Happy tears

As I sit here and count down the days until summer (7 days), I can't help but cry. It's hard to see through all of the end of the year crap. Yes there is a lot of crap and it's not, in the words of a friend, "all water balloon fights and fun". Anyways, it's hard to see through that and realize that I only have 7 days left with these kids. I really didn't think I would be so attached, but I am. These kids have been with me for 6 hours a day for 180 days. They are all so special in their own way. They are so sweet to me and each other. They are smart. They are respectful. They are creative. They are fun. They are silly. They are my Monkeys. I'm sad and glad at the same time. Teaching really is hard work.

I forgot one thing...

I'm going to have to add "update blog template" to my summer to-do list. I'm totally old school and I really should apologize. This is unacceptable.

It's the little things

You know what's good about teaching?

All of the hugs I get all day long. Seriously-all day long. It's really good for my self esteem. Those kids are the most preciousest preciouses I've ever seen.

14 days until summer vacation. My plans for the summer? Sleep late, fix up the backyard so it doesn't look like a frat party, go to some trainings, visit Portland, watch daytime t.v., visit Florida, sleep late, learn to play the guitar and fiddle, go to the dentist, spend time with my mom and grandma, learn publisher, sleep late, enjoy the skin-melting-off-your-face heat, drink Dos XX in my new hammock I'm going to buy for the backyard, and read lots of books that aren't related to teaching in any way. Yup.

So, we step out of the car...

and there's all this cow shit. This was our first experience with the Snook Chilifest 2006.

Then we find out we have to walk a mile to get to the grounds. Ok, no big deal-you think. Until you try to roll your cooler over cowshit, puddles, mud, and rocks. In the dark. Angela and I each drank 4 beers in a feeble attempt to lighten the load. We had to gauge our parking spot by the number of parking lots we passed. One parking lot then a creek. Two parking lots then a pond. Three parking lots. You get the idea. I am so sore from carrying that damn cooler. The kind of sore that hurts even when you're using your foot for the accelerator while driving. So, this is Friday night. Once in the grounds, we posted up our shit, drank a few more and listened to some good music. Then, we trekked another mile back to the car.

Saturday was another story. We were on easy street. No cooler. No walking in the dark. No cow shit. And then there was great music.

If you can get past the cow shit, drunks batting beer cans into the crowd, port-a-potties, and college kids, it really is a good time.



Oh yeah, 35 days till summer. You can't see it, but I'm smilin'.

Done

I really don't want this blog to be all about teaching. But, damnit, it consumes me. Today I felt so hopeless. I can't help but feel like that sometimes. I am not the teacher I want to be. I'm trying. It is so draining that I really cannot give it anything else. This job is such a rollercoaster and I'm wondering if I'm strong enough to do it. Part of the time I think that maybe I'm not meant to do this, and then there are days that I think I am "Teacher of the Year" material. Not really, but you get the idea. It is so hard to be THE decisive element in the classroom. Sometimes I just want to sit at my big teacher's desk and put my head down. I guess I need more yoga.

I really am growing up

All it takes is one night of binge drinking to regress back to my teenage years.

Rodeo, $5 rum and cokes and asshole cowboys does not a party make. It was not pretty. I hadn't had one of those, "I'm never drinking again, I swear!" nights in a long time. Good riddance to that shit.

Night and day

It's funny. February has come and gone, and I forgot to celebrate the 1st year anniversary of getting laid off from my previous job (you know, the one working for the man and not the children). It's funny how time can slip away from you. I know it's so cliche, but I couldn't have imagined all this would have happened.

I'd like to take a few moments to compare/contrast the two jobs. If I could, I would totally use a Venn diagram to get my point across, but I'm not sure how to drag it into blogger. Yeah, it's like a Reading lesson up in here.

Similarities

-At my old job, I was the low man on the totem pole. Now I teach about totem poles.
-Politics.
-Miscommunications. This is a biggie. I’m sure we can all agree that there are people who just lack the skills to effectively communicate.
-Supplies-although the school does have a better assortment. We’re talking crayons and pencils galore!
-Meetings! My schedule is one big list of people to meet/talk/discuss/plan/collaborate/ with.


Differences

-Executive lunches. Now I’m lucky if I get to scarf my food and plan my Science lesson in 10 minutes.
-Lice. Nuff said.
-The hours. I do miss that hourly schedule. Now it’s to do lists and late nights.
-My kids. I do love them.
-Parents-they sure do have a lot of trust in me!
-Everyday is an adventure in my classroom. Seriously, you never know from day to day what the hell will happen.
-Men. There just aren’t any.
-R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y
-No lawyers.
-School psychologists.
-Behavior plans.
-Career Day.
-Field trips.
-Smoke breaks.
-My views on public education. I'm not going to get into all that, but there's some real shit out there.
-Lunch for $2.50. But somehow I still manage to rack up a $70 tab.



Just a few interesting tidbits.
Happy Laid Off Anniversary to me.

In other news:
-I have been reintroduced to my treadmill. Mucho gusto!
-I have also joined a Yoga class. Om.
-I have also joined a sand volleyball team. Go Sand Fleas!
-I am getting a hefty tax refund.
-Since I am getting a hefty return, I shall be saying goodbye to one of my Chase card accounts. So long sucka!

I woke up today and shook my fist in anger.

My 2 week "Winter Vacation" (formerly Christmas Break) is officially over. I must say that I've thoroughly enjoyed myself. I feel like I'm back to my old self. All the sleeping late and drinking has done me good. I got to do so many things on my break, but there were so many things left undone. Like laundry. And watching "The Aviator". And the computer room at my parents' house. Oh well, there's always summer.

This 2 week break is definitely more for the teachers than the students. Especially the rookies. I might have quit if it weren't for this break. Yes, it is that stressful. Or at least it is for me. But, alas, I am refreshed and ready to go. Especially since I don't have a full week of work for the next 5 weeks. Really. I have at least 1 day off during the next 5 weeks (now some of these days are training, but still!). Put that in your pipe and smoke it.