Thank You/A Worthwhile Commitment

I have been so honored this week by the recognition of my peers.  First, I was excited to find out that Drew Frank, the Director of Academic Operations and Lower School Principal at The Davis Academy, nominate Berg’s Eye View for Best Middle School Administrator Blog 2013!  Knowing that my work is impactful to other educators is beyond meaningful to me…thank you so much Drew!  Drew blogs at www.drewfrank.edublogs.org and tweets @ugafrank.  Read the blog and join the PLN.  Drew is a dynamic thinking/leader, and totally invested in making this world a place of learning and growth.

A few days after I received Drew’s message, still beside myself with shock and appreciation, I received a tweet from Ben Gilpin, an Elementary Principal and a primary blogging role model of mine.  Ben has nominated Berg’s Eye View for a Sunshine Award, which gives readers an opportunity to learn more about me and the work I’m engaged in, and gives me an opportunity to recognize 11 of the amazing blogger I read.  Ben Blogs at www.Colorfulprincipal.blogspot.com and tweets @benjamingilpin.  Get connected…be inspired!  Thank you very much Ben…this is a huge honor for me!

The bottom line of any recognition, whether it’s a comment posted on the blog, a tweet, retweet, or favorite with the Berg’s Eye View link in it, or the extreme honor of these two wonderful nominations, is that it all confirms my commitment to thinking critically & writing about growth, development, education, leadership, and related content is worthwhile beyond it’s reflective impact on me.  I am overjoyed to know that my work is reaching people, and doubly overjoyed when those people reach back to connect, collaborate, share, or engage as partners in learning!

Sunshine Award:

According to the rules of the sunshine award I am required to:

1.  Acknowledge the nominating blogger.

2.  Share 11 random facts about myself.

3.  Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for me.

4.  List 11 bloggers that I believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love!

5.  Post 11 questions for the loggers I nominate (cannot nominate the blogger who nominate me).

11 random facts about myself:

1.  I truly enjoy Slurpees and kettle cooked potato chips…a winning combination!

2.  I am a dyed in the wool Michigan State Spartan!

3.  I worked in food service for over a decade before I became an educator.

4.  I sang and played rhythm guitar with a rock & roll band called “Garnished Hum” in College.

5.  I have a passion for video/music production and can happily spend hours editing.

6.  I love to write in multiple genres including fiction and poetry.

7.  I have five brothers and sisters.

8.  Gardening/landscaping is my meditation.

9.  I always believe that the Detroit Lions are going to win (lifelong fan).

10.   I am a big fan of Stephen Covey.

11.  Nothing is more important to me than family.

Here are my answers to Ben’s questions:

1.  I prefer to shop in stores rather than online.  I like to handle the merchandise.

2.  I own four or five pairs of shoes, but I only wear two – work and not work.

3.  My favorite type of music is good old Rock and Roll!  I’ve been known to get as edgy as Linkin Park and as laid back as James Taylor, but everywhere in between suits me just fine as well.  Incidentally, I am an obnoxious car singer!

4.  My wife and I are true dog people…can’t live without ‘em!  We have two little ones right now, and we deeply miss our big guy Tyler who passed almost five years ago.  One of our son’s sleeps with a blanket that has Tyler’s image embroidered into it…calls Tyler his “Angel Doggie.”

5.  With three little ones, my typical bedtime – after dinner, play, wrestling our way up the stairs, baths, books, songs, and tucking in (sometimes repeatedly), is around nine and no later than ten.

6.  My favorite twitter chat at the moment is #COLchat – great think tank out of Shwartz Creek, MI, & populated with enthusiastic collaborators.  Also, can’t leave out the wonderful #sunchat for a thought provoking wake up call on Sunday mornings.

7.  I vote on issues and candidates rather than parties (how about that spin).

8.  I’ve been blessed with lots of great vacations in my life, but the top was our wonderful honeymoon in Aruba!

9.  I love to read, so it’s hard to choose a best, but I read Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl earlier this year and found it intensely impactful.

10.  Big Gilligan’s Island fan growing up.

11.  On thing that I rarely share but am extremely proud of is what an amazing partner and mother my wife is.  I am truly blessed to have her in my life and should get around to recognizing that more often!

Now it’s time for me to nominate 11 bloggers who deserve the Sunshine award.  I read and appreciate so many.  Please forgive me in advance for only listing 11…well maybe 12!

http://principalsintraining.wordpress.com/

Great at connecting people!

http://starrsackstein.com/

So thoughtful and prolific!

http://whittyplcguy.blogspot.com/

Leadership gold mine!

http://hatechalk.blogspot.com/

Amazing and inspirational educator!

http://drewfrank.edublogs.org/

Great read – excellent resource!

http://reflectwithrachel.wordpress.com/

Beyond reflective and motivational!

http://hickeyleadershipgroup.com/

Essential insights, support, and encouragement!

http://leadingmotivatedlearners.blogspot.com/

Down to earth and visionary!

http://pernillesripp.com/

Authentic and articulate!

http://www.kleinspiration.com/

Every resource you every dreamt of!

http://www.toddnesloney.com/

Forward thinking, optimistic, thought leader!

http://www.twoguysandsomeipads.com/

Cutting edge & energized!

Again, I could quadruple this list.  Thank you to all of the incredible thinkers, leaders, and writers who inspire me on a daily basis!

Finally, according to the Sunshine award rules, it’s my turn to ask 11 questions of my nominees:

1.  What is your favorite movie of all time?

2.  Which teacher inspired you most as a k-12 student?

3.  Are you a sports fan?  If so, season?  Team?  If not, what does get you fired up?

4.  How many siblings do you have?

5.  Eat out or cook at home?

6.  Where do you go to get away?

7.  What do you do for fun?  Hobby?

8.  Read any good books lately?

9.  Favorite pizza toppings?

10.  Addicted to any television series?

11.  What would you have your readers know about you that you haven’t shared?

 

Dream Big.  Work Hard.  Be Well.