First, a bit of news.  I am blogging from the living room with the warmth of a nice fire to keep me company. This router was only 752% easier to set up than the first one I bought.  It was 15 bucks more (the first was on sale, I think - no way was I going to replace it with the same one after my experience... ). Regular readers will remember that story from last Sunday.

I'm going to have to pause here a moment and impart some wisdom to new readers (I am beyond thrilled to have some new readers - shout out to my Wednesday night Psychology 475 class!). The wisdom is that this blog is really best when consumed from the beginning.  In this case, the beginning is, I believe, September 24, 2012. I promise the read will be worth it.  

While I've got the large font working, I want to address something else:  When I sit and write this blog, the image that informs my writing is one of dialog.  When I write, in my mind, these feelings I am sharing with you are part of a conversation... Conversations are two-way streets!!!!  Please, I don't want to get down on my knees and beg, but I want to hear from you.  If it is difficult to do on this site for whatever reason, you can try me on facebook (Ken Petronis), send me an e-mail, a text, a smoke signal... Something.  

Seriously, if something I have written 'caught you right' or brought a smile, a tear, a frown - if I've moved you at all, please say so.  I can't even begin to tell you the power those words fuel within me. Thank you, everyone.  I look forward to hearing your stories, struggles, successes, questions, suggestions, reminiscences, ideas, philosophies, jokes, etc.  You get the picture.  I'd like to make this a successful, enjoyable, participative blog.  With your help, we can entertain and inform anyone who drops by. 

I believe we all have something important to say.



I was prepared, this evening, to launch into a mini-tirade about some stressful recent experiences. Instead, I went searching for tonight's closing words.  Those words tonight will be brought to you by my former student, and current friend, Sierra Mansfield.  Thank you, again, Sierra.

To be honest (don't you hate it when writers start out a sentence that way?  My response is, "Are you NOT being honest each time you don't include that phrase???)...

To be honest (yes, I know what I just said! I just happen to think it's appropriate here, okay?)

To be honest, I didn't have to look very hard.  Stuffed into my yearbook from Santa Monica High School are various notes, cards, letters, and some printer paper the students inserted into my yearbook because the all the pages had already been filled with student signatures and notes.

The second thing I'd picked up was a note card from Sierra. I immediately sent her a message on facebook, and her reply was typically sweet and uplifting.  When the conversation concluded, I reflected on how good it felt to feel like I'd had a small part in helping Sierra grow into the person she is today.  And I thought to myself one of those thoughts that always get teachers through rough days... "IF I CAN ONLY HELP ONE - EVEN ONE, THIS WILL ALL HAVE BEEN WORTH IT."  This is the mantra of the overloaded teacher who feels like he or she doesn't have one more once of energy to invest...  "If I can only help one..."  I thought about this for a moment, and I thought about Sierra, and how fortunate I was to have crossed paths with her.


And suddenly it dawned on me...

I am a very lucky man.  A very, very lucky man, indeed.  I realized in reflecting on my conversation with Sierra, how many times I've had similar conversations with my students.

In that moment, in that reflection, I allowed myself to appreciate a simple truth that I've long ignored and shunned... I AM LOVED.

I'm sorry if this sounds like braggadocio, bravado, hyperbole, or self-aggrandizing...  It is meant to be none of these.

It is simply the truth.  I AM LOVED.

There's nothing further I can add.  Sierra will take us home:

"Mr. P, Thank you so much for being such an awesome teacher! Walking into your classroom and seeing your smiling face puts me in a better mood.  Thank you so much for a great year! Keep in touch!    PS - I am really going to miss our witty banter and our shared love of George Thorogood :)"

I do love the witty banter...   Peace, all.

Carpe Diem.