So all of last week’s drama seems as though it was ages ago. Funny how that happens, huh? Things are not necessarily resolved, but I guess they’re not on my radar any longer and that makes them almost as if they never even happened. I’m going to blame it all on PMS and move on. Ok? Ok.
So far this week has been good and productive. I’m working hard on a report we have to take over to the client next week (which means road trip Thursday night) and just finished the bulk of my part and passed it on to the boss. Hopefully she’ll be able to fill in the blanks and make it “client ready” without major extra work on my part, but I know there’s a BIG chance that’s not going to happen, so more work to come, for sure.
I’ve been observing in the kindergarten classroom for my dissertation data and things are rolling. I have designed a secured blog to share thoughts with my critical friends and get some feedback from them while I reflect on the process. I’m really excited about this and find myself constantly thinking about the children, my role, the types of observations I’m collecting and the teachers and school in general. I love it!
What I’m not loving quite so much is the group of sixth/seventh grade kids I’m teaching emotional intelligence to at CSS (this is the middle school I work at 10 hours a week as part of the fellowship I have). It is beyond me how or why anyone in their right mind would choose to teach this age group for a living. Really, this is someone’s life dream? OMG, have you ever done it? I’ve taught everyone from ages 0 to 8 and then undergraduate and graduate students, teachers and professors. But this 11 to 14 crowd, it’s my first time, and let me tell you, I sure hope it will be my last. I’ll give you details on that later, but if I had to sum it up, I’d say the main reason I am petrified (sometimes) of having kids is what to do with them between the ages of 8 and 18 (or whenever they are ready to interact as adults). I hope for my sake I get over this, if not, it will be one interesting life.
But to leave you on a happier, pensive note. What do you think about this quote?
“It’s very simple. A marriage must be composed of three things: you must be emotionally compatible, intellectually compatible, and physically compatible. If you don’t have all three, a marriage will not work.” (How to be single, by Liz Tuccillo, p. 307).
Thoughts?
Life is too short... 
I have been married a total of 38 years and that is just esoteric BS. After a basic love for the spouse, which transcends all else the single most important key to a good marriage is communication. You can be opposite in likes, wants, desires but if you can communicate the differences and then taking love into account you make accommodations, that will ensure lasting success.Compatibility only speaks of neutral attractions, without much energy involved for singleness, like two magnets attached together. Two compatible people can survive most, but over many years, people change, you start on a single path holding hands, then over time, kids, career changes, health etc, the once one path starts to broaden, then separate. Wood slats separate the magnets, where is true compatibility going to go now? Communication keeps the two connected and the rest is easy. Without communication, sex is just friction.
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I heard Will Smith (yeah him!) say in an interview that the secret to the success in his marriage was that divorce was simply not an option!!! thinking that way will MAKE YOU TRY to work things out!And you know what… it is one of the smartest things I’ve ever heard…(of course that is considering that you’re married to a good person):-)About the teenagers, I don’t like teaching that age either… i’ll stay with my Kindergartens!!!
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According to my fiance’s minister, couples that pray together stay together. I’m sure there’s some truth behind the statement, but I had to laugh when I heard it. It’s just not “us.” I’m still relatively new to this whole love, soon to be married thing compared to your other readers … but, I’d agree that it’s hard to pigeonhole marriage into a few words.
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My mum taught for years, she would totally agree with you.I think you can add ‘life-stage’ compatible to that. From my experiences you both have to be at that place in time where you want to be with someone, want to make the effort and are ready to fall in love. If not then it just won’t go anywhere. Communication is the key too, I don’t do enough of that in my relationships for sure.
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you are my hero! Why? Because you WILLINGLY put yourself into a classroom of kids. You are either insane or a martyr.. I haven’t decided which one yet. 🙂
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I love that you included the page number in your quote… academic dork? not at all ;)I definitely agree with the life stage component – I’ve had all three and it has still fallen apart because I haven’t been ready. I would say communication is a part of that emotional compatibility. Missing one component can leave you with a nagging feeling that something just isn’t quite right. But I’m also a romantic so I think there’s something intangible to the equation too.
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