tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231699572024-03-08T18:46:18.908-05:00PASS THE TORCH (old site -- visit new site at 2passthetorch.com)"If we believe youth are our future, we are procrastinating." UnknownKelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1159225128556737002006-09-25T22:05:00.000-04:002006-09-25T19:10:48.900-04:00Guess What??<div align="center">I just launched my new site.</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>PASS THE TORCH</strong></span> is now located at:<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.2passthetorch.com"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;">www.2passthetorch.com</span></a></strong><br /><br /></div><div align="center">So come on over and visit me for <em><strong><a href="http://2passthetorch.com/2006/09/25/pass-the-torch-tuesday/">PASS THE TORCH TUESDAY</a>!! </strong></em></div>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1159194259540125932006-09-25T10:03:00.000-04:002007-03-25T00:03:54.125-04:00SPARK Peer Tutor TrainingI promised I'd give you a rundown on my San Jose SPARK Peer Tutor training, and <a href="http://delightfulduchess.blogspot.com/">Delightful Duchess</a> asked for more information, so here it goes!<br /><br />SPARK Peer Tutoring is a program I initiated as a school guidance counselor, then published when I started my company, <a href="http://empowering-youth.com">Empowering Youth, Inc</a>. Peer tutors provide a valuable service to students, in an era of high academic standards, and low resources. The <a href="http://www.empowering-youth.com/spark.html">SPARK Peer Tutor Training Manual </a>gives educators the tools they need to appropriately prepare tutors for their service. Many districts pay for SPARK programming with No Child Left Behind funding.<br /><br />Tutors learn about the <a href="http://www.search-institute.org/assets/">40 Developmental Assets</a>, student needs, communication, sensitivity and study skills during the four-hour, activity-based training. Sometimes, advisors prefer that I come to train their tutors, and that's what I did this weekend at San Jose's Archbishop Mitty High School. I love these trainings because I'm always so impressed by the youth and educators that invite me.<br /><br /></p><p>I promise I'll be around to visit your sites as soon as I catch up. See you for <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/pass-torch-tuesday-guidelines.html">Pass the Torch Tuesday </a>tomorrow and have a great week!<br /><br /></p><br /><a href="http://2passthetorch.com/2006/09/25/spark-peer-tutor-training/trackback/">Pass the Torch<br /></a>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1159076745771739982006-09-24T01:40:00.000-04:002006-09-25T09:59:52.470-04:00Vote for me!I'm so honored and humbled to have been nominated for one of <a href="http://mysteriousladyclues.blogspot.com/2006/09/let-blog-emmys-begin.html#comments">Mysterious Lady's</a> blog Emmy awards! But I need your votes, so please go there right away.<br /><br />There are several categories with excellent nominees. So check it out!<br /><br /><em><strong>You only have until tonight to vote.</strong></em><br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br /><strong><em>UPDATE:</em> Thank you to all of you who voted for me! The results are in, and although I didn't win an award, I was in excellent company, and it was so affirming to be recognized as a nominee. Please visit </strong><a href="http://mysteriousladyclues.blogspot.com/2006/09/winners.html"><strong>Mystery Lady </strong></a><strong>to see all the Blog Emmy winners, including </strong><a href="http://pinkdiary808.com"><strong>Pink Diary</strong></a><strong>, for overall excellence. Congrats Kailani!</strong>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158592033755138402006-09-22T11:06:00.000-04:002006-09-22T09:20:18.553-04:00Have a super weekend!I'm off to sunny San Jose, California to facilitate a<a href="http://www.empowering-youth.com/spark.html"> SPARK Peer Tutor</a> training. I'll be back next week to give you an update on the excellent youth I meet there.<br /><br />Have a super weekend!Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158930655155548652006-09-22T08:56:00.000-04:002007-08-05T08:03:38.506-04:0030 Days of Diminishing Resolve"Mom! We're going to Wal Mart to buy a remote control monster truck!" Curt squealed as we loaded the car.<br /><br />"Well that's odd," I glared at my husband, "Since we're supposed to be in the mid<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://intent.squarespace.com/journal/2006/8/20/30-days-of-nothing.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; width: 195px; cursor: pointer; height: 120px;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/30daysofnothing9.jpg" border="0" height="103" width="150" /></a>dle of <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/30-days-update.html">30 Days of Nothing.</a>"<br /><br />At which point, I launched into a lecture about remote control monster trucks, how we trashed one of them this past summer, how another one languishes in the toy box and how the plastic pieces of garbage are just a ploy to suck consumers in to buying overpriced batteries.<br /><br />"Curt, you're not getting a monster truck," my husband declared.<br /><br />We'd already slipped that morning, having traveled to the city to buy my husband's work shoes. We'd put it off as long as we could, but it really was a necessity. We'd also broken down and allowed our kids to spend their newly-set allotment of candy money. We all have our addictions.<br /><br />Clearly, our resolve is diminishing. We've discovered 30 days is a very long time.<br /><br />But we have set some financial goals. Both Curtis and Deena have decided to spend no more than $1.50 per week on candy, will deposit $2 per month to the bank, and put $1 per month in the Unicef box on our counter.<br /><br />My husband and I have committed to paying extra toward our mortgage every month, to work toward paying it off early. We'll add to our giving, by contributing to community drives and sponsorships that would foster our kids' participation, like buying for the food shelf, sponsoring a family's Christmas, etc. And we've learned that by putting off impulse purchases, we often skip them entirely, because it turns out we don't miss the thing we didn't buy. So we'll continue to limit our trips to the city. Period.<br /><br />What are your financial goals?<br /><br />More 30 Days posts:<br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/30-days-of-nothing.html">Pre-30 Days</a><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/day-one.html">Day 1</a><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/30-days-update.html">Week 1</a><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/halfway-through-30-days.html">Week 2</a><br /><a href="http://2passthetorch.com/2006/09/29/30-days-of-gratitude/">30 Days of Gratitude</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>For more participants in this project, visit </em></span><a href="http://intent.squarespace.com/journal/2006/8/20/30-days-of-nothing.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Intent</em></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>.<br />Technorati Tag: </em></span><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/30+days+of+nothing" rel="tag"><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:85%;" ><em>30 Days of Nothing</em></span><br /><br /><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yoxI7F8kj*Y&offerid=99238.10000059&type=4&subid=0"><IMG alt="Alibris Secondhand Books Standard" border="0" src="http://images.alibris.com/marketing/secondhand_468x60_69c.gif"></a><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" <br />src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=yoxI7F8kj*Y&bids=99238.10000059&type=4&subid=0"><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/30+days+of+nothing" rel="tag"></a>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158812330341884922006-09-21T07:15:00.000-04:002006-09-25T12:35:57.646-04:00Mommy, Queen of Nags"I have a genetic predisposition to nag. This, coupled with control freak tendencies, is a recipe for catastrophe..."<br /><br />My article, <a href="http://www.imperfectparent.com/articles/articles287_1.php">Queen of Nags </a>was published today at The Imperfect Parent. Don't you want to know how the story ends?<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">SIDEBAR BROWNIE POINTS</span></strong> to anyone that goes over there and comments!</em><br /><br />http://2passthetorch.com/2006/09/21/mommy-queen-of-nags/Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158809621373184352006-09-21T01:11:00.000-04:002006-09-21T00:48:22.540-04:00Love Thursday<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/soccer.0.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:180%;"><em><strong><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/soccer.0.jpg" border="0" /> </strong></em></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:180%;"><em><strong>LOVE</strong></em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>People show it in so many ways. I show it with a hug and a smile, or asking my kids to snuggle in my lap.<br /><br />But my husband often shows it through play. And he does it better than anyone I know.<br /><br />I snapped this shot two years ago on a family vacation. And I still remember them playing that day.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chookooloonks.com/chookooloonks">Karen </a>and <a href="http://irenenam.squarespace.com/">Irene</a> host Love Thursdays. So visit them to get some more love.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>But go to the bathroom before reading </em></span><a href="http://www.chookooloonks.com/chookooloonks"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>Chookooloonks</em></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>. Because, well, her post is really funny;) </em></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em></em></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em><strong>How do YOU show love?</strong></p><br /><br /><br /></em></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em></span></em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></span>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158680433667003282006-09-20T11:24:00.000-04:002006-09-19T22:36:41.196-04:00Skills for Listening to your KidsI think it's a natural tendency to believe the most important part of communication is the "talking" part. But that's really not true. The way we receive messages can sometimes play a more valuable role, than the way we send them.<br /><br />Much of the coursework for my MS in Counseling was related to listening skills. Although I don't always practice these skills, I'm a much more effective parent when I do. We aren't naturally groomed to respond this way as parents (particularly numbers 4-6), so I thought it might be helpful to share a few "active listening" techniques that help to improve communication with kids. (And adults!)<br /><br />1. <strong>Eye contact</strong> -- If you're looking into your kids' faces, they know you're "with them".<br /><br />2. <strong>Minimal encouragers</strong> -- subtle expressions, verbal or non-verbal, like a nod of the head, or <em>"mmm-hmmm",</em> or <em>"interesting".</em> Minimal encouragers help to keep the conversation continuing, without interrupting the flow.<br /><br />3. <strong>Clarifying</strong> -- asking a specific question to encourage your child to expand on their thought, so that you understand completely. <em>"Really? How did..."</em><br /><br />4. <strong>Paraphrasing</strong> -- subtly repeating what they just said. <em>"So math was fun, but you forgot your homework."</em><br /><br />5. <strong>Reflecting</strong> -- guessing at feelings. <em>"Sounds like you were pretty mad at Mr. Johnson..."</em><br /><br />6. <strong>Silence.</strong> Sometimes they don't need anything from you but to listen without interruption.<br /><br /><strong><em>What helps you listen to your kids??<br /></em></strong><br />For more tips on <em>everythingknowntowoman</em>, check out <a href="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com">Rocks in my Dryer</a>.<br /><br />This post is a part of <a href="http://www.problogger.net">Problogger's</a> always-excellent writing project. Click <a href="http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/09/18/problogger-group-writing-project-how-to/">here</a> for more "how to" posts.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158765112322441072006-09-20T11:04:00.000-04:002006-09-21T13:00:05.113-04:00ThingsCongratulations to <a href="http://kallie63.livejournal.com/21495.html">Kallie</a> for being chosen for this week's <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/pass-torch-tuesday-guidelines.html">Pass the Torch Tuesday </a>spotlight post about honesty. Pass the Torch Award winners receive the magnet on the sidebar, the award button to display on their site, as well as front page listing from me for a week.<br /><br />The Carnival of Education is up at <a href="http://themediansib.com/2006/09/20/carnival-of-education-85th-edition/#comments">The Median Sib</a>, featuring my post, <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/email-teachers.html">Email Teachers</a>. Please visit for some thought-provoking reading. My picks this week are <a href="http://themediansib.com/2006/09/19/what-are-parents-thinking-a-vent/">What Are Parents Thinking?</a> and <a href="http://melissawiley.typepad.com/bonnyglen/2006/09/the_last_regula.html">Last Regular Day</a>.<br /><br />And Spunky Homeschool's <a href="http://spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2006/09/hurry-only-two-days-left.html">"Educational Moment" Contest</a> is still open for entries until Friday night at midnight. You could win a digital camera from the <a href="http://www.academicsuperstore.com/">Academic Superstore.</a>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158681037239350852006-09-20T01:28:00.000-04:002006-09-19T22:06:32.690-04:00Why not to park a bike on the road...Wordless Wednesday<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/wonky%20bike%20blog.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/wonky%20bike%20blog.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=bitotigr&postid=19Se2006" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Get your Wordless Wednesday code </span><a href="http://wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:78%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;">. Technorati Tag: </span><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wordless+wednesday" rel="tag"><span style="font-size:78%;">Wordless Wednesday</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"></span>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158601399553796802006-09-19T01:40:00.000-04:002006-09-27T12:23:45.120-04:00Pass them the Torch<div align="center"><em></em><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 202px; HEIGHT: 130px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="122" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/PassTheTorchTuesday.1.jpg" width="232" border="0" /></a><em>Welcome to Pass the Torch Tuesday, where bloggers share simple and stupendous times kids make us proud.<span style="font-size:85%;"> </span>Guidelines are simple:<br /></em><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><br /><em>1. Write about catching a kid being good.<br />2. Link to here from your post.<br />3. Permalink your post from here.</em></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><br /><em>Join us with a story or comment. And visit all the participating bloggers! </em><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/pass-torch-tuesday-guidelines.html"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><em>Complete guidelines and former PTT links are HERE.</em></span></a><em> </em></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Pass them the Torch</span></strong></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center"><br /><em>I'll interrupt my regularly scheduled bragfest about my kids to mention another young person I wrote an article about several years ago.<br /></em><br />As a high school guidance counselor I advised a <a href="http://www.empowering-youth.com/spark.html">SPARK Peer Tutoring </a>club. During one of our monthly meetings to discuss service projects, one sophomore, Josh, suggested we start a SPARK program at the middle school. </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center"><br />Although this seemed like a great idea, there were many reasons I did not want to get involved. There was little communication between the staff at the middle school and high school, so I did not have a reliable contact there. And I had no way of personally advising a program in another building. I felt that our high school group was already going out of its way to help as tutors at the middle school and I really did not feel like taking on any more responsibility.<br /><br />But Josh was not expecting me to deal with any of those issues. He was suggesting a project to the group and several members seemed quite interested. So rather than communicate all the roadblocks, I just removed myself from the lead. Instead, I empowered them to find the answers to their own questions. That's really all they needed or wanted from me anyway.<br /><br />Within months, Josh led the group to identify and connect with interested middle school staff. He wrote and received a grant to fund the project, facilitated a training for eighth grade tutors and handed over a well-organized peer tutoring program to the new middle school advisor.<br /><br />And I never lifted a finger.<br /><br />How often we assume that the ideas generated by kids are just going to add to our plate. I wonder how many times I've shot down suggestions from my own children because I just don't want more responsibility?<br /><br />Have a garage sale. Wash the car. Plant a garden. Stain the deck.<br /><br />All my kids really need is a little rein, and for their mother to not worry so much about the fact it might not work out exactly "right."<br /><br />I say, if they want to take the torch? Pass it to them.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center">Please visit my new website at <strong><a href="http://2passthetorch.com"><span style="font-size:180%;">2passthetorch.com</span></a></strong></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center"><em><em><strong></strong></div></em><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center"><em><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Technorati Tags: </span></strong></span></strong><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/pass+the+torch+tuesday" rel="tag"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:78%;"><strong>Pass the Torch Tuesday</strong></span></a><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:78%;"><strong> </strong></span><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Pass+the+Torch" rel="tag"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:78%;"><strong>Pass the Torch</strong></span></a><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">, <span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span></span></strong><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/developmental+assets" rel="tag"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:78%;"><strong>Developmental Assets</strong></span></a><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">, </span></strong><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/peer+tutor" rel="tag"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">peer tutor</span></strong></a> </div></em></div><br /></em>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158627622933154952006-09-18T20:49:00.000-04:002006-09-18T21:00:26.443-04:00Carnival of Family LifeKailani's <a href="http://pinkdiary808.com/?p=357#comments">Carnival of Family Life </a>is up and she's done a fantastic job of organizing this very diverse list!<br /><br />My <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/ticket-etiquette.html">Ticket Etiquette </a>post is featured, and a few of my favorites include:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.letstalkbabies.com/index.php/2006/09/04/its-about-more-than-a-great-school-district/">It's about more than a great school district.</a><br /><a href="http://www.beagooddad.com/68/am-i-a-worse-parent-than-britney-spears/">Am I a worse parent than Britney Spears?</a><br /><a href="http://lilduckduck.com/still-my-sweet-baby/296">Still my sweet baby</a>.<br /><a href="http://pinkdiary808.com/?p=308">Would you get involved?</a><br /><a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/425/nothing-gets-past/">Nothing gets past my kid.</a><br /><a href="http://jennifersnapshot.blogspot.com/2006/09/walk-mile.html">Walk a Mile</a>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158434241531389312006-09-18T01:07:00.000-04:002006-09-18T17:20:13.976-04:00TangibleThough I love the flexibility of <a href="http://empowering-youth.com">working at home</a>, I don't enjoy the intangible nature of what I do. As a fulltime educator outside the home, there was no question that I was busy all day doing whatever educators do. As a stay-at-home mom with two young children, there wasn't any question either.<br /><br />But now, with both kids in school fulltime, I often feel as though whatever I do during the day isn't enough. It isn't that anyone else projects that onto me, but sometimes I feel it myself.<br /><br />Where does the day go?<br /><br />Well, I may be on the phone for two hours trying to get our airplane vouchers redeemed and tickets purchased. Maybe this is the day that I catch up on a month's worth of Quickbooks business accounting, or I spend an hour and a half moving papers from that file into those files and doing the <a href="http://www.flylady.net/pages/FLYingLessons_Decluttertips.asp">27 thing fling</a>. I may package<a href="http://empowering-youth.com"> games </a>and ship them to distributors from the warehouse office. I may query editors or plug away at my book proposal. Or I could spend an entire morning making my computer ad free, virus protected, backed up and a bazillion kilobytes deleted. And none of this addresses the general kid management and home maintenance that just "gets done."<br /><br />And then there's blogging, of course.<br /><br />But nothing LOOKS different.<br /><br />So guess what I did Friday? I stained the deck.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/deck.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="155" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/deck.jpg" width="399" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now that's tangible.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158448658103627612006-09-17T19:05:00.000-04:002006-09-16T23:11:13.516-04:00So a guy walks into an ATV store...My husband and son go to a sports dealership. My son runs over to the seven-year-old sized four-wheeler and drools while he climbs aboard.<br /><br />The salesman asks my husband, "Can I help you?"<br /><br />Husband says, "No, just waiting to pick up a boat."<br /><br />Salesman says, "Your son really likes that ATV. It runs $2500, but I could make you a deal on a used one."<br /><br />Husband says, "Ahhh, I better not. My wife wouldn't be too happy."<br /><br />Salesman says,<br /><br />"Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."<br /><br /><br /><br />Obviously the salesman doesn't know this particular wife.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158411100173842622006-09-16T08:51:00.000-04:002006-09-17T22:37:28.593-04:00Heard in my World<em>Ring Ring</em><br /><br />"Mom?"<br /><br />"Hi Deena!"<br /><br />"Um, I forgot the flower for science class."<br /><br />"Hmmm, you also forgot your retainer yesterday. And your permission slip on Monday."<br /><br />"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, Mom."<br /><br />"I'll be in at 9:30."<br /><br />"Thanks Mom."<br /><br />- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br /><br />I don't usually enable my children. But lately I've been so disorganized myself, I feel it's hard to expect organization from them. <br /><br />Do you have any words of advice for me?<br /><br /><em><strong>UPDATE: Thank you for weighing in on this. On the way home from a birthday party on Saturday, I talked to Deena about my expectations of her. And I explained that I won't be bringing to school the things she forgets. She was very mature about it and seemed to understand completely.</strong></em>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158349719125284452006-09-16T03:44:00.000-04:002006-09-15T22:32:48.330-04:00LOOK UP<center><img alt="PSHunt" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/0901/psh2.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://tnchick.com/pshunt">Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.</a><br />Photo Theme. Join the <a href="http://tnchick.com/pshunt">blogroll</a>. Visit participants.<br /></center><p><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/up2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/up2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Theme: LOOK UP. </p><p>Bridge to Sault St. Marie, Ontario. My daughter and I rode our bikes on an island wilderness trail under the bridge near the locks.<br /><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=bitotigr&postid=16se2006" type="text/javascript"></script></p>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158352757343110662006-09-15T16:31:00.000-04:002006-09-15T17:10:49.483-04:00Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone...<em>(whispering)<br /></em><br /><a href="http://bluebirdblogs.blogspot.com">Susie at Bluebird Blogs </a>is giving away TWO free customized blog designs to celebrate the beginning of the autumn season. For those of you who don't know it, Susie designed this beautiful site.<br /><br />All you have to do is send an email with your name and blog address to:<br /><br />bluebirdblogs(at)gmail(dot)com<br /><br />by next Friday, September 22, and your name will be entered into the drawing.<br /><br />I'm getting 5 EXTRA entries into the drawing because anyone who mentions the contest on their blog gets 5 extra entries.<br /><br />So now I suppose you're gonna go tell everybody;)<br /><br />The winner will be announced on the <a href="http://bluebirdblogs.blogspot.com">Bluebird Blogs</a> website on the morning of Saturday, September 23rd, 2006 . Good luck to everyone!Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158275828680993402006-09-15T07:09:00.000-04:002006-09-20T17:44:24.886-04:00Halfway through 30 DaysToday I'll celebrate what's gone (relatively) well during the past week, regarding <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/30-days-update.html">30 Days of Nothing.</a><br /><br />1. On a bike ride, Deena started talking about saving up for some handle bar finger warmers she saw on her uncle's bike. "I think I'd like to start buying things I decide I need, rather than buying things to eat (candy)." For us, this is a major shift in spending. So far this month, the kids have still not spent any of their money.<br /><br />2. I've decided one of the main things I did right this month is to keep track of what we didn't buy, rather than what we did buy - since the "what we didn't buy" list is way shorter than the stuff we did buy.<br /><br />3. Two of the four people in our family have made financial goals to include spend, save and give. To find out which two, check comments. The goals will be revealed next week.<br /><br />4. I read the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23169957&postID=115765999184208135">comment left on my last 30 Days entry</a> by <a href="http://www.srilanka.laurieashton.com/blog.htm">Laurie, a Canadian living in Sri Lanka,</a> and got some perspective on poverty. I read the entry to Deena and got mostly silence, followed by, "Can we talk about something else now?" Awareness.<br /><br />5. And I bought rice, but have yet to psych myself up for an entire day of the stuff. To be continued...<br /><br />More 30 Days posts:<br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/30-days-of-nothing.html">Pre-30 Days</a><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/day-one.html">Day 1</a><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/30-days-update.html">Week 1</a><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/halfway-through-30-days.html">Week 2</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://intent.squarespace.com/journal/2006/8/20/30-days-of-nothing.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/30daysofnothing9.jpg" border="0" height="103" width="150" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>For more participants in this project, visit </em></span><a href="http://intent.squarespace.com/journal/2006/8/20/30-days-of-nothing.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Intent</em></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>.<br />Technorati Tag: </em></span><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/30+days+of+nothing" rel="tag"><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:85%;" ><em>30 Days of Nothing</em></span><br /><br /></a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/30+days+of+nothing" rel="tag"></a>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158275017624507352006-09-14T18:57:00.000-04:002006-09-14T19:07:08.966-04:00PrioritiesAfter a long discussion last night, my son stayed firm in his decision to join neither 2nd grade football nor 2nd grade basketball. He's a soccer man. And if that means he only plays a sport in May and June, so be it.<br /><br />Then today after school, as I prepared to load the car with two kids and the Girl Scout registration papers, Deena informed me she didn't want to be in Girl Scouts this year. The same Girl Scouts that I've served as assistant leader for three years.<br /><br />Are you sure? Yes. Completely sure? Yes. Piano lessons are enough.<br /><br />And even though I know how important it is for kids to be involved in youth programming, I said, "Okay." Maybe, just maybe, our kids have a better handle on what's right for our family, than I do right now.<br /><br />We played tackle frisbee instead.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158199398318421632006-09-14T13:57:00.000-04:002006-09-26T08:54:12.670-04:00Feedback? Pretty Please?I'm part of the Absolute Write blogging chain and this one started with a discussion about the reasons we write. Reading through the chain (below), I find there are just as many reasons we blog. For instance, before me in the chain, my writer friend, <a href="http://writing-from-within.blogspot.com/2006/09/indian-cinema-at-its-craziest.html">Simran</a>, wrote about Indian cinema, a subject about which she's well-versed. Each blogger has his or her own agenda.<br /><br />So why do I blog?<br /><br />I've thought about this question a lot recently, partly because I'm converting to Wordpress and need to make some decisions about the direction of Pass the Torch.<br /><br />Initially, the purpose of this blog was to promote my <a href="http://empowering-youth.com">educational products</a>. While I've done little of that, I've done much <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/101st-post-schoolyears-resolutions.html">navel-gazing</a>, <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/ticket-etiquette.html">wrist-slapping</a>, and finding meaning in <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/pass-torch-tuesday-its-process-not.html">mushy cookies</a>. It's inspired <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/08/thirteen-clues-about-responsibility.html">pride in my kids</a>, rekindled my <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-girl.html">passion for photography</a>, and challenged me to <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/30-days-update.html">try something</a>, even if I may fail. And by linking to others each Pass the Torch Tuesday, it's highlighted <a href="http://www.myprairierose.com/PrairieView/2006/09/12/pass-the-torch-3/">responsibility</a>, <a href="http://almostsomewhatpositive.blogspot.com/2006/09/glimpse-of-things-to-come-i-hope.html#comments">empowerment</a>, <a href="http://mamakaren.blogspot.com/2006/09/pass-torch-tuesday.html">courage</a> and <a href="http://kallie63.livejournal.com/21159.html">thoughtfulness.</a><br /><br />But as I streamline my blogging to meet personal AND professional goals, I need your feeback.<br /><br />Why do you read Pass the Torch?<br /><br />Is it because of the stories about empowered kids? the imperfect parent? the pretty pictures? or my feeble attempts at humor? I love your comments and my site counter shows a whole lot more watchers here than writers. So now's your chance.<br /><br />What should stay? What should go?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>Next on the AW Chain is </em></strong></span><a href="http://bcom.hautetfort.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>BCOM</em></strong></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>.</em></strong> Here's the complete chain of writers:<br /><a href="http://taliamana.blogspot.com/">TaliaMana</a><br /><a href="http://taliamana.blogspot.com/2006/09/food-for-thought-is-your-career.html">Food for Thought</a><br /><br /><a href="http://lmashton.com/2006/09/when_did_you_know_you_wanted_t.html">When did you know...?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.indianraj.com/2006/09/aw_chain_6_becoming_a_blogger.html">Becoming a blogger</a><br /><br /><a href="http://justasmalltowngirl2.blogspot.com/2006/09/b-chain6-you-wanna-be-what.html">You wanna be what?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.harboradvice.com/2006/09/why-do-we-write.html">Why do we write?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://southern21.blogspot.com/2006/09/letters-to-young-poet.html">Letters to a Young Poet</a><br /><br /><a href="http://madscientistmatt.blogspot.com/2006/09/vin-diesel-makes-unlikely-muse.html">Vin Diesel Makes Unlikely Muse</a><br /><br /><a href="http://chaostitan.blogspot.com/2006/09/stop-or-kindergarten-nanny-will-pacify.html">Stop or Kindergarten Nanny Will Pacify</a><br /><br /><a href="http://athomewriting.blogspot.com/2006/09/reel-istically-funny.html">Reel-istically Funny</a><br /><br /><a href="http://writing-from-within.blogspot.com/2006/09/indian-cinema-at-its-craziest.html">Indian Cinema at it's Craziest</a><br /><br /><a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/feedback-pretty-please.html">Feedback Pretty Please</a><br /><br /><a href="http://bcom.hautetfort.com/archive/2006/09/14/ten-things-you-didn-t-know-about-jenna-glatzer.html">Ten Things You Didn't Know</a><br /><br /><a href="http://shiveredsky.blogspot.com/2006/09/no-one-will-really-be-free-until-nerd.html">No One Will Really Be Free</a><br /><br /><a href="http://sounds-of-serenity.blogspot.com/2006/09/to-boldly-go.html">To Boldly Go</a><br /><br /><a href="http://kappanohe.blogspot.com/2006/09/aw-chainsix.html">AW Chain Six</a><br /><br /><a href="http://infinitevanity.livejournal.com/17300.html">The AW Chain, The Sixth</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gillpolack.livejournal.com/179734.html">AW Blogchain #6</a><br /><br /><a href="http://chapreel.blogspot.com/">A Walk Down the Hall of Fame</a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.cathsmith.com/2006/09/aw-blogchain-6.html">AW Blogchain #6</a><br /><br /><a href="http://thoughtsontheroad.blogspot.com/2006/09/sharing-whats-important-travesty-of.html">Sharing What's Important</a><br /><br /><a href="http://livien.jennifersando.com/archives/222">What I'm Supposed To Be Doing</a><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/awchain" rel="tag">awchain</a></p><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158199908382876352006-09-13T22:03:00.000-04:002006-09-13T22:14:35.490-04:00The many faces of a photo<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/deena%20far.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="325" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/deena%20far.jpg" width="213" border="0" /></a> In case anyone was on pins and needles (eyeroll) hoping to see the original photograph for today's <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-girl.html">Wordless Wednesday</a>, here it is.<br /><br />It's interesting to see the many faces of a photo, isn't it?<br /><br />Thank you for your many generous comments.<br /><br />I defer any accolades to my much-loved Canon Digital Rebel XT. (And the excellent genes that skipped my generation).Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158157248417738692006-09-13T12:20:00.000-04:002006-09-13T10:22:54.136-04:00PTT Spotlight post.My Pass the Torch Tuesday spotlight post this week is from <a href="http://unexploredterritory.blogspot.com/">Unexplored Territory</a>. Meredith shares how a little girl in another family <a href="http://unexploredterritory.blogspot.com/2006/09/pass-torch-tuesday.html">shows courage and thoughtfulness</a>. Spotlight post winners get to display the Pass the Torch Tuesday award button, receive a front-page link from me all week, and they also receive the "Assets" magnet shown on my sidebar.<br /><br />Be sure to check out <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/dirty-laundry-pass-torch-tuesday.html">everyone's posts this week,</a> because once again, they're excellent.<br /><br />Please scroll down for Wordless Wednesday and Works-for-me Wednesday posts.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1158104877431874462006-09-13T11:37:00.000-04:002006-09-13T09:18:01.406-04:00My girl<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 374px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 239px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/Deena%20cool.jpg" border="0" /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/d2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/d2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So which one is better? You'll never believe what the original looks like.<br /><br />I also wrote a mega-meme post this week, entitled, <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/mother-of-all-meme-posts.html">"the Mother of all Meme Posts"</a>. Please add your link there as well. I'm curious to see how far Mr. Linky will go!<br /><br /><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=bitotigr&postid=13se2006" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Get your Wordless Wednesday code </span><a href="http://wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:78%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;">. Technorati Tag: </span><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wordless+wednesday" rel="tag"><span style="font-size:78%;">Wordless Wednesday</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"></span>Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1157557742170509492006-09-13T07:40:00.000-04:002006-09-13T09:41:41.483-04:00Email Teachers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/wfmwheader_copy3_7.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/wfmwheader_copy3_7.1.jpg" border="0" /></a> I was a school guidance counselor for nine years, so I have the perspective of a parent and an educator. I know what it's like to manage a classroom full of children, and I know what it's like to deal with them after school as well.<br /><br />I try to establish a system for communication with my kids' teachers early in the schoolyear. For me, there is absolutely no doubt the best way is email. At the beginning of the year, I ask for (or investigate to figure out) their email addresses. I send THEM an email, and ask them to respond, so both our addresses are in each others' email accounts.<br /><br />My daughter's teacher also sends weekly notes home in her planner, which has been very successful so far. But sometimes I want to have a connection that circumvents my kids. Their perception of events is often different from that of the teachers, and that of mine, so communicating directly is very important. It also opens those lines of communication so that it's a very easy thing for teachers to zip off a note to you as well. The time and effort it takes to make a phone call, is far greater than an email message, which can be responded to at convenience.<br /><br />And anyone who's ever visited a classroom knows that it's nearly impossible to have a useful conversation there.<br /><br />I don't want to discover at November conferences that either of my kids are having trouble academically. I try to be proactive with my kids' education.<br /><br />Works for me! <strong><em>UPDATE: Please share communication tips that have worked for you. This is the perfect time of year to start doing a great job of keeping contact with teachers.<br /></em></strong><br />For more awesome tips, visit <a href="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com">Rocks in my Dryer</a>.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23169957.post-1157560557305307852006-09-13T01:20:00.000-04:002006-09-14T12:00:08.793-04:00WFMW - create a link in comments<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/1600/wfmwheader_copy3_7.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1099/2368/320/wfmwheader_copy3_7.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://overwhelmedwithjoy.blogspot.com/2006/09/works-for-me-wednesday-linking-within.html">Overwhelmed with Joy </a>has this same tip this week (but a different approach), so I added an extra one <a href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/email-teachers.html">HERE</a>. <em>(Great minds run in the same channels, my mom always says;))</em><br /><br />I've had several people thank me for and ask me about hyperlinking to my site in comments. When you try to visit the site of a commenter on a Blogger blog, the link on their name points to the profile, which may have numerous choices, at least one extra mouse-click, and potentially a dead link or a blog no longer in use (like, they switched to Typepad now). Ugh!!<br /><br />But you can provide your link within the text of your comment by just converting it to HTML. Here are the directions for doing that when you are computerlingo-illiterate (like me).<br /><br />1. Use your post editor to translate (in Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad, whatever.)<br />2. Type what you want the link to say.<br />3. Use the hyperlink button to include your site's address or permalink.<br />4. Go into the Edit HTML tab and copy / paste the whole code into a wordprocessing document.<br /><br />Now you have the code you need to use in any comment.<br /><br />Some platforms won't allow the HTML code, so I don't use it then (or figure it out later and leave a bunch of garboldygook), but it's always worked for me in Blogger and I think in certain platforms your "link" even helps with page rankings and such. Of course, someone way more technically smart would have to explain all that;)<br /><br />Either way, it saves a lot of clicking for those who read your comments.<br /><br />Works for me! <strong><em>Now YOU try! Hyperlink in my comments!</em></strong> (I included an example in comments.)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">UPDATE: Apparently there may be some etiquette issues with leaving a signature link in comments. From what I've read, most bloggers don't mind, and appreciate skipping the Blogger profile this way. But be careful - some think it's spam. Agh. Rules. For me, please know I don't mind, as long as you're a real reader and it's a real comment. When I switch to Wordpress, your comment will be linked automatically, so it won't matter anyway.<br /></span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Please visit my mega-meme post from Saturday - I combined six memes into the </span><a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic" href="http://kellycurtis.blogspot.com/2006/09/mother-of-all-meme-posts.html">Mother of all Meme Posts.</a><br /><br />For more awesome tips, visit <a href="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com">Rocks in my Dryer</a>.Kelly Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686089359143946708noreply@blogger.com5