challenge | BulgingButtons

I guess today’s daily prompt is the nudge I need to come out about my professional life. I’m a teacher. There, I said it. So when asked if I’m looking forward to going back to school, I can honestly say I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I love my summer vacation. I use that time to read and study and reflect and plan new ideas for the upcoming year. I also use that time to play and visit my family and old friends, and sleep and swim and quilt and generally have a good time on my own schedule. I often stay up late, usually sleep past 5:25 (imagine that), and recharge my inner battery.

The summer of 2013 was particularly productive. I moved schools, switched grade levels, participated in a national project for teachers, and began this blog. I focused on my health and well being, got engaged, and took a few trips. I started to exercise, lost a few pounds, and created my 47 for 47 challenge. Wow. No wonder I love summer.

On the flip side, though, the new school year makes me giddy with anticipation each and every year. I itch to see my class list, when the students are still just names on a page. I chomp at the bit to get into my classroom and start moving around furniture and putting up bulletin boards. My heart starts to race at the sight of all the brand new school supplies lining the store shelves. All of those Pinterest ideas compete for space in my plans. I begin to fill in my spreadsheets with test scores and start thinking about my new schedule. I especially get excited to meet the students. I will spend a lot of time with them over the next several months, and I can’t wait to set the tone for that interaction.

Overall, I still find that I experience years primarily by the school calendar, rather than the traditional January to December plan. I’m still getting used to the idea of school starting before the blazing days of triple digit heat have subsided, but other than that, I’m ready for a happy new year.

Oh daily prompt, you have struck a chord. So, you want to talk about procrastination. Yep, I know all about it. In fact, I’m using this daily prompt as a wonderful way to engage in it right now. You see, I have a bag full of papers that need to be checked, and a lesson that needs to be polished, and one or two other things to do (ha, more like one or two hundred) but here I am.

I don’t know why I procrastinate. It’s not like the things I have to do get any easier or more enjoyable if I put them off. In fact, often the opposite is true. Sometimes I end up hurting myself with this bad habit. Library fines, anyone? I have owed books, phone calls, birthday cards, thank you notes, movies, and countless other things over the years. Sometimes deadlines pass and opportunities are lost. Really, it’s a sad situation.

And then there’s the financial cost. I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no excuse for paying late fees. Ever. At least not when you have a decent job and a steady income and money in the bank. I have all of those things. Yet, at various points in my life, I have paid late fees. For what? For the privilege of paying a day or two later than the date stamped on the bill? Believe me, the thrill wasn’t worth the 35 or 50 bucks. It’s outrageous. Ridiculous. Absurd.

No more. I pay all my bills on time and take care of business right away. Do I still procrastinate about putting the dishes in the dishwasher or folding the laundry? Sure. Sometimes. But as I’m getting older, I’m getting better. I figure the older I get the less time I have to waste, and procrastinating just isn’t that much fun. Now I’m going to click on publish and go do my work.