Students return tomorrow. I should take pictures of my classroom just to have it documented how much more together I have my shit from this year to last year.
Of course, I'm still nervous as all else.
The last few weeks back in town have been crazy busy. Getting settled back at home, getting my classroom set up. Rebuilding social connections that have gone lax over the summer.
Mostly school stuff.
Here's to the coming year . . .
I have now completed uploading all my pictures to the gallery. You can check out all phases of the Quarter Century Tour here.
To explain: Leg 4 was last weekend at Fox Island where a group of us helped celebrate Kendall Watt's 24th birthday. Leg 5 was a trip to Mowich Lake and surrounding trails with my dad and brother. And Leg 6 was at my cousin, Patrick's, wedding. There are two videos at the end of 6 that show what the new Narrows Bridge looks like nowadays. Pretty sweet.
I have also (just this morning) decided on yet another goal for this year:
Goal 4: Concerts
I am going to make sure I make it to as many live shows as possible. I will create an entertainment budget to allow me this ability.
I've now posted all of the pictures from the trip so far. Highlights include:
- A day of bike riding with Papa Morrison
- A trip to Mason Lake with the family
- A run-through at the museum (former coworkers abound)
- Drinking with Alec, Buddy, and Jess
- A trip to the Comic Shop, where John (the owner) told me I made his week! (It's mutual John.)
- And, of course, all the fantastic restaurants
So, as I said, I am going to attempt to lay down my goals for the coming year, as well as make some fantastic predictions for the next 25. Here goes:
A Year To Celebrate
The very night that christened the coming year was celebrated with much booze and circumstance. Jack, Mark, and myself spent the sunset grilling burgers and downing fine Eastern US brews - kicking off the year with a few drunken dials and some outstanding reflection on 'those days' behind.
During the ensuing evening, three ideas became startlingly apparent.
1) I have just survived a brutal year psychologically. Think about all the drastic ways a life can change. I lost - and gained - a lot this year. Mentally, these changes took their tolls.
2) I found, that night, that I was experiencing a type of joviality that had been lacking in my life. I felt untouchable. Where has this been in my life? I began to wonder how I might bring this back with more frequency and stability.
3) I had two significant conversations on 'trivial' subjects. One with Mark about brewing beer, the other with Jack about comicbooks. These two conversations continue to follow me on my trip - popping up with other people in other contexts. Where has this been in my life as well?
I came to realize just how much of 'me' had been lost this year in all the confusion of becoming a teacher and a member of a foreign community. I spent the year feeling as though I had to conform to the community in ways that ended up sacrificing emotional well-being. I forgot what it was like to have a real conversation about beer, life, or religion - to truly be able to express my views without worrying that I might be putting myself in a bad position. To have a conversation where I know that the person on the other side of it respects where I'm coming from.
From these thoughts stemmed resolve. How could I let myself run another gauntlet of a year without giving myself the type of interactions and activities that will re-energize me and bring me better peace of mind? I needed to actively pursue down-time. I needed to set some goals.
Here's what I came up with.
Goal 1: Teaching
I am going to make sure I am pushing my kids and planning well ahead of time. Most importantly, I am going to make sure I take time of my own. I am going to excercise after school. I am going to leave by 6pm each day. I am going to take a Friday off at least once every two months, if not once a month.
Goal 2: Weekends
I am going to maintain downtime on Saturdays and Sundays. I am going to keep up non-local social contacts by planning weekend trips. I am also going to focus on local social contacts - and use these over the weekends.
Goal 3: Hobbies
I am going to actively pursue home brewing beer. I am going to read comics that stimulate my own creative processes. And most importantly I am going to forge relationships with people who will respect and encourage these hobbies - perhaps even participate in them with me.
There are many smaller goals that will come about throughout the year, but I felt these were the three most general yet important that I would focus on.
And I'm spent. Sorry if this was more for me than it was for anyone else.
More on the predictions later.