Just one more week and I’ll be in another city. Another few cities, actually. I will have my assignments written and downloaded onto my tablet. I’m also making it a rule I’ll make for myself the most obvious—no working on holiday. Well…of course, threaded discussion. Okay. Okay. An hour a day for my final course project but – other than that – NO REAL WORK!! Now, what will I be doing in Zealand?
Life
So, right now, I have to edit all my short stories from my 2020 Short Story Project for my 2025 short story collection. I have to say…it has been a humbling experience to know that my stories were decent but needed much improvement. I have to thank experience and higher education for that. I’ve always been told that 20% of creative writing is taught while the other 80% is improved through experience. So? Why am I saying the obvious? Well…I’m back in school.
Year 3 of my time as a big boy teacher has come to an end and I must say that I have learned so much. This is no surprise as I have been warned this would be the case. “Teachers are learning just as they are teaching.” It’s why teachers are labeled philosophers. God knows I’m feeling it every day. I’m always learning something new and figuring out the best way to teach it to the next flow of students.
I’m leading into the last month of my tenth grader’s school year and I have to say…I’m learning more this year than last year. I have learned more about Realism and the origins of Science Fiction. But the magical realism lesson stuck with me the most, mainly because I can finally put a name to it.
I have a month and a half left of school and then my students will be able to enjoy the fine relaxation of the summer holiday. Sure, I’m contractually obligated to do the summer camps, but I’m looking at the prize at the end of it all: New Zealand. That’s right. I’m planning my trip to the Land of the Long White Cloud. Or would “Middle Earth” sound better. Either way, I am beyond excited to go as it has been on my list of places to travel to.
A writer is someone who has taught his mind to misbehave.” – Oscar Wilde
Yes, indeed, that is a fact. Being a writer has allowed me to forgo the rules, break from the norms, and challenge the minds. In this day and age, it’s practically a requirement. A writer must be able to understand the rules of life to represent it in their writing. More importantly, they must understand life’s rules to point out societal problems.
Just finished one of my major projects for my Linguistic Class and a thought occurred to me. In November 2022, I started my side-quest of getting my Master’s. Initially, it was supposed to be an MFA but my past laziness came back to haunt me. No worries, I’ll just get to it when I move to Spain – maybe I can learn at the same university I’ll teach at. Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked. I’m looking at my calendar and…I’m five classes and a final course away from finishing my Master’s!
I still always have a lot of work to do in my three main worlds: grad school, teacher, and author. This is the norm for me – my comfort zone. Still, life is slowing down for me. It happens now and again, and I handle myself accordingly. How? I accept and appreciate it.
It is amazing how life works. The moment when the past meets the present. What do I mean? Oh, it’s quite amusing; I was just reminded of my past as a shithead teenager. How? Well, how else does karma work? I have a fifteen-year-old who acts EXACTLY like I did when I was fifteen-year-old. And I do mean EXACTLY LIKE ME.
Sorry for the month-long absence, but I wanted Philadelphia to have my undivided attention – out of my studies, of course. While I finished most of my work beforehand, the only thing I had to do was my threaded discussion which took me no time at all. I had missed my city for such a long time and I wanted to see what changed and what remained the same. Short answer, a lot.