I am a college instructor who happens to be on sabbatical this year and this is my blog. Today was the first day of school and for the first time in several years I am not one of the many bussling around the campus. Instead I am home, thinking about not being there.
There's just something about this time of year and this day in particular. I loved this day, for it often seemed to be the one day when most everyone was excited about school. Unfortunately, that excitement doesn't seem to last as long as we'd like--probably for both the teachers and the students. Those of you who are instructors may understand how vulnerable that dynamic is and how easily if can affect the learning environment. Many of us try hard to bottle that energy of the first day and try and sustain it throughout the year. But inevitably life gets in the way and today's students are forced to juggle so many responsibilities that our jobs as instructors seem more and more difficult almost each year. I try to be energetic and engaging and keep my classes upbeat, but that can be tough on me too. Many times after putting in a nine hour day I'd get home and just want to "veg" in front of the TV. Then, that just became a habbit.
Yes, my name is Kari, and I'm a tv-aholic. I kind of have been for a very long time. I know I watch way too many shows. And I'm ashamed to say I watch far too many reality shows for my own good. They suck me in and I have to find out who's going to be the next person to get the boot. I've even been known to watch entire-season-marathons during the summer. That's where you can catch up on an entire season in one day because they play the episodes back to back all day. This summer was no exception. That's when I got scared. I'm on sabbatical this year. I have to do something to break myself of this unproductive habbit that I've gotten myself into. Not only is it not good for my mind but it's not going to be good for my body. I could just see it...coming back next fall with a few extra pounds. I know there is the expected freshman fifteen, but I didn't want to fall victim to a sabbatical seventeen. I knew I was going to have to commit myself to some kind of project with physical movement and accountability in order to make sure I actually did it. I needed something above and beyond my sabbatical plan. Don't get me wrong, I am really looking forward to working on my plan but what is in the original plan basically involves alot of time sitting in front of the computer. So I came up with this...my pledge to move in a direction good for my mind, body and soul. This is my pledge to move away from the reality shows to what I'm calling "showing my reality".
The idea is actually quite simple. I came up with it on one of the days where I actually got my butt off the couch and went for a bike ride. You see I went on a bike trail that was relatively new to me. And on this 50 mile bike ride I was able to experience some pretty cool things that I would have missed if I'd been home watching the tube. For example the smell of freshly thrashed hay. (OK I'm a city girl, so I hope that's the right term--guess I'll have to turn that into a learning exercise and look it up) I've heard others talk about the smell of fresh cut grass or the aroma after a harvest, but I don't think I've ever experienced it. So there it was. The farmer was even close enough that I could see his smile. So with a wave I took it all in and continued biking. It was an AHA moment because it brought to light something I'd learned earlier.
This past summer at a D2L conference I sat next to a gentleman who I'll probably never see again, and we had a great conversation--one of those that reinforce the reasons I went into teaching in the first place. He was talking about this video that he'd seen that he thought I'd enjoy (even though we'd just met). He said it was about a photographer who learned that by being patient and widening his perspective there lived the potential to find something good in any shot. If you looked you could find the positive--see something good--and it might not be what you originally thought you'd find. We talked about the analagy of doing this with people as well as things and it really kind of inspired me. There's positive things all around me and I some times have a tendency to get caught up in the negatives. So I'm really going to put this (and myself) to the test. I'm going to turn off the tv, get out and move and take a better look at what's around me--to truly see my reality--to find the good in what I probably take for granted in my surroundings. This blog will be my record and my way of not just showing, but sharing my reality. I hope you like it and I hope it inspires you to find the truly good in the reality that surrounds you.
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