Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Purging (painfully) and Moving On

my lesson plan book from teaching 7th grade, an article on Ben Franklin, and materials for a Chinese New Year lesson


I have two four drawer filing cabinets full of teaching stuff I'm most likely never going to use.  I had collected the stuff over years, from when I started my master's degree in 2001 all the way through 2008, when I had finally had enough of looking for a teaching job and I decided that I (and my family) needed some normalcy again.

But what to do with all that junk?

For a good six months, I couldn't even look at it.  The thought was depressing.  All that work.  (I particularly loved the props for the Chinese New Year lesson I did for my "Teaching Social Studies" class.)  All that time.  All those hopes...  I had put so much effort into making and collecting the stuff - getting rid of it is like acknowledging that it was a useless effort.

I guess in many circumstances, eventually, there comes a time when you feel the weight of all that "stuff," and you know you have to purge it from your life, but it's still difficult.  I have a friend who would most certainly tell me to not even look through it - "just throw it out,"  but there have been times in my life when I've done that, and down the road, I've regretted not looking through it first - the stuff almost gains more importance when you're not exactly sure what was in there.

For me, sometimes the "stuff" is proof that I was there.  "I have ____, therefore I am ______."  I am working on overcoming this belief, but to quote Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride, "Slow going, eh?"

This weekend, I finally started on the filing cabinets.  Amid the tossing I took a trip down memory lane.  It was nostalgic, and yes, I am still a bit bitter over certain things, but I am ready to move on.  And you know, today, I do feel a bit lighter.


Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Lunch Time

American flags on a porch 

I am still waiting to find out if my option of taking the summer off will really be an option.  I am hoping it's still on the table, since when I check in with the kids during the day, they tell me they are bored, and they ask me what we're doing when I get home.  (hummmm, how about cleaning the house, cooking dinner, eating dinner and cleaning up after dinner? with maybe some laundry thrown in...  whaddayathink?)  I am keeping my fingers, toes, and arms and legs crossed, hoping it will help.  In the mean time, I am appreciating things like lunch time.

I am lucky enough to work just a few short blocks from the ocean, and when the weather is nice, I like taking a walk to the marina and checking out the sights.  Yesterday, I brought my camera to work and took a few pictures on my walk.

boats in the marina

It was pretty hot, but there was a nice breeze, and the air smelled of wild flowers, and down in the marina, it smelled like salt air and fresh seafood...  the smell of summer.  Nice.


sailboats in the marina

sailboat near the playground

boats in the marina

kayaks

playground in the marina

bicycles in the marina

It's a good life.

Enjoy!  

Happy Independence Day, everyone!