Thursday, August 6, 2009

Courage to Relax

After a month of limited Internet I am now connected. There were a few things I managed to accomplish that I didn't think were possible without the convenience of the Internet. The bills got paid, e-mails got read, facebook got creeped, and managed to stay somewhat up to date on the local going ons. The biggest of those challenges, however, was completing my final assignment for the distance education class I was taking (and am now done). What I realized was that using people and books as resources works equally well. Instead of turning to google at my first thought of uncertainty (of which I have many) I resorted to browsing through past assignments, PD materials, and searching my own mind. It seemed to work out. In actuality I believe the assignment was quicker (if you call 40 hours quick) than when I have access to the net. I have a tendency to get side tracked and go off on tangents. If I begin searching for lesson plan ideas on multiculturalism I end up finding all these awesome lessons that I may "potentially" use, print out the lessons, and file them in some maniacal manner. They generally end up forgotten, surfacing a few years down the road when I happen to be completing another assignment (without the luxury of the net). It's a vicious circle.

Obviously I was busy working on a paper. That, however, had to be squeezed into the spare moments of the past few weeks. The challenge came in finding those spare moments. This summer has been hectic, busy, and full of transitions. I've enjoyed every moment, even though sometimes I've forgotten to show that enjoyment. Where to begin.

The calmness of July came to an abrupt stop around the week of the 12th. I don't generally procrastinate but apparently I am not immune to the syndrome. There were a few days of frantic packing. I think my belongings reproduced since my last move as it seemed that the piles were bigger, heavier, and more plentiful. My wardrobe went through a major overhaul. I seem to collect clothes, yet wear the same thing every day. I don't get it. I am "fashionably challenged" yet the amount of clothes would make one think that I like them. Upon closer inspection one can tell that I really have no sense of style. No style is my style. If it is soft, loose, and has a hood I will give it attention. Otherwise it gets put away (with the tag) and is lucky to ever see the light of day. I acknowledged my attachment issues and managed to collect a few bags of clothes to donate.

Finally, on the 18th, we were set to move. Thanks to a handful of strong men we were able to pack up a trailer and get my belongings to the house in Altona from the apartment in Winnipeg by noon. Must have been a combination of skilled movers and organized packing. Too bad my stuff was only the beginning. The rest of the weekend was sorting through stuff from the trailer, unpacking, and then packing as we were scheduled to leave for Rockford, Illinois on Monday morning. I was determined to be unpacked and settled before leaving. Dreams don't always come true. The kitchen, bedroom, and bathrooms got organized (sort of) but the rest would have to wait till we returned. Luckily I was able to tuck the full boxes into the "office" and shut the door to alleviate some of the anxiety of clutter and chaos.

Jumping ahead a couple of weeks (to yesterday). The office finally got unpacked. It happened to be the room that took the longest. Who knew I had some many pens, pencils, markers. That really got me excited to go back-to-school shopping. However, judging by what I have I am sure I could get by a year (or a decade) without shopping school supplies. Not sure I can lay off completely. I got this shelf that is meant for a garage, but it works perfect in the office. I spent hours finding a home for all the supplies and then labelling all the bins. So fun! (make sure you look at the picture!)

It feels much better to now have a place for everything. It is beginning to feel more like home. I now have to work on the process of sharing and being accommodating. Probably one of my major struggles and downfalls. This is not "my" space, it is "our" space. I have become accustomed to living with "me." Things are different now.















The move has been time consuming. I think the worst part of the process was having to clean my apartment in the city. The cleaning day was Monday the 27th. We had just come home from our trip and I knew that I had a paper due in a week. I could hardly afford time to clean, but it had to be done. My mom came to the city with me and we shifted into high gear and got it done. Then came the inspection. I won't discuss that. It doesn't make me happy. I'm curious as to the charges that will be deducted from my damage deposit.

The trip to Rockford. The timing worked out, and it happened to be an excellent week to get away. They had some stuff to finish on the house so I was glad we were out not able to see what was going on. The trip was phenomenal. I am a planned and meticulous person, but this time was convinced to lay off the itinerary and enjoy things as they came. The only requirement was that we be in Rockford by Tuesday at 6 pm in order to watch Mamma Mia. It took courage, but surprisingly I was able to relax. All five days were amazing. A few highlights included:
  • Deep Dish Double Deckeroni from Old Chicago (Roseville, MN). A heart attack on a plate, but it would be great right about now.
  • Wisconsin is beautiful. Rolling hills, lakes, lush terrain. It was a peaceful drive, aside from the frequent downpour. One more than one occasion I visualized use going tumbling off the road deep into the ravine. The fact that we saw a car getting towed up from a ravine didn't help.
  • Toll bridges. A new experience for both of us. Paid our dollar and merrily went on our way.
  • Mamma Mia (Coronodo Theatre in Rockford). Awesome show. Even had intermission entertainment as an old woman almost jumped out of her seat when the music started. The show definitely inspired serious ABBA listening while driving.
  • Noah's Ark Water Park (Wisconsin Dells). This was a spur of the moment decision. The billboards lured us in. I wish I could go back. I strongly recommend watching Sponge Bob in 4D! I love water parks. I had never been scared on a water ride but that all changed after this visit.
  • Mall of America. It was much more pleasant this time around considering we hadn't celebrated New Year's the night before. Lots of walking, limited shopping. I learned my lesson after packing: no need to shop for clothes.
  • Ikea. I found the perfect combination of bookshelves for my office. Sucks that I drive a car. Renting a U-haul would have been the only way to get the goods home. Needless to say I am still seeking bookshelves.
  • The drive. A few scary experiences made for many laughs and memories. I learned to always wait till the GPS has acquired satellites before driving somewhere foreign. Driving the wrong way down a four-lane one way highway over a bride seeing oncoming lights isn't the most comforting feeling.
We made it back just in time for the Sunflower Festival with many stories to share. After enjoying the parade we were ready to settle in for an entertaining evening. We had a few guests that evening, which gave us the chance to catch up with Macy (Mary Poppins) and Cory.


After a week to unwind (sort of) it was time to host a grand get together with some of the students from Grunthal. I rented the pool and hosted a BBQ for those students interested in coming. After a day of prepping, which I couldn't have done without Nadine, the kids started to arrive. Either my directions weren't clear, or they got overlooked, but some students toured HUGE town of Altona for an hour and a half before reaching the intended destination. At first it may not appear as such, but these are some smart kids. They went to all lengths and exhausted all resources to get a hold of me. Although they were frustrated at the time, I think it made for some good stories. Once everyone was settled we had a BBQ and just had time to catch up. There was some DDR played (those who were late may have been lucky as they missed my SingStar performances). The unfinished basement seemed to draw interest. Apparently it is the perfect venue for spiking tennis balls at a poor victim protected by only a laundry basket. The rafters provided opportunity for chin ups. Their creativity never ceases to amaze me. I don't know what was enjoyed more, the food, or the pleasure they had from pulling all the tags and stickers from all the new stuff in our house. The house got broken in, and it couldn't have been done with a better group of people. I missed them, and will miss them come fall. The evening ended with a late swim at the pool. Climbing up the waterslide kept most of them warm enough to tolerate the below average temperatures that are seem to be par for the summer. Those kids have made my past three years a rewarding adventure. The trend continues and I owe them a huge thanks for a memorable evening!



It is that time where I need to start thinking about school. After having two days without an agenda or places to be (might be a record for this summer), I think I am ready to start thinking about the overwhelming thought of teaching grade 8 come fall. My mind needs to keep occupied. The last two days have shown me that it take more courage for me to relax than to keep busy. Unfortunately it takes a toll on those around me, as I am still learning on how to manage these frustrations in a productive manner. Focusing on school should keep things in balance.

July was a blast. Here's to August!
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Thursday, August 6, 2009

Courage to Relax

After a month of limited Internet I am now connected. There were a few things I managed to accomplish that I didn't think were possible without the convenience of the Internet. The bills got paid, e-mails got read, facebook got creeped, and managed to stay somewhat up to date on the local going ons. The biggest of those challenges, however, was completing my final assignment for the distance education class I was taking (and am now done). What I realized was that using people and books as resources works equally well. Instead of turning to google at my first thought of uncertainty (of which I have many) I resorted to browsing through past assignments, PD materials, and searching my own mind. It seemed to work out. In actuality I believe the assignment was quicker (if you call 40 hours quick) than when I have access to the net. I have a tendency to get side tracked and go off on tangents. If I begin searching for lesson plan ideas on multiculturalism I end up finding all these awesome lessons that I may "potentially" use, print out the lessons, and file them in some maniacal manner. They generally end up forgotten, surfacing a few years down the road when I happen to be completing another assignment (without the luxury of the net). It's a vicious circle.

Obviously I was busy working on a paper. That, however, had to be squeezed into the spare moments of the past few weeks. The challenge came in finding those spare moments. This summer has been hectic, busy, and full of transitions. I've enjoyed every moment, even though sometimes I've forgotten to show that enjoyment. Where to begin.

The calmness of July came to an abrupt stop around the week of the 12th. I don't generally procrastinate but apparently I am not immune to the syndrome. There were a few days of frantic packing. I think my belongings reproduced since my last move as it seemed that the piles were bigger, heavier, and more plentiful. My wardrobe went through a major overhaul. I seem to collect clothes, yet wear the same thing every day. I don't get it. I am "fashionably challenged" yet the amount of clothes would make one think that I like them. Upon closer inspection one can tell that I really have no sense of style. No style is my style. If it is soft, loose, and has a hood I will give it attention. Otherwise it gets put away (with the tag) and is lucky to ever see the light of day. I acknowledged my attachment issues and managed to collect a few bags of clothes to donate.

Finally, on the 18th, we were set to move. Thanks to a handful of strong men we were able to pack up a trailer and get my belongings to the house in Altona from the apartment in Winnipeg by noon. Must have been a combination of skilled movers and organized packing. Too bad my stuff was only the beginning. The rest of the weekend was sorting through stuff from the trailer, unpacking, and then packing as we were scheduled to leave for Rockford, Illinois on Monday morning. I was determined to be unpacked and settled before leaving. Dreams don't always come true. The kitchen, bedroom, and bathrooms got organized (sort of) but the rest would have to wait till we returned. Luckily I was able to tuck the full boxes into the "office" and shut the door to alleviate some of the anxiety of clutter and chaos.

Jumping ahead a couple of weeks (to yesterday). The office finally got unpacked. It happened to be the room that took the longest. Who knew I had some many pens, pencils, markers. That really got me excited to go back-to-school shopping. However, judging by what I have I am sure I could get by a year (or a decade) without shopping school supplies. Not sure I can lay off completely. I got this shelf that is meant for a garage, but it works perfect in the office. I spent hours finding a home for all the supplies and then labelling all the bins. So fun! (make sure you look at the picture!)

It feels much better to now have a place for everything. It is beginning to feel more like home. I now have to work on the process of sharing and being accommodating. Probably one of my major struggles and downfalls. This is not "my" space, it is "our" space. I have become accustomed to living with "me." Things are different now.















The move has been time consuming. I think the worst part of the process was having to clean my apartment in the city. The cleaning day was Monday the 27th. We had just come home from our trip and I knew that I had a paper due in a week. I could hardly afford time to clean, but it had to be done. My mom came to the city with me and we shifted into high gear and got it done. Then came the inspection. I won't discuss that. It doesn't make me happy. I'm curious as to the charges that will be deducted from my damage deposit.

The trip to Rockford. The timing worked out, and it happened to be an excellent week to get away. They had some stuff to finish on the house so I was glad we were out not able to see what was going on. The trip was phenomenal. I am a planned and meticulous person, but this time was convinced to lay off the itinerary and enjoy things as they came. The only requirement was that we be in Rockford by Tuesday at 6 pm in order to watch Mamma Mia. It took courage, but surprisingly I was able to relax. All five days were amazing. A few highlights included:
  • Deep Dish Double Deckeroni from Old Chicago (Roseville, MN). A heart attack on a plate, but it would be great right about now.
  • Wisconsin is beautiful. Rolling hills, lakes, lush terrain. It was a peaceful drive, aside from the frequent downpour. One more than one occasion I visualized use going tumbling off the road deep into the ravine. The fact that we saw a car getting towed up from a ravine didn't help.
  • Toll bridges. A new experience for both of us. Paid our dollar and merrily went on our way.
  • Mamma Mia (Coronodo Theatre in Rockford). Awesome show. Even had intermission entertainment as an old woman almost jumped out of her seat when the music started. The show definitely inspired serious ABBA listening while driving.
  • Noah's Ark Water Park (Wisconsin Dells). This was a spur of the moment decision. The billboards lured us in. I wish I could go back. I strongly recommend watching Sponge Bob in 4D! I love water parks. I had never been scared on a water ride but that all changed after this visit.
  • Mall of America. It was much more pleasant this time around considering we hadn't celebrated New Year's the night before. Lots of walking, limited shopping. I learned my lesson after packing: no need to shop for clothes.
  • Ikea. I found the perfect combination of bookshelves for my office. Sucks that I drive a car. Renting a U-haul would have been the only way to get the goods home. Needless to say I am still seeking bookshelves.
  • The drive. A few scary experiences made for many laughs and memories. I learned to always wait till the GPS has acquired satellites before driving somewhere foreign. Driving the wrong way down a four-lane one way highway over a bride seeing oncoming lights isn't the most comforting feeling.
We made it back just in time for the Sunflower Festival with many stories to share. After enjoying the parade we were ready to settle in for an entertaining evening. We had a few guests that evening, which gave us the chance to catch up with Macy (Mary Poppins) and Cory.


After a week to unwind (sort of) it was time to host a grand get together with some of the students from Grunthal. I rented the pool and hosted a BBQ for those students interested in coming. After a day of prepping, which I couldn't have done without Nadine, the kids started to arrive. Either my directions weren't clear, or they got overlooked, but some students toured HUGE town of Altona for an hour and a half before reaching the intended destination. At first it may not appear as such, but these are some smart kids. They went to all lengths and exhausted all resources to get a hold of me. Although they were frustrated at the time, I think it made for some good stories. Once everyone was settled we had a BBQ and just had time to catch up. There was some DDR played (those who were late may have been lucky as they missed my SingStar performances). The unfinished basement seemed to draw interest. Apparently it is the perfect venue for spiking tennis balls at a poor victim protected by only a laundry basket. The rafters provided opportunity for chin ups. Their creativity never ceases to amaze me. I don't know what was enjoyed more, the food, or the pleasure they had from pulling all the tags and stickers from all the new stuff in our house. The house got broken in, and it couldn't have been done with a better group of people. I missed them, and will miss them come fall. The evening ended with a late swim at the pool. Climbing up the waterslide kept most of them warm enough to tolerate the below average temperatures that are seem to be par for the summer. Those kids have made my past three years a rewarding adventure. The trend continues and I owe them a huge thanks for a memorable evening!



It is that time where I need to start thinking about school. After having two days without an agenda or places to be (might be a record for this summer), I think I am ready to start thinking about the overwhelming thought of teaching grade 8 come fall. My mind needs to keep occupied. The last two days have shown me that it take more courage for me to relax than to keep busy. Unfortunately it takes a toll on those around me, as I am still learning on how to manage these frustrations in a productive manner. Focusing on school should keep things in balance.

July was a blast. Here's to August!
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