Weekend Coffee Share, February 25th

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. I had peach mango V8 with breakfast and now I’m enjoying a chai latte on a sunny morning. I think it’ll be in the 80s again today, much like it has been all of last week.

This week was a short work week, as I prefer! Students are getting a little hyped up as we get closer to Spring Break, though. It gets a little tiring. I’d love to be excited about Spring Break too, but having to tell kids repeatedly not to do things they should know not to do can wear a person down. Don’t get me wrong, I do have some very bright and responsible students, and I enjoy my job overall.

Since we were off Monday, I had a doctor’s appointment. Afterward, I came home for lunch and painted for a while. It’s my new hobby to help destress and an outlet for creativity. It also doesn’t bother my hand or shoulder like writing/typing stories, which I still do, though at a very slow pace lately!

A desert sunset. I’ll get better with time…

On Thursday, I went back to the new chiropractor, and I’ll be getting acupuncture next Wednesday! I’m so excited. I look forward to new avenues that can lead me to pain and stress relief. This chiropractor does manual, hands-on adjustments. I was shocked the first time he quickly turned my neck and got it to crack. Immediately, I felt the tension melt away, though! Similarly, he got my back to make that crack. It felt better; I can’t argue with the results!

Friday night I went home and relaxed. I watched Netflix, read a little, and sat around with my feet up. Bixby enjoyed laying on the back of the couch, as you can see!

Toe beans!

Yeah, maybe my dog is a little spoiled. 🙂 So, now I’m contemplating exercise. My plan was to go to the gym, but I currently have my feet up again, and I’m thinking yoga is what I need. I promise, I will do one of the two options for at least 30 minutes! I’ll just give myself the option of choosing which is best.

There’s still no resolution to the law on books in the classroom, which was worded as openness in curriculum and based on a section referring to legal consequences if a teacher makes a book with pornography available to a student. So, no reading choices are available on my bookshelf. The list that has been made available to me as a teacher only has the reading material that is in our curriculum, which is online. Very limited, if you ask me. This is my own opinion, not that of my employer… you know the drill.

That’s all for now. I’m still contemplating exercise. I hope you all have a happy, healthy weekend!

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Weekend Coffee Share , Back to School issue

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. It’s green tea for me today. Grab your favorite beverage and let’s have a little chat!

I’m on a health kick lately, hence the green tea. The frozen shoulder has not yet resolved in 3 weeks of PT, and that bothers me because school starts Monday. My range of motion is really improved, but the pain and discomfort keep me up at night. I need my energy to keep up with the kids! I have some appointments coming up. Hopefully, I’ll get some answers or a new plan of attack.

Don’t hug my bum shoulder, please. Don’t nudge my right arm. Yeah, this might be awkward.

At any rate, it was good to see some of my coworkers again, and to meet a few new ones. Some of us are like family, we’ve known each other for so long! I’m running the same clubs again, but streamlining the processes, and I have a few people who have offered to help. That is a wonderful thing!

I took a lot less time setting up my room, because I’m being sort of minimalist. Stapling things on the wall hurts my arm and my shoulder. However, I think it looks great as it is, and that it looks good enough. Most of the learning that will occur is not based on what is hanging on my wall anyhow. There’s lots of chart paper though, and students will be able to make use of that to create their own wall decoration. 🙂

Well, that’s what’s going on in my world. I’ll keep this fairly short so I can save my hand from feeling worn out. I got a massage earlier, which really relaxed me, as I think that is the best way to head into this new school year.

Have a great weekend, and thank you for stopping by!

Weekend Coffee Share, Time Moves us Toward…Something TBD

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! This week was a busy one, but packed with good moments, so pull up a chair. It’s sunny with a lovely breeze here in Jacksonville, Florida, perfect for taking coffee or tea on the porch!

I had a Club meeting after school Monday, and Tuesday, I helped usher the kids out as many teachers were helping with a dance for game day pre-festivities. Then, I headed out for a get-together with old friends (retired teachers).

It’s always great to see old friends, and they give me the inspiration that my life after retiring from teaching could be a good one. We ate at the Cheesecake Factory, but I had Asian Lettuce wrap tacos that were not expensive, yet delish! Truly, the field of teaching has changed so much through the years, and I wonder how much longer I can do this.

I’d certainly have to take up work in another field, hopefully a fulfilling one, as I do feel I have made a difference in the teaching world. (That is why I stuck with it this long). You feel as if you’ve made this world a better place. How much longer I can do this is yet to be determined.

So, those thoughts were with me when I was back at school after an early dinner to attend and help as needed at the National Junior Honor Society induction of new members. Many of the students there were my students a year or two ago. It was heartwarming to see them being honored and to clap and smile for them. There was not a ceremony last year due to COVID.

So, there are still high points I encounter as a teacher. There are also still big HUH? moments regarding paperwork or upcoming new certification requirements. I’m still interested in learning more about chronic pain, which has nothing to do with my teaching job. This desire may have been further fueled by the pins and needles I felt in my legs this week…

Geez, that makes me sound old! I’m not old, I swear. Well, maybe old enough to joke about it. Let’s go with the legend one of my students started last year: that I’m a vampire, because I don’t have many wrinkles, yet I’ve been teaching like, forevvvvver…

I love it when they are imaginative! At any rate, if there is a new phase of my life around the corner, I shall not fear it.

Covid 2020. Stifled. #poetry

Covid anxiety has me feeling stuck, tied down,

Oppressed…

A hot flash brings it on,

Allergy sniffles bring it

Stuck in a mask, afraid to go out…

It has me pinned by the arms. Stilted breathing, muffled voice

But I will summon my nerve and beat it, one day.

I will stare it in the face, lash out like a cornered animal,

And defiantly,

Spit in its eye.

Weekend Coffee Share. I Survived…

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Antoinette T. Here we are the day after Friday the 13th, and I’ve already exercised and had my hair cut and styled. It was half a cup today, I’m sticking with that because I can’t go without, and I can’t risk my ability to sleep later. I fell asleep early on the couch the last few nights, but then I woke up at 1 or 2 and couldn’t get back to sleep for a few hours. So, there’s another entry in the Insomniac Diary. This was more sleep than my norm for the week, though. There’s a plus! Also, my dog came in and sat on the bed with me last night when I woke and started tossing a little.

I survived this Friday the 13th, which was an emotional roller coaster for so many different reasons. I survived by creating an atmosphere in my classroom that I myself could stand to be in as student or teacher. My students surprised to me. A student in my highly advanced class said I was her favorite teacher and I thanked her. I shared a highly personal poem that they loved. I wrote peace on Earth on my board, and a boy went up and drew and colored a beautiful Earth with blue and green. (Photo coming later). We all survived together. My student origami artist added a dragon to my collection! It now watches over me too. Though I still have new content for my insomniac’s diary, I have to tell you, life is good. ❤

On the writing front, I’m reading through Malachi again before I send it to an editor. I’m recording my insomnia experiences as well as my experiences with stress and how it may be affecting my health. I’m going to get wellness right, that is my goal, and someday I’ll take cardio yoga confidently! The physical therapy had a snag when I think I pushed too hard, so they gave me new exercises and it’s going much better now. My legs are getting stronger so my back will have a more stable foundation. As I visualize it and work toward it, I know this will happen!

That’s my week and my growth journey in a nutshell. I hope your week has gone well! Now I am off to cheer on some students who are ringing the Salvation Army bell today!