What has been going on in Brooklyn

Now that Facebook has appeared to replace this blogging life I will make more of an effort to devote more time to my blog.

Just some thoughts..... it's finally Spring and I am so thankful for that gift.  The trees have been turning all kinds of beautiful colors.  It is no longer dark from 4:00 pm to 7:00 am and I can actually see the trees when I am going to and from work.

I have been running a lot and keeping my eyes on the prize of running the NYC marathon in November! That's right.... I am IN! November 7th people..... be there or be square. It will be so much fun. I found a new running partner in Charlie.  He upped his game and has gone for a few long distance runs with me. I am enjoying this running together thing cause any minute now he will overtake me with his tall self and I will keep my 9 min/mile pace..... way behind.

School is school. I do love my job. It has been a bit much the last couple of weeks, I know we all (teacher and students) just want to be outside and enjoy the weather but we're stuck inside reading and writing. For anyone who has a teenage student my heart goes out to you..... applying to colleges is a LOT of work! We will have our first graduating class next year and our first set of KH students off to college and man alive!!! it is a LOT of work to get them going on the college application.

Brooklyn is doing well. Just as beautiful as ever. A little lonely without some of her key players (Liz, Sarah, Millay) but BK is hanging in. She always has availability for some new comers. Specifically those who might be friends with jes kruse. (maybe a PHd program for lindsay or teaching job for KP and Sarah... just some ideas) But as for Jes Kruse she is really enjoying her life in Brooklyn.

who said fear is all bad?

I wonder what it would be like to not be scared. If you know me well, have heard some of my stories, or came to my classroom at school then probably the last word you might use to describe me would be 'scared'. For those few of you who know my secrets you are not surprised to hear that life scares me a little bit. Ok, sometimes more than a little bit.

I am scared of small spaces. I couldn't go up in the arch in St. Louis because the "pod" (the "pod" is really more like a recipe for how to be guaranteed a fast, full-on panic attack the moment you step in). I was out visiting my friends Sarah and bekah and when we bought our tickets they asked, "is anyone claustrophobic".  Being the fake tough person I am, I said no. Big mistake. My heart races just a little too fast when I am in small spaces and if I feel trapped in that small space...... step back because that is not a good state for me.

I have been learning about the art of knowing myself and learning my limitation. Realizing that limitations do not mean weakness.  I have always had a desire to be tough, to be able to take anything on and survive.  I am a survivor. I think maybe we all are.  Surviving and enjoying life do not really go hand in hand I am realizing. I think I prefer to enjoy life. 

There was a fight in the hallway of my school a few weeks away that found its way into my classroom. I tried to close the door and couldn't. I got stuck behind the door and my bookshelf. Not a good place for someone who hates small spaces AND feeling trapped. (I start to sweat just a little even thinking about it)  

And back to the lessons I am learning.  I want to be strong in a real way. I want to enjoy and be aware of all that I have and not feel pressure to prove to anyone.  I want to accept that some things do scare me but that doesn't mean I am a weak person.  I think I am over living in survival mode.