Day one...not as I expected but a beginning nonetheless

Well I was on the road by 8 am as planned. I headed out towards Provincetown, the point the furthest east in this part of the country (I think Maine is further east in general). It was a lot farther away than I thought but it was a beautiful ride.

I promised myself that I wouldn't miss any scenic stops on my journeys because who knew when I'd be in the area again. I saw a sign for the Nauset Light House so being a water aficionado, I had to check it out. I ended up on a back road which I thought was going nowhere. Instead, it not only went to the lighthouse and beach, it passed right by Nauset High School, which I had labeled the second stop on my list. Am I meant to take this journey or what?

So they became my first visit and what a good one it was! The secretary was very pleased to receive the 'goodies' I had for her and welcomed me warmly. I think her name was Wendy. She was delightful though and understood the nervousness I felt as this was the true beginning. I'm feeling very encouraged.

I did make it to Provincetown which I hadn't been to in years (the last time was when I was sharing weekly flying expeditions with my flying buddy Johannes). I found the school but when I went to the door, I couldn't get in. I knocked, looked for a buzzer...nothing. No cars, no visible people. I'm not sure what was going on today but I couldn't find a way in. I know how security has changed at shcools so I've got to keep that in mind as I visit. So I'll mail them the packet. Too far to go back.

The rest of the schools I just scouted out. When I got to Chatham, I had to see the coast near the famed light house. I was looking through a sample bag again and realized that I had omitted one item. Thought it would be better to have everything complete than to give them a packet with something obviouly missing. Need to get a better system in place...that's the lesson to be learned here.

All in all, a positive day though. I'll be back to them next Wednesday. Between now and then, I'll drop a few more off at local schools. Need to set myself a goal per week...in between all the other projects I'm working on.

Over and out...day one done!

Cape Cod - The Journey Really Begins!

Finally the Ultimate School Trip is beginning. I've checked into the quaint Beach 'n Towne Motel in Yarmouth, Massachusetts so that I can be up early and head out to the Land's End, Provincetown. It's a bit long for a day trip from home not distance wise so much as the fact that there are no major highways on the Cape. Sure there's Route 6 but I'm guessing that it might be pretty busy early in the morning tomorrow. With typical high school start times running at 7 am, I've got to start early if I'm going to get all the high schools on the Cape in tomorrow.

I've put together a packet that includes a letter to the principal, stress management cards for the administrators in the school (principal, assistant principal and dean)and secretaries, a list of all the programs and products I've developed and collected to help schools be more optimistic and successful and a goody bag filled with hard candy and a smiling eraser. All of this in a bag with a small magic wand on the outside.

Why a magic wand? Because I'm the "Good Fairy of Eduation!" of course. More on that later...or you can check here

The Ultimate School Trip: Still not started

Almost two weeks have passed since the last post and I still haven't started the journey. Life gets in the way of course for all of us but this was the ending of summer, a birthday to celebrate over several days, a holiday weekend, a trip to the Boston Red Sox...and getting the other parts of my life in order to begin this journey.

I wish I could afford to just pick up and go but finances don't allow that. I need to use home as a base for the beginning with day trips and maybe one night overnight per week. I probably should have started my company as a non-profit so that I could get sponsors to help defray the cost of this adventure. I've researched a few companies that I do business with - hotels, restaurants (Panera) to see if they could help me but they only donate to non profits. Maybe I'll form one but if I do, I want to do it right. Can I own a profit company which is my career/job and a non-profit that helps fund me visiting schools?

All that will be decided another day. For now, I need to get my correspondences out to the 4 states that responded to my mailer to all the commissioners of education, get my web design/internet obligations done and get my home life in order.

Cape Cod schools are on the agenda for this week. The journey must begin and as Wayne Dyer says in his new PBS special - don't worry about the big picture. Instead focus on one small task at a time...and the big project will take care of itself. One school at a time, one more place where optimism and success go hand and hand. I can't wait!

The Ultimate Trip: Ok, I'm not starting in Chicago!

Any idea what the first day of school is like? Kind of busy and crazy to say the least. Not that schools don't know what they're doing....that's not it at all. It's just that there are lots of students trying to make sense of their schedule, parents coming in to enter new students, teachers trying to wrap their mind around 150 new students and all that's required for themthe first few days.

And that's the day I happen to be in Chicago! Today is the first day of school for many of the schools around the city. So I'm postponing starting til I get back home later today. I need to respect that schools do not need a visitor on the first day. They don't need a stranger coming in...even one bearing gifts to help their school lives.

So I'll just go out for the the few hours I have left in this beautiful city and enjoy it. I know I'll be back.