Category Archives: Life

Talking about life

Quarter Century Old

Last Sunday, I turned 25. JMO and I went out to lunch and then went to the zoo. It was glorious, I took a million pictures and thought I was a zoo-ographer. I think I should pick up a second career photographing zoo animals. We were greatly entertained by watching the animals interact and watching children bang on their cages and the children’s fathers helping them throw candy in for the orangutan.

When we were leaving the zoo I sent Leah a text message to see if she want to show me her vacation pictures over some pizza. I told JMO I wanted to go home to get my coupon for the pizza, and he agreed. When I opened the door, my favorite people yelled SURPRISE! It was shocking, because I was only here for a coupon and all of these people were at my house and I was sweaty and stinky from spending a day outside at the zoo. Sandra cooked, Leah and Aubrey decorated, Christine and Justin baked a cake, and JMO had kept his secret. I can’t say how lucky I feel to have these people in my life.

Meg's 25th Surprise!

My birthday was truly special and memorable. Thank you girls and boys, I love you guys. (Boys are busy watching football during this photograph.)

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Fifteen

Emily is pretty

Today is the 15th anniversary of the birth of Emily Claire Pickert. The night she was born Michael and I went to the neighbor’s house and slept. The next day my dad took us to meet our sister. We have pictures of the three of us in the hospital in one chair for a staged new baby/new family picture. Michael and I did not understand the way in which this baby was going to change everything. I was 10 and Michael was 7, Emily might as well have been raised by different parents her life was so different. Michael and I moved every 2-3 years and our sister has been in San Antonio since the first grade. Her idea of “change” is being asked to clean up the crap that has accumulated on her floor.

Michael always picked on her, probably passing down my cruelties. Emily is athletic and spends most of her time playing volleyball and Michael and I never seemed to succeed at any sport. We rode bikes and she’s never owned one. We spent our entire summers at local pools and Emily goes to athletic camps. Due to the differences in our ages, I almost never get what is cool or hip just 10 years after I was 15 (it does change rather quickly). For a family that talks as much as ours, Emily and I have had difficulties finding common ground to discuss in the past. We were going through high school and college while she was in elementary and middle. The things any of us wanted to talk about, ourselves, never seemed to interest the other sibling.

As Emily ages, the gap is beginning to close. I am impressed and intrigued by the person she is becoming. She still isn’t like me. Emily is competitive and smart and doesn’t fool with same girlish drama I always seemed to find myself in. Emily has a sense of self that I envy. I could not be more proud of Emily and I’m excited to be a growing part of her life. She now lets me into her world in a way that didn’t seem possible at the age of 10 when I held her in my arms. Emily’s impact on my life long ago meant taking my mother’s time and energy. Now I see a young woman who will always impact my life because she will always be part of it, always sharing her triumphs and struggles. So thanks Mom and Dad, for giving Michael and I a sister, it was a good idea.

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JMO and His Branding – jmoswalt

JMO recently decided to move therealjmo.com to jmoswalt.com. Now he can officially say he is jmoswalt across the board (Twitter, email, Facebook, and website). He has put a lot of time and energy into the new blog pulling in all the lessons he’s learned from making his previous blogs, the CARPOOL website, this blog, and the skills he has picked up in his new career path at Schipul. I have learned more than I knew could be known about the blogging world from JMO and a lot about putting yourself out there and not being afraid to fail.

Anyway, check out JMO’s site. Look how his posts are now one per page. Look at the bottom of each post there are related posts suggestions. Look how you can click any link in the old blog and it will bring you to the new blog. Look how you can choose text or video or choose the title of any previous post from a master index. Look how my boyfriend rocks, what can yours do?

Side note: The picture above is a perfect example on how I’m continuing to fail so I can learn to be good. Picture editing interests me. But alas, I know how to do very little with the software. I have been frustrated with pictures not turning out as I hoped. Look above for me, please be witness my attempt, I promise to produce better soon.

P.S. It is impossible to speak of JMO without including 348239040234 links -the number may be an exaggeration

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They are letting me come back on Monday.

Tomorrow I start my second week as a Special Education Aide. It seems like my cubicle life was ages ago and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. I get to work with a resource teacher and learn from her (and she is pretty fabulous I must say). And let’s face it, if I had tried to be the teacher, since I have no experience I would more than likely fall flat on my face. This line of work has been more satisfying in one week than two years in corporate America were.

Things that rock:

1. Kids think I’m cool for some reason

2. I get to figure out simpler ways to show a child a lesson, one on one

3. I sit in on different grade levels, different subjects, I have an opportunity to witness teaching styles of many teachers with many subjcts

4. Packing a lunch. After eating “to go” orders for two year, having some cheese and crackers and a side of fruit makes me smile

5. Kids do what I say. Kids I don’t even know do what I say, BECAUSE I AM AN ADULT – who knew?

6. My school’s mascot is Sharks

7. Since I’m not actually the teacher (YET) I get to leave at 3:3o

P.S. A big THANKS to April and her mom for the glorious “connections”

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Under Pressure

Leaving in exactly ONE hour to take my Special Ed Exam. I did not do so well on a timed practice exam yesterday. IF I fail, I cannot retake this for 3 months and it messes with the “plan” I am hoping to follow. This is me venting. Currently, reading a definition of something I’ve struggled with (mainly the laws- I keep flopping them around), then rock out to a song I love – repeat cycle.

Also pondering the Serenity Prayer, which always helps me when I feel like I can no longer control what is happening (when I am experiencing an external locus of control- test concept).

Grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

UPDATE: PASSED AND THRILLED. (Scores received this morning)

I am absolutely ecstatic. The exam was tough and I left feeling extremely worried and anxious, those laws! I not only passed, I did well. I am proud and am excited for the next steps.

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One Week (7 days).

One week from tomorrow will be my last day in an uncomfortable chair, staring mindlessly at a computer for hours. Making a decision to change things has taken me more time than I care to admit or even know (maybe a year or more).

Like most college students in America, I left believing I had worked hard for something. That I had worked hard in high school to get in to a good college to work hard to get a good job. I did my interviews on campus, because that is what you do. I interviewed and fretted and couldn’t believe recruiters weren’t pushing each other over to hire ME. When I got my offer, I jumped up and down, I was moving to Houston and I was employed. I spent the next two weeks buying work clothes.

Then I started my job. When I started working and looked around and saw all the people who worked there, all the people who come every day, and all the people who have been coming everyday for 20 years, I FREAKED OUT. This was it? This is what I worked so hard for? I wasn’t using any of my good ‘ol college learning, I was learning systems and an industry I had never knew existed.

It was difficult to perceive how my work experience was compared to that of others. When I graduated, my friends were still in school. I had no close friends to compare experiences with and I didn’t know if all offices were like mine or completely different. I started working 8-4 (with usually an extra hour or so tacked on). Eventually my friends started getting jobs and then I got bumped and began working 11-7. While working 8-4, I was able to meet people for dinner or drinks and go to the gym regularly. When my schedule changed I couldn’t get basic errands done, my gym attendance dwindled and it was hard to find anyone who wanted to have dinner at 7:30. Work made me miserable. I knew it, but I didn’t. I complained, but didn’t really see that I had a choice. I often talked about making a change, but was too scared to initiate any kind of life movement and I just didn’t know what to do.

This past May, my brother and I drove from Orlando to San Antonio. (The week before the trip was probably the worst work week I’d ever had at the office, so that helped things a long as well). Spending a week with a recent college graduate reminded me of the ideals I had just two years ago. I couldn’t believe how much I had changed in just two years. Mostly, I didn’t like how I had changed. I have developed skills in dealing with angry clients and explaining financial documents. I don’t like angry people and I sure as hell do not like financial documents.

In one week I am leaving my job to pursue something with more meaning. I observed my friend Christine’s classroom, her fiance’ Justin’s classroom, Mrs. Oswalt’s kiddos, and several classes in one of my mother’s favorite schools all in May and June. These people showed me more about themselves that I expected to see and about the job they love. Teachers have a hard job, but they make a difference, they have purpose and meaning to their careers. They laugh. They have the joy of watching a child read and knowing they helped get him there. I have a long way to go, but I’m doing something. Change has been initiated and I can say I haven’t felt this happy in two years.

So let the countdown begin. 7 days.

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