When I started this blog, I was really good at getting in one post every couple of weeks. Now it seems like it is more once a year. I try to make the goal to write more, but I never seem to get around to it. Life is just so crazy and busy that I can't seem to get the minutes I need. However, I know deep down I need to find the time to do this for myself.
I have often been told writing is a gift I have. I have a short passage that I use for STAAR (the state assessment in Texas), and students are always surprised that I wrote the actual passage when we read it. One of my most missed things from schooling is actually writing analytical papers as I don't really get to do much of that style anymore; I have definitely fine tuned my professional expository over the years that is for sure! Once upon a time, it used to be my way to let go of things that I was having a hard time with. While I have always been known to be fairly open-booked, I am not necessarily the best with speaking on sensitive elements of my own life; this has been apparent with my dealings with my mother's death and resurgence of our infertility problems. I need a way to express myself, and I think getting back to writing is a way to do this.
One of my long time dreams has been to be a somewhat successful writer. Teaching is my profession, and after 11 years of doing it, it will probably be my forever profession so I am not looking to make money off writing. My idea of being a successful writer isn't necessarily about being published; it is more about being read and conveying useful materials. Basically, I want people to read what I write and get something that benefits their life whether it be a party planning idea, teaching help, or just knowing someone is going through the same thing. This along with wanting to keep a record of my son's life are the reasons I started this blog.
Now-How do I get what I need without being driven crazy? Cloning perhaps-I need like 5 of extra me at least: a full time mom, a lesson planner, a grader, an actual teacher, house cleaner, and wife. I might have more time to do the fun things I want to like travel, write, photography, and craft, but such is life, right? Being a teacher, everything in my life runs more on an August to August year than a January to January, and the first day of summer break is really more like my new year than Jan 1 is. I also come up with ideas and new starts for the life in general during this time since teaching takes up so much time, and it is way too difficult to get into new person mode when the busiest time of your professional life starts essentially in January (thanks standardized testing). So while everyone is a bit on the slower end in January, I am usually on full speed bust my butt mode in order to get everything squared away for my late March state testing. Despite what people think, teaching does not exactly stop for many teachers when the doors hit the students in the butt at the end of May and June; it really just slows down. All the analysis business and everyone else does in January to get ready for the rest of the year happens for use during this time. Since I am pretty much in my part-time SAHM mode, it is my planning time, so guess what I am going to do now? Plan! And then hope my ideas flesh out into something that results in a better home-life-work balance like I do every year. I am hoping that chronicling it will help me stay more on track; I can dream right (said every hardworking teacher who spends way too much time on classroom stuff)
Summer Goals:
1. Have a more organized and clean house year round rather than just when I have time off. I live in a loathsome cycle of work and break times. I like clean house but not a fan of cleaning and organizing. Thus I suck at keeping up, and my poor husband is exhausted and beside himself with it. I am too overwhelmed at the sight don't know where to start. I spend pretty much every break cleaning, organizing, and trying to get things back before I go back that I don't get a chance to relax and enjoy my break or get caught up with other things so I am not overwhelmed during the year.
2. Making more time for Little Man and the Hubster both together and separately. Hubster and I have been working through somethings, and we have found that we need a happier mix of both. While it is nice for us to do things together, we also need to have couple time, and each of us needs to spend time with Little Man to develop our separate relationships with him.
3. Work on my health. I have to find time to make myself healthier. I have gained 17 pounds since getting my job at my currently school which puts me back to weight I was at when I got pregnant with Little Man and counting. Plus exercising and eating right helps makes me a happier person.
4. Being a more confident teacher. I won teacher of the year, and I still do not believe I am that good. Plus I need to find a way to keep from from getting burnt out which I feel a little bit after this year. I need to find a way to put in a balanced level of time to keep on target.
5. Find more time for me to have outlets. I want to develop both my photography and learn more crafting things like knitting, sewing, and needlepoint.
6. Get most of the plans fleshed out for our Disney World Trip next year-next blog will have more details of my process so far.
So, I am actually on week 2 of my 8 week break already. Where am I so far? In the first weekend (Memorial Day weekend) Hubster and I finally bought a new bed along with a bed frame which was an almost 2 years process. We also had a great family day at Scarborough Faire on Memorial Day which has become a bit of a tradition. Speaking of 2 years ago, I had a tooth crack, and I finally had it removed. Thus I spent most of week one of my vacation hanging out on the couch to recovering. I did get some Disney research done, but more of that next blog. I managed to review all of the materials I had for last summer read, but I still need do some updating to make it golden. Then I need to order the books for the first semester I plan to use and work on revamping Unit 1 for the year. Last Friday, Hubster and I did a cool Dallas date night with the Dallas Museum of Art and Fairmonte Hotel; guess that is material for the third blog out. We spent the rest of the weekend cleaning up the bedroom for the new bedroom furniture. Lastly, I got my first blog in almost a year done with this one. I guess that is a wrap for super long post for now. Disney for you next time.
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