Saturday, June 29, 2013

Currently...SUMMER! (July)

Oh My, July?! What happened to June? Please, dear clock and calender... Slow down!

I didn't put it on Currently, but I have to figure out Bloglovin SOON! I have dropped from almost a thousand followers to almost... two hundred. SIGH. I hope I haven't lost my BloggyBuddies. My techno-skills are rather... elementary. But I WILL get that button on my blog this weekend, I will. I will. I will! I'm just giving myself a little pep talk there...

Whew! With that aside, here's what I am thinking on this almost-July morning...


I am stuck between wanting to accomplish a thousand things (and read almost as many books!) and just doing nothing. I'm not really a do-nothing type of person, but I do like to sit and think. I never get to do that once school starts. I take about five minutes to ponder and then a thousand items from my To Do list start yelling at me and I'm out of the chair and DOING again. These past few days I have just been enjoying the chance to think about doing--which, by the way, is best accomplished with an iced mocha-machiato. I'll tell you more about that in another post, but, my-oh-my, such delicious-ness!

I have to got to school on Monday and finish cleaning my classroom. I have those four giant drawers in the built-it cabinets. Do you have those too? I'm afraid of those drawers. I rarely open them.

Things have been hidden away in there for years, decades even. I have visions of opening these drawers and seeing things scurrying. Or, worse yet, seeing things that have stopped scurrying. I am going to wash and clean and sort everything else in my room... and then... I WILL open at least one of those drawers.

Maybe.

Finally, I know I always need to blog more, blog better, blog with pictures, blog about something interesting, etc. But this summer, I want to focus my attention on Blog Responding. I haven't done that as well as I used to. (It's that TIME thing, you know?) And I need to go back and add some comments on TpT because I have purchased A LOT of really wonderful items and I haven't let much feedback. My one little word was APPRECIATE. I've practically forgotten about my word. And sometimes I have forgot to appreciate...

I think that bloggers (and sellers) like to hear nice things, But I think they really like to hear REAL things. I am so lucky and blessed to have SWEET BloggyFriends who leave me comments. (NewsFlash! On my recent Teach Like a Pirate post, the author of the book left a comment on my blog. I almost fainted. And it was so kind! Click HERE to see what a nice man Dave Burgess is!)

I need to work harder to do the same. I want you to know I feel blessed to be a part of this wonderful blogging community and that I am glad to have a chance to say hello. And, so, I am extending a quick apology to those I have neglected and a promise to do better in the next few weeks...

And, so with that hopeful sentiment, I will be on my way. I am meeting friends for lunch and then I plan to read a little and just think. I've got a notebook filling up with lists and thoughts and quotes. Sigh. {A happy sigh!} Isn't summer wonderful?

Don't forget to link back to our dear, DEAR Farley (just click her button below)... and take advantage of the LOVE-filled rule of THREE to make some connections and to enjoy all that is wonderful about our blogging community.


Sending sunshiney thoughts your way...


27 comments :

  1. My sentiments exactly, Kim. I found myself head-nodding to every word I read. Good luck with the drawers. Maybe take an extra iced mocha-machiato with you to motivate you to actually open at least one drawer. I think I will do the same to motivate me to finish cleaning out my filing cabinets. Cheers, friend!

    Elizabeth

    Fun in Room 4B

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  2. I've been going my school every Wed for my summer reading program. I keep looking for slithering creatures. There's usually one or two that creep around in summer time. If I had to pick, I take the snake! Hey, they eat the mice! Besides we have black rat snakes, relatively harmless.(Just the scare factor!)Good luck on the drawers. http://mrsbrownthebookworm.blogspot.com/

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  3. I also need to get into my classroom and clean! I totally have those drawers that haven't been touched since I started teaching! It's crazy how much "stuff" a teacher can accumulate in no time at all!
    Bethany
    FabandFunin4th!

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  4. 7 professional reading book?! Yikes! I think I am right up there with you. I haven't counted how many I have to read but it's a lot.

    Don't forget to enjoy your summer too.


    Krystyn
    Ms Richards's Musings

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  5. Hi Kim
    I'm curious what books you are reading this summer. I am doing a book study of Minds on Mathematics and there are a couple other books studies I'd like to join (have the books) just don't know if I'll make the time. I think It's funny on how everyone is acting like Bloglovin is the only way to follow blogs now. I am using feedly and I think I like it better than bloglovin. Who knows?!

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  6. love your tip... you always leave the best feedback!!! I think it is important to let the blogger know that you have REALLY read their post and to let them know how much you LOVED it :) thanks for always linking up :)

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  7. Your comment about the drawers made me smile!! I've just changed classrooms for the first time in 13 years! There were a couple of things kicking around in my drawers that made me gasp... but luckily nothing alive! Good luck! :)

    ~Erin
    Mrs. Beattie's Classroom

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  8. Oh, wow, as you are packing up, I'm putting my classroom back together. I headed in yesterday to get started. Training starts in two weeks for returning teachers.

    What books are you reading? I am always looking for great PD books.

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  9. I have been thinking along those same lines, especially about the meaningful comments. It makes me feel good when someone responds on my blog and gives me feedback on something that I've created. That feedback helps me to make it better for other teachers and for my kiddos.

    Enjoy your summer!
    Carla
    Surviving Sixth Grade

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  10. I LOVE thoughtful comments. The only bummer thing is that whenever I try to comment using my Bloglovin' app on my phone it won't take to the person's blog. I'll leave a nice response click Publish and it just disappears. Then when I get home, I forget to go back and add the comment to the person's blog again. It is very frustrating.
    Great tip and I hope you can relax and enjoy your summer reading.
    ~Andi

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  11. Your goals are way more ambitious than mine. I just want to read at least 7 "novels" this summer that don't require too much thinking.:) You can do the Bloglovin' thing, and I treasure your responses and comments -seriously:)

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  12. Oh my, Kim! SEVEN books?!! I am in awe! I thought I was being ambitious with three! LOL!! Make sure you take some time to enjoy your summer. And, I think you are an AWESOME blogger! :-)

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  13. I love your tip! :) I've found myself really enjoying Bloglovin'! While I never used Google Reader, it was an easy "switch" to Bloglovin' and I am glad I'm using it now! Following you on there! :)

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  14. Love love love your currently and I hope you had time today to slow down and think. I am also trying to get back to leaving good feedback and comments everywhere I go . . . It's so nice to have the time!

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  15. Kim- It is CRAZY hot here too! OMG! And your tip was perfect because you are so great at lifting people's spirit and leaving the sweetest feedback and advice. I just <3 you!

    Lindsay
    My Life as a Third Grade Teacher

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  16. I'm with you on so many of these!!! The only one I'm not sure of is the real responses...I agree with you 1,000% of course but I feel like you always leave the most wonderfully thought-out, heartfelt messages Kim! But you are so right on that account and it's something I need to work on myself.

    Happy summer and may your days go by slowly!!!

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  17. Kim,
    Temps are supposed to be near 100 here as well and that iced mocha-machiato is sounding perfect for this afternoon! Your one little word, appreciate, speaks volumes and serves as a reminder to all of us to be grateful for all that we have.

    Lori
    Life in Room 24

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  18. I can soooo relate to the mind racing! I just got out of school on Thursday, and although my body is exhausted, my mind is racing!

    Love your "Currently"!

    Sally from Elementary Matters

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  19. My head was definitely nodding through that whole read... You summed up every thing that I have been feeling lately.... Feeling torn between being productive and being relax-ful (sounds better than lazy, right?!)

    Mathematically yours,
    Jamie aka MissMathDork!

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  20. Hi Kim! I loved your advice. It's true...thoughtful comments mean the world. I'm sure the Bloglovin' button will come soon, but I already follow you on Feedly. I would never want to loose touch. :)

    Amanda
    The Teaching Thief

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  21. Hi Kim! I love your blog! I'm your newest follower :)

    ✿Sue✿
    Science for Kids Blog

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  22. Glad to be following you back! And I'm soooo with you on what to do this summer. I love doing nothing, but I love creating too!
    Jivey
    ideas by jivey
    Follow Me On Facebook! :)

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  23. I am so with you on where you are "stuck" between. I want to sit and be lazy but that to-do list is never ending! Ugh!! I love reading your posts and need to get better at responding and commenting too. Time is a huge factor especially when school is in session. I am enjoying "catching up" so far this summer and I have only been off a week!
    That is so amazing that the author of Teach Like a Pirate commented on your blog!!
    ~Holly
    Fourth Grade Flipper
    P.S. Your bloglovin followers are going to be right up there because you are awesome! I know it is frustrating though having watched that google number grow and it to be gone!

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  24. Hi Kim! I just found your blog...not sure where I've been! :O) I totally agree with you about feeling in between getting a million things down and doing nothing! I am ALWAYS rushing with so many things to do and places to go (I have 3 kids) and I feel like I don't know how to relax! So glad to hear someone else feels the same! Good luck with your classroom-one drawer at a time. (Come equipped with some traps, Raid, and gloves!) hehe
    Joanne
    Head Over Heels For Teaching

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  25. You're so right, Kim! I have recently and FINALLY been back in the routine of not only leaving comments but checking blogs again! I am glad for summer for time to catch up. Speaking of summer, lately I find myself in a CONSTANT state of wanting to do something and doing nothing, so I know EXACTLY how you feel. Time is just going too fast!! :O

    And WOW to Dave Burgess coming by your blog!!! Starstruck!!!

    Janaye
    Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes

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  26. Hi Kim, it's been awhile since I visited but now that I am following you on Bloglovin, I'll be sure to visit more! I popped over here from the Middle School Bloglovin blog hop. I already linked up with that fantastic Bloglovin Hop but I wanted to invite you to come and link up AGAIN to another Bloglovin LInky! http://teachingisagift.blogspot.ca/2013/07/back-to-school-with-bloglovin-blog-hop.html. You can download a great freebie and enter to win your own personal laminator!
    Sidney
    Teachingisagift

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