Just Another Manic Tuesday

I find that the most difficult aspect of the Novemeber NaBloWriMo isn't writing every single day. The most difficult aspect is finding the time to write every single day. We are in the heart of November with Thanksgiving breathing down our neck, not to mention Black Friday (of which I am a non-believer). Then comes Christmas with all it's holiday concertizing and gigs here there and everywhere. Without even consulting a calendar, I can tick the following performance commitments for TeenTuna off the top of my head: two solo holiday singing gigs, two school concerts (orchestra and choir), and an all-day Regional Honors choir rehearsal and performance with an audition for States Honors choir thrown into the mix. And all of that is what I remember. There is probably more. We are both the tiniest bit glad that Children's Choir scheduling isn't thrown into the mix, because we'd be investigating either lodging in the funny farm, or cloning ourselves so we could be everywhere we needed to be doing everything we needed to do. I am pleased to report, however, that she has already asked to attend their winter concert this Friday night. She said it would be "more fun than a 'friends movie party'" which is high praise indeed. She misses her friends who remained in the group, and I honestly think she wants to support them and hear them sing. How cool is that?

As for me, I'm still knee-deep in my teaching schedule. Tuesdays are particularly long days for me, and I don't get home until upwards of 10pm. I then have to check in with family members, make sure the homework is completed for the night, the tests and quizzes are prepared for, the "plan" for tomorrow is in place and we all know who's on first in the transportation department.

And THEN I need to write a post, making sure I

• Do NOT fall asleep at the keyboard, and,
• Keep an eye on the clock.

(Tonight I may have failed item 1, albeit it briefly)

Some days are easier than others, and some days I am certainly more inspired (and hopefully, inspirational) than others.  But after working 3.5 hours in my cubicle of doom, commuting two hours round trip, and spending 9 hours teaching, my brain is a little mushy.  I tried to stay fresh today, especially since my one class (as opposed to my 16 private voice lessons) was having a test.  I was sure to bring a pile of New York Times crossword puzzles, Sudoku and KenKen puzzles to solve, but sure enough not ten minutes into class and the test itself, the last student of the class walked in late and THEN ASKED ME FOR A WRITING UTENSIL.

Figuring that might be a critical component of the test-taking experience, I handed over my pen (yes pen for puzzles.  Always and forever. Amen) and then stared sadly at my pile of puzzles begging to be solved.  My only choice was to do what anyone in my position would do...I grabbed a dry-erase pen and called it good.  It squeaked a bit, but 3 KenKen 2 Sudoku and 2 crossword puzzles later, I was glad to have something...ANYTHING to write with.

So there isn't much to tell about life in my cubicle.  And there isn't much to tell about lessons today either, except that nearly everybody had a great lesson, and HolyLordJesus, who knew that Thanksgiving Day was next week?  And now, as the clock approaches midnight and both cats have taken their places on the bed and I'm feeling more and more like an exhausted pumpkin, it's time to slap a title on this thing and click "Publish Post."  It may not be the most inspiring thing you've ever read, but simply put, there are days like that.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?