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Today was a day of memories!

Memory #1: Today for our professional development, we journeyed down into South L.A. proper for a day of teacher-to-teacher sessions. Mostly boring, although at times, actually helpful. Two years ago, we did the same thing, and one of my best memories from that experience was eating lunch at a little hole-in-the-wall BBQ joint called Smokee Joe’s. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a sucker for good BBQ, and I was intensely disappointed when I was told by a colleague that this BBQ place had since gone out of business!

Memory #2: The background track your currently hearing is by a group called Arthur & Yu, a group that I had never heard of, and happened to hear live, during an in-store performance at a small little music shop in downtown Seattle during my road trip last year.

Memory #3: Today, after work, I stopped by the Bresee Foundation, an after-school recreation/tutoring center where a friend of mine from Mosaic works. It’s a very cool center, although it’s pretty far from Cochran to refer any kids there. What’s cool is that recently I happened to find out that one of my former students M—– (currently a junior), has been volunteering there and has gotten to know my friend from Mosaic pretty well. I’ve got to say that it’s so cool to see former students doing well, experiencing a life they love, and even giving back to others! The highlight of my day.