Friday, October 21, 2011

The Story of a Slacker

Well, if you are reading this it is because you have weathered my hiatus.  I have noticed I have lost some followers but oh well.  Let me tell you what I have been up to since, oh, about August.

The school year started off with a BANG! I am teaching four different subjects (Grade 6 Math, Algebra 1, Geometry and PreCalculus) over six periods.  I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off to keep on top of everything.  Plus, most of my students are the type of students who want to be inspired and challenged and that in itself is enough to keep a good teacher on their toes.  I have also been running the "math department" as I like to call it.  This consists of me and another teacher at the MS/HS level.  She is a brand new teacher and has great insight and motivation.  It has been great to work with her.  I have also been offering assistance to the Elementary school teachers for math.  Our school is a Pre-K-12 (even though we only have up to the 10th grade right now since it is only our second year in operation) in one building school.

This week was the end of the quarter, too, so it has been a rush of students trying to squeeze a couple of more points out of me, get their late work in, and parents wanting to talk to me about their students progress.  Yesterday alone was CRAZY.  I had 2 parents want to talk to me and then EIGHT students in my room for various reasons during my tutoring time.  Last weekend I had a math work catch up session and only one little student showed up (I called his mom and essentially made him come)... these eight students yesterday were really kicking themselves for not coming in like they should have... let me tell you.  BUT one did bring me a piece of chocolate cake!

What else?  Oh yeah, I am a student again, too.  I am getting my Master's in Math Education at Western Governors University.  I have taken a good amount of credits this term and the last couple of months sort of slacked.  I am telling you the theme of this post is STRESS.  The program is awesome and CHEAP so anyone who is looking to get a Master's online should ABSOLUTELY look at this school to do it.  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND them.  I should have my degree by next winter and that is so great!

Adam left command last July and has been doing a new job that has him at home a whole lot more than before.  This is great but we have had to transition our home routines and roles once again which (I am hoping happens for everyone) is a source of friction between us at times.  But it is great having him around when I get home from work and when I go to bed at night.  Can't really complain.  Along with Adam's job we are winding down our time here in Korea.  If you look to the right of my blog you can see how many days I have left here on the Peninsula.  Adam has thrown around many different scenarios for where we may be headed next: Germany, Fort Richardson, Alaska, Fort Lewis, Washington, Washington DC.  We get to submit OUR choices at the beginning of 2012 and then we will know hopefully by EARLY spring where we are going.  I really don't care where we go next as long as it is in the US!  I am not too fond of the idea of moving to another country and having Adam deploy from there.  If he is going to deploy again I want to be sitting in the land of the free and the home of the brave thank you very much.  Out of those choices, though, obviously Alaska and Washington are my top top because that is where I am from and where my family live.  How much better could you get?  Especially since we are talking about starting a family (read as having ONE kid) after we leave Korea.

I think that about sums up what I have been doing.  I have also been trying to destress myself by relaxing in the morning with my coffee and not doing ANYTHING teacher or student related.  About a month ago I ran completely out of steam though.  Thought I might be anemic or something so I went to the doctor.  After doing some tests and keeping a sleep/activity journal he told me he thought I was just overstressed.  He has prescribed for me to take Celexa to chemically help with the stress and also for me to workout regularly.  I have been struggling to fit the "working out" part of the prescription in to my daily routine something that Adam has given me a lot of grief over because he feels I have taken the easy way out by only taking the pills.  Next week I plan on fitting that part in to my routine... just gonna shove it in there and MAKE it fit, dammit!

Now that I have gotten caught up on my life hopefully I can stay on top of my blog.  I miss y'all!!  How the hell have y'all been anyway?  Catch up with me here by leaving me a comment (I am a comment WHORE and love, love them... I even reply to you via email if you have one left in the comment) or catch up with me on twitter... I have been back there even!!

To end this post I have included a picture of myself from yesterday... it was picture day and I looked GOOD!
I'm Pretty!

3 comments:

Sierra said...

Welcome back. I sounds like you've been busy and stressed... no wonder you haven't been blogging. I took about a week off and felt incredibly guilty. Maybe I should eat more chocolate to make up for it.

Fort Living Room said...

Welcome back! I'm so happy to get to read new stuff here again.

Nina said...

Good to read about your adventures again!
The school can be so stressful ..... I am trying to juggle between the work and school, and there are times when I find myself just simply drowning into all the things I need to get done.

Hugs from Alaska!