Here's to Seeing Slam Dunks in Schools Again

        Insomnia (or just a lousy sleep pattern) can really get your mind thinking.  It doesn't always produce the best thoughts but once in a while you get a fond memory right in the front line.  This is what happened tonight. This one actually got me out of bed because I have found the problem with the American Education System! (No, it is not the teachers' fault that your kid isn't learning anything.) But there is a story to be told.

      I have had great teachers from kindergarten to present.  I can honestly tell you that out of my 22 years as a student I only had three "lousy" teachers who, might I add, were not a part of my public education. Other than those three, there are countless amount of teachers that have impacted my life in a positive way.  I am sure that most of you reading this know that I have a BA in English but this story isn't about an awesome English teacher (btw all of mine were FAB and did impact my life). This story is about my gym teacher at Neil Armstrong. How about that for a twist?

     As most of you probably know I am not, you know, the most abled bodied person. When I was a kid gym class was quite a drag because for the most part I'd watch the kids play volleyball or something like that from the stage (our gym was also where the stage was) and it was just boring and kind of like, ah, rub in your face deal. Of course, that was never the intention, I just needed to be with my class and this was before adaptive phys ed invaded my life.  So once or twice a week I'd spend an hour in the gym, do what I could and watch what I couldn't (do).

     My teacher, Mr. O'Hern? was a funny guy.  He always reminded me of the host of "Supermarket Sweep" and was always totally cool to kids.  I always remember him being nice to me. Because of him, I don't really have crap memories of gym. Besides that volleyball thing but I think that's because I really wanted to play and be like everyone on 90210.  However, when my friends were all playing basketball I paid close attention.  I loved basketball and it is just bewildering  to me to this day. (If only MJ would come back and be awesome.)

   I am losing track (it's 4 in the morning).  So I don't have a before or after of this memory.  I don't know what led to this or what really happened when it was over.  I just remember the event. Yes, event.  I remember Mr. O'Hern just saying, "Come on. I'll help you." He picked me up.  He told someone, I don't remember what classmate, to hand me the ball. I took it.  Then, Mr. O'Hern lifted me up higher so I could reach the basket and, ladies and gentlemen, I made my first and only slam dunk.  This teacher, by breaking all of the modern school policies, impacted my life by showing me I could do the impossible!  That is pretty flipping awesome.

      If the slam dunk of the universe were to happen today, Susie's mom would sue the teacher, the school, the district, and the company who made the basketball for putting Susie's life at risk or even more dramatic saying she suffered severe emotional trauma because Susie is afraid of heights.  Oh, how can I forget?  Everyone would be sued just for the fact that Teacher X touched Susie in a completely innocent manner. So I mean it's not that teachers are the problem. The fact that teachers' hands are tied from the get go is the problem.  Teachers are no longer able to connect with students. How can we expect students to succeed when we are drilling them for tests that are rubbish and can't so much as crack a joke with them from January to the end of PSSA time?

   Maybe it's me.  I don't know. But I do know that I don't remember a thing about taking the PSSA's except trying to hurry through them so I can take a nap before the next section. Huge impact, right?  Wrong.  The huge impact was the teacher who took time to assist me make a slam dunk.  That memory bopped me out of bed - 3,200 miles away from the school and almost 20 years after its creation.  That is making an impact in a student's life.

     I hope all of my readers who are teachers can help a kid make a slam dunk today. Break the rules. Take the chance. Go above and beyond. Swish*.







Swish is the sound effect that a basketball net makes as the ball goes through.  I think.  I'm an English teacher who is studying The Beatles in England. What the flip do I know about basketball sound effects?

The Grateful Post

   I have decided to follow the steps of my dear friend, Amanda (from Let's Take The Metro), and do one post a week focusing on five things that I realize I am grateful for each week (new or old). Hopefully other people will read this and begin to focus on things they are grateful for and not focus so much on what they don't have or what is going wrong.   The first week (or weeks)  I am going to get all of the obvious stuff out of the way.  In these weeks most of the stuff that has to do with my character or things like that.  Once all of the ordinaries are taken care of I will move on to the extra-ordinaries. (Although- I think my character is pretty extraordinary!)

Being Alive - I decided to take care of the cheesy and cliche topic first.  It really isn't cheesy or cliche though. It's actually quite important. If I weren't alive I couldn't be doing this right now and I think you think this is pretty important.  For real though, I'm quite stoked I'm alive.   No matter how bad your day might be remember that there is always tomorrow. Or is there?  With so much crap going on in our lives it's easy to get disgruntled but once you realize how quickly it can be taken away,  you'll change your tune. Just saying.  I found myself right in the middle of a great life and I'm pretty flipping happy I stayed alive long enough to get here.  Word.

My Support System - My family and friends are pretty flipping amazing.  It turns out that moving to another country isn't as easy as it looks and it could be quite scary.  As I have been here for one month and three days.  I have come to see how awesome my support system is and I hope that you can realize how awesome yours is too.  I must say they each contribute to my success in their own way and without each of them my life would be a little less full of sunshine. (How about that for cheesy?)  My family and friends have made this transition quite easy and I am incredibly grateful for that.

Technology - I have been in love with technology forever. I always need the latest and greatest communication devices. There is no better example of why I should love technology than when I am able to feel right at home 3,200(ish) miles away from the familiar roads of Scranton. With Skype I am still to talk to my friends, be hollered at by mi madre and play Batman and Robin with Jacob.  That is something to be thankful for!


My Faith in Humanity  - I am disgustingly optimistic that the world is going to be a better place one day.  Liverpool has only reaffirmed that belief.  I am pretty happy to see that mankind hasn't given up on mankind.  Imagine the disaster that would be!  I know the world and people are perfect but I do think that there are still pretty good people in the world and they have good intentions. This doesn't seem like something to be thankful for but think about someone that you know that has no faith in humanity.  I know a few of those people and it makes me sad to think of the way they see the world. I hope they change their minds soon.

A Sense of Humor - I am so happy that the Universe has given me a sense of humor.  I really do have a way of looking on the bright (or funny side) of things (and sometimes at the most inopportune times).  I really do think that my ability to laugh at the not so small troubles is what prevents all of my hair from turning gray.  I mean my first month in England was not the easiest. I had many hiccups along the way but just laughed them off. Seriously, I was almost stuck in Ireland two weeks ago and laughed at the idea that I was going to be stuck in Dublin. Think about it.  Autumn stuck in Ireland.  That is funny.  Laugh as much as you breathe. If you can't find it in you to laugh at least smile.  You have a beautiful smile.

So that is it for now.  I know utterly obnoxious but at least I am not complaining.  I am already thinking about next week's post (which I think this will be on Thursdays from now on).   Once you start to notice things you are grateful for they kind of just flood you.

And I will close this as Amanda (I know her in real life too) does:
What are you grateful for?

Follow Up

I didn't have access to the internet for most of the day yesterday and when I finally gained access today I was saddened to see that Troy  Davis was put to death.  Apparently Davis claimed his innocence until his last moments.   Aren't you wondering if Georgia made a mistake?  Wouldn't you think he'd come clean in his final moments and seek forgiveness?  I don't know.  Things are backwards if you ask me.
One of my friends posted  "A man was just murdered down in Georgia."  I agree.


So yeah here is the link to the story that I saw when I signed on.  I know that most of you probably know about it already because you are in the States and have access to your technologies that are just a fond memory of mine. 


Huffington Post: Troy Davis Executed

An Eye For An Eye Makes The Whole World Blind...

     It isn't a secret that the world is a mess.  We all have our priorities mixed with desires and that makes the majority of the world greedy. ( I am not immune to this I have my own wants and desires. However, they are really not material things that I want.)  I can't stand that the value of money is higher than the value of life. It is disgusting to really see that people are being hurt or killed over money or religion or other sillier things.  For example, a man in the Scranton area was beaten with a pitchfork and a brick over Philly cheesesteaks.  That's just not human.  Or maybe it is human and we are all savages at heart.
     This is what started this blog:  I was reading an article about Troy Davis  you can read about it here .  This man is sentenced to death for a crime that he MAY have committed. In a case where the physical evidence is lacking and in a case where seven out of nine witnesses recanted their testimony, I hardly think a sentence of death is justifiable.  From what I researched there is no DNA evidence but there are three people who said that they know Troy is not the man who killed the police officer and from what I understand they know who actually shot the man (which is what isn't making sense to me). The whole situation is heartbreaking. A man who has already served time in jail for a crime that he really may not have committed may also lose his life because the justice system is failing him.  I am not saying he is innocent. I am saying there is a chance he might be innocent.  Either way there is no reason to take a chance with Death.   Death is forever. Death is unforgiving. Death doesn't get an appeal.
      I imagine right about here is I am going to make many people upset. The idea of the Death Penalty makes me sick.  Equally sick as the crimes that are committed make me. I don't understand how we can justify killing someone for killing someone.  What are we telling our future generations? Now, I know that the families of the victims of these crimes are allowed to feel whatever they way they want to feel. I wouldn't ever try deny those rights to those families.  I cannot imagine the anger I would feel if someone hurt one of my friends or a member of my family.  But I am certain that killing the "attacker" would not bring my loved one back.  I personally would love to have the person rot in prison with pictures of the victim all around their cell. I KNOW THE TAX DOLLARS! Because holy crap we aren't wasting enough tax money on things that we don't need to be spending money on like, I don't know, war, solving problems in other countries without lifting a finger to our own (anyway that is another blog). It's just when does the killing stop then? It's a shame that one person had to be taken away from their family but to have another one?  Everyone is somebody's child and killing other people's sons and daughters is not the answer to cutting down on crime. (I know, the parents of the murdered would want the murderer dead.  All understandable, but not acceptable. Not humane).  I just think it's sad that we think killing somehow compensates for killing. What do I know?  I'm just a damn hippie. 

Here is what made me want to post something about the death penalty:

“It sounds terrible but I can close this book,” she said. “I can finally get peace. I can never get closure, but I can get peace,”  Anneliese MacPhail (the victim's daughter).

How does someone dying give another person peace?  It doesn't bring her dad back. Both of my parents are alive and well (hopefully, the Universe keeps it that way). Maybe that is why I do not understand where she is coming from?  However, I think that my parents (I don't know how they feel about the death penalty) raised me and turned me into the person that I am today by instilling their values and morals in me.  I can't imagine that they would want me to seek vengeance for their death by having another person die. 

I don't know. I just think it's contradictory to punish a man by killing him for killing another man.

Of course you can leave comments if you want but I assure you this is not something I am going to argue about because we all have the freedoms to think what we want.  :)

Join the Human Race...

        I wanted to do this great blog to honor/remember/something 9/11 because I felt that people outside of America just don't get what we went through and continue to go through in its aftermath.  And it's true they don't get it, but just because they don't see it the way I or you may see it doesn't mean they don't see it. At first (and I mean before I even got to Liverpool) I became annoyed (easily) at the way "foreigners" would talk/address 9/11.  I remember when I was at the student teacher meeting for Marywood and some chick was speaking. I don't remember where she was from, India?  Afghanistan?  and she was talking about how she was treated differently after the incident. In typical Autumn fashion I was thoroughly annoyed by this. It wasn't an incident - it was an event.  I barked about it for a few days after and then I let it go.
       And then I came here to Liverpool.   This stirred up a lot of mixed feelings towards the world and 9/11 - and not all bad. But it's different to be somewhere other than America as an American with 9/11 approaching. Almost surreal? I don't know if that is the word that I am looking for and might never find the right word.  So anyway, yeah. I came here and heard all these people talking about 9/11 very nonchalantly or like happened way in the past like I look at Pearl Harbor, which although I know it affected the world I couldn't tell you that much about it and (to my own ignorance) I am quite unphased by it.  Because I didn't live through it. I also feel that the people I heard speaking of 9/11 were only doing so because they were getting paid for it.  I am losing my track here..
       I was at the mall buying two Jesus bracelets for my mom and brother's girlfriend and the man who was running the stand began to talk to me. (I had my iPod on but Liverpudlians don't really care if you're listening to music, I guess because music is such a huge part of Liverpool?) He told me that he was from Afghanistan and he asked me where I was from and I told him.  He said that he didn't know where Pennsylvania was and I said told him it was right next to New York.  And then he said, "Ah. I know by the accident.  Twin Towers." Me being me said "excuse me?" even though I knew what he said - I was giving him the opportunity to change his answer.  He didn't. "He said the accident ten or eleven years ago..."  and I said, "9/11?  It was far from an accident." and he then explained to me that that is when he left Afghanistan ten or eleven years ago and I told him it (will be) ten years Sunday.   I floored by this.  An accident?  Is this what he was told?  How do three (almost four) planes accidentally fly into buildings on the same day?  It absolutely messed with my head for the rest of the day that this guy thought it was an accident.   Later, my mom reminded me that this is probably what he was told by his country. 
         So I have told you before there is a man who is a native of Iran living across the hall from me.  He is teaching nutrition and he is super funny, kind, and helpful.  And I was talking to him about 9/11 and how it is really strange to be here while they are talking about 9/11 and had no idea what they were talking about.  And he said that he understood because there are people that tell him they know what it is like to live in a war zone (this is something that Iran and I haven't discussed) and he knows they do not.  He told me people don't know what a missile can do. "I've seen what a missile does. It flattens everything." He then reminded me that they (people who Americans) aren't going to understand the way that you see or feel about 9/11 because they weren't there.  They will never understand it and do not be upset with them for it. So I have decided to keep that in my head for the day (and for future use).
   It baffles/annoys/saddens me when I hear "IT" being referred to as an accident or incident. It was an attack.  It changed everything obviously but it was a rude awakening for the bright-eyed 17 year-old who was quite positive that America was indestructible. I remember everyone telling me that war would never come to the States and stuff like that. Then, when I was leaving "gym" class (first period) a few of the teachers were talking about the attack (I hadn't heard or seen anything yet) and I stopped to ask them what was going on.  He told me and I wasn't really upset (I just didn't understand until an hour or so later) but shocked that something happened. I also think at this time it was only one plane so he thought it was an accident. It wasn't until fourth period with access to a tv and a teacher I trusted did the whole situation hit me.  I saw that my teacher was a wreck and I saw the tv and got it then.  America wasn't as invincible as I thought.  However, there is no other place I'd rather call home. And I wish there was more I could have done at the time to help after the attacks but I guess we all just do what we can when we can do it.
          I went to "a mutli-faith event commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11" at the Anglican  Cathedral today. I sported a navy and red FDNY shirt, jeans, and chucks and it wasn't until I got to the door of the church that I realized it is absolutely disrespectful (in my eyes) to wear jeans to church.  But, I went in anyway.  Besides, I thought the shirt was appropriate. I wanted to do something today not just because I am an American but because I am human (and so are you) and I think that we need to start doing something to make this place a little better and a lot less angry and violent.  I thought the best place to start was a church.  Which, btw, is a huge step for me. I was lucky when I got there and realized that we weren't going to be holding our hands and praying to some (may be real may be imaginary) being in the sky for peace on earth. (WOW! That was cynical.) But it was actually an event produced by The UK Association of Rights and Humanity. And it is the best thing I have done here (not Beatles related of course ) so far!  I was ready for a revolution (or something) when the event was over.  It was motivating and at the end of it we (or I ) was like "Okay, what happened was a drag. But we can only move on from here and move on in a positive way." I am not saying we can't be sad from time to time (we all are sometimes) but ten years is a long time to be sad and let's turn the sadness into greatness.  Sounding cheesy here, huh?  It started off sort of sad. The dude listed all the numbers of 9/11 deaths, etc... . ( I wanted to type up the program for you but I will have to do that another day.) That part was really sad and I even cried a bit when they went through the number of deaths.  There was a moment of silence. This was very interesting because I am used to America's moment of silence which is usually about 10-30 seconds. On this particular evening a moment was a moment. It had to go for a minute or two.  It was so quiet that the silence was screaming in your ears and you really just wanted to someone to cough or sneeze or something. The only 'complaint' I have about this evenings event was that there was no mention of Flight 93.  I think that is unfortunate because the people on that flight demonstrated acts of courage and humanity. I hope to find out why this happened.  If I do, I'll keep you posted. Throughout the event seven different people read each of the seven different "Principles of Responsibility" Those I will share with you...

I heard them at the event this evening but you can also find them Rights and Humanity Website  the link to download the word file is on the RIGHT side in the middle of the page

   

The 1st of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Respect and promote the human rights of everyone, everywhere

• Recognize, promote, and respect the human rights of everyone, everywhere in the world
• Avoid any prejudice and respect the equality of everyone irrespective of any potentially divisive barrier such as race, sex, religion, or ideology
• Strive for economic, social, political, and cultural justice within the family, the community, and within and between states

The 2nd of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Recognize and respect our common humanity

• Comprehend that all is interconnected and that individual action affects others
• Avoid harm to others
• Treat everyone with humanity and as we ourselves would wish to be treated

The 3rd of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Respect human dignity

• Treat everyone with respect for their human dignity, privacy, and autonomy
• Appreciate the richness of diversity and the dignity of difference
• Recognize and respect the rights of others to have and express opinions and practices different from our own

The 4th of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Revere life and protect the environment

• Respect human life and everyone's right to a standard of living adequate for life, health, and well-being
• Recognize the impact of our actions and inactions on others and on their livelihoods
• Respect nature, protect our shared environment and avoid the waste of scarce resources

The 5th of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Think and behave with compassion

• Empathize with others in the wish that they might be free of suffering
• Share with others and act to supports and include those living in distress, poverty, and social isolation
• Work in cooperation with others to prevent and alleviate human suffering and develop to the full our potential for service to others

The 6th of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Act with integrity 

• Act with integrity in all matters and speak and behave with honesty
• Inform ourselves of, and take responsibility for, the impact on others of our actions and inactions
• Strive to base our decisions on accurate facts and reasoned analysis of the effects of the decision, seeking always to avoid harm and promote good

The 7th of Rights and Humanity's Principles of Responsibility:
Make peace

• Make peace with ourselves and with others
• Build bridges of understanding
• Strive for justice and for peaceful resolution of conflicts in the home, at work, in the community, and in the world

I don't know about you but I dig can dig that.

So at the end of the event there wasn't sadness but joy and hope that tomorrow will be better. And it will be.

Play On Your Strengths, Chmil

I told my old roommate, Katie, that it was a day of "dead ends" yesterday.   Unfortunately, that is kind of the case today too.   The school seems to be very different in organizing a semester/term. The bookstore that I am accustomed to at Marywood doesn't exist.  They have books available from this time to this time and not during the year.  I took a glance at their apparel, which is big at Marywood, and it consists of one hooded sweatshirt with different color options and two t-shirts.   Just very different from what I am used to. 
Also, it's interesting to note that no one knows the schedule of classes (or timetable) for the fall. It makes me wonder how people know what to schedule for the next semester.  Extraordinarily different than the American college system.  Not good or bad. Just different. It is almost alarming how much they don't have in order but I am just trying to tell myself that the school has been around for a really long time and just because Autumn Rose Chmil doesn't agree with it doesn't mean it doesn't work.  Just interesting.

This whole job situation is making me irate. I never found it so difficult to get a job and I don't know if it is worse because I am a "NOW" person and totally do not have the patience to wait around for an hour nevermind waiting around for days.   So I went to the career services center on campus and the man there was very supportive and reminded me to not settle for the jobs I have been applying for because I am too qualified for them.  I tried to tell him those are the jobs that the visa will allow me to work but he said apply for the right jobs anyway.  So I will.  He was really nice.  He told me that my qualifications are superb.  I thought that was nice even though he called me "Camille" the whole time.  He did tell me that there are levels for educators and although I wouldn't be able to teach because of the visa (to start with...) that I should look in to becoming a teacher assistant (yes, it hurt my feelings too).  The required level we saw for an English teaching assistant was level 3.  Dude told me I was a level 6 or 7.  So that is something to look forward to.  He told me I can certainly apply for other jobs, like a receptionist, but to stick with education.   He kept saying, "Play on your strengths, Chmil."  I laughed in my head because I just heard what he was saying in Katie's voice.  Made me laugh.   He also gave me information on how to redo my CV (resume) which is very different from American resumes.  Well, not *very* different but I probably look like a nutcase sending mine out.  I also tricked him into thinking that I was great at math because I multiplied 12 by 6 and added a 0 faster than him.  Simple math, but I didn't tell him any different.   He was impressed with me and told me that I "speak well." So we will see.  If I get a learning support job, I would make double what I anticipated making at other part-time jobs.  Hopefully, something works out.  Like next week.  I am a now person.  I've said this. 

And lastly (I think), there are crazy floods back home.  This is driving me crazy because I worry too much about my friends and family.  Everyone claims they are okay. I guess I'll wait until I hear something different.  

I wrote a whole paragraph for my story.  I am modeling my characters off of people I know (they're characters) and I just feel like I am not doing a great job describing these people. Well, person. I only have two characters so far and just can't seem to get them to a point where I want them to be at.   All of my books about developing characters are in the States.  Great place for them.

I need to think of a great pen name.  Any ideas?

Because, believe it or not, not everything has to do with the Beatles...

So I claimed that I was going to write while I was here.  And, I mean, I am. It just isn't coming along like I wanted it to. So I thought this is where I could put all the other stuff that doesn't belong going to a publisher and doesn't need to be on Facebook because that is an anti-whine zone to me.  Not saying this will be whining but just in case.  It's a very interesting adventure I am on and sometimes I want to go home and other times I don't.  I have like three different stories going on in my head but every time I sit down to write one,  I just do something else. Like make a new blog.

  My current living situation is hysterical. If my mother or brother could come over here and change this I know they would. I personally don't mind it.  My flat is made up of five bedrooms. Four bedrooms belong to men and then there's me at the end of the hall.  I may be naive but I am not afraid.  I always got along better with boys than girls anyway.

I think this has made me happy just to know I can write something somewhere and maybe get someone to read it.  Meh.

I think that is it for today.  Lame, I know. I anticipate writing here often. Maybe I'll talk about religion, maybe I will talk about politics, maybe I'll talk about peace!