Learning

Otherwise known as... Thank Goodness for Aiko...

So this week I have been learning a lot about myself. 

Yesterday I left a counselor training around 11, chatting with another counselor.  As we walked out of the building, we noticed a slight drizzle.  What?!  Doesn't the weather know that it's morning?  We don't get rain in August in the MORNING?  

My colleague laughed, and we continued toward the parking lot.  It's a LONG walk from the building to the parking lot, particularly when one is in nice clothes and it's beginning to rain.

And then it rained harder.

And then it was right nearly a downpour.

So we walked faster.  I had my phone in my hand, and I didn't quite know where my car was.  I looked around the lot, while between two cars... and then... I went down.  Hard.  I came up as quickly as I went down but the damage was done.

Yesterday I learned that wearing a long skirt, medium heels, and attempting to hurry to my car in the rain after a training will undoubtedly cause a major wipe out.  On particularly painful, gravelly asphalt. 

Luckily, my home is not even five minutes from my work, so I made a slight detour, washed and dressed my wound (fortunately just my left hand), and dried my rain-ravaged hair.  The detour lasted all of ten minutes, then I got back in my car, and drove to work.  I had appointments, after all. 

I showed my boss my hand yesterday afternoon and gave her the Reader's Digest version of how it happened.  Jen, are you hurting?

No.  Except for the wound, I'm good.

Well, you're gonna hurt tomorrow.  But maybe not, you're in good shape!

Yeah, I can take a tumble.  And we laughed.

Yep, I can sure take a tumble. 

And then this morning, Aiko started in with her morning meowing, which is normal.  I was awake, and planning a google form that I planned to use at some point with my students.

These days, my life is google forms.  What did we ever do without all things google????

So I'm planning this form, in my head, my cat is meowing, and I open my eyes.  There is light in my room. 

There is no light when I wake up before my alarm goes off, usually around 5:15.  No light indeed.

What?!  I grabbed my phone, and looked at the time.  6:30.

On normal, not forgetting-to-set-my-alarm days-- as in EVERY OTHER DAY!!!-- I leave my home at 6:30.  Oh dear.

I jumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, put on a dress, makeup, threw my thankfully smooth hair into a ponytail, and made it out the door in 15 minutes. 

Oh yeah, I packed my lunch too.  And a Greek yogurt for breakkie.  With a little container with chia seeds.  (I feel like Super Woman when I eat chia seeds with my yogurt.  True story.)

I arrived at work at the same time as one of my co-counselors.  I couldn't resist telling her my tale.  Jen, I never would've known!!!

This morning I learned I can still get out of bed at 6:30 and still make it to the office by my 7 a.m. start time.  Not just on time.  Early.  And look okay.  And I actually felt okay, no doubt because of the extra sleep.

Nonetheless, I am super grateful to my alarm-kitty.  I love her so.

This afternoon a student dropped by my office to ask me a question.  Miss Single, our club is having a Pie in the Face fundraiser, and we're still working out the details, but your name came up as someone we would like.

I laughed.  Ummmm.... I feel like this is this a compliment???  

Oh yes-- we only put teachers on the list that we really like.  And she was sincere.  I'm a counselor.  It's my job to know these things.  She explained to me what the club's vision was for the Pie-Facing.  I remembered when I was in school, and I paid probably more than I should have to put a pie in the face of my freshman English teacher.  I still remember that feeling.  I was trepidatious, and ended up getting pie up her nose!!!

In that case, okay.

She left my office beaming, and practically bouncing.  All I could think of was that I needed to block an hour in my schedule to wash up after the pie-ing.

This afternoon I learned that it takes asking if I want a pie in my face to know that they like me, they really like me... and that means a lot.

I wonder what I will learn... tomorrow.