Reverb 10 :: End of 2010 Video :: Lovin Life

I've decided to be a part of Reverb10. It's a 31-day blogging challenge where you reply to the daily writing prompts that are designed to get you to reflect on this past year as well as provide some insight for the upcoming year. I'm going to give myself 5-7 minutes for each post.

Day 25 :: December 25, 2010 :: Photo/Video

• Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where and what it best reveals about you. (Author: Tracey Clark)

I've fallen behind on my Reverb10 posts over the past few days, but the funny thing is I've been working on this video for the past few days; trying to make it just right. So I'm not going to focus on one image, but several.

Boy, did I have some fun in 2010. Had some tough times too; still working through some things. Will probably always be working on some things. But my focus here is on the good times and there were plenty of good times w/good peeps because mostly I'm lovin life and my options right now.

I put together this 35 second Animoto vid to recap some of the blessings of this past year.

Reverb10 :: 5 minutes

I've decided to be a part of Reverb10. It's a 31-day blogging challenge where you reply to the daily writing prompts that are designed to get you to reflect on this past year as well as provide some insight for the upcoming year. I'm going to give myself 5-7 minutes for each post.

Day 15 :: December 15, 2010 :: 5 minutes

• Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh).

My fondest memories of 2010 involves traveling and spending time with family and friends.

• Bringing in the new year with some friends in D.C.

• My ten hour layover in NYC before returning to Cairo = too much fun!

• Hangin out w/my girls in Vegas.

• Spending time w/the fam this summer in Akron.

• My week in Chicago w/my girl.

• Birthday celebration in the summer in D.C.

• Hosting my reading group, The Literary Sistas, at my parents house this summer.

• My trip to Kuwait.

• My first European vacation to Italy: Rome, Sienna/Tuscany, Cinque Terra and Milan.

In Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy (Nov, 2010)

The only non-travel and non-family memory is ending this semester of teaching. It has been a ridiculously insane semester: drama, complaints, lazy students ... but today was the last day of class. I'm feeling melancholy because it seems like more of my students than usual 'got it'. There was a lot of give and take. There were times when they were mad at me and I was frustrated with them. But now, after 15 weeks, the growth is noticeable; I can tell that they feel the value of what they've learned. I know that I've left an indelible mark on their education. And whew, there's a learning component for me too: knowing when to push and how to compromise and trying not to wear my emotions on my sleeve.

In the end, it's a good thing and a good feeling. I've had this experience before. It's definitely an affirmation of why I teach.

Summer 2010 Plans

Just when I thought my life would slow up and I could enjoy the summer, it arrived and I'm not ready.

I've only managed to get one thing done so far: wrote an article for a journal.

And it seems summer will be over before I know it. At least my summer will be. In D.C. for about two weeks to hang w/fam and friends. Then to Chicago to do more of the same. Considering a trip to Denver for the AEJMC conference. Then back to Cairo for the 2010-11 academic year.

Here's what I hope to squeeze in over the next few weeks:

• Reading "The Great Negro Plot" by Mat Johnson (reading group's summer read)
• Begin to write a movie script
• Write an e-book
• Update my blogs more consistently
• Workout daily

That should be plenty, right?