Things I've Learned This Week

First of all, it's a lot harder to stay on top of blog posts while actually working...All those bloggers out there working full time jobs and blogging "on the side," yet posting every day/on a regular schedule-MAJOR props. You da real heroes.

1. I've been subbing a lot of middle school P.E. classes lately, and I've come to learn that middle school girls' locker rooms smell like at least 12 different kinds of body spray at one moment. It's like walking through strong clouds of nasal overload every step you take. Delicious.

2. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people walk and don't pick up their feet, so their shoes drag against the floor and make a loud noise.

3. Telling students to do silent study hall as a substitute teacher DOES NOTHING. It will never result in every student actually working silently and individually.

4. The life of a substitute teacher sucks.

xxo

Things I've Learned This Week

Today I'm starting my first series on this blog, called "What I've Learned This Week." Some things will be funny, some things will be more serious and sobering. What I'm hoping this series does is hold me accountable for being present, and then reflecting on my week. With so much going on in my life, I want to be able to celebrate and appreciate both the minor and the major. So here we go...

What I've learned for the week of October 17th, 2016:

1. When doing a sing-along-song, preschool age children will mimic everything you do with your body (with great power comes great responsibility, which I may have misused once or twice...they're just too darn cute and easily influenced)

2. People who work with preschool age children are heroes and go unrecognized way too often

3. Riding my bike makes me feel relaxed and connected to the earth

4. My eyes are slightly different shapes, and I cannot apply eyeliner the exact same way for each eye and expect it to look even

5. I cannot truly express my gratitude to my parents for the tradition and ritual they created in my life of going to Apple Hill. Whether I venture up there alone to take pictures and enjoy the quiet, or I go with my mom and experience it with her, I just love it, and all of the sweet memories that come along with it

xxo

Monday: Goals & Lists

Usually Mondays got me like this:

But today I'm going to set goals and make lists...because making lists is what I do best (I'm not saying I actually accomplish everything on my lists, but I will admit that sometimes I write things down that I've already finished, just so I can create the facade that I've gotten more done than in reality). 

Goals: 

1. Shower (huge accomplishment as this is the first time I've washed my hair in three days)

2. Take care into garage 47 to get check-battery-light fixed 

3. Transcribe at least half of audio data from pilot study

4. Exercise

5. Eat healthy (to make up for the copious amounts of Ginger Elizabeth cupcakes consumed over the weekend...as seen in my Instagram story)

6. Endlessly scroll through search engines like Indeed, CraigsList, and LinkedIn in hopes of discovering dream job job that will provide actual livable income

xxo

Things I've Learned in the Past 48 Hours

#1: I really enjoy riding my bike along the American River Trail. Saturday I ended up riding from Jesuit High School to Sac State. The night before I had a dream that sent me into an internal, contemplative mood. I just started riding and was surprised to end up on campus. It was homecoming weekend for The Hornets, but I couldn't go into the stadium for the game because I didn't have my bike lock with me. Instead I sat outside on the lawn by The Well and read my new book for a short while and wrote in my journal about said dream from the night before. 

#2: I really don't want to work with preschoolers. WHAT. I know. If you follow me on Instagram you'd be like, "Well then, Kelly, you're fucked." Because on Monday I captioned a photo with the news that I would be stepping into a long term substitute teaching position at a preschool. But after two minutes two days of shadowing the class I was to be taking over, I bravely listened to my intuition and turned to position down.

It was a hard pill to swallow. I called my dad after my first day in the classroom crying and frustrated because I feel like I've built my academic career (B.A. in Family Studies and M.A. in Child Development) and working career (nanny and camp leader) around children. So what am I supposed to be doing if it's not working with children?

I suppose I already know the answer to that question in a general sense: I want to work with adolescents, not preschoolers. And I have these general dreams and wishes and goals to work with adolescent girls in a mentorship capacity. But how the fuck do I get from that grandiose idea to the making-a-living/first-step phase?! God only knows. And hopefully that plan is shared with me soon (godspeed).

#3: I'm crazy enough to want to work with adolescents...

xxo

Best Face Forward

It's Monday! 

And I'm going to work! 

I don't think I've ever been so excited about that combination. I guess being unemployed for over two months will do that to a person. I'm stepping into a long term substitute position as a preschool teacher. In some ways, it feels a little discouraging to be working with preschoolers again, as I'm trying to move away from that age group and towards adolescents. But on the other hand, I'm just really freaking grateful to have a job that will produce actual income! 

Have a great Monday, friends.

xxo