"Word Day"

Wednesday, 15th January

Dear Diary,

Today was about brain-work, about making plans, playing with ideas and daydreaming. Tomorrow will be about word-work.

Yes, Thursday 16th is going to be a Word Day from start to finish. Tomorrow I'll be Teaching, Facilitating my Writer's Group and Storytelling at the first Session of the new year for my monthly Storytelling Night 'Sea Speak Storytelling'. Tomorrow is going to be a big day! I am delighted to be back Teaching Creative Writing again this term. Yesterday I finished up with 6th Class. Tomorrow I begin new course work with 4th Class which will expand on our lesson from last term. I am full of enthusiasm for the lesson plan and for working with the Girls of 4th Class and their wonderful Teacher. These are a particularly creative set of minds and I'm a lucky lady to get to spend time in their classroom.

My mind races at a mile a minute tonight. Teaching, Writer's Group and Sea Speak Storytelling mean the words will flow all day. The ideas will be mighty! As will be the craic. I simply can not wait to see my Writer's Group Girls again. The Girls were insistent that I return to Facilitate Writer's Group this term so much so that, in the event that I did not return, that had devised a plan to kidnap me and keep me as their own!! Kidnap you say!! I was not alarmed. The Girls were very thoughtful in their plan. They asked me what kind of vehicle I would like for comfort (that's where they were going to keep me, if the School denied them) assuring me that I would have all the blankets and pillows they could secure, books, notepads for writing, a small light and hot beverages. They even had plans to try to secure a caravan if possible. Now, I ask you, how could I be scared? Really, I could not be anything but heart-meltingly honored. So, in the end they were not denied and did not have to go to the trouble of kidnapping me, keeping me warm and well stocked with blankets, pillows, books and notepads. When I told them that I would be back this term they broke out in a screeching scream and encircled me, all hugging me at the same time; no doubt partially because this would save them the hassle of having to execute the Kidnapping Plan. I think we gave a brand new meaning to group-hug that day. They spontaneously stopped the hugging and, as if in one mind, broke out into song and dance. Two of my Girls put their arms in front of them and started bouncing in that all too familiar 'Gangnam Style' way.
You know the one, by Psy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyT_KyAqDEc
Except they had converted it to, well, Me. It was "Daria Style", complete with the hand gestures of someone writing!!!! Seriously, they did the whole song......"Whoop, whoop, Daria Style". Does it get any cooler????
I think not!! We laughed and had a great last session together. That very same day we also filmed, with the help of Anita and Lynda, our message to the Children at Temple Street Childrens Hospital in Dublin.

As creative, talented, fun, funny and fantastic these girls are, they are also that kind-hearted. Our project last term was to write Christmas stories for the children at Temple Street Childrens Hospital that would be too sick to go home at Christmastime and have to remain there. I pitched this idea to the girls on the first day. I thought I might have to 'sell-it'. I was wrong. No hard sell, no sell at all. I simply explained my idea to the girls and they overwhelming agreed and felt they wanted to do something for the children to let them know someone was thinking about them. The kindness just poured out from them. We made our plan to have a set of Stories ready for delivery at Christmastime. What I never bargained on was the sheer commitment of the Girls. By the time I made my delivery to Temple Street I quite literally had a Bag Full of Stories! I had typed up all of the Girls Stories and individually packaged them in envelopes with messages and sparkly stickers on each. The idea being that each child get their own Story-Present. I also put all of the Stories into a Storybook and presented that as well. The Storybook would be for all to share in the Playroom, giving the children the chance to read the other Stories on offer, and allowing the Staff and Parents and Siblings and chance to have a read too. And what was our final delivery you may ask? I delivered that day 6 Gorgeous Drawings and 18 Fantastic Stories!!!! I might add this was all accomplished in just six weeks! These Ladies are a most talented and kind bunch and I'd say one's to watch for sure! Now, that's what I call REAL Girl Power!!! Here's a little peak at the delivery.