A New Lease on Life

Today I did something huge, but really small. I made some delicious baked bread that is easy and crazy unhealthy. I love this stuff and have been craving sweets. Well, I made the awesomeness, took a few bites, and threw the rest away. I was sitting there loving it when it dawned on me that if I'm not thrilled with my body, maybe I should be more thoughtful about what I put in it. It was oddly easy to get off my butt and throw the tasty treat away.

In other news, I got a job! An honest to goodness fulltime job. I am a teacher and am thrilled to have found this position. It feels like it is going to be a perfect fit. The interview and subsequent tour of the school felt right. I believe in the initial vibe when meeting the potential employer and coworkers. This is the first campus I've ever been to where every person was friendly from the moment I stepped out of my car.

Which brings me to my last thought. I want to be in the best physical shape I can before school starts. This mean two months of consistent exercise and watching what I eat. I'm already a pretty healthy eater, but I definitely need to step it up in terms of movement!

My goals:

Aqua Aerobics

Yoga

And maybe Tai Chi and/or Pilates

It is so wonderful to have this new job - I am filled with hope and motivation.

Truly Happy

I have had the most amazing weekend. Honestly, I feel so happy and content - which is completely bonkers when you consider I am in the heart of a family crisis and my back is in constant pain. Yet, I'm happy.

The question is: Why?

I think it is because I am taking the time to be grateful for every moment. Almost losing a loved one has made me become increasingly aware of each positive happening in my life. I'm also enjoying the little things more than ever.

Today I started that new journal. I was really nervous about ruining it (does anyone else feel like that when starting something new?)so I bought some pens and stickers and began writing this colorful journal that reflects my positive outlook. Thank goodness for Target's 99 cents wall of scrapbooking stickers. I was able to feel like I went crazy with my shopping, without spending much money.

Focusing on being healthier - mind, body, soul - has already helped me to be a happier person. How is this focus helping you in your life?

PSA Project Part Two

The students, 8th graders, agreed with me that discrimination, racism, homophobia, etc. could all lead down a negative path where we inadvertently offend people. The class has decided to do gossip and divided into two groups - trash talk, and telephone rumor mill. Even still I had concerns. How could we possibly do anything relevant yet stay totally school appropriate? How can we honestly walk the line of being truthful and avoid all conflict?
Well. Yesterday we had a meeting and I mentioned this project and my concerns. The best idea one group has is to have a student act silly. Then another student jokingly says, " Are you high?" They would then show the progression from the joke to "Student A is addicted to drugs." I thought this was brilliant because it's so real, but not okay because it doesn't represent the school well. Plus, I don't allow drug talk in class because it is obviously not school appropriate. Surprisingly (at least to me), all my coworkers love the project and the principal gave me the green light! She said something like, "This is real to them." Love it!
Today, I started class with our usual check-in and a game. We then sat in a circle and I talked openly with them about the meeting yesterday and my concerns. The students were attentive, needed a little guidance, and did an impressive amount of work. They feel very much like I do. They are shown PSAs all the time that are created for kids by adults, but adults don't know how to communicate effectively with them. We all agree they may be able to get through to their peers in a way that all of us well-meaning adults just can't.

Rehearsal Reflection

Students were supposed to be off-book for the school musical on Monday. Unfortunately, by Act 2 they had no clue what was going on. The stage manager was not only giving lines, but she also had to tell people when they were supposed to enter. I decided to end rehearsal ten minutes early so they could use the time to make Tuesdays rehearsal be more successful. Yesterday, we started at the beginning of Act 2. By our break, I couldn't have been more frustrated. They weren't even close to memorized. The main male part knew most of his lines, one girl who has a big part, and one boy who only has a few lines are the only people who knew everything they needed to do. I thought we were having a discussion about what was going on. I mean, from my perspective it's time wasting. It's disrespectful to everyone else in the room when they come to rehearsal unprepared. I didn't raise my voice; I didn't even get angry! Honestly, I was just so disappointed. It felt like there were only a handful of us in the room who care about the show.
We ended with all of them promising to do better for tomorrow's rehearsal. I just don't know if I can trust them or if there will be a difference. Their lives are packed with stuff, but they have had weeks and weeks to memorize.
Now I'm worried I was too harsh. I have to see how they do tomorrow before I'll know if our two big discussions made an impact on any of the students.