Work To Do

I have agreed to take part in a presentation for an Independent Schools Conference, but for the life of me, I can't seem to get started on that work. I'm supposed to be creating a PowerPoint showing how our work with Peggy and the horses helps our students build their leadership skills. I've started the PPT about four times now and it just seems like this extremely boring presentation, like Charlie Brown's teacher signed up to speak --- Wa, wa, wa, wa, wa.

I know that inspiration will come, but meanwhile, I blog instead of work. Meanwhile I listen to Rubin under my desk gnaw away on a big beef knuckle bone like he's digging through the earth hoping to get to China.

Work feels a bit like deja vu. I've had all these students before, haven't I? I've had all these conversations about patience and politeness recently, yes? Why do I sound like a repeated, looped message?

So tonight, to clear my head of the deja vu, I took Rubin for a long walk by the lake. Ann is kid-sitting for our friends tonight and so I went with her and then walked back home -- about an hour walk.

Rubin was frenetic, like the leash was electric and he bounced his electric pulses at the end of his tether. When we got to the lake I found a stick and threw it again and again and he swam out far and strong to retrieve it. I thought he was fairly worn out, but when we started walking again, he had more energy than ever.

Even now, an hour after our return, he's racing around the house tossing his stuffed toys and frantically gnawing his chew-toys as if he is fueled by batteries and not expensive dog food.

Okay, he's a puppy still (7 months tomorrow), but still, I thought I'd wear him out. Instead, he's wearing me out on a day when I don't need any more wearing.

Now Ann is home and he is wagging his tail so crazily, it's scaring even him.

My doctor said there are 4 common things that people who live to be 100 do:

1. They walk a lot and rarely depend on other forms of transportation.
2. They eat sour things like yogurt and sauerkraut.
3. They get at least 9 hours of sleep each night.
4. And when they go to bed at night after a hard day they say, "Tomorrow is another day."

I'm working on it...but that last one can be a killer.