Time Change Drudgery or Satiating Sunshine? Midweek Musings

I was listening to a podcast this morning by Nichole Sachs, and this quote stood out: “We don’t have to attach to things as good or bad.” She was speaking on healing from things like pain or migraines. There is a similar quote by Shakespeare that I heard long ago, and found it interesting.

This applies very well to the time change. My son was telling me how he hates the time change, and I agree, when it comes to following a clock. When you have to be in bed by a certain time and know you have to be up in the morning by a certain time, the sudden change of daylight is confusing. Although it is the same every year, we’ve been in a certain routine for months, and it is shaken up. However, I love having more sunshine in my life!

After a morning of gray cloudy skies yesterday leaving me sluggish, an appointment for me, and driving my son to his appointment, I just wanted a nap. We got back home and I had an energy green tea. Then, we went to the gym for 30 minutes of cardio. I came back, and so did the sunshine, invigorating me along with my combination of energy green tea and a little cardio.

I wanted to paint a flower, change my sheets, and download educational videos all at one time. Well, I somehow got it all done. 🙂 At one point, I had just had what I thought was an early dinner, when I realized it was 7:00 p.m. That’s not early dinner for me, but it’s not too late either. It was still bright, so I read a paperback book for a little while by the window. I got tired and relaxed at about 9:00 p.m. and was in bed at 10:00. Much better than the night before!

There are probably a lot of us who wish it never mattered what time the clock tells us it is. I have one clock in the kitchen up high and it hasn’t been changed yet; it’s throwing me off. Trying to adhere to the clock can be stressful, yet we still do it. We have responsibilities to a job, a team, a hobby, or showing up for each other. I suppose it gives our lives purpose. See, it is a matter of thinking to tell ourselves, “Okay, it’s not so bad.”

So, the time change means, if we fix our clocks and then disregard them, I can read a paperback by the window later in the afternoon, take a nice walk after dinner, and paint in my garage with daylight shining on me. I also suppose, in time, it will get easier to wake up early again. That is the hope!

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Weekend Coffee Share, Sloth-like Saturday: Smiles and Sleep

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. Today’s morning beverage is green Tazo tea served warm with a hint of honey. The morning weather is in the high 40s now. The sun is shining, which suits my lazy-late-sleeper attitude today!

Don’t be jealous, though. I certainly don’t usually sleep late enough! The warmth of my bed and my dog, Bixby at my feet helped the cozy atmosphere. I woke once to put the electric heating pad on my bum shoulder; it gets more uncomfortable with cool/ cold weather.

This past week on Thursday afternoon, I had my appointment with my new chiropractor, which is closer to work for me and also offers acupuncture. The office is airy and friendly, and there is lovely music in the reception area which is manned by a long-haired male receptionist. The chiropractor, who also does acupuncture, spoke with me about my needs, goals, and experience with chiropractic medicine. His adjustments are hands-on. There’s a window up high in the consultation room, again, nice and airy

I must say, the thought of someone ‘cracking my back’ was unnerving at first, but I feel the results are positive. The chiropractor seems pretty holistic in his beliefs, which I think is quite a good thing. The office is closer for me , too. He said I should wait and see how my body reacts to the adjustment. I have set another appointment for the acupuncture and will certainly share my experience!

When I got home, I was greeted by a newly shorn Bixby. He is cute as ever! His eyes are kind of squinted here in this morning’s photo because he has his eyes on a treat in my hand!

Friday was a non work day for me, a weather day. I got up and met some of my teacher friends for breakfast. I had a scrumptious egg platter with spinach and goat cheese on it, as well as real coffee! It was nice to catch up and share some gossip!

Last night I was able to catch up with my son a little bit. He wanted to watch Family Guy, then he was in bed early to prepare for a workday. At this point, we have have to be glad for the little moments we get. He likes the absurd humor of that show. It’s not my first choice. 🙂

Here’s to a great weekend with good food, friends, and loved ones!

Weekend Coffee Share. My Calling. 8/10

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee share, hosted by Allison at eclecticali.wordpress.com

 

I’ve had a fruit V8 and now it’s time for my half a cup of coffee. You may enjoy whatever you like!  It will likely be another hot day.  It has already been a good morning.  Back to School season is in full swing, and I have been up before or at 6 a.m. all week, working non-stop either physically, to prepare my room, or mentally, to prepare my lessons.

I stayed up ’til midnight last night and woke up promptly at 6:30 a.m.  No 8-hour sleep-in for me.  I’m already getting into the grind, but I rebelled. After laying in bed, stretching and mentally preparing myself for not being able to sleep late for a year, I spent 20 uninterrupted minutes sitting on the porch watching Bixby’s nose twitch and ears perk. He enjoyed it too, I’m sure.

We observed a lot, like the fact that the sun felt good and my new neighbor gets picked up on a Saturday by a big truck blaring Spanish talk-radio, and some other neighbor’s brakes squeal, and the next door neighbor goes out on his ten- speed at 8 a.m. Also, there was still dew on the ground, so I knew I couldn’t get sunburned, on the porch, at 8 a.m. Nice start to the day! Now my brain is awake.
I need to continue porching it through the fall season, too! 

This video is from a July morning on the porch.  I thought you would enjoy it.  Bixby features frequently in my blog posts and Weekend Coffee Shares.  He is my adopted shelter dog and also a girl’s/writer’s best friend.  We go on adventures together and we sit and observe the world together.

 

Since I have mentioned Back-to School, I want to tell you how truly wonderful it is to take the road less traveled.  I went to a training this week that was not packed full, none of my friends were going to  it.  It was about helping kids understand advanced text.  The instructor spoke to me right away and offered me a matchbox car.  That was fun!  Then we had to talk to others about why we chose the one we chose.  We loved talking about that.  When we answered a question, he asked our name and asked the whole ‘class’ to say “Thank you, Pam.”  There were about 40 people in there, but we talked, we moved around, we used our brains.  We were actively learning, and that’s what we need to do with our students.  This was a wonderful break from an over-crowded meeting room with people on their laptops while someone at the front ‘talks at us.’ It got me really pepped up for what I need to do daily, which is, get to know my kids, and then inspire them to do the work that will help them learn the most.  I think about writing full-time, but I know my work in the public school system is not yet done.  It isn’t easy, and many spend just 1-5 years teaching in public schools, but what is best for the kids? I want to do what is best.  This is were we determine or help affect the culture of our nation in the future.  It feels like an important calling to me.  Writing keeps me sane, but maybe my writing will also inspire someone and get them thinking about how we treat each other?  That can be done in any genre.

On the writing front,   the Malachi manuscript is still with beta readers, and I am entertaining ideas for the cover.  I will be taking my last Teaching Gifted endorsement course this fall, so I may have to slow down progress on that manuscript, but I am holding to a goal of publishing it in the first few months of 2020.  Progress is being made on both of my Detours in Time series books to be produced in audio version.  I’m excited!  Detours in Time may be available for audio purchase in about a month! I just finished listen to the first narration and have sent corrections requests.  Yikes!  This is an awesome feeling.  My narrator for Undercurrents in Time is also getting started.  I’ll share more on that later.  In the meantime, here is a brief clip of the narration for Detours in Time:

https://www.untiedmusic.com/emory/Chapter_11_teaser.mp3

That’s what’s going on in my world!  I hope you all enjoy your weekend!  I know I need to exercise now, but I think a hot bath may also be on my schedule for today.  I think I have worked for it.  🙂

“Dreams” In honor of NAPOWRIMO

“Dreams” 

Free Verse by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

copyright 2005

At twilight

Dreams sit at the edge of our consciousness

Delighting, or disturbing us

 Watching like a mindreader,

      coaxing us

     To

     Stay

    Where  they are….

And to fall back into them when our slight awareness stirs.

 Then, they dart away like a cat-eyed burglar in black who can never be caught…at the crack of dawn with the alarm’s annoying alert to the living.

     When most of us wake up and leave them behind…

    (But some of them can be caught)……

co. 2005, Pamela Schloesser Canepa