Tag: adulting

Tired

Today, I am tired. I was up and at school early for test proctoring, which I didn’t really want to do, but that I kind of needed to do in order to afford life right now. Plus, it was partly a favor for the person in charge, who needed a last-minute replacement for someone else. So, I went. I was grateful for the breakfast tacos we were given. Moving the desks around was more of a hassle than it ever has been, but they turned out to be quite nice eventually. And I had a surprise of the final section of the test just disappearing and not even being on there anymore, which removed about half an hour from the testing time (and I only discovered it when we were about to start the actual last hour of testing). And I ended up not having anymore work to do for Monday, as I’d gotten it all done last night before going home. So, I got to go home way earlier than expected and a lot less tired than expected. And I had a wonderful surprise set of messages from my best friend. And I got to see my man before he was booked for the afternoon and evening.

So, it was a good day and I am grateful for it. But I still am very tired.

Thank you, God. Guide me always to pursue and fulfill your will, please. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Gratitude

I am grateful for my work and my job. As Chris Gardner said about his own life, I feel like I am in a version of the Israelites being led through the desert, heading toward the promised land, and God is gifting me with manna to sustain me on the journey.

May God guide me to do his will. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Birthday

Today has been my man’s birthday. We had nothing big deal planned, yet it still turned out to be a wonderful time. I surprised him with chocolate-coffee pancakes, fresh eggs, and bacon (and a freshly brewed coffee) for an early breakfast before I went to school. Then I brought him a surprise chocolate-lovers’ large slice of cake from a restaurant that ships i their cake slices from this awesome bakery outside of town, which he promptly devoured. And I surprised him with a special hot sauce that is expected to be a slightly sweeter version of Sriracha. Hopefully, he likes it. (He told me over breakfast, “I know what I want for my birthday… Sriracha.” I snorted gently and told him something like, ‘Of course,’ and, ‘Yeah, right.’ No such thing right now, dear. We both chuckled over it a bit, but so knew immediately I would go get a bottle of this specific new version that was recently released to a couple Asian grocery stores in town, not far from school. So, I got him a bottle right after school and before the chiropractor appointment, and surprised him with the bottle at the house later, with the chocolate cake.

Anyway, we then went to a rodeo social and my stepdad got to join the committee very easily and be on my man’s team. So, they’ll end up working together for the rodeo this next year, which I think will be quite fun for the both of them, as well as good for them. We also had a great time at the social just being social and talking with a handful of specific people.

And then we had a great and silly dinner together, my mom and stepdad and my man and I. That was a good ending for the night, and I most certainly drove us home (because rodeo meetings typically have open, complimentary bars, and tonight’s was no exception).

Thank you, God for this blessed day and for this blessed man. Thank you for the love I am blessed to share with him and the life we are blessed to share together, through you and your love. In your name, I pray in gratitude. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Late Start

Whenever the school has events in the evening, they always have a late start the next day. But it is only an hour and a quarter later than usual. And most people still have to drop off their own kids and whatnot, so they still get up at the same time the next morning. Even if they don’t have all those, it is very difficult just to sleep a little bit longer in the morning than what one days every single day consistently. The body usually just wakes us up at the regular time, anyway. What’s more, traffic is worse later in the morning, so we still have to leave at almost the same time in order to get to school on time. And most students have parents with typical jobs, and so they still have to be dropped off at the usual time at school. What’s more, by starting late, the school eliminates the hour of open time we all usually get mid-morning, a time used for office hours, getting things done, eating a late or second breakfast, running around to play, or, even, napping – a valuable time for all each day. But it goes away for late starts.

So, basically, late start is annoying and doesn’t actually help anything. And everyone is tired and ready to go home…

Which leads me to the better idea that many of us mentioned today: Let us go home early instead. We all have to get up and going at the same time already. Sure, we don’t get that hour of free time mid-morning, but we get to go home an extra hour and a quarter sooner than usual. That also means we get to head home before traffic starts up, even the coaches with after-school practice. Then we can have the chance to go to bed early that night, to help make up for the lost sleep the night before.

Anyway, my two cents…

Post-a-day 2023

Is it Friday?

Last night at dinner, my man asks genuinely, “Today is Friday, right?” No, dear. It’s Monday.

I mentioned that at school today, and one of the guys said that would be a great day to live, like every day were Friday. And, somehow, I find that idea hilarious. How would life look for someone who truly lived like every day were Friday? In my mind, for whatever reason, that person wears a lot of Hawaiian shirts. Haha

Nonetheless, that person likely would be in a great mood every day and have a great day every day. Depending on the person, he could be totally unproductive or extremely productive. I personally would aim for the latter – get it all done to have a great and free weekend, you know?

I’m ridiculous, I know. 😛

Post-a-day 2023

A first for the first day of school

For the first time in my life, I slept well the night before the first day of school. I went to school today rested and ready for the day, and I was, at one point, amazed when I realized just how rested and easy-feeling I was. I had a peaceful, easy feeling, and it was mostly due to a good night of sleep last night.

What a great first to experience.

Dear God, thank you for my sleep last night. Please, help me always to sleep well, that sounds have the full and easy energy to pursue and fulfill your will always. Thank you for this life and this work – they are both blessed. In your name, I pray in gratitude. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Day one

Tomorrow is the first day of school. I am simultaneously not really worried at all and somewhat freaking out (mostly because I am so ‘no big deal’ about it all). Sure, I want to make a good impression and do a good job and all that jazz. But I also… it’s not that I don’t care about it all. Perhaps it is that the first day, in my mind, is just a day now. It didn’t used to be. But it seems to be for me now, anyway. I can’t get much done in terms of lesson-planning until I start meeting with students. So, I’d like to go ahead and meet with them in order to find out where they all are with everything. Language courses are kind of like that. Yes, we have specific goals for the year, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be able to start right away with new material. Most of them are new learners of the language, and most only have exposure during the school year and in the classroom. So, two months of no class means massive recession of their abilities in the language. And I didn’t teach these particular students last year, so I don’t even know what they truly covered, nor how well they mastered what they did cover. So, my first unit of the year, except for French I, is always a review unit to get everyone on the same page.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to it, I guess. I think it has the potential to be a really great year.

Thank you, God. Please, give me your perfect words this year. Help me to be your servant in my teaching especially. Help me always to pursue and fulfill your will. In your name, I pray in gratitude. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

AirDrop

Today was a free crêpe day at a certain restaurant, so we went to have our two free Nutella crêpes this evening at the restaurant. While we were sitting at our outside table, and I was looking at something in my man’s phone, a notification popped up: ‘Fio would like to AirDrop 1 photo to you’.

I showed the phone to my man, and he went for it – ‘Let’s see what we get!’ he declared.

It was a terrible, seemingly accidental and slightly blurry selfie of the nose-upward of someone who clearly was inside the restaurant. I had doubts she even knew she had just taken the photo, let alone that she had AirDropped it to anyone. My man thought it had said the name Flo, and so decided to screenshot a photo of the Progressive Flo and send it back…

And he discovered that the phone was actually called Fio’s iPhone, not Flo’s, but he offered the photo anyway over AirDrop. After a short pause, the photo was accepted and delivered. I told him he really should have just sent back the photo she had sent him, so she could see what clearly started it all. He laughed and agreed.

But, before he could send it back to her, he had another photo offer from Fio’s Phone. He accepted. This time, it was clearly an intentional photo of the friend in line with her. We immediately tried to determine who the pair were. I found the area of the restaurant where they had to be – the outer wall was all windows, see, so we could see into the restaurant rather easily from our outdoor table – and my man figured out who they actually were. As soon as he told me, and we both looked over at them, we saw that they were looking around, clearly trying to guess who was on the other end of the AirDropping, but not having anywhere near as many clues as we had – just that it was a male, due to the name of my man’s phone.

We both just keep looking at them, and they eventually notice that we’re watching and that he’s holding a phone and we’re both kind of giggling and smiling off and on as we talk and watch them – I promise it actually was not creepy, though it definitely sounds a little creepy as I write it out right now… As they clearly start to consider that we might be the other end of this exchange, we both give them a clear smile and I wave, making it obvious that they aren’t crazy and that we actually are the right people they were seeking.

They wave back, a little embarrassed, but not very much so. I turn and tell my man to send the original photo now, and then turn back to watch the reaction of the two girls, smiling with anticipation. He sends it, and I know the moment it had gone through.

The girl had no idea she had sent the original photo. The moment it clearly had popped up on her phone, she nearly fell to the ground, hand over mouth, utterly embarrassed and laughing, hard. The friend with her puts a hand on the girl’s back, and also keels forward in laughter. It is clear to us that everything suddenly makes sense to them and that they had unintentionally started the whole exchange.

We can’t stop laughing either, and turn back to each other, filled with joy at the utter silliness of it all. They seem far too embarrassed to look back at us, and we don’t mind.

It was a really great time, and it was super fun to be both detectives and totally silly and friendly all at once.

Thank you, God, for this fun and unexpected connection to others who also were willing to have fun and be connected. We are all people, all your children, and this was a wonderful experience of and reminder of how powerful that bond can be. Thank you for all of it. Thank you for today. Thank you for this life and this family of loving people. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023