This week, Jason and I went to the Castro Theatre to hear my forever love Andy Cohen speak about his new memoir. San Francisco is so lucky to have been one of the 5 cities on his book tour, and I am so lucky to have had a real, genuine moment with him. Mendi convinced me to make him a bookmark with a personalized poem. So, Wednesday afternoon at school, I made one with his name, the name of his book, the golden gate bridge, and a poem about nude illusion tops, side ponies, makers mark, mazels and the like.

After hearing him speak for over an hour (he is so great, personable, gregarious and just like he is on TV), we got in line to have him sign my book. When it was my turn, he said “Hi Daniel” and we snapped a photo. As he was signing, and pulled the bookmark out of the book, and told him that I had made him something and written a silly little poem about him. He looked at it and said, “Oh my god, I love it.” Then, he read the whole poem and said, “I really, really love it. Thank you!” We had great eye contact, shared a moment. Then I shook his hand and said how nice it was to meet him. He’s old and short, but his personality is top notch and I love it so much. I can’t wait to start reading tonight.

#ramoment

My mom and I went to see the CAS production of Hairspray this afternoon, and it was really great. What a fun afternoon. My fave student from CAS, Armando, was in it, and I was really looking forward to seeing him. He was one of my 5th graders, and then I tutored him the summer after 5th grade. Now, he is about to graduate, and what’s crazy is he’s going to my alma mater, Cap, next year. I was waiting for him after the show, and he came right up to me and said, “I thought I saw a familiar face.” It was so, so nice to see him. I also saw my old students Spencer, Robin, Greg and Ian. I love teaching so much, but sometimes I think it’s not for me, because I get so attached. I have a big heart. I am a soft-shelled crab. And although it made me so happy to see Armando, I feel sad that he was my fave and now I never get to see him. He seemed so happy, and that’s what is important. He read his first chapter book ever when he came to CAS-in the 5th grade, and now he’s confident and happy and going to Capuchino High School. Thus is the plight of a teacher, students come and go, and it is hard. Especially for creatures of habit such as myself. There are always new favorites, but it was so wonderful to see him today.

I took my mom to see this documentary at the Sausalito Film Festival today. It was directed by Robert Redford’s son, who was there speaking following the film, and starred his own son, who has Dyslexia and grew up in Marin. Also, happening to be there, was Cyrus and Rowan’s mom, sitting right behind us.

It made me so emotional, I welled up a few times, and very, very happy to be doing what I’m doing. It kills me to think of young people feeling stupid, helpless, alone and confused when they are struggling in school and don’t know why.

Dyslexia has always been a part of my life, for as long as I can remember. My mom has it, my sister has it, my cousin has it and I even went to a school for people who have it. There’s never been a stigma or an uncomfort for me because it has always been there, and was completely normalized. This is not the case for most, and this is what I hope to achieve through my position in this world.

Nothing brings me more joy than sitting in my classroom and listening to my 8-year-old kids saying “I have Dyslexia. It doesn’t mean that I’m not smart, it just means that reading and spelling are a lot harder for me.” It is so amazing that they are speaking so candidly and feeling this way, because for so many who have a learning disability, this is not the case. And for them to be so open and self-aware at a general ed school is truly miraculous.

I love teaching children that no matter what, they can experience success at school, they can be confident and do well, that it is not always going to be easy, that they are going to fail, that they will encounter people who don’t understand and who don’t support them, but as long as they know who they are, what they are good at, and where they need extra help, that they will continue to thrive. This is my plight in life. And I am so honored to be here.

And I owe a lot of it to this lady.