This is the Day .....

Yesterday was "Marathon Monday" ... I headed off to work in my bright yellow and royal blue Boston Strong t-shirt. I only sort of half paid attention to the Boston Marathon until 2013. I was contemplating picking up running again before the bombings took place. For some reason that was the final straw, I started again. I stuck with it for a long time and then I let circumstances take the wheel and it fell by the wayside. 

I saw a video clip a little earlier of Rebekah Gregory crossing the finish line, dropping to her knees and resting her head on the pavement. I cannot imagine how she must of felt .. running a marathon on a prosthesis. I'm pretty sure it wasn't something on her bucket list .. at least not 2 years ago. 

Have there ever been times in your life where you have made a conscious decision to face something head on, something that had a mysterious control over you? 

There are few that come to mind for me .... 

the day I decided to get divorced and the day it was final

the day I decided that I wasn't going to waste energy on the nay sayers, the people who would always have an opinion AND see fit to share it with me even though I never asked

the day I decided to not let "I got laid off" define me

the day I decided not being the first choice was OK

I think this woman who decided that yesterday was her line in the sand, her chance to heal, her time to let go of the past, to "Take her life back" is incredibly brave and strong. I think when she knelt down at that finish line, that was when she really began to soar. 

Bravo, Rebekah Gregory, BRAVO 

Sometimes All You Have is Your Voice

The City of Norwich is proposing a 1% increase to the education budget. It is unrealistic and impractical to think that there will not be dire consequences. I value the education my kids and every other child is offered and I'm angry that it is being threatened. 

So many of you know that I am a Do'er, someone who is not afraid to lead, not afraid to take on work and that I am advocate for the educators that I have been so lucky to get to know this past year. Another one of the many blessings I have come to recognize after losing my job last April. 

There was a hearing tonight where the public would have the opportunity to speak, last week I got a text asking if I would. I declined with complete transparency "I'm terrified to speak in that setting" ... sincere words of encouragement followed. As the week went on, more encouragement and the guarantee my speaking out couldn't make anything worse. 

I went tonight and proudly sat in that gallery with a handful of parents, teachers and administrators and shared the following words. 

As a resident of Norwich and parent of 2 daughters attending Norwich Public Schools, I am deeply troubled by the proposed 1% increase to the education budget.

Given the demands of the Common Core Curriculum, changes to technology based standardized testing and the considerable diversity in the student population our teachers and staff are working extremely hard to give our students the best possible experience. By all accounts, there is visible success; failing to fund the budget at requested levels puts that success in jeopardy.

It is unfortunate that Norwich Public Schools is held hostage to the tuition increases at NFA. We cannot sacrifice PreK – 8 to cover the rising costs of 9-12.  

The funding of public education in Norwich is not just an issue for residents with school age children; the quality of our schools is what makes people want to move to our city and promotes growth and development.

Today there are many options in education – regional magnet schools, charter schools, private or parochial schools … My husband and I carefully considered our choices and chose Norwich Public Schools – it is time for you, our elected officials, to choose Norwich Public Schools too. 

Sometimes all you have is a voice and sometimes that is all you need. I only hope that I was heard.

Just Don't Picture Them Naked ....

If you follow this blog or know anything about me you know that I work on a college campus and the majority of my employees are students. We have quickly built strong working relationships. Today, two of my seniors were covering the desk while I was getting ready to leave. They were working side by side on a challenging project that was due by 8 am tomorrow. I shared with them how I was planning to speak at a public hearing on my town's budget and that I was very nervous. They both offered words of encouragement ... one said "just tell yourself you are talking to a group of friends" 

I stopped to ponder that for a few seconds...I was trying to decide if that might be a legitimate approach. 

Then she quickly added "just don't do that thing where you picture them naked, that never works well, you just end up laughing" I agreed and said my good byes and headed home. 

Fast Forward to later, at first it looks like I won't make it then Paul blows in at 6:25 and says "go, go  ... you can still get there"

I grab my prepared words, I find a place to park and even a seat near a friendly face in the gallery. I am late so I am not on the official "list" of people to be called to the podium. They work through that list of people and then the Mayor asks "Is there anyone else that would like to speak?"

The moment of truth .. I raise my hand ... a few others get called before me but then it is my turn. I walk to the podium, lean into the microphone and say "My name is Heather Romanski and I live ...."

I didn't think of them as friends or anything really. I tried to refer to my paper as little as possible, I tried to look at each face at least once, and I smiled when appropriate. Quite frankly, there were moments when I could hardly hear myself talk because my heart was pounding so hard that I thought my head would literally explode in the Council Chambers ... wouldn't THAT have been a headline.  I just kept reading and way before my 3 minutes were up I was thanking them and heading back to my seat.

At least I didn't picture them naked ... I'm not sure my heart or head could have taken that!