Breathing In

#sol19- July 2, 2019

Summer breathing is different. I am in different homes, with different routines, and although it does not always feel peaceful, it does give me more time to reflect. A few weeks ago when I looked at my summer ahead it looked a little too packed, and so keeping in mind my OLW, intentional, I made some adjustments- eliminated one online course and added a few online book studies… so now as we have just passed the halfway mark of 2019 I am taking some time to reflect on that word- intentionally.

In my initial post, I talked about intentionally choosing pd to help me grow- I have continued on this path. Already this summer I have finished up an online course for math (which helps me recertify too- win!) and been reading like mad (both professionally and personally-both feed me!). I am really excited about the way that some of these online book studies really push me- join me in #cyberpd (where we are reading Welcome to the Writing Workshop), Math Running Records in Action (on the Build Math Minds Facebook group), Literacy Essentials (on the Stenhouse Book Study Group page on Facebook), or any one of a great bunch of books on the Book Love Summer Book Club 2019 Facebook page. I also had lost of fun at ALA last week and look forward to nErDcampMI next week. I need to push myself to do more writing this summer…

Then there is another part of my intentionality. I am trying to be more social… Next weekend I fly to France for 12 days for a get together with a group of great friends for 12 lovely days! While in the US with friends and family I am trying to be more intentional with my time- last night saw me at a Japanese animation film my mom really wanted to see (and I enjoyed it). I am getting some of my shopping done online so that I do not need to have my mom go all over time with me for things that she does not enjoy (we both hate shopping, so a win for us both). I am trying to combine more things, so there is more time to sloooow down! She is not a great walker, so this gives us more time to sit and chat too (or read next to each other-ha!). With my dad, I arranged to travel with him from DC to Boston so we would have 8 hours together in addition to a day at museums and dinner out (more time than I usually get with him in the summer). I am trying to get together with a few friends here (something I enjoy once it happens, but sometimes I hesitate to reach out).

I am taking more steps to live (a bit) more sustainably (both of my parents have complained a bit about my “gentle” nudges to move them along too… I love the refill station near my apartment in Phnom Penh.

Being part of The Ed Collab’s Global Kind Project again this spring was great to intentionally lean into more kindness. I loved seeing what the kids came up with and look forward to more learning with the Spreading Kindness Club that a few of them started and want to continue in August.

My major fail so far is that I really planned to buy a ukulele and start learning it- luckily there are still six months left to the year, so I am not giving up on that yet.

Now, after taking this look back I am looking forward to continuing with this word!

 

Slice from a former student still slicing.