find a penny, pick it up....

...all day long you'll have good luck.

Or somethin' like that.

I've never been huge on luck. I like to think that some things are left to chance, but to me, preparation is always better than relying on "luck." This is perhaps why I don't play the lottery or gamble much in poker (unless I'm gambling food, say, M&M's....that's a different ballgame).

So today I found a penny outside in the parking lot as I walked to my car to get my workout clothes for today's run. Rather ironic, I thought. I picked it up and put it in my pocket.

I had a great time teaching today--sometimes things just click and I feel like today was that day. On these kinds of days, I don't focus on the lack of a budget, the fact that my World History books were printed long before my curriculum stops and are falling apart but I need to make them work for at least 3 years, my student who got arrested again yesterday for dealing, the mandated state graduation tests my sophomores are taking, or that annoying union guy who always bitches in the lounge. Today, I was in the zone. The kids were awesome. The lesson clicked. We had a great discussion. I saw the proverbial light bulbs. We joked about the "Ides of March."

I love it when that happens.

I quickly changed into my running clothes when the bell rang at 3:08. Before I knew it, I had gone from being "Mrs. Z" to TriSaraTops. I walked out of the building into a perfect running day--for me, that is. My ideal conditions. Sunny, blue sky, very little wind, and 40 degrees.

I love it when that happens.

On today's docket: 60 minute run with some hill repeats, and a half hour of weights. I had to do it fast, since I had to help judge cheerleading tryouts at 6. Here we go. IPod Shuffle on: first song: U2's Beautiful Day. Headed to the Metroparks to do some repeats on a gradual but nice and long hill. The iPod read my mind again as Guns N' Roses pumped in my ears, along with some Pearl Jam, Pantera, Naughty By Nature (kickin' it old school with that one), Rage Against The Machine, Tom Petty, the Postal Service, and Smashing Pumpkins. When I needed to go up the hill the songs seemed to be fast and hard. When I was recovering down, they slowed down a bit. I felt so good that I even did an extra hill repeat.

Man, I love it when that happens.

Did some weights at the gym on my way home and felt really strong--you know, that feeling you get when the sets you usually do seem a little easier? For some reason I had that today. Things just seemed to flow and I was done before I knew it.

Headed home, hopped in the shower, and went back up to school to judge round one of cheerleading tryouts. As I walked in the wrestling gym, where the girls try out, I looked up on the wall. There was this really cheesy 80s-style big painting of a guy pinning some other guy. Written next to it, in some old paint, it said, "The Harder I Work...The LUCKIER I Get."

Interesting.

Drove back home, and the sky was a gorgeous blue/green/yellow mix. I looked at the clock. 7:02, and it's not pitch black.

I LOOOOOOOVE it when that happens.

Now I'm at home, ready to enjoy the evening with my 2 boys--Mugsy and Matt. Tomorrow morning will be an early one since I have to help with tryouts for 3 hours after school. I'll be on the bike at 5 for an hour ride and then a 45 minute run after that. But for some reason I'm not dreading it as much as I would have back in November. I keep thinking of how good it will feel to get to work having accomplished my goals--that Mrs. Z will get to her room and TriSaraTops will be secretly smug at her secret IM morning's accomplishments.

So was it this penny I have? I don't think so. But everything just seemed to click today.

You gotta love it when that happens.