blah blah blah & some pictures

Clearly, blogging has not been a habit. Clearly. But I'm trying. Again. I'm trying a lot of things actually. Habits have been on my brain a lot recently since the summer is basically New Year's resolution season for teachers. Let's be real. On January 1st, I am not about to change the things I'm doing in my work life. But summer is time for recovery. (And if anyone reading this even dares to consider thinking about making a comment about how rough can it actually be to be a teacher if you get summer off, I won't even take time to explain to you how much my body is ridiculously exhausted and strained, I will simply proceed to punch you in the face.) It is also time to refocus. And, therefore, it is time to try new things and hope that they might stick.

I feel like I've been told my entire like that it takes 21 times/days to create a habit and 3 times/days to break it. I don't know if it's actually true, but I'm taking it and running with it right now. Over the last month, I have successfully developed and maintained a nightly routine. The routine includes:

cleaning/exfoliating face with face wipe

washing face

flossing

brushing teeth

taking a vitamin

spending time in prayer

You might be a snobby person (wow, I am being such a friendly person in this post) who is thinking, "Are you kidding? How on earth is this a big deal?" Well, first of all, don't be a jerk. Secondly, it's not that none of these things were happening, but that they were never ALL happening every night. There have been so many times where I've thought, "I'd rather get in bed 5 minutes faster and just not wash my face." I just love sleep. A lot. 

That's actually a perfect segue into my next adventure into new habit-making. I need a morning routine. One I actually stick to, and one that doesn't involve hitting "snooze" for an hour. (Don't you dare judge me.) I've come to the conclusion that there's no magic trick for people who struggle to get out of bed in the morning to magically become people who it's easy to get up. I really don't. I think you just have to decide, "I am going to start doing this every single day," and then you just do it. You make yourself. Even if it hurts. And then it gets easiER. This is my plan for my morning routine, and I have exactly 21 days (shoot me now) to make it a habit before the first week of school:

30 minutes of cardio (where I get to read fiction novels...that's right, I'm bribing myself)

shower...duh

get dressed...duh

do my makeup and hair in my house...not my car

make breakfast/coffee (and yes, getting out a granola bar may sometimes constitute making breakfast)

eat breakfast while watching Colbert Report or an equivalent show (although there is not actually an equivalent)

get to work at least 15 minutes before the first bell rings

So, blog world. You know now my plan. Keep me honest. 

Now, for those of you, who are probably most of you (and really probably should be all of you), who do not care in the least bit what my morning and nightly routines have been and/or will be, here are some pictures of Samson.