update

I slept better and my teeth felt better. I spent a lot of the day sitting and listening to an instructor in a wilderness first aid class.

later when i went for a short run my legs felt terrific!

I called my mom

i spent 76 dollars at wegmans.

i bought eucalyptus essential oil

note

i haven't been sleeping as well and today my teeth hurt.

just happy to be here

me and an art I did.

a band

The other day I had the idea of approaching afterschool/working with kids the way people approach being in a band. Like a group of people doing something to affect a group of people in some way.  And then instead of a music the product is what the kids do. The kids are like the audience and the performance at the same time. 

I think it helps frame the job as a creative endeavor and that what happens is worth sharing and that if you do a good job you can create something that hasn't really been done before. It's not just about doing a job or surviving or mitigating disaster. 

who is my afterschool character?

what's the character I play at my job?

He is kinda like one of those Boppo Clowns. Like, I make myself an easy target for embarrassment or ridicule when it's appropriate. But at the same time I bounce back. The kids can "defeat" me but nothing really sticks. 

I try to laugh really easily and loudly and often. I'm quick to give out praise and recognition and appreciation. If students are interested in something I will be interested in it and try to add to the experience if I can. 

When I correct I do it calmly to try to avoid the pushback of "oh no,  i'm in trouble let me talk my way out of this and avoid all responsibility." 

When I started, a lot of my behavior corrections were about following rules and respecting my authority. Now I focus a lot more on how the kid's treat each other and what they can do to avoid and diffuse conflict. so less of " you need to behave or you'll feel my wrath" and way more "listen to what others are saying so you can have friends and/or not be excluded."

I think I'm competent at most things that kids like to do. Like sports and activities and things. 

I wear a lot of tie dye and colorful clothes. I wear sandals constantly. my hair is usually in a headband or tied up and once a week I wear a running cap. I think I look like a college kid. I mean, I pretty much dress the same as when I was an actual college kid.

Afterschool Me is all around a bigger personality than regular me. 

new license photo

look it's me!

that's what I look like! in that light at that angle.