who gonna check me, boo?

Confession: This summer, my anger level reached a pinnacle. We're talking summit. Top of the mountain, ready to plummet. It's been like a full-on-over-the-edge sense of rage. Correction: RAGE!

I don't get it.

Usually, I'm a crier. I get mad? I cry. I get frustrated? I cry. I cry ? I cry. However, lately I've just been getting SO ANGRY. Repeatedly punch my fist into a pillow angry.

Here's the thing: I can't quite figure out why. It's always a little thing that sets me off. For example, upon leaving a restaurant last month, MLL reached over and pinched my butt. I didn't think it was cute; in fact, it really hurt. My reaction? I swung around and smacked him on the arm so hard it left a mark. Then I couldn't even apologize! I just kept thinking, He should know better. He should know I hate that. That's what he gets!!!!

Normal, right?

I guess I'm posting this to warn people not to mess with me. I don't really know what's behind this anger. It's actually a little worrisome.

wg

how awesum is:

my local library?

My recent obsession is young adult fiction. After many years of waffling, I finally decided to go with my heart and get an MFA in Creative Writing. I'd really like to write professionally, but I need more training. Also, I need to be pushed. I found a program in Vermont that specializes in Writing for Young Adults. Ergo (don't you just love that word), my reading habits became overtly teen-oriented in the past few weeks.

Luckily, my local library carries an amazing selection. I read six in the past two weeks, and I highly recommend Catalyst by Laurie Halse Andersen. (She also wrote Speak, which was amazing, which was also turned into a less-amazing Lifetime movie.)

Also, my library has a myriad of CDs (remember those?) for card holders. In the teen spirit, I checked out something from my dad's teenage years (The Beatles "Revolution") and my teen years (Madonna "Ray of Light"). I wanted something from today's teenagers, but the only thing I found that remotely fit that category was the Jonas Brothers. I couldn't bring myself to stoop. However, I'm downloading the music onto my computer, resulting in a lower itunes bill this month.

With the help of my local library, I finally found a way to justify my YA reading habits. Awesum!

wg

thoughts on teaching...

It's very hard NOT to punch a kid in the face when he comments, "I bet he dies this year," after you say, "I have a dog, whom I love very much, and he is fourteen just like you."

wg

i no longer

care what you think.

Yes, you.

back, back, back to school again

Ok. I just got through a really rough week. It wasn't supposed to be like this. We have a new principal (yay!) who seems to have some semblance of a personality (yay!) and I'm teaching journalism (yay!) so everything was supposed to be very yay! this week.

ha.

Basically, I got screwed with the yearbook thing. It was the one thing I asked for in return for not getting paid to do the yearbook. All I wanted was control of who was in the yearbook class. This is one of my classes out of six. I didn't care who was in the other classes; I just wanted to control who was in this class.

They dumped a bunch of kids who failed 8th grade into my class. Also, they scheduled lunch during this class. So, I teach for 35 minutes, then take the kids to lunch for 30 minutes, then we come back to class for 10 minutes. Please tell me how anything constructive is going to happen??

When I asked for help from my AP in charge of scheduling, I got yelled at and told she had bigger problems. When I asked for help from another teacher, he told me he didn't have time for my shit and to get out of his classroom. I've never been anything but nice to these people - I don't deserve to be yelled at by colleagues and superiors.

But, they still yelled. I lost it. I sat in my car in the parking lot and just cried. Not only did my dream about this little yearbook class get taken away, but I was treated like dirt in the process. All of this because I'm trying to save the school money by not taking the supplement. To make it worse, all the coaches saw me crying and I feel like a fool.

There's no hope for the class now, I'm just going to have to find a way to make it work. I'm going to print out a picture of Tim Gunn, frame it, and put it on my desk to remind me to make it work.

I'm just so disappointed. I really had high hopes for this year and now I don't know what to think. I'm ready for the kids to come back, though, because they always cheer me up. Also, they are way nicer than the adults!!!

wg

boo

Boo Mean People! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

check out dem apples

So, I'm sitting in my classroom right now (I'm also off the clock, should anyone from DCPS be investigating me). I'm staring at the mountain of tasks that Must Be Accomplished before the students arrive.

I'm not teaching Language Arts this year; I'm teaching journalism. I'm really excited! And nervous!

Is it bad that I kind of don't want the kids to show up next week?

Sigh. I'm back in action.
WG