Grant Writing: Sit Down and Get Funky

Grant writing has been my supplemental income career of choice. There was a short time when it was a primary career, however I learned quickly that full-time grant writing does not mesh with my personality type.

For those of you who have known me for a while, you know I have a love-hate relationship with writing grants. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE to be a grant writer, but I often find myself looking for any and all distractions when it comes time to actually sit down and write a grant. I set up my computer, notes, and pen then proceed to type two words. I re-read all my emails and notes about the project then type two more words. I think of any and all reasons to call the client and discuss the project. A flurry of activity ensues- fingers flying over the keyboard and blank, white page space fills with program descriptions, budget numbers, stories of clients' lives transformed by the amazing work of the organization!

I read what I write and delete all but two words. Then I call a friend and talk about how hard it is to write grants.

This summer I am taking a different approach. I am incorporating my penchant for distraction and avoidance into my routine. Every morning, I start before the boys are awake. I set up the kitchen table with computer, notes, and pen. Then before I sit down I make a cup of tea and water the plants on the porch. When I finally sit down I check for new emails, then - and here is the magic solution - I turn on Pandora to one of the preselected radio stations that keep me on task. While the music is on I am writing. If I need a break, or have to stop to walk a kid to summer camp, etc. I turn the music off. It has put me in control of my own Pavlovian responses: Pandora station playing = work mode.

I read somewhere that the most effective music to listen to while writing has no lyrics or lyrics in a foreign language. This keeps the language-processing center in your brain focused on writing. Knowing this, I first focused on radio stations in Spanish, etc. I also realized that many times I am more focused while working in coffee shops. What do they have in common? Relaxing music that blends into the background, or songs I have heard so many times that I can tune them out.

Armed with this knowledge, I took advantage of a long Muni ride to try out some playlists that seemed to fit the bill. Here are some of my favorites:

• Early Jazz
• Alt Indie Love Songs
• Coffee House Covers
• 90s Alternative
• Cha Cha Cha, Charanga, Pachanga
• Playa Mix-Ocean Park
• Latin Alternative
• Old Time Music
• Bonfire Folk
• Classic Indie
• Latin Jazz
• Beach Bar Lounge
• Instrumental Folk
• Indie Fold Revival
• Traditional Blues
• Delta Blues
• Motown
• Classical Goes Pop
• Classical Guitar
• Classical Relaxation
• Hipster Cocktail Party
• Hipster BBQ
• Cinco de Mayo
• Bob Schneider
• Smooth Jazz

Now lets hope Pandora keeps these stations!

What keeps you focused while writing, lesson planning, or doing your least favorite activity? Comment below!

Making money in the Summertime

I have found myself, as most educators find themselves from time to time, in need of supplemental income. No teacher chooses education to become wealthy and our summer schedule allows for time to explore ways to earn a few bucks. When perusing available opportunities the criteria I use is the following:

Flexibility: Summers are when I focus on my children and as they age I am needed less and less, but it becomes even more important for me to be there when I am needed. Often, I need to be in the apartment, and in the same room as the boys but do not necessarily need to be focused on them. Maybe they are reading, playing a game, or have a friend over. I am nearby, but have time to work from a computer. In addition, I may have an afternoon free when all three of them happen to have a summer activity at the same time. I need the work to be there when I want it, but never want to have to choose the work over my children.

Interest: If I am going to put my energy towards an activity or give something my attention, it has to interest me. Happily, my interests are broad and there are a few occasional activities that can work because they are so mindless that my attention can be placed somewhere else. For example, crocheting can be mindless at times, but I do it while I am watching a show, talking to a friend, or listening to a podcast. This keeps the activity interesting to me.

Profitable: Not all jobs pay the same, but profit can be an interesting concept. If I enjoy the activity, and were to be doing the activity regardless, the hourly wage can be less than minimum wage yet still be profitable. Crocheting is another great example of this. I love to do it and would be making things to give away to friends and family, so if someone wants to pay me a few bucks for something I made that is pure profit baby! However, for the most part I need to make enough from the job to make it worth doing. It is a delicate balance.

On the Up & Up: No scams, illegal activity, etc. But also, I do have to maintain my integrity. I am no longer interested in jobs that force me to hide my head in shame when discussing. Everyone has their own threshold for humiliating jobs, and while 'dog-walker', 'janitor' or 'babysitter' cause me no shame, 'telemarketer' does.

Using these criteria is not a science and at the end of the day I have to go with my gut. Here are some of the options I am currently working on, as well as some past winners. I will be making a post about each one over the next few days. Keep checking back!

• Grant Writing
• Transcribing audio files
• Babysitting
• Tutoring
• Postmates - Walking

What is your favorite way to make money in the summertime? Or anytime!

Homemade Gifts: Embroidered Hand Towels

Every year I try to come up with a fun, homemade gift for the boys to make that we can mail out to family in the midwest. This year I decided to dust off an oldie but goodie and teach the boys a family tradition. The boys' great-grandma used to give everyone embroidered gifts including blankets and hand towels that she made well into her 90s. When I saw an embroidery project in a kids craft book at the library I though, what a fun idea for the boys to make for their grandparents, aunts and uncles! It is sure to bring a tears to an eye or two on Christmas morning.

We started by having Nigel draw the pictures because he is a little young to get into the sewing part and he is really into drawing right now. Xaviar and Basil both drew a picture or two each and both of them helped with the embroidery. I showed them a simple backstitch and off they went! Here is Basil hard at work:


Basil is a natural (of course) and loved doing it. His stitches are beautiful. Here are his masterpieces:


Nigel drew the bowl of goulash for grandma and Basil stitched it.



The other grandma gets a frog that Nigel drew and Basil stitched.


Basil drew the hearts and stitched this one for one of their aunts.

Xaviar was a little less patient with the embroidery and his stitches kept getting longer and longer over time. Here are the two he drew and stitched:



And the one that Nigel drew and Xaviar stitched for an uncle:


While we were working on this project we found a box of hand towels great grandma had embroidered. She did this one in her 90s! Look at the dainty stitches!! How amazing:




Now, all we have to do is mail them off and hope none of the grandparents, aunts or uncles will read this post before Christmas ;)

Quick and Easy Holiday Project when Subbing

I found myself subbing in an amazing first grade classroom last week when an opportunity for an impromptu art project arose. One of the books we were reading mentioned wreaths and described how to make a wreath from paper plates and tissue paper. The kids asked if we could make the project and I said, "Sure!"

While they were at recess I found some small paper plates in the art supply room along with a bunch of crepe paper:

I cut the paper into squares about 1 square inch each. I went with red, white and green this time because the holiday season is coming up and it just so happens that two kids were of Italian heritage and two were of Mexican heritage. We discussed how these colors are the colors of those countries flags. I also made a cut line on the paper plates with a yellow highlighter and cut an X in the middle of each plate as a place for the students to start their scissors:






When the students returned I showed them the project and how to wrap the paper around a pencil before sticking it into the glue (poured onto a lid). I reminded them that they do not need much glue and too much glue would make the colors from the crepe paper run.






Then they began while I did a read aloud that was in the lesson plan for that time. They loved working on their projects while listening to me read! Here is my work in progress:


And their finished products:


We discussed how you can make the wreath look like a green wreath with berries, make a pattern, or or just mix all the colors up!  They had so much fun and the classroom teacher was impressed. I love this one that a student made:


Her father is from Italy and she made the Italian flag :)

Quick and easy project and all the supplies are light-weight enough for me to carry to school!!

Back in Business!

Hi All!

After a LONG hiatus I am dusting off the ol' blog. Over the last three years we moved (a block) and I transitioned into substitute teaching (which I will be posting a ton about) and the little guys grew (lots of middle school themed posts to look forward to) and joined myriad new sports and extra-curricular activities (guess who is now a THEATER MOM!!!!!). Ok, ok, enough with the parenthesis.

In addition to these fabulous new activities I have dusted off my crochet hooks and invested in a small fortunes worth of yarn. Scarves, hats, flowers, blankets, etc. now adorn our apartment. The two little guys even requested crazy thick scarves that they wear with shorts and t-shirts in our "winter" weather here. Side note - I have turned into a California freeze baby but these guys seem to be immune to any feelings of cold whatsoever.

Ironically, the longer we live here the less we partake in unique San Francisco activities and the more we are busy with homework, babysitting, sports, afterschool activities, and mundane responsibilities. One reason I am revitalizing this blog is to regain the sense of adventure I first brought with me when I moved here. So, 'Tis The Season and all and in the spirit of Christmas I will be adding a post a day between now and the big day.

So happy to be back!

Sand Sculpture Mania

Xaviar mixing the right amount of water into the sand

Last weekend we drove up to Drake's Beach to see the 32nd Annual Sand Sculpture Contest.  The National Park Service puts on the event and it is truly spectacular.  If ever there were a great photo opportunity, this was it.  And, silly me, I left my camera in the car!  As walked along the gorgeous beach with ocean on one side and rocky cliffs on the other, we discussed which sculpture we enjoyed the most.  First we encountered a mermaid/merman honeymoon scene complete with toilet and sink in the bathroom.  There also was a giant foot, a pirate ship, a handful of octopi and a Mars rover.  We all agreed that the best was the sculpture of a fat man sitting in a boat unwittingly being swallowed by a shark,  which received an Honorable Mention.  There is a separate category for sculptures created by children only and some of their creations were adorable to say the least.  I watched one blond girl skip around her castling stringing seaweed around as though she was decorating a Christmas tree. Fun!

Basil preparing the castle site

Inspired by these works of art we headed to the beach at Crissy Field's the next day with an array of buckets and shovels (including some purchased from the hardware store for this specific purpose).  We had a blast building a castle with a moat.

 The boys then decided to bury each other and we couldn't resist adding some details.

Then Basil and I worked together on an octopus while Nigel and Xaviar supervised :)

Basil and I working hard with our supervisors are keeping an eye on us :)

The finished product

Along with a five gallon bucket, a garden shovel and several plastic sand toys we used some old copper baking tins I had picked up from a thrift store.  Upcycling these old metal items can be more eco-friendly than using plastic toys at the beach.  And they make cool designs!  Here are some examples:

Fun fish mold :)

These bread molds have cute details. . . .

. . . and they work very well as bricks!

Xaviar's class is going to be part of a sand sculpture in October so I am sure we will be spending many more days honing our skills.  Wish us luck!

Beach Time!

Nigel striking a beach pose 

Summer in San Francisco can be cold and foggy.  It is not unusual for an August day to start out 52 degrees and the sun doesn't like to peak its head out until around noon.  I have been told that September is when summer really starts here and it looks like that is going to be the case.  This last week of August  is bringing more beach days than we have had since we got here in July.  As I laid on the beach after picking the boys up from school yesterday I began looking through all the beach pics I have taken since we got here and decided to share them.

Basil and Xaviar playing in the sand at Crissy Field

The two pictures above and the three next ones were taken on our first beach trip since we moved here.  It was a beautiful sunny day but probably only 60 degrees out.  We decided to go to Crissy Field which has a beautiful beach near the Golden Gate Bridge.  It is a decent walk or a quick bus ride from our apartment.  We packed up some sand toys, a blanket and some food and headed out.  As beautiful as it was, I was in my jacket on the blanket FREEZING while my boys swam and played in the sand.  It started to get to cold for them as well and they began asking to be buried in the sand because it was so warm.

Nigel in front of the Golden Gate Bridge

Nigel buried up to his ears

Xaviar skipping away after he buried Basil

These next two are from a day when Nigel and Xaviar found a couch someone had built out of sand.  Of course they had to sit down and get comfortable.  It was an amazing piece of sand art.  I am always impressed that people will spend so much time on a piece of art when it is going to be washed away.  A true testament to it being all about the journey and not the destination.  We went back the next day and of course the tide had removed all traces of it.

And finally these pictures are from this week.  We have been walking down to the beach by Ghirardelli Square after school.  It is maybe a ten minute walk and that gives us plenty of time to swim and play before dinner.   It has been warm enough for me to lay on the beach in a beach dress and feel good!  I am excited for this month of warm weather and beaches galore!

Nigel found this piece of blue foam and to him it was a treasure!

Basil found some sea glass and it started a hunt

Our sea glass haul

The boys built this village out of random junk they found on the beach

Yesterday at the beach Nigel decided to throw his apple core to the seagulls.  He should have known better after his years in Duluth.  Of course we got swarmed with seagulls looking for a free meal and fighting over the apple core.  This started a fun game of chase-the-seagulls.  At one point when I was walking around looking for more sea glass, a seagull got brave enough to actually go onto our blanket and grab Xaviar's chips.  When Xaviar noticed he chased the gull yelling, "Give me back my chips!"  The tourists that were watching started laughing and taking pictures of the scene.  

As soon as I finish this post I am going to pack up some food, swim suits and toys so that we can head to the beach again after school.  Crissy Fields again today since they have a shower for us to rinse off with afterwards.  The boys walked home covered in sand yesterday and I decided it is worth the bus ride to keep ten pounds of sand out of our bathroom :)