Oprah Was Right

Fourth-grade teachers are pretty special. Oprah had Mrs. Dunkin/Duncan (it's spelled differently on two different episodes), I had Ms. Blas.

Ms. Blas was our Reading teacher 20 (!) years ago. Grade 4 wasn't one of my best years--this was when family life was going through a rough patch, and I think it reflected on my academics. But having Ms. Blas was one of the brighter spots that year--she was the nicest teacher I had, and it didn't hurt that she taught one of my absolute favorite subjects.

The last I heard from her was April 1991, report card day. That was the day she gave me a copy of The Secret Garden, which ended up becoming one of my favorite books--I read it every summer for years. Every time I read it, I would think of her.

Well, I had my own Oprah-surprise moment when I got this message a couple of months ago through Facebook:

"Good to see former students like you doing so well in your chosen fields. Was happy to see you as EIC of GH. Great job!"

She was no longer Ms. Blas, having gotten married soon after she stopped teaching at my school, and now has four kids (including a college student and a fourth grader--boggles the mind thinking I was that age when I had her as my teacher!). We made arrangements to meet up, and one of my BFFs (who was my best friend in fourth grade!) and I had dinner with her.

With BFF and the teacher formerly known as Ms. Blas. We also got to meet her husband. They're so cute together!

Oh, and that book she gave me 20 years ago? I still have it.

It's seen better days, but I still have it!

3 April 19-frickin'-91!

Twenty years. The story of our reunion is a Facebook ad waiting to happen.

Who was your favorite fourth-grade teacher? Are you in touch?

Tishie vs. K-Pop

One of my BFFs posted a link to this video on my wall...

We were both dancers in our past lives, which is part of the reason she shared this vid with me. But here's the thing about my BFF: She is absolutely K-Pop-obsessed. Not entirely something she's proud of, and not something I could understand. Which is one reason I'm reading this book...

I had to read this because, aside from the fact that it's written by a friend of mine, I figured it'd also give me some insight into the dizzying world of K-Pop and why it's got my best friend so hooked. I gotta admit, for a time I felt like I was losing my BFF to all things Korean. I just couldn't...relate. I even confessed to my husband that I felt like BFF and I were drifting apart. But reading this book, I'm realizing that a K-Pop obsession is much more than just singing along to songs you don't understand, watching Koreanovelas with plotlines that have been rehashed over and over again (and yet still remain kilig), and eating Korean takeout while watching a concert DVD. It's about being in the company of like-minded friends, having a judgement-free zone (the way all true friendships are supposed to have), and having a solid support group that shares all your joys and sorrows. If that's what K-Pop is giving my BFF, then I'm all for it.