THE FACTORY IS BACK IN BIZ. (YES . . . SHE IS ALIVE)

Just a quick informal post to let you know that I am still kickin' over here.  A wave of chaos hit The Factory and definitely kept me running in oodles of different directions as of late.  On that note, you may or may not want to relive this particular turmoil with me . . . but, here it is just the same.  I promise to hit you with a few giggles and some overblown drama along the way. What can I say?  Humor gets me through my days - great, good, bad, and ugly.  And, on the flip side, those who take the time to read this just gotta walk away with something today. The best I can offer at this particular moment is a little entertainment (hopefully).   

TALE OF A DISPLACED TEACHER 
Yep. I'm gonna lay it all out on a very upfront line. My uterus is broken . . . or at least on strike (I told you I was going to be a tad dramatic). This is not new. Nor is it something that I like to talk about. However, it's the main reason behind all of the current changes in my life and why my blog has been so hit or miss at times. I have Stage 5 endometriosis and now am the proud owner of a "belt" with FIVE surgery notches engraved deeply in the old-@$$ leather. It has been a battle for the past 9 years and I lost this year, so to speak. I had surgery about two months ago, but it didn't go all that well. Sure, I managed to get a bit of relief, but I have too much scar tissue at this point. Therefore, my pelvic pain will be chronic. I have come to terms with this as I have lived/worked/existed with it for years. However, this year and this surgery led me to a new and somewhat sad conclusion. I am stepping out of the classroom. It was a decision I NEVER thought I would have to make . . . one I never WANTED to make. However, it has become a decision that I MUST make. ((SIGH))  The always sweet Leigh from the Applicious Teacher coined it for me perfectly . . . I'm a "Displaced Teacher."  Don't feel too sorry for me (I've done my fair share of pit dwelling). I promise that I am still smiling these days.  As Red told us, "Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."  

Deciding what to take and what to leave.
After 10 years in the classroom, this was so difficult.

Despite transitioning out of the classroom, I won't be totally out of the game. Luckily, I was offered up a new gig by my current school district.  I am rolling into a coaching and curriculum position that I can mold to fit my health ebbs and flows. Um . . . talk about a dream come true!  So, next year my focus will be writing curriculum (K-5) as well as a handful of other contract jobs to help support new and seasoned teachers! Although I rather loathe the thought of missing out on crews of little kiddos to call my own, this is definitely right up my alley. I think know it's something I will really LOVE in the long run! I also was able to do a little work with my previous school district (more on that later). Boy, oh boy . . . that was a rather lengthy way of telling all you alls that I will have a new position in the fall :P         

A SERIOUS ADDICTION
My name is Kelley and I have an addition . . . it's golf.  Not sure what you thought I might say here :P  Yes, I still love my glasses of vino while I'm cookin' up a storm, but golf has reached a new level of desire for me. I poured myself into my golf game after surgery . . . as soon as I could swing a club. It's the perfect active and calming outlet (as long as you can move past those $#@& shots). The courses are always so beautiful and peaceful. I even go out by myself now. If you don't golf, I suggest that you give it a go this summer. Hit up a range and see what happens. You may hate it . . . but, you might end up really loving it.  

HEART WRENCHING NEWS
Alright, so I'm pushin' 37 and I don't have kids of my own. Therefore, my pets have become my babies - we have a dog and two cats.  Well, one pet in particular takes the cake. Henry Dolling . . . the stray kitty I adopted two years ago is the definite front-runner in my book.  I'm gonna go ahead and say it here (it's okay to judge just a little). I am a cat lady. If I had a bigger yard or a barn and my husband didn't put his foot down, I'd have 4-5 (strike that), 6-7 of these feline friends. Now that I have actually put these secret thoughts in writing, I can see the absurdity in this other lifestyle addiction I seem to covet. But, hey . . . I like what I like, dangnabbit.  

With all of this said, I was hit with some killer news last weekend.  Henry has FIV. What is this you ask?  Oh, well, it's just Kitty HIV. Yep. You read that right. My cat has flippin' AIDS. I didn't even know that this existed. At first I thought the vet tech was pullin' a nasty punk on me as I ironically made the joke that waiting for Henry's blood test results was like waiting for an AIDS test at your friendly neighborhood clinic. I guess that's what I get for being somewhat crass (something I am very good at in my old age). Well, anyway, I knew it was bad when the doc wouldn't look at me when she walked in the room. (Kelley made another situation awkward . . . surprise, surprise.)  Who knew that I actually called out what was indeed wrong with my little sweetie??!! #palmtoforehead

Waiting for the test results at the vet.
The longest 30 minutes EVER! 

Told ya he was my best buddy :)

I know what you're thinking, can people get this? No, it's feline only. It's just like regular AIDS as it compromises his immune system. I just have to keep my boy healthy and he could live up to five years. However, if the little fella gets sick, I could lose him tomorrow. I guess I am thankful that it's not leukemia, but this less than desirable news still brought on oodles of tears. Needless to say Henry is attached to my hip these days and the level of spoiled has reached a whole new rung :) #kittymama

THE BIG SHOW
In the middle of all of this (moving out of my classroom, the kitty meltdown, and recovering from surgery), I was contacted by my old school district to host a 2 hour presentation on music and movement in regards to reading instruction. I jumped at the chance to return to my old haunt and share my outlandish ideas with one of my all time favorite crews. This went down on Thursday afternoon and it was tons of fun. My old super walked in and said he could tell I was back on campus . . . tee-he-he . . . I had the educational tunes and 80s re-mixes blaring (before, after, and during).  

I poured hours into my session (it actually proved to be a glorious distraction) and am working on trying to get it into a free webinar for all you alls. We shall see if I am tech savvy enough to actually pull such a thing off :) Here's hoping SPMS can show me the way!

Powered by endless cups of black coffee.

I'M GETTING A FACELIFT
It's official.  I'm OUTDATED.  I came to this humbling realization a few months ago. Well, I'm doing something about it. My BLOG is getting a facelift.  I had that moment back in the spring when I visited my page and gasped a bit.  I have been so preoccupied with everything these days that I didn't notice that moment that I became quiet passe. I like to equate it to that pair of shoes or favorite shirt that you hold on to for one season too long. Do you know what I mean?  That moment when you find it hiding in your closet and finally realize that it's time to let it go :P

I hired a graphic designer out of the UK and found a killer WordPress gal on Etsy. It's a slow process, but we are getting there.  Look for the change over to take place mid-July.  I'm super excited to see how it all comes together in the end. Here's a sneak peek . . . 

Alright, that's enough about me. I know it's rather a strange post . . . one that has nothing to do with sharing fun ideas or strategies. And, it feels rather narcissistic ((GULP))). However, I felt the need to get back to my roots and draft a post that screamed real life. (It's ain't always rainbows and unicorns over at The Factory.) As everything hit, I lost my voice there for a bit and had to recharge. It always helps me to sit quietly when the &$%# hits the fan in an attempt to gain some valuable perspective . . . things could be a heck of a lot worse. I am actually feeling pretty lucky these days. 

If I have learned anything about the education biz (both in and out of the classroom), it's so important to take time for you when an opportunity presents itself. Everything will be waiting for you when you're ready and/or able to check back into the game. Well, I'm finally ready now.    

I will be back this week with some useful information . . . that actually pertains to the classroom.  I have a series of posts planned that I think will be just the ticket for summer break. Big hugs, y'all. Thanks for taking the time to come back to see me.