Self-Definition

Over the past three days I have been guiding my students through their first real writing assignment, a poem of sorts. It is essentially a fill-in-the-blank worksheet that I didn't view as a complex assignment, certainly not insightful. While giving examples to the students of ways that they could fill in the blanks, I began to realize that, when taken seriously, this assignment can really make a person think about her self definition. When one is limited to three words/phrases to define large ideas like happiness, the task becomes somewhat more challenging. So, I am not sure if the world would pick the same words and phrases to fill in the blanks about me, but here are some of my self-perceptions in the form of the 5th Grade AutoBioPoem:

Liz
Loud laugh, short, animated, funny
Daughter of Julie and Kenny
Lover of lazy days, the feeling of success, making to do lists that may or may not get completed
Who feels strong, determined, jubilant (thank you thesaurus)
Who finds happiness in a clean house (though it seldom happens), singing familiar hymns in church, shopping sprees that are free from buyer's remorse
Who needs understanding, honesty, to laugh
Who gives advice whether or not you want it, money even when I don't have it, friendship
Who fears envy, materialism, other people's judgement of me
Who would like to see heaven if it exists, someone who has it all figured out, friends and family rejoice in my life after it is over
Who enjoys touching someone's leg with mine while I fall asleep, visiting when I should be working, the feeling of exhaustion after a jog/walk
Who likes to wear short shorts, high heels, low-cut shirts
Resident of Waco, (street address here, not safe to post on the Internet!)

I feel like this would be an interesting thing to write again in a year or five years to see how my perception of me has changed.

Giving the People What They Want

After many requests and near estrangement from friends for not blogging, I'm going to try to get back in the groove...not just writing, but also keeping up with my important blogging friends.

Well, not much has happened since March. Okay, that's a lie! I closed on a house in Waco in March and moved in April. My sister lives with me, and I love having her as a roommate and one of my best friends now! I got a job at Midway and started the new school year more prepared than I ever was last year. I love my team at school and my kiddos. Although I'm super rushed, I am LOVING 45 minute class periods! I have an excellent schedule and am basically done teaching at 1:10. I would put an exclamation point at the end of each of these sentences if I thought that was okay. The best part is that I feel proud, content, and lucky to be in the place that I am. At times I feel almost manic!

Over the summer I worked at Lake Brazos Steakhouse waiting tables. I have managed to make some young friends there since most women in my age group are married with children. I enjoy sharing that part of my friends' lives when I can. Small fries are awesome! I love taking mental notes about what I will and will not do if and when I am a parent based on what I see them do.

I hope that this year really brings my teaching abilities and organization together. Now that I have blogged the abridged version of the past six months, I will forge on with more specific, entertaining or enlightening tales.

Thank you all for your patience while I was on hiatus. You will hear from me again soon!