What else is on my mind? Well, what I’ll do with myself after LG goes to school full time. Yes, that is 2-3 years away (depending on whether kindergarten is full-day or half-day at the school she goes to), but it’s something I think about. Because as much as I’d like to think that I can stay home and play the happy homemaker, I think I’ll go stir crazy when that little person is no longer around most of the day.

So, where does that leave me? Do I go back to teaching? That option tends to fill me with dread. I really really really do NOT want to do that. And it’s not that I don’t love parts of being a teacher, it’s that I didn’t love going to work every day in the first place. Never ever did I love going to work every day when I was a teacher. There were days that I was happy to go to work or at least that I was happy when I was there, but there were also days I cried all the way there. That was mostly when there were screwy things going on at the school I was at, but still, if I really loved what I was doing, even the screwy things wouldn’t have made me so unhappy I cried.

Edited to add: I did enjoy teaching and I loved (most of) my students, but I didn’t LOVE going to work every day. Just wanted to clarify that!

So, I really don’t want to go back to teaching full time. I want to do something that I love to do - that I’m passionate about.

What am I passionate about? Well, I can think of two things.

The first is music. I love to sing. I love to perform. I love to make music. I love love LOVE to write songs and hear them come to life. I love doing that almost more than I love singing. Which is weird for me to say, because I used to think that singing was the thing I loved most. But, now that I’m writing and creating? I’m so much happier inside. I even have my dreams of greatness - like winning a best song award at the Dove awards or the ACMs or the Grammys or even the Oscars. Or even writing a Broadway musical and getting a Tony! None of those for performing, mind you, but for writing. And those may be delusions of grandeur, but I say, if you’re going to dream, dream big! My mom would have said the same thing to me if she were still around. She’s not, but my best friend is. And she didn’t laugh at me when I told her that I imagined those things happening. And that meant everything to me. Thank you Marlene!

So, there’s music. I do believe I can get some of my songs published. I do believe that will happen. Beyond that? We’ll have to wait and see. But I have faith and hope and dreams that my songwriting will continue to get better and better. Mike even said it was getting better! And that is a great compliment coming from Mr. Professional Musician. But I writing is more of a partnership thing. I love writing with Mike. He makes me better. So that will continue for sure.

What’s the other thing I’m passionate about? Well, oddly enough it is education. But it’s not being in the classroom. I’m passionate about innovation and about the Arts. I’m passionate about change. But I’m just one little voice, and usually when I tell people my ideas they look at me like I’m a little nuts. Then again, Larry Ellison (14th richest person in the world according to Forbes) said “When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.”

Yesterday, I watched a speech by Sir Ken Robinson who is working towards innovation and creativity in our educational system. I watched that speech, and then I searched out some other things that he had said or written, and I felt like I had a found a kindred spirit. And I was relieved to know that there was someone else out there (albeit with a lot bigger voice than I have) who thinks the same way I do and who is actually doing something about it.

And then I talked to Mike for a good hour about what I had heard and what I thought. And then I wrote Marlene ridiculously long emails about it. (Marlene will be up for sainthood one day, just for listening to my cockamamie schemes and my songs.) And it occurred to me that perhaps I was a tiny bit passionate about innovation and changing the educational system and advocating for the Arts in education because it is only from the Arts that we are really taught to be creative. And if we keep losing our Arts classes (and I’m talking Art, Music, Dance, Theatre, etc.), we are going to, as Sir Ken says, educate the creativity out of our children.

So what will I do after LG is in school full-time? I think that I will go back to school and study what I’m passionate about and do research and advocate and change the world. That’s not too big of a goal is it?

Anyway, if you want to see the video that set me off, here it is. Keep in mind that it is 20 minutes long, but he is very well-spoken, very entertaining, and quite funny. And I think he just might change the world.