Home Sick

I don't play hooky often, nor do I stay home sick, but as part of my new goal to stay healthy I did so today. It was probably not fair, but I was feeling really run-down and knew that all day at school and back to school night would do me in. I looked at my absence log online and in two years, I have only actually taken two sick days and my six personal days. I think that is pretty fair. The other times I have been out were for district trainings. More than fair. And last year, I got sick a lot, but I still suffered through work. Not this year. I slept all day today. Read a book and then got up to get ready to go back for back to school night.

I hope to spend the weekend doing more of the same - sleeping and reading. Hopefully I will be up to some running too.

Life is funny. We are funny. I get up, go to work, enjoy my students, come home, enjoy my hobbies, go to sleep and do it again. I had to make a pact with myself, not to let stuff get to me. I am a passionate person, easily riled up by stuff - particularly at school. I think I have found a way not to care about that stuff, remove myself from anything that isn't kid-oriented. It took much of the first month of school and my kind of going through the motions of doing a good job for awhile, but I am closer. I can see why teachers burn out. I am burnt out and I need to reinvent stuff, but for now, I need to take care of me. My mental and physical health have not been great this last year. China was good for me. I got away from my work-work mentality and did things I enjoy - travel, meet new people. Just keep asking that all important question: Does it matter? No, then let it go. I will crash and burn if I don't.

Somehow the passing of my friend's father helps to serve as a constant reminder to me. He did what many people struggle to do - enjoyed what he had everyday.

Laugh often. And as my own parents always told me: don't sweat the small stuff...it's all small stuff.