33 days until Christmas!
Hard to believe that we are already in Christmas season! Seems like summer has just ended - my time really flies when you're not in school. It's funny, I really am happy with what I'm doing right now, just kinda bumming around - sad as I say it.
So the school thing, well basically my credits didn't transfer so I'm working on trying to find something online that I can hopefully crank out in a weekend in December and turn in for my graduation credit so I can at least get some transcripts and start doing some subbing and getting back into the schools. I think I'm ready. . . I actually feel like I miss interacting with the kids - though I feel quite immature at most times, but then again, I am a very "social/informal" setting with the kids. It would probably make working at Chippewa/Algonquin, or for that matter Maine West very awkward, but I think I could handle it. . . At least none of the kids are telling me to "$*(#& off"
I got to work the State Swim Meet on Saturday. Talk about having connections to get access to the pool deck. It was a ton of fun and amazing to see what talent there is out there. I firmly believe that once the Ducks have time to germinate some kids and we start a year-round program, we will be joining Naperville Central, Neiqua Valley, New Trier and all the other top state swimming programs and Maine West will be up there. I just wish some of the kids could see the "intensity" that this meet holds and for them to realize that this is the type of attitude that is required all year-long. The MW swimmers had some awesome swims at sectionals and at state with Joanie, but I think the sad reality was they wanted it too late. They needed to swim the dual meet scheudle with the same intensity and push that they had at sectionals and state. Sure easy for me to say, but I remember going into dual meets about as nervious as all hell when I got up on the block. To me, there were a lot of "eh, next time." I challenge kids today to swim as if today was it! That will be my goal for the summer is to push the kids and mentally prep them for meets. I want their dual meets to be just as focused as the conference meet. And kids are definately shaving this year for conference.
Now that guys season has started, I definately have the girls for Eagle Rays'. QUite intersting - I think I defiantely like coaching guys better. Girls whine (we didn't do it that way, blah blah blah) They definately know how to access my soft-side - so we'll see where we go with that. I guess I just unfairly compare everyone to my Olympia girls who were the most coachable girls in the world and they made me love coaching girls. I just don't understnad the flippin' mind games and the "oh I suck" mentality. Well fine, you suck - now move on. Guys, you tell them they sucked and they go "yea, I did." And they move on - crazy times.
So Christmas is coming. I really want to enjoy this holiday season. I feel like I was robbed last year from my holiday season because I was student teaching. It's hard to believe that a year ago I was loosing my mind at Lincoln Middle School. I realized that I haven't been stressed (or sick for that matter). Kind of the nice life, but I do miss the structure. I am soooo unstructured in my life. No deadlines, no consequences - I can see how people get sucked into this lifestyle so easily! Anyway, this year for Christmas, I'm really going to enjoy going all-out, visiting Christmas lights, seeing plays, and just getting out to enjoy the holiday season.
I am also going to make up for lost time with or Christmas decorations on the house. I already spent over $70 on Christmas lights! I am going to decorate a couple of trees this year that I never dared decorate before. I'm ready to have TONS of fun! 33 days!
Go me!
This weekend, I am so disappearing from life. I'm going diving again! I have met a few people who are psychos and have convinced me that the water is not cold in Ohio. I'm kinda excited too, cuz I'm getting "hooked up" with this girl from Ohio - who goes to school in Michigan. She's a scuba junkie like me and wants to dive this weekend too. Best of all, she's 22! Finally someone my age to dive with and share. I'm not holding my breath on anything, but there's been some of those butterfly feelings when I've talked to her about things. We have lots in common (skiing, nerdy about mech things, scuba, want to travel, don't really have a hoot or hollar about the immediate future). So I guess that's attractive to me. Time will tell with this one. None the less, I have cleared my work schedule and I'm going to totally disappear and dive for 3 days this weekend - I can't wait!
Peace out,
Mike
So the school thing, well basically my credits didn't transfer so I'm working on trying to find something online that I can hopefully crank out in a weekend in December and turn in for my graduation credit so I can at least get some transcripts and start doing some subbing and getting back into the schools. I think I'm ready. . . I actually feel like I miss interacting with the kids - though I feel quite immature at most times, but then again, I am a very "social/informal" setting with the kids. It would probably make working at Chippewa/Algonquin, or for that matter Maine West very awkward, but I think I could handle it. . . At least none of the kids are telling me to "$*(#& off"
I got to work the State Swim Meet on Saturday. Talk about having connections to get access to the pool deck. It was a ton of fun and amazing to see what talent there is out there. I firmly believe that once the Ducks have time to germinate some kids and we start a year-round program, we will be joining Naperville Central, Neiqua Valley, New Trier and all the other top state swimming programs and Maine West will be up there. I just wish some of the kids could see the "intensity" that this meet holds and for them to realize that this is the type of attitude that is required all year-long. The MW swimmers had some awesome swims at sectionals and at state with Joanie, but I think the sad reality was they wanted it too late. They needed to swim the dual meet scheudle with the same intensity and push that they had at sectionals and state. Sure easy for me to say, but I remember going into dual meets about as nervious as all hell when I got up on the block. To me, there were a lot of "eh, next time." I challenge kids today to swim as if today was it! That will be my goal for the summer is to push the kids and mentally prep them for meets. I want their dual meets to be just as focused as the conference meet. And kids are definately shaving this year for conference.
Now that guys season has started, I definately have the girls for Eagle Rays'. QUite intersting - I think I defiantely like coaching guys better. Girls whine (we didn't do it that way, blah blah blah) They definately know how to access my soft-side - so we'll see where we go with that. I guess I just unfairly compare everyone to my Olympia girls who were the most coachable girls in the world and they made me love coaching girls. I just don't understnad the flippin' mind games and the "oh I suck" mentality. Well fine, you suck - now move on. Guys, you tell them they sucked and they go "yea, I did." And they move on - crazy times.
So Christmas is coming. I really want to enjoy this holiday season. I feel like I was robbed last year from my holiday season because I was student teaching. It's hard to believe that a year ago I was loosing my mind at Lincoln Middle School. I realized that I haven't been stressed (or sick for that matter). Kind of the nice life, but I do miss the structure. I am soooo unstructured in my life. No deadlines, no consequences - I can see how people get sucked into this lifestyle so easily! Anyway, this year for Christmas, I'm really going to enjoy going all-out, visiting Christmas lights, seeing plays, and just getting out to enjoy the holiday season.
I am also going to make up for lost time with or Christmas decorations on the house. I already spent over $70 on Christmas lights! I am going to decorate a couple of trees this year that I never dared decorate before. I'm ready to have TONS of fun! 33 days!
Go me!
This weekend, I am so disappearing from life. I'm going diving again! I have met a few people who are psychos and have convinced me that the water is not cold in Ohio. I'm kinda excited too, cuz I'm getting "hooked up" with this girl from Ohio - who goes to school in Michigan. She's a scuba junkie like me and wants to dive this weekend too. Best of all, she's 22! Finally someone my age to dive with and share. I'm not holding my breath on anything, but there's been some of those butterfly feelings when I've talked to her about things. We have lots in common (skiing, nerdy about mech things, scuba, want to travel, don't really have a hoot or hollar about the immediate future). So I guess that's attractive to me. Time will tell with this one. None the less, I have cleared my work schedule and I'm going to totally disappear and dive for 3 days this weekend - I can't wait!
Peace out,
Mike