Rest

Sleep - the most beautiful experience in life - except drink. ~W.C. Fields

I don't sleep. I think maybe I am one of the sleepless elite, but I also sleep in like no other most weekends if I can help it. Still, I am typically upbeat on little sleep, no naps, and zero caffeine; I multi-task like crazy (I discovered earlier this week that an episode of Parenthood is the perfect amount of time to grade my students' exit tickets); and I'm "thinner than average, even though sleep deprivation usually raises the risk of obesity."

Whether or not I am truly a short sleeper, the fact remains that I get by on very little sleep. As much as I love sleeping, even if my lack of it is unhealthy because I am not really a short sleeper, I wouldn't trade wakefulness for bedtime. So many wonderful things have happened lately that make me truly appreciate life; despite frustrations at work (and who doesn't have those, right?) that have left me feeling very negative and unsupported, I have never felt more solid in my own contentment.

I spend quality time with my roommates; I spend quality time with other friends; I spend quality "me time." I have developed an actual routine of personal time, and this is what I feel I really lacked for much of last year. There are times that are specifically for work and times specifically for play. Does it always work out? No, but I really try for, as TFA would put it, PPA (personal-professional alignment).

Speaking of PPA, I am in the midst of figuring out where I will be this summer and what I will be doing. There is what sounds like an incredible fellowship opportunity here in Memphis which I have applied for; I was so excited to see it listed that I dropped everything I was doing (and it was a school night!) to tailor my resume and write a cover letter for the position. Getting to extend my stay here and getting to do work I'm passionate about? Sign me up! If I'm not selected for the fellowship, I could potentially start education policy classes at Penn (if I get in to the ed school) or go back to China for the first time in six years. Or, you know, this could be my first (and last?) free summer in many years. Quite honestly, the idea of having nothing to do this summer (or any other summer) sounds deliciously appealing on paper, but it is the thought of approaching the end of August with nothing to show for summer but a pile of completed books, perhaps, and an organized hard drive (finally!), that makes me cringe. I need more outputs than that, or at least, in the case of China, more meaningful experiences.

It's true what they say: there is no rest for the weary. Or semi-weary. Many days, though, I am not weary at all. And that's definitely a beautiful experience.