I just can't say no

I just can't say no. I take that back, I don't choose to say no often enough.  The problem is I have ideas, a willingness to help, and only 24 hours to work with.  I wanted to blog as an opportunity to practice reflecting and writing.

But this was the first thing to get cut.  So the second thing to get cut was pretty much my personal life.  I'm beginning to think my book club thinks I'm a character in a book they read: full of personality and plot twists, but imaginary.  Of course, I haven't had time to use my Disney annual pass so I haven't even been to the Food and Wine Fest.  I'm pretty sure I missed the Hanson concert that I wanted to catch.  I like a few of their songs (excluding Mmmm Bop.) I didn't have time for planning my 2nd annual Halloween party or putting together a Halloween costume.  There are other things that have been cut too.

This has been a difficult year,  in a mostly good way.  I think I said earlier that the first day of school felt more like the third week of school. We just dove in and learned right off the bat.  It was a good thing.  I did have a student who was a real challenge.  I called him Steve Prefontaine because he ran out of French class.  He had some medical conditions and some learning challenges that my small private school didn't have the resources or personnel to accommodate.  Whenever a student withdraws, I always wonder if there is something that I could have done differently.  With this student, I know that I did what I could.  I like him as a person and wish him luck at his new school.

It's been a difficult year for other reasons.  We have few teachers at my school and a ton of events. I've spent more time doing FB marketing, planning, and implementing ideas.  In addition, I tutor two students two days a week and two students on another day of the week.  That doesn't include faculty meetings or lesson planning or grading of papers or projects.

It's also been a very satisfying year.  I've seen real progress in the students I'm tutoring.  I've gotten better work from my students.  We've learned a ton.  The events have gone really well.

Now, to work on balance.  If only it were as easy to plan that, right? I hear that I'll have more room in my calendar if say no just a little more often.

No, I can't help with that right now. I think I'm going to have practice saying that. I have books to read, places to go, friends to meet. Balance to attempt to achieve.