Winding up the motivation meter
The past few weeks at work have been SUPER slow, due to the Swine Flu scare. Schools keep canceling last minute and we've ended up with 15-30 students per week since the week Intensives ended.
It was nice the first week, as Intensives was a month of insanity -- too busy to go to the bank, post office...really to do anything but work, sleep and sometimes eat.
BUT, now I'm sort of ready for a 30+ hour week again. I miss teaching. And maybe I shouldn't be complaining about being paid to not work, but we're so isolated out here -- the only way to go places is to call a taxi to pick us up (about $40 - $50 round trip) or take the free, school-provided shuttle. And since they, understandably, don't want to pay us not to work...either option involves sneaking.
So I've volunteered to prep for and be part of the DreamStep program, a new program we're starting in 2-3 weeks for low-SES kids here. It'll be one of the first low-SES programs in the country, which is neat to be a part of. I may regret the extra work later, but for now I'm excited to have something to do.
It seems like my motivation to do anything is lessened when I'm not busy. I have oodles of applications that need to get out in the next 2 weeks, really in the next week as I'll be in Hong Kong from the 26th to Oct.2nd. AND, I need to finish planning for HK, but, again, I've got a case of the blahs.
Hmm...rambling, meandering LJ post, mostly to get stuff out of my head.
The Plan, to get motivated again, some of which I've already started:
1. Start crafting again. I'm 15 squares into a granny square blanket for myself.
2. Start applying to MLIS, PhD, Intl schools and Stateside Alternative schools -- I have the list of which I'm applying to for each category and I've started my personal statement.
3. Make a list of all the places I'd like to go in HK, and have the other 4 going with me add to it.
4. Get back to the gym now that my evil hip is being less evil (I kid you not -- I couldn't stand for more than 3 minutes at a time until today. I'm too young for this shit). The goal = 3 times a week.
Yeses:
1. I'm crafting again. It feels good to be in the zone I can only find while creating. I'm hoping I'll actually let myself keep this one, as most big projects end up being gifts.
2. I'm going to freaking HONG KONG in 7 days!
3. Combined efforts of tiger balm patches, tramadol, jet-powered jjimjilbang tubs and stretching have moved my hip back into place. I have hopes that a few more days of all of the above will equal the ability to get back to the gym and not DIE on my 6 mile hike in HK next week.
4. M got a teaching job! (HOpe you don't mind my spreading the word -- I'm proud and excited).
It was nice the first week, as Intensives was a month of insanity -- too busy to go to the bank, post office...really to do anything but work, sleep and sometimes eat.
BUT, now I'm sort of ready for a 30+ hour week again. I miss teaching. And maybe I shouldn't be complaining about being paid to not work, but we're so isolated out here -- the only way to go places is to call a taxi to pick us up (about $40 - $50 round trip) or take the free, school-provided shuttle. And since they, understandably, don't want to pay us not to work...either option involves sneaking.
So I've volunteered to prep for and be part of the DreamStep program, a new program we're starting in 2-3 weeks for low-SES kids here. It'll be one of the first low-SES programs in the country, which is neat to be a part of. I may regret the extra work later, but for now I'm excited to have something to do.
It seems like my motivation to do anything is lessened when I'm not busy. I have oodles of applications that need to get out in the next 2 weeks, really in the next week as I'll be in Hong Kong from the 26th to Oct.2nd. AND, I need to finish planning for HK, but, again, I've got a case of the blahs.
Hmm...rambling, meandering LJ post, mostly to get stuff out of my head.
The Plan, to get motivated again, some of which I've already started:
1. Start crafting again. I'm 15 squares into a granny square blanket for myself.
2. Start applying to MLIS, PhD, Intl schools and Stateside Alternative schools -- I have the list of which I'm applying to for each category and I've started my personal statement.
3. Make a list of all the places I'd like to go in HK, and have the other 4 going with me add to it.
4. Get back to the gym now that my evil hip is being less evil (I kid you not -- I couldn't stand for more than 3 minutes at a time until today. I'm too young for this shit). The goal = 3 times a week.
Yeses:
1. I'm crafting again. It feels good to be in the zone I can only find while creating. I'm hoping I'll actually let myself keep this one, as most big projects end up being gifts.
2. I'm going to freaking HONG KONG in 7 days!
3. Combined efforts of tiger balm patches, tramadol, jet-powered jjimjilbang tubs and stretching have moved my hip back into place. I have hopes that a few more days of all of the above will equal the ability to get back to the gym and not DIE on my 6 mile hike in HK next week.
4. M got a teaching job! (HOpe you don't mind my spreading the word -- I'm proud and excited).