Recovery

My voice is hoarse. It goes up and down. Cracks. And I can't sing to songs at the moment. It's almost non-existent.

I tried to teach with my voice like this once last December. I have a very attentive and kind group of 6th grade students this school year. Even so, I was irate by the end of that day because not only were they not listening to me, but they couldn't hear me. I thought, I'm here for you on the last day before winter break, with goodie bags, with a fever, with hardly any voice, and you're not listening to me! Looking back, that was very much my fault - I still think the world of them.

So this Friday, I decided to take the day off and rest my voice. And spare them any unnecessary wrath from me =) I have to be kind to myself first, before I can be kind to others.

I think my body decided to take my voice away so that I would start listening to it.

I've been sticking to the fitness goals I set in my last post. In three weeks, I've lost five pounds, Fred has lost seven. It's been exciting. Eating healthier has been the easiest part, making time for exercise has been the hardest.

Since I've been sick these three days, I've tried my best to take these words to heart: exercise is the architect, recovery is the builder. But it's tough sometimes to listen to your body and make the right choice.

Tomorrow my team and I are running the 10K Firecracker Run in Chinatown. I won't blame them if they don't show up just to run in the pouring rain but I have to be there. And because several other teachers are actually committed to going tomorrow too, I have this feeling that many students will also be crazy enough to show up. I'm reasoning that I don't need a voice just to run. Just lots of heavy plastic bags to cover all of us when we run in the rain. We'll see what ends up happening. Madness!

Wish us luck!