SELF, Day Two: Thanking our lucky stars

Spring really has sprung here in England.
Thankfully.

Though this day did not start out well, it certainly did take a turn for the better. I got my hair done on Tuesday and it looked really nice this morning. That is before the half hour walk to school. Wind was so ferocious, I wondered how I kept my inner ear drum from bursting. The upside? The wind was surprisingly warm, so really, I shouldn't have been complaining. I tried hard to see the good in the morning walk instead: fresh air; quiet mind; inner thoughts slowing to allow a bit of meditation.

Life was good.
Thank you.

We also had an assembly today where two kids sang in front of half of the school. Honestly, I don't know how the kids in the audience keep it together. I'm nearly in stitches about these singing children, but somehow the viewers are silent, involved, and supportive. It's not that the singers are bad, it's just that in front of a remarkably uncaring lot of children, I couldn't imagine even speaking, let alone singing my heart out. Could you imagine ME singing? God.

Anyway, though classes were a bit laborious today, I got out of there early and Emma dropped me off close enough to the train station so that I had time for a latte before jumping a train. Nice. I got to Gravesend where I tutor A-level (read: really sophisticated math) statistics and (today) calculus. I learned something about myself though (and isn't that the name of the game?): when I need to be, I'm quite clever. Furthermore, when I'm relaxed and in a teaching role, learning comes quite naturally to me. I'm able to read text, interpret it, and teach it to my student without much difficulty. It's very rewarding in ways that teaching often is not.

Tutoring: thank you.

Oh, and I got a free 7-Day Cleansing Scrub from Clinique yesterday. Used it last night and tonight: baby soft skin, ladies and gentlemen.

LOVE the free product.

Thank you.

Right, so on my way home, the train station staff were very kind to me (score one for the good guys), and I ran into some friends on my walk home who were headed to my house of all places. I love a drop-in. They were planning a trip for April. Since Nathan's already planned ours, I was totally in the clear to head to the gym while they discussed. Pizza came while I was pumping iron (back and arms today, plus a stint on the treadmill), and I had a whopping THREE slices upon my return.

Bring it.
Thank you.

Talked to Laura today about various things. What I love about her is that despite the fact that much of our conversation is centred around pregnancy (harbouring two humans tends to focus one's thoughts on just that most of the time), I wouldn't even know it. She's still witty and thoughtful and very concerned about who will go with her to the ballet tonight. Well done, you! I'm thrilled to hear that she's equally thrilled about the world-class prenatal care she's received from Mount Sinai Hospital.

Canada, you make me proud.
Thank you.

I'll leave you on this note. I am thankful that I can have conversations like this one with my students:

Kid: "Yeah your mom is a ratio."
Me: "Child, I'm going to call your mother tonight and discuss your tendency to bring up other students' mothers in class. Maybe the two of you have some ironing out to do."
Kid: "Really?!"
Me: "Yes, Child, really."
Kid (smiling very sweetly, almost thoughtfully): "I think she'd really like that."

For randomness, thank you.

I hope your day is going as (thankfully) well.