And Once Again, It's Another Fall Semester - the 29th Year of Being an Educator & I'm Feeling the Labor in All My Bones.

Input 47th grade. Year 29 of teaching…next year will be my 30th, and I’m wondering if I will make it to the 50th year. I would be 72. I highly doubt it. Maybe. Because one thing is for sure…I’m tired. I know much has changed, things will continue to change, and change is inevitable. Last night, when I sat down to work, the Internet went completely down. Alexa played. Cable worked. But connecting to the Internet in Connecticut was a bust. I realized how much it’s become an extension of who I am, as an educator, and I was not pleased that I couldn’t get to the locations I habitually go each night (and morning). Bollucks. 

Welcome to the 29th year. Same amount of input necessary, with 50% less of the muscle, mind, and energy to do it. Actually, that’s not true. I still am at 100%, but am desiring respite so I can reflect a little, soak my bones, let my mind go to nothingness, and reconvene my intentions (and I do this while my OCD keeps checking to see if the Internet is back up) (writing offline now because I want to be able to post as soon as I can). That is the pace I am used to keeping.

Happy Birthday, Torrey Maldonado. Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

Yesterday, I worked on syllabi, vacuumed the car, washed it, walked for 4 miles, did laundry, and prepped for classes. Because Fairfield begins after Labor Day weekend, it’s kind of hard NOT to labor, even though I tried hard not to.

I’m reflecting back to my Iroquois High Schools days, Louisville Nature Center and Beargrass Creek Task Force work, and eventually finding my way into the Brown School. I’m also thinking that the vast majority of teachers who graduated with me from the University of Louisville have since retired, yet here I keep going, because I have to (I turned over my State system benefits when pursuing a PhD). Ah, retirement at 52 sounds great, but I need to find a way to survive another 13+ years. I am unsure if I can make it that long.

And back to the Internet outage last night. Fascinating to use the phone to learn Optimum is the culprit…all that money each month for television I don’t watch, but justify with the Internet Service…I think not. 

Okay, onto the classroom I go. I want a summer off! Actually, I just want one week of floating in my parents pool like the ol’ days when I would visit from Kentucky. 

Glad to wake up and have the Internet back on. And post. Ta da.