New Experiences

Nails. I haven't had them since...well lets think....I don't think I have ever had nails. Well, since last Saturday when I got nails. Fake ones. I decided that my addiction to biting my nails was getting a bit ridiculous. How unattractive it is to see a young lady sitting there with her fingers in her mouth biting away at those filthy nails. So I took a trip to the nail salon and got acrylics put on - short ones. What a new experience this has been. I feel like I am a little child working on making a developmental milestone. I am relearning how to do everything with my hands. I can't put socks on without getting frustrated. I can not zip up my jeans. I tried picking up a dime off the floor at school the other day and after a minute ended up having a student do it for me. I can't open medicine bottles with out a struggle. Child proof - blah. Nail proof. Typing and writing has been successful but a little awkward. The only advantage that I have discovered of having nails is being able to itch my head and wash my hair:) We will see how this having nails thing goes. My plan is to try and break my habit of biting my nails by keeping acrylics on for a few months. As of right now, I am ready to take them of. I have never been more aware of my hands ever. They feel like they have a constant pulse. Silly I know, but I am sure those who engage in biting their nails can relate.
Along with having "fancy pretty" nails, I had another new experience this week. I opened up my competitiveness side to the whole student body and faculty at the middle school where I teach. I was semi-forced to play in a staff verse 8th grade student basketball game this past Thursday. Oh man!!! I wasn't particularly excited about this but I knew it was a good way to participate as a staff member within the building. After suiting up in an old school girls basketball uniform that was way to small, I was ready to play. During warm ups, I think I was 2 for 20 on making baskets. I once had this love for the game of basketball, but it has been years since I have engaged in an organized game of bball. Since my paraprofessional and one other teacher on the team were the only ones to ever play before, we were in for it. We were expected to carry the team - yeah right. One of the starting 5 - yes! Oh boy! As the game went on, I quickly learned how OUT OF SHAPE I AM. I could barely run up and down the court. I did it though. With that, my true competitive personality began to shine through. It was like I was back in high school again, playing the game that I loved so much. I do not think the staff at my school new I had so much determination in me. I was there to win. Though the teachers managed to be down by a point at the half, it was a great time. It was a good step for me within the school. It was also fun for my students to see a side of me that they had never seen before. They were my biggest fans in the stands:)