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The Reality
12 March 2004 @ 10:47 a.m.
My focus these past few days has been on the future. Career, relationships, housing, health � the whole nine yards. These private thoughts have been supplemented by activities, many relating to coursework and school in general. A few examples are below.
Class this morning included impromptu presentations on readings and documents. Classmates judged them in an interesting manner, but they chose mine as best. According to my peers, I am clear, concise, and am able to back-up personal statements with direct quotes from the documents. Oh, and I�m loud enough for all in a medium-sized lecture hall.
Just another sign that I am headed down the right life path in non-traditional teaching and supervision. Another sign that I am good at what I do and people notice that. Public speaking about educational things � check.
Yesterday afternoon my Energy Policy course went on a �field trip� to a local home that utilizes passive solar energy for heat and daylighting. First let me remind you that I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan near Lake Superior. We�re above the 45th parallel and we don�t see the sun for months at a time. But this home is heated by passive solar energy and it works well. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen � a house up here without a furnace. The house itself was beautiful; definitely a home that I could see myself living in for a variety of reasons. The owner had gorgeous houseplants all over proving the amount of sunlight the rooms receive and the levels of humidity in the home.
The house got me thinking again about my dream home and what I want it to have. I�ve actually spent time considering how I want the house powered and heated and what sort of appliances I want. I have an inner �hippie� that is very earth-conscious when it comes to energy use. My original plan was to move to a place with a gas-fired water heater with radiant heat flooring. Then I decided I would definitely need a humidistat. But now, I think that I would be able to do everything I ever wanted by employing the technology used in this home. The air-to-air exchanger, passive solar heat and daylighting, humidistat and gas-powered appliances all sound like a better alternative. Besides, this way I could have a home with such large windows that I could enjoy nature on a more regular basis, the way I have always wanted.
The upcoming camp season is also on my mind as it usually is this time of year. Now that I am officially hired as the Assistant Camp Director, I have so much to look forward to as well as much to learn. This summer I must prove myself as a competent administrator so that I can continue in my career dreams. This competency can begin to be proven now as staffs are introduced via e-mail lists and introductory questioning. I feel my role is to be a moderator of sorts to prevent real opinions of one another to form based on free writing before everyone even moves out to camp. It�s a fear I have about technology helping to bond a staff before they meet in person. A fear that will affect my future.
All this coupled with this intense feeling of happiness and contentment when I woke next to Chewba this morning makes me look forward to the future. For the first time in my life, I can see myself past graduation. For the first time in my life I am looking forward to tomorrow. For the first time I realize this isn�t just a dream � it is my reality.
currently reading: no novels, just international trade documents!
currently listening: No Doubt � Sunday Morning
