Happy First Week of School!

So, my kiddos start school this week. Two today and one tomorrow. I know they are not alone and that kids all over the world are crying in their proverbial beers as they get handed assignments and essays and quizzes and Presidential Physical Fitness Test schedules. (Do they still do that? God, I hated those... I just wanted to turn to Mr. Overend and shout,

"you run a 6 minute mile, you big fatso!" I'm over it, I swear.)

Anyway, in solidarity, and because September always feels like the real New Year to me (I bought myself new folders and notebooks at Target, too), I feel like it is time for evaluation.... And thus, Peeps... I give you an assignment. I would like a short essay from all of you, entitled:

What I Did This Summer

by: ________________________

(your name there)

Feel free to post it as a comment or email it to me if you like but as I have always believed that New Year provides the perfect opportunity to make resolutions that can be broken, September brings a fresh start. A clean piece of loose leaf upon which to begin anew. Remember your first day of high school- as stressful as it was (and no matter how it turned out), it was time to reinvent yourself. Who were you going to be this year? What adventures were going to come along? And all the requisite whinging for time that had already gone by....

God, now I need new pencils, too.

And so, to get the ball rolling, as any good teacher should- I offer up my own assignment.

I can't wait to read yours!

What I Did This Summer

by: Ms. Wehrung

This summer, I discovered a lot of things. I discovered that I can in fact love myself while questionably clad in front of a crowd of people and have a blast doing it. The music was loud enough and the people fun enough and I silenced the critic long enough to remember exactly why I have always wanted to perform. I also found that the difference between 2 and a half inch heels and three inch heels is much bigger than it seems.

I also discovered how to put myself first. And how not easy that is. When you have ignored it for as long as I have, I found that the voice that answers "what do I want to do today?" in my head has become quite hoarse. But as I have been quite challenged of late to follow my own head and heart regardless who disagrees, I have had to ask myself that question more and more and the voice has regained its former strength.

I discovered that I really want work to be work. I don't want it to cost me every ounce of strength and that that doesn't benefit anyone. I want to continue to make strides toward saving my strength for me. I have rekindled my love affair with taking pictures. I have rekindled my love affair with breathing- not for life but for soul. I managed to buy a cell phone with minimal input, and a new camera, and fight ConEdison and win.

I started a blog, that I love writing. I have introduced people to Eddie Izzard and that is always a gift. I learned that a group of peafowl is called a muster. I have also logged more air miles since January than I have in my whole life!

Finally, I have taken a giant leap of faith and allowed myself to be solidly caught by the best man I have ever met. I have stopped questioning why he is here and began to enjoy it. Maybe not every day but most days and for me that is my greatest accomplishment of the summer.