This is a rambling pointless post about things swimming around in my brain today. Not your thing? We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program tomorrow…
I’ve been writing often at night lately. While that used to be my favorite time to do quiet work, nowadays I’m just fried. I have trouble focusing. The writing isn’t as good. But the afternoons—when I’ve been writing most of the school year—have been otherwise occupied. As have early mornings on the weekends. Not good.
With summer here and The Kid in half day camp in the mornings, I’ll have some solid writing time when I’m fresher, and that will be better. (That starts tomorrow! Hooray!)
I spent the last two days working on district-owned instruments for our elementary school band programs. It’s always interesting and gross, but we get a little cash for it and get to socialize a bit with people we rarely see, so it’s worth the bit of time.
While working there, I played five flutes that didn’t produce sound. That means there were five kids who couldn’t play. Did their teachers know it was an instrument problem? Flute is hard for beginners, and it’s not unheard of to have a student who still can’t do it at the end of the year (though that’s typically because they give up). But if it’s the instrument’s fault…….
I got to thinking that I might structure band next year like some sort of adventure game. Create a map and make each stop along the route a skill test or song test or some other activity. Or a map for each quarter? It has potential, but I need to think about it more and see how it would work.
The guy flipping the house next door gave me a battle rope to use in my training. I was pretty excited! Used it immediately.
The Kid wanted to show me a LEGO kit that he’s saving money to buy, so we went to the LEGO Store. While there, he changed his mind about which one to buy (and saved himself $80 in the process…but changed to one he’s talked about for a long time). Also while we were there, I saw one that was way cool! I would totally build that! Of course, it was almost $400. Not on the list of things I’ll ever own. (There will always be something better to spend $400 on. Unless I become somehow debilitated and am stuck at home sitting down for a long time and can’t do much else. Then maybe.)
The thing about teaching is that I’ve literally spent my entire adult life postponing projects “until break.” I’ve gotten better about not overloading shorter ones like spring break, but summer? There’s more on the summer to-do list than I have time to do it.
I want to write a lot. Time will be made for this. If I’m going to meet my goal of having my book written by the end of the year, significant progress needs to happen this summer.
I’ve been studying Spanish a little more formally (I do well with books and exercises and conjugation charts). Keep time each day for this, even if it’s only 10 to 15 minutes.
Keep trying new recipes. I like to do this whenever there’s time and mental energy available. Then the options are more plentiful for busier times.
Learn how to use my new camera more. I’ve given it a couple of pockets of time, but it needs more before I even know what the settings do and how to use them, much less gain any proficiency.
I thought about getting a new personal training certificate. My old one expired. I’d like to go through a different certification agency. And then tidy up the garage (which is where I currently do training) so that in the fall when it gets cooler, I could take on more clients. It’s currently looking like this is a project that’s going to fall off the list.
There are many projects around the house. Cleaning out/organizing the office will get done first or second. The wallet/keys/phone charging area is a mess; reorganizing that is the other thing vying for top spot. Others are less important and are likely to get done as I procrastinate something more important but less fun.
And there’s still The Kid. And housecleaning. And daily exercise. Socializing?
I’d like to read more than I am now. I need to clean out my inboxes. Get the e-mess on the computer cleaned up. (So much clutter!) Get my digital photos organized.
That’s a lot of stuff. It’s not all going to get done, even if I am highly efficient all summer. Which I won’t be.
*shrug* We’ll see how it goes. And maybe the things that don’t get done will get done over fall break…