Weekly Post-Topic #239

Never mind the fact that I haven't done a post of the week for the Wordpress challenge in months.... but on with it:

(In no particular order) Write a top ten list of your favorite songs:

1.Wherever you Are- Terry Ellis

2. Hate On Me - Jill Scott

3. Glad You Called- Anthony Hamilton

4. Beautiful Day- India Arie

5. He Loves Me - Jill Scott

6. Your Love is - Calvin Richardson

7. Swing Your Rag- T.I.

8. Rain On Us- Ernest Pugh

9. Everything - Tye Tribbett

10. Crazy- K-Ci & Jo-Jo

------ EXTRA Woman in Me- Shania Twain

This was hard trying to mentally review the old and the current. The fact that I love music in many genres I could probably do a list for several of those... but this will do.

Burning the midnight oil...

I have this bad when school is back in session.  The first few weeks always appear to be a chaotic imbalance between productivity and being wasteful with my time.  Whenever school starts back there's a mixture of excitement, nervousness and being overwhelmed that creeps over me. I'm excited about the new challenges I'll be faced with as a teacher, but also nervous about the group as well: how we'll mesh, how I'm going to teach them.  And feeling overwhelmed because with a new school year comes also a lot of demands on my time.  At work and at home.  Because work runs over into home in the beginning.  There's just so much to get together for class, for the parents, for the students, for roles,etc.  And it becomes a question of what time do I shut off?  What time do I stop so I can actually rest?  Because I know I'm going to get up early, like 5:30 a.m. or before early because I'm trying to maximize my morning time into things of enjoyment that I rarely get to do after work and the gym...

So, this leads me to going back to something I used to do that worked really well. I used to have a productivity hour in the evening.  I'd write on my white board what I was going to do, set my timer and get at it.  Why? Well for starters it keeps me on task. Also, i know that when that timer dings... I need to wrap it up and go on to the something else. Usually getting ready for bed,the next day, reading.  So, I must take that back on this week.  Because I am not trying to get burned out or overly frustrated before I even get started with class.  I know I have a challenge ahead of me... but here's to mindfulness, productivity and health.

How do you keep yourself from burning the midnight oil constantly?

Love Always, Routine

My Dearest Self, I know you seemingly think that by switching things up that you no longer have a connection with me, that you are no longer susceptible to the charms that I somehow add to your life. But if you really believed that you wouldn't be writing this post.

Love Always, Routine.

This week marked the end of my summer break.  It's time to go back to the grind. To my working life. I'm a teacher. I teacher Kindergarten children from August to May with joy and gladness.  But my break this time just seemed so short.  I did so much.  But it felt absolutely divine not having to be anywhere unless I so chose to.  And therein lies my dilemma now.  I've been trying to establish a routine.  Yes! And even that is a dilemma. Why? Well, I've unprogrammed that go to bed early get up early go to work, go to the gym, go home and cycle it bug.  Now, I'm so caught up in enjoying, that that just doesn't fit me anymore.  But it's almost like when August hit, my mind began to immediately seek that way of doing things.  It hasn't worked.  I've been staying up late reading, creating, shuffling, etc and getting up early and then groaning my way into wakefulness.  I envision how I want my mornings to jumpstart and how I want my day to go, but putting it into practice without getting stuck in a routine keeps me on pause.

So, what do you do to have order but not be confined to that order?