Resolutions

It's halfway through January and I feel like it's safe to mention my resolutions. Things feel solidly if newly in place and I'm ready to go public.

First off, I'm exercising. My ankle is bothering me again and that has jumpstarted this resolution. I'm aging and I don't want to add "and infirm" to that statement so I have to put in some effort on this. Exercise comes much more easily for me during the summer when I have all the time in the world but since I plan to work for another ten years and don't want to become the dreaded "infirm", no more excuses. A little time with the free weights, some Pilates learned at the spa, time on my exercise bike, walking when the ice melts...it's doable and it's necessary.

Secondly, I'm going to enjoy my students. I've been letting deadlines and schedules drive my mood at school but this school year things are totally out of my control. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop stuff from happening: ice storms, snow, death, and the all-important swimming PE schedule. So forget it! I'm going to get a kick out of these kids and I'm going to enjoy my time with them. Maybe it's not the "rigor" discussed in gifted education journals but by damn, it's fun and I'm betting the kids will remember that. Let me just mention again that I'm going to teach for ten more years but this time I'm saying, only ten more years. So I'm laughing more and stressing less.

These things feel good. I think I'll keep doing them.