hi all – Meredith here.
I’m writing this morning from a local coffee shop. Man, this place is buzzing! It’s just past 9am, but I’m amazed at how busy it is in here. People are talking, working, reading…it’s quite a little hive of activity.
I was out of the house early this morning – I had to drop something off to the instructor who is co-teaching the journalism class with me. Since I was out already, I figured I would get a couple of hours of work in before heading to a dance rehearsal at 11am.
This afternoon I teach my last class as part of this week’s SEEDS program. This week we have a fabulous group of 16 young women (all ages 12 and 13). They are a bright, interested bunch who have been asking really great questions and who seem generally engaged with the material. What a difference it makes teaching kids who are fully present, versus kids who you can tell would rather be elsewhere! whew.
This part-time teaching gig has done interesting things to my schedule. Rather than having endlessly wide-open days, I’m working with more divided time. Knowing I have to teach all afternoon, for example, means I feel a lot more pressure to get my work done when I have a free morning. This afternoon I teach until 3pm, so I’ll have the afternoon to do some reading and writing, too.
But there’s also this funny thing happening with my right arm. I think I’ve pulled something in my back or in my shoulder and it’s sending all kinds of angsty pains right down my arm and into my hand. At first I thought I was developing carpal tunnel syndrome from over-using my computer, but I’ve since decided that it has to do with ultra tight muscles. When I give them a rub, I can feel relief in my arm.
What it means, however, is that it’s been hurting me to use my computer these days. It means that even though I should be doing a lot of writing (including sending replies to the bazillion emails flooding my inbox), I’ve been trying to spend less time at the screen. I thought giving my body a rest would be the best remedy.
Of course, it’s also been a fine excuse to read books in the sun (have I mentioned my sun-soaked balcony lately?).
Ok- I’m off to get some work done. Then I’ll zip to my dance rehearsal, zip home to a quick lunch (good thing I ride a bike, eh?), zip over to campus to teach for the afternoon, and will then greet the weekend with open arms. I hope you’ll do the same.