Rain Down in Oaktown

I really like the rain. I'm so thankful for it. It really helps to put me to sleep, and it really slows down life. There's something cleansing about hearing the rain in the morning. There's something really comforting about it.

I really want to go to sleep, but i'm staying up to watch Spark* at 11pm. Trust me, I'd be snoozing at 8pm but it's my favorite show and it's only once a week. I guess you know you're getting older when you'd stay up to watch Public Television. It's the one channel that taints my belief that the television rots the soul.

This week went pretty well especially considering it was the first week back from two weeks of vacation (and a spittin trip to the five boroughs). More pictures and thoughts to come soon. Shout outs to Kagba, Carlos and Yucan. That trip was triple trouble yall!

Part of my anxiety was facing the realities of life here. Being in charge of the tutoring program can get downright depressing sometimes. Some of the teens are slipping through the cracks, and I can't do much about it. What do you do when of the brightest guys you work with loses motivation as a senior. When the world says: do well in school, graduate, go to college, graduate, and you'll have a good life. But in reality, it's hard enough to graduate, and even if you do, what's there for you?

As a tutor, I'm a coach. I can encourage, teach, and give tips and strategies. I can't do the work for you and I can't teach effort. At the end of the day, I go home and I can only hope that the bigger picture is brighter than the current view.

Losing hope will crush you out here.

If you believe, believe for me because it's hard facing this stuff each day.