I slept well last night and I'm having a hard time dragging my butt out of the bed and into my cold morning routine.  One real drawback of not having heat is getting out of bed in the morning.  It's nice and toasty under the covers, but brrrrr...  Not once you fling them back and head for the little boy's room!  Speaking of the little boys room; that's the location of the only mirror in the house.  I hardly recognized the naked man looking back at me.  I've misplaced a couple of love handles and seem to have traded in my pony keg for a 40 ouncer - don't be expecting a six-pack anytime soon, though!  The transformation is uplifting and motivating, though, I must say.

I'm getting ready to head into school for a half day or so.  I don't know about you all, but I HATE paperwork.  I am finding my current job to be very paperwork intensive...  I love spending time with my students, listening, helping, teaching, just being there for them.  But!!!  But...  But, I hate all the paperwork. Today is about tackling some of that paperwork.  I may have said this before, but transitioning to an independent study program from mainstream education is an adjustment like I've not experienced before.  I love the fact that I am a combination teacher, mentor, counselor, sounding board, etc.  It is what I've always done best...  As you read the affirmations (dang it!  that's the word I've been looking for - affirmations!!!  I've been calling them aphorisms - oh, well, humdinger...), you'll note that they almost always include comments about mentoring or the like; that is the role I always wanted to fill as a teacher and role model.  I've written this before, I'm sure, but the self-image of myself as a teacher was always to be that teacher who got invited to weddings, graduations, birthday parties, etc.  In retrospect, that is the teacher I am becoming.  I like that.

Well, I'm going to cut this short.  My fingers are almost warm enough to make some breakfast, then I'm off to work.  The last word today goes to Mani:

"Since graduation, I've reflected back on all four years of high school and realized that having you as my teacher and being in your class is where most of what I have learned has come from.  You taught me not only course material but more importantly how to be a better person and how to pursue what I love; you are living proof that through kindness you can have the biggest impact on a person's life and Mr. P you had one of the biggest impacts on my life.  I truly feel that that as my mentor and as my friend you have made me a better person."

Thank you, Mani.  I truly don't know what to say...

Carpe Diem, my friends.  I am off to work now.