How do I keep up?

There's been this question floating around in my head for weeks...how do I keep up? There are my normal teaching duties...planning, grading, etc and to that I've added a graduate class that I co-facilitate and plan. I try to stay current with my YA reading and recently, since I attended NCTE, I've been active on twitter for professional development purposes. And this is where my question pops up...how do I keep up? Blogging has been something else that I've wanted to make a priority this year. I've done pretty well although lately, I feel like I've failed miserably. My school blog has not been updated in weeks and I haven't been here since the beginning of January. So...how do I keep up?  And it isn't a rhetorical question...I really want to know HOW do people fit it all in and make it look so effortless? I'll continue to plod along and make improvements along the way, but any tips or suggestions are greatly welcome!

Starting off with honesty

I'm in a strange place in my life. A week and a half ago, my life was headed in a completely different direction. It's the cliche, life can change in an instant, well, it's a cliche for a reason. I feel disingenuous by not owning up to the pain that I'm feeling. Working to move on from the pain is kind of like ignoring it. I don't want to ignore it, but I don't want to wallow and I certainly don't want to talk about it. Move on. That's what I want to do. An adoption was supposed to happen and now it's not going to. That's my story today. Just below the surface is pain and I'm waiting for it to sink deeper and deeper so it won't bubble up suddenly. Once it becomes part of me, I feel like I'll be able to forge ahead with my life.

We all have stories of joy, pain, growth, learning, change...this is mine right now. I need another focus while I heal...writing. Writing has always been a salve for me and my pain. Writing through things help me figure them out, but that's not what I'm talking about. I want to write. Writing is freedom to me. Escaping into a world of my own creation. Perhaps that's one reason why author is such an attractive word to me.

I received many comments (and THANK YOU for the comments, by the way) wondering where this word will take me. I'm imagining a new life for me than the one I had planned. Becoming an author. Now, I just need to find my story. 

2012...the Year of the Author (or a dozen authors)

I just sent out this tweet about 2012 being the year of the author when I realized how true that is. In the tweet, I mentioned four authors...Donalyn Miller, Patti Pigh, Penny Kittle, and Donna Cooner...and then I realized that's only the beginning!!! I met Gary Schmidt, Marc Tyler Nobleman, Ralph Fletcher, Gretchen Barnebei, Georgia Heard, Chris Lehmann, Barry Lane, Charles R. Smith, Melinda Long and Jon Scieszka. (I also met Donalynn Miller and Penny Kittle.) That's a dozen...in 2012!! 

That's not counting the authors I heard speak like Avi and Tom Romano and RJ Palacio and Katherine Marsh, Tom Angleberger and Susan Vaught. Being surrounded by authors is something that's been part of my life...in their books. To be able to meet them and listen to them speak and ask them questions...well, it's like someone who isn't a complete book nerd, going to Hollywood and meeting their favorite celebrity. I'd rather meet and talk with authors than everyone at the Oscars! Secretly...I have a confession...I want to be one of them...be part of their ranks. That's one of the reasons for my 2013 word. I've written a blog post for the Nerdy Book Club, which will appear in January. That's a start. Can I do this? Yes. I believe I can. Now, the work begins. 

To all of the authors I've met and seen and admired and read...thank you! I continue to be in awe. Look for me...I'm on my way.

You Can Do Anything

(Song by Carole King)

Today I am starting NaNoWritMo! My goal is 50,000. That means 1,667 words a day need to be written by ME. Yikes! Scary...hard...but NOT impossible. Doing this with students and fellow teachers helps keep me on track.

I've missed writing here. School, life...there are so many excuses, but no real reasons. So, I'm back. Along with writing everyday for NaNoWriMo, I'll try to post something here everyday!

I'm back!