Days 4 through 10: Posting Procrastination

I am NOT giving up on this, but I haven't posted in a few days.




Day 4: Traveled to Warren County in Northwestern PA for Winterfest!!!! The extravaganza of rural PA, complete with Dogsled racing, polar bear plunge, cardboard sled derby, food that's bad for you, crafts that no one buys, AND free hot chocolate!


Day 5: 1/2-way Polar Bear Plunge. It was canceled...so we did this instead!














Day 6: This counts because it happened at 12:30 a.m. I built a shark-shaped cardboard sled for the cardboard sled derby on Sunday afternoon. Our group lost, but our friends won!




Day 7: I became a national sensation on the Weather Channel. My friends and I made the top five videos for our half-way polar bear plunge.


Day 8: Went to Damon's for the first time for my friend, James', birthday celebration and played their trivia game on the large screen t.v.!

Day 9: I was happy for the first time with an official observation. My class was so incredibly behaved <3! I was so proud of them :0).

Day 10: I tried reading something at work for pleasure that was NOT related to the curriculum. It had an amazing effect on my mood for the rest of the day! I rekindled my love for Catherine Pierce's work, specifically her chapbook of poetry titled: Creatures of Habit.

Day 3: Follow Through!

So, I have this issue with, you know, getting it all done. I AM A PROCRASTINATOR, a big fat procrastinator. I decided today that I'm actually going to get it all done. I make these little lists for myself on post-it notes every day and promise that I'm going to finish every item on them, but I actually never do. I usually get them about 70 % done, but not today. I'm going to finish every last painfully tedious thing on my list of 10:

1. Buy a plane ticket to Charleston, SC to visit my best friend, Cathy. (1/2 check)
2. Finish my final project rubric for Of Mice and Men (check)
3. Finish my speech project assignment (check)
4. Finish my senior year course options sheet (check)
5. Get my lesson plan ready for an O-F-F-I-C-I-A-L observation (I want me some tenure, baby!) (check)
6. Finish Participation Rubric for all classes (check)
7. Grade rough drafts for my advanced class rhetorical analysis (ugh ugh ugh)
8. Mail my friend a check (1/2 done!)
9. Finish grading those grammar sheets, the ones from 8th period that I've been putting off for three days (check)
10. Call Elaine and Cathy (dropped phone in toilet last night...crap)

I'm on my way to finishing them! Wish me luuuck! I'll write back about progress later.

Well...I don't want to say I failed! I just...didn't finish everything. However, I was really productive, and I still tried to do something new! I finished like 70 % of my list, basically my average. I think I need to get rid of facebook. Maybe that will be my new first tomorrow, or maybe the day after, or the day after that?

Day 2: Recording

I have a new found respect for any and all amateur and professional musician. I'm just going to say one thing. It is REALLY hard to record a song! I decided for my first today that I was going to try (to successfully) record a song on guitar. I literally spent an hour on this thing, and I still messed up a few times in the final version. Trust me, though, it's better than the previous twenty-some recordings. There were various curses and picks thrown across the room in frustration :). I can never get over how strange it is to hear my own voice in a recording. It always sounds different in a recording than what I hear when I speak or sing. Well, here is my rendition of "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by the Fleetfoxes. I tried recording "Blackbird" first, but it ended in (utter) disaster. And even though this recording isn't absolutely perfect, I'm still proud of myself for finishing it. Enjoy!

*Note: Link was broken before, but now it's on YouTube!

Day 1: Change

I always hit this point of the year in mid-January (and I don't think I'm alone) where I just feel stagnant all around; the air is depressive, no sunlight, and to top it all off, it's just freezing cold. I hate the bitterness of winter, not only the physical oppressiveness of the air, but also the toll it takes on emotional and mental well being. However, yesterday, I watched this short video interview by Luann Cahn with Kevin Eubanks, American jazz guitarist and leader of the Tonight Show Band during Jay Leno's reign.



Kevin has a few things to say about changing your life, the way to go about it, the perspectives one should (and should not have), but he pointedly states to not be "too ambitious." Don't try to make changes where there aren't any. Don't try to be the next American Popstar or America's Next Top Model. That's not what this next year in my life should be about. It's called "One Year of Firsts," and I'm starting my year of firsts today. The point is to feel "alive and vibrant," to escape the repetitive motions and routines of every day life.

I don't want to fall into the same old patterns. I don't want to stop discovering or learning new things, just because I've graduated from college and am not receiving a formal education anymore.

Every first will give me something to look forward to.
Every first will give me new perspective on my life, even if it's negative.

Every first will just be...
something new.


Day 1: Gym in the AM

Now, this wasn't a profound experience or anything like that, but working out in the morning had an incredible effect on the rest of my day. I was genuinely cheerful the remainder of the day. It started the motor in my brain; the wheels were running smoother than ever before. It was just one simple change I made to my day. I don't know if I keep this up everyday, since I wake up at 6:50 a.m., anyway to teach English to high school students. However, this seed has been planted in my head that I have the ability to go through every day with this great appreciation and enthusiam.