Are You Lonely Looking for Yourself Out There? pt.1

I have a lot to complain about. I am excellent at finding something stupid and unnecessary, and then well, complaining about it.

But today

I'm going to share the things that make me happy. The last 2 weeks I've been in a great mood. I haven't been feeling as stressed or disappointed lately and I decided to really think about what has caused a change in my mood. So here it is (or at least half of it):

10. Austin, TX

Austin has stolen my heart lately. If I knew where to send it, I would write it a love letter to Austin at least once a week. I love the people, the places, the food, the music... just everything. I love the city I live in. I could go on for hours, but I don't want to make anyone jealous. Driving over South Congress or even I-35 takes my breath away,every time. Without Fail.

9. My workouts
Ok, this on the list and it is low on the list. I have been trying (key word:trying) to work out at least 5-6 times each week. For the last month, I have hit that goal every single week. Honestly, it's become something I look forward to. When I wake up, when I'm at school, in meetings I am ready to get to the gym and get my workout on (or over with.. but still). I download new tunes to keep me motivated (currently: Sad, Sad City by Ghostland Observatory), I bought a new gym bag and I have no problems packing it at night.

8. Moving

I HATE moving. I hate the idea of packing up all my boxes and everything I own and moving it someplace new. It sounds exhausting... But I am excited to move closer to downtown, have a roommate AND be able to paint the walls any color I want.

7. My students AMAZING projects

I asked my kids to make a Fake Facebook page about a Greek God or Goddess. This is one of the AMAZING examples. They are great.
6. The month of May

I AM loving the extended hours of sunlight, the end of TAKS season,and the closeness of Summer. I feel like I can get more done afterschool (and I have less to do!), the sun is actually up when I leave for school, and I have a HUGE holiday to look forward to.
5. Great Weekends

Above are just a few people I have gotten to see over the past few weekends. My wonderful friends and family have been willing to drive all over Texas (and I have done some driving myself), to see each other. I had the best time with Rachel on S.Congress, annoyed Adam downtown, helped my mother spend money on me, and had a REAL Castroville experience with Brooke. The next few weekends hold even more visitors and traveling, and I can't wait!

Part 2 of the Ten Reasons Why I'm Loving Life Will be Posted Soon!

Sometimes we forget what we got.

I spent all of yesterday cleaning and working on lesson stuff for this week. It's so frustrating to work from 11 AM until 11 PM (more or less) and still have so much to do. It seemed like the grading would never end and I still need to get some things organized for the rest of the week. I want to do things after school and have a life... but I just feel like I should move in to my classroom sometimes.
I had an emotional moment with my mom yesterday- just because I feel like I have no life, and have become a slave to my job. But at the same time when I do things and have a life, I end up feeling so behind. In a way I almost feel guilty for doing things on the weekend or something fun because I know there's something I should be doing for my class.

I'm ready for this to start getting easier- not harder.

Today I had some classroom management problems. My 3rd and 4th period drive me up the wall. I just need to give out some detentions and lay down the law. I just feel like with those 2 groups I have to be mean EVERY SINGLE DAY and other groups I only have to it occasionally.

I've also been devoting most of my weekends to apartment cleaning and organizing- and sadly there' a huge bag of trash waiting of me to take it to the dump. Sometimes I love living alone- when I get home and am tired, I don't have to speak to anyone. Or when I wake up early and I don't have to be quiet or considerate. But then around 8:00 o'clock at night or in the afternoons on the weekend I'm left thinking...."oh, I"m alone again. Still." So i can't decide about next year. I'll revaulate at some point in time I'm sure.

I think I need to slow down a little bit in class too. I feel like I'm running with my students all day long and sometimes I don't feel that way. But when I do feel like I'm rushing through everything I think that my students behavior changes.

I started a Bingo activitiy in class for my TAG students. It will last all week- and at first they seemed not to like it. But once they understood it, I think they really did apperciate it. They wanted to do more than what was on the list. Which was good... I need to look into imagery for them. I'm always rememebering somthing I'm not doing.

I hope this week ends better than it started...