A New Semester

Many people measure their lives by semesters. 

"Ah, i'll do it next semester"

"I can hang out more after this semester"

"I can't wait till Fall semester is over, so that I can start Spring semester and have warmer weather" 

"A few more weeks left in this semester and then FREEDOM...and then we start next semester"

Of course, you only really think in these terms if you are a college student, or *sometimes* a strict high school student of some crazy sort. The rest of the world goes on living month to month, season to season. Enjoying random Tuesdays, President's day's, and other things that normal people enjoy....I wouldn't really know.

So speaking of ....next semester, I always find myself being Mrs. Organized right before a semester starts. I have all my books ordered, my papers straightened out in a binder, my bike tuned up, and I'm ready to roll. 

This of course only lasts for about a week. (excluding the weekend)

After that week: my books are out of stock at one place, and I forget to reorder them else where, papers get thrown in the car, dance bag, backpack, purse, OR (if i'm lucky) loosely in the binder, I decide to ride my bike in flip flops down the icy roads of Flagstaff causing my foot to get stuck under a pedal and break my toe which THEN leads to my bike sitting outside and the seat gets ruined/stolen, I stop reading the assigned chapters/readings. Basically all hell breaks loose, and I find myself desperately trying not to drown in the havoc, and longingly await next semester where I swear things will be different.

BUT NOT THIS SEMESTER!! This semester will go according to plan. (maybe)


And I wish you all a fabulous (end of Fall/beginning of Spring) semester as well, whether or not your organization skills are similar to mine.

Now some of you (and by some I mean the 1 1/2 people who read this blog) might be thinking "Wait?.....Didn't you just graduate, like the semester before last?" (see what I did there.... :D)

and the answer is: Yes! I did indeed graduate the semester before last, and there is yet another semester before me. For what? Only time will tell....'tis a mystery. 

speaking of "tis"

'tis the season I suppose...and our tree is up! But without the star because I am unable to find an extension cord. epic fail. 

that.is.all

RE-ASSESS!

In 'The School of Education' you constantly hear the word "re-assess". 
If you're falling behind in you lesson plans this week.... RE-ASSESS!
If the agenda for a child planned at the IEP meeting isn't working.....RE-ASSESS!
If you are teaching a math lesson and children are staring at you blankly........RE-ASSESS!


If none of this is making any sense to you, I will put it into different terms. 


Your plan to stick up to the bully at school and speak you mind lands you in a trash can.......RE-ASSESS!
No one comments on your obvious new hair style.....RE-ASSESS!
You tell your dog to "sit" and he jumps up and licks your face........RE-ASSESS!


okay, you get the point......
So to re-assess means to revise something. To go back, and redo it. Reteach it, edit it, or....scrap it and it's back to the drawing board, because obviously it is not working out as well as you planned.


I think it is time to re-assess some things in my life. 


On another note...I have a little something to share. It is something I have been working on a little bit. It is no where near what I want it to be yet. It needs A LOT of editing....revising....maybe its time to re-assess? just kidding. enjoy:

I walked in by myself with my tight gray t-shirt and converse and looked for someone I knew. The crowd was thick but I managed to spot the skinny soccer girl from my calculus class sitting near the front row. She was pretty cool, definitely the person I talked to the most in that class, so I headed that way. I didn’t notice who she was sitting with until I was almost right by her. It was too late to turn around, she already saw me. Time slowed down and my heart pounded harder in my chest. People in the bleachers were constantly standing up and down to cheer for their son, or boyfriend, or wanna be boyfriend, but they were all a blur to me.

“Hey Miles, how’s it going” calculus girl said with her smirk smile. I couldn’t quite remember her name.

I didn’t respond for what seemed like ages. I was still breathless, like someone had punched me in the stomach. The half time buzzer brought me back to reality.

“Hey. It’s good I think” I eventually responded

“You think? Ha ha! Oh this is my friend Kira”

I know. I know that is Kira. Fuck. I had legitimately put her in the back of my mind, but it was all coming back now. Why? Why was she here at our school watching our basketball game? I was pretty sure she didn’t even go here, or I would have seen her by now for sure. At first I thought maybe she was a new kid or something, but I hadn’t seen her around at all. And now she is with calculus girl?! Seriously the widest variety of friends I have ever seen.

“Yea we’ve met” Kira said without looking away from the court, even though the basketball players were now filing off into the locker room. She seemed concerned.

“Really? How did you guys meet? I met Kira up on the mountain last winter” Calculus girl said sort of directed at me. Her name's Shelly I was pretty sure.

“Uh…..well we met at a concert. Kira was with these two girls that go to West Point. I know them from other concerts and such” My voice trailed, Kira still hadn’t looked up. She hated me, I figured.

I sat down next to Shelly. We talked a bit about our recent homework assignment while Kira sat there saying nothing. She had moved her concentration to writing some phrase on the side of her shoe in small letters and black ink. Eventually a couple other girls that I knew Shelly was friends with from the soccer team came over. I moved to the bench below everyone and scooted over a little so they could sit by her. The second half of the game was already into full swing and I pretended to be interested. Kira slid down to the bleacher I was sitting on and scooted closer to me. She sat there for a few silent seconds then looked at me.

“Wanna go get nachos?” she said still seeming kind of off.

“Sure” I replied

“We’ll be right back” she said to Shelly as we were already walking away.

“Okay!” she yelled back in her peppy voice.

We didn’t say anything while walking up to the snack bar line. I felt like it was the green mile. I had this feeling in my stomach that I thought would slowly eat away my insides and my face was probably on fire.

“Like jalapeños?” she asked before the lady scooped the biggest spoonful of them I had ever seen on top of our nachos.
“What? Uh..Yea, I love them” I replied

“Good” she took the nachos and paid. She started walking toward the double doors instead of the gymnasium.  “Let’s go for a walk”

Don't be too harsh...but tell me what you think!