Sunday, February 13, 2011

Status Quo

Tonight's theme of status quo came on rather inanely (and grossly) in my hockey game today.  As I was skating and waiting for the faceoffs my nose started running and my ears started popping. My ears popped all the way home and after a good game of hockey, my head suddenly felt clearer. It felt as though I had a headcold for months that I had gotten so used to that I didn't even notice it anymore.  Stuffiness and dull-headedness had become my status quo, as it does for many teachers who have a cold or sinus infection from about early October to mid-May.  (Perhaps you didn't think you'd be reading about bodily fluids in a teacher's blog, but as a Kindergarten teacher it is hard not to blog about boogers sometimes.) 

Anyways, back to the theme.  I came to realize that the status quo either stays unnoticed or accepted until we find something better, sometimes by accident, by fate, or sometimes it was sought out.  All I know is that after a week of frigid temperatures, my head felt like all the grimy snowbanks were melting right out of it, like they were this beautiful February day in Wisconsin with near 40-degree temperatures.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and my 1-year anniversary of being single.  I came to a point a year ago exactly that the status quo in my marriage was simply unacceptable, unfair and unsustainable.  I have found a better life, and I know now that I will never let myself fall into a self-destructive status quo in my personal life again. Happy Anniversary, ME! Thanks everyone who helped me get on track to a better place! This past year has been one of gratitude, overcoming some hardships, and other new adventures like single-parenting,  playing hockey again and doing some other athetic events.

In the long 10 months that we teach for a school year, it is really easy to fall into a status quo.  It IS good to have routine, but it isn't so good to do the same-old, same-old, especially if it is just so-so.  Now that we have made it through the brunt of a beastly winter, I am going to make it a point to do something to break the status quo. Some of these lessons might not go really well, but I find that the kids react well to trying something different.  It can be the same content presented in different ways just to attract their little Kindergarten attention and watch their beautiful eyes light-up when they get to do something new and different.

While looking for pictures online regarding the idea of status quo I found  that there was a 70s band sharing the name.  I am kind of in a 70s heavy guitar, rocking mood today so I listened to a bunch of their songs on YouTube. Their song Is There a Better Way is maybe not instrumentally one of their best hits, but the lyrics and title fit smashingly with this post.

Is There A Better Way by Status Quo (Lancaster/Rossi)

Is there a better way? Is there a better way?
Is there a better way ahead or just another day?
There's got to be a way to make a better day
I'm gonna find away to make a better day

You're never gonna be the one to hold me down
You're never gonna be the one to hold me down
There never was a better way with you around

No matter what I do, do what you got to do
But do it now because the time is running out on you
You've got to find a way to make a better day
You've got to live and learn to fight another day

I'm never gonna be the one who put you down
I'm never gonna be the one who put you down
You never know there may be someone in the crowd
There may be someone in the crowd

Is there a better way? Is there a better way?
Is there a better way ahead or just another day?
Maybe you'll never know a better way to go
I've got a feeling you don't really want to know

I'll never let you be the one to hold me down
I'll never let you be the one to hold me down
There never was a better way with you around
There never was a better way

I'll never let you be the one to hold me down
I'll never let you be the one to hold me down
There never was a better way with you around
There never was a better way

1 comment:

  1. Anti-status quo lesson to try: hardboiling eggs in tea and the brushing them with toothbrushes and toothpaste to remove the stains. February is Dental Hygiene month! Say "HI!" to hygiene!

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