retirement

Around this time last year I was done with student teaching and my classes, so I spent most of my days sleeping in, lunching, and apartment hunting.  My roommate on the other hand wasn't done with student teaching, and was busy getting ready for summer school, so everyday when she got back home she'd ask:  "How's retirement?"

I'm in a very similar situation currently.  Classes are done, I go to work every day and play Scrabble, ping pong, and Taboo with the other teachers as we lazily move our stuff from one classroom to our new one.  It feels very weird not to come home, get on the computer and start the next day's lesson plans, or grade a bunch of James Joyce essays, or read for the next unit of study.  Now my afternoons consist of Oprah and Tyra, a walk around the neighborhood with the dog, and dinners out with the BF.  I feel like I should be doing something, but what?  Looking for a summer job?  Working out?  Looking for a new apartment?

I've never been a lazy person, but it has sure felt really good to do absolutely nothing and to just play with the rest of the staff at work.  What a great way to end the year.  Today I received the sweetest email from a parent of one of my students.  I usually get emails that criticize my teaching, me, or something that I've come up short on, so you can imagine how emotional I got when I read the kind words.  I'm not too old to admit that I need a pat on the back and a "good job" every once and awhile.  Imagine what the world would be like if people heard on a daily basis what they were doing right and well versus always hearing one's mistakes.  I venture to bet that the world we be a lot more gracious and understanding if we all treated each other in such a manner.