Terrible Tuesdays?

Hi all,

Every day is a struggle, but one worth putting your best foot forward on.  My grandma would have said, "fake it 'till you make it" or "pull yourself up by your bootstraps."  This morning was cold in my town, and I forgot/procrastinated about my insulation for my attic, so the breeze was coming right in.  Add to that the fact that my fire went out overnight, and it was a chilly morning.  Then, youtube crashed on my amazon TV, and I couldn't listen to music!  It seemed like everything was going wrong.  But I found my way to work, said hi to some coworkers and students, and went on my merry(ish) way.

In a rough patch, all of these things could have stopped me from getting to work.  They seemed to be insignificant, but they pile up and keep me from being the positive, happy self I aspire to be.  I could have looked at the cold as a barrier, focused on my fire instead of just turning up the thermostat, and started down the path to a negative nellie kind of day.  My upset stomach could have built itself up in my mind into an unconquerable obstacle.  Instead, I overcame the frustrations I was feeling and recommitted to having a good day.  It helps to talk to my parents and re-center my outlook.  It also helps knowing that I'm valued by both the students and the staff at my school, and that the day wouldn't be the same without me.

Once at school, I found that my student for my first period class was absent, so I got extra prep time.  First, I planned a lesson for geometry tomorrow, then I sat down to reflect on this day and how I can make it better for my students.  I'm going to start with a smile and a greeting for each of them as they come in, to make sure they feel welcomed in their math class.  Then, I'll see how much progress each of them can make today, as they struggle through what is for many of them their most difficult subject.  I'll try to take into account that they all might have had rough/cold/difficult mornings in other ways, and try to make up for the difficulties with a positive attitude and ebullient nature.

At any rate, there's my daily struggle.  I know you all face your own, and I wish you luck in staying positive and facing the challenges with a smile on your face.

Have a great day everybody,

~Mark