January Currently

Happy New Year!  It's pretty hard to believe that it's 2016.  It's even harder to believe that we are somehow halfway through the school year!!   What better way to start the new year off than with a Currently post hosted by the fabulous Farley?!   Listening to my iPod on shuffle:  I've got commitment issues with picking one genre in the new year.  My musical taste is all over the place right now.  I've just listened to a pop song, followed by some R&B, then a bit of Sinatra, and some Fleetwood Mac.  This is exactly why I have to make playlists for road trips with friends.  They laugh at my main listing :)   Loving feeling refreshed:  This might be the most refreshed and chilled out I've ever felt coming off of winter holidays.  I'll likely regret it tonight and tomorrow (Planning Sunday anyone??) but it has been SO lovely to just lounge, sleep in, get in a few good workouts, and not think about benchmark scores and educational politics.   Thinking about how crazy January will be:  We go back to school Monday for a full week, and the nine week grading period ends Friday.  The following Thursday we have parent conferences so Friday is a professional development 1/2 day for staff.  Then another 4 day week for students for MLK the next Monday.  I don't enjoy trying to squeeze 4 days of instruction in to 3, and I really don't like giving all those tests in one big, long, painful day!   Wanting a "work day" on Monday:  With all that fuss about a couple of 4 day weeks, I must say that I'm quite jealous of all of you who get a work day on Monday.  That makes SO much sense.  I want one!  Just imagine all the things I could get accomplished!   Needing to finish my semester outline:  I like to make a rough outline of each semester.  I do one for fall and one for spring.  It's time for the spring one, but every time I sit down to work on it a certain 18-year-old cat comes to sit in my lap.  I'm actually typing this with her in my lap now.  We will enjoy this last night of lap cuddles before there is no more time for lazy fun :)   One little word--optimistic:  I don't know that I've ever felt this excited for a new year.  I just feel like this will be a good year.  Hopefully I'll confirm this feeling after the full 366 days.  Yay leap years!