Mrs. Moore's Musings

I woke up Wednesday morning and did what I always do.  I made a cup of coffee, turned on my local news, and grabbed my iPad.  My husband had sent me a text message at 2am telling me I was right, it was over, and Mr. Trump had won.  It said some other private things that I will cherish forever, but that is private.  I feel like, as a nation, we've forgotten some things can be private.  My husband and I have never discussed who we voted for or why in public forums.  We watched the debates, and as a teacher of language, my students and I discussed both candidates' rhetoric.  We discussed the different media approaches to the election, and had lively, thoughtful discussions.  I would wager that many of my students have no idea who I voted for.  It never came up.  I am a teacher of language.  We analyzed the language on both sides and had wonderful discussions about how both candidates were attempting to address their target audience....

Welcome 2016!  For the past two years, I have selected a word to focus on.  I saw a guy talking about it on the Today show, and I was hooked on the idea.  The first year, 2014, was the year my son graduated from high school.  I picked the word "cherish" and I did my best to focus on enjoying the process.  Last year, I picked the word "embrace" because I knew it would be a year of a lot of change. This year, my word found me.  In the last month of the year, I had several things happen that drew this word to me. First of all, I have lost touch with many of my writing friends.  Every time they planned something, I couldn't make it.  I was too busy or it seemed too far away.  Then, one of the most important people I associated with the Writing Project passed away.  He was always planning ways to keep us together as a group.  I felt horrible I hadn't been to any gatherings.  However, at the busiest time of the year, I found a way ...

HOORAY!  It's my favorite time of the year.  I love New Year's Day, and this entire season-more than any other part of the year (not weather related of course).  New Year's Day is my most favorite holiday of all of them.  It's because it's not about anything other than giving yourself permission to attempt to be better. New Year's is time to acknowledge your blessings and truly reflect on your goals.  My family traditions include sitting around all day and watching Netflix (I'm pushing for an all Gilmore Girls extravaganza of awesomeness-we are on the final season, and I hate it, but I will push on).  We will have a toast in our ONLY NEW YEARS ONLY fancy champagne flutes we got as a wedding gift, I will make black-eyed peas with ham and green vegetables with bacon and cornbread in a cast iron skillet, and we talk and laugh and love each other.  I freaking love this holiday! As you may know if you read my blog, three years ago I stopped making resolut...

One thing I love about teaching Seniors is that I get to participate in an event each year that marks a definitive change in someone's life.  I have been blessed with participating in so many young people’s life changing moments. Today marks one of the most important personal moments of unequivocal change in my own life.  16 years ago, December 22, at 3:32 in the afternoon, one of my most favorite human beings came into existence-my daughter!  I was there the whole time!  Olivia Linda Moore, I have loved you since before you existed, and now, 16 years later I am absolutely certain I will love you forever and always.  In honor of your day, I want to celebrate 16 of my favorite things/memories/awesome things that make you the greatest gift I have ever received: You hate mornings and love late nights, and I love mornings and hate late nights: This might not be everyone’s favorite, but some of my favorite memories we have together come at really not great ho...

I am unequivocally one of the luckiest people I know.  I am so freaking blessed, I don't even know where to begin.  I have an incredible husband who loves me and makes me feel valuable and special and loves all my weirdness.  I test him and push him, and despite everything-he is always by my side.  I have two kids who love me and accept me.  They have become amazing friends and who love each other. I am not even exaggerating that random people have approached me to tell me amazing stories about my kids.  My sister is the BOMB! If I go more than two days without talking to her, something is seriously wrong. My friends are super ridiculous.  They are smart and funny and we have discovered Snapchat together. They make me think critically, and when I can't do that anymore, they make me laugh at really ridiculous double entendres that only English teacher people can understand (we have the ability to make everything dirty-I mean everything.  Staff mee...

Thanksgiving!  It is not my most favorite favorite, but I love it.  Our family likes to chill out, eat, and celebrate all darn day!  I love to send texts to people near and far all throughout the day to let them know how thankful I am to have them in my life.  I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now, but today seems like the perfect day.  I have read a lot of posts grateful for teachers-from students and parents and friends.  I am a high school English teacher, and I appreciate the fact that I have so many people have lifted my profession (and myself) up and encouraged me and thanked me over the years.  I work alongside some truly gifted educators and people who humble me not only with their intellect, but with their compassion and generosity.  I hope that they know how thankful I am for them.  My family is ridiculous.  They love me and support me and encourage me. They put up with so much so that I can do crazy thing...

Over the last couple weeks, I have had some pretty amazing opportunities.  First, my students and I applied and were selected to attend not only a reading from Taylor Mali, but we got the chance to write with him in the afternoon.  Then, this past Thursday, I took 80 of my high school seniors from my AP Language and Composition class to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a world class museum located in Bentonville, Arkansas.  After our trip to the museum, I was honored to watch my daughter perform in her first high school play (along with several of my students).  It has been a whirlwind of a couple of weeks. There is something that has been hitting my heart as I have been participating in this crazy season of my life-imperfection.  I am swimming in a sea of imperfection, and I need to figure out how to embrace this. Taylor Mali, a nationally acclaimed slam poet and author, asked us to describe a page in our journal.  Then he explained that he usu...