We have another guest writer for Whiskey by the Fire today! This is my friend, James. We met in the fall of 2018 at the STEM/STEAM Georgia Conference. I was in my second year as the STEAM educator for grades K-5 at my school in east Athens, and I was constantly searching for any resource or point of contact for my program. I was entering all the drawings for STEM kits, picking up dozens of brochures, and trying to weigh every break-out session against the others. My ADD was in overdrive, but I was loving every minute in this haven for STEM nerds.
So let's get back to James.
He was hosting a session about girls in STEM at this conference. It wasn't too far into his session that I realized what we had in common in our roles as educators: we were both so very different from the population with whom we worked. James was a man working at an all-girls school, and I was a white woman working at a predominantly black school. Both figuring out our roles as we go, but knowing there was always room to grow.
I hung back after his session to pick his brain. He clearly was working hard to make meaningful connections with his student population despite a difference in gender, so I figured he could help me do the same in regards to the race difference in my classroom. We exchanged contact info, and we've been educator buddies ever since. We have a safe space with each other to talk about anything that impacts or enters our careers.
We can also make fun of each other and swap memes with that damn cat vs. the real housewives when we're not talking shop. This is what I appreciate about networking: you can gain professional guides who can become your friends.
Today, let's celebrate James! He turns 49, and he's jumping on this bucket list bandwagon with me. His post is below, and it is a GREAT one! Now pardon me while I go pester James about how he had to have 10 extra items on his list since he's an entire decade ahead of me. :)
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Lookin' back over my years
I guessed, I've shedded some tears
Told myself time and time again
This time I'm gonna win
But another fight, things ain't right
I'm losin' again
Takes a fool to lose twice
And start all over again
- Teddy Pendergrass, Love TKO
This is me, two days before my 49th birthday. It is too early in the morning for me to be up, but I can’t sleep. Oh yeah, I drink coffee at 8pm, and as my past experiences dictate, the caffeine normally kicks in about 6-8 hours later. So here I am wondering why I am up, and the science of caffeine reveals itself. As I lie in bed contemplating what I should do...
The opening lines to Love TKO are in my head. Then it hits me: this is how I will start this blog.
My friend, Vikki Wynne, asked if I would writing a reflection piece about turning 50. I quickly reminded her I am turning 49, but I would be happy to reflect on my life before 50 and share a “50 before 50” list.
So how does Love TKO fit in this moment? For me, those opening lines remind me of the many moments in life where I have made mistakes, second guessed myself and paused when I should have leapt. As I look back, I see countless moments when circumstances beyond my control and within my control caused me to start all over again. My parents divorcing when I was in middle school. Attending three different high schools in the 10th grade and finally ending up where I started. Seeing money go into my hands, only to haphazardly leave my hands. Finding love, losing love, and finding love. Hearing, “No, you have not been accepted into our masters program”, only to hear two weeks later: “We now have an opening. Can you come next week?”
Life has been a constant flow of losses and wins, but I have managed to start all over again. Even as I write these brief words, I am in the midst of a job change. But turning 49 has me grateful that I am still standing, still breathing, still living. I used to think that 50 was old. Hell, I used to think 30 was old. It is funny how the mind of a child works looking ahead to their adult years. I have a few aches and pains, cracks and creaks. But I can still hang out ‘til midnight, dance all night if the music is right. I’m thinking clearly on most days, and my chocolate chip cookie habit has not totally caught up with me. So I am Growing Older, Not Up.
I want to share my list of 50 before 50 and hopefully I will be given the space to update my progress. The list is based upon things that are important to me or new experiences I would like to tackle.
Complete Spartan Race Trifecta
Bike 1000 miles in a year
Goat yoga class
30 days in a row of 50 pushups
30 days in a row of 50 air squats
30 days in a row of 50 crunches
30 days in a row of 50 burpees
30 days in a row of 50 jumping jacks
30 days in a row of 50 jumping rope
30 days in a row of running 1 mile
Eat at a Brazillian meat restaurant
Coffee tasting tour
Chocolate tasting tour
Create a chocolate chip cookie recipe
Cook peanut butter soup
Cooking lesson
Art class/lesson
Swim lessons
Salsa dancing lesson
Dragon Con 2021
Spend a Saturday morning watching old school cartoons
Watch all Marvel Universe in order
Watch all the Star Wars in order
Live concert(s)
Read poetry live
Create a YouTube channel
SXSWedu 2022
Create a Tik Tok video
Create a family oral history
Give blood
Get a tattoo
Visit Charleston
Beach trip
Hike GA mountains
Camping trip
Day of silence at Buddhist temple
Read Holy Quran start to finish
Read Holy Bible start to finish
Real all the Easy Rawlings Mysteries
Interview 50 educators
Write 300 Blog - 15 minute blogs
Connect with 1000 educators
Plan and host an educator conference
Volunteer at an event
Organize a 5K
Marie Kondo purge
Understand stocks
Earn $100,000 in one year
Pay off house
Home renovation
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