Saturday, March 16, 2019

2009

2009

Springfield, PA and
Carpenter’s Point, MD

My age: 53- 54

Work- Director of Student Services for 3000 students- Springfield School District, Springfield, PA

Homes- I had a four bedroom stone house in Springfield , PA and on weekends, I ran down to my home in Carpneter's Point, MD to my sweet, little two bedroom place by the North East River.

Music-
  • I Woke Up Today, Feeling Brand New is a song that pays tribute to Obama’s inauguration.
  • I dont know any music anymore.  I used to listen to music for hours at a time.  But once I moved away from albums and CDs, I stopped playing music.  I listen to it in the car.  Mostly I listen to WXNP, an independent  Philly station that plays singer/songwriters who are well known and unknown.
Movies
  • o   Avatar- the animation was clever.
  • o   Harry Potter- I enjoyed all the Harry Potter movies but the first one will always be my favorite.
  • o   The Blind Side- a boring movie that should not have received all the accolade it got.
  • o   Invictus- Nelson Mandela had an insight as to how to move his country forward and he did it without a civil war or more conflict.  He is admirable.
  • o   It’s Complicated- this is a good rental movie for a rainy afternoon.
  • o   A Single Man- I thought this movie was a little creepy.
  • o   Julie & Julia- I loved this movie and I am still annoyed that Meryl Streep did not win an Academy Award for her performance in this role.
  • books

Travels- I didn’t travel much this year because of my illness.

          Bermuda- Winter Break

News events

  •     Barak Obama was sworn in as President of the USA. And instantly, our ugly racism reared its ugly self around the country.Albania and Croatia join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Communisism was falling apart.
  • Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist, was sentenced to eight years in prison for espionage by an Iranian court 
  • North Korea launched the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite, Later in the year it announced it had conducted a second successful nuclear test in the province of North Hamgyong. We all viewed this leadership as dangerous to the world.
  • Following  President Bill Clinton meeting with with Kim Jong-il in North Korea two American journalists, who had been arrested and imprisoned for illegal entry earlier in the year receivds pardons. 
  • A tsunami triggered by An 8.3-magnitude earthquake near the Samoan Islands destroys communities and harbors in Samoa and American Samoa leaving nearly 200 deaths 
  • A 7.6-magnitude earthquake strikes 28 miles west-northwest of Padang, Sumatra killing over 1,000 in Indonesia
  •  The Treaty of Lisbon comes into force in European Union (EU) member states 
  • US Airways Flight 1549 after being struck by a flock of Canada geese shortly after takeoff Piloted by Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger makes a successful Crash landing In the Hudson River. What a hero.

      We lost a lot of famous people this year:
  • Michael Jackson- this death stunned the world.
  • Ted Kennedy- he served our country for 40 years.
  • Patrick Swayze- I thought he was going to beat his cancer.
  • Paul Harvey- I loved listening to his voice on the radio
Family and friends
  • I contacted Lyme’s Disease and was sick during most of the summer and much of the rest of the calendar year. It beat me up. At one pint, I had a 104F fever.
  •  
  • I joined the Big Brother/Big Sister Program.  I was assigned to a poor, black, angry, 14-year-old female who was also a lesbian.  Her mother asked me if I could fix her.
  •  
  • My cousin lost her young son, age 27, to stomach cancer.  He was in a coma for four months before he died. He didn't have health insurance.






Friday, March 15, 2019

Hearing From A Former Student


Facebook Post


January 28, 2017

A Message From A Former Student


 to 

Hi Ms. Kelly, I was thinking about my time at Stroudsburg High School and though I wasn't the best student, I do remember the great teachers and you a Principle that would always say hi to me in the halls and talked to me if I happened to get set to your office. I am married to an educator and have come to realize what it takes to be a great one. My wife Kiffany Lychock is the director of innovation for Boulder Valley School district in Colorado. I see what she and her colleagues do to reach and teach their kids. It is amazing the time that goes into making a difference and after 30yrs of clocked time which we all know is more like 50yrs I congratulate you on your retirement and making a difference. Have a great retirement and thank you. Sorry for getting in a couple of fights while under your watch but I swear they started it 



Responses from myself and others:


Bridget E Kelly Marc, thanks for making my day!! And I remember you as a kid who always 
had a kind word to say to me. With regards to the fights, if I get back to SHS, I'll go in to your files 
and note that the other guys started the fights. Thanks again for solidifying why I loved my job.

Kathy Flatley Bandos Must be the best feeling!

Lori Possinger LOVE THIS POST

Susan Moore Jordan This was wonderful. You were the best, Bridget!

Kitty Hall Hodinka This IS what teaching is about! I love this post and I know more "kids" feel 
this way about you.

Rosemary Touhill Piggyback Kitty.. your are an amazing role model! So proud to have worked 
with you my friend 💕

Linda Marshall Great honor you have paid to one in the teaching profession,

Jan DeWitt Marc you are so right! Dr Kelly you were a very memorable principle. You always were 
fair and had a smile for everybody.Happy Retirement. Marc I'm so happy to hear about your wife
 being an educator it's not an easy job, but a very rewarding one.

Marc Lychock Am I misunderstanding you or are misunderstanding me? I was definitely saying 
thank you for being such a great educator.

Jan DeWitt Yes I am too!!! Sorry I'm tired and having rough day. I am proud of any educator 👨‍🏫. It
 takes a lot of hard work.

Kristen Minter I'm going to "second" what Marc said. 😊 You were firm when you needed to be but 
there was never any doubt how much you cared for all of us. As a teacher, I hope I'm making as big 
of an impact on my students as you made on all of us, Dr. Kelly. 
Thank you!

Tracy Matulevich I agree! Without Dr. Kelly, I don't know if I would be here today. I am so grateful 
for everything she's done.

Donna Chartier Thomas So proud of my son for reaching out to his Principal at SHS! His parents 
also wish you a wonderful retirement 
and thank you for your service in the educational profession!

Pamela H. Hoy I agree, tributes like this are what teaching is all about. Thanks to ALL the educators 
who have touched my own life, and the lives of our two children...and now, are inspiring our grandies 
too! The beat goes on, and I pray we will always have teachers who love children and care so much 
that they give and do their very best. <3 span="">

Jacki Budicker VanGorden Ok. I've got tears.

Mark Powanda I was Dr. Kelly's favorite 😛

Cheri Monaghan West agreed!

Sarah Reeder Humbarger Nicely said. Bridget E Kelly you touched a lot of lives over the years.

Brooke Rinehart Sure did!

Chris Arllen Reeder You also touched the lives of many parents and colleagues. Thanks. You're the
 best.

Michael Orozco Happy retirement Dr. Bridget E Kelly. Thank you for being a great leader and for 
loving your students! You always had a smile on your face, even when we would have a talk in your 
office..lol! Enjoy the retirement life and to many new adventures! 
Xoxo

Bridget E Kelly It's hard to articulate how grateful I am to all of you for your kind words. When I 
read your words, I wish I could go back in time and do so many moments over again because you have 
taught me and reinforced the belief that every moment matters.Thank you for all you have done to 
contribute to enhance my life. We were in it together.

Michael Orozco Everything you stood for and believed in worked! Your kindness, your hard work, 
your discipline, your ethics and morals played a role in not only the students but the teachers who 
enforced the way of life at our school! You should feel very proud you helped raise and teach one of 
the greatest generations! You are an inspiration to all those lives you've been apart of and will be 
apart of! Take a bow! 👏👏👏👏💓💓💓

Jill Potter I'm so proud you are my aunt! ❤️

Gloria Handling Bridget, you were not only an inspiration to those you taught, but also those you 
worked beside. I was always impressed by the fact that you took the time to learn all the students names 
and would walk the halls and acknowledge them between classes. Also, you would go over the report 
cards and write words of encouragement or praise for bringing up their grades. You were 
born to be an educator and leader!!!❤

Cheri Monaghan West agreed!

Lynn Talbot The BEST!!principal I ever worked for

Christie Phillips Aronow So well said Marc and what a lovely gift to give Bridget E Kelly!

Mike Metzger She's probably so angry you called her Ms. and not Dr! Just kidding... well put Marc!

Susan Talbot- Washburn Mike Metzger, we all know YOU were DR. Kelly's favorite 😂

Stacie Clause Brustman This just made me laugh... literally...

Carol Fox I can still hear your laugh. Your dedication and love for the school and everyone in it was 
an inspiration! 💖

Jean Parsons Werkheiser  Over the span of my 37 year teaching career, I worked for many principals.
 Bridget E Kelly was the absolute best!

Lisa Maneval Bridget E Kelly, simply put "one great Lady!" Loved working with you.
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July 23, 2018

July 23, 2018


I saw John in our apartment lobby so I suggested that we go out for a beer. He was all too agreeable to do so. As we are leaving the building, we see Justin so we ask him to join us as well and he is only too happy to come along.  We sit at the bar and order several beers and appetizers.

During the course of our conversation, John tells us that his divorce was finalized this week.  His ex-wife is a bitch. His current girlfriend is still married but she has picked up yet another boyfriend who  has demanded that John step out of the picture.  So she dropped the news off to him this afternoon.

Justin is only 28 and his father recently died after a long illness.  This long tenure has been a strain on the family resources.  So Justin is putting all of his father's possessions on eBay so he can pay for the funeral.

Needless to say, I picked up the damn tab.

July 18, 2013

FACEBOOK POST

FACEBOOK POST
July 18, 2013
Haiti Family Initiative Program
Jacmel, Haiti


I meet a man who spoke to me in plain English. He offered an apology for his poor English skills. I spoke no Creole and offered no apology.



A few responses from friends:


  • How American of you.

  • Do you ever offer an apology to anyone?
Comments



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Ulan Baatar


Ulan Baatar, Mongolia
 Tuesday, July 4, 2006


Our first day stop was a Buddhist monastery. We were told we could not take photos unless a ceremony was going on.  Every stupa had some sort of great chanting going on.  This monastery took care of the needs of the dead.  People came in, got in line and had the monks touch their heads with a prayer book.  This was supposed to heal the sick.  Then they could give the name of a dead relative. That name was then chanted amongst the many prayers and other names of the day.

This chanting is so alluring to me.  I could have listened to them all day.  But that wasn’t possible because it wasn’t possible to stand in any one place for too long a period.  I was pushed and shoved by monks and praying people alike.  Everyone was frantic.  And a sense of urgency was displayed by many 

After the monetary, we boarded the bus and headed to lunch.  We no sooner get to our restaurant  and I throw up several times.  I was suffering from a combination of motion sickness and altitude sickness.   I couldn’t eat lunch because I was still a little sick and had no appetite.  Although the waitress did bring me a yogurt that hit the spot.

We boarded the bus again and traveled up the road about ¼ miles to a horse farm.  The horse farm people were gathering the horses for us.  So we were invited into the family tent to wait. The mother had prepared piles of food for us.  I thought I was going to throw up again so I didn’t try any of the food, much to the woman’s dismay.

I tried the fermented goat’s milk.  It was not bad but it was definitely an acquired taste. We had dried yogurt which is balled up and left on a rooftop until they dry out.  Then they are baked and look like calamari.  They had a strong vinegar taste and I thought I was going to throw up again. I was offered more and worried because I didn’t think I could refuse this offer again. 

But then luckily, the horses arrived so it was time to go.  They were dirty, beaten up and mangy.  I began to panic a little bit.  I had no confidence in them and in me.  As quickly as possible I attempted to convey to everyone and anyone who caught my eye that I was a big, overgrown chicken.  I couldnt control a horse. The lead driver agree to pull my horse for me.

I had to take my left foot and put it on the stirrup and then swing over.  My foot came nowhere near the stirrup.  So with great delight and at greater expense to my ego, they went and got a stool for me to stand on so I could mount the damn, gross horse.  They had a good laugh on me.  I got on the damn thing and almost fell off head first.

They had to put extra padding on our saddles and that was a great help to me. I was so grateful that I decided to ignore the fact that the padding smelled  like dried out, stale urine.

I ignored the huge horseflies that were the size of a nickels and I decided to suck it up if the lead horse relieved himself on me.  I would just throw these pants out when I got back to the hotel.  No big deal. I can live with that.

We strolled through the pastures for about an hour and then we came to a rock called Turtle Rock.  We took a break and I had to get off the horse which caused me some more stress.  I was particularly anxious because I was just recovering from watching Norma get stuck trying to get off her horse.  At one point, it looked as if her head was just about to touch the ground.  One of her legs was still in the stirrup and the other one was stuck on the top of the saddle. It took people a few seconds to respond to Norma’s crisis.  No one could figure out what she was doing, dangling from the side of her horse.  And then people realized that this woman was completing inept in riding horses.  Because I had been so adamant form the start that I was incompetent, Elaine and Norma were ignored and all eyes were on me.  Now you could see a feeling of dread on the horse people’s faces. They had two idiots to tend to. My confidence in both of us was completely gone.

We made it back from the horse ride and we stopped at a Cossack cemetery.  The Cossacks are Russian Muslims. It appeared as if they buried on top of the ground and than dirt is piled on top of the dead body. But then we saw some open graves that appeared to be deep but empty.

When we arrived back at the hotel the others went and showered and then headed out for dinner.  I passed on this option as I still not up to par.  I napped until 9:00 and then ran downstairs for my scheduled neck and chest massage. We were in the midst of a blackout in the hotel so the receptionist took me downstairs to this dark catacomb and into a small room.  She had a flash light which worked intermitted and I had a moment of concern about coming out of this massage alive.  Where was I really going?

The lights did come back on and I discovered that the receptionist was also the masseur. My neck and head massage was a full ½ body massage.  I think she even threw in a little reflexology for good measure.  My calves were really stiff.  This must have been a result of my near catatonic stance when I was on the smelly horse today.

Tomorrow we leave this hotel and head out into the country.  I am looking forward to tomorrow.  


Thursday, March 14, 2019

Acrylic Flow Painting


Acrylic Flow Painting
Gatlinburg, TN
October 13, 2018


I consider myself to be an artist even though I do not have any specific artistic talent. I consider this fact just to be a detail that does need to be addressed in my proclamation of myself.  I am an artist.
So when I saw what my friend was posting on Facebook, I just had to learn how to do this style of painting.

Three of us got together one day and Kris just showed us how to paint.  We spent the afternoon in good company and with a rewarding sense of accomplishment. I want to do more of this style of painting.