BALTIMORE, USA – What the heck are re-runs?
Well, I’ll tell you.
But first, a short history lesson.
You see, a long time ago, before the world was overrun with phone zombies, families used to gather together and stare at a box called a “television.”
Inside this box, there was something called “TV shows” and you could watch a new show every night.
Except, during the summer.
During the summer, the TV people were too busy water skiing in The Hamptons or shopping in Beverly Hills or secretly dating each others wives.
That’s when they showed re-runs: TV episodes that were not new.
So today, if you go to a museum and see an episode of Friends or M.A.S.H. or Columbo, you’re seeing a re-run.
And here’s where I connect the circle….
October 1 I’m starting a new writing project. (If you’ve been a reader for a while, then you’ll remember that last November I moved from Prague to Baltimore to accept a very interesting writing job. My plan was to take a small break from teaching and focus on my writing.)
But I didn’t focus enough.
I would wake up early, work on a teaching project, then go to the office and come home and work on another teaching project.
My focus was divided.
And I don’t think I did as well as I could have on the writing assignment.
And my boss agreed and decided to liberate me.
Translation: I got fired.
But now I’ve got a new project, and this time I want to do it better.
I want to be more focused.
This is actually something I teach my private students. I call it “clearing your desk.” The idea is, before starting something new (i.e. my English program), finish unfinished work, delegate it, or just quit things that take up too much time and mental energy; clear your desk.
So I’ll actually be taking my own advice.
That means I’ll be taking a break from these emails.
Instead, you’ll be getting some re-runs until December.
But of course, I’ll still be checking email and making new Better Every Day lessons at the weekend.
So enjoy the re-runs.
You could also call them “The Best Of Mr. Vig’s Vitamin V.”
I went through all of them from the last two years, chose my favorites and improved them a bit.
And if you’d like more time for English, think about how you could create your own re-runs in your life.