August 28, 2013

Today was one of those days you get to experience as a principal. I did continue with my short-term march to success with a 6am walk around the golf course. (Yay!) The dewy grass may lead me to another place, but I do always enjoy the scene of the golf course. It's one of my favorite places in the world; a sanctuary, if you will. Today was Open House day, so this means a VERY LONG day. I got to school at 6:50am and left the school at 8:10pm. There is a ton to do, so it isn't like an assembly line or anything like that. What it is though is time-intensive. I enjoy the work, but realize there's more. In the 9th grade meeting, I had about 100 parents really buying into the high school and what we'll do for them. In reality, we will. Several parents complimented the presentation and hopefully are happy that little Junior will have some supervision during their pre-adult years. As a principal for 16 years, I take pride in the environment our students will encounter. It's one of academia, expectation and motivation. It take a bunch to enact this, but it does happen. It doesn't hurt to hear of the students coming back and telling the freshmen that their principal is cool. I was also happy to make some teachers happy and looking forward to the year because they were getting something. At this moment, we're giving teachers a portable computer if they complete voluntary training. 75% of our reluctant staff participated. The mood afterward was strong. I realize that, left to our own devices, we can turn this crew around. They are like a dormant plant waiting to sprout. I need to use my own energy to transform this organization. To do that, I need to keep with my goals!

August 27, 2013

This morning, I was out for a 9-hole walk without clubs. I experienced a strange euphoria as I was sweating profusely as "The Boxer" played on the 6th hole. I hope the residents of the elderly condos nearby were not annoyed by the "ly-la-ly's" coming from my tired voice. It was so weird just being out there alone in the early morning. I don't see these hours often. Usually, I stay up too late to experience that. It was really neat being out there in the early morning with the stars and the dew. As I was listening to S&G, I was transplaced to New York City and Central Park. The sand traps were street vendors on Broadway, the tee boxes were subway hoods and I was "no more than a boy...in the quiet of a railway station." Thanks again, all! When you wake up early in the morning, it makes you feel like you're beating your opponent. I realize that many do this daily. I can draw some similarities with the late hours. I kinda feel the same about staying up late and getting something done when others are not. This has been a long-term catalyst for energy.

August 26, 2013

Thanks to all for your birthday wishes! I appreciate all of you that have crossed my path. To clarify, I am in my 50th year, not 50 yet. My goal for the year is "50 to 50". To do so, I am going to write and exercise 30 minutes per day to reach that goal. Birthdays are great times to reflect on where you've been and where you're going...sometimes painfully. In 1995, I got down to 162 pounds. I was lifting weights and running regularly. One of my daily things was simply "getting it out". Somewhere, I've lost alot of this. I need to get back to some semblance of that lifestyle. It's not a short-term decision. Frequently, I make goals like this and wait for them to commence. I tend to abandon those goals quickly. I'm not saying I'll get down to 173 pounds or less from my high-water mark of 223 pounds, but I think I can get close if I think about what I put into my body and exercise daily. This is the premise of the blog. Feel free to check out the progress. It's also an opportunity to write, reflect and share.