Warning. No correlation between post and pictures. None whatsoever.
This is the third blog post I have started today.
I never do that.
I just sit down and then I write and then I hit publish and then I go dig ice cream out of the freezer. But for whatever reason, nothing that I write today seems to nail it. I am expecting visitors from a few blogs, so I want something quick, funny, and witty. Something to make them laugh, but to also show depth. To show that this is a happy place, a space on the internet where people can make off with free stuff and vote for books for book clubs and even get into an animated discussion about how wrong it is when people don't put their shopping cart back!
So I started a post about happiness and learning to be happy no matter the situation. That'd get those readers! But then it felt a little boring. A little blah. And not entirely genuine. So I saved it and decided I would revisit it another day.
Next I started a post about grief- about working through grief, about accepting difficulties, about loving yourself. I am currently reading Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies and I have been so touched by some of the things she has said about heartache and sorrow- I want to share all my own thoughts on the subject with you! But then it felt too heavy. Too deep. I've got a bunch of visitors for crying out loud, you can't just throw a huge post on grief at them first thing! Don't get me wrong- it's a post I desperately want to write, and want to share, but for today it just felt too heavy. A topic for another day.
So instead I will share little gems found in my days of what is usual and what is ordinary and hope you will maybe consider letting me pass it off as a post?
Tomorrow.... marks the official end of the quarter. All my grades are in and now I am just dealing with the occasional straggling student who is wondering why he has 25% in the class. Remember those three huge writing assignments that you decided you didn't want to do? That'd be the reason. I try my best to patient during this week and pray extra hard for charity and kindness and empathy. But sometimes I still snap.
Yesterday....I graded the students' essays on Les Miserables. One student's essay opened with, "SEX! Now that I have got the attention of your nasty mind I would like to discuss the book Les Miserables that takes place during the French Revolution." Yes. You got my attention, buddy.
Yesterday... I read an essay that started with, "Les Miserables is a big, long book about a bunch of people who try to get other people to feel sorry for them." Hmmmm. Surprisingly accurate. Maybe my students aren't doomed when it comes to college level writing?
Today... My student asked me why I buy spaghettios, cheese sticks, and fruit snacks for my husband. I need to buy him "big boy" food. Apparently she had been reading my twitter which linked to his twitter and now she knows all about my husband. Isn't social media totally freaky?!?
Today... my Italian foreign exchange student said goodbye to me. He is going back to Italy and I had no idea. I thought he would be with us until the end of the year and my heart died a little. It's weird getting attached to students. They drive me so crazy and then at the end of the day I'm crazy about them. Make sense of that for me, will you?
Right this second... I am hungry. There is soup in the fridge, but I had that for lunch. I'm too tired to make a new meal. The Honeycomb is out. What's a poor struggling woman to do?
The past two weeks... it has been under 20 degrees. I don't remember the last winter this cold. I am trying hard to love winter and embrace the season no matter what, but sheesh ice on the windshield does not make anything easier for anyone.
Sunday... I emailed my college besties and said we are meeting for a weekend in April I don't care what you say, I miss you. And they said ok. I'm now counting the weeks until we are all together again snorting spaghetti noodles and gossiping about boys.
Monday... My sister moved to Germany. I now have one sister living in Argentina and one sister living in Germany and one sister living out of country is enough, don't you think?
Now... All I can think about it finishing this post so I can crawl into bed and read Traveling Mercies until I drift off to sleep. It's that good. She is such an in your face writer, and so brutally honest about her experiences. She is raw and vulnerable and exposed and that is totally the way I like my writers.
Now peace. And if this is your first time here, I sure hope you'll stick around. Check out the Best of Bon page or the top ten most popular posts on the right sidebar if you aren't quite satisfied with this post. You know I gotcha covered!
MWAH!
You might be the first teacher I like (as an adult and since having a kid of my own). My kid would be the one to stalk your Twitter but he'd high 5 you for letting your husband eat crap. ~ Dee
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your blog!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the last few days of my term too and can totally relate to your situation with the 25% student. Serenity, now!
Oh Bon! I have had the same thing - feel under pressure to pump out some posts but what I write doesn't sit well and isn't REALLY what I wanted to write at that exact time. I loved this post, and I'm sure newbie followers would too so you have nothing to worry about :)
ReplyDeleteCheers - Lou @ The Honesty Path
I taught high school English for 4 years (now I am a stay at home momma) and you make me miss it so much. I completely understand your students making you crazy, but you still love them.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I have a brother in South Korea, it sucks!
Totally disagree - yellow starbursts are my favourite :) oh and I have one sister living out of the country (over there in the US) and another moving to Canada with her 3 children I'm somewhat attached to in December - so I totally agree with you there... One is enough (or too much in my opinion) thank you!
ReplyDeleteI hate when you sit down to write a post and every clever thought flees your mind!
ReplyDeleteI loved you post - it's exactly the way i think. Popping from one subject to the next :)
i throw away yellow starbursts. tomorrow is the end of 2nd quarter for me too. Kind of wish we were more than half way through the year!
ReplyDeleteSome of the best posts are those that are random and real... well according to me at least.
ReplyDeleteTraveling Mercies is the best Lamott book I've read [and that is saying A heck-uva LOT. Glad you're reading it.
ReplyDelete[PLAN B is her follow up book to Traveling Mercies…not as good, but still worth reading…and owning… and keeping on your bookshelf]
I always saved my yellow starbursts and gave them to my students as rewards…hahah…suckas!
so i went for a run last night (10 degree weather..it's great). after that i didn't feel super hungry for dinner, so i told my hubby i was eating cereal. no motivation to make something more than that. he complained he had cereal for lunch. ha! he didn't want that again. peas in a pod, i tell ya. i totally feel ya on the soup thing.
ReplyDeletepoor us poor struggling peeps ;)
Such a fabulous post and wanna know the best part? You don't have to respond to my comment. You like me already - you're welcome. :)
ReplyDeleteHave I told you I love you :)
ReplyDeleteI love your writing! I have a whole separate blog for the heavy stuff. I started my new blog just so I could be a little bit lighter and to make room for the funny.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog! Following your awesome sauce.
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