Sunday, March 26, 2017

March Update

#PimpHatGameIsStrong
Y'all:

Ok, here's a big update from nobody's favorite procrastinator! Monthly is good and all, but maybe with a little practice I can get it up to weekly. Crazypants, right?

This month I will again be using the nifty Cards for Mindfulness deck to guide my update. It worked well enough last time. If any of y'all have one of these decks, feel free to leave a comment and let me know how you use them in your lives. I'm curious!

Listen deeply to yourself
(Kindness In)
Wait, what did I say? Sorry, I was distracted by this pretty card.




Check it out! I put the name of the card up above the pic, and I added which of the 8 categories the card belongs to. This card is about making decisions, whether small or life-changing. It recommends that I sit quietly and check in with how my body feels to get more insight. Well, my body feels pretty good right now, to be honest. I just got back from running, and even though it's an activity I loathe, I can't deny that I feel like a beast after a good run. Anyway, side-tracked.

I do have some major decisions looming. As much as I love Taiwan, I am looking for a teaching job in the States. I have had several interviews already, and I even had one job offer (more on that in a moment). In short, this year I'm serious about relocating, and it's stressing me the heck out. In the US I lack both home and vehicle, and unless I find a cheap place to rent within bicycle distance of the school I'm teaching at, I'm boned. I also have zero moneys [sic] saved up right now with which to fly back to America and find a place to live.

So yeah, perhaps turning down that job on the reservation wasn't the best plan. They had a place for me to live set aside, they would reimburse me for some of my relocation expenses, etc. After some thought, though, I decided that it would be too similar a situation to Selawik, which isn't something I'm in a rush to experience again. Of course, one look at my bank account and I worry that I've made a mistake.

Anyway, kindness in. Ok. The one school I'm really really REALLY hoping will get back to me with an offer would be great. It's a relatively new school that seems like exactly the kind of work environment I'd like to be in. I'm still an early-career teacher, so I'll need some supports as I continue to evolve as an educator. A newly-established school with an emphasis on professional development, with a rigorous and student-centered approach to education, in a community where I could do some good...yeah, I like the sound of that. I'll keep y'all posted.

waLk the waLk
(Rest)
Ooh, this one's purple!

Flipping the card over it...recommends I go for a walk. Or run. Or dance. The MAC Daddy don't dance! I already went for a run tonight, and the only walk I'm planning is down the hall to the bathroom to brush my teeth and whatnot before I go to sleep.

Still, the point of the card (interrupts Other-Me) is that active movement helps to bring us into the moment by leaving little room for distraction. I can't say I was distracted by much when I was running tonight. Sure, the Nike running app kept forgetting how to play my music (#firstworldproblems), but for the most part I was focused on the run. I had my goal in mind, I rocked out to my tunes (when they played properly), and didn't worry about my potential move, my lonely life, my non-existent debt, and other troubles. Um...mission accomplished? Next card!

Look for the lovely
(Joy)
Yes, I taped the card to my forehead. I DID IT FOR YOU!

I'm lovely, that's why I'm writing this blog entry topless. Anyway, an excerpt from the card:
By intentionally looking for and tuning into moments of loveliness, generosity and kindness throughout our day, we can nudge our mood and overall tone into the positive.
Anyway, I've got a face made for radio, a voice made for paper, and my penmanship is atrocious. That's not what this card is about. It's about looking for positive things in our lives and feeling those vibes, allowing them to elevate our own aura. Positivity in, positivity out and all that jazz. I can get behind that (he says while listening to The Massacre of the Saxons by Christopher Lee).

I do try to project an aura of positivity. I am, at my core, a man of great anger and great sadness. Every damn day I put on my mask and do the best I can to spread fun, joy, and my own brand of refreshing zaniness. You know, because I really do want other people to be happy. I believe that joy is massively important in our lives. (It's just, you know, not an emotion that really likes to hang out with me anymore.) Whoa, that's not the point of this card, either. I like to think that I brighten the days of others: my students, their parents, my colleagues, whoever. The world is dark and scary enough as it is, so why not try to be a force for positive existence? 
___________________________________________________
THE ONE AND ONLY,
MAC III


Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist? Click here.

No comments:

Post a Comment