And Out of the Chrysalis, a Frog Painting is Hatched (and On Clearance, Too). It Was Simply Meant to Be.

It sort of began with Grannie Annie. She had a frog collection, and often used their open mouths to put flies she swatted on Milford Street and Loch Lebanon, Then I found a frog backpack at the Louisville Zoo. I used it to carry my things and in my first year of teaching, kids (students) began calling me frog. The rest has been history. For the decade I was in Kentucky, the teacher nickname Frog stuck and the pond, the name for the classroom on the corner of Muhammad Ali and 1st Street, became the phenomenon that it was.

Funny that this year's blog is a Chrysalis theme, because yesterday while looking for a new book-bag to move items to and from work, I came across this painting on clearance and thought, "I think I need this for my office. It was a good $100 off, so I didn't mind picking it up. It said it was an original, but I got it at Home Goods, and found a couple more, although they were twice as expensive, even though they were only 1/4th the size.

In my house, I have boxes and boxes of frog paraphernalia, and I've been thinking it might be time to keep it boxed away, so this year's life can begin anew (hence, the Chrysalis). I believe I will trade all the memories of yesteryear - the knick knacks that cluttered my Connecticut Office, for one giant emblem that will hang above my desk, I have no spacial intelligence, so Pam said she'd be glad to redo my office if she can feng shui the suite. All the little tadpoles will be traded in for the giant one that will pretty-much take over the office wall (that is, if I can fit my degrees and diplomas on the same wall). Kaitlyn said, "That's crazy that you found a painting that pretty much represents the emblem you've put out into the universe." I responded, "It's my Patronus and alter-ego. I couldn't pass it by."

It's a sign. Frog is Bryan and has been for the last few decades of teaching. I'm ready to put this guy up on the wall as a representation of what I've set out to do and accomplish. I prefer the pond life and will do anything for the mosquitos, rabbits, crows, dragonflies, turtles, deer, butterflies, moths, worms, fish, fox, owls and birds that come my way. He can reign supreme in room 115 Canisius Hall, which I will move back into today (if I can have maintenance open my filing cabinets to put away all the files).

This might be the best $40 bucks I've ever spent and I told Chitunga (Eagle) that I won't clutter our home with it, but will let it be personified in the ol' office...a guiding spirit like the Daemons in His Dark Materials.

We all need out spirit animals, and the frog found me so I go with it. Trust me, I will definitely post more photos when it is up in my office because it doesn't look as large in this photo as it actually is. It is a king-like photo and I'm thrilled to have it for my wall.

Ha! It will be like looking in a mirror.

Thus begins my 43rd year of being in schools! It would be nice to say I've known a year without enrollment (either as a student or educator), but since I turned 5, this is the way my life has been. Do I really have another 22 years in me? I guess we'll wait and see.