Whether it's life or lemonade...

What an awesome week!

Monday was Martin Luther King,  Jr. day.  I like to click on youtube every once in a while over the course of the year just to hear the man give me that line one more time:  "I have a dream, that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal..." 

Thank you, Dr. King.

Looking past Monday's holiday, I knew I had a lot of school work due very soon, and had accepted two substitute teaching jobs as part of my ongoing effort to get a flavor for as many different campuses and teaching environments as I can this semester.  I'm hopeful that my strategy will lead me to the best "fit" for me as a teacher -- there are pros-and-cons to all grade levels, so we will see.

One of the jobs I accepted was at an elementary school and the other at a high school where I had subbed before and had been requested for another job (which is quite a compliment).  It turned out that the elementary school job wasn't for one day, but for three, and at the end of the third day,  they asked me to stay for a fourth (another very nice compliment).

I approach every job with the attititude that there is work to be done and I am not above any work.  I will take out trash, sweep, carry heavy boxes, "whatever."  From life to lemonade, it doesn't matter if the glass is half-empty or half-full, sometimes, it is best to first be grateful that you even have a glass.

Anyway, my "just do the work" attitude was well placed this week.  It turned out that I was brought in as sort of an "admin-overflow" person, and one of my jobs was not very glamorous --- lunch duty!  Yes, I was on duty in the lunch room, essentially working as a waiter and part-time referee for kids ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade.  Whatever they wanted (condiments, napkins, approval to go to the bathroom, help opening their milk) came from me.  We can learn a lot when we put our pride and "relative self-importance" aside and just do the work... Oh, and here's a tip:  kids like ketchup.  They like it a lot.

I think most of the kids were pretty intimidated by me at first -- I was a big, unfamiliar man walking around and talking to them in their lunchroom while they ate.  That initial intimidation changed after a day or two.  By the end of the week, several of the kids were giving me "knuckles" or "high-fives" as they came into the lunchroom and just about all of them would at least give me a smile... It was pretty rewarding to get those kids to engage --- and I reckon there are lots of parents out there who might be surprised if they knew how many carrots I was able to get their 1st grader to eat this week!

I also spent a big part of my time helping out in their library, and W-O-W!  What an awesome project this neighborhood school has going, sparked by their librarian, Trudy Marshall.  Trudy has worked tirelessly for the past several years here in Austin developing an organization she founded called "Libraries of Love." Libraries of Love does book drives and raises funds to open libraries and has been successful in opening nineteen libraries in schools across Uganda.  Many of the kids she has helped had never even held a book until they met Trudy.

One day this week, Trudy asked me to read the "Three Little Tamales" (a variation on the Three Little Pigs) to a group of 1st graders, and I loved it.  The kids were wide-eyed throughout the story and laughed when the Big Bad Lobo wound up in the pot, and once again, all was right with the world...

Follow the link to Libraries of Love and get involved -- it is easy to get behind people who have Trudy's drive, and your time and money will be well spent.

Thank you Laurel Mountain for the experience.  There are some incredible people and programs available to young people these days.

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WODBLOG

Outside of my substitute work and school (btw, I got a 98% on my first grad school paper, so I'm happy with that), CrossFit is going strong.  I smoked through one of my favorite type WODs on Wednesday and my two classes (5:15 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. / M,W,F) are growing and blowing with some really great, great people.  As always, we'd love for you to get past the stigma of my classes being "toodamnearly" and get in gear with us.

Our box is in the middle of the "I Do The Impossible Challenge" right now.  It is an 8-week challenge where each coach has been assigned a team of six people who have set individual fitness goals that we help them reach.  My group is kicking ass!  Thanks Norma, Danielle, Shane, Doug, Neal and EMILY!  You guys are working your tails off right now and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your success!

After this morning's FREE 9:30 a.m. community workout, I'm going to train with some remarkably fit CrossFit competitors at the "Master's Class" at CrossFit Cedar Park.  I'm going to get my butt absolutely kicked three ways to Sunday...

....but I guess I have to put my pride aside, do the damn work, and just remember to be happy that I even have a glass...