Hey!
Long time no speak! I took this picture today because it's supposed to rain later. Please remember to take advantage of the weather when we can! Also, biking isn't that bad! I just called one of my students to check in on him and his family. I've been calling 5-10 students a day on their PE days just to keep in touch and stay somewhat on a schedule. I chose a 2nd grader today and asked him what day it was. One, he had no clue it was PE day. Two, he thought it was Monday! For those reading at home on another day, it is Thursday, April 23rd, 2020. These days are all blending in and it is getting harder to separate them. I did read one thing that made today a little memorable. Governor Murphy was saying that the lack of federal support may prevent teachers from being paid or retained. As a New Jersey educator, that obviously hits home. I've really tried to put life in perspective and look at everything from all sides. I am an employed teacher, currently, but I've been awakened by the situations my students are facing. I've called a lot of them with zero expectations. I don't know if the parent/guardian receiving the call will be happy to hear from me, hate to hear my voice, or just ignore it. I'd say around 50% of them have gone to voicemail or have been disconnected. The other 50% have been filled with some memorable and informative conversations. All I'm doing is checking in on their health and if they're staying active. The things they're teaching me, though, is that their families have been going through a lot. Some of my students have never left their home! Some of my students have been doing home workouts with tons of equipment and keeping busy. One student of mine said he went on a joy ride in a sports car and hit 100+ mph while his mother screamed at him because he told me that story :) . The phone call that really impacted me was one that seemed pretty uneventful. The mother answered the phone, shocked to hear my voice, and just said her daughter was doing her school work. She had to go, though, because she was working from home. The same thing I'm doing. The difference is that she's wearing multiple hats and sounded super stressed about it. Even though she's a little worked up, she's a lucky one. Any person able to still collect the same wage should admit they're somewhat lucky in this work environment. I know some of the students I called today have families that have been impacted in a major way financially. Political views aside, let's just remember to take a deep breath and understand that life is a blessing. It may feel terrible for some of us right now, but at the end of the day, we're alive and reading this. Some people I know and you may know have been hit hard by this pandemic. I'm talking about losing careers. I'm talking about losing businesses. I'm talking about losing loved ones. To wrap it all up, it's alright to not remember what day it is. I physically mark my calendar in the morning just to remind myself. It's not alright, however, if you don't remember to make your day count in some way or fashion. You never know how many of these we have left. Pandemic or not, don't let your biography get wasted away because we decided to stop paying attention to the little things! Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Grow. - Justin
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Hey.
I apologize for the brief intermission from my writing. After my birthday, I started to feel like everyday has become a copy and paste/Ground Hog Day situation where things were becoming very monotonous. I have been physically active and my spirits have been great, but I didn't want to put out the same old message without some sort of inspiration behind it. No one wants to read: I woke up. I ate breakfast. I exercised. I monitored my students on the websites and played a ton of video games. I ate dinner. I then fell asleep. Rinse and repeat... Today's events revealed something very important to me, though. Part of the reason I love my job so much is because I live vicariously through my students. Seeing our children conquer their fears, making improvements, and learning things they never thought they'd do is the backbone of why I do what I do. I ran at the Cooper River park today and it was the busiest I've seen it there in a while. I'm very thankful that it is open because every park is closed around me. It's a perfect place because it is roughly 4 miles long and there's plenty of space and opportunity to practice social distancing. As a person who has been running there 4 out of 5 days this past week, you can really see the new people who are giving it a go. I have run more in the past 2 weeks than I have ever before. I'm enjoying these runs. I'm appreciating the fresh air. I LOVE seeing people branching out and stepping out of their comfort zones. On another note, today is a sad day. I love playing pranks, making jokes, and tricking people on April Fools' Day. I had planned to put a scary face on the rear view camera on my girlfriend's mom's car. It would have been pretty awesome. This past month has been an April Fools joke for the ages, though. At the end of the day, I hope you are all still finding ways to laugh and enjoy yourselves. When you are faced with my situation and feel that your days are becoming redundant, throw a curve-ball. So far I have thrown a couple curve-balls: 1. I slept in the guest room. It was weird. I felt like I was in a motel. 2. I try to do push-ups after each episode of a show I watch 3. Try to have a device-less hour or two. We are LIVING online right now. Let your phone charge go to zero and charge it in another room. It feels great to unplug once in a while. 4. I hate puzzles. I am now doing puzzles, even though it is not my choice :). 5. I heard about the benefits of intermittent fasting. I believe that is the next life curve-ball that I'm going to attack. That's all for now folks. Find the silver lining today! Find something to be proud of. Don't count the days. Make the days count!!! Stay safe. Stay Healthy. Grow!!! -Justin Hey!!!!
"It's my birthday and I'll write if I want to!" Now some people would get upset about the fact that their birthday is in quarantine, but I must say that this has been one of the best birthdays ever! 1. My best friend in Hong Kong said hello last night (which was March 26th for him) 2. My lady surprised me with a cake, a giant birthday poster, and got some meaningful gifts 3. My brother, nephew, and sister-in-law face-timed me and sang happy birthday to me with their decorations on their wall. Little man crying as his birthday hat was put on was the funniest! 4. I had PF Chang's. I heart PF Chang's. 5. I just went for a mile and a half run with my lady. Just a nice run to get away and enjoy the weather! Of course, there are things that I miss and upset that I can't take part in. I miss watching sports and being able to travel. I was actually supposed to take a surprise trip into Boston for a Celtics game! I have really grown a lot during this quarantined time. I value things a lot more now than I ever did. I REALLY miss my students. Every time I drop into a ZOOM classroom and say hello to the kids, I see their faces and just a glimpse of their former lives brings them joy. I understand the situation, though, and see the bigger picture. We must protect our families, friends, and really evaluate and appreciate what we do have! I look back at my older journals and see that I started out angry. I am very fortunate to have someone who has been reminding me daily that our lives are different, but not WORSE. We have substituted adventures, traveling, and family time for together time, focus on our work, and finding ways to make the most of each day. So yes, I could be in Boston enjoying that beautiful city, but I also could be in a situation where I have no one that I can count on or ways to communicate with other people that I love and care about. Things can ALWAYS be worse. I never wish that on anyone, but I do hope these times open up your eyes to be appreciative of what is surrounding us today. With that being said, join me in celebrating today. Not only for my birthday (but yes celebrate if you wish), but for the fact that we can still read silly journals like this one and communicate with our loved ones! Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Grow! -Justin Hey.
Today has started a lot differently than the others. 1. I Youtubed a morning Yoga session. It was a nice way to start my morning. 2. I ate oatmeal for breakfast. I'm trying to break the monotony of eating and doing the same thing everyday. 3. I'm holding off on the running because it is cold, rainy, and windy. Tomorrow is my birthday and I plan on running a solid distance. 4. I was on my phone keeping up with PE pages, monitoring my "Nurse Trail and Mr. Sharp" page, and played a ton of phone games. 5. I, like many others, got introduced to Tik Tok and watching these videos aimlessly. I'm going to keep it short today. As boredom starts to settle in, try not to lose yourself. I have been guilty of that and I am really trying to set limits and schedule things. If you're playing video games, phone games, or anything that really isn't productive, you have to try to limit the amount of time you're doing that. Do not watch Tik Tok videos for 5 hours. That same song and dance isn't going anywhere. Watch it after you accomplish something! Last, I wanted to share a story that happened yesterday. A group of kids (not socially distancing) were playing kickball in my complex yesterday. Early on, we decided to relax on our balcony and just lay down in our recliner chairs. The one boy decided to kick the ball as high as he can and it hits my lady's car. She was about to say something to them, but I decided I'm going to use my Gym Teacher Voice. The scary one. The one young girl says, "We didn't hit any cars!". I replied, "So am I blind? Do I need to get my eyes checked?!? I'm pretty sure that ball went into the air and landed on my car." "Ohhh...Umm...Sorry. We only hit it once!" "Once is too many, take it inside. We're all bored. You don't see me hitting cars." Long story short, the father knocked on my door and said the girls were scared. I said that we're all bored and I understand them trying to play, but you just have to be careful. I probably did take it over the line, but I don't tolerate lying. It wasn't my intention to take it to that level, but....I am sorry that I am not sorry. Oh no...I officially became the guy who yells at his neighbors for playing on his lawn. Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Stay Off of My Lawn! -Justin “What’s wrong with you?” -My Middle School PE Teacher (who was a little angry at me)
“Nothing. I just took my time.” -8th Grade Me ::PE Teacher rolled his eyes and lowered my grade:: I’ll never forget the embarrassment of “running” a 13+ minute mile. Some kids were finishing with sub 6 minute runs. The “non-athletic” kids were running sub 10 minute runs. I ran a 13:30. The kid who was an athlete his entire life. A kid who was on the South Jersey Championship Edgewood Middle School baseball team. That same kid who held up the trophy ran a 13:30 mile. Asthma is kind of scary. Actually, really scary. Something out of your control prevents you from breathing the air you want to breathe normally. You know how cruel middle school kids can be sometimes, right? Who wants to bring out their asthma puffer in the middle of PE class because they can’t run fast? Even though I look back on it thinking that’s absolutely ridiculous...that was me. This corona virus puts life in perspective for me. Some things I valued in life are ultimately meaningless. Sneakers? Who cares. The Boston Celtics? They’re not essential to life (most of the time). If I get sick and can’t breathe, all of that means absolutely nothing. I ran 2 miles today. 18 minutes and 6 seconds. When I was 12, that was roughly only 5 minutes more than my only mile. For those paying attention so far on my journey, I was listening to 2010’s pop. Something about Adele gets you pumped up haha. At the end of the day, you have to value each moment. I ran this morning. I earned my endorphins. Day 7 had a good start. Anyways, I wish I could remember my PE teacher from back then and tell him to go kick rocks barefoot. That moment allows me to look at each and every one of my students and try to empathize WHY they do the things they do. That teacher 100% doesn’t remember that interaction. I will 100% never forget it. I hope you see why I try so hard to connect with my kids. I may forget their names, but if there’s even the slightest chance that I can help or inspire a student, they may never forget mine. For those nurses, doctors, teachers, or anyone who is continuing to put their best foot forward during all of this...I appreciate you. I may not know all of your names, but I will NEVER take you for granted. The people you influence may never forget you, either. Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Grow. -Justin Hey.
This weather is pretty crazy. The other day was like 80 degrees and today had cold temperatures, wind, and rain. I only ran one mile because my hands were freezing, but I'll supplement it with plenty of workouts today. I just think this is probably the wrong time to get sick with anything so I'll keep it indoors this Monday. I am very excited for today. I plan on dropping in on other teachers' zoom/online classrooms just to get in touch with my students. Part of me wishes I worked in the high school setting just because it'd be a lot easier to get in contact with the kids. I have posted a video of a "Trashketball" challenge on the Nurse Trail and Mr. Sharp Facebook page. I realize it is hard to get permission from parents to post, but it did make my day to get comments and replies on my video. My focus of the post today is to find NEW ways to make the most of your time. I ordered dumbbells and a pull-up bar. I luckily also have resistance bands, floor sliders, perfect push-ups, and foam rollers. I have taken it upon myself to try something new. I really want to start each morning, while my lady snoozes because she's not a fan, with a short yoga routine. I have my relaxing music playlist already made and combining that with the blinds, I'll be ready to go. I think another mental escape will prove to be beneficial. My students love yoga (it took a lot of work to convince them it is "cool") and now it's time to implement it in my daily routine. That's it for today. I'm older now so I don't care as much, but it really will be a challenging "birthday week". I am very thankful for you guys for keeping me accountable and hope you guys are doing well! Don't forget to share some ideas for things you're doing at home to keep busy. I am 100% into adventuring into new things! Stay safe. Stay healthy. Grow! -Justin Sharp Hey. I'm going to (try to) limit my weekend posts to just one. I love documenting and making the most of my days, but we all need to unplug and enjoy our own time, too. I really tried to focus my attention away from school, stress, or my typical daily routine. My lady and I enjoyed escaping to a trail far away, walking around, and soaking in nature. I suggest you try to do the same! Weekend posts are going to be a little bit different. I want and need input from my readers, friends, and family. I want to hear from you! This weekend's list will be a good indicator of what I'll need from you guys going forward. MY TOP 5 THINGS TO DO AT HOME
1. Re-watch Celtics Games (BIG SURPRISE) -I really try to trick myself and live in the moment. I just pick random games so that I don't remember what's happening :). Go Celtics! 2. Listen to music -I love all genres. From country to rap to classical to pop to musicals. 3. Watch The Office - I could watch this show all day and everyday (which might have to happen). 4. Play XBOX (NBA 2K, mostly) -I picked up my controller like twice in the past year. Unfortunately, my favorite hobby of adventuring has been taken away from me. I won't lose myself for long stretches, but I guess it's not too bad to give my quarantine roommate some space from me :) 5. Youtube Bloopers, SNL Comedy Skits, and other things that make me LAUGH - I miss cracking up at work. I miss cracking up with my family. I will never go a day without laughing at least once, though. It's YOUR turn. Comment, text, post, or share your top 5 activities at home. Maybe you'll inspire me or others to try something new! Stay Healthy. Stay Safe. Grow! - Justin Hey. Day 3 run in the books. You can clearly see that I am NOT at the park I wanted to run through. I ran around aimlessly, but found this cool road. I mean, it's the coolest road of all time. :) It wasn't 5 miles. I'm mad about it, but I started cramping and decided to call it a day. Back at it tomorrow. It also took place on the main road by where I live. The two parks that I thoroughly enjoy running are officially closed and caused me to disappointingly audible to run around me. Times are changing and they're changing faster than I thought.
To better put things in perspective, I'm going to tell you about my friend Aaron. I face-timed him yesterday. He's an International School teacher in Hong Kong. We've been best pals since freshman year of HS, through college, and even now across the globe. How we stayed friends through these years is a testament to him. To call him a great person is an understatement. Back to the story...His school has been remote/distance learning since early February. Hong Kong was "on top" of the situation a lot sooner and more efficiently than we have here in the United States. I'm not trying to make a political statement, but just stating facts. As of today, Hong Kong has a total of 208 total cases with the virus. The state of New Jersey alone has 742. He tells me how he has stepped foot outside of his apartment a total of 3 times since February. Those three times were for groceries. Want to know something crazy? They don't even have a ban on restaurants, bars, or anything like that. The people there are just being very cautious and in his words, "mindful" of each other. The main lesson I learned from him and his story is that we must be smart. This situation feels super real now. My favorite basketball player, Marcus Smart, even has the virus. Here are my (often ridiculous) words of advice for today. Search again for your purpose. Not your favorite things to do. Not your hobby. Your purpose. Sometimes I lose it. I temporarily lost it when I drove up to that closed park. I was upset. My lady had to bring me back and say, "This stinks. There are also situations that could be way worse, though." Let this also be a reminder to be thankful for those people who keep you grounded. Anyways, my purpose remains the same. How can I help people? If you, yes you, are reading this and need some words of encouragement, a conversation to kill time, or want to chat, let me know! I'm going to keep it at that for now. On a side note, I want to thank Nurse Jen Trail at my work for allowing me to find an outlet and letting us find a way to connect with coworkers and our community. If you are a student, coworker, or someone in Winslow, please search us up on Facebook. We're going to try to post daily health tips, activities, or things to help us get through each day! PS. I saw that I've had like 150+ visits from people on this page. Drop a comment with some things you think I should do to stay active or just say hello. I would love to know who actually reads this stuff and see how far our reach really is! Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Grow -Justin Hey. Day 2 of running in the books. (FYI - Fridays will be my "long run" days) I ran a little angry today. It's only day 2 and I already feel just a little helpless. I can't contribute to society/my students the way I want to. Normally, I'm with my 3rd grade students at the time of this posting. I already feel guilty for short changing the students I proudly call my own because of our current circumstance. "I had a thousand bad times. So what's another time to me?" - Post Malone I had my Post Malone songs shuffling during my run today and I heard that song. I admit it's something that my students probably shouldn't be listening to, but it pushed me a bit today. We've all faced struggles in our lives. Loss of loved ones, bad days at work, financial hardships, or whatever else you've faced in your life. I'll open up to you and say this month has ALWAYS been my favorite. March Madness. My Birthday. My nephew's 1st birthday is also this month. I now wake up with the reality that this month will potentially go down as the most trying. Not being able to identify myself as the PE teacher that made a kid smile or grow today hurts. I pride myself on being a different kind of PE Teacher. I mean no offense to any others, but my journey to being a PE teacher has always been different. Out of HS, I had a scholarship to pursue my doctorate in pharmacy. Dr. Sharp. It was my dream growing up. To make a long story short, I just realized that my daily life and happiness is more important than my monetary gains. I changed my college major at least 4 times! I wanted a career that I LOOK FORWARD to going to everyday. I, for the most part, found that in being a health and physical education teacher. My mission statement as a teacher is to be someone in my student's corner. Whether they are in my class now, years ago, or in the future, they should know I am on their team. At the end of the day, I want to be there giving food to those who are unfortunate. I want to provide an escape for those kids and families that don't know when their next paycheck or meal is going to come. I WANT TO BE THERE. I know that doing that in person is a terrible idea. My aim was to be able to pass out food at my school district to the kids that receive their food. Maybe, just maybe, I can be a glimmer of light in their day. I may still do it, but for the time being, I know that I should be smart and wait things out a bit. To round out my entry today, I just have to come to grips that I AM angry. I am disappointed in everything. It is also okay to feel that way. This is our reality for the time being. I cannot do anything to change or control it. What I can do is find a silver lining. One day, this situation will end. I will be a teacher again. I will see our students and be the distraction they may need. We've survived all that and we are here today. I had a thousand bad times. So what's another time to me? Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Grow -Justin Hey. I ran 2 miles this morning. It wasn't nearly as fun as I usually have with my students. It is the first day that this situation has stripped me from my daily interactions with my awesome elementary students. This virus has taken away my 80+ custom/personalized handshakes, my 35 minute classes of enjoying healthy choices, exercises, and ways to connect with our students. During this run, I thought to myself how teachers really can be superheroes. These classroom teachers are stuck in their homes and are finding ways to educate our youth through difficult means. We have been given a small window to prepare for this and many have had to learn new tricks on how to present new information to the children we see daily. My girlfriend is someone who is currently online "face-timing" (lack of a better term) through different apps and still providing quality education to her kids. I, like many other school staff members, don't really have the access to reach all 300+ students daily. I did create a packet and have many online resources, but it isn't the same. Or so I thought. This entry will be one of many that I will make. I really have no other choice. I might be the only one who reads this. I don't care. I cannot and will not allow this epidemic to ruin my life. I was very lucky to wake up this morning. I will approach each day as if it is a gift. I promise. My final goal in this is to reach out to my students, my friends, my family, or whoever is bored at home. I want to show you that we can make the most of this! Each day, with the weather permitting, I plan on showing you my progress! This progress is not limited to physical goals, but mental ones, too! Allow me to share with you what I did today. This is what I part of what I plan on posting EVERY SINGLE DAY. My Short Term Goal: Run AT LEAST 2 Miles a Day
Long Term Goal: Break my 2:00 10 Mile Race Time *I know I am slow. I am a hooper or a basketball player. I HATED running. I've learned that it's been my way to release some stress and a fun way to "unplug" from being stuck indoors and without a basketball court to just get to. I plan on making my daily posts a little bit more detail oriented. I do want to be held accountable for my exercise, my daily check ins, and focus on weight goals! Thank you for reading and hopefully this can be something that we can all grow with and get through together! Stay safe. Stay healthy. Grow. -Justin |