A good day

Today was a long-awaited event: a book study group and lecture with Heidi Hays Jacobs who is the acknowledged queen of curriculum mapping (and rightly so). The woman is extraordinary! Her work is so insightful, fair, caring...I felt unworthy to be in the same room.

The hardest part of going to any lecture, workshop, etc. of great worth is the workshop euphoria: you get all fired up to race back and implement the model you've just learned/discussed/become attached to...and then you realize you can't do it alone - and you're really unlikely (as in snowball's chance) to find acceptance among your colleagues. The euphoria turns into serious sadness, frustration, and a rage that builds, quietly but inexorably, over a long time. I sometimes wonder, in a detached way, what my limit is...and how I'll know I've reached it...and what I'll do.

Relative to that, another incredible thing happened at the workshop: a coordinator from another district is trying to recruit me. I'm still stunned.

Two of my dearest friends and most valued colleagues in years past were also there (they both work for the presenting agency) - something else to make the day really special.

As if all ofthis weren't enough: I was out just in time to have a late lunch with daughter. This would be a treat anyway, no matter how mundane the lunch (the day we sat huddled in our jackets, semi-sitting on the brickwork sill of the Jamaican restaurant's storefront, munching super-spicy patties last fall - it was a blast). TOday we went to the Thai place maybe a mile from our house (we've only gone for take-out once or twice and never eaten there). What's wrong with us??? This place is wonderful! For less than $8 each we had a huge lunch (another day lacking in diet bliss) and it was delicious. Lunch included soup (coconut chicken for her, chicken noodle with tofu and basil for me) - great! Then four egg rolls (more like spring rolls - light, crisp, excellent. We both had shrimp dishes (garlic for her, seriously spicy shrimp with basil for me. Both really great. Overall: Yum-O!!! Have to do this more often - splendid food and time with daughter - doesn't get much better!

Now have spent hours on professional growth project - it's still nowhere but I'm further along (I know - but it's true).

Maybe the "happy dance" urge will make it one more day?

Oh, and did I have a damn business card with me when the woman asked for my contact info? Nah, why carry cards (I bought the blanks - just haven't run them) when you can whip a sheet off your official Crowne Plaza Bas Mitzvah Souvenir Pad?