I’m going to keep today’s check-in short. As I posted last week, I am not doing so great. I am completely overwhelmed with work to the point where I almost don’t know how to get myself out of the weeds. I think it’s my perfectionism kicking in. which is pissing me off because FOR ALL OF THIS WORK I could have just done my picture book class and fixed it on the fly since this is about the same amount of work. Also, I realized tonight that not having tap because of my knee is really doing a number on my mood because I have nothing fun/creative to look forward to every week. Plus also, I found out my great-aunt is in the hospital because she got nicked during an exploratory surgery. Then, I was fifteen minutes late for a video call I had scheduled with a couple of friends–a call we planned almost a month ago, mind. And I was late for it because I was tearing my hair out about work while sitting at my laptop, which means I had no reason to be late. Etc.
Slice of Life is a writing challenge hosted by Two Writing Teachers.
But, as always, there is good news:
- My friends were understanding about me being late, so the call was fine, and I actually felt a lot better after.
- I figured out one way to get out of the weeds was to stop worrying about assigning extra credit even if it is on theme and helpful to the students because odds are very few will do it, and the ones who do will be the A students.
- Also. I realized while typing this that most of the work I’m doing is for my comp lit class, so it’s not as annoying as I thought because it has nothing to do with my picture book class and also next time I teach comp lit, I shouldn’t have to change much about it (famous last words).
- I may have a lead on something I can do that is not a dance class so won’t upset my knee.
- I asked my mom if “getting nicked” meant they cut something they weren’t supposed to during surgery and when she said yes, I said, “See, this is what happens when you attend Grey’s Anatomy Medical School. You know about these things.”
- I went to the virtual Slice of Life meet up, and it was so cool seeing some people whose blogs I have been reading for YEARS so can now put faces and voices to names.
- I thought I was going to have a new namesis at my job, but it turns out the woman is a presenter from a university so not a colleague.
- I believe we only have one more episode of Traitors before we’re completely caught up.
- I remembered I had leftovers from going out to lunch yesterday so didn’t have to cook dinner.
I am sure tomorrow (today, technically, since this is posting around midnight) will be better, especially because I’ll actually go into the classroom, which always helps.
Sometimes there’s not much you can do with the “meh” time but to accept tha tit is what it is and know that it will pass. The way you look for the glimmers surely helps to manage the time.
Yes, knowing it will pass helps so much. Thank you for the reminder.
Celebrating the small pieces of joy is helpful. Leftovers so no cooking is one for me. Cooking w/o leftovers is decision fatigue for so many reasons. And yes, the Slicer Meet Up was fun and joyful. So many faces in real time – not just the tiny boxes on the blog responses.
Decision fatigue is the perfect way to put it. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to remember cooking is usually better than not cooking. (I do know why–I hate cooking.) At any rate, I usually feel better knowing it’s done so I need to keep that in mind.
It was so great to meet you last night! I appreciated how you went from all the negatives to all the positives–a good reminder for us all that it’s not always bad.
You too! And, yes, it’s not always bad. Something I need to remember when things are not going the way I would like.
Yes, I get the Meh feelings but love that you found things to celebrate! Good luck with the knee – no fun at all! Also glad the meet up was fun.
Thank you!
Ah, life. Meh, indeed. You’ve shared honestly about those things troubling you (all understandable!) and yet you’ve ended with some happy notes. An uplifting post in the midst of “meh.” Thanks!
Yes, I’ve found that if I only focus on the bad, I feel bad. (Funny that.) Meh kind of gets at the balance. Life is usually a mixed bag.
Okay, so this reminds me of something Carol Jago said years ago. The gist is teachers should not be working harder than students. It’s good to remember extra credit should not be extra work for the teacher and the “extra” suggests those who want the extra should first do all of the other work, so in that vein, I only allowed students who had completed all other assignments an extra credit option, and sometimes they had to be the ones to come up w/ the actual extra credit task. As you might have guessed, usually no one did. Anyway, I’m kicking my backside for missing the Slicer meet up. It’s not the first time I’ve signed up and failed to remember.
Yes, that’s a good point about the extra credit. My friend takes that approach to make up work. She says students can only make up past assignments once she’s seen they can do their current assignments because otherwise there’s no point.
Last year, I slept through the meetup, so I totally understand.
I feel the meh, but your list felt like maybe it kind of helped? At any rate, going into the classroom almost certainly made it better. It’s my absolute favourite part of my job, so I figure it probably brightens everyone’s day, right?
Yes to both!
My friend, I’m so glad I saw your lovely face in the halls because it always cheers me up. To read this and know what was going on behind the surface — I totally get it. It’s a weird week. I’m sending you lots of love!
Thank yu. And to you as well.