Greetings from the warm waters of the Stress Pool! Grab a towel and stretch out for a bit.
First, a little business. If you follow my blog, starting the week of January 11th, you'll need to have a Google account to do so. They're changing things around a little bit, and since they're the ones with the expertise, so be it. I'm just glad to have a few readers!
Now, on to another day at the pool. The head lifeguard (me) has survived another round of holidays. Not that they take survival instincts, but sometimes the accompanying stress raises the water level at the pool, and then the filters don't work as they should. We managed to keep the water at a constant level, ensuring everyone had a merry, happy holiday. But now, this last day of vacation, I'm faced with another aspect of the pool. As a teacher, I'm inclined to refer to it as "The Kiddie Pool".
Talk about stress!
I like what I do - I'm sort of an activities director (I teach art), and therefore have the best job in the school. One of my colleagues (retired -sigh) use to say "I go home everyday with glue in my hair and glitter in my shoes." Yeah, it's like that. Paint on my dress pants and under the fingernails. Nobody will ever confuse me with a hand model! It's a good thing I like being with the kids. They have taught me so much over the years - kids have bad days, too, and I'm willing to bet there will be just as many who don't want to get up in the morning to come to school as there are who do. At the end of the day I usually plop into my desk chair and stare at the room for a full five minutes. Empty and quiet, it's sort of like debriefing from the activity that went on all day. This is where lesson plans are reevaluated, given new life where it's needed. I always tell the kids that just because they saw an art project being done in the first semester doesn't mean they'll be doing the same thing in the second semester. I get bored, and if I'm bored, they will be, too. Some projects remain the same - clay, for instance. If you don't do clay, they get downright edgy! Weaving. They love it! Painting - they can't get enough. It's the ability to be creative, to express themselves. Some work has to be graded - some I don't, just so they can be free with it! (To a point. There are always the ones who take it a little too far...)
But, I like time off, too. It gives me a chance to be creative. A friend of mine texted that she was sorry we didn't have time to get together for coffee, and because of family obligations, she didn't have time to write. Totally understand, however, I did take time to write. There was no time to do any painting, but that will come. Since Big Brother has bought his own house, DH offered him some of the furniture from the family room. Once that's gone, Ms. Business and I will be getting down to it and converting the room to more of a 'playroom', where we can paint and get messy and they can play video games or build puzzles and legos and who cares what else? Yes, time off is precious.
So, how do we keep the water level constant? New Year, new resolutions. I'm not making any other resolution than to take time to play with my inner child (Wanda). She's so demanding, and it's time to stop ignoring her. I invite you to do this with me. Make time everyday to paint, draw, write, dance (even if it's only in the kitchen while you're making dinner), read, love. Round out your life, because if it's all work then what a boring people we are! Picasso said "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." I guess I'll be doing a little cleaning, too. (But maybe not so much the kind that DH would like me to do!)
Glad you stopped by. Come back next time, and don't forget the sunscreen.
