As you've probably noticed I've been limited to fairly short posts about once per week lately. I've been way busier than I imagined I would be now that I'm finished with grad school, but apparently when you're a part of every committee, team, and meeting one year it's pretty difficult to bail out of all that responsibility. I've tried, but it seems like in education today every issue is resolved with a meeting. Throughout the course of a week I am expected to meet as a team, a content twice, for 504s, IEPs, as part of the child study committee, and with administration for lead teacher responsibilities. At various times throughout each month I am also expected to meet with the school improvement team, as the head of the math task force, with my grade level, as the leader of school-wide vertical math meetings, and of course the ever-popular "faculty meeting." Now any number of other meetings can pop up without warning. For example, I am usually asked to help organize professional development (which is incredibly time consuming), lead teachers are expected to drop everything and run to meetings at the drop of hat, and you never know when a parent will call with a concern that trumps everything else in your life. When it gets to the point that your meeting about meeting, you know there is something fundamentally wrong. Also, when you're in my position it's impossible to ignore the time it takes to prepare for, and then follow up with all of the items discussed in these meetings. Oh, did I mention that I need to perform the duties of a teacher too? I need to squeeze teaching, planning, grading, and general upkeep of my classroom somewhere in there. Anyone that knows me professionally knows that I strive for positivity at work and I do everything in my power to shy away from the "complaining bug," so I write these things not to complain, but to illustrate the difficulties I face in trying to do my job well. When the hectic schedules become way too much I need to take a step back and think about the little things in life that keep me going. It's these little things that I'd like to dedicate the rest of this post to.
The Dodgers are currently winning 4-3 and there magic number stands at 2 because of a D-Backs loss tonight. They are on the verge of a playoff birth and you can barely even imagine how excited that makes me.
The Office, How I Met Your Mother, and Entourage are back. I go though major cycles with my TV watching diet but these 3 are all staples. I'm pretty pumped they're all back!
31 days remain until the marathon and I'm starting to get really excited. I'm ripping off 6 and 8 mile runs during the week like it ain't no thang, and the long runs on the weekend are increasing my confidence that I can finish with some gusto.
The weather is getting cooler outside which is signaling the onset of fall, my favorite of all 5 seasons.
Amanda and I are finally almost settled in our new place and it's a great feeling.
Manny just hit his 17th home run as a Dodger and we're now leading 6-3!
AND last... in just 40 days I get to cast my vote for Obama.
I've got lots to look forward to over the next six weeks as long as I can keep my head above water at work. It's the little things that keep me going and I know I'm fortunate that I can find solace in these seemingly minor things. As I mentioned last week, stay tuned for my political series, I promise it's coming up.
I leave you with a quote that my boy Sean claims he is going to live the rest of his by:
"Stop bitching and start organizing!"
Amen Sean, Amen...
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