i walked into the meeting room for breakfast, and there was a list on the screen of the different tables having very specific, targeted conversations for people to join in. well, i looked around and saw spaces at table 9, and so it seemed to beckon to me-i was not disappointed. our conversation had NOTHING to do with the topics listed...we were the unofficial life-discussions table. everything from survival prep, developing land, childhood memories...funny, fun, real...just good 'ol get-to-know-you conversation.
once breakfast was finished and sessions were beginning, andrea and i did the divide-and-conquer, by attending separate sessions. the first session that i went to was about being a better facilitator and working on figuring out how to really get people to go deeper in conversation and responses within our learning plans-this will be crucial for growth as we move into using these teams for our plc-pd set-up. paul and liz did a great job presenting and sharing information, then had us use the inquiry of practice with a colleague-the format really is valuable in helping to flesh out ideas and bring possible opportunities to light. one that we will be borrowing at home!
during this session i was paired with kristen-who, i learned, is a science coaching consultant/research. i thoroughly enjoyed conversation with her because she is very thoughtful, logical and articulate, which is why it was a bit of a relief to find that she was in the next session with me as well. the second session was a strategy session, and kicking it up a notch, WHAT'S NEXT, if you will. this session was led by erika nielson andrew, and it was stellar. it was really just a facilitated group effort to share out ideas of what has worked for each of us to implement teams, and then move into a conversation about fostering deeper learning within teams. the practice of writing if/then statements was good for me, because it helped to clarify by seeing it in that format and to really think about the cause/effect relationship that we need to think about as we plan for our goals. kristen and i ended up having another really good discussion about importance of video choice and how to train teachers to really choose good, coachable video-what is good material that we can really use to challenge ourselves and push us to the next level, as opposed to showing clips that really don't allow for critique. it's not about showing our best side, it's about knowing that we are coming to the table vulnerable, yet safe, in order to get better. kristen, thank you for pushing my thinking, and providing more opportunities for growth!
after that session, i did become the proud owner of a cotton candy-maker sticker badge! it was completely unexpected, because it was given for doing what comes naturally-helping move tables, getting materials together and disseminated for late-comers, creating and nurturing community, etc. so back to the stickers-while it was encouraging to receive them, it was even more fulfilling to give them and be on the alert for the good things that people were doing! i was able to give out almost all of them-again, what a GREAT idea!
giving compliments freely does not diminish the amazingness of you...in fact, truth be told, people who give compliments freely (and i mean sincere compliments that are specific) are the people who make us feel the best about ourselves-and who doesn't want to be around that? BE THAT PERSON!! don't be greedy with compliments, as it does not take-away from the greatness of who you are!
so...i got back to lunch a little later than normal because our conversation spilled over a little into that time. no worries...my body was getting plenty of nourishment. lunch was fabulous, and the cake afterward..seriously. andrea and i were able to use the next hour and a half working together and looking at 'what next.' during that time, paul came over and joined us and again posed questions and thoughts to push our thinking. good conversation, and we were able to get a plan started. we are much closer to a plan for strategic roll-out, as we pushed it out so quickly and have been more in the proto-typing phase with select teachers up to this point. it will be imperative that when we do share the vision campus-wide, that we are able to do it in such a way the minimizes any confusion or anxiety about getting started. we are excited about it! (i think i can say we). i know i am!
the closing ceremony was a sharing circle. huge props to everyone at tch-from logistics, planning, presenting, supporting, everyone had a role to play, and they all did it with rainbows and sunshine. thank you, teaching channel!
the rest of the afternoon was very relaxed. i went back to my room and got my book to enjoy somewhere outside, and proceeded toward the gift shop to purchase a diet coke. i was utterly disappointed to see the shop was closed, so i stood in line at the front counter for a few minutes. while i was waiting, a manager approached me and asked if i was checking in. when i told him i was merely going to ask where i might purchase a diet coke, he offered to go fetch one for me. what great customer service-and completely unexpected! so he took off, and when he came back, he said, "i hope diet pepsi is ok" my first thought was to a post i had shared on FB; i think he saw the crestfallen look on my face, and he said, "i know it's not the same..." so i just smiled graciously and thanked him because 1. he'd gone out of his way to help (above and beyond is what i put on the comment card), and 2. it was free (don't look a gift horse in the mouth...). so i took my diet pepsi and my book and found a spot to sit and look out on the marina-it was a wonderful way to reboot-i need more of this. nature is my reset mechanism!
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| beauty-truly thankful for nature!! |
after a bit, i headed back to the room to prepare for the evening-we had decided to go grab some grub and see the area. when i text andrea, she was plenty ready, so we went down to ask at the front desk where might be a good place to spend a couple of hours and get a feel for the area. we had been thinking san fran, but he said there really wasn't enough time to enjoy all that-the amount of time to get there and back-not worth it. no worries! so he directed us to durant and telegraph. and andrea set up her uber app and we patiently waited for tito. tito made a good first impression for uber (our first time), in fact, he was so impressed with himself, that he gave himself 5 out of 5 stars as he showed us how to work the app. we spent some time walking down the main drag and there was a little bit of everything!
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| corn-kernel things.... |
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| salsa-stuff for hotties |
we walked for about 10-15 minutes until hunger got the best of us. we were nearing the end of the 'strip' when we found a little alcove with a few restaurants. there was an ethiopian, swiss fondue and peruvian. we ended up on peruvian, although it would've been nice to try all three! there was a little introductory bowl of overcooked corn kernels (similar to corn-nuts, only they don't break your teeth), and a teeny-tiny doll-bowl of green salsa with an equally minute spoon...this should be an indicator. inferring people might infer that either A. this bowl is served in anticipation of little people babies coming to dine, or B. one should partake cautiously, in amounts proportional to this itty bitty spoon, because this particular sauce has been imported from the devil himself, straight from the gates of hell.
we had sides of platano and yucca, because you cannot go central or south american cuisine without...it would be a mockery. the main dish of milanesa chicken-delicious. my mistake was not telling the lady up front that it was separate checks. i mean..she TOTALLY gave me the stink-eye when i asked if i could get a receipt...she pretty much shamed me-she needs to read the book DARING GREATLY-particularly the chapter that we read-chapter 6. anyhoo, the way she said it, led me to believe that no, she was not going to make a receipt for me, so i just did my best thin-lipped slow-nod that slowly turns into a slow head-shake of disbelief with the eyes closed slightly longer than a blink, and back to a nod, and said, "great. no worries. that's ok." i'm that disgruntled customer that will not put up a fight-i'll just stew over it and walk out-i may or may not tell people about the experience afterward...i had already paid cash and left a hefty tip before this episode, so i was rather surprised when we walked out and she was hurriedly writing up another receipt for me-i had just mentally accepted the fact that this was a meal that i was not going to get reimbursed for, and was fine with it. i did feel a little silly about being so upset over her response- it was just a meal. this is where i need to remember what taylor-from momentous told us-8 seconds for an emotion to roll over...unless you dwell on it. the more you dwell on it the more it will eat you up!
we continued on our journey up the street and we were graced with the sighting of a hummingbird-who was gracious enough to stick around and wait for me to get a good pic!
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| it's not every day i get to see a hummingbird! i had to read an article about them, and they are amazing! |
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| we stopped in specially for andrea to get something for her hubby-he's a bicycle mechanic and works at a specialty store, so she knew he would appreciate this! and it made me think of one of my cyclist friends-jackie! |
we passed several quaint little shops, tattoo parlors-we TOTALLY could have gotten TCH tats. but we didn't and andrea wasn't up for making memories by getting a free piercing. we stopped at a walgreens-no magazines, a bakery that had nothing that appealed to me enough to fill the tiny amount of space that was left for dessert..somehow dried beef buns and such didn't fit the bill..neither did the cookie house. i mean, it was going to have to be something special. fortunately the final stop-the yogurt place where we were originally dropped off had what my palate was craving-SALTED CARAMEL CORN yogurt! and andrea was taken with the SNICKERDOODLE. the girl behind the counter asked if i wanted toppings... BLASPHEMER! or as gollum famously said: YOU RUINS IT! great way to end the evening!
the 2nd uber ride was even better than the first-we were greeted by a friendly gentleman who has been in the berkeley area since '89 (i believe he said) now that we were seasoned uber travelers, the ride back was quite pleasant. we returned to the hotel around 9 (like my awesome tch table 9..keep the theme going!). plenty of time to pack up for the trip home saturday. we were so fortunate to be connected with another texas group who had rented a car, and we were going to ride to the airport with them the next morning, as we were on the same flight!
i may or may not have stood in my bathroom before going to bed and turned the hairdryer on high-using it as a space heater directed at my body...i knew i couldn't stay in the bathroom all night, and it wasn't wise to run the hairdryer without supervision under the covers...even if i could plug it into the lamp electrical socket, so i finally gave in and turned the heat up-yes, i turned on the heater to get the temp up to 75....as i said yesterday, i can't handle the cold....6:45 flight would come early, so i got straight to bed-once again, with the am-radio-white-noise static!
julie
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