Sweet like candy to my soul

[Crash, Dave Matthews Band]

Last night I never went to bed.

I went to bed this morning (well, now yesterday morning) at 7 am. I can't really explain why... I've had a lot on my mind, and that was a pretty big reason. Details to come most likely in a week or so. But.... I'm just a tool, I suppose. And then I woke up all groggy around 3. In the afternoon. Completely forgot to run an errand for a friend (because I'm cool like that) and realized that tomorrow is the Fourth of July, ergo I can't run the errand til Wednesday. I hope she still likes me.

Yesterday I watched The Notebook, all by myself in my living room. How cool is that? Yah, I know, not really. Then tonight I watched Friday Night Lights, in my living room, and- you guessed it- all by myself. It's ironic that a month ago I was trying to cram in all the "one last time"-s with friends before summer, and trying not to stress about all the work I had to do. Now I would literally sit and stare at the wall if I didn't have the good 'ol inet to keep me busy.

Ok, about FNL- it's such a good movie. I kept offensive football stats (and special teams) in high school, and was actually recruited by the coaches last year where I teach (I teach high school; this summer I'm gearing up for year two ;) ) to do the same for our team. It was great- I love sports. Especially high school sports, because you know those kids. It was great to cheer Ra-Ra (Raheem) down the field on Friday nights in our stadium, flourescent lights glaring off the roughed up helmets and exposed pads, and then to teach him in class Monday afternoon.

I also love the way it gave me an "in" for relationships- I'm HUGE on relationships as a teacher, because I'm not just here to teach; I'm here to see lives changed and I could be in some plush suburban school making better money but I chose to join the movement of Tea*ch for Ame*rica to work with students that the rest of the nation could care less about. So I volunteered 5-10 hours on Friday nights in part because then in class I could rib CJ about when he'd make those big plays. Plus, in the halls I have the respect of the football players, and trust me- you want them boys on your side when you teach in a high school like mine.

But... I also LOVE. SPORTS. Particularly football. I love the explosion of helmets crashing into one another, the grunts of boys becoming men, the ebb and flow of emotion in the crowd, the jumping and screaming, the slumped shoulders of loss, the glory and the defeat. I get so excited for fall, for the creeping chill in the air that sends the death heat of summer on its way.

Here's to fall, and to football :)