Attitude

It's probably a little known fact that there's a fantastic tv programme on Sunday mornings - 9.30am on Channel 1.

I myself discovered it by accident a year or two ago.

I watch it every Sunday morning, and each time marvel at how such a great programme can be on at that time, and not at 7.30pm on a weeknight.

Attitude is a NZ show (current affairs/doco style) discussing what life is like for people living with a disability. It shows real people doing real things, and all the presenters really understand because they themselves have a "disability" (for lack of a better word).

It has given me insights on not only the issues that these people deal with, but also how they overcome the challenges in their life.


Some of the stories I remember:

The teenage boy who has Downs Sydrome and is learning how to drive - and working with a dedicated team of adults to best manage his own life.

The Special Olympics - kids who can't see participating in running races.

A visit to a disability expo in the States - seeing state of the art wheelchairs that can climb stairs and go up to standing height.

A group of kids at a highschool who, as part of their technology project, made a special bike for a local man who has cerebal palsy.


Today, one of the stories was about LifeBoyz Trust (which is run in Highland Park). This an afterschool/holiday programme for boys - both those with a disability and those without. It just so happens that the new venue for my church, cession, is at the same centre (The Depot) where LifeBoyz meet. We've already had the opportunity to work with them last holidays and from what I hear, it was hugely beneficial to all parties.

I taped this morning's programme, so if anyone would like to see that particular episode just give me a holla.

My challenge to you this week:
Next Sunday, turn the tv on to Channel 1 at 9.30am to watch Attitude. You won't regret it.

Betsy

Well, the entertainment is just going all out this week..

Being an egocentric person of today, I decided to google my own name.

There is a poet, an artist, and a NZ community leader who fought for women's rights (who knew?!)

I also found this, which I thought was rather amusing:

Variations of the name Elizabeth Kelso
Betsie Kelso
Betty Kelso
Beth Kelso
Libby Kelso
Lizzy Kelso
Lizzie Kelso
Eli Kelso
Liza Kelso
Liz Kelso
Bess Kelso
Betsy Kelso
Bessie Kelso
Betsey Kelso
Elisa Kelso
Bitsy Kelso
Eliza Kelso


Just call me Betsy.

'Funny' of the week

This is so hilarious I just had to share it - I did a quiz to find my inner hair colour...

Your Hair Should Be Orange

Expressive, deep, and one of a kind. You pull off "weird" well - hardly anyone notices.

What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

So apparently it's true inside and out!!

Blogging at school? Surely not...

I went to an ICT course in the holidays, and an idea arose out of many discussions with other teachers.

I decided to start a class blog.

This is a new initiative as part of our written language programme. Students will be encouraged to write about matters that interest them (such as issues in the media, reviews of films or books, thoughts on a topic) and will sometimes be given specific topics.

Below are some comments from teachers who have already started this with their class (from classblogmeister):

“In fifteen years of teaching, I have never seen anything come along even CLOSE to motivating students to write - like blogging does.”

“Even when they're out sick, students work on their blogs”

“My students are floored when, as they say, "some random person from Texas commented on my blog!!" The students are getting real world experience with writing.”

“Why would my students want to write on paper for their teacher to see, when they could write on their blog for the whole world to see.”

To visit the class blog, click here.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses and I'll keep you posted.

What a week it's been!

Well, it's been a busy week and I'm pooped but it's been great.

NB: For those of you who know me, you'd notice that I don't usually use the word "pooped". Just one of those words that is not usually in my vocabulary. This has appeared because the word "tired" has been banned in this house - it's been used way too much lately!

Anyway, so I came down with some sort of lurgy which seems to be lingering, but praise God I'm nearly better.

The weekend was fantastic.

A wedding and a baptism.

What an amazing time to reflect on relationships and love between people and God. The lovely Juanita and Neta - sorry, Mr & Mrs Masunu - had a perfect wedding and I enjoyed every minute of it. Beautiful.

It was also great catching up with friends who I hadn't seen for ages. Isn't it funny how time passes, and you don't realise just how much you've missed someone until you see them?

So often I think of how I want to catch up with old friends, yet struggle to find the time. I've realised it's one of my down-falls, so I'm making it a goal for after practicum - to catch up with friends (sorry I've neglected you lately).

And Sunday night we had the baptism of a family friend. I grew up "looking after" her and her brother, they're about 5 years younger than me. It was amazing to see just how much she has grown as a person, and I was so proud when she said her testimony in front of the church. It really was an honour to be a part of it.

More good news for this week: We found out that my wonderful dog Calista doesn't have cancer! The vet thought she might have, and she had to go for tests, but they didn't reveal the dreaded C word. What she does have is some type of thyroid disease or something that can be easily treated with a pill each day. She's more energetic already and we're all very glad about that.

I love weddings and baptisms. And family dogs not being sick.

Wedding Belles

The wedding of Scott and I was featured in the Herald on Sunday last weekend! Very exciting.

Click on the image to read the article and see the photos.

A Peg Bag for the Husband

I got some marks back today - for the technology paper I did last semester. We had to design and make a significant product, and document (in journal form) the technological process.

A few people made huge bookshelves.

One made a huge flash dog house (seriously, a small child could happily live in it).

It took them weeks. Months.

I made a peg bag.

It took only a couple of hours to make and it was great. Just ask Scott.

I titled my assignment "A Peg Bag for the Husband".



Here's to reading the marking criteria and discovering that no marks were given for the actual product - I got A+!

Introducing filmguide.co.nz

I am glad to say that for the last few days, filmguide has been up and running. It is an awesome website providing quality film reviews for the average New Zealander.


Check it out!

Not only that, but you can also sign up and post your comments on films you've seen, and discuss issues in the media. That's what it's there for - this resource needs to be utilised!

I've seen the hard yakka that people have been through to create this website. It's one aspect of the 1914media trust set up by my husband Scott, Greg & Brett... other people will soon be on the trust board also, and it's really exciting to see where it's going! The passion that my husband has for this is contagious. And the support 1914 and filmguide has had from so many different people is heart-warming.

So my challenge for this week:
Jump on the bandwagon and get filmguide.co.nz buzzing with discussion!

The Realisation

On the way home from work tonight, I caught myself doing something I was embarrassed about. No, not speeding, and no I didn't give the finger to the guy who pulled out in front of me. I was singing. Now this is nothing unusual for me, as I don't have a radio in my old lil car, so I often sing. And when it's raining, I sing in time to the windscreen wipers - as I was tonight. It's not the singing I was embarrassed about, it's what I was singing.

It was a very upbeat version of Baa Baa Black Sheep. In time with the windscreen wipers. And I didn't realise it until I'd been driving for at least 5 minutes.

So I had a little laugh at myself. Then a few minutes later, I realised I'd started singing again - this time it was There Was a Great Big Moose. So I stopped myself. And a few more minutes down the road, it was Baa Baa Black Sheep again. I swear, it was like a never-ending circle that I just couldn't stop!

See, the 2 1/2 year olds favourite song at the moment is Baa Baa Black Sheep - it has been for a while, and when I want him to sit still for teeth brushing or hair washing, I just sing that song. And the older kids like the Moose song. I sing them both many many times each time I'm there, so of course it's natural I just keep going when I leave...

So on the way home, I started composing a list in my head.


You know you've been doing childcare long enough when:

8. You can recognise the "I need to pee" dance a mile off.

7. You somehow seem to find room on your lap for 3 children.

6. Poo? Nothing.

5. You can simultaniously feed one child, wipe another's nose and watch another do a handstand, all while singing "there was a great big moose".

4. When your husband doesn't want his vegetables, you offer him one chocolate raisin after dinner if he eats them.

3. You can easily read "Where's Spot?" seven times in a row.

2. The baby covers you with a combination of snot, spit and baby food, and you're not phased at all.

1. You sing "baa baa black sheep" when you're driving by yourself, and only realise you're doing so after the seventh run through.

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Because I look after kiddies, I'm often treated to some spoken gems. Here's the latest from the 5 year old:

"Liz, the grass is getting really long... it needs to be cut. When's Dad going to do the lawning?"

Always good for a giggle!

Challenges

Here I am, I've finally decided to start a blog and see how it goes. I've been thinking about it for a while, so this will prove as a bit of an experiment!

It's quite a daunting thing really, staring at a blank box and wondering what to write about - but empowering too. I can write whatever I want.

I had a lecturer last semester who loved breaking down words and looking at the origins. She's an amazingly intellectual lady, and at first I couldn't handle it. She spoke in huge words and it was too much for this humble student teacher who was used to interactive workshops (as opposed to long lectures). However, by the end of the course, I was loving it - there's something about rising to a challenge and beating it.


The reason I thought of that lecturer was of one thing I particularly remember - talking about the autonomous individual, she said that "autonomous" comes from the word "author" - you are the author, you "write" (or do) what you want to. And in sitting here with the blank box, all I could hear was "you are the author" running through my head.

Speaking of challenges, I beat the vaccum cleaner today. The head bit was totally blocked up with miscellaneous dust and popcorn and who knows what else... it was a combined effort and in the end I managed to get my little finger to unlodge what was about a cup of sludge. See, we'd tried putting water through it. So all the dust had turned to a thick black sludge. Hence why I now have what looks like tar under my nails.

It was very satisfying to have beat the blockage.