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.
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.
This post is going to be short and brief because I’m trying to get as much work done (school and author) before heading back to Philadelphia for Chinese New Year. Just know that I’m excited and ready to see everybody. I also have to finish my pedagogical duties including talking to my students’ parents. Just one more week…
Please don’t forget to follow me on my social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads) on my web page’s right side. Also, I love hearing suggestions of what books to read outside of my norm (Science fiction and Fantasy) as I am a part of the Goodreads’ reading challenge for 2024. For this year, my goal is 150, and I’m already at 21. Given that I’m in school and teaching English, I will blast through this challenge.
In three more days, the students will be home having a long well-deserved rest as they bring in the Chinese New Year. They are extremely excited and they should be. They have been working extremely hard for these last five months and – let me tell you – World Literature and Economics have been a real doozy for them. I can attest to the World Literature part; teaching it has been quite a welcoming challenge. But, now, it is time to enjoy the next marvel…Philadelphia.