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Clean slate |
by Dale Burgos
This time last year, I was hopeful for 2020. To me, it was going to be a significant year. I was going to create marketing campaigns called “2020 Vision.” I was planning to have so much fun with it! I had the graphics ready to go – think eyeballs instead of zeroes! So cheesy, right?
Turns out, we could not have envisioned what kind of year 2020 would eventually become. It’s been one we will not forget for a very long time. For me, it will be remembered as a “challenging and unprecedented time.” (I swear, I will never use that phrase in any of my writing for work again)
For this article, I’m choosing to stay away from COVID-19, much like how I am living my everyday life. The only thing I’ll say is, thank you for wearing a mask!
So, what’s good you ask?
Top news, I’m a Lolo! I shared this fantastic news with you back in September. Something you didn’t know: she recently underwent surgery. At less than four months old, Tegyn Crystal Ann had a procedure due to her craniosynostosis diagnosis. Elizabeth and I were a bit scared as the surgery sounded very serious. What I understood about the surgery is that the doctor would cut her scalp and remove some of her skull. Apparently, this is a somewhat common surgery, which, I guess, was supposed to calm my nerves. What compounded my fear was that Elizabeth and I weren’t able to travel to Winnipeg to be with her.
Here is Wikipedia’s explanation of her diagnosis: Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a baby’s skull join together too early. This happens before the baby’s brain is fully formed. As the baby’s brain grows, the skull can become more misshapen. Gone untreated, it could cause complications later in life.
Surgery took five hours and baby Tegyn is healing nicely. Still smiling without a care in the world!
In other news…
Dale Jr. put in a lot of hard work during his early years in high school. It paid off because he completed all his required courses (and more) to graduate high school early in his Grade 12 year. It worked out since school isn’t quite the same anymore and he’d rather not have to endure a full year in this new way of learning during a global pandemic. He’s happy to be done and start planning for his next stage in life.
Similar news with kid #4 (Gavin). He’s in Grade 11, but since he can complete some courses remotely, he’s on track to graduate high school a full year early! He too is quite happy to be done with school. What’s next for him and Rece? Who knows what their path will be. Hopefully their future plans don’t involve living with mom and dad forever. I knew I should have bought a smaller house!
As for #5 (Bella), she’s only in Grade 9 and has to wait it out a few more years, but she is ready to be done with school as well. I’m hoping one of the kids takes on a profession that will pay for my extravagant lifestyle in retirement. I think that sounds like a solid plan, right?
Other big news, Elizabeth and I celebrated 19 years together! It boggles my mind that she’s been able to accept my many quirks, which are too many to list in one article. She does shake her head a lot at me, but follows it with, “Oh Dale, I love you.” She gets me, thank God.
In the last bit of positive news for the Burgos’, I’m the newly elected President for the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education (CACE for short). The election process took place in November, not long after another slightly more important election took place down south. The big difference, the CACE results were not disputed and the past president gladly handed over the reigns.
The organization’s 300 members are some of the very best communicators and public relations professionals from Kindergarten to Grade 12 school boards across the country. I am honoured to be in the presence of so many award-winning professionals. I look forward to guiding this group in professional learning and networking during these challenging and unprecedented times. (Ahh! Last time, I promise)
2021 marks the 13th year that I have been writing in The Pilipino Express News Magazine, which happens to be around the same time I started working in the education sector. Thanks to Ate Emmie, Kuya Paul, and Kuya Rey-ar for allowing me to share my stories these many years. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey we’ve taken together! I can’t wait to see what the next year will bring.
Happy New Year from the Burgos family!
Dale manages the communications department for a school district in B.C.