what the world means to me now. . .

. . .making a difference.
one of my students came in on Thursday to tell me that she had selected me to be her teacher to recognize during teacher appreciation at her basketball game. it was cute how she was trying to tell me about it since i knew NOTHING about it. i was more surprised when she told me she had to fight over me with another player. it was one of those DEFINING moments as a teacher. when i first met her in august, she told me that she HATED science because of her 8th grade teacher. i told her i would try my best to restore her faith in science teachers. maybe i've kept up my end of the bargain =)

. . .GREAT friends. (emphasis on GREAT)
i spent most of late last weekday nights on the phone with my best friend who i love to death. when i talk to her, i realize how much i really do miss her and stuff! lately i've missed all my REAL (and GREAT) friends that i dont see more often. i talked to one of my boys last night and it was really nice catching up on the general stuff. he's not part owner of an indie label in austin. how fucking cool is that??? i think i may spend most of my SB on the east coast and the very end of it back in austin to see the rest of SXSW. i mean, he's having a debut thing of the record label that friday, i should hit it, shouldn't i?? HELL YEAH!! i'll even keep my hair black for it so i can be one of those crazy rocker chicks! =)

. . .ma famille.
sometimes i wish i had stayed in austin or moved somewhere to become this wonderfully independent person but i've come to realize, i'm already there. i LOVE my family and all they are to me. despite everything, i cant imagine not having them.

. . .learning experiences.
in the past couple of weeks, i've spent a LOT of time thinking about the past and what i've learned from it. if anything, i've learned a lot from the guys who have crossed my path. it's made me a more independent gal who is NOT in the search. i think i'm FINALLY at a place where i can wait for him to just cross my path, whenever that happens. i KNOW what to expect and look for in friends and i'm NOT gonna take substitutions! i also now know how to recognize aquaintances which are most of my co-workers. being trusting is a good characteristic but you have to use to carefully and now i've come to refine that trait.

. . .looking ahead.
i'm ready to move on. i want to do more with my life: go back to school, get my masters and take on the world ahead of me. Hopefully knowing a few people who are connected with parts of the UN will help me explore what i would like to do on an internationally level. I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE and I WILL! =) the past is forgotten. . . all i have now is what's ahead. i'm planning on traveling a little bit more (starting with the east coast during SB and then maybe back to the motherland during the summer!) and just exploring everything!

i'm growing up! (i wish you could see all of this D) i'm trying to be a better person. all i see now is what's in front of me. i'm not letting all the BAD stop me now!!