Day 1 of Karate

I'm teaching a karate course as a class at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center. I teach solo and my class is full of five high school students all brand new to martial arts. I've taught karate, I've taught white belts but I've not taught solo for such a length of time to all white belts.

It's slightly intimidating but today was a 4 on the 1-5 scale. There were kinks and a decent amount of chatter but overall, it went really well.

Darn you shows and movies that involve travel.

I'm filled with such mixed emotions. A friend referred me to a documentary called, "Long Way Round." It is brilliant but there is one problem: I can't sleep. I'm filled with such excitement for adventure and to travel again that all I can think of is buying a ticket, hopping on a plane and going to who knows where. (In actuality, I would probably go to France to begin to walk the Camino through Spain and Portugal.)

I can't begin to tell you how it is almost a daily battle within myself of to stay or to go. To have a job or to travel around the world. To be with family and friends or to be video chatting across the globe. To be present for birthdays and holidays or to be making memories with families I create and find along the way.

I told myself I don't want to be the aunt that my nieces (and soon-to-be nephew) don't know. I want to be the cool aunt who they call at 3am when they went drinking underage and need someone to pick them up, no-questions asked. Yet, as my mom said (gawd, I hate how she is right sometimes,) "I think you find fulfillment in you going to so many different places." How right she is, how right she is. 

So I sit here with 47 days till my contract technically ends and I feel conflicted about what comes next. Currently I have this elaborate plan of coming home and taking odd jobs for about year before selling every last thing and jetting off to other countries. Can I sit still back home for a year? Can I be away from home in another country for an undetermined amount of time?

If I had a superpower, I would be able to instantly go to wherever I want with a blink of an eye.

My experiments with "going green" and becoming more natural

I was talking to one of my closest friends the other day and she was telling me that if I travel to S. Korea, I should bring all of my personal cleaning supplies, personals and favorite snacks and candies.

Besides the fact that I don't buy many snacks, I informed her that I make my own shampoo and deodorant currently and am wanting to also switch to a natural homemade conditioner once mine runs out. Later I Skyped my parents about this. Apparently, I haven't shared this information.


So..you want my deep dart recipe secrets? Here you go:

Water

Baking Soda

Okay, okay so maybe this isn't everything but these two things are now my go-to items and if not the only ingredients, they make up the base for all my current and future endeavors.

Deodorant:

I tried the 'doesn't melt' summer recipe but I think I did mine slightly wrong. It is a solid but sometimes I still find myself rubbing it into my pits. With that morning switch, I still have to say, I like it. It feels and smells good. Sometimes in dry climates I find my skin forms almost a rash. Well, with this recipe, I have developed silky soft underarms.

*Added bonus: The peppermint extract I use, keeps mosquitos away. I haven't had a single bite since the switch.


Shampoo:
I only made the transition about a week ago and initially my hair was crazy oily for the first day. Then..like magic…my hair became silky, soft and great. Not to mention that my shampoo costs me less than a gumball. This recipe truly just calls for water and baking soda. No my hair doesn't smell fruity or fragrant of flowers, but if your hair has a scent it means that something is still left on your hair. AKA, my hair is cleaner than your hair. Take that!



What natural recipes have you tried or do you want to try?

5 Truths people who LOVE traveling won't tell you.

(I wrote this quite a while ago..so be ready for an onslaught of posts this summer.)

5 Truths people who LOVE traveling won't tell you.

1. "I wish I was home."

Every traveler I've met has had their ups and downs, which occasionally include thoughts of home. While most of the nation wishes to travel to an exotic place while down, travelers wish to be near friends or family. They fantasize this world of traveling that wherever he or she is at, they can just take a quick drive to a close friend's house or their parents for a family event. Not to say they don't love traveling, they do. In fact they very well might become miserable if they stop being them and do decide to go home and stop traveling.

2. Half of their stories

This is usually for one or both of the following: a) Who wants to genuinely listen to hours and hours of stories, let alone ones that make them wish they could travel more? b) Sometimes the stories are creepy, scary or risky/dangerous. This second category may not be told so the listener does not worry more than they undoubtedly do, or to not deter others from trying new experiences.

3. Loving is easy to come by.

If said, this would make the traveler sound arrogant or a whore. I've met both, but overall I would say love is a common bond among those who travel. They are lovers of new experiences, environments, cultures and people. Because of this, they tend to attract those who seek independent and passionate people...aka, travelers.

4. Travelers break hearts.

Friends and family endure the lack of consistent communication and unknown visits with each goodbye. Lovers, above mentioned, fall and fall fast whilst the traveler is merely passing by with no intention of actually staying. It is a fling, a fun moment or two and a friendship sometimes intense, but nothing more.

5. It can be a very lonely experience. 

Though you meet hundreds if not thousands of really amazing people, connections tend to fade to Facebook. Even those you were once best friends with back home will, over time, fade away and move on without you. Do you remember in high school how you knew so many people, had a clique and after graduation everyone went different directions? Traveling, and moving, is like that each and every time.

So what are things people in your field or hobby that people don't tell others?

Long time, no write

 

Wow, it’s been quite a bit since my last post and there are dozens of things to share from life updates to first year teaching to the holidays to returning for my second trimester teaching.

Here are a few of my highlights:

1. Breakdown in Week 8 – later found out this is called the disillusionment stage in teaching
2. My classes led an Action Plan presentation – this went extremely well and I was floored with pride
3. Thanksgiving – never the same without my traditional family but family is what you make of it and my Eagle Rock family is amazing
4. BREAKING NEWS – my sister-in-law and brother told me they were having a second child, kind of the greatest news ever
5. ER 61 Graduates – said goodbye to four amazing grads and also present my first Presidential Volunteer Service Awards to three students
6. LFJ and Credit – the paperwork doesn’t end when the students turn it in, in fact we have to look over it and then award credit…lesson learned, powerhouse it as soon as you begin to receive work
7. (Semi) Surprise Visit – an old friend drove from WA and stopped in CO to hang out with me for a few hours before continuing his drive to OK
8. Ready, Set, Break – first break from school and it was amazing. I spent a great deal of time with family and a few close friends. I saw movies, led a Master Chef Jr: Auntie Jenn Edition, indoor cart raced (and won), ice skated, went to a casino, finally saw the state aquarium in Jenks, ate cookie dough, clubbed, passed three students to the last belt rank before black, laughed and loved
9. Text-2-Email – my best friend and another close friend finally figured out how to “text” with me, despite me having no reception on this mountain of a home. FYI, text like normal but enter my email instead
10. Back to the Grind – returned from an amazing vacation home and begin truly working and planning tomorrow 

What are your top 10 things over the past few months?