I've Got Sunshine On a Cloudy Day

When I come home from my typical 9 hour day at work, it doesn't end there. I'm usually starving since my "lunch" break is at 10:50am, and I'm usually already ready for sweats, my toothbrush, and my bed. But it's not over. The stack of papers I have to grade has traveled home with me, the colored markers are neatly on my desk. Different correcting colors for different moods. (A lot of red lately.) The list of things to do after that is never-ending: write agendas, type out meeting minutes, plan lessons and units and tests, write lessons and units and tests, PPT forms, SAT forms, behavioral sheets, etc...etc...etc.... I won't bore you. It's a tough job. And lately it's gotten tougher. The disrespect, the cell phones, the sense of entitlement of these hormonal teens is astonishing at times. For a job I felt I was born to do, I also have been feeling physically and mentally worn down. And it's not even November. There are only 38 days until my ne

The state of Connecticut isn't always thought of as a vacation destination or even much more than a rest  stop along a route heading elsewhere. Growing up in Connecticut was good at best; my family could go to the beach, a park, an ice rink, or even a museum if we so desired. Our neighborhoods were packed with kids, tree houses, and friendly faces. There were occasional sporting events to attend (RIP Hartford Whalers and New Haven Ravens) and there were good schools where my sister and I made great friends. Connecticut is lucky enough to experience all four seasons which means there's always something else to look forward to from Mother Nature. We are also a state fortunate enough to be considered part of picturesque New England yet also part of the hustling, bustling Tri-State Area. Connecticut is a unique place. A place known for high taxes, bad highways, rich people, and poor people. A state where native Connecticuters speak with no accent and drive with no road rage, (ha.)

I've checked something off of my year long to-do list, finally. After hemming and hawing and finding a thousand excuses and reasons not to do it, I finally did it. I signed up for a gym membership! Big deal, right? So what? Well, this is the first time in my life I've signed up for a gym. In high school I was a "runner," in college I would walk across campus to go to the gym, but that was easy- it was free and it was close and I could go with my friends and roommates. What's not to love? After college, I would run and exercise whenever I could on the quiet, peaceful trail near my house. I also got more into yoga and would go as much as I could. I became obsessed with yoga- everything about it was positive and made me feel good. I loved the spiritual side of it, the relaxation of it, but I also felt it was a great workout and detox after spending 8 hours a day with hormonal teenagers. However, six weeks ago I moved into a new apartment and I'm farther away fo

There are a lot of things on my mind currently, one of which is how few blog followers I have. How can I get more? Then the thought crosses my mind; why would anyone want to follow or even read my blog? I have no exciting life story, no fun diet, workout plan or adversity that I'm facing to write about in detail. No cross country road trip, innovative recipe, or new location to explore. I find solace in my blog, even peace. Sometimes I crave this blog to release the rush of emotions from my head. Often times, as soon as I sit down to type, I am at a loss. Recently, the different emotions that have been traveling through my veins are enough to cause that too familiar feeling of anxiety, a feeling that I thought had gone away for a long while. The typical stress from work, from feeling overwhelmed, and from facing change never seem to go away. Add on the stress of toxic and less toxic but still toxic relationships, of envy, jealousy, wonder, and awe. Of course there is happiness, joy

I'm not sure that I'm aware of what the current stereotypes are toward teachers. I don't know what goes through a person's mind when I answer the ice breaker, "so what do you do?" with two simple words; "I teach." Perhaps people think I color and laugh and tell stories all day. Or maybe, if the conversation reaches the fact that I teach high school English they might think we write poems and dissect the meaning behind different literary works by Poe, Shakespeare, and Dickinson. I don't know what people think. What I do know is the truth. I know the truth behind the stress, frustration, gratitude, and little victories each teacher shares. I know the look of fear, belonging, fatigue, sadness, and invincibility on the faces of teenagers; inner city,  multicultural, intelligent, deprived, and ever so resilient teenagers. Today was a 14 hour day. I woke up at the usual time, watched the sun rise over the highway while I listened to my book on tape,

I believe it's quite obvious that my favorite word is gratitude , and I think it's a good word to promote. I have a gratitude jar, a gratitude journal, and an overall attitude of gratitude. I am thankful for breathing and being and everything in between. But I also believe that there is an extreme importance and need to increase the words "thank you." A few weeks ago in the mail I sent a card to a good friend over in the midwest. She sent me a text to say thank you. For a card! On the same day, I sent a card to a friend up in Massachusetts with a small little insert that reminded me of her. She sent me a snapchat and said thank you. Also for a card! I brought a hostess gift to a friend's parents in New York and just got the most thoughtful thank you card in the mail. It mad me smile, it made me realize how grateful they were, and it made me want to continue giving. They all truly appreciate the little things, as well as the big things. Saying thank you these days,

Am I the only one? Thank God it's MONDAY! I admit it... I like Mondays better than I like Fridays. Ready? Here we go. When I wake up on Monday mornings I feel extremely refreshed after spending a day or two with only a few responsibilities to complete, none of which involve whining teenagers speaking incorrect grammar. Jumping out of bed early on Monday morning comes much easier than jumping out of bed on Thursday, Friday, or even early on a Saturday. After spending many, many hours with my students and coming up with engaging lessons to keep everyone challenged yet not overwhelmed on their particular academic level is downright exhausting, and that doesn't include the staff meetings, planning time, testing, grading, duties, on and on and on and on. By the time I get to Friday, all I can think about is my bed. The thought of happy hour with friends or co-workers comes to mind occasionally, but following that thought is the thought of my sweatpants and hot tea, which is much m

Aside from optimism and positivity, a topic that I enjoy writing about is friendship. One of the most blessed gifts I have in my life is my friends. Near and dear and even far away, and as cliche as it sounds, my friends simply make my life. I am lucky enough to have friends that I adore, friends that have dreams of all sizes and hearts that are larger than life. A good, loyal, unconditionally loving friend is hard to find. I'm blessed to have had a small handful of them since my childhood, and even more blessed to have added to the group once I entered college. My first college friends were the ones that stuck around the longest, and will stick together for life. A revelation of just how luck I am came just ten days ago. My birthday was a surprisingly fun day this year, despite the fact that I wasn't exactly excited to turn 27. I kept it low key, spending a quiet night in with my best friend of all, and visiting friends in New York the next day. However, it turned into a fa

The new year is upon us, January is here with a kind reminder of who she is, and my arms are already sore from shoveling. I am healthy, able, and willing to get outside, to turn my cheeks rosy and to clear the snow away. A snow day Friday is the best kind of snow day. Three holidays have gone by since my last post, the three biggest of the year perhaps. I was surrounded by loved ones, by new faces and old favorites, and even by some through the screen of my iPhone. It is indeed a crazy time of the year. I always believe I'm done with my Christmas shopping rather early, but alas, that's never the case and I'm running out into the wild with the other last minute shoppers. I made sure to take full advantage of my days off from work and spend a little time focusing on myself on the yoga mat. Through the craziness that is the holidays there is a place I can go for instant peace and quiet, for friendly faces and a reminder that it's okay to focus on me and do something sel