Just A Quick Update For Y'all!

Hi, Everybody!

Yes, I know that it’s been a week since I last holla’d at y’all, but I’m sure y’all can understand that I’ve become a busy bee up here at Carter Elementary. As the legendary Jim Ross would say: “Business has picked up.” For one thing, these little kindergarteners continue to wow me, and they also give me little reminders of yesteryear, when I was their age.

In other news, I got a couple of emails from all my peeps at Rust, all of whom have told me that they’ve somehow managed to continue through their Rust journey without me… and y’all already know that I let those so-and-so’s know that they’ve got hell to pay when I return. I haven’t told them yet, but I’m planning to make a surprise cameo appearance during this year’s homecoming/founder’s day. I’m actually going to check out some airline prices sometime this weekend, and of course I’m gonna have to check with Mrs. Martin and see if she will allow me that Friday off.

As you all can see, it’s still up in the air, but it never hurts to dream.

Until next time, I’ll holla at y’all later.

 

 

Smooches,

Natasha

My First Blog Post Back, After Some Much Needed R&R

Hi, Everybody… and Happy New Fall Season!

Now, I know what you’re gonna say: “Natasha, it’s been a whole week since we last heard from you.” Where have you been, Girl? And how’s your internship coming along?”

Well, I’m gonna do like Paula Abdul and tell y’all straight up: This bright-eyed Vipress suffered from the worst case of burnout since my junior year at Rust… I mean, I was some kinda worn out on Friday! Usually, I head up to the library after I clock out from my internship, but lemme tell y’all something: After that dismissal bell rang on Friday, Mrs. Martin and I wished each other a good weekend, and then I got on the bus and headed straight home. Matter of fact, a sista was plumb tuckered out, so much so, that as soon as I got home on Friday evening, I walked right into my bedroom and just freakin’ crashed face first on my bed! I must’ve been some kinda tired, too, because the last thing I remember was closing my eyes, and before I knew it, I had a dream that the phone was ringing. Come to find out, the phone really was ringing—it was my dad. He had left a message saying that he was ordering food from Mr. Chuck’s restaurant on account of it was too hot to cook… and it most certainly was.

As for my internship at Carter Elementary, this is Week Four, and I’m learning more and more about what it takes to be a great teacher… and yes, the little ones are still the highlights of my day. I tell y’all—they are truly some little wonders. Everytime I converse with these kindergarteners or interact with them, I get a clearer understanding of why Mrs. Martin, Mr. D, and my Grampa Clark loved what they do. I can also put my Uncle Anthony on this list—he may not teach kindergarteners, but he is still a teacher.

Well, I reckon I’d better close up this here blog post, but I shall holla at y’all later on. Before I do, though, I gotta point out: I spent this past entire weekend catching up on some good ol’ fashioned R&R, and now I feel quite rejuvenated. Now, let’s see what the new fall season of 2015 has in store for us!

Until next time, y’all take care and be good.

 

 

Smooches,

Natasha

Results of Mrs. Martin's Dream Theme

Hi, Y’all!

 

Well, I’m back, and y’all have waited long enough, so let’s get right on down to the nitty gritty.

 

As you may remember from yesterday evening’s blog post, I talked about how Mrs. Martin came up with an idea for a “dream theme,” but she put me in charge of the whole assignment. Now, check this out: Usually, I’m full of ideas and brainstorms, but believe it or not, I was up until eleven o’clock last night, and my mind was absolutely blank—I mean, I ain’t have not nann one idea. I felt so ashamed of myself that I didn’t know what to do.

 

Well, it goes without saying, but the “Dream Theme” was a major success today!

 

After we said our morning prayer and had our greetings and salutations, Mrs. Martin let the kiddies know that I would be teaching for the entire day. As I walked up to the front of the classroom, the little kiddies gave me a sweet applause… and from out the corner of my eye, I saw some half sheets of blank green paper and a small box. Just like that, I received a miraculous idea! Instantly, I handed out the half sheets of paper and asked the little ones if they remembered what we talked about yesterday. When they all said yes, I instructed them to write down their names and what they wanted to be when they grew up, then put their paper in the box when they were done. After the last child placed his paper in the box, I let the kiddies know that we were going to pretend that I was a talk show host and Mrs. Martin would be the camera crew. I promised the little ones that I would interview each and every last one of them, even if we had to use the whole school day to do so.

 

As Mrs. Martin looked on, I pulled a name out of the box and called the chosen child up to the front so I could “interview” them on what they wanted to be when they grew up. All thirty-five darlings interviewed very well, but I gotta be a little partial right here—I got excited when I interviewed Max, mainly because I remember his answer about how he wanted to be rich… and incidentally, Max was the last child (save the best for last indeed). Well, Max explained that he wanted to be rich because his mom’s favorite song is “I Wanna Be Rich” by Calloway, and his mom sings the song so much that he made up in his mind to save all his money when he grew up, just so he can split it with his family.

 

Bless his little heart—I promise y’all that Max is gonna see to it that his dream comes true!

 

Well, with ten minutes left in the school day, my project was complete, and I turned the class back over to Mrs. Martin, who asked the little ones to give me another round of applause. I couldn’t help it—I started blushing, and then I did a bit of a curtsy. Afterwards, Mrs. Martin let the little ones know that their dreams would indeed come true, so long as they keep the faith and hold on.

 

After the dismissal bell rang, Mrs. Martin and I both wished the little ones well, and then she turned right to me and gave me a big hug for a job well done. I thanked Mrs. Martin for the compliment, but I also let her know that I literally thought of that idea at the eleventh hour. She looked at me and said, “But the bottom line is, Dearie, that you persevered to the very end, and that’s what being a real teacher is all about. I could tell that you didn’t have anything planned until you saw that stack of paper, but you played it off so well—you were quick on your feet and you didn’t miss a beat. Plus, you proved to yourself that you definitely have what it takes to be a kindergarten teacher. Kudos to you, my dear.”

 

Okay, y’all—do I really need any more affirmation and confirmation? I mean, it’s all but etched in stone… hahahaha! But seriously, that was really sweet of Mrs. Martin to say.

 

Until next time, y’all take care.

 

 

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

The Countdown Begins for Gramma Jewel!

Hi, Everybody!

I’m on my lunch break at the moment, but I just want to say that Mrs. Martin’s idea of a “dream theme” is a big hit with the little ones. I’ll be sure to tell y’all all about it this evening when I get home.

So, as y’all can tell by my title and the photo, my family is all excited about what’s set to take place exactly one month from now. If The Lord says the same, then on October 15, 2015, my Gramma Jewel will officially be an even fourscore… that’s right, y’all—my Gramma Jewel is gonna be eighty years old next month. I honestly don’t know who’s more excited out of the family or the birthday gal, but it’s obvious that excitement is in the air. And y’all also know that my family has been in great deliberation over the type of party to throw for our beloved matriarch, and with good reason. I mean, after all, Gramma Jewel is the best, and she deserves the best. I may be a bit biased when I say this, but I’m gonna say it anyway: Gramma Jewel is a true living legend, and she’s like a famous celebrity!

Now, I am not allowed to spill even the tiniest detail about what we planning to do to celebrate Gramma Jewel’s eightieth birthday, but I can tell you that we held a meeting at Uncle Anthony and Auntie Stephanie’s house this past Sunday, and plenty of ideas were thrown around. We’ve got another meeting this Friday, but we’re gonna go over Uncle Gregory and Auntie Glo’s house. Hopefullly we will find a way to use everybody’s ideas.

Okay, my lunch break is just about over, but I’ll holla back at’cha later on, and when I do, I’ll have the details about my first full day of actually teaching the little ones. Until then, y’all enjoy the rest of your day.

 

 

Smooches,

Natasha

The Internship Saga Continues...

Hi, Everybody!

 

So, much like y’all would expect me to say (at least for another three months), it certainly was an interesting start to Week Three of my internship at Carter Elementary.

 

Mrs. Martin had a fun assignment for the class today; she went around the room and asked the little ones what they wanted to be when they grew up. I gotta admit—I kinda got a little giddy when she asked that question, and that’s because she asked me that same question when I was a wee little one… hahaha! Before I knew it, I started jumping up and down like I was five years old again, and then I cut off my excitement and sat back down… LOL!

 

In any event, the kiddies had some very interesting answers. Of course, there were the usual responses like doctor, teacher, and police officer, and then there were some responses that I didn’t expect—lawyer, judge, singer, and chef.

 

And then there was this one little girl named Alice, who I believe has walked this earth once upon a time—when it was her turn, she stood right up and boldly declared: “I wanna be like my mommy when I grow up. She takes care of me, my brother, and my daddy, and she’s her own boss at her job. She’s got it goin’ on!”

 

Before I could catch myself, I shouted, “Go ‘head on, Girl!”

 

And just when I thought that I had heard it all, along comes this one fella named Max… and there was no shame in Max’s game, either! He had an answer that made me and Mrs. Martin look at each other and almost holla. Max stood up and said, “I want money, lots and lots of money—I wanna be rich!”

 

Mrs. Martin chuckled a bit, but she was able to keep a straight face… I on the other hand wasn’t so fortunate. Matter of fact, I looked at Max and said, “I hear you, Buddy—I wanna be rich, too. I tell you what: We can both help each other out with that goal.”

 

Would y’all believe that Max smiled, winked at me, and said, “It’s a deal, Miss Natasha!”

 

I tell y’all—these little ones continue to prove Mr. Linkletter’s point in saying just the darnedest things!

Now, check this out, y’all: After the school day ended, Mrs. Martin said that I showed the mark of a true teacher by encouraging Max’s answer. I responded by saying: “Well, Mrs. Martin, when I heard Max’s answer, it reminded me of when I was in your class, and I told you that I wanted to be like every woman in my family, from my Gramma Jewel to my mommy, and you smiled and said to me, ‘Go for it, Dearie—you can achieve that very dream if you hold on and keep the faith!’”

 

Mrs. Martin smiled at me and said, “Yessiree, Bob—I know within my whole heart that you will make a darn good kindergarten teacher. I tell you what: Tomorrow’s class assignment will be a ‘dream theme,’ and I want you to teach the class tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I want you to spearhead the entire assignment.”

 

I simply looked at Mrs. Martin, shook her hand, and declared: “I accept that challenge!”

 

So, with that said, let me close up this evening’s blog post and do some brainstorming. I’ll holla at y’all tomorrow.

 

 

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

The Ball is in MY Court, Now!

Hi, Everybody!

Friday couldn’t get here quick enough. I’m gonna tell y’all right now—a sista is beat down!

Don’t get me wrong—this was yet another great week of my internship, and I enjoyed every moment with the little ones at Carter Elementary, but I’m just worn out, is all, and I think I know what happened: Labor Day threw me off earlier this week, and then I had to bounce right in it and hit the salt mines the very next day. I was some kinda discombobulated on Tuesday morning, but the kindergarteners were my rocket fuel, as always.

And now, on to the real reason behind today’s blog post.

So, I’m checking my email, and I see that I’ve gotten a reply from one “he who shall not be named.” Just listen to this:

Hi, Natasha,

It sure was great to hear from you again. This lets me know that you don’t hate me, but I don’t know why I would think that because there isn’t an ounce of hatred within you. Nevertheless, I do thank you for forgiving me—I really do appreciate it.

I sure would like to hear your voice again, because I need to talk to you. I’m almost certain that you deleted my phone number—and again, I don’t blame you one iota—but seeing as how you’ve given me another chance, I’m sending you my number again. I realize that the ball is in your court, and I cannot force you to call me, but I do look forward to hearing from you. If that means waiting until the Christmas vacation, then so be. I’m willing to wait until then, but in the meantime, you have a great time in this, your final year at Rust.

--Ray

Well, for starters, I am glad he realizes that I hold the power, per se… yet for some reason or another, I get the feeling that he’s just saying all this shit just to play with my affections. What if he’s trying to manipulate me into his deceitful game? What if he’s trying to get me to let my guard down, just so he can hurt me again? Let’s just be honest here: I forgive him, but I ain’t said shit about trusting him! Experience has made me a touch wiser, and he’s gonna have to start all over again and regain my trust…

Oh, but I just thought about something: He thinks that I’m back at Rust! He doesn’t know that I’m out here in Southern Cali fulfilling my internship commitments.

HOT DAMN—THE BALL IS SHO’ NUFF IN MY COURT!!!

I can be the sweet little girl with the big heart, or I can be the vindictive little Vipress that can strike without warning… (insert evil laughter right here—hahahahahaha)!

I’m really gonna need y’all to pray for me.

Lessons from the Little Ones

Hi, Everybody!

Do y’all remember my blog post from this past Tuesday, when I quoted the late great Art Linkletter? Well, I know this is only Day Eight of my internship at Carter Elementary, but lemme tell y’all something: These past couple days have been interesting ones. I am learning so much from these little children, and at the same time, they’re subliminally reminding me of once upon a time, when I was in their shoes some fifteen years ago.

Trust me when I tell y’all: These ain’t your ordinary typical kindergarteners—these are some precocious little somethings. They are also willing to learn, and in turn, they are willing to teach when given the opportunity. And if I may be so bold as to take a phrase form Mrs. Martin: “These little dearies are quick as a whip, too!”

Come to think of it, Mrs. Martin said the same thing about me back in the day… heck, she still says it!

Of all the things that I learned from these little ones thus far, I’ve learned that innocence is a virtue in and of itself. These little ones taught me that it’s okay to have fun and be a little silly. I admire that in them so much. Sometimes I look at these innocent little darlings and think to myself, Damn, I wish I could be a kindergartener again. I’m only twenty-one years old, but I’ve already experienced some of the rigors of being an adult. The little ones have absolutely no idea what goes on in the mind of a “grown-up,” nor should they. They don’t have to worry about jobs, bills, rent, heartbreak—their only concern is being a kid and having lots and lots of fun.

And if only for a moment or so, I had some fun with some of the kindergarteners! They asked me if I would join them in playing jump rope. Now, I want to point out that I haven’t jumped rope since I was in Eighth Grade, but I tell y’all—I jumped rope to my heart’s content.  It all came back to me at that very moment, and dare I say, I was damn good at it, too!

Thank you, Little Dearies—I cannot wait until tomorrow’s lesson.

 

 

Until next time, y’all have a gooden.

 

 

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha