el paso-bringing back memories of rigor, and finally being official!

i really shouldn't wait this long, because i lose some of the details in the mix...so, since austin. well..we had el paso, and that was quite a trip. the last time i was in el paso, we were just passing through around 18 years ago (or more?) on our way to juarez for a mission trip with my k-life group...and that was where jeff yelled, "it's rigor! my pet dog!" i looked out the window and saw a dead dog with all four in the air, going through rigor-mortis, and i chuckled...i don't know that any of the high school students got it. so now whenever i hear the word rigor in the education realm, i think of jeff's 'pet dog' on the side of the road and giggle. i'm such a child.

sorry we didn't get to see angelica or claudia; and i even forgot to tell crystal i was going to be in town!

 so yes, we arrived in el paso, and we decided to grab lunch at an authentic syrian restaurant. when we walked in, the ladies who owned the place were sitting around having a gossip-session, watching the news, a couple days after the election. that was special! we sat ourselves, and the lady told us that the boy would be right out. well, the boy arrived and took our order. when he came out with the plate of hummus, etc, he failed to bring extra plates until we were almost done. then when he brought the food out, i didn't receive what i had actually ordered. i ordered a gyro, i got chicken. hmm. oh well, i ate it anyway- and as for the refills-i think they were refilled about 3/4 full. when jane asked for napkins, he brought 1. a single napkin...i guess we were supposed to cut it in half? not sure. but it was obvious he had difficulty with his vision (i don't know how that impacts one to bring a single napkin)...and then we saw the owner bring out a burrito for herself and her friends...i guess you can do what you want when you own the place!

we had to run to make a couple purchases at that point, as it was going to get down into the 50's. jane got a sweatshirt and some warm socks. i purchased some warm socks, as well, because they were pretty nifty. unfortunately i left said socks in jane's car, and we were at different hotels. oops. and when i got up in the morning, it was like 30` out! impossible, i tell ya! we did starbucks for breakfast, and made for the regional center. the contact, claudia, was a doll! we had a great session, and the participants were lovely. they left with a lot of information, and were wanting to stay for the 2nd session, but alas, they could not, so hopefully they will be able to join us in january! jane and i have a pretty good chemistry together and i think the participants appreciate the humor.

because what say's 'let's eat!' more than a fountain with water dribbling from the mouth, and a vividly colored aztec warrior maybe getting ready to paddle his conquest?

i chose to take off that evening, so that i could get home-but since the flight didn't leave until like 7-so we were able to do an early dinner before heading to the airport-the restaurant was lovely, and our waiter spoke to us in spanish, so that's always fun, especially since it was a mexican restaurant. pretty sure there was another issue of napkin trouble...i don't know what it was about el paso...anyhoo, my flight was delayed, so i didn't get home until nearly midnight.

the weekend flew by, and monday we had a training in the fort worth area, so i was up early and when i arrived, deAn was already there! she's great! she has a servant heart and a willingness and desire to be helpful-a true leader! so we met with the contact to start getting the room set up; computer, lighting, sound, etc. this was going to be a full crowd. so we started getting hand-outs handed out, and deAn actually took off to purchase more earbuds, as there weren't enough for everyone (again, full-house). jane did most of the morning and afternoon sessions, as deAn hadn't really had much of a chance to observe her and the way she does stations, so it was another good day, and i was able to be home for dinner-local is nice.

tuesday i finally had my quick interview for my global entry pass-tsa precheck. yes!!! and...i only had one flight left this side of the new year to use it...on thursday to amarillo. the drive there took longer than the interview itself. when i arrived, i had to use the restroom, so i walked in, and there was a man standing at the sink washing his hands. i looked at him, he said, "i think you're in the wrong one." went back, looked at the sign on the door-not transgender, not men's, it was the female restroom..looked at him again on his way out, maybe he wasn't a he...oh no, he was a he, and he looked at the signage on the way out and i heard him say, "oops! sorry!" hmm...chuckle.

breathe a little easier-not as worried about walking super fast toward security in order to beat the security line crowd

in the interview itself. the guys started asking me all about illinois, because i was born there...i really don't remember much, except for my babysitter, her family, some of the church families, going to the arch....yep, that's about it. i was happy to answer any questions i could, because i was now official! i'm a traveler.

coming soon-amarillo and thanksgiving-

have a great week! julie

if i'd had the shooter marbles with me, i would've knocked the slow walkers over!

alrighty then, so wednesday, the girls all left, and it was very lonely going back to the hotel. culture shock...

i'm tellin' ya, it was rough.

 so i took a nap...because that's what you do when you're alone at a hotel in a foreign city. and i looked around and realized that julie k had lost her marbles...not really. she had found some shooter marbles the day before...which was strange, because i didn't know kids still played marbles! so i looked it up, to make sure there wasn't a new game out there, and i saw that kids were actually racking up debts playing marbles and stealing to pay their debts! WHAT?! so i am sending the marbles back to ju, with a warning to not play against those street kids!!

you can't really tell here, because there is nothing to compare it to, but they are bigger than they look.

so, back to the hotel...i got a text from jane, who was going to be doing the TX Success training with me the following day, and we met for dinner. she found a place that sounded pretty good, so we met there (it was about a half hour away from me, but the drive was good, so not a big deal). they had these special kosher hot dogs- a special for the big game! so i got the cleveland (not to support them, it just sounded more appetizing), and it was pretty delicious. we had great conversation, and it was decided that since it was such a small group, i would do most of the morning presentation-as far as the power point went.

we ate outside, because it was such a beautiful evening (and it was freezing inside!)

got back to the hotel, and watched the remainder of the game, which kept me up later than usual, as you all know. but i was vested now, in cheering for the cubs for julie's sake! what a nail-biter!! go team!

the next morning, getting up was a beast, but it had to be done! the regional center there is beautiful! the morning went off pretty much without a hitch. jane jumped in to add whatever additional points were necessary-i'm sure it won't be long until i hit them all, and she can just take a nap during that section...they did learn some new things, though, so that was good! and then in the afternoon it was even a smaller group, so it was like a round-table session. good times!

we went to the little heb for lunchy-type things, and i swear, on the way out, i don't know what people were doing, but they were in my way, and it drove me crazy! i mean to tell you, if we'd been walking any more slowly, i feel my blood would've coagulated...people walking slowly, me trying to maneuver around them without being rude, and saying something-pursing my lips together so tightly i think they may have lost all color-jane observing this, almost laughed, as they would start to move, then stop, then zig when i was trying to zag...it was almost as if they were doing it on purpose! oh. my. this is when my patience wears thin. and for real, heb, why you gotta' make your entrance/exit like a funnel? #notcool

once the training was over, and questions were answered, we bid each other farewell, and i drove back to dallas-and it was raining. most of the way, it was raining. traffic in construction + rain= exhausting drive.

but i had time to recuperate, so no worries. i did have to go in to the office to make more copies, but apart from that, i was home. and home is good. i don't think i did anything of consequence over the next few days. i mean there was this election thing, but apart from that...

up next, el paso!
night!
julie

teachers and interventionists and mtss coaches, oh my!

hmm. well, let's see. monday.

monday i drove to austin for two days of training with julie k and sabrina. the drive wasn't too long, and surprisingly not too boring. upon arrival, i made sure to check on rooms and get checked in. my room wasn't quite ready, so i just waited out front, because i knew that one of them was bound to show up shortly. and sure enough it wasn't too long before julie pulled up, so we went on a quick snack run, trying to beat sabrina back to the hotel. nice try, sabrina got there a few minutes prior to our return-and at that point, my room was still not quite ready, so we went up to their room and stored our belongings before trying to find someplace for an early dinner.

well. i wish i would've gotten some pics while we were there, because the joint was really neat- threadgills- good thing i didn't get a picture of our server, though, because i have nothing positive to really say about him. #worstserviceever yep, took a minute to be seated, and then it took about 7-10 minutes for him to come to our table- zero acknowledgement. how did it go down? once he brought the food back, he didn't check back to see how it was...came over once, and i asked for another diet coke-which he brought, but didn't bother the check to see if refills were needed for water, and they were...then he proceeded to get 2 other tables- single-tops, and went back to chat it up, and took water refills, and didn't even bother to come over...then when he did stop at the table, it was to take julie k's plate without even asking if she was finished, and she just kinda' had that bewildered look...he eventually returned with the bill and didn't ask how things were, or if we needed anything else...it was rocky...sabrina and julie were about two tenths of a millisecond from asking to speak to the manager. but instead sabrina left a very matter-of-fact note. it doesn't help that we've all been in the business of serving customers, restaurant service isn't an unknown.

upon returning to the hotel, i was able to get all checked in, and get keys to my room. good times. before we had even left the hotel, sabrina pulled out some lovely gifts-a pink fan from the football game she'd gone to-very thoughtful (from the corner of my eye when she first whipped them out, i thought it was a bicycle cover-must've been the angle...and i wondered how she knew i had a bike). anyhoo...there was a little jaba for the java, a fragile carribean bottle with a parrot (did i mention we'd seen parrots in miami? and that i actually had parrots in HONDURAS?) and a special book just for me to read up on one of our candidates...i don't know that i will be reading it any time soon (so much to do...but the fact that it was signed, now that in and of itself was the bees knees)... yep. and then there was the straw kit for ju2. amazing. #perfectgift 

laughter ensued...ask her what i gave her that she holds near and dear...

it was like an erector set!

'atta girl! 

 so i put my stuff in my room (conveniently next door), and changed into something comfortable and went down to get some ice, as the la croix sparkling water was room temp-warm sparkling water is enough to make anyone spew. and at the ice machine room, julie stepped on wet carpet...hopefully it was just the ice machine malfunctioning, and not someone having an emergency need to eliminate bodily fluids before reaching their room, because that would be irredeemable (who would do something like that anyway? so college), not to mention, a good way to spread ringworm or some type of foot fungus. anyhoo. finally with the weather cooling off, once again it was a pleasant evening on the balcony. anything outdoors is better than being stuck in the room. *please note, we'd checked out the pool, and there was no hot tub, so balcony, it was. 

that evening, as well, julie was recounting what had happened at the gas station earlier. she'd told me she was stopping to get gas, and that's when it happened. it was halloween, and there was a guy dressed as a clown, with a bat at the gas station, trying to be intimidating, and running his bat up and down anything that would make racket...talk about idiot. i wouldn't even take into account that it was halloween, and there might've been a 911 call for his wounds had it been me...(fight or flight, i'm a fight-reflexes...) anyhoo...did you know that once you post something out there on social media, you're either laughing or cringing the next minute...true story. that first night,  i faded fast, but the part of me that doesn't want  to miss a thing came back with a second wind, so when the time came, sleep was a welcome friend!
                                                       
the following morning, we had stopped at the restaurant for a minute, and there were policemen everywhere! convention-wish we were staying at the hotel all morning, i might be able to stop worrying about that e-harmony account! (more about that later)...there were some nice looking men there, and we were looking for rings. once breakfast was over, we headed to the front to wait for lori, one of our colleagues who had gotten in a bit later the night before. when she arrived, we headed to starbucks to get the necessities, and then made off for our site. at the building we were on the third floor to one end of the bldg, and the restrooms were on the bottom floor on the opposite end...for real. one bathroom. brilliant. good thing sabrina and i took advantage of the starbucks bathroom! (if you know what i mean...take advantage is accurate).

looks like our own little coffee bar!

i believe it was our first group that was actually the best group! they were on point! this training was the mtss/rti/goal setting/problem solving... now. i have watched the video multiple times (and plan to watch it one more time this week)...and i've seen sabrina and julie do parts of it independently, so it was great to see them do this one together, no hitches, all three hours dedicated to the processes. i LOVE the research they have found to support their work, and then the usage of the reports to really set measurable goals that are realistic and will impact student growth. it's not subjective, which is what we run into a lot in education. we do a baseline, and then say, okay, what now? what's the goal? and it's like closing your eyes and throwing a dart at a target...this on the other hand, is SO simple, it makes sense, and leaves no room for confusion. i kid you not, the lights went on, like "AHA!" moments. there were silent air high fives and i sensed that this was something that these coaches would be taking back to their campuses immediately to turn around! i mean, if i were still a coach at my campus, i certainly would! i haven't seen it quite like this before, and it really does make perfect sense.

after the first session, we did central market for lunch, because it seemed the best of all worlds-sushi, salads, meats, soups...gluten-free, vegan cupcakes...yes, you read that right. don't. just don't. you WILL spit it out. lori and julie did. i will give her that it was pretty. how could such a pretty pink cupcake taste like a glob of silly putty? easy. it was gluten-free and vegan. but my sushi was good! they never disappoint!

the second session-there's that one! this afternoon, it came in the form of a specialist who really had her own agenda and she pretty much did what she wanted. and her teacher next to her was really trying to focus...this lady was impeding her progress, and i wonder if we should have just pulled her out of the room for a private session...hopefully she found some kind of nugget, because she already had her set groups for the year and knew what she wanted to do...that's fun, said no trainer ever.

once the session was finished, we headed back to the hotel-lori was meeting with an old friend in town, so we parted ways and headed to dinner at papasitos..yum. it was close, and when we got there, it was like..."'bout time!" fortunately, our server this time, whose name i do not recall-was amazing! i mean, it was polar opposite from the day before! he was ON his game! and we were delighted! (and YES, we did leave a note for him as well-it was quite different from the previous day!) i have NEVER had shrimp so big and delicious-thank goodness sabrina and i split that plate! it was more than enough to leave comfortable. plenty-o-food!

tuesday night-another beautiful evening, this time, we were able to enjoy the 6th game of the world series...the make or break game to keep the cubs in it, and they pulled through! julie was ecstatic! and there was a nice rain as well, which is always welcome!

wednesday morning i made coffee for all! yes, i was able to bring my stash, my own creamer and my aero-press. it makes a difference, just saying...#hipstercoffesnob (the advantages of driving!) of course one cup is never enough, especially when you have to make it through the day....so we again had to make the routine stop at starbucks-you don't mess with routine. and there it was!

once we arrived, it seemed to be a fairly easy morning group-a rather small group, if you will. ah, this was the session where there was one gentleman who really took advantage of the first question: are there any burning questions? and he took off like wild-fire with that and began asking campus specific questions and kinda' hoarding the time and making it all about him, until the guy behind him was like, "ummm. could we move on? it seems like there is a lot of information we need to move through, and we're never going to get there if we focus on just one campus..." i was doing a standing ovation screaming, rock-concert, head-banging, resounding YEEEESSSSS in my mind. this was the session where the girls said, okay, juan, we're pushing you out of the nest, so do something! i was able to present part of the presentation, getting the information necessary from the first two reports and then sabrina finished it out. (another thing i plan to do this week-record myself to get more fluid on the presentation...i really wish i had a SWIVL-that was my favorite tool at cabell!). so lunch this time was at chli's because it was sit-down and close. delicious soup and burger! yum. they have a great lunch menu! so that went quickly and the afternoon session was a harder crowd-the mtss coaches (ruffians..), so i observed (protective friends are the best kinds). i spent a bit of time during that session helping a teacher who thought she was going to be over her head-but in actuality, she got it! and the coach next to her, who was working with isip espanol. so that was good. there was one thing i wasn't quite sure about, and so i called sabrina over, and explained it how i thought it should be logically, and she affirmed that it was correct-saves them from having to clean up after me, if i can have them there in the moment and use it as a teaching/learning moment. i feel that most of the time i've had the correct information, save a caveat here or there-but i'd rather be on the safe side!

i LOVE listening to this lady!! and i love being able to call her friend!

we were able get out at a reasonable time, and the girls were all off to their respective domiciles. i think lori was going to see her daughter, the other two were headed home. and me. i got to stay one additional night, for a TEXAS SUCCESS training the next morning with jane! yay me!

texas success-next installment
goodnight!
julie