You can do anything but not everything

"You can do anything but not everything."-- David Allen

This quote aptly applies to this day.

As I started the day, looking at the array of colorful sticky notes surrounding my computer screen and beside the keyboard, I made a mental note of my plans for the day.  A fairly typical day for a high school principal.

Assist freshmen as they enter with verifying room number for Ohio's PBA in Physical Science.

Congratulatory notes to our BB Coach and Hockey Coach for their recent awards.

Scan email for those of immediate importance and listen to any voicemails.

Phone unhappy parent.  Mental note-- sounds really unhappy.

Check with a counselor on the progress of a senior who may be in danger of not graduating.

Feeling good and full of hope that it was going to be a great and productive day.

And then-- before I could take any other sticky notes off the computer -- it happened.

The day unraveled. Ever drop a spool of thread on a tile floor and see the thread wind its way aimlessly for what seems like an eternity.  Yes.  That kind of unraveling.

My radio started going off -- I am needed in guidance for assistance with a special education student with a serious issue.

Followed by a counselor reporting a social media crisis involving a a possible threat.

How about the students reporting that two students had possibly been inappropriate.

Trip to security cameras with assistant principals.

Back to social media issue with assistant principals and counselors.

Trip to classroom to get student to bring to office.

Back to assistant principal office . . .

Call parents of two students. . .

Counselor informs us of possible crisis situation with student.

Back to update on special ed student . . .

And it's parent-teacher conference day from 4 - 7:30 PM.

Wait -- is my throat scratchy.? Feeling a little feverish.  Now chilly.  Oh no . . .

Yes, I can do anything, but I cannot do everything, including staying up any longer writing.