First Day Back.
First Days are either really shitty, or really good. Really shitty First Days require lots of preparation, lots of stress time, lots of energy and lots of sleeplessness. They require screaming at students at one in the morning, fighting about adiaphorae while the main issues get swept under the rug. They require finding bottles of alcohol in possession of 14 year-olds.
This was not a shitty First Day. This was a good first day. I got a good night’s sleep, got up early, wrote a couple of poems, drew a Tarot card reminding me to take it easy and relax, and breezed through my classes easily. My new eighth grade writers seem encouraged by what I’m asking them to do. I’m encouraged. I’m starting up a “Written Right Now” contest with prizes each week, and they’re enthusiastic. Now I just need to find the right prizes. I’m thinking one of them should be a football for one class, and the other one should get some interesting knick-knacks. I need to go shopping at some point, and see if I can scrounge up a budget.
After school, outdoor adventures. We walked the main trail, and laid down a pavement of borrowed stones in a muddy low place on the trail. In the next few days, we’ll see whether it holds, but it should. The stones are mostly sunk in muck at the moment; another good rain will sink them further, and will harden the trail a little, so that it is more easily walked in wet weather. We’re also planning a garden, and a first-aid program, and some field trips.
Evening on dorm was uneventful. Kids wanted to watch championship basketball, and sat glued to the TV most of the night. They did their dorm jobs without complaining, and the deal is that I take the TV if they arrive late to breakfast in the morning. I’m going to try to finish the first draft of the New Moon Sonnet for April, and then go to bed.
Like I said, great First Day.
| Your True Nature by llScorpiusll | |
|---|---|
| Username | |
| The quality that most appeals to you: | Strength |
| In a survival situation, you: | Scream for help |
| Your hidden talent is: | Endurance |
| Your gift is: | Cunning |
| In groups, you: | Blend in |
| Your best quality is: | Your protectiveness |
| Your weakness is: | Your coldness |
| Quiz created with MemeGen! | |
Yes, in a larger sense all stones are borrowed.
These were really just shifted from places in the forest around, where they were really not doing much besides being stones, and put to work as stepping stones and stream stabilizers. It was an interesting exercise. I have to walk back to that place on the trail tomorrow and see what has happened.
That’s a good idea. Thanks!!
I am intrigued by your “borrowed stones”…from whence were they borrowed? Aren’t all stones “borrowed” in a larger sense?
Maybe you could give stones as prizes.
I am intrigued by your “borrowed stones”…from whence were they borrowed? Aren’t all stones “borrowed” in a larger sense?
Maybe you could give stones as prizes.
Yes, in a larger sense all stones are borrowed.
These were really just shifted from places in the forest around, where they were really not doing much besides being stones, and put to work as stepping stones and stream stabilizers. It was an interesting exercise. I have to walk back to that place on the trail tomorrow and see what has happened.
My vote for prizes – dollar store puzzles. Those places have some of the simplest, most intriguing, time-consuming puzzles I’ve ever seen. And they’re only a buck!
My vote for prizes – dollar store puzzles. Those places have some of the simplest, most intriguing, time-consuming puzzles I’ve ever seen. And they’re only a buck!
That’s a good idea. Thanks!!