Spotted: TV Cart Rolling Into Your Inbox
You know what that means...
Hello-
Trying to keep today’s newsletter light.
Because… it’s November, the weather’s been gloomy, days are shorter, and well… it’s been a week.
And because of all the above, this newsletter has been bit of a beast to write.
I’ve been stumped.
Blocked.
The What I’d Rather Be Talking About section of my brain has left the building without leaving lesson plans.
The teachers in the crowd know that having no lesson plans can be scary.
I learned this early on in my 7-year stint as a middle school Spanish teacher - planning (even over-planning) was critical. If I walked into a room full of 12-14 year olds with the intent to wing it, it was the equivalent of break dancing in a snake pit…
I’d get eaten alive.
And let’s be honest.
(Apologies in advance to the admins of the world.)
A teacher’s lesson plans aren’t always elaborate. Mine certainly weren’t.
In fact, as a wanderlust writer in the body of a Spanish teacher, my lesson plans identified as broad and creative versus structured and standards-based.
And even that’s being generous.
But I’m not going to get into the specifics of my lesson plans.
The point is, I knew if I didn’t have a plan (or at least an idea of a plan),
I’d be in trouble.
💀MUERTA.💀
But let’s get real.
Obviously, I didn’t always have a plan. Plus a few times, I got sick and didn’t leave a plan for a sub, leaving some poor soul DOA, defenseless against the room full of sharks.
And in those instances without a plan in sight, there’s only one thing a teacher can do. Which as you may have guessed, happens to be What I’d Rather Be Talking About this week:
Lesson plans and life plans are great.
But not always realistic or possible.
Sometimes, we don’t have a clue what we’re going to do - that day, week, month, or lifetime.
And that’s okay.
Further… sometimes forces out of our control mess things up. Leaving us essentially without a plan again.
And that’s okay too.
Because there’s something we can do when we don’t have a plan, yet still need to face the music…
We roll out that TV cart and throw in a video.
And not worry about it for one second, but instead sit back,
watch the show,
and have faith that eventually, our plans will become clear.
Just not today.
Today’s newsletter is that TV Cart… and I’m inviting you to sit back with a list of light ideas that don’t take too much brain power.
Plus, at the end of that list is something very cool that happened to me, all because of the special way I order salads in restaurants. (If you’ve eaten out with me, you know.) So be sure to read to the end to see what I’m talking about. (Hint: It involves a podcast and the movie When Harry Met Sally.)
Enjoy,
Abbey
A reader tip that we all could use right now.
Last week some of my friends shared tips for the Halloween issue, and I left an open invite for y’all to share your favorite tips or advice. This week, I’m sharing a tip from my niece, Olivia.
I don't know about you, but I've been hearing a lot about the loneliness epidemic that’s been plaguing our society since the beginning of the pandemic. Modern technologies make it so easy and convenient for an average day to look like this:
Work from home * order UberEats * binge a few Netflix episodes*
doom scroll on Instagram * go to bed * rinse and repeat.
No wonder we're lonely; we haven't connected with another human all day.
I'm here to say an emphatic "F-THAT.”
Instead, try simply joining a running club.
Now, I’m already hearing your F-THAT come through the screen,
but hear me out. It doesn't have to be a running club;
find an underwater basket-weaving group if that's what you're into.
The point is that if you pick out an activity, club, or volunteer opportunity that meets regularly, you'll start to form a routine and see some familiar faces
week after week.
Small talk with fellow runners (or basket weavers)
turns into big talk and turns into actual friends.
Said friends become people with whom you then do other fun things - golfing, Latin dancing, rock climbing, biking, camping, trash TV watching, pondering the meaning of life...and BAM!
You're connected to your life again.
Yay!
¿Hablas Español?
No? Oh… I’m sorry… were you one of those 7th graders who didn’t listen when their teacher told them learning a language was muy importante? If that’s you, instead of saying told ya so, I’ll tell you about a great new app that speeds up the language learning process. Try Jump Speak and commit to learning a language in 2025.
