Fieldwork: Day 2

I can feel the fear starting to creep in. I’ve exposed myself too much. I’m going to fail. This blog is too wordy, intellectual, silly, obscure for anyone else to enjoy (then if no one is reading, why should I fear?) I want to retreat. I usually do this, then quit moving forward. I’m worried that today will become a stumbling block. I have an eye appointment and will go work in my classroom so my day is pretty scheduled– this will be a good practice run for when school starts again. I realize I need to blossom in the environment I’m in – but the minutia of stuff I have to worry about there can sometimes be stifling. A classroom of young children – should be a stimulating place. I need to adjust my attitude, quit trying to control the flow of exploration – but go where it takes me. I have some ideas . (notes for fieldwork: camera, bubbles…) Gotta get ready for my eye appointment now.
Weight: 219
Exercise: Not this morning, no time
Significant chore: Eye exam and classroom preparation
Creativity opportunity: Do something different with classroom prep. Spice it up a bit.

Phew - the eye exam was a relief. I'm not going blind (a worry I hadn't expressed). It's only cataracts. But that is the subject of a different blog.
Today was interesting. I was thinking last night about my exploration of the world, the idea of collecting items of interest. I looked around my desk area and realized I had started a small collection that has caught my imagination. Balls, or more mathematically - spheres. Ok, so I only have 2 so far. A large marble that has been kicking around the house that I haven't wanted to throw away, and a little rubber ball. I thought of buying some pretty stone spheres, but realized that I need to let this collection happen naturally - found and free materials, not controlled and purchased. I decided to run with the idea of expressing spheres artistically. I decided I want to do some work on bubbles. I imagined a bubble picture as I was falling asleep. This afternoon when I got home, I drew it. I still have a way to go to learn to control the medium - but I'm very satisfied with my first effort. When my camera is cleared out, I'll photograph it and post it here.
My fieldwork notes say camera. I have noticed creative people use cameras alot. I'm not much of a picture taking person. Mostly I think because I grew up in an era when it cost money to develop film, and then I don't do much with pictures afterward. But I do have a digital camera now. I could photograph and create digitally at no expense and without concern for the environment (paper, developer chemicals, etc....). I want to try taking pictures of bubbles to help me in my drawing.
I was thinking about exploring at school while teaching. I have recess duty next week. I could move around the playgroud with my camera and see what happens. I won't be able to post pictures of children here, but I could create something for my museum exhibit. I may even find something that inspires some artwork.
Interesting - I thought I wanted to write, but it sounds more like I want to create art. I want to be more hands on and physical.
In setting up my classroom today, I was developing a math center for reviewing fact families. We have done this in past with little paper triangles. To kick it up a bit, I swung by the craft store on the way home from the eye doctor and bought a package of scrapbooking paper. So my students will be doing their assignment on brightly colored, textured triangles this time. Maybe I can take them and make something with it when they are done....
I was thinking about my desk space some more. It is a very fluid area. I straighten it, then dump more things on the table. I rearrange and shift as needed. This is a living space. Today, as I did my bubble drawing, I had to rearrange some lamps so the shadows would not obscure my work. Right now my desk lamp is the the only light in this dark room. Very cozy.
As far as the Explore the World book - I haven't read anything new today. I am savoring and exploring the ideas I have already read up to now. I'm letting them expand a little in my mind.
Wrecking the Journal -- Assignment - break the spine of the book. Well I've done that before, over the course of reading books in bed. This was not particularly liberating or exciting. I folded back my recording journal - but as a paper back book, the spine is pretty resilent. Same with the purchased book. In my recording journal there is now one middle page the book automatically falls open to now. I marked that page: This is where the broken spine opens up to and dated it today. I don't know what page number it is yet, cause I haven't numbered that far yet.
I am surprised that today worked out fine. I'm not so worried (I know I was really scared about the eye thing). I'm feeling a little freer to be me. I can do this.