Grad School was 7 years ago and I still have nightmares that I won’t graduate

I don’t know why but I have a recurring nightmare that I am still in grad school and that I am not going to graduate.  The reason is never the same…they vary from a small transgression (late for clinic) to serious (skipping classes.) They make me wake up in a panic, which was a feeling I remember from grad school…the “I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten about a big assignment” feeling that used to gnaw at my insides. There have been times where I literally needed to look at my diploma for a moment when I woke after this nightmare and remind myself that I DID do it, I graduated and have a great job now.

Sometimes I think of the professor that told me that I was a nice girl but that I wasn’t quite “cut out” for grad school.  I think that helped me tho, I knew I could do it even if she wasn’t sure.

pretending to observe in grad school

I’m not sure why I am thinking of this now, except that I am facing a pile of paperwork and reports.  Summer is coming up quickly, then I get to start another year. Screenings, assessments, therapy and meetings  Love it.

Do/Did you ever have a nightmare about grad school or is it only me?

Work Moments

After finishing the language portion of an assessment and halfway through the phonological awareness testing a boy smiled slightly at me and said, “Know what I’m good at? Math.”

I made him smile wider when I told him that math had always been hard for me.

Today was an assessment day so we did not get to have one of those A-ha moments that come during therapy.  I’m really not sure how I felt when he shared this tidbit with me, but I do know that he was proud when he did better than me on the math game on the iPad we played at the end.

**edited to add** as soon as I hit publish I managed to inhale/choke on my coffee.  I am in a borrowed office so I didn’t want to spit everywhere.  I have to drive home and this is a nice blouse (yes I said blouse) so I definitely didn’t want to spit on myself. What did I do you ask? I spit it all back in my cup (because I’m classy like that.)

The coffee was delicious. Almost tempted to still drink it.

I’m kidding.

SLPeep Scavenger Hunt!

Greetings fellow speech lovers and my audiology lovelies! I’ve been gone awhile, busy busy as I’m sure you all are but NATURALLY we have to do something for Speech and Hearing Month.  This is open to all! (SLPeeps, AudPeeps, SLP and AUD 2B, organizations, businesses…)

I present….the SLPeep (and AudPeep) Scavenger hunt! It is similiar to a photo of the day (although some entries may not be photos) and allows the option for participants to “catch up” if they fall behind on posts.  There is an opportunity to enter 30 times, but each entry has to include @ndnspeechmom on twitter so I will be able to find them easily.  (Entries can be in the form of pics, links or informative tweets.) Prizes are TBA but I think there will be 3 prizes at least.

Be creative; use the 30 topics as inspiration for your entries.  It is always fun to see all the entries, I am looking forward to getting new ideas for apps, tx and resources.  I hope quite a few of you will enter, it will be awesome I promise! As always, businesses and app developers are welcome to enter and build relationships with the SLPeeps and the AudPeeps…we are a friendly bunch!

Happy May Month everyone.  Watch the blog for recaps of entries…and enjoy the ideas and information.

Today’s Heroes!

I generally don’t do SLP app or game reviews because there are already so many that do an amazing job (like Sean & Aubrey to name a couple) but today 3 particular games and apps have really saved my bacon. The kids this morning I was working with couldn’t/wouldn’t focus on anything so I pulled out the big guns. EVERYONE LOVED…

Jeepers Peepers by Super Duper. I found out about this awesome game when Ashley was participating in my #mmpotd challenge last May. (I went through the stack and chose cards that matched the artic goals but it was a great language activity too.)

Speech With Milo Gameboard app. Today the old fashioned games just weren’t working. (This game is for artic practice, just wish it had /l/.) We had fun doing the celebration dance to the music at the end. (I won btw)

The Grumble Noise by Erik Raj. We did this at the end as a treat, worked out well as a language activity and the kids loved exploring the pages. (My son Jr LOVES this book and sometimes hides under his Cielo and Diego’s beds saying, “grumble grumble GRUMBLE!”)

So thanks Ashley, Milo and Erik! You guys are my heroes!

Tweet Me Maybe!

The winner of the contest was the beautiful @SpeechyKeenSLP She is the proud new owner of @meabfly earrings!!

I put the contest submissions into a quick video using the song Tweet Me Maybe created for the flashmob

vocals by @Jsparkles9

Even though I didn’t get to go to Atlanta, I am happy to get to see all the pics…makes me feel better about missing it.