As some of you may know, today is the day Malcolm Gladwell speaks to the Third Years via Skype, and, despite the planning and troubleshooting that has gone into organizing this, I found myself gripped by anxiety last night. Instead of cotton candy dreams, I suffered from nightmare visions of how EVERYTHING that could possibly go wrong during second period today did in fact go wrong in ways that transcended even my most wild imagining. So wrong, in fact, that, in my dream, I ended up fleeing school for the safety of my bedroom, where I burrowed in the comforting bosoms of my furry menagerie. Whereupon I received a series of chiding and increasingly volatile phone calls from Mirman asking WHERE was I, didn't I know I had a class, was I aware that my students were waiting for me? Even now I am in countdown mode for the Malcolm Gladwell Q and A with my stomach in knots and my headsteadily a pounding. Logically I know that even if things don't go as swimmingly as I would like, it's hardly the end of the world, and yet!
What are some things that are irrational sources of stress for you?
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Things that really stress me out are long-term assignments, but that is rational. An irrational anxiety I have is when I go to karate every Tuesday. For some reason, when I am in the car with my black gi (karate uniform; the black one is for more advanced ranks) I have this horrible stomach knot. Sometimes it is so bad, I feel like I might throw up, and I don't get carsick unless I read for two hours in the car.
ReplyDeleteHoward, I used to do judo, and my Gi was HEAVY!! I got really nervous like you do. I don't do judo anymore. I used to get stressed out when I went to Armenian school on Saturdays, and after years of telling my parents that they teach the same thing every grade, they took me out. I got really stressed some Friday nights as I did my homework. I also kept on telling my parents that I am having a one day weekend rather than two.
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ReplyDeleteDuring modern dance class, I get really nervous whenever we do one of those crazy moves where you collapse and do a roll on the floor. There is absolutely no way anyone could get hurt doing that (with the exception of one person who always seems to fall on her finger, but there always have to be exceptions), and yet I still freak. Just today we were doing that during class. Another time I had a dream that I couldn't find my hair net, but I don't even know what would have happened if I didn't find it. What's even more ridiculous about that is the fact that my hair net is completely useless because it got torn and has a huge hole right in the middle.
ReplyDeleteTwo questions for you, Mrs. S: How did you manage to coordinate the conference with Malcolm Gladwell? My parents keep asking me that. Second question: In your profile picture, what creature is that around your neck, and what is its name?
One thing that stresses me out is trying to do my homework while recovering from swine flu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Sometimes I get stressed out if I have to stay till six in horse back riding but I have lots of homework. Also, long term assignments. They're not due for a really long time, so you think"oh i can start on them later" but then theyre due so long away that u forget about them till the teacher says "ok long term assignment due tomorrow!!" thats y i like short term assignments and class assignmnets better cause i dont like homework anyway...its also stressing when ur in charge of something big that tons of things could go rong in....
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that everyone is freaking/stressed out about swine flu. This is absolutely bogus; a couple of people here had the swine flu, and they are not dead! Most people took about three days to recover. Of course, if you are like me and have a weak immune system, it is logical to worry.
ReplyDeletehi bella--
ReplyDeleteas for the date with mr. malcolm, we have maisie's dad to thank for that. i was fantasizing strategies for a potential plea to malcolm, but then out of the blue, her dad said, hey! i know malcolm. how about i ask him if he'll do this? and then we just set about coordinating things...
and as for the creature around my neck, that would be memphisimo, un gato primo y delectable...
i have a question mrs. s:
ReplyDeleteWhy did u choose that picture for the anxiety. its like a mix of color.
Actually, if you look closely, it is the rough picture of a woman... almost looks as if she is lying on something. I know! She can't get sleep because she is so stressed out!
ReplyDeletehi sophie,
ReplyDeletei chose it because it was sort of vague and surreal in a nightime kind of unsettling way. to me anyway!
mrs. s