To write, or not to write....

I recently came across the NaNoWriMo social media page, and being a person who likes to write, I signed up.  Yes, I know it's the end of October tomorrow, and that the chances of writing a 50,000 word novel in one month beginning on Tuesday with no planning or preparation are slim at best.  But I still joined the social media page.
I like a challenge, and felt that it might just give me the push I need to get going.  Sadly, within 48 hours of joining I have removed myself from their social media page.  I just couldn't take any more vapid posts along the line of "I know this is not about writing, but I just bought a fabulous dress/motorbike/nose stud and want to know what you think of it".

This has not deterred me from writing, however.  I don't think I'll take part in the actual NaNoWriMo event, but I'm going to use it as a framework and motivation to write.  I still haven't planned what I'm going to write about, and I'm not even sure if I'm going to use a plain old word/google doc or whether I'm going to look for a fancy online platform.
But I'm going to write.  And I'm going to write every day.  I may pick up the non-fiction book that I've been writing for the past 18 months, and finally get that finished.  Or I may start a completely new idea (if I have one!) and just see where it takes me.

I'll let you know how it's going (in between report writing, organising end of year leavers' events, an overnight school camp, collecting number one son from university, getting our jungle back into order as a garden and getting ready for Christmas).... maybe you'd better look out for me on the best-sellar list!

View from the conference table

I'm away from home at the moment, in sunny Rotorua at a 3-day teachers' conference.  It's been a fantastic first day, with a good keynote speaker this afternoon and a couple of great workshops.  We've had some very interesting conversations and some of the speakers have challenged our understandings and practices.

In amongst all the reflection time, I found myself feeling extremely fortunate to be working at an establishment that values the teaching staff enough to invest so heavily in their professional development.  Not only have they paid for 5 of us to attend this conference, but the Board of Trustees has also rented a house for us to stay in for the three nights away  And it's totally true that people who feel appreciated often go over and above what's expected of them.

And it's amazing the affect that feeling valued has.  I go to work in the morning now, feeling happy and excited for the day ahead.  I have a better work/life balance now, yet am quite happy to give days of my "school holiday" time to the evaluation of my programme and the planning of the next term.

So there's a message or two here for all walks of life, not just for the teaching profession.

• People need to feel valued in order to perform to their best.
• If you invest in people, you get more in return than the financial value of your investment.
• If you want people to behave professionally, then you need to treat them professionally

I'm very thankful that I've found my niche in this supportive environment now.

I can't wait for conference day 2 tomorrow - bring it on!

Time flies

It's been too long, far too long, since I was here last.  There are no excuses, but the sad fact that life became crowded and difficult last year and I did not have the time nor the energy to devote to creative pursuits such as writing.... and even if I had, it would have been so very depressing that nobody would have visited ever again!

But I am back!  And after a thoroughly wonderful visit back to the UK in January to spend time with my lovely family and friends, I started a new job here in NZ.  I'm totally loving the new position - still teaching, but a different school with different expectations and needs - but it's taken a little while to get my head around the change in routines so I've still been avoiding writing.
However, with Term 4 about to reveal itself, I am ready.

Things have changed such a lot for me since last April's post.  A new job, number one son flew the coop and landed at Waikato University for the first year of his degree, number two son has turned 16, and I'm feeling more like a human being than I have done for a little while.

Natalie Sisson's 15 day blog challenge fell on deaf ears last year, but I'm going to give it another go.  I am a work in progress, and a few things fell by the wayside as I concentrated on getting through last year into calmer territory, but I intend to get back to the things that make me happiest.  I've created another canvas art piece (my first in over a year), I've written another 2000 words of the book I'm working on, I'm reading for pleasure again and now I'm back to blogging.

I can feel the cape unfurling again.... the probationary superwoman is back in the air!