Surfing USA…

When you’re a teacher,

in the public sense of the word

the school year,

can be experienced,

as THE ride,

of your life…

Not the Disney World,

or Knott’s Berry Farm kind,

but the old fashioned,

rickety wooden ones,

that you can only find in places,

next to,

Empire Stadium…

The ride begins,

in the last two weeks of August…

The feeling in your gut is just like,

when you’re lining up,

but haven’t yet found your place,

in the cart…

You know you have to do it,

but you’re not really sure if it’s a good idea,

because your sciatica’s acting up…

But once you’re in line,

you can’t back out,

and then you’re at the point when you have to jump on,

and the only cart free,

is at the very front,

or the very back,

with is no mid-point available…

So you just get take your seat,

with no looking back…

The bar locks in place,

and the caterpillar,

begins its ascent…

And then depending,

on how you move,

through the world,

you either suck in your breath,

howl,

or do both …

There are the jerky corners,

the sudden up and downs,

the straight-aways,

flying up out of your seat,

and slamming back down,

whiplash,

jolts,

swerves,

false starts,

and those blissful moments,

of some smooth sailing…

Some people think that teachers have it made,

with ALL those holidays…

Those are the same people who can’t spend more than an hour,

with their own children,

without losing their minds…

These kinds of people don’t realize,

that teachers NEED all,

of those holidays,

and more,

to recharge,

and recover,

from what can be amazing experience,

when done well,

but can also burn out batteries,

because in teacher-training,

and on the job,

we are never offered any guidance,

or support,

with energy management…

I have a lot of energy…

People around me can feel it…

My children feel it…

The body workers I go to have commented,

on the volume,

and momentum of energy,

I hold,

and move,

in my body,

and theirs…

I definitely know that there is,

more than enough energy to go around,

but I have only recently learned,

how to keep to keep some,

for myself…

I now know that I can never go back to working as an educator,

in the institution,

in the same way…

And I also now know how critical,

that time away is,

for de-schooling,

the system…

It always takes a few weeks into July,

to realize that you don’t have to eat,

and pee,

by the buzzer…

I am now onto my fifth year,

of super-clearing out,

old frequencies,

and strengthening my sensitivities…

And I’m into my third year,

of using the toilet,

when I need to,

not when someone else tells me,

You can go now…

Anyone who is serious about hockey,

should take this information,

under advisement…

Listen to your body,

and learn,

when to push,

and when to hold back…

And know that a little,

can go a long way,

when you’re non-doing…

Last Monday,

Starshine and Little Gem came home from school,

and when they asked,

their usual question,

Mama,

what did you do today?

I got to say,

I went for dim sum at the Golden Phoenix,

and I bought my FIRST pair,

of hockey skates…

Of course,

I walked into Mainland Athletics,

with a belly full of shrimp,

and no intention of buying anything,

but walked out with a perfect fit,

and their last pair of Junior Bauer Vapours,

on sale…

The owner of this family operation,

Adam Naidu,

told me that these skates would do me well,

for at least a couple of years…

I give them,

until 2012…