She Who Presents

My life has taken on a interesting activity in the last six months. It all started in October when my ever-loathed boss declared that I must prove I and learning and that I know stuff; work stuff. At the time, the only thing besides taking a test that I could think of to prove my knowledge was to make presentations and spout my wisdom. After some grumbling he agreed - truth is he had no idea how to accomplish this feat either.

Anyway, in the past 6 months I've done close to 10 presentations, if you count the two that I vastly revised.

And now, in the wee hours of the night - nearly the morn - and it will be morn before I finish everything I need to finish tonight... I am again scouring the intenet gathering data for a presentation due to tomorrow morning.

But this presentation has me wishing I could spend the rest of my life in this world... Its a presentation about my ancestral homeland. Scotland.

That's right, reader, I am of Scottish heritage. I am special. The sound of bag pipes stir my soul and take me back centuries to highland country and prickly wool tartans. Its in my blood. And I can see the country when I close my eyes. I can feel the cold wind.

Its International Week (two weeks really, but hey...) in the Pre-k world of my dear young Iron Man. He's been around the world; China, Turkey, Egypt, Cameroon, Pakistan, India, Yemen. Mostly the Middle East :-) Well, I decided I would represent an ancient "western" culture.

Truth is I am a mutt... Western European heritage. Dutch fisherman, French Huguenots, German carpenters, and Scottish coal miners. In the tradition of the Scottish, I am named after my father's grandmother - who my father adored. She was brought to this country, to Pennsylvania, right around the time of the civil war. She had one sister and 5 brothers.

Anyway... I decided the best way to show the children something outside their Middle Eastern comfort zone would be through pictures, music and food! So I am putting together a slide show of ancient castles, mountains, lochs and valleys. I hunted down some free bagpipe mp3s and the shortbread cookies are packed up. We are going to have a great time.

But even more, I am reminded of my love for this place I've never been.

I want to write. I keep saying that. And lately all the pieces are coming together. From having the energy and making the time, to finding someone who has shown me enough of the process she uses which feels like a process I could use, to the images, music and food that stirs my soul.

It should be noted that french fries and canned spinach would stir my soul - I've put myself on a super strick diet and I miss eating yummy stuff to my heart's content. But that is another post for another time.

So presentation 11 is tomorrow morning at 9 sharp, as soon as circle time starts. I am looking forward to my young audience. I hope they will be gentle in their critique. If they aren't, I'll whip out the cookies early :-) Maybe I should have been baking for the ever-loathed boss...

She who bakes... I like it. Maybe an old fashioned stone and wood fire oven in a drafting castle high on a hill overlooking the North Sea...