Other Thoughts | BulgingButtons

Who says resolutions have to be made solely in January? I think June is as good a time as any, and for a teacher it’s an excellent time to make resolutions. At least if you’re a teacher in an area where school is out for summer.

Here are my June resolutions, in a nutshell:

Read a little
Write a little
Work a little
Move a little
Clean up a little
Create a little

Those sound pretty good, don’t they? And not too difficult to follow. At least I don’t think so. I’ve been working toward these resolutions for a while now, and oddly I’m finding the last one the most challenging. By using the term “create” I’m allowing myself a great deal of flexibility.

What does it really mean to create? I suppose it means to make something where there was previously nothing. I can create a meal or a menu. I can create a lesson or a teaching unit. I can create a doodle or a painting. I can create a quilt design or a whole quilt. I can create Pinterest boards and newsletters and reading comprehension exercises. I can create systems for checking out books and tracking homework assignments. Maybe creating isn’t as hard as I thought. I just need to allow myself the space in which to do it.

My goal is to do each of those items every day in June, with the exception of “work a little.” That one is for Monday through Friday. In fact, it’s more of a challenge NOT to “work a little” sometimes.

So where do I stand today, June first?

1.Read a little – check

I’ve been Reading Anne Tyler’s A Spool of Blue Thread strictly for pleasure. She is masterful at painting the picture of old Baltimore, and she’s very skilled at character development. I spent quite a bit of time reading this morning, and I’m looking forward to going back to this book.

2. Write a little – check

Well, here I am. I also recently entered a writing contest, and I’m presenting to my writing group next Monday. I have some work to do, but it’s getting done.

3. Work a little – check

I’ve been working on preparations for the summer writing program I’m teaching. I’m excited about working with these young writers and learning with them and from them.

4. Move a little – check

A morning walk in the park across the street with the dog was just what we both needed to get our day off to a good start.

5. Clean up a little – check

The kitchen is tidy, most of the laundry is done, and overall the house is not a mess. The recycling has been taken out and I hosed out the container that lives in the kitchen. Over time little drips of this and that get in there and it gets sticky, but today I tackled it, and it’s clean as a whistle.

6. Create a little – maybe

Ok, I created a gmail account for the summer writing program and two of the five mailing lists that I need for the newsletters. Does that count? Does a blog post? I don’t think so. I think that’s double-dipping. I feel like I have to create something else! Oh, I’ve got it! I’m creating a delicious dinner tonight. We’re having tortellini with spinach and artichokes in a light cream sauce. Yum!

Yes! I can officially say that day one is a success. Only 29 more to go. What are your June resolutions?

Okay, I confess, this is something completely different for me. If you’ve never heard Babymetal before (and until recently I hadn’t) you might want to turn down your speakers before you click play. The term “metal” in their name isn’t a joke, they’re metal, but not like any metal music you’ve heard before.

Here’s where they differ: they’re fronted by three adorable, high energy Japanese teen girls. These girls sing, and move, at an astonishing pace. And did I mention that they’re adorable? Pigtails, tu-tu’s, hair ribbons… the works.

There’s something compelling about Babymetal. I think it’s the contrast between the girls’ perceived innocence and the raw and almost frightening nature of the metal music. Certainly the band’s costumes add to that dangerous feeling. The intriguing part is that the girls are clearly “in” on whatever ominous deeds the rest of the band may be conjuring up. They are clearly not victims, in spite of their apparent vulnerability.

I find the whole experience of watching and listening to them engaging, and frankly, I tend to nod my head along to the music. The more I see and listen to them, the more I enjoy what they have to offer. I’d love your impressions of this creative group.