PROcrastination: the good kind

I think I have anxiety. Luckily I am BFFs with the school nurse. Not kidding... B.F.Fs. We play my fave game- mole or cancer and discuss facial droop. I have never been diagnosed nor will ever but according to my fave book ever: Spark. chronic procrastinators may have anxiety, or I'm just making this up. There I just added something to your summer reading. You're welcome.

I also work better under pressure, which is why I procrastinate and let me tell you. I am one of the best procrastinators ever.

my bff Margo and I celebrating the Fiscal Cliff.. er 2013

My PROcrastination (the good kind) usually involves: some type of exercise,  laundry,  organizing the colors in my closet, yoga, baking, shopping,  search and apply for jobs, volunteer work etc. I can't tell you how I get it all done but I do. Between being a fulltime teacher and masters level student I feel I get so much more accomplished... maybe I am spreading my self too thin in parts of my life, but I'm working on it.

As evidenced by this year, I work better when I have a million and a half things to do.  I'm WORRIED (back to anxiety) that when I finish my masters I'll be a lazy bum... I do understand this is something to be aware of but will I actually go to the gym in the morning, or afternoon if I don't HAVE to do it- when I schedule it....

Before going to school tomorrow morning I hope to accomplish the following:
1. Submitting 3 FINAL masters level projects (all are at least started)
2. Launder my black clothing and sheets
3. PACK for my sister's graduation in Marquette
4. Sub plans for tomorrow and Friday
5. Saturday School final project
6. Eat all the perishables -ie mac and cheese and apples, and bananas
7. Finish another application

I work best under pressure. Most times- I know I can and do get overwhelmed. Currently I've reached a point in my life where I can analyze when I get frustrated, and walk away from the situation, or adjust it.  As a teacher it's great to be able to pinpoint the things that frustrate you because then you can create a management plan and train your students to follow this plan.

BIGGEST PET PEVE EVER: The bell rings- I'm sitting in my office and I know within 4.234 min I will have at least 13 middle schoolers with some type of tragedy, wer're talking life threading here people. Like a unicorn with glow in the dark hair accidentally did the laundry in the middle of the night and stole my PE uniform.

Example: I brought my PE uniform! (me: great! go change) But left it in the car....

These are middle schoolers so of course they think if they talk louder than the other one I will magically be able to hear them and quickly respond to their problem.  Ha. I used to stick my pointer finger in the face of the student shouting over the other- you know nicely indicating I'll be with them shortly.  But I've come up with a better idea. They line up.... I sit at my desk and approach them one by one.  If someone shouts over the other I kindly ignore them until I'm finished working with the student in front of them.  I know how basic this sounds, but it has been a lifesaver for me.

Most important part which all teachers know- PRACTICE IT. At the beginning of the semester I SHOW my students what I expect of them and you know what? It works. Harry Wong knew exactly what he was talking about in: The First Days of School. More summer reading. Bam.

happy teachers=effective, well practiced classroom management.

And that my 2 blogger friends (hi mom and dad!) is my PROcrastination blog for today.

Seeing littles this weekend when she graduates!

I'm not planning on blogging until after the weekend, so it was nice knowing ya. Now if you're in Maryland go enjoy this perfect evening!

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Follow up to "help a gril out" post: Margo says: "Wow, the number keeps growing, the love, the support and the donations keep coming. I can't thank you all enough for your support and for sharing our page and helping us achive our goal of raising awareness and funds for TAAF (The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation). Thank you...gracias! Please keep sharing the page we are so close to our new goal!!!"

Today I was brought to tears reading about other people who sufferd from this condition.  What they ask for is not their ability to walk, run, skip or hop, but to RAISE AWARENESS for this under supported disease. Please check out this webpage and explore the unique stories of strength and perseverance and consider donating to this wonderful cause. 

what will be your space jam?

Sometimes you just need a pep-talk from a super adorable kid. Yeah, we're all on the same team.

I just came to say hello

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it is already Friday!  Even with only having three days of school this week, they were full of learning and fun! 

I spent Tuesday observing an excellent teacher in MCPS. I loved every moment of kindergarden (again).  We did a lot of phonemic awareness and I learned tons of new and exciting tricks! MCPS is phenomial, I feel so lucky observing in such a outstanding district!

Even though I keep joking with my friends about not hitting a deer while living in Colorado or Minnesota, I can't tell you how close the deer here let you get! Saw this Bambi while I was running in Rock Creek Park earlier this week.

Thursday was spent outside at a ropes course outside of Potomac, Maryland. The day involved; learning about communication, teamwork and jumping off tall things.  I don't have Sevies this semester so it was great getting to know them!  My group did a excellent job working together to hoist each other over the 11 foot wall... without talking.

On Saturday a friend and I welcomed the long weekend seeing Dragonette at the Black Cat in DC! It was a super fun concert and a wonderful venue!

first full week back to school [shofar so good!]

This was our first full week back to school, but our last for a while! We welcomed Shabbot and Rosh HaShana (new year) with a Shofar blowing contest at our weekly assembly. I also celebrated my first full Kabbalat Shabbot with the Kinders I've been observing with! It was most possibly the cutest Shabbot ever! 

Cheers to 5773 for those celebrating!

With that said, it was a busy busy week of internship hours, reading and studying for my classes and teaching my regular classes! All these busy activities did not leave much time for taking excellent pictures. 

Davida and I have killer fashion sense, how can you go wrong with a black shirt, dark jeggings and back flats. You can't.

My bestest made me famous for Western State College University in admissions information! A killer education paired with that smile? #winning 

In my free time I am obtaining my hours in a Kindergarden class at our Lower School! The kids are fun and the teachers are really experienced and passionate! It has been a great week of learning and fun!

Finally, sunsets can be great in dc too.

Weekly iphone pic September 14th 2012

What Do You Mean... This Isn't IRL?

This is the true story of 15... well 14.. no, 13 (where ARE our new cast-mates??)... 8 strangers, picked to live in the mountians/on a beach with cactus and Valosa Raptors (or were those just Condors?) for 78 days, to work (most likely not) together, and (should...seriously) have had thier lives taped (the cameras were somewhere).  To find out when people stop being polite (forming), and start getting real (storming). Real World (NOLS Mexico).

Missing the culture, people and the lifestyle more and more each day... and yes I have gone longer than you without a shower. 

Disclaimer: this is not my picture, none of these pictures are. It is Roger's picture...  incredible man, sailor and one of my NOLS  (National Outdoor Leadership School) instructors.  Roger always knew the right thing to say at the right time.  Of course this man spoke Catalan Spanish, which made every word out of his mouth sound like a swear word. Read: put the sheet in the cleat, we're heading for the beach. Really man, day one and you're already calling me a lazy sheet? Or when our fellow classmate was stung by a sting ray and we were pouring boiling hot water on his foot to relieve the pain you gotta be tough, if you're going to be stupid. 

4 years ago I embarked on one of the most amazing adventures of my life spending 3 months backpacking, sailing and kayaking in Baja.

There were many possible titles for this post. The majority stemming from mini-melt downs, which were formally written in my evaluations as "occasionally verbalizes frustration." I'm sure Janie (another most fantastic sailing NOLS Instructor) was thinking of a "verbal frustration" when I passively-aggressively reminded a peer (lovingly) that all reefs on the main jib were slippery. 

Names such as:

Seriously, Day 52... Losing my Freaking Mind

OUTBREAK: The Kids From Dead Bird Island

Well, I don't Think I'll Ever Say... I'd Rather Be Bushwhacking My Way Through Mexico

This is the most F* Up Reality TV Show Ever

     Where the cameras!?! Where are our new cast-mates?!

It's Not Called Outdoor Social Dynamics School... The Whole Leadership Thing Threw Me

But Really... Who Is Vic?

Finish Your Dinner... There are Starving NOLS Students Somewhere.

Why I chose "What Do You Mean... This Isn't IRL?"  Simple... it was not real life     

A brief history of IRL: As you may or may not know NOLS loves to abbrivate words and statements.  i.e.:

     PLE: Positive Learning Environment

     EB: Expedition Behavior

     JDM: Judgment & Decision Making

     SA: Self-Awareness

     TA: Tolerance for Adversity and Uncertainty

     LNT: Leave no trace

     SBID: Specific, Behavior, Impact Timely

     VLOMP: Vent, Listen, Ownership, Empathy, Plan 

     BSI/BLS

     MOI: Mech. of Injury

     ABCDE: Airway, breathing, circulation, disability/decide, environment/expose

     CSM: Cirrculation, senstation, motion

     SAMPLE: sings/symptoms, allergies, meds, past and pertinent medical history, last in and out

     OPQRST: onset, provekes, quality, radiation, saverity, time

     LOR

     AVPU

     HR

     Respers

     SOAP

     ETA

     ETT

     ETD

     OFNR

     S/A

     V/A

     RM/JD/DM
     IRL: In Real Life

.... and we went for it, calling everything we couldn't wait to see/have/do back at home with a shower and refrigerator IRL.

When our conversation about IRL (probably in a deep discussion about Oreos while singing and dancing to Forever by Chris Brown) was over heard by a instructor she goes;

"what do you mean, this isn't IRL?"

well of course it isn't. we respond

"ummm, why"

...because in two months we will be at our houses, celebrating holidays and eating food flavored with more than sea salt (not the kind from Navajo, I mean Trader Joe's), sand and gar pow (garlic powder).  In three months, most of us will be back at school, with incredible tans.

and then I'm pretty sure we saw a plane crash into the side of a Baja mountain, right off the coast of Punta Chivato. #notkidding

   creepy side note: We were staying on a bay called bay of the dead, and this happened on day of the dead. 

swimming with sea lions [photo credit: J. Lasky]

most amazing sunsets [photo credit: J. Lasky]

Saying the adventure was perfect would be lying and I do remember the challenging parts of the trip.  But no, this trip was not real life. We celebrated re-ration days with cheesy pasta and wore the same shirts for 78 days.  We didn't wash our faces or hair but we did take extreme care of our feet. Snickers bars were gold and if it was easy it would be called "the way." We swam with sea lions (in retrospect and after a bit of research THAT was a bad idea) and kayaked through bioluminescence.  We sailed with dolphins swimming, playing and jumping at both port and starboard sides of our bows.  We were captivated by the poor cabin boy in our sea shanties and rocked to sleep by mamma' around our beach bon fires.  We enjoyed fresh caught yellow fin tuna on the decks of our dinghys.  We giggled around the roar of our whisper light stoves on scone* Sundays.  We welcomed the sunrise on the water with our paddles and slept under the most amazing stars on the sandy beaches.

So here's to you, my fellow Fall Semester Baja 2008 peeps.  

Cheers, wherever you may be celebrating.

playful dolphins [photo credit: J. Lasky]

[photo credit: J. Lasky]

our fleet. it was tricky getting the boats in there.[photo credit: J. Lasky]

[photo credit: J. Lasky]

*(let's be honest... flower, water and dried fruit?, eww!)