[attempted exaggerated comicbook-style post to follow is dedicated to M.(/K.)S.]

Wheeeeeeee!!: it’s the long weekend.  T.G.!! [...I.F.]

I’ve only had them for nine days… but can I just say: I love my new class? (just did, so too late!)  So so great!  And I feel so so ready to tackle the school year [and oh, two completely new programs/curriculums].  It’s August 29th, and oh right, I’ve already had (and finished) Parent Conferences (and finished up all the start-of-year paperwork and pretesting).  Take that Traditional Calendar Teachers.  Take that!  I do have to admit, though, the whole early start still takes some getting used to.

The month ahead looks, minus a planeride back from Quebec, equally as busy as its predecessor.

Luckily Fall (the New Year for someone with a school-life) is my time.   Quite literally: I’m a Libra.

And so this weekend between months of new beginnings and constant projects and crazy adventures…. I do the following:

Invite the staff for an afternoon of Wii.  Play a little myself.  It’s a weekend of fellowship and retreating, indoors and outdoors, all for energizing: spend some quality time with M.(/K.)S., the colleagues, the mountains, some friends, and re-charge up.

Then September.  It’s a month of African Dance and Fire School and e-PD and fun… no French in Quebec, but I shall survive.  Now it’s time to see how much French I really know, as 56 students learn it from me.

I adore this time of year.  I really do.  …and now I get a nice long weekend to soak it all up.

=P

(phew.  writing like this is tiring.)

There’s something to be said for moments that feel just right.

Sunday was a huge one.  Moment, that is.  A moment that felt just right, or more fitting: perfect.

It was an afternoon of spanish birds.  Well, kind of.

It was actually a family meal together.  Not just any family, though.  A family… with one member I’ve become particularily attached to. [although, after Sunday... the attachment certainly carried-through to the rest!].  We arrived, me with wine-in-hand to make a good an okay a not terrible a good impression.  Luckily, any possible nerves were quickly calmed as introductions and smiles took place, conversation began, and common ground was quickly found and explored.

The meal itself, was amazing.  Turns out, Spanish Birds (Å¡panÄ›lské ptáÄ?ky) aren’t birds at all [which I knew]… instead, small-bird-sized beef roll-ups.  Oh, right.  That AND thewholeworks/pasta/rice/hummus/pitas/potato/tiramisu. (sp?).  An entire feast.  (with even a little for the road).

Still better than any meal… was seeing a family that was genuinely amazing and nice [like the aforementioned first-contact]. … especially since this first communion together will hopefully be the first of many.

I’m a tough-sell too.  Sunday meals together is something my family has perfected.  They’re some of my earliest memories.

Still…  Man oh man oh man.  Sunday was good.  Life is good.  And [as always lately] I’m feeling awfully grateful… as I sit here typing with a great big smile on my face thinking about how awesome this all really is. 

As everyone knows, I’d imagine: good food together can’t be overrated… especially when the together is with someone awfully important.

There’s something to be said for moments that feel just right.

Sunday was a huge one.

*bunny-hugs in Saskatchewan

I am SO excited about tomorrow… the first day of school, with kids.

Ready? I never have the luxury of feeling totally ready, which only adds to the excitement.

A new year lies ahead, and the sense of renewal feels really cool. It’s fun to think of 27 kids right now thinking the same thing, with the addition of wondering how great my wrath will be (answer: not that great. most days.) It kind of feels like all thirteen years of first-days at my own school, Tro-Val, being relived.

I will arrive tomorrow for work (term used loosely) bringing my summer, my energy, my experience, my youth (mostly!)… and with that to work with, we’ll embark on 200 days together. A roomful of young-people will do the same.

And the whole experience, I’ve learned, is pretty cool! Here we go… =)

…as in a toast to the wonderful people in my life.

One day
Ananda,
who had been thinking deeply about
things for a while, turned to the Buddha and exclaimed:
“Lord, I’ve been thinking-
spiritual friendship is at least half of the spiritual life!”
The Buddha replied:
“Say not so, Ananda, say not so.
Spiritual friendship is the whole of the spiritual life!”

- Samyutta Nikaya, Verse 2

Yesterday was a huge street dance, here in Montreal. Although, in a broader sense, let’s not kid ourselves: this whole city (at least within the parts I’ve explored) is all one big street dance.

In the course of a few hours, thousands gathered the streets and DJ’s from three countries played songs that are now becoming quite familiar.

Now I’m not such a great and professional dancer that I need a motivation for my dance performances (amongst thousands on the dancefloor). But I had one, probably similar to the motivation of the event.

Something along the lines of this, part of the Declaration of Human Rights by the UN:

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

I think ‘that spirit’ is one I’ve been able to see tons here in Montreal, yesterday especially. For that, I’m very grateful. Long live the creative, expressive, free nature of this beautiful city. I’m very fortunate to have found it! =)