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Showing posts from December, 2013

Getting Back on the Writing Wagon: Day 1

I have really fallen off the writing wagon. And it sucks. But the semester is over, a new year is starting, and it is time to re-assess just about everything, but especially my first semester as a single parent of twins.

It was successful in a lot of ways: chief among them in that I did it. It was a work in progress and learn as you go process. Much harder than I anticipated when the semester started. Much more exhausting.

But it didn't feel like a success, at all. I know I should myself more credit, cut myself some slack.

I do, however, have a LOT of room for improvement, and it starts with better planning. Building off my shortcomings provides me with a lot of feedback on what changes I need to make.

One of my biggest pitfalls was my increasingly dwindling time for self-care. And as I had less time for that, it became less of a priority, which resulting in even less self-care time. It hand this snowball effect that put me further and further in the hole and took a tremendous mental and physical toll.

If I am going to do this, I need to keep self-time and self-care a priority--which again will entail better planning and continual assessment and re-assessment.

I plan to dive into the details more thoroughly and come up with a pretty specific plan for a variety of things.

 But I also wanted to get back into writing something.

Without writing, I become increasingly discombobulated. And I even know this. It has to be a regular thing. A daily practice. The whole idea of the Life Line was in recognition of the central role writing plays in my life and making sure I carve out space and time to allow me to do that.

But this commitment, like the others, will also require planning.

This is the formal start of the process.

State of the Blog: Week 21: Forks in the Road--Spoons and Really Sharp Knives Too

I did some private journal writing today. I haven't done that in a while. It felt good to return to that.

This semester is winding down. It was a tough one for me: my first as a single dad. The balancing act was tough to manage. Obviously. But I learned a lot, and I will be so much more prepared when the spring semester comes.

Looking forward to it, actually.

Looking forward to the time off more. Time to reflect on what worked and what hasn't. Make a plan and goals, based on the successes and shortcomings of this semester.

I am trying to re-frame it as a positive thing. That helps to some degree. But the reality is it often does not feel positive. But I suppose I need to give myself more credit than I am.

Make adjustments and move on. Basically, a lot of the same things I preach to my students.

I'm a hypocrite, I guess. But it also drives home the importance of that message of being honest with yourself and self-reflecting in order to implement more productive changes. It's not something that you do once, and it is over with. It's a continual process. A practice even.

Minimal writing this week. Again. But that's OK.

I still feel like I'm in a transitional state of flux. I have some decisions to make. Big ones. They feel too big, so I feel frozen into inaction at times.

At the same time, I am doing a lot of research to help inform my decisions. But that can be a procrastination tactic as well. At some point, I have to stop research, and use all that information to make a decision.

And soon.

I think I'm pretty sure what I will do. Time to start creating and implementing steps toward these new goals.

State of the Blog: Week 20: Accepting Every Part of Myself...It's a Start

I'm not sure why I felt the need to spout out the rant about how we all suck on Thanksgiving Day.
Feeling sorry for myself, maybe? I felt a little bitter after. But that fleeting emotion is past now. I had considered taking the post down. But I decided against it.

It's as relevant as any other blog...as any other part of who I am. I don't let that persona out often.

Sick. And tired. Yet again.

Never enough time. I may take a nap before I leave to pick up my boys.

Also, been tweeting more often. Kinda like it. Check them out sometime: https://twitter.com/JimConstatine

Worked on my story some too. Felt good.

No time for a detailed analysis today. Plus a nap is calling my name.




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