Fifty Nifty United States

Fifty Nifty United States from thirteen original colonies;

Fifty Nifty stars on the flag that billows so beautifully in the breeze.

Each individual state contributes a quality that's great.

Each individual state deserves a bow, We salute them now.

Fifty Nifty United States from thirteen original colonies

Shout 'em, scout 'em, tell all about 'em

One by one, til we've given a name

to every state in the USA.

I first learned this song in Mrs. Benson's fourth grade music class at Kennedy Elementary in Norman, OK.  I'd forgotten the words to the verses but the list of states in alphabetical order is how I've always remembered all of the states.  While social studies isn't something that I teach (nor is music) I don't have opportunities to sing this song with my students, but it's certainly a fun one!

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, ARKANSAS, California, COLORADO, Connecticut

I've lived in Alabama and Arkansas and have fallen in love with Colorado.  I spoke at a conference in Arkansas...twice.  I originally got my teaching license in the state of Arkansas when I graduated from Harding University in Searcy.

Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana

Chicago is a very fun city!  I've been there a handful of times and every trip is different...kind of like my trips to New York.  I spoke at a conference in Chicago a few years ago.

Iowa, KANSAS, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine

Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan

My favorite vacation of all time was to Boston, Massachusetts...I will go back some day.  I've not yet been to Hawaii.  I've love the history packed east coast which includes my time in Maryland...although that's somewhere else I'll return some day.  There's no place like home...says Dorothy of Kansas.  There's no place like the deep south either!

Minnesota, Mississippi, MISSOURI, MONTANA, 

Nebraska, NEVADA,

I have lots of exploring left to do in Missouri.  Despite the fact that I've been there several times, I've not been to St. Louis or Kansas City.  One of my favorite memories from college is a spontaneous road trip I took with my friend Fawnda when she went home to Missouri.  She was driving out of our dorm parking lot and as she passed me she rolled her window down and asked if I had plans for the weekend.  As it turns out I didn't, so I tossed a few things in a bag and off we went to her hometown of Springfield, Missouri.  I also had my one and only Lambert's experience on that trip...The Only Home of Throwed Rolls.

New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, NEW YORK,

NORTH CAROLINA, North Dakota, Ohio

There are no short or concise words to describe New York and I'm well aware that New York City isn't indicative of the rest of the state.  I've been to Niagara Falls, NY and Buffalo NY in addition to my trips to Manhattan.  Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song Empire State of Mind and Frank Sinatra's New York are both fun and inspiring songs.

OKLAHOMA, Oregon, Pennsylvania, 

Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,

TENNESSEE, Texas

I've lived most of my life in Oklahoma...Norman, Tulsa and now Stillwater.  I've also made several trips to both Tennessee and Texas to either see family and friends or just to vacation.  I've been to Oregon once, to Portland for a conference.  

UTAH, Vermont, VIRGINIA, Washington,

West Virginia, Wisconsin, WYOMING!

That's fifty!  If you've made it this far you're probably wondering why there are some in red and some in blue. They are in two colors because for me they are in two groups...states I have applied for jobs in and states I'm still looking at.  If the state's name is in blue, I have applied for a teaching position, am in the process of applying for a teaching position, or I've applied for a teaching license in that state for next school year.  That would be my one-a-day.  

I originally set a goal of completing one application every day.  One job application completed each day in search of a new position for next school year.  What I quickly discovered was that the applications are not only lengthy, but also require digital copies of documents I only had hard copies of (certification test scores, transcripts, etc.).  I'm doing better with my modified goal of doing at least one thing every day to find a new job.  Sometimes that's talking to a contact, e-mailing a reference, checking the list of websites that I've designated for daily visits, things like that.  Now that I've done some of the preliminary work I should be able to increase my volume of applications and get back to my original goal of one application completed a day.

My journey is most certainly changing...I'm nervous, but yet excited for the new possibilities!