While up at work yesterday, I left my iphone plugged into my school iHome all day and found that the battery just drained so quickly once I took it out. In an effort to preserve my iphone's battery life, I decided to take the old ipod mini out of the drawer and test it out at school. Much to my surprise, it still worked!
This was a great idea for multiple reasons. 1. I didn't have to interrupt my music and pull the playlists back up every time someone called/texted. 2. I saved my iphone from battery damage, and 3. Old songs! There is just something great about hearing old songs that take you back to a certain time of your life, or even moment. I think it may have even increased my productivity 100%. Either that, or finally cleaning out my cabinets and getting organized...I'll stick with the music.
After a long 13 hours at work today, I feel like I have finally made some progress on my classroom. I forget how much time it takes to do little things. Sure, stapling things up into the wall doesn't seem like it would take that long, but for whatever reason, it DOES. It doesn't help that I spend a good portion of the day chatting with co-workers :)
The beginning of the year is always so much fun though! I'm excited for new kids, new routines, and just a brand new start. The countdown is on...10 days until the first day of school! Until then...riding summer out as much as possible.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Made my day
http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html
This seriously made me laugh all day long. Totally worth it.
This seriously made me laugh all day long. Totally worth it.
P.S.
I realize that my previous post was about how summer was suddenly ending, only to realize that a mere 2 posts before was about summer beginning. "Why in the world was there nearly 2 months of silence?" I keep asking myself. Surely something noteworthy happened during that time...
Oh wait, that's right...see paragraph 1 for what I did this summer. Or maybe I lived by the motto that 'less is more.' :)
Oh wait, that's right...see paragraph 1 for what I did this summer. Or maybe I lived by the motto that 'less is more.' :)
What happened to summer?
So, I suddenly find myself standing at the end of summer break wondering, "What have I been doing the past 2 months?!" The answer is: nothing! Which has actually been great. It's been so nice to really get to relax and enjoy some time to do exactly what I want to do. I'm sure there's going to be an element of 'shell-shock' when the year is up-and-running. BUT, after getting into my classroom (finally!), setting things back up, AND seeing the long-awaited class list, I am excited to get a wonderful new group of kids to love.
With the beginning of the school year around the corner, so begins the annual 'first day of school nightmares.' This sounds extremely loser-ish, and trust me, feels even more loser-ish when you wake up from one in a complete panic. It's never anything serious...just your typical chaotic, overcrowded, pencil-less, out of control classroom scenario. This includes things like having nothing to do, or having all of the desks pushed into the middle of the room so that the kids sit on top of them (can you say lawsuit?). I didn't think I was feeling stressed, but I can definitely tell my teeth are taking a hit from all the subconscious clenching I do during the day time. As the dentist told me last month, I really need to "find a productive way to unwind. Have you ever tried yoga?" Yes. Yes, I have. And for the record, telling me to wind down makes me more wound up. Reverse psychology is real. You never know where you'll find semi-free therapy, huh?
Soon, the nightmares will end, I'll get all my stuff done, and the first day will be here. But, not yet. Until then you can find me working (or attempting to) in my classroom, in my bed enjoying bad tv/napping, or soaking up enough sun to maintain a tan until Spring Break!
With the beginning of the school year around the corner, so begins the annual 'first day of school nightmares.' This sounds extremely loser-ish, and trust me, feels even more loser-ish when you wake up from one in a complete panic. It's never anything serious...just your typical chaotic, overcrowded, pencil-less, out of control classroom scenario. This includes things like having nothing to do, or having all of the desks pushed into the middle of the room so that the kids sit on top of them (can you say lawsuit?). I didn't think I was feeling stressed, but I can definitely tell my teeth are taking a hit from all the subconscious clenching I do during the day time. As the dentist told me last month, I really need to "find a productive way to unwind. Have you ever tried yoga?" Yes. Yes, I have. And for the record, telling me to wind down makes me more wound up. Reverse psychology is real. You never know where you'll find semi-free therapy, huh?
Soon, the nightmares will end, I'll get all my stuff done, and the first day will be here. But, not yet. Until then you can find me working (or attempting to) in my classroom, in my bed enjoying bad tv/napping, or soaking up enough sun to maintain a tan until Spring Break!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Tuning Out the "Noise"
So, I've been going to a young adult's Bible Study-ish thing on Tuesdays. It's geared towards singles in their 20s and 30s and really does a good job targeting the age group and issues that we face. This past Tuesday, he talked about perseverance through trials as well as learning to tune out the "noise" of things that litter your life with excess worries that don't really matter.
He talked about how each person does 1 of 4 things in their daily life: 1. You live a good life. Period. 2. You don't care about what type of life you live, so it really doesn't matter. 3. You want to live a good life but are easily distracted by the noise of your life. 4. You don't really know what you want out of your life.
As soon as he mentioned being distracted by the world, I instantly realized that is completely my downfall. It's so hard not to get caught up in your job, social life, and as he put it "social ladder climbing." I'm not so much sure about the social-ladder-climbing, because I don't care about that. But for sure for my job consumes my every being as well as my social life. Making sure that I see and experience everything. It's so hard to say 'no' when you know that your friends are all together and you'd be the only one absent. However, this sometimes leads to late nights (which are always fun) that sometimes adversely effect other parts of my life that should come first.
I struggle with where to draw the line. The past 2 years I have been all-consumed by work. Many of you know that this lead to a near mental-breakdown when I felt like I had sold my soul, per say, to my job. I LOVE my job, which is why I do that, but I know that there has to be the happy medium. My life is not just about my job, or just about my friends. So, how do I figure out how I can be a great teacher, enjoy time with friends, and still have time for family and to focus on things that are important to me? It's a great balancing act, that's for sure.
My family was recently heart-broken to realize that we had lost a very close friend of our family. Our friend Austin, at 18 years old, couldn't tune out that noise that distracts you from living a happy, and healthy life; Austin took his own life on May 27. It hit so close to home. His family is our family. We have grown up with them and spend every holiday together. I know it won't seem real until he doesn't walk in the door at Thanksgiving this year, with his fur coat, and ever-present smile. I think the most immediate pain I felt was the empathy in knowing that, "that could have been my family." Someone in my own family struggles with mental illness and I went to bed with that fear every night. I pray that their family finds the strength to bask in his memory and know that he is in a better place.
Now, more than ever, it reminds me that I need to appreciate the small things, not let petty issues bother me, and just be content with the blessings I've been given.
He talked about how each person does 1 of 4 things in their daily life: 1. You live a good life. Period. 2. You don't care about what type of life you live, so it really doesn't matter. 3. You want to live a good life but are easily distracted by the noise of your life. 4. You don't really know what you want out of your life.
As soon as he mentioned being distracted by the world, I instantly realized that is completely my downfall. It's so hard not to get caught up in your job, social life, and as he put it "social ladder climbing." I'm not so much sure about the social-ladder-climbing, because I don't care about that. But for sure for my job consumes my every being as well as my social life. Making sure that I see and experience everything. It's so hard to say 'no' when you know that your friends are all together and you'd be the only one absent. However, this sometimes leads to late nights (which are always fun) that sometimes adversely effect other parts of my life that should come first.
I struggle with where to draw the line. The past 2 years I have been all-consumed by work. Many of you know that this lead to a near mental-breakdown when I felt like I had sold my soul, per say, to my job. I LOVE my job, which is why I do that, but I know that there has to be the happy medium. My life is not just about my job, or just about my friends. So, how do I figure out how I can be a great teacher, enjoy time with friends, and still have time for family and to focus on things that are important to me? It's a great balancing act, that's for sure.
My family was recently heart-broken to realize that we had lost a very close friend of our family. Our friend Austin, at 18 years old, couldn't tune out that noise that distracts you from living a happy, and healthy life; Austin took his own life on May 27. It hit so close to home. His family is our family. We have grown up with them and spend every holiday together. I know it won't seem real until he doesn't walk in the door at Thanksgiving this year, with his fur coat, and ever-present smile. I think the most immediate pain I felt was the empathy in knowing that, "that could have been my family." Someone in my own family struggles with mental illness and I went to bed with that fear every night. I pray that their family finds the strength to bask in his memory and know that he is in a better place.
Now, more than ever, it reminds me that I need to appreciate the small things, not let petty issues bother me, and just be content with the blessings I've been given.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Eclipse.
So, I know it's completely dorky/lame, but I am obsessed with Twilight. Case-and-point: today I saw a black Volvo driving by and actually thought to myself "I wonder what the Cullens are up to?" It's sick, I know. Eclipse comes out in 3 1/2 weeks (not that all of us "Twi-hards" have been counting down or anything...) and I'm reading the other perspective of Eclipse. I'm totally not in to science-fiction, but this series has me hooked. I think I may cry when the reality sets in that the series is finished.
Hopefully, Marly will step it up and buy the Bree Tanner book so that we have something to talk about/occupy summertime/obsess over until June 30.
Hopefully, Marly will step it up and buy the Bree Tanner book so that we have something to talk about/occupy summertime/obsess over until June 30.
School's out for summer!
So obviously it's been awhile since I've been on here. I don't know where I've been, but if I had to guess, I'd say probably at work. However, that's all changed because we officially finished up last Thursday! Now it's time to start making to-do lists to occupy the next 2.5 months. Shockingly, I don't have any vacations planned yet. That part must change asap.
The past month has been crazy & so much fun! The TAKS results nearly killed me, but for the most part, things turned out ok. All-in-all, another successful year has come to an end. It was hard to say good-bye to my sweet kids, having them for 2 years and all. They were a wonderful group of kids. On the last day of school I gave them "awards" that I had made for them, based on funny memories or special reasons as to why I would miss them. They decided that they also wanted to throw in positive things for each other. We spent an hour and a half sharing all of the positive things that we remembered about each person in our class. I was so surprised by the genuine compliments that they came up with for one another. Typically, kids like to describe them as "fun, nice, sweet" etc. But they were able to find unique qualities in each person, even for kids that I thought they would struggle with. It was truly a special moment for me to see them all opening up, and sharing about people that weren't necessarily their best friends. It reminds you that kids are so pure, free from long-time judgment and harsh criticism. Wouldn't it be nice if that never changed? It definitely reminded me to try to live that life...to find the positives, even when it seems difficult. I definitely closed out the year on a positive note-watching all the growth they had made socially and the acceptance and love that they have for each other. They were moments I will never forget. I could not have asked for a better class to have for 2 years (and even more, my first 'real' class in my teaching career!). They have left me with unforgettable memories, funny stories, and sweet hugs that I will miss over the summer.
The past month has been crazy & so much fun! The TAKS results nearly killed me, but for the most part, things turned out ok. All-in-all, another successful year has come to an end. It was hard to say good-bye to my sweet kids, having them for 2 years and all. They were a wonderful group of kids. On the last day of school I gave them "awards" that I had made for them, based on funny memories or special reasons as to why I would miss them. They decided that they also wanted to throw in positive things for each other. We spent an hour and a half sharing all of the positive things that we remembered about each person in our class. I was so surprised by the genuine compliments that they came up with for one another. Typically, kids like to describe them as "fun, nice, sweet" etc. But they were able to find unique qualities in each person, even for kids that I thought they would struggle with. It was truly a special moment for me to see them all opening up, and sharing about people that weren't necessarily their best friends. It reminds you that kids are so pure, free from long-time judgment and harsh criticism. Wouldn't it be nice if that never changed? It definitely reminded me to try to live that life...to find the positives, even when it seems difficult. I definitely closed out the year on a positive note-watching all the growth they had made socially and the acceptance and love that they have for each other. They were moments I will never forget. I could not have asked for a better class to have for 2 years (and even more, my first 'real' class in my teaching career!). They have left me with unforgettable memories, funny stories, and sweet hugs that I will miss over the summer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)