Monday, January 14, 2008

I've Moved! Virtually this time...

http://jetfuellines.wordpress.com/

So I finally moved over to WordPress. This move comes primarily because some of the topics I want to blog about are not things I want the general public to read, particularly students who happen to be wandering around the world wide web. WordPress allows me to password protect individual posts. Those of you that I know and know visit my blog will be emailed the password. Also if you read my blog and I don't know it, feel free to email me from the new blog and ask. WordPress also makes it easy for all of you to comment, even if you don't have an account.

I made a new banner and I love it! I am a little sad, because I have to give up jetfuel, but I just changed it to jet fuel lines...still very appropriate. I am still trying to get the sidebar sorted out so it is a little bare for now.

But come visit and bookmark it!
http://jetfuellines.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

One Day Back

It is amazing to me how one day can fly by without a single nod to sanity.

That sentence came to me and stuck with me on my drive home. The day really didn't fly by. I have to readjust all over again to repeating myself 5 times every day. The repeating really wears on me, but I supposed preping for two classes would be just as hard. By period 3 I was wondering when it would end and asking myself "do I seriously have to say that all 3 more times?" At the same time I suddenly found myself in homeroom clicking into my role of giving directions to sit and listen to the announcements and listening to my little elves tell stories of their vacations. In a way, a school-day always feels like it flies by because it leaves no time to think about anything at all outside of the concrete blocks and whispy dreams of a more organized and equiped classroom.

At least I get to spend quality time with my favorite bunch of kids tomorrow...the Outdoor Club is going rock climbing! Sweet!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

New Year and Back to Mayhem

Hello 2008!

I cannot believe I have not blogged in over a month. I took a break from blogworld due to lack of time and trying to be more present on Etsy. I made my first Treasury on Etsy but keep missing the openings since then. I got some shirts screened this week, so hopefully I will have more on the store soon.

Back to The Mayhem tomorrow. I was really worn down leading up to vacation. I pumped myself full of antioxidants so I have not been terribly sick but absolutely exhausted. I slept for most of vacation. I wanted to work on the house, but it just so happened that this week was a period waiting for the next step, but that was probably for the better. I did not even put energy into art this week. Relaxing was necessary and I hope will make school easier to swallow and art flow naturally.

What do I dread about going back to school? It is the same dread I have when youth group events are looming in the near future. I just want to do nothing or one thing. I really don't know what I want to do, but I also just don't understand my own dreading of things like going back to school. I got the sleep I needed and the time with people I love. I got outside in the daylight (such a treat...teachers never see the light of day in the winter). I dread waking up before the sun to a cold house, cold car. I dread the noise of 300 young voices greeting, abusing, and catching up with one another. I dread almost falling asleep after lunch with 20 kids following my directions. I dread my feet hurting and just wanting to sit down but having nothing half-way ergonomic to sit on. I dread feeling underprepared. I dread the sound of keys opening my door as I am giving instruction. I dread the combination of putting in long hours and students' complete lack of appreciation. I dread grasping and racking my brain for some way to engage and challenge every student with a wildly wide range of abilities in each of my 5 classes. I dread the look of boredom and the face of apathy. I dread the ever-present whining. I dread the next crisis.

To balance my head...what do I miss? I miss the students who make me smile everyday. I miss challenging young minds. I miss my outdoor club kids...I love them so. I miss hearing the most ridiculous stories. I miss seeing kids "get it." I miss the satisfaction of finding a really good way of getting the information across. I miss planning...yes, I love to plan. I miss dreaming up better ways to teach and inspire students. I miss hearing that students enjoy my class.

Is there anything else I miss? What does this unbalance in things that come to mind in each catagory mean for me? Probably nothing because most people agree that vacation is a beautiful thing and do not want to leave the vacation state-of-mind.