Catalyst

Over the past two days, I've been pondering the following: When do or what makes your "true colors" shine (for lack of a better phrase). When do you feel like your core is stimulated? This is the conclusion I have come to so far for myself:

1. When the opportunity to give presents itself: this could be when someone needs a leg-up financially, emotionally, professionally, etc. This is something that has been ingrained in me by my parents and grandparents. For example, my grandparents paid for the hospital bill during one of my mom's pregnancies. When my dad contested, my grampa simply explained that this was an opportunity for him to give. He didn't want to be paid back but instead wanted my parents to help another person in the same way when the time came. And pass the deed on from there.

2. When I'm jogging: I become the most stubborn individual when I'm jogging. If I have a set destination in mind before the cool-down, I MUST reach it...no excuses. It's a little nutty, the thoughts that go through my head when feeling like I want to stop jogging. It's probably a good thing that no one can read my mind. Under no circumstances will I allow myself to stop jogging to rest a few minutes and then start again. In my determined mind, that's a cop out.

3. When I feel ripped off or like some injustice has been done: I magically become assertive in these situations. I suddenly have no problem speaking my mind and letting the other person know that I won't settle for bullshit. Right is right. LB, remember that time in JCPenny's with the gift card?

Anyways, what about you?

First Full Week = Success

I don't have much to report other than the fact that this week has, overall, gone amazingly well at school. I hit a couple rough spots, but I am really optimistic about the students' behavior this year. So far, I've been able to start out firm which is something I didn't do last year.

And my sister, Laura, is coming to visit her friend in Jacksonville this weekend, but we will get to spend some time together. I can't wait to pick her up from the airport!!!

Top 3 for the week:
1. I asked my kindergarteners what an artist's job is. One little girl said, "They make sculptures!" which totally blew me away.

2. As I was leaving work last night, a co-worker needed her car jump-started. Thankfully, I had just dealt with my battery needing jumped so I was able to help her promptly. I suppose things do happen for a reason.

3. My cousin, Katie, sent me a picture of her son, Luke, holding an over-sized clothespin after my previous "Unspectacular Quirks" post. Katie, that made my flippin' day :)

Have a look see

I feel obligated to fulfill the duties tagged upon me by kitkat, so here goes. I'm not sure all of these would be considered "quirky".

6 Unspectacular Quirks:

1. I still wear my post-braces retainer from the 10th grade. No, it is not the same exact retainer, but he point is that I still wear one every night. It makesth me feel vewy foolisth sthometimesth.

2. I have a thing for over-sized, everyday objects. I think it all started with being exposed to Claes Oldenburg's sculptures. They're so cheesy, but I love them. I currently want some over-sized clothespins for my classroom.

3. The only time I comb my hair is when I'm in the shower. Why brush curly hair when you don't have to? Well, maybe other people think it needs brushed. Oh well.

4. I am awful at maintaining CDs. They are horribly scratched because I just don't care enough to put them away. Even if I buy a new CD and vow to myself that I will keep it in perfect condition, it normally ends up in the pile of CDs in my middle console.

5. I still use my fingers to count while adding and subtracting.

6. I'm anal about how dishes are placed in the dishwasher or in my case, the drying rack. If someone did it "wrong", I will re-organize it by size, shape, color, whatever.

LB, RamseyDays, SurvivinginSafetyHarbor, FamilyLifewithElevenKids!, CoffeeTimes...it's your turn.

Here are the directions:
1. Link the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them & leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

Ball o' Stress

I suppose it all started with the dream I had last night. In it, I was attending my yoga class (which I haven't been to for 2 weeks); because I got there early, I laid out my mat and towel to save my spot. I walked out of the studio for about 5 minutes to take care of some registration issue/payment, and upon returning, there was some man using my mat and towel. Now, if you've ever done power vinyasa yoga, you know that you sweat profusely. Sharing a mat is not really an option. I explained to this imposter that he was using my mat and that he needed to move somewhere else. He had already sweat several puddles on my mat and the surrounding floor area. He refused to move and responded with a juvenile, "Well, you weren't here. YOU find another place". Argh! But this was MY STUFF! I kept on about it but he continued to refuse to move and instead just laid down so that there was no way I could move my mat. I remember feeling extremely aggravated and annoyed in my dream. I was baffled as to how this grown person was acting so childish and inconsiderate. How dare he invade not only my personal space/posessions, but also the one thing that I truly felt was mine: practicing yoga. I also remember not wanting to cause a scene.

And today was my first day of classes with my students. I have a killer schedule...and I don't mean "killer" like "awesome", I mean killer like "deadly":) Between 8:45am and 1:25pm, I see 6 different classes non-stop, give or take a 5 minute break in between. Lunch isn't until 1:25, and then I have 1st grade at the end of the day. As the chairperson of the scheduling committee, I am responsible, mostly, for the resource schedule this year. But I don't recall it being that loony. I don't recall NOT having planning time at all. I'm wondering where/when the change occurred. Alas, I am not the administration and they have the final say on what goes and what doesn't. I am truly hoping that I will adjust. It does make the day fly, though.

Though today went well with my students, I have to say I'm feeling a little down. And I can't put my finger on "why" exactly. Maybe it's because I've spent all summer being hyped-up about how great this year will be and then I was incredibly nervous today. Maybe it's because I've set really high expectations for myself and my students and am putting the pressure on too strong. Maybe it's because the new vice principal makes me really uneasy. Or maybe it's because some doofus is using my yoga mat without permission and sweating all over it.

Whatever the reason, please send me some uplifting vibes. Lord knows, I need 'em.

Anticlimactic

Fay + first week of school = 2 days of school, 3 days off, and some heavy wind and rain.

As my dad said, "I've seen thunderstorms worse than this!", and as Lt. Dan says on Forest Gump, "You call this a storm?!?!" I must admit that I am happy about the 3 days off this week. I spent so much time during pre-planning making my room look presentable (not to toot my own horn, but my room looks pretty awesome this year) and helping with other things around the school that my actual lesson planning suffered. This gives me the time I need to really get it organized. On the other hand, I have yet to see my students. Resource was supposed to begin on Wednesday. I had all this excited/nervous energy built up for that day and then poof, it's gone. I'm sure it'll all come back on Monday.

I'm at a loss over what else to write about....being in the house so much over the past three days has made my brain like jelly. I'm resorting to a "Likes" and "Dislikes" list...

Likes:
-birthday cake flavored ice cream with multi-colored sprinkles
-objects that are oversized (like jumbo clothespins, paperclips, or calculators. I know, it's weird).
-the color green
-this artist's work
-staying up late and sleeping in
-goldendoodles
-journals without lines

Dislikes:
-okra
-rude retail workers
-Hummers (and possibly the people who drive them)
-the sound of plastic bags rustling
-cockroaches
-Cameron Diaz
-gloomy weather (I don't know how you northerners do it)

How do you know the summer is really and truly over?

Two things:

1. Today was my last, official day of summer break.

2. Remember the Nickelodeon television series, "The Adventures of Pete and Pete"? I'd like to recall one part of a particular episode where Artie and little Pete beat up the ocean because they're upset that summer is over. This pretty much describes how I feel about the break ending. You can watch this from the beginning up to minute 1:45 to understand what I'm talking about.

"The future is no place to place your better days."

My yoga practice today was rough, more from a mental than a physical standpoint. Within the hour, I only felt truly present for maybe a whole 2 minutes. This showed in my posture; I was wobbling all over the place, losing balance, falling. When I resumed my practice on Tuesday (after the week-long visit home), it almost felt "easy". I left the studio deciding that I was ready to push myself to the next level...stretch a little farther, widen the base, hold longer. So that's what I did the next day and it felt great to up the ante. But today made me feel like I'd taken 5 steps backwards. I suppose I have much weighing in my mind. Still, I can normally focus on the "now" for the majority of the hour.

One really great thing happened though at the close of our session. After our Shavasana we end each class with 3 "Om" chants. Before doing this, the instructor told us to keep our eyes closed and truly feel the energy of the others in the room. Before I knew it, I had goosebumps all over my body; it was this amazing rush of...something...I'm not sure what to call it. No, I wasn't cold---the room is 90 degrees, remember? Anyways, it happened a couple times within the space between Shavasana and our Oms. I felt present then, and almost like crying.

I want to go again tomorrow and see what a Saturday class is like. Hopefully, I'll be more focused.

Being read to

I'm feeling a little brain dead. Maybe it's my constant fluctuation between being excited about the new school year but disappointed that my abundance of "free time" is coming to an end. Maybe it's because I painted a little today but feel like I don't know what I'm doing. Or maybe it's because within the past few days, I have listened to two James Patterson novels via audio-book, each one about 7 discs long, each one a murder/mystery/thriller, each one keeping me good and awake during my travels to April's wedding, and then to and from work.

I admit it: I used to get so annoyed when I'd plop in the car with my dad and he'd have some audio-book blaring, right smack in the middle of it, with me having no idea what was going on and not wanting to know and him in another world, listening intently to every detail. But now I can say that I understand the appeal of listening to books while driving. It literally makes the time fly by and it's entertaining. That being said, I have to acknowledge that I can't give James Patterson two thumbs up. His stories are very predictable in every way possible...even down to the aesthetic descriptions; each one is just as cheesy as the last. It's always something like, "He felt the warm breeze caress his face, and it reminded him of happier days with Christine, when she would cup his cheeks in her hands." You get the idea. As my friend April says, it makes you want to write things like "Gag me!" or "What crap!" in the margin. Only, you can't inscribe such things into an audio book.

Speaking of April, it was so great to see her last weekend. The last time we visited was during a show in Soho that featured some of my Italy paintings. That was over a year ago. One of the many things I love about April is that no matter how long its been, since seeing or talking to each other, I feel that our connection never wavers. It's similar to visiting family; you pick up in the present and there's no need for "I'm so sorry I haven't called/written" etc. The wedding was very low-key yet elegant and beautiful. It felt calm and comfortable. April, being the sensitive and wonderful person that she is, made everyone feel very much a part of the day. She customized the bridesmaids' bouquets by selecting different flowers for each of us based on symbolism with our personalities. Her bouquet was composed of all of our flowers (how cool!!). Come to think of it, she customized everything making it all very welcoming, unique, and just very "April" :) Anyways, it was great to get to know her family and friends and to be a part of her and Jonathan's day.
Much more to write about my visit home. Until then.