Limits

Self-Discipline
Tomorrow I need to get back into exercise. I am extremely soft on myself. I haven’t exercised for over a week. I have a million and one excuses as we all do when we indulge ourselves in sloppiness, but the reality is not exercising doesn’t make my life easier as I like to kid myself. I had to think about why I stopped and I realised it was because my heart monitor wasn’t working. Probably needs a new battery. I don’t use it because I have some kind of heart condition or anything. It’s just to ensure that I am going hard enough. I need that feedback to ensure that my exercise on my stepper isn’t just a stroll in the park, and is an effective workout. That’s how slack I am!
Self-Imposed Limits
In our household our internet goes off at 9.45 everynight. My techie partner has set it up like this so that the kids don’t spend all night online. It’s really a good idea as it gives you the chance to get a good nights sleep and creates a limit that becomes a foolproof system. I think I was the first to ask for an extension of that time and when it wasn’t granted I was cranky. I am over it now though and I have been thinking about other ways that I can create healthy limits for myself in other areas of life.
Creative Limits
I have noticed at school if the kids have free reign to create a short story or any kind of project or peice of work, they spend so much time trying to think about what to do or write, it becomes a nightmare for them. When I first started teaching, I thought if they could write about whatever they wanted it would make it easier for them. WRONG! Now I create some kind of limit and it flows easier for them. I am always willing to negotiate with anyone who has another idea, yet it’s rare any student takes me up on that. If any of what I am saying rings true for you read Presentation Zen: Can limitations and restrictions be liberating? The answer for me is too right they can.
Boundaries
Many parents say children need boundaries. As a teacher in the classroom I know students operate best when there are clear boundaries. I need boundaries too. In fact it would be great if I could somehow create some device to prevent me from getting coffee until my exercise was done. Any suggestions anyone?

Do you like the new look?

Let’s get the shoulds out of the way.
Yes, I should be correcting so I can have my reports done on time. They are due Friday and it’s a long weekend here. Queen’s Birthday weekend is always really meant to be correct and write reports weekend. I usually don’t though. I have a really tidy home.

Heating
It’s warm too cause I have just upgrading from the wood fire heating to a reverse cycle air conditioner. It’s lovely to breath without creating a fog inside. It’s awesome to flick a switch and not have to bring heavy loads of wood in and then spend the time it takes getting the fire to start. I don’t miss the fire at all, but if ever I do, it’s still there in the corner.

Flitting around the Internet
So I have updated the template of my blog, thanks to joining Bumpzee and receiving a lovely visitor to my site from snokky who has Life in the Country and a wonderful template that I decided I could do with. I haven’t finished the renovations yet, a bit like my house! I am searching my backups for this particular photo to put on the header.

Social Networking
Bumpzee is a social networking site and I have realised lately that I haven’t been participating very much in any online communities. I thought I’d see what it was like before I outright reject it and go back to the solitude I like. So here’s to a new online experiment for me.

Red reading

I am currently reading ‘The Lollipop Shoes‘ by Joanne Harris. I haven’t finished it yet, so this isn’t a review. I realised that this is another variation of the theme of ‘The Red Shoes’ fairytale. The lollipop shoes in this story are bright red shoes belonging to a witch character who is seducing the young daughter of a ‘good’ witch. This is a huge simplification of the enjoyable journey of this book, however I have to say there are interesting parellels.

This repetition of fairytales is something I love about being a reader. “Repetition Leads to Discovery” as some of my students tire of hearing me say. Everytime I hear a new retelling I get deeper distinctions about the message in the story. It is enriching.

I wonder if we are attracted to certain stories and books when we need to learn central things to our own heroes journey. Perhaps we just see the lessons we need right now in the stories we read. Some books linger in your thinking. I take the daily installment of reading and think often throughout the day and notice much.

Another book I am reading right now is ‘Red Haze‘ by Leon Davidson. It is a CBCA shortlisted book for this year. I have learnt quite a bit about the Vietnam war and history through reading it. In SOSE we are learning about Australia’s colonialisation by the British and I am interested in colonisation right now. There is always so much to learn. Vietnam’s history is interesting and I would like to visit there. I imagine it would be a very unique place.

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Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t. ~Richard Bach