"Isn't it wonderful to be alive and watching baseball?"

- Nana, today

I just finished reading my 33 student diagnostic essays. I ask them to describe themselves as writers: did they have positive or negative writing experiences, and how do they hope to improve as writers. I don't grade these pieces; rather, they serve as a baseline for the students, and give me an idea of what they each want or expect out of the class. 

At this early stage (going into week 2), there is so much I want to tackle. But I remind myself that I have my syllabus; I have the twelve weeks planned out, from the readings to the vocabulary to the due dates of essays. It's just a bit overwhelming when I start to consider the 33 students as individuals with their own needs and expectations. I shrink just a little bit.

I spent today (like every Sunday) at my grandma's. I did my laundry, and we watched Cueto dismantle the Pirates. She said, "Isn't it wonderful to be alive and watching baseball?" She reminds me to simplify.