Read,Read, Read...summer time is here!

I love to read. My Mom loved to read, I love to read, and my kids love to read.  One thing as a parent I know I did right.
During the school year I read all the time, but in another format, mainly educational articles dealing with testing, grading, reading strategies, etc. 
Summer time is when I get to read anything I want.  Finished a biography of John McCain. (It was sitting on the top of a pile of books and I have to read every book I have in the pile.  It was actually very good for lots of reasons I did not expect)  Also read one called 'Vigil' my son recommended and it was also great (he picked it out for me at a book sale for $1, he loves his Mom). Read a vampire series that my daughter likes (Can't think of the title since there are so many vampire series).
So now I get to pick...Had $20 left on an Amazon book gift card so I splurged and found a book that was recommended by my profile and it just jumped out at me.
'Shifting the Monkey' by Todd Whitaker.  Looks really interesting, great cover , kind of weird title and graphic.  So that is my 'judging a book by the cover' moment.  The book is shorter than I thought so should be an fast read.  Here I go , will update at moments of profound inspiration..(yeah that is what I always go for).... If you have or are reading the book chime in. Guess I would be talking to the two people who follow this blog. Oh did I ever say thanks for following my blog?  THANKS!

Cook your own steak...networking

Today I went to a SAI area 5 lunch.  All administrators in the area were invited not all came.  I will tell you I was not sure I wanted to go, then just thought, why not!  The principal that I work with said he had gone in the past but he was not into playing golf, and had lots of work to do.  I don't play golf and the 'cook your own steak' menu was not my cup of tea.  It was free so that made me feel better.  I will make one comment, free or not free who goes out to lunch and says,,,,I want to cook my own steak?  It might be me but when I go out to eat I don't want to cook the food and I really don't want to grill a steak with a bunch of other people.  Just throw it on the grill for me , I know that it will be done better, not burned, if the people running the restaurant  cook it.  The steak was good even though I burned the edges.  So I need to stop  looking a gift horse in the mouth. 
Now the point of the post.  I enjoyed the networking session with the administrators at the meeting.  I was worried I would not know anyone and I was wrong. The conversations were about education but also about personal topics such as family and vacations.  We listened to an update from the state capital on legislative  educational issues.  Politics always interests me. 
The speaker reminded everyone in attendance to remember to make time for family and what you love to do so that your job and life is balanced.  I went home and took the tube down into the creek with my son. 
A good day and I would recommend the meeting for next year. 
Thank you SAI.  Oh yeah a steak meal needs a brownie buffet.  Just a hint for next year....

Starting New happens with Closed Doors...

Not sure the title of this blog reflects the feelings that I encounter while writing this post.  Last year I was thrilled and excited to start my administrative career as the Assistant Principal of two elementary schools in two different school districts.  I knew it was going to be all consuming and I welcomed the challenge.  I knew I was ready to change my focus from teaching to  teaching facilitator/administrator. I left my seniority behind with a signature on a contract and never looked back. 
Well the door closed and the position I had is gone.  I will still have a job thanks to a gracious school district school board and administration. The job is a teaching position with 20% assistant principal.  I will admit I am thankful to have a job since I do have a family who need income and insurance.  I will also admit that this is not the direction that I had planned for my career.  That being said I will work my butt off doing the best teaching job possible and will also contribute 100% to the 20% administrative position I was offered.  There must be a reason for the closed door and I will see what new changes start in my career and life.
Life is a dichotomy of changes.....