Bloggers love lists. They can be short and sweet or developed as much as one chooses. They are also great for task management. The Summer can be a time for me to “Vege out” and not accomplish anything. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, As Neil Young says, “There’s a lot to learn from wasting time.” Still, it helped for me to sit down in a straight-backed chair and write in my paper journal the things I hope to accomplish this Summer. Sharing them as an online diary is helpful to me and hopefully entertaining if not helpful to someone reading this.
Today I am participating in Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop. This is one of her suggested topics for the week.
This summer I hope to accomplish the following things, not in order of importance.
- Rest and rebuild. This sounds like the opposite of accomplishment to a workaholic but it isn’t. In fact, the more you stop to sharpen your axe and the better sharpened it is determines how productively you cut trees down. The brain needs rest. Of course it must always stay challenged but there’s a lot to say for stopping and tending to your body and mind over the Summer.
- Journal at least weekly about innovative ideas for running my classroom. A few creative, well-placed ideas can improve the learning environment immensely. I am not so much worried about the kids who misbehave in my class as about those who try to do the right thing but are hindered by the kids who make wrong choices. I want the class to be a sanctuary for learning and I need to create and innovate some new ideas to that end. Summer is the perfect wide-open thinking time to do it.
- Take my wife out at least weekly. I’ll need to coordinate with my son’s work schedule and plan dinners for the kids when I take Sarah out to the places where she can relax and have a good time. Sometimes when I get so into my routine, I forget to show her how valuable and attractive she is to me. I do not want this to happen over the Summer.
- Swim, get sun and Vitamin D. This may seem like part rest and it is but ot is something else as well. The sun grows vitamin D in our bodies. My being in the sun a sensible amount of time, we build our immunity and overall health. Not to mention that I spend so much time and money on the pool, Summer is the time to use it.
- Blog once a day or more. My blogging life has stretched and contracted over time. It has stretched again and even gone into hiding at times. I’ve learned it is something I cannot ever quit. It fits me. It’s become a natural tool where I sort out my thoughts and make connections with other bloggers. Like I said, the way I blog has undergone many changes as has my routine. Over the Summer, I plan to blog once a day. I hope to do a WordPress.com Daily Post prompt each day because I find it an effective networking device. In fact, so far the best I have found for the sort of online diary blogger I am. I am also checking out two other days of writing challenges: Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop of Thursdays or another day I choose, and SOCS, Stream of Consciousness Saturday which I have participated in a few times and very much enjoyed. Anything beyond this will just be regular posts I may feel so led to share.
- Attend Summer Institute for my teacher’s union at UCLA. I’m scheduled to stay in the dorms there and study website and communications. I’m not overly thrilled about leaving my wife and kids for a week but I feel the training will hugely benefit my teachers union so I’m doing it.
- Go to Laguna Beach. I just love this place. Sand and salt water here I come! If I go twice it’s a huge accomplishment.
