After over 6 months of bureaucracy, we opened the toddler room today. Every time we went back to the agency that oversees this particular room, they changed the rules, requested new information, or lost our paperwork. And every time we complied, provided, and resubmitted. Finally after months and months of driving back and forth to Miami and then to their new offices on Quail Roost, we were allowed to open the toddler room. There was nothing else they could do except let us open. With the help of some very wonderful advisors who shall remain nameless, we moved forward.
As of day 1, the toddler room is 50% full and we have the promise of parents to recruit to fill the other available slots. We are so very excited, especially Elizabeth as she has been working in the office to fill her time since August.
We are now working on plans for a middle school for next year. We have nearly everything in place. I'll post more about this when I can. In the meantime, it feels so good to be able to cross one more hurdle on our awesome trip.
Spread your wings!
31 January 2011
22 January 2011
Laurie Anderson
OK, so one of my favorite all-time composers is Laurie Anderson. She writes music that people like, she has a fabulous sense of humor, and she has a wonderful sense of style (musical, hair, clothes, visual, you name it). She's just plain cool.
When I'm not working at Atala these days, I also serve as the President of the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS). Each year this organization votes for one person who exemplifies what music technology means over the course of a lifetime. This year, I had the awesome fortune of Laurie Anderson winning that award. I had the even better fortune of her attending the conference, sitting at the head table, and shaking my hand. The cool factor was so high I can't begin to describe it. 250 nerds and geeks (and I count myself among them) attended this conference (that Colby and I hosted) who so admire this woman and what she's accomplished. What a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime event.
Funny story #1: Laurie Anderson calls me on my cell (so now I have her personal cell number!) and tells me she was preparing for a short performance at the SEAMUS Conference banquet. In preparing for the performance, somehow she managed to glue her tongue to the top of her mouth. She calls me on my cell to tell me the bad news. But she's been to the pharmacy and is still coming to the banquet. Who glues their tongue to the roof to the roof of their mouth? Funny, in a painful way.
Funny story #2: My friend and (former FIU) colleague Paula is also a big Laurie Anderson fan. She was so very excited when I invited her to sit at the head table with Laurie. OK, so I'm taking Laurie to the women's restroom when she arrives because she has her tongue glued to the top of her mouth, and in walks Paula need to use the bathroom. Paula walks in, sees Laurie Anderson standing there, and turns right around and walks out. I had to go out to the hall and drag Paula back in assuring her that using the restroom would no way bother Laurie Anderson. Definitely my favorite happenstance of the conference.
Spread your wings!
When I'm not working at Atala these days, I also serve as the President of the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS). Each year this organization votes for one person who exemplifies what music technology means over the course of a lifetime. This year, I had the awesome fortune of Laurie Anderson winning that award. I had the even better fortune of her attending the conference, sitting at the head table, and shaking my hand. The cool factor was so high I can't begin to describe it. 250 nerds and geeks (and I count myself among them) attended this conference (that Colby and I hosted) who so admire this woman and what she's accomplished. What a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime event.
Funny story #1: Laurie Anderson calls me on my cell (so now I have her personal cell number!) and tells me she was preparing for a short performance at the SEAMUS Conference banquet. In preparing for the performance, somehow she managed to glue her tongue to the top of her mouth. She calls me on my cell to tell me the bad news. But she's been to the pharmacy and is still coming to the banquet. Who glues their tongue to the roof to the roof of their mouth? Funny, in a painful way.
Funny story #2: My friend and (former FIU) colleague Paula is also a big Laurie Anderson fan. She was so very excited when I invited her to sit at the head table with Laurie. OK, so I'm taking Laurie to the women's restroom when she arrives because she has her tongue glued to the top of her mouth, and in walks Paula need to use the bathroom. Paula walks in, sees Laurie Anderson standing there, and turns right around and walks out. I had to go out to the hall and drag Paula back in assuring her that using the restroom would no way bother Laurie Anderson. Definitely my favorite happenstance of the conference.
Spread your wings!
26 December 2010
End-of-the-year thoughts
We've had a wonderful Christmas--time off with the family, not stressing over the job. There are too many "bests" to list this year, but the best thing for our family has been my leaving academia. We are off on a grand new adventure and so far things are looking very bright. We have made so many new friends and really feel like we're a part of Homestead instead of just living in it. The kids are thriving, and Colby and I are very involved in our new church, Speedway Community.
All the grandparents are coming in for the New Year (and a second family Christmas). Our thoughts are with Colby's nephew Drake, a two-time cancer survivor, and Colby's grandfather, who been in the hospital three times since Thanksgiving.
Life takes strange turns and twists, and sometimes it's just best to take advantage of the new opportunities rather than shying away from them. This year has literally turned on its head for us, for me, but it's been a fantastic family experience. And I am especially grateful for the four other families who have become forever linked in the Atala experience: the Howarths, the Morgans, the Scheffs, and the Valles. We are also so very thankful to the other families and friends who joined us on this "fantastic voyage" from its inception.
Happy New Year and don't forget to Spread Your Wings!
All the grandparents are coming in for the New Year (and a second family Christmas). Our thoughts are with Colby's nephew Drake, a two-time cancer survivor, and Colby's grandfather, who been in the hospital three times since Thanksgiving.
Life takes strange turns and twists, and sometimes it's just best to take advantage of the new opportunities rather than shying away from them. This year has literally turned on its head for us, for me, but it's been a fantastic family experience. And I am especially grateful for the four other families who have become forever linked in the Atala experience: the Howarths, the Morgans, the Scheffs, and the Valles. We are also so very thankful to the other families and friends who joined us on this "fantastic voyage" from its inception.
Happy New Year and don't forget to Spread Your Wings!
17 December 2010
I love my life
Can't really say more than that. I'll post an update about the last two crazy weeks in another day or so. But right now I'm listening to Livya sing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer while she's in the shower. Too cute! Another moment I would have missed if I'd been commuting 2 hours a day.
Have an awesome Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you may be celebrating this time of year. We are in major planning for the 7th annual Burns-Leider Pig (and Turkey) Roast on January 1st. Hope you all can make it. We had 117 folks last year, and I'd like to break 200 this year!
Spread your wings!
Have an awesome Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you may be celebrating this time of year. We are in major planning for the 7th annual Burns-Leider Pig (and Turkey) Roast on January 1st. Hope you all can make it. We had 117 folks last year, and I'd like to break 200 this year!
Spread your wings!
03 December 2010
December!
I can't believe how time flies. We made it back from an awesome Thanksgiving in Texas with all of Colby's family. Now Christmas is only three weeks away! School is buzzing with Hanukkah decorations and food, Christmas preparations, giant snowflakes to fill and hang, and so much more. The kids are singing at Losner Park next Friday, our Atala Winter Production is the Thursday after that, and then the last day of school is Friday, December 17.
So different than years' past when I had to work through our holiday break, Spring break, and all summer. 2011 is going to be fantastic! My family is setting up the tree this weekend and decorating everything like crazy. Can't wait to get started on the 7th Annual Burns-Leider Pig Roast! More on that later.
Spread your wings!
So different than years' past when I had to work through our holiday break, Spring break, and all summer. 2011 is going to be fantastic! My family is setting up the tree this weekend and decorating everything like crazy. Can't wait to get started on the 7th Annual Burns-Leider Pig Roast! More on that later.
Spread your wings!
23 November 2010
Thanksgiving
Earlier this week Cheryl Morgan and I took nine 3rd and 4th graders to visit the Homestead Soup Kitchen. The President of that organization, Mrs. Juanita Smith, is one of the most important figures in recent Homestead history. Our students were able to meet her for a second time (she visited Atala last week) and actually see how the whole operation works. Liam, who has loved to cook with me since he was in preschool, is now interested in cooking in a facility like for a job down the road. I love his attitude--he just wants to help people. Being around the kitchen and cooking/baking/eating means a lot to him and now he wants to share it with others.
The last two days I have had the great pleasure of making butter with every single child at Atala Montessori School. Livya was so excited this morning (about the butter and our trip) that she could barely contain herself and kept jumping in with all the answers to my questions. We had a blast--jumped around, talked about fat globules, and generally caused a lot of noise for a great cause. Every student successfully made butter in partnership with at least two other students. Awesome!
Today we left school at 1 pm to drive 20 hours to get to Texas for Thanksgiving. We made it I-90, around the bend of Lake City, and will drive the rest of the trip tomorrow. It's an especially important Thanksgiving in that my nephew, Drake, is battling cancer for the second in his short 14-year-old life. He's had a tough road, but has an amazing ability to see the good in nearly everything. Our kids are very excited to see their cousins (all of them!), even if it is for only about 8 hours.
Despite all the chaos the last few weeks, I feel very blessed in so very many ways. A very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Count your blessings and take nothing for granted. Life can change on a dime.
Spread your wings!
The last two days I have had the great pleasure of making butter with every single child at Atala Montessori School. Livya was so excited this morning (about the butter and our trip) that she could barely contain herself and kept jumping in with all the answers to my questions. We had a blast--jumped around, talked about fat globules, and generally caused a lot of noise for a great cause. Every student successfully made butter in partnership with at least two other students. Awesome!
Today we left school at 1 pm to drive 20 hours to get to Texas for Thanksgiving. We made it I-90, around the bend of Lake City, and will drive the rest of the trip tomorrow. It's an especially important Thanksgiving in that my nephew, Drake, is battling cancer for the second in his short 14-year-old life. He's had a tough road, but has an amazing ability to see the good in nearly everything. Our kids are very excited to see their cousins (all of them!), even if it is for only about 8 hours.
Despite all the chaos the last few weeks, I feel very blessed in so very many ways. A very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Count your blessings and take nothing for granted. Life can change on a dime.
Spread your wings!
09 November 2010
A New Era
I have finally moved on...FIU cut off my email account. Ah well, I'll survive on Gmail (personal contact) and Squirrelmail (Atala contact).
And by the way, my next book is going to be a collaborative effort with the students at Atala--Jokes for Kids (need a better name, but I bet Sonya can help with that...). That will be an awesome Summer project!
Spread your wings!
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