Keepin' It Real: School, Running, Family

This week started with such promise: a return to work (school) after a pleasant President's Week Recess, the hope of returning to some light road work after seven days rest, the addition of a revamped writer's workshop in my seventh grade Language Arts classes after having had it fall by the wayside while we were preparing for New York State's standardized tests, my kids would be home from the mother's after having been busy with activities at her home...

All is definitely not lost, but as I revisit the feelings of anticipation I had felt on Monday, I can't help but recognize that I have fallen short of my expectations. I don't feeling liek I'm being a downer, just trying to "keep it real":

1) my classes started out very strong as the students and I prepared for the final literature circle of the unit we are currently completing (Theme: Liberty & Justice, Novels: Johnny Tremain, My Brother Sam Is Dead, The Fighting Ground--all set during parts of the American Revolutionary War). By mid-week I was well on my way to implementing a revamped writing workshop based on the work of Nancy Atwell's Lesson that Change Writers, when two of my less manageable classes were unable to handle to independent nature of this set-up. I had miscalculated their preparedness for the step.

2)I ran 2.75 miles on Wednesday, suffered through aches and pains on Thursday, and now, at 5:00 a.m. Friday, I'm looking forward to calling my doctor for a referral to a specialist. I suppose I could run a short distance every other day for a short period of time, but that i no way to really train. I may have miscalculated by readiness to go back at it.

3)On the bright side, although their stay was cut short by a day due to my own (over)commitments to the school's production of High School Musical, it was great having my son and daughter home this week and to share some moments with them, my wife, and her son. The simpler pleasures, which are often complicated, are making things much more bearable.

To paraphrase an old (real old) song, grey skies are gonna clear up," so I'll "put on a happy face,"and prepare to greet the weekend and the new start next Monday will allow me...

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!