April 6, 2021

Journal:  April 6, 2021

So it's amazing that Mike puts up with me.  He lives somewhere other than here so we merely text each other at this point.  I'm an aspiring writer though; so, I have a lot of words.

Thank God that it doesn't drive Mike to insanity.  

It has driven many men away.  Not that Mike and I are a couple.  I don't know, he likes my writing.  When I was working at Walmart I had five best friends who loved the way that I write and so I would write a lot to present to them and when they told me how amazing I was, it was the best feeling in the world.  I only worked there for five months but I had a lot of good friends that I cared deeply about.  

I wrote this to Jason in the morning:

"So I am constant and unwavering.

Is that important to you Jason?

Are you interested in someone who doesn't relinquish on you and who believes in you?

I'm not weak.  

And I support you."

He responded:

"Dammit, you wake me up every morning that I have to use an alarm. Please stop."

Okay, I guess 5am isn't a good time for texting and also I guess Jason and I are done because people don't talk to me that way.  It's just  disrespectful.

I found out that Jenifer Papadakis is interested in doing a YouTube interview with me.  Yay.  My project is coming together.

So now I've decided that the primary mission of the YouTube project is aimed towards high school graduates and will teach them how to hack adulting.

I just want to make a difference in our community.  There's so much accumulated wisdom out there. I hope that my YouTube channel can tap into that. 

At Thurgood Marshall High School Mr. Johnson helped me take care of gym class.  I wasn't feeling well and direly needed the support.   He started the day having us all walk two laps around the running track.  That was way more exercise than what I wanted though.  I silently bemoaned my plight.  

It was the first day back after spring break.  The kids were not happy to be back to the grind.  They wanted easy.  That's just the way the brain works.  We all want easy.  

Period one was awesome.  I walked around the gym catching up with different clusters of children asking them how things are going and striking up a conversation with them.  It feels really good to know how to engage with children on their level.  And they really appreciate the interest.

It's really awesome when Mr. Johnson finally breaks out the basketballs.  The boys are in their element and their movements on the basketball court reminded me of the gliding effect of birds in flight.  There's just supreme beauty there.  

I think the best part of my job as a substitute teacher is standing by the door and welcoming children to class.  I want them to feel that school is a good place for them to be.  

I felt so physically bad that during lunch time I actually laid down on the floor in the gym teacher's office behind the desk trying to recover and gather strength for the next period.

At the day's end I thought of something amusing to reach out to my friends with:

"Perfect weather.  Beautiful day.  Slight breeze.   I walked 2000 feet and nearly died of heatstroke!"

The temperature was 76 degrees.  I think I've mastered the art of  complaining.  

Mike and I got into his lawn care business as I caught the bus home.  He said it was harder and harder to do upwards of 20 lawns on 104 degree days during the worst days of summer.