mentor for her faith in me, which put me on the right path for teaching.

Writing What Comes to Mind

I love writing, so I decided to give this a try. Family and friends are already blogging, and reading their words is inspirational! Some focus on specific subjects, but I like seeing the variety and writing styles.

You may wonder about the name of my site, which came from my love of mythology and life in general. Think about this: simply put, myths were created to explain why things happened. For example, thunder and lightning were Zeus’ wrath. Myths were a way for people to understand life!   The way I look at it, we all try to figure out why we are here or what our purpose is. Our dreams create a “mythical life” we wish to live. Goals can help us reach that life or one resembling it.

I have been doing this as long as I can remember. Sometimes the goal is something small or insignificant for the big picture.As a child it may have been to be good so I would get a treat. As I got older the focus was more for academics, jobs, home and family. My current journey is to reach the full dream of being an educator/teacher. Those of you that know me will say that I already have students, which is true. I enjoy working with every college student who comes to me for help with their writing. The intrinsic rewards I receive are very special to me. However, this is only a partial dream because it is not a classroom of students, but I don’t regret doing it.

My goal is to create a learning environment with lessons of my own, not just help students with assignments from others. I know I have contributed to each person’s skills, but want to accomplish much more. I will achieve this someday, and continue assisting others with the ability to write what comes to mind.