Spinning

I wish I could say that it was my first spinning class, but I took one about four years ago and nearly died. And you think I'm exaggerating. This one went so much better.

I got the to gym about 5:20, put my stuff in my locker and went to the spinning room. I didn't expect so many people to be there so early, but a little under two-thirds of the bikes were occupied. I picked one that thought it might work, jiggled the seat around a bit, and then started my warm-up.

I can't remember enough about it last time to say what the hardest part was, but this time the hardest part was trying to gauge the difficulty level of each turn of the knob. They have you monitor and change up your perceived exertion, and that's what took a little bit of getting used to. If I had realized what my 9 and 10 were (highest on the scale) earlier, I would have been a bit sweatier at the end. As it was I was pretty sweaty, but not as much when I go for an out and out run.

What I loved about it was the instructor and the music. I was not too happy about being up so early, but by the time I got started I was having a grand old time. The instructor was very clear and very good and I felt like I was definitely pushed. It also feels good that it's about 7:15 as I'm writing this and I can already check off exercise on my to-do list. Right on.

If only my bum wasn't a bit saddle sore it would be a perfect morning.

Also, weight update: Down 20 lbs. Here's a new pic.

Summer Lovin'--Actually, Just Lovin' Summer

I'm doing so much this summer, but I'm actually feeling pretty good right now. (Especially since I just jogged two and a half miles for the second time this week.)

This summer has been really amazing even though I've still been busy. I finished school two weeks ago tomorrow. That Friday I had a great time taking three of my nieces and nephews to the park. Last week I had a five-day workshop working on creating standards that students can be guaranteed to be taught at each grade level. On Saturday I went to see The Merry Wives of Windsor with Lilbit and C and just had a blast.

I made it to FHE on Monday for the first time in a long time. Monday I caught up on some sleep and then on Tuesday I cleaned my room up some and finished my homework. It was just good to be able to breathe.

Today I started a five-week intensive Summer Writing Institute that focuses on teaching writing, a large part of which is participating in the writing process yourself. I'm so excited so far. I feel like I already have a couple of strategies to work on with my kids and I have ideas for a story I can develop. This could actually be an amazing summer.

Good News/Bad News

So, I'm here to update you very quickly on what's up. I only have 5 more days of school. That's the good and bad. I have so much grading to do that I don't know how I'm going to get it all done. I also have to admit that I'm way burnt out. Usually by this point in the year I'm excited and planning for next year, looking at what I can do better, etc. Right now I just can't even think about it. I really want to, but i just don't know how. The good news is, though, that I bought my plan book for next year last night, so maybe I'm better off than I thought.

I have more good news. I have managed to make it to the gym 5 days a week and the best thing is that I have now run (well, jogged, really) an entire mile 3 times. Last night I managed a mile and a half before I had to walk. Wahoo!

Quick Question

How do you teach high schoolers not to whine?

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Right now my roommate, family, or friends probably haven't seen me for awhile. I'm staying with my family for a week or so while they've been doing construction in my apartment, but I've been spending most of that time at the library, school, or local bookstore studying and grading and writing my final paper, so I've been pretty isolated from everyone.

They probably will continue not to see me until school's expiration date. Which day is that? May 27th. So, after May 27th I will be able to blog, read, hang out, and just generally have a more normal life. What have I been up to? Tell you all about it.

Major upcoming events:

Speech and Debate banquet
my high school's prom
Mother's Day (Hooray!)
my wonderful roommate's birthday (Wahoo!)
my high school's graduation
university finals
my high school's finals

So, May 27th. It's coming quickly. Almost too quickly. Until then, I love you all. I miss you all. I'm making it through; I hope you are as well.

Best wishes!

I'm Alive . . . All May Now Rejoice (Including Me)

This is a note to all of you, but also a note to myself that April just stinks. I always forget this, but then making it through the month each year just seems to get harder.

Why?

1. Grad School--I'm able to survive the class this semester and get all of the reading done, but I don't feel like I'm saying anything exactly insightful. I have a 12-15 page paper due in a couple of weeks and I haven't even started. I don't even have a topic. I keep looking over the books that we read, trying to find something that's new and different (or at least intelligent and thoughtful), but somehow the answer always eludes me. The main reason? I read the books, but I didn't read all of them extremely closely. Sometimes it's tough for me to balance everything and so while I read the 400 page book, I don't catch the intricacies that I should.

2. School-school--I'm behind on grading, behind on planning, and just pretty much trying to survive and help my students to do well. Next week is our state assessment, and despite having honors sophomores I'm a bit freaked. I keep trying to figure out whether or not I've prepared them enough. And the answer is that I don't know, but that I've prepared them the best I can with all of the information that I have at my disposal. That's the best I can do. I got a pretty hostile phone message (actually TWO) from a parent and I just couldn't help but question myself as a teacher. After that, though, I just had to say--I'm doing the best I can. I'm doing everything I know how. I have a rationale for everything I do. I let the parent know my rationales, but I haven't heard anything back.

There's an assembly today and I'm in the faculty choir. We'll see how it goes. (Continue reading to see why singing as the soprano part may be hard right now.)

3. I'm sick . . . again. Not bronchitis again (thank heavens), but probably a sinus infection and I'm tired and cranky and the kids can tell. Definitely tell. I overheard a conversation about me involving the initials PMS. Not true, but probably not far off from how I'm managing my temper. I'm doing better. I slept as much as I could get in this week and haven't been to the gym since I'm exhausted, but somehow I can still just never get enough sleep.

4. Speech and debate--State is this weekend and I'm driving three out of 6 kids to the competition, chaperoning them in a motel, and judging rounds this weekend. Wish me luck.

5. My sister (with the 4 kids) is moving back. Hurray! I just want to be sure that I'm doing everything I can to help her, since her plate is rather full with regular life plus packing plus remodeling.

I know that this kind of sounds like a downer and complaining blog post. Really, though, this is just showing me that I have hope in sight. If I can get through all of this in April, make it to May and then to the summer, then I'll be able to prepare more for next year and be a better teacher/person/aunt.

Absalom, Absalom

"That is the substance of remembering--sense, sight, smell: the muscles with which we see and hear and feel--not mind, not thought: there is no such thing as memory: the mind recalls just what the muscles grope for: no more, no less: and its resultant sum is usually incorrect and false and worthy only of the name of dream" (178)

We are reading William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom in my grad school class right now and I just had to share this quote. It is so beautiful, yet almost sad. I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with it, but it certainly gives me something to muse over.