MrCoachEli: The Comeback Tour
It‘s a vaguely familiar feeling and picture, I am sitting on a plane and I am writing. (P.S. and by the way, this post turned out to be longer than I planned, I guess I was more exciting than I thought I was.) A few years ago I began my blog and I was anything but consistent with writing and sharing my thoughts in this avenue. I was a teacher leader and then transitioned into the principalship. I’m still the same short-statured guy but I’m about 50 pounds heavier (don’t worry, it’s not all fat), I’ve got a few gray hairs peeking out on my sideburns), I don’t clean shave every day anymore so I don’t really have the same baby face, but more than that I’ve transformed internally with a ton of experiences and development professionally and personally. It’s been a few years since I’ve sat down, wrote and shared with you my ideas or thoughts in more than an Instagram or Twitter post so let me catch you up on life. We’ll call it the start of my Come Back Tour, don’t worry I won’t try to dance or sing (I can’t even do the TikTok dances).
Physical Update: I mentioned I physically look a little different since I began this journey. Health and fitness have remained a core value of mine and I’ve managed to continue to be consistent with my time in the gym. I’m inching towards mid-30’s now so I should probably start taking my nutrition more seriously if I’m going to continue wanting to remain “fit” I’m going to have to stop eating quite so much fast food, drinking as much Dr. Pepper as I do, and should probably start doing cardio (Cardio is hardio - my only form of cardio is lifting weights faster). I’ve got a few gray hairs creeping in but my aunt sees me at her shop every other week instead of every three to keep my haircut clean and the gray less visible.
Personal Update: It’s November 2021. We are still in the midst of a global pandemic. Life continued to happen even through a pandemic. Those facts were no different for me. I could go on for days about the personal development I have gone through since my last blog post; instead I will save those topics for further rants another time. Here’s a down and dirty of my personal life updates.
I’m transparent, sometimes to a fault. I’ve battled anxiety and depression for many years but they took a dark and deep turn over the last year with family issues and struggles with self worth. I’ve done a lot of learning about and do a lot of work around mental health and social emotional needs/learning/development. I sought out help from a therapist and am really proud of the development I have made working through my struggles. I’m a funcle to now two mini-versions of myself (sorry sister) - these two little dudes are the center of my world and I’m also the uncle to an angel baby, Ayla Grace, who earned her wings a week before her expected arrival. I moved from my hometown in central New Mexico to southern New Mexico (actually I technically lived in Texas) but life has since led me back home to my hometown.
I have made so many new connections and continue to do so each day. My PLN has expanded on both Twitter and Instagram and some great bonds have developed into actual real-life friendships. Some connections I had in the past have fizzled away or been cut out. Some of my original connections have become much more deep and real as well. And yes, there is one connection that has become deeper than all the rest and I never saw coming. Who knew that a Kids Deserve It chat that led to a connection that was ”only supposed to be a collaboration” would turn into a deep friendship and would eventually lead to December 19, 2020 when I got down on one knee at Disney Springs in the spot we first met for a collaboration and I asked Brandi Miller to be my wife. (She didn’t say yes at first, she thought she was Reese Witherspoon and asked if I was sure instead.) On October 9, 2021, we spent the day and night lakeside at The Adam’s Estate in Lake Alfred, Florida, in front of family and friends we made promises, exchanged rings, sealed it all with a kiss, and enjoyed one heck of a party. Post wedding, we now live our unconventional life together and enjoy being us and our #RealConnection.
Professional Update: When I first started sharing on this platform I was a teacher leader and then appointed to my first Principal position where I spent a year as the Principal of Navajo Elementary. First year of principalship is a challenging one and it was no different for me. There were so many ups and downs but I grew in leadership in more ways than I could ever imagine as I attempted to navigate unfamiliar waters. At the end of my first year I went through a breakup and my parents had settled into a new home in the border-town of Texas and New Mexico just south of my alma-mater New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. An opportunity presented itself to lead Monte Vista Elementary in Las Cruces, NM. I took a leap of faith and was fortunate to be the principal of a one of a kind school and a truly impeccable staff. All the things were perfect, being the leader of the Wolf Pack was a dream. A high-performing ”A” school, incredible students, an amazing community full of support, top-notch educators, a student-centered and healthy school culture and climate - who could ask for more? I mean this with no offense to anyone but while it being a breezy dream, in many ways I began to question if that was the right school and time for me - could I be some
where else and giving more? Fate had it as some personal things came forth in my life and opportunity knocked at just the right time when I was offered to return to Albuquerque Public Schools and become the new principal of Marie Hughes Elementary where I have been for the last 3 years. A Goldilocks school, as I like to describe it, that I hope to share more about my time there thus far and the journey getting there.
The Comeback Tour Lineup:
Many of the talented greats, they just keep on performing their farewell tours, have a comeback tour, release an unplanned book, or have a reunion special of some sort. I have had an itch to get back into sharing my story and impacting the world, especially the education world, for a while. I am not going to sit here and promise to write more frequently because I’ve done that in the past and didn’t follow through. I’m not going to say I’m going to for sure finish my doctorate that I started and stopped. I’m not going to say I am going to become a pro professional developer or write a book. All of these are dreams and potential goals. What I am going to say is that I am going to continue riding the waves of my journey and hope that you’ll join me in some way as I continue to share my journey and the #RealConnections I make along the way, whether it be people, lessons, or thoughts.
Connect with me on social media and let me know your thoughts:
Twitter/Instagram/Voxer @MrCoachEli