Freeky Friday: Moving Forward, Rocking Out

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Welcome to another Freeky Friday! Today's topic:

What's on your positivity playlist this summer? Share your favorite feel-good songs!

Those of you who followed us last year will recall that these Positivity Playlists are my FAVORITE Freeky Friday topics. I love discovering new music, and there's no better kind of music than the feel-good kind. The theme of my positivity playlist this summer is "moving forward". It's a pretty crazy time for me - out of school, moving into a real apartment, preparing for a full-time job - and I find that music is the best thing to help remind me that forward motion is essential, no matter how bittersweet it may seem. So what's on my positivity playlist?

Mumford and Sons - The Cave


Some people might think this song is sad. Those people would be wrong. Mumford manages to capture all of the emotions that are involved with triumphing in the face of adversity, which is essentially what moving forward is all about. Whether it's coping with an addiction or ending a long relationship, this song can pretty much apply to everything. I typically love music for the lyrics, but what I love most about "The Cave" is how the music builds with the emotions involved. The beginning is quiet, timid, confused, but the song builds to a loud, energetic force - the listener has no choice but to grow in the same way.

Freeking awesome lyrics: 'Cause I need freedom now / And I need to know how / To live my life as its meant to be

Fun. - Carry On

I know Fun. is super trendy right now and typically the hipster in me tries to shy away from that kind of music, but I cannot deny the power of this album. The whole thing is a positivity playlist! Like most of my favorite songs, this one came into my life at an apropos time - while I was finishing up my last semester of grad school - and this album on loop is pretty much the reason I graduated. This song is particular is an anthem for anyone who has ever experienced anything in their past that they would like to move forward from. The message is clear: we've all been there, and your only choice is to keep moving forward. 

Freeking awesome lyrics: May your past be the sound / Of your feet upon the ground / Carry on

The Muppets - Rainbow Connection

Ohhhh I love the Muppets. And there's just something about "Rainbow Connection", isn't there? Something wishful, dreamy, almost distant about it. Apart from this being one of my absolute favorite songs to sing ever, "Rainbow Connection" keeps my head in the clouds in the most delightful way. While I am determined to move forward, this song brings a light to the future instead of focusing on overcoming darkness of the past. Whether it's love or work or friendship or life, there's just something about "Rainbow Connection" that applies to us all. Don't believe me? Type it into YouTube and see just how many people have covered it. I, however, prefer when Kermit sings it. I tried to find a video of the 2011 movie version, but it just wouldn't load for me. Vintage will have to do!

Freeking awesome lyrics: I've heard it too many times to ignore it / It's something that I'm supposed to be

What's on your positivity playlist this summer?

In case you forgot, anyone can get Freeky on Fridays! You can participate in three different ways:

• Write a blog post using the badge html above, then comment on my post with a link to your post
• Tweet your answer using the tag #FreekyFriday
• "Like" the  Freekware Facebook page, then comment on there with your answer

Every time you post, tweet or comment in the month of June, you'll be entered to win some tasty treats and a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in your name. There are still two more Fridays in June, so you can be entered to win up to six more times!


Be sure to record your participation on this widget so your vote will be counted!

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Join us next Friday, June 29th, and answer this fun and exciting prompt:

Who is your pop culture alter-ego?

Freeky Friday: The Best Thing About New York City

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Welcome to another Freeky Friday! We're getting local with today's topic:

What's the best thing about summer in your neck of the woods? Any fun local activities or traditions?

I've never met a city that gets so into summertime as New York City does! While the heat is not my favorite weather to explore in, I can't help but get caught up in the summer hype. The absolute best thing about NYC in the summer is that everyone is outside - and I mean EVERYONE, from the tourists to the food trucks, flooding the streets, each and everyday. There are obvious summer activities, like the legendary Coney Island Mermaid Parade and Shakespeare in the Park, but there are plenty of other fun and quirky NYC summer funtivities that I never knew existed until I moved here.

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Like outdoor movie series! Several parks, including Bryant Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park, run summer movie festivals, free and open to the public. Some are more family-oriented than others (any guesses as to the movie playing in the above photo?), while some focus on classic films.  These movie series are a fun way to get outside, get together with friends, pack a picnic, and enjoy a flick - regardless of whether or not you've seen it a dozen times. Too hot for you outside, you say? Never fear! The Museum of Jewish Heritage is hosting a Mel Brooks film series in their cozy, air conditioned building. You can bet I'll be checking out a bunch of these this summer!

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Another great summertime tradition in NYC is the Jazz Age Lawn Party, which is held during two separate weekends every summer on Governor's Island. Now, Governor's Island is cool to begin with - it's open every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is chock full of history, nature, and special events - but this Gatsby-esque weekend really takes the cake. Hosted by Michael Arenella & his Dreamland Orchestra, this two-day concert and festival invites guests to journey back to the 1920s with old-fashioned cocktails, a pie recipe contest, a classic car show, and vintage portraits. I mean, they even have Charleston lessons. This summer's Jazz Age Lawn Parties are this weekend (June 16 and 17) and again August 18 and 19.

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My third and final favorite summertime activity is drinking on rooftops. New Yorkers know we have a shortage of ground space, but we have an abundance of space up in the air! There's plenty of rooftop bars and lounges only open during the summertime, but my favorite has to be the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Roof Garden. The Met's roof offers beautiful views of Central Park and classic uptown architecture, which is only heightened by its current showpiece, Tomás Saraceno's Cloud City (pictured above). Visitors are invited (with free tickets) to peruse the structure and take in the trippy views through the sculpture's reflective surfaces. The Roof Garden also offers light snacks (read: overpriced sandwiches) and frozen cocktails - all available virgin, of course, in case you'd like to bring the young'ns.

As you can see, there's PLENTY to do in NYC in the summertime! What's your favorite local tradition?

In case you forgot, anyone can get Freeky on Fridays! You can participate in three different ways:

• Write a blog post using the badge html above, then comment on my post with a link to your post
• Tweet your answer using the tag #FreekyFriday
• "Like" the  Freekware Facebook page, then comment on there with your answer

Every time you post, tweet or comment in the month of June, you'll be entered to win some tasty treats and a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in your name. There are three more Fridays in June, so you can be entered to win up to nine more times!


Be sure to record your participation on this widget so your vote will be counted!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come on back next Friday, June 22nd, and answer this prompt:

What's on your positivity playlist this summer? Share your favorite feel-good songs!

Freeky Friday: Teach the Children

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Welcome to another great summer of Freeky Friday! We're kicking off this year with this lovely topic:

What's the best thing that's happened to you over the last year? Get creative with your answer! It can be something you experienced, something you witnessed, something you participated in, something you realized...the possibilities are endless!

Well, Freeks, it's been a hell of a year! A lot of amazing things happened around me, but I think I can sum it all up in one sentence: In 2012, I learned how to be a teacher.

It all started with my student teaching placement at a public school in Manhattan. This school is unlike any other I've ever seen - it brings together students who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, CODAs (hearing students whose parents are Deaf), "SODAs" (the school's nickname for hearing students who have a Deaf sibling), and hearing in one learning environment. We also have a high population of students with disabilities. Keep in mind that it's still a New York City public school, so these kids don't come from the same happy pre-fab suburban upbringing that I came from. They are typically lower on the socioeconomic spectrum, come from historically disadvantaged minority groups, and may not have a solid educational background either from their previous schooling or their parents.

It has been the hardest job of my life - a diverse population leads to a greater challenge of differentiating every activity and providing equal access to everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, hearing status, language modality, IEP status, etc. On top of that, my cooperating teacher is one of the most difficult people on the planet (I say that with nothing but admiration). From my first day there, I was writing lesson plans, planning the curriculum, organizing powerpoints, working with the kids, and teaching. Now, I've lectured before. But until I got to this school and met my CT, I didn't know just how little I knew about TEACHING. I thought it was all about being an expert in the field - I didn't know how little my own knowledge or skills with the language mattered. A wise man once told me that master teachers do 25-35% of the actual work; the rest, they turn onto the students. In addition to student-centering everything from vocabulary practice to in-depth critical thinking projects, I also learned just how involved in these students lives a great teacher needs to be. During parent teacher conferences, I watched my CT ask about parents' health, students' performance in other classes, and siblings I had never met. The standard was set. From basketball games to school trips, I embraced the school culture and committed to these kids. And they embraced me back. I love my students. I am genuinely invested in their lives. And along the way, I've done a pretty bang up job teaching them ASL.

The conclusion to one of my favorite observation lessons - captioned for your convenience.

In the midst of working my ass off, I managed to write a nearly 70-page thesis about foreign language anxiety, finish a full course load of classes, and graduate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Again, none of this would have been possible without the continued ass-kicking encouragement provided by my CT and my program director. There were a few other people to blame for my success, too. My cohort was tight knit, and we made it through together.

So of course, this all leads to one more thing - after student teaching for a year, writing a thesis, and graduating, I have accepted an offer to teach full-time at a private school in Brooklyn! The school caters exclusively to students with learning disabilities, and I'm really excited to continue my efforts towards creating a fully-accessible classroom. The faculty seems so nurturing and supportive, the kids seem just as crazy as my public school students, and the school really believes in their ASL program! I know I couldn't have made it this far without the support of my cohort, mentors, family, and friends, and I am eternally grateful to the people who have been here for me the past two years! Celebrating my successes with you has been some of the best few weeks of my life. Thanks to you all, I am going to be a teacher. How could that NOT be the best thing that's happened to me all year?!

But special credit needs to be given to one person in particular: my cooperating teacher. So Anthony, if for some crazy reason, you ever end up reading this, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for making me who I am today. You tested my limits, drove me crazy, and caused me a nervous breakdown or two, but you taught me just what I am capable of: editing iMovie projects while lesson planning for the entire week, with some kind of baked good in the works and a craft beer in my hand. Under your guidance, I have learned how to be a teacher. Thank you.

What's the best thing that happened to you this year?

In case you forgot, anyone can get Freeky on Fridays! You can participate in three different ways:

• Write a blog post using the badge html above, then comment on my post with a link to your post
• Tweet your answer using the tag #FreekyFriday
• "Like" the  Freekware Facebook page, then comment on there with your answer

Every time you post, tweet or comment in the month of June, you'll be entered to win some tasty treats and a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in your name. There are four more Fridays in June, so you can be entered to win up to twelve times!


Be sure to record your participation on this widget so your vote will be counted!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come on back next Friday, June 15, for and answer this prompt:

What's the best thing about summer in your neck of the woods? Any fun local activities or traditions?

Freeky Friday: How It Works

Those of you who have been reading this little blog for a while may remember a series called "Freeky Friday" that my sister blog and I did last summer. This series aims to celebrate and promote the message of Freekware, a clothing company that's all about positivity and individuality. Freekware is very near and dear to my heart, as it's my cousin Mark's legacy. His sisters took over the company when he passed away in 2005, and it continues to expand to this day. Best of all, the proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, in order to help other courageous badasses like Mark.

Freekware is about more than my family (those lovely people pictured above), and it's way more than just a clothing line...it's a lifestyle. Spread the Soul. Share the Strength. Embrace who you are and be proud to be a Freek! Do you wanna join the Freeks? Just share some positivity every Friday by answering the prompt that we provide. Your first mission:

What's the best thing that's happened to you over the last year? Get creative with your answer! It can be something you experienced, something you witnessed, something you participated in, something you realized...the possibilities are endless!

Blog your answer Friday, June 8th, and be sure to insert this badge into your post. We've included the html for your convenience!

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If you do not have a blog, you can still participate via Facebook and/or Twitter! The weekly prompt will be posted on the Freekware Facebook page every Friday. Simply "like" Freekware and comment on the prompt! Or, you can briefly answer the prompt via Twitter with the tag #FreekyFriday. If you can't decide between a blog post, Facebook, or Twitter, feel free to do all three! Additionally, once a month our topic will be "visual," meaning you get to play on Pinterest instead! Be sure to record your participation in the widget below on Friday or it will not count:

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That same widget will appear on each Freeky Friday post, so you'll have plenty of chances to show how you participated! Oh, and you're probably wondering why you need to record your participation. Did I mention that Freeky Friday is a giveaway?! Each month, one lucky winner will receive a special prize, as well as a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in their name. So go ahead and rack up as many points as you can in that widget...each point counts as an entry!

I can't wait to read all of your blog posts this Friday!

IT'S BAAAACK!

Round 2 starts next Friday, June 8th.

Details to come next week!

Butter and Brawn

How does a man prove that he's a man? Think about it for a second.

This past weekend, a friend of mine needed a little assistance in setting up some IKEA-style furniture. She was so worried that a male friend of hers wouldn't want to help her out; we spent a good bit of time brainstorming ways to bribe him into doing so. But when it came down to it, he jumped at the opportunity. The opportunity to build something, to exert physical strength and meld things together and create a functional piece of wooden crap. The opportunity to prove he was a man.

The following day, I baked up a storm. And for the first time ever, I hand made pie crust. I used a dough blender to beat cold butter into flour and sugar. I used a wine bottle rolling pin to roll out dough. I used two very sharp knives in a number of different ways. I blended and pinched and assembled and baked. I baked and baked and baked. I knew I had done something great. And then it dawned on me. These little crispy golden wonders are the female equivalent to a particle board bookcase.

Before you freek out thinking that I've gone all weak woman on you over here, hear me out. I've built some-assembly-required furniture a dozen times. Hell, I used to love the opportunity to help out my dad when I was a kid. But if I'm going to do serious physical labor, you better believe there's going to be a delicious sugary sweet to enjoy as the output, not a judgmental dresser. And do not go on thinking that cooking is not serious physical labor. I dare you to make Jambalaya and not break a sweat, or to roll out pie dough without a sore arm the next day. You just can't, friend; you just can't.

Baking is a delightfully feminist experience. I get to prove I can do anything a man can do (manual labor), and the end result will still be delicate and beautiful.

My mom asked me last night why I didn't just buy the Pillsbury pie crust. It tastes just as good, and it's so much easier. Well, mom, I know you can make pie crust. I've seen you do it dozens of times. But I had never done it before. And for some reason, I needed to know that I could take a crazy looking handle knife blade thingy, throw some cold butter into a bowl of dry ingredients, and pulverize the hell out of it. 

Seriously, look at this thing. Tell me that's not a power tool.

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Like man building a fire, or grilling meat, or assembling a desk, I needed to validate my own gender with hard ass work. I am woman. Hear me roar. And then enjoy some of these delicious cookies.

To read more about my baking adventures, check out my baking blog!

There's even a whole post on these delicious, labor-intensive, feminist cookies.

Subway Series: Everything I Need To Know In Life

The Subway Series is a collection of posts dedicated to the ridiculousity of the Metropolitan Transit Authority's underground tunnel system, relied upon by so many New Yorkers to get to school, to work, to home, to play, to shop, to study, and to explore. I planned on doing this series to commemorate my first year living in New York, but I had to put it on hold when I stopped blogging. I'm dying to pick it back up! Today's topic:

Everything I Need To Know In Life I Learned From Riding The Subway

Yes, the subway can teach us valuable life lessons: stand clear of the doors, report suspicious behavior, bathe daily. But if you dig a little deeper, there may be more important morals to be learned from your daily commute.

There is always someone crazier than you.
No matter what you've said or done, you will always find your crazier counterpart on the train. Snooped through your boyfriend's phone? That's okay - that guy over there is wearing yellow plaid pants and painted his nose red, despite the fact that he is most likely not a clown. Word-vomit confessed a deep dark secret to your entire family? No worries - that homeless man is throwing pennies and yelling at people who move out of his way. You are never the "most" or "least" anything person in the world. You're not the least fashionable. You're not the ugliest. You're not the dumbest. And you're certainly not the craziest. Don't believe me? Take the C train up the Upper West Side at 4:00 on a weekday.

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Don't rush.
My mom always tells me not to do anything too quickly. Rushing leads to shoddy work and needing to redo at least part of something before you can consider it the final product. But it wasn't until I started taking the subway every day that I realized just how dangerous being in a hurry can be. If the stairs are icy, you could fall and break both your wrists (or, if you use your hands for a living and have the consciousness to realize that and defy your reflexes, you can fracture your leg instead). If you leap to get on a train as the doors are closing, you could lose your shoe in the gap - and trust me, you do NOT want to walk out at your destination barefoot. Relax. There's another train coming in three minutes. Take a deep breath and slow down.

You can get wherever you want, it just might take a little longer.
There are 15 different train routes I can take to get from my apartment to the school where I work. The school is on a major cross-street, so almost all the subways stop at some point on that latitude. Once I choose a train and take whatever transfers are necessary, I have the option of either walking cross-town or taking the bus. Now that I mention it, there's probably an infinite number of bus combinations I can take to get to the school, too. The point is this: there are a million and one ways to get anywhere. Some take a little longer. Some are more direct. Some have guaranteed seats. Some don't even have guaranteed standing room. You can get wherever you want, however you want to get there. Sometimes you just have to allow a little more time.

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If you're uncomfortable, move.
I often find that I am in the way of the door no matter where I stand on the subway. Because of this, I have developed this weird tendency to move at every stop. Sometimes I think that no one else does this. Then I realize that I purposely try to not to pay attention to other people when I'm riding the trains, so in reality, I've probably just never cared to notice whether or not I'm the only weirdo. So when I think I'm in the way of the door, I move. When I'm sitting next to someone who is taking up a little more than their share of room (I'm looking at you, men who think their package is too big to put their damn legs together), I move. If a guy is throwing pennies at me and one hits me, I move. And if he yells at me for moving, I move farther.

If you can't move, grin & bear it; it will all be over soon.
Sometimes, you can't move. There are just too many people on the train. You can't even hold on to anything, except maybe the large black man in front of you. You know what's so great about the subway? It stops every 10 blocks or so. And when it stops, people get off. Sure, people get on, too, but there's a brief moment when there are fewer people on the train, and you have a second to catch your breath and readjust.  And on those rare trips when you don't even get those brief moments, comfort yourself with the fact that you do not have to ride the subway all the way to Maine. Your commute will end eventually.

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Don't lug around too much baggage.
People like to get on the train at Penn Station, Grand Central, or Port Authority with bags - lots, and lots, and lots of bags. Don't do it. First of all, why are you bringing that much stuff to New York City anyway? Space is a luxury we can't exactly afford here. Second of all, if you need to lug around that much stuff, what the heck are you doing taking the subway? Get a damn cab! Deal with your crap off the subway. Don't put your baggage in all of our faces.

Sometimes, it's just not worth it.
If you have been paying attention, there's a theme here: if you have too much stuff, if there are too many people, if you miss your train... sometimes, it's just not worth it. Don't run to the subway and smash your hand in the door because there are too many people and you just can't cram you and all of your stuff in. Wave goodbye to the train, and hail a taxi. You'll be glad you did.

What have you learned from your daily commute?