Oh, the life of a teacher. I usually clean my heart out on Fridays so I can fully enjoy the weekend. I plopped down tonight at 7:00 with a bag of Buffalo Ranch popcorn (I love all popcorn, but this one is edging in as my favorite; get it together, Dill Popcorn!) and just, like, sat there doing nothing but eating my popcorn. Not thinking about grading or planning, or learning more about teaching. What the truck is my problem? I thought. And then. I realized: I haven’t worked a full week in like 6 weeks. I know. It’s a tough life.

I’ve been thinking about so much this week that I can barely catch a thought. Here are some links that really made me think this week:

What’s Saving Your Life? My parents were here this week. My parents live in their cabin built on my great grandparents’ land. It’s in the middle of nowhere. They have a clawfoot tub that spouts well water. But! They also have wifi. I don’t know that I would’ve ever thought things through to this degree, but my dad talked this week about how he wonders what his antecedents really did to pass the time, other than focus on being warm. What a world we live in now, that we can truck through cyclical depression with a degree of interaction and antidepressants?

I loved this challenge. I know I should say that my marriage, my child, or my job is saving me right now. All of those things are mostly wonderful. But, what’s really saving me right now is a prescription to Welbutrin, typically prescribed to those struggling with The Winter Blues (to put it lightly). I know it has changed my life. It makes me want to wake up and hit the ground running, even at 4:30. OK, it’s not a magic pill. 4:30 stinks- even to the most positive souls.

The Rest Found in Movement My youngest sister, Jessica, and I have been meeting at the gym- almost always at 4:30 a.m. However, at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, we agreed to meet at 7:30 p.m. It turned out to be the best night. We were both experiencing anxiety in different facets of our lives. We walked on the treadmill for a little over an hour and talked it out, worked through it.

I cannot emphasize enough how much movement has saved me. It’s always better with true friends, but something is always better than nothing.

The Time You Have (In Jelly Beans) I’ll save my dissertation for 6 months from now. Basically, this is why I quit Facebook. Life is short; life is long. It’s all about perception. I believe it’s short when you’re doing too much. It’s long when you’re not doing enough. It’s better when  you’re doing all that you’re meant to do.

Chasing Slow I haven’t read this! I just read about it elsewhere, and I think it aligns with my objectives right now. I want a life that is oh so simple, one that gives my best self to those who matter most: my husband, child, friends and family, and students. So, I am one book short with four days left. I bet I can read it in four days!

Buy the Plane Ticket! Never, ever better timing as I am trying to plan time with my soul sister. We are far by drive, but too close to jet set. It’s true: buy the plane ticket and then make it work!

It’s going to be a cold weekend! I vacuumed our living room rug tonight in hopes that Novella and I will snuggle hard on the pillow pallet. I’m starting Whole 30 again on Monday, so basically I’ve devoted my life to this plan, or at least Sunday after church! Details later!