Fast lane
I have not eaten or drunk a thing since 24 hours ago. Today is a Jewish fast day, but of course, the name is terribly misleading. The last hour has slowed down to a crawl. I am all of the things you'd expect: hungry, thirsty, tired, achy headed, and of course, grumpy. Thankfully, these days of deprivation only occur a few times a year.
Today is a day of intense mourning, Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. In a few months, it will be a day of intense introspection, Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Some years I really feel like I get it. The discomfort focuses my thoughts in a spiritual direction. Today isn't one of those days. The timing is bad.
It is hard to focus my mind on great big losses: the holy temples in Jerusalem several thousands of years ago, my ancestors fleeing Spain five hundred years ago. I am thoroughly embarrassed to say where my mind has been, what loss it has been pondering.
Yep, Harry Potter.
I can't begin to comprehend the power those books have had over millions of people, children and adults alike, throughout the world. But I've been sucked in, too. I was one of those millions pacing back and forth, peering out my window, waiting for the delivery truck to bring me book 7 on Saturday afternoon. Had J.K. Rowling not planned a Friday evening release, I could actually picture myself as one of the goofy masses lined up outside the bookstores at midnight. Instead, I could only wait to receive it with my regular mail. Even then, I couldn't really, technically open the package until after sundown.
Suffice it to say, I devoured the tome in record time. I ignored my children, grunted at my husband, and physically found myself completely incapable of pulling my nose out of the darn book. I wasn't disappointed. At least not too much. J.K. Rowling tied up many loose ends, and left a bit too much to my imagination, but it was certainly a satisfying read.
And now I'm going back for a slower, more leisurely read, to catch the things I may have missed in an effort to not be prematurely exposed to nasty spoilers. My brain is telling me this is a ridiculous waste of time when I have so much other stuff to do, but a guilty pleasure is a guilty pleasure. Mea maxima culpa.
The main thing I should be spending my time on is preparing for my new job. As of labor day, I will be the new physical education instructor at an all girls orthodox Jewish elementary school. I haven't taught young 'uns in years, so I'm starting to plow through my old materials and organize my thoughts and ideas. It's a daunting, but exciting task. On a lofty level, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to change children's' and parents' perceptions of fitness and health. On a baser level, I'm happy to be playing with kids again for a living.
It's not much of a living. Private schools notoriously don't pay well, plus I'm part time. But it will keep me busy, active, and out of trouble. I predict a fair bit of stress the first year, as I scramble to remember all of my physical education stuff, and I get my lesson plans and equipment organized. But I also predict my general mood and outlook will improve. I haven't done too well as a stay-at-home mom. It's been a lot harder than I assumed it would be.
I suspect it will be better for my kids, as well. They'll all be in full-time school/day care programs. Thankfully, my children flourish in busy, organized, structured environments. In other words, not at home. This summer, my baby has been in a three day a week camp program at her day care. For the first few weeks, she clung to me like saran wrap to saran wrap. "I wan' Mommy!" she'd howl for several minutes, as I tried to disentangle her from my legs. Today she runs in without looking back. I stand by the doorway with her two siblings trying to say goodbye, but we don't even merit a glance back these days. It's better that way.
We're not so different, my children and I. we need to have a plan, an organized day, and a purpose. Doing dishes, laundry, and grocery shopping have kept me busy enough each day, but they don't quite cut it for me as a lifetime objective. Anyway, I'm more productive when the time is limited. I'm far more focused when I don't have all day to get things done.
Like read Harry Potter.
Or dive into the depths of my soul.
Half an hour to go till the end of the fast...
Today is a day of intense mourning, Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. In a few months, it will be a day of intense introspection, Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Some years I really feel like I get it. The discomfort focuses my thoughts in a spiritual direction. Today isn't one of those days. The timing is bad.
It is hard to focus my mind on great big losses: the holy temples in Jerusalem several thousands of years ago, my ancestors fleeing Spain five hundred years ago. I am thoroughly embarrassed to say where my mind has been, what loss it has been pondering.
Yep, Harry Potter.
I can't begin to comprehend the power those books have had over millions of people, children and adults alike, throughout the world. But I've been sucked in, too. I was one of those millions pacing back and forth, peering out my window, waiting for the delivery truck to bring me book 7 on Saturday afternoon. Had J.K. Rowling not planned a Friday evening release, I could actually picture myself as one of the goofy masses lined up outside the bookstores at midnight. Instead, I could only wait to receive it with my regular mail. Even then, I couldn't really, technically open the package until after sundown.
Suffice it to say, I devoured the tome in record time. I ignored my children, grunted at my husband, and physically found myself completely incapable of pulling my nose out of the darn book. I wasn't disappointed. At least not too much. J.K. Rowling tied up many loose ends, and left a bit too much to my imagination, but it was certainly a satisfying read.
And now I'm going back for a slower, more leisurely read, to catch the things I may have missed in an effort to not be prematurely exposed to nasty spoilers. My brain is telling me this is a ridiculous waste of time when I have so much other stuff to do, but a guilty pleasure is a guilty pleasure. Mea maxima culpa.
The main thing I should be spending my time on is preparing for my new job. As of labor day, I will be the new physical education instructor at an all girls orthodox Jewish elementary school. I haven't taught young 'uns in years, so I'm starting to plow through my old materials and organize my thoughts and ideas. It's a daunting, but exciting task. On a lofty level, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to change children's' and parents' perceptions of fitness and health. On a baser level, I'm happy to be playing with kids again for a living.
It's not much of a living. Private schools notoriously don't pay well, plus I'm part time. But it will keep me busy, active, and out of trouble. I predict a fair bit of stress the first year, as I scramble to remember all of my physical education stuff, and I get my lesson plans and equipment organized. But I also predict my general mood and outlook will improve. I haven't done too well as a stay-at-home mom. It's been a lot harder than I assumed it would be.
I suspect it will be better for my kids, as well. They'll all be in full-time school/day care programs. Thankfully, my children flourish in busy, organized, structured environments. In other words, not at home. This summer, my baby has been in a three day a week camp program at her day care. For the first few weeks, she clung to me like saran wrap to saran wrap. "I wan' Mommy!" she'd howl for several minutes, as I tried to disentangle her from my legs. Today she runs in without looking back. I stand by the doorway with her two siblings trying to say goodbye, but we don't even merit a glance back these days. It's better that way.
We're not so different, my children and I. we need to have a plan, an organized day, and a purpose. Doing dishes, laundry, and grocery shopping have kept me busy enough each day, but they don't quite cut it for me as a lifetime objective. Anyway, I'm more productive when the time is limited. I'm far more focused when I don't have all day to get things done.
Like read Harry Potter.
Or dive into the depths of my soul.
Half an hour to go till the end of the fast...
posted by law school widow at 8:01 PM
2 Comments:
Sounds like you made it through the fast alright.
What an interesting year you'll have teaching phys ed! One subarea you may want to incorporate is Howard Gardner's work on learning styles, particularly kinesthetic learning and the newest "naturalist" learning category.
Hatzlacha!
Hi. I have been reading your blog for a while now, but this is the first time I am commenting.
About Deathly Hallows, I thought the book was great, but the epilouge was not-so-great.
She did leave a lot unanswered, which I found disappointing. BUT, there is going to be another book coming, it was announced. An encyclopedia where back stories and more information will be given. Woohoo!
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