What's After Work?

With my retirement looming I feel that I need an activity, a reason to get up in the morning. A quest to give my life meaning. I've been puttering around the house the last few days. Cleaning and arranging things around the house. Moving stuff from one place to another to create what I imagine is order in my life. I'm beginning to realize I've got about as much order in my life as I want. I have found that my most creative ideas come from the chaos around me. So L'm going to take a different route. Last night I was watching "The Hobbit" and thought a quest is what I need.  A quest is what it is then. But unfortunately there is no Smaug for me to battle. Using Bilbo Baggins and the Hobbits as my guide on this quest I decided that meals should be part of this retirement quest. Here is my plan. A Quest " Seafood Resturants I'm Goina Eat At "  Some of these places I have already eaten at but they deserve a second try. Others are new to me and ...

Last night's service was like no other I've ever been to. One of the things that I like about the Episcopal Church is that it is consistent. One service to the next and one church to the next I can count on what will happen in a service. Last night before the service started I noticed a great number of people I did not recognize. That's OK great to have more in the church. And lots of talking, OK there are a bunch of old folks that like to talk. Then the service started and I tried to find the song...it was different from what was printed. OK last minute change I can go with that. Then we get to the Gospel. I'm waiting for the procession of the cross, candles and bible. I'm looking at the Gospel in the program and I notice Father Suhar wandering toward the middle of the church. He begins to give the sermon. I'm flipping through my program thinking I missed something. Nope, He just skipped over the Gospel. Okay? Go right to the sermon. Jan says he included ...

Waiting for their number to be called. Today I started the process of receiving my Social Security. Well actually I started last Saturday. You start this process by creating an account on My Social Security . Here they begin by asking you such simple questions such as your name, address and SS#. First try BUZZZ WRONG ANSWER! The name does not match the SS#.  Okay I know who gets their name wrong. Well let me explain. My parents (my dad) gave me four names. Most forms only allow for 3 and for this first try I chose poorly .  So at this point I went back to my dresser and got my ORIGINAL Social Security card. This was the kind that you got way back when a person had to go down to the Social Security office and sit in from of some one with a typewriter who pecked out what ever wild name your grandmother gave them when she took you downtown to get your first official government document. Something that will follow you forever. On my official Social Security card my name is ...

I'll admit the best part of being a teacher and especially an art teacher is the kids. The are all just so darn honest and pure in thought. I will miss the interaction with them. And they don't forget or miss anything. Well anything except what you want them to learn. Ya know what is in the textbook and curriculum. But anything else I do or say in class or in the halls, or thinking they are not listening. They hear it and remember it. That is the gift of being a child. If teachers could just figure out how to make the things we want them to learn seem like "forbidden fruit" ya know a secret we are trying to keep from the kids they would spend every waking moment trying to know it and would NEVER forget it. Sigh. With that in mind I have been reading some of the cards kids have been giving this past week. I am very touched by some of the caring words the kids have for me. But then there are the other things they remember from my class, really that was the take away. ...

One of the traditions at Mary E Bryant Elementary is to clap-out the graduating 5th graders as they move on to middle school. Well today I received a surprise clap-out from the entire school. All the students, teachers and staff secretly gathered in the courtyard to send me off. This in itself was quite a feat because my room is not far from the courtyard. At about 1:45 Mrs. Oberschall came to my room declaring that there was some sort of tech emergency in the office that needed my immediate attention. I thought to myself "great someone needs their computer restarted so they can print an email for a file." But by the time I got to the doorway I knew something was up. Then by the time I stepped outside the cheering started. I went to the middle looked at all the cheering kids then climbed on top of the bronco to wave at everyone. That really got them going. I then jumped down and ran through the crowds giving high fives all around. Back in the middle I stayed for a few mo...

Last Tuesday my school had a surprise retirement party for me/ I had no idea that a party was in the plans. On Tuesday Mrs. Oberschall called my room and asked if I would be available to show Ms, Salles how to do the school web page after I'm retired. I net with her at about 2:00pm that afternoon. She asked a lot of questions and I thought wow she is really interested in taking over this job of mine. Well it turns out that there was more to her interest than just the web site. Kaitlyn was also there to distract me, keep me from wandering around the school and discovering what EVERYONE else was up to. After I had given a very brief but comprehensive workshop on managing the school web site, complete with visuals, handouts and note taking points. I guess even to the end I am the consummate educator. Then came the announcement. "There will be an emergency faculty meeting in the multi-purpose room" "That can't be good" I thought to myself. Some if the car...

In my retirement meeting at ROSSAC Visited the school district personnel office today to go over the paperwork involved in actually retiring and receiving the pension from the State of Florida. There were about 12 people there today to go over their paperwork. We all met at first together and a lady went over the entire process and touched on all the paperwork we had received in a folder when we got there. After that they saw 4 of us at a time individually with a person from HR to go over and explain exactly what we could expect in the next few months and the paperwork we needed to fill out for all the different entities involved in my retirement and near future. This did take a while, I think that there was about as much paperwork as buying a house.  I did have the advantage of having Jan with me and she went through this same process about 2 years ago when she retired and was a great help to me keeping everything straight. I'll go over my notes this weekend and figure out...

Today I had my first day of last classes. I teach classes on a 2 week rotation so today's classes I saw for the last time. Some if the kids I'll miss others I won't, most though I will miss. Seeing the kids grow up is interesting. Most I meet when they are in kindergarten, funny little tinderboxes going from meltdown to laughing in just a few breaths. They leave in 5th grade on the cusp of teenagerhood. By that point middle school can have them. Today was also the 10th day of "Blissmas" and all the teams are decorating my door. This is my door with close-ups of each teams contribution below. I think all the kids are starting to realize that I am going to be leaving soon. Many ask me why others want to know what retirement is. The one that most seem to understand the most is that I am retiring so I can see more of my grandson. That seems to be a concept that they get.

I've been busy the past week Getting ready for the final art show, finishing up the ceramic unit the students are working on and pulling together lesson plans that whoever comes after me can use till they get their sea legs at Bryant. So I haven't been giving much thought to my last days at Bryant. I had heard that there were plans but knew nothing mire that that. That changed when I saw a Tweet on our school web site about the "12 Days of Blissmas" I was surprised and humbled. Our 12 Days of Blissmas begins Thursday! Much fun and festivities planned to show our gratitude for Mr. Bliss as he retires at the end of this month. #WeClimbTogether @Rob4Principals @HCPSArea2 pic.twitter.com/Rw3Y4x0b96 — Bryant Elementary (@MaryBryantElem) December 2, 2019

With the start of December begins my yearly time on the naughty list seen on the schools morning show. This year I was placed on the naughty list because I'm retiring. I guess it could be worse. So now all the kids know that I am leaving and most today tried to talk me out of  going. It was kind of hard.  Posting the school newsletter on the school web site. One of the other jobs I do at the school is manage the school web site and today I also posted the school newsletter with the announcement of my retirement. I don't know if this is my last or if there will be one more at the end of December before I leave. Up-date: While I posted the newsletter yesterday I did not post this blog at the same time. While at bus duty this morning I ran into a parent that congratulated me on my retirement and spoke enviously of me going to Hawaii. I was not sure how many read the news letter or were interested in what I was doing. But I guess there are a few.