Take a Time-Out Ms. Walker

Ok, I'm giving myself a time-out... a blogging time-out. I am so ready to blow my lid to the next person who BUGS me while I am trying to do work. This is the first Wednesday for the whole month of September where I don't have a meeting - you would think I could do some work... WRONG! School was out at 2:25... it is 3:05 and I have still accomplished nothing (yes, I know this blog is now adding to that... shhhhh). If one more person comes in here to bug about something that is not important... I WILL scream.

I just want to PLAN my lessons, GRADE my papers, and TEACH my students.... can't anyone see that? All of this logistical, bureaucratic, asinine BS that teachers have to deal with is enough to make you mad (in the crazy sense) and the number one reason why new teachers burn out in their first 2-5 years.... I'm in year 3 and trying to hold on.

Anyway, in my self-inflicted time-out, I have discovered some new things to help my reach calm and refocus. One is caffeine (mmmm) and the other is a not-so-new, but new-to-me thing of Podcasts. Now, I am new to discovering these, but ran across one that I am particularly enjoying. Some would say that I could listen to sermons, which would be a good idea for the exception of 2 things: 1) I hate talk radio, so I think I would hate talk-podcasts 2) I want something that can feed my raging emotions as well as be something I don't have to pay close attention to so that I can get some other work done.

The podcast I am most enjoying these days comes from NPR (I know SHOCK UPON SHOCK!!! Kelly would be so proud!!!) However, this is music through the vehicle of NPR. I found it on iTunes, it is free to download and listen to as well as subscribe to. It's called "NPR: Live Concerts from All Songs Considered" There are tons of concerts that you can listen to for free. Currently my favorite is the broadcast of Nickel Creek from the 9:30 Club from 11/06/07. Chris Thile's magic fingers on his mandolin and Sara Watkins's soulful voice along with Shawn Watkins's incredible guitar riffs is enough to talk even the craziest of crazies off the ledge. (Aren't you so impressed with my picture?! I just learned how to make screenshots on my computer... Macs are so totally boss).


So thank you, NPR, for podcasting some great musicians for my free enjoyment. You may just have saved my colleagues and unbeknownst motorists from my rath. :)