Spilling Ink: Day 1

Here we go.... In the first section of Spilling Ink, the sage advice that I extracted is this: 

Just do it.  Babble on paper. 

So that is what I am challenging myself to do today.  I need to be less self-conscious so that I can guide students in the same way.  I will try to write for the next 10 minutes about anything that comes to mind.  I will not go back and reread and revise as I go.  I will have a babble-fest on paper.  Maybe, by the end, I will be able to pick through the rubble and find a gem.

I am wearing my Oscar the Grouch shirt to work today.  It doesn't make me feel grouchy at all.  Actually, I feel just the opposite when I wear it.  It makes me feel young and happy.  I grew up with Oscar, Big Bird, and the gang.  If they had a Snuffy shirt when I bought this, I would have bought it instead. 

Overheard in the house this morning:  "Don't touch my earlobes.  They are scholastica."  WHAT?  There really is a whole lot of word play around this house.  Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't.  I wonder if the kids will remember the silliness when they grow up.  I hope they do. 

Lots of scattered thunderstorms this weekend.  We wanted to get out in the boat on this long holiday weekend... not much luck until yesterday.  Turned out that wasn't very lucky either.  We got out on the lake and the engine promptly stalled.  We hung out for a while, had lunch, played in the water, played a rousing game of Yahtzee, and tried to crank her up again, but to no avail.  We had to get towed in by a some nice folks on a passing jet ski.  Bummer.  On the positive side, though, it was only a five minute trip.  We got in before the skies opened up.  We did get some time together and the kids were less bored than if we were home. 

I've been thinking about a line from a book I read recently.  I can't remember the EXACT line, but it has something to do with the space between possibility and reality.  In that space, there is room for the word YES.  I think that's how it goes.  I can't look it up because I let a friend borrow the book.  It's a fun, crazy read by Elna Baker.  You can read about it here.

It's been about ten minutes and I really have to get the kids moving along-- we have soccer camp and Junior University on the agenda today.  It's going to be a good one.

I am going to be brave and publish this post without re-reading it.  Take ten minutes and do the same.  Link your babble-mania in the comment section!