This math graphing activity is only one of the many exciting activities awaiting my new students!
Monday marked the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year for 26 of the most adorable 5th graders on the planet. They came in all bright-eyed and looking slightly intimidated. No one laughed at my hilarious jokes the entire first morning (and I’m telling you, I’m a funny girl), and it took a long pause after “When you come in, put your attendance stick in the Present cup, but if you’re not here, you’ll want to put your stick in the Absent cup,” before one of my little “darlings” said, “Well, that doesn’t make sense.” I love 5th graders. And at the beginning of each new school year, I’m reminded of why. They’re so sweet, so eager to please, so unjaded.
But the thing I always forget that comes with the beginning of the school year is the tremendous amount of work it entails. The immense feeling of exhaustion that finds me wishing it was bedtime around 8:00. And this brings me back to the title of this entry. It was on the way home from school today (I left at 5:04 after I told myself I’d try to leave my 4:30) when I heard my dear old friend Shirley, “Hey, remember me???” Longtime blog followers, you’ll remember Shirley. She’s that voice in my head (not like a crazy voice, more like a what-are-you-thinking-you-can’t-possibly-publish-a-book voice) that has a way of sneaking into my brain and trying to convince me I’m not going to be successful. I think she crawls in top of my ear, sits there, and then flicks it every once in a while.
Flick.
Gee, pretty tired tonight, aren’t you?
Flick.
Bet you don’t even want to think about that blog post you had scheduled to write on Monday.
Flick.
By the way, it’s Wednesday.
Flick.
I have no idea why you thought you’d be able to keep writing daily once school started. Fool.
So, after addressing invitations to my 30th birthday party (more on what that’s doing to my psyche later), I told Shirley the same thing I’ve told her many times. Shut it, Shirl. No way am I going to let her deter me. Not when I’m closer than I’ve ever been. Not when I’m finally starting to identify myself as a writer. Not now, Shirl. I’m not the fool. You are.
***And now, an exciting notice to readers!***
Be sure to stop by my blog this Sunday, August 21 to check out a guest post from a writer friend of mine, Heather McCorkle. Heather is doing a blog tour (Tour of Secrets) in honor of the publication of her novel, The Secret of Spruce Knoll. I’m excited and honored that Heather has made The Write Timing a stop on her tour. Be sure to stop by and check out one of her writing secrets!
The Write Timing 