The Winner Takes It All

(from "Mama Mia" soundtrack)

Ok...today's one of those days. It's a day where I feel like giving up on everything already. (It's only January 5th...this can't be good) except I am paying attention to that feeling, addressing it, and moving past it. So, here I am writing on my blog again and soon I will be packing my bag for the gym.

This isn't a particularly interesting post and I may not do a great job running today, but I am showing up. Doing it. Building. This has been such a weakness for me because in the past I've avoided instead of persisted. If I can't be great, why bother....was my old philosophy. My new philosophy is show up everyday. So here I am.

Don't Rain on my Parade

(Glee soundtrack)

I did it! I did it! I did it! I ran/walked a mile and a half! I also finished my first book of 2011. The running felt great. The hardest part was packing my bag and getting there. I loved the feeling of being n the treadmill. I pushed myself. It's awesome. Im celebrating this so much becuse i want to build on it. I want to continue and have it last.

My other accomplishment...finishing my first book..I'm shooting for 111 books in 2011 AND keeping track of the books i read by building a list i can reflect upon and maybe even share with students. I read Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea. It's a story of a teacher and his impact on his students, as told by his students. It is so beautiful and touching! This is one of those stories that will stick with me. I highly recommend it.

Busy Monday...is it only Tuesday? Well, Tuesday, here i come!
Michelle

The Girl I Mean to Be

(from The Secret Garden soundtrack)

Ok...I'm back! Loving being back here. It's Monday morning and the first day back to school after an interesting winter break. I see all of my teacher friends dreading the return...and while i understand, i don't really feel the same way. Going back to school makes me happy. Seeing my friends, and the kids, and even getting back to work. I'm great at beginnings, maybe that's why I like these days. It's the follow through that I sometimes struggle with...but I will work on building

on beginnings.

Happy Monday to you!

Word of the Year 2011: Build

Build...

This is the third year I have chosen a word of the year to guide me throughout the next twelve months. My first word was (2009) mettle. I loved that word! It just fit! The next word (for 2010) was engage. Again this word came to me easily and it fit. This year I struggled to find just the right word. I had settled on another word...until I some BIG things happened to me...it didn't fit anymore. I consulted a friend and build seemed the best fit.

Build my relationships.
Build my faith and relationship with God.
Build my professional achievements.
Build myself.

Specifically, there are a couple of wats I plan on achieving this.
1. I want to run...run a race.
2. I want to write...here on this blog, amongst other places.
3. I want to take pictures...maybe take a photography class.
4. I want to read the bible...the whole bible this year.


So, 2011...I'm ready to build a great year!!!

How To Be Alone

Watch this!

"If I Had Wings"

(Song by Darius Rucker)

Inspired by two fellow writer friends, I am back. I've missed writing here. Reading blogs is one of my favorite things to do...I notice that most of the blogs I read have a theme of some kind. Blogs about teaching, blogs about being an artist, blogs about reading, blogs about gratitude, blogs about TV shows...and I wonder what's my theme? No, I don't wonder. I know. There is no theme. The title of this blog lends itself to the theme of teaching. The problem with that is the "public-ness" of this kind of writing. Wanting this blog to be public...really public, so writing about teaching is limited. I guess the theme of this blog is ME.

Who am I? Ugh! Where do I begin? Thirty-eight years old. Single. Teacher. Homeowner. Friend. Daughter. Sister. Aunt. Christian. All of these labels will probably be addressed here, for anyone interested enough to read. Right now, I am searching... I like the title of the post (Remember my random selection of songs to title each post?): "If I Had Wings". In the song, Darius Rucker asks all kinds of questions. Life questions. Here's some of the second verse:
"...why I am here, and where did I come from;
and where will I go when my time here on this earth is done,
and what will I leave that will go on forever?
Oh no, and what can I do while I'm here to make someone's life better?"
I'm asking lots of those questions right now, too. Searching for the answers.

Help!!

Help the National Writing Project! If you share NWP's commitment to high-quality education for all our nation's youth, I urge you to contact your legislators to ensure that vital support is maintained for the NWP. Find out more: http://nwpworks.ning.com/page/join-the-effort