Oops

Taken from Sachin's balcony.

I'm losing steam! Yesterday was a great day and again today, but I think I need to take vitamins. Man, I'm knackered.
And-
My horizons yearning to explore more more more ('cause that's how I like it).
But I love my life! I have an awesome life! Why are my ambitions so worldly? What's better in the Dark Continent? What's better in China?
I have a rug, I have the best kids, I am learning so much at work, I never wake up dreading to teach, I get to eat samosas whenever I want. My life is pretty perfect, safe for the lack of disco night life and someone to cuddle. Maybe I should get that dog after all.....
 

This photo taken by Sachin Pillai

Today ruled! I understood that you must act with good will and creativity, and the rest will follow!
And if it's not how you envisioned it to turn out...
ah well,
So be it!

Rickshaw in Bombay

sigh....

Mumbai was a whirlwind. Now back to life: teaching and photocopying and planning and listening to my kids.
Yoga class
facebook, gmail, ffffound: you know the drill.

I am nowreading the Bhagavad Gita.
"You have choice over your action but not over the results at any time. Do not (take yourself to) be the author of the results of action; neither be attached to inaction."
huh?
 Plan and act indeed, but if your results weren't as you had hoped, it's not your fault! You're not a failure! These are the laws of nature.
So, let it be.
Cool beans.

I missed Saturday....

...my bad...

It's Friday

I woke up and went to yoga. I took this photo at 6:05 a.m. A coconut kiosk.
In a couple hours I will be in Mumbai and I am PUUUUMPED! So, indeed I am dedicated to a photo-a-day, but Saturday I will not post.

I must have a think, too. Something exciting has presented itself to me, and I need to see if I will grab the opportunity, or not.
See you Sunday.
B

Perspective

Meet x. My creative, off-with-the-fairies, class clown. He is sweet, comical, naughty, bright, and dreamy. And he is rowdy. Oh! rowdy! He was making us all laugh (even me, depite my better judgement) by singing and dancing to the tune of 'Move it' but instead of singing 'I like to move it move it' he was singing 'I like to sing it sing it' with this pointer finger in the air, his hips gyrating about. He was killing himself with laughter too. Indeed, it was hilarious. Then I had an idea: Eureka! Bargaining power.

Me: x, let's make a deal. I'll give you five minutes of clown time, every day, where you get the attention of the class to be your comical genius. But- with this you must focus for the rest of the day. Whaddaya say?

x: OUI Miss B!

Nice. Let's see how he fares. In truth, I'm looking forward to it. He is a fascinating (if not overwhelming) child with zany humour and original thoughts.

It's all how you see it, isn't it? Instead of getting angry and growing tired of his antics, I am trying to harness his unquenchable energy and hilarity.

To be continued....

Intimidate

Yeah.  Bring it on.

I took half a day sick leave this afternoon. I'm working my samosa ass off with planning and report card commenting. I'm knackered, man! I got all the right signatures, explained the lesson to the teacher that was taking over, spoke to my kids before I left, made sure they understood what they had to do, and walked home. I opened my door and smiled, seeing the sun shine on my new wall hangings, on a school day! And so I sat on my dining room table and worked some more, despite wanting to nap my afternoon away.

I then get a passive aggressive email about unplanned absences and following procedure, about appropriate signatures and blablabla. This is communist China or what? I don't feel well, geeez! I have a lot of work to do- dayum! I have paid sick days and I plan to take them. So there!

Hmphf! (my kids love when I do that, hmphf, bringing my shoulders up then jerk them back down, lips persed, eyebrows furrowed- hmpf!)

I will not be intimidated.