Gloomy...

Good morning colleagues! I haven't been feeling great (AGAIN), so I don't have more to share than a sketchnote and a playlist.

Here is the story of my life this year...

I had an "aha!" moment last night. I was drinking tea, while all of my friends were drinking adult beverages (*sigh*), when I said, "I think I'm getting sick so much this year because I'm handling all three grade levels of iPads!" The last few years, I would only mess with my students' iPads. Now I'm dealing with 450 iPads... and middle school students are notoriously disgusting... I need to load up on hand sanitizer and start washing my hands once an hour. I want to be healthy!

In honor of NOT being healthy, I am going to lay back down and read more of Game of Thrones while listening to this chill, relaxing playlist courtesy of Monument Valley.

BTW, have you played Monument Valley? It's not cheap, but it is SUCH a relaxing game! Look into it! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Self-Care: that's what friends are for...

Greetings colleagues!

Yesterday morning it was 15°F in Colorado Springs. On frosty mornings, we have indoor morning duty. I was standing in the gym watching students converse with each other, and it reminded me of my own friendships growing up. My friendships as a kid were the most important connections I had with other people. My friends were my life. As we grow older, those friendships end, new friendships form and new types of friends emerge. Adult life can be so complicated!

I've realized, over the past few years, how important my adult friendships still are. I have a family that I treasure and a husband that I love, but I value my friends in such a way that they are my family away from "home" (i.e. Iowa). After reading a rather interesting article about friendships, a professor of communication in Ohio said that the three expectations of friendships are "somebody to talk to, someone to depend on, and someone to enjoy." I feel like my current group of friends fit this bill quite well.

Part of my self-care regimen has been spending more time with friends. Most of my friends are teachers, so we spend quite a bit of time decompressing from school. But we have really opened up as a group over the last couple of years, and we share close, personal secrets with each other. It is so nice to have people that I can go to for advice and support, and it is nice to be wanted to give my own input and encouragement.

So in honor of my lovely, fabulous, and marvelous girlfriends, here is an all-female playlist! 

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website