I Know I'm Loud - April 9 24 - Tuesday SOL

Me: It's not raining. It's just cold.

Parker: I know. I heard you all the way down the hall.

Me: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Parker: (Smiles as she walks to her car.)

Me: You can be honest. I am fully aware that I am loud. (Yelling toward Parker as she walks to her car.)

So, Here I Am - March 31 2024 - SOLSC24

So, here I am - 

the last day of March.

The final day of Slicing,

but not the last day of writing.

So, here I be - 

closing the door 

as one endeavor ends.

Open to the challenge as another begins.

So, here I go - 

celebrating this accomplishment.

Recounted slivers of my living story;

Excited to plunge into poetry.

5-4-3-2-1 Remixed - March 30 2024 - SOLSC24

I have always enjoyed using the 5-4-3-2-1 reflection prompts in my notebook. The prompts help me process the events of my week in conjunction with my feelings/emotions.

The prompts I normally use are - 

5 Things That Made Me Smile

4 Words That Describe The Week

3 Weekend Plans

2 Things I Learned

1 Goal For The Week Ahead

Recently, Leigh Anne Eck, who in my opinion is like a silo of brilliant ideas, mentioned learning about a remixed 5-4-3-2-1 reflection which she sliced about on March 29. 

I decided to give them a try myself. I feel like the new prompts helped me focus on the positive even though some of my week's happenings may not have been very positive.

5 Things I'm Grateful For

1. Jesus 

2. Books 

3. Notebooks 

4. Writing 

5. Teach Write 

4 Things On My Mind

1. Why I often feel down/low energy

2. Can I make Isagenix work for me? 

3. What do I need for me?

4. I'm tired. 

3 Things To Do Tomorrow

1. Host Time To Write

2. Serve at Crossroads Christian Church's Easter Egg Hunt

3. Meal Prep

2 Things I Want Less Of

1. Drama 

2. Hot Flashes

1 Thing For Next Week

1. Thrive!! Oh, and race packet pickup.

Today - March 29 2024 - SOLSC24

It is 7:43PM CST, and I had the day off. I had all the best laid plans of sleeping in, but at my age, getting up to pee twice per night is standard. When I did finally get back into a deep sleep, my husband got up and went downstairs. You'd think having the entire bed to myself would ensure sweet dreams. NOPE! He didn't take his phone with him, and though it was on vibrate, the 1,000+ buzz-notifications from his golf buddies kinda made it hard to stay asleep.

So, what is one to do? Get up. Go do some cardio at the YMCA.

Ensure my in-laws ate a hardy breakfast which my husband prepped before he went to his guitar lesson.

Gather the tax documents my mother-in-law asked my husband for 2 weeks ago.

Send some emails and social media posts in preparation for a writing thing I'm partaking in this summer.

Shower.

Eat Blaze Pizza...my new favorite.

Got get my in-laws food, because cooking just wasn't happening today.

Scroll social media while lying bed.

Get tired of lying in bed and remember that I had not written my slice for today.

Now, at 7:52, I am finishing this slice and wondering where the time went for my day off. I'm also rather impressed with myself. When I sat down to type this, I literally had no idea what I wanted to say. Turns out--I had quite a bit to say.

National Poetry Month - March 28 2024 - SOLSC24

 

Poetry

March, though not over, has been filled with writing daily blog posts that recount small slivers of my life.

April is days away and will be filled with daily poetry writing for Ethical ELA's #Verselove.

I just hope I can maintain the writing stamina.

Fight or Flight - March 27 2024 - SOLSC24

What do you do when your brain feels like it has been in fight mode all day long?  

• You laugh to keep from crying.
• You silently hand them their journal back with no response.
• You walk away.
• You keep teaching despite...
• You try to speak in a calm voice.
• You drive home on autopilot and almost have a fender bender.
• You bury your head in your covers and cry your eyes out.
• You take your dog on a 4 mile walk.
• You try not to cry again as your write this slice.

The Difference a Day Can Make - March 26 2024 - SOLSC24

 

Yesterday evening during journal club, I shared my experience of struggling to understand some of the poetry I read.

In fact, I wrote this in my journal: 

"I am currently reading two poetry books, The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal by James Crews and One Last Word by Nikki Grimes. I so wish I understood or had some reaction, but I [often] don't. I love writing poetry, I guess my non-analytical mind can't wrap itself around someone else's poetry. I won't give up though; I'll keep reading and trying to find meaning in it for myself." 

After receiving some encouraging words, and kudos for choosing to not give up on reading poetry, I reread the first couple of poems in The Wonder of Small Things this morning. 

I was instantly moved by these lines written by Wendell Berry (The Peace of Wild Things):

"I come into the peace of wild things 

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water

...

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free"

These words remind me of coming into the peace of the Almighty who leads me beside still waters, whose grace is not of this world, but because of His grace I am free. 

Thank you M. for sharing how the imagery of poetry sometimes makes you think of Scripture. My non-analytical brain definitely wrapped itself around this words, and there was a reaction.