100 Miles or More

Three weeks since I posted??? What in the world have I been thinking??? Well let me tell ya! The morning after my last post I opened an email at work from the gatekeeper to those who want to do research in my district. Two years ago I had met with the superintendent and assistant superintendent and interviewed them regarding teacher evaluation. At the end of the interview, I shared with them that teacher evaluation is my area of focus for my dissertation. The superintendent shared with me that he was extremely passionate about changing our evaluation to make it more meaningful for teachers. He shared that a committee would be formed and the instrument and process revised. I asked how I could get on the committee. They told me I was on. For the first year the committee met at least monthly for no less than four hours at a time to identify best practice and rewrite the process and instrument. This past year teachers and administrators have been using the new instrument and process. I had been up front with the committee about wanting to interview teachers and administrators to find out if they felt the new evaluation had impacted their classroom practice. I sent my formal request for research to the gatekeeper who asked me a gazillion questions and then took it before the research committee. DENIED!!! Reason? I'm too close to the research and my data would be skewed. Six months of intense writing to develop chapters 1-3 of my dissertation and 2 years of intense committee work. I'm a counselor. I understand the stages of grief. I was able to identify each of them as I have gone through. The first night was shock. I intended to work through the stress by going to they gym. I came home and fell into bed while crying. I didn't eat. I was done. I am now stuck in the bitter stage. I'm trying to let it go. I realize bitterness is not doing me any good. I have the worst case of writer's block I have had EVER! Thank God for an amazing advisor. She made some contacts at the state level with policy makers who are rewriting the teacher evaluation policy. I've already been in touch with them. I will be going to Jeff City to conduct interviews. This has saved me a lot of time and headache. I won't have to start from scratch. I will use some of the work I have already done and change from a program evaluation to a policy analysis. I'm hoping to meet with my advisor this week and maybe talk through some of the block I'm having. With that and May being so busy, I did not meet my 100 mile goal. In typical Bunchy fashion, once I realized I was behind on the goal, I quit keeping track. I have no idea how close I was. I kept up with friends who surpassed 100 miles and am very thankful Stephanie is keeping us on track by starting us fresh in June. I'm nine miles in. Again, I'm really excited about the challenge. I've completed these first miles on the PRECOR step machine which seems to be my favorite. My goal is at least 100 miles. I'm really hoping for more!!! Please remember how important it is for you to get some form of exercise every day!

Since we are in our extended school year (summer school) and I get off earlier each day, I plan to add strength training back into my workouts. In other shocking news: My husband has developed this craving for chocolate Frosty's from Wendy's. There is a Wendy's ten minutes down the street from us. The first night he wanted one I jumped in the car and came back with a cookies and cream treat for me. The second night I was tired and refused to go. (Please note it had nothing to do with knowing this wasn't good for us.) He shocked me and went and got it and came back with a vanilla one for me. (Yes, I always choose vanilla over chocolate ice cream!) The third night he wanted one I put my foot down and told him we could not get into that habit. I'm grateful he didn't override my decision! Since I've started this journey he has been the hard nose about me not having ice cream. His cravings could be a road block for sure. Tomorrow I have my first day as summer school principal.We worked on Thursday to get ready, but tomorrow it is official because all of those smiling little ones are going to join us! SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!! Be it my weight loss journey or my goal to become a principal..the following quote seems fitting. :)