The Week That Kicked My Behind (Part 12)

Because, really, isn't every week kicking my butt? This week, however, was particularly crazy because we got back from the western tour of colleges late Monday night and LawyerBoy and I had a full Tuesday. Not so much Prep and BrownBear, who had Tuesday as the second day of Fall Break.

First, I love (LOVE) Ole Miss. What's not to love? It's the mother ship calling me home. The college, the square, the shops, the BOOKSTORE(!!), the whole preppiness of the thing. Put on your pearls and call it a day. A true college town. Prep and her friend were so excited to be getting handed off on that Friday night, that she forgot to turn around and ask for cash. LB and I headed to Memphis - I took the wheel and took off. Twenty five miles outside of Memphis, I blew a tire. Middle of the night. Eventually, LB had to ask, "Can't you ever take a college trip without blowing one of these tires?" Well, apparently not.

Memphis is an interesting place. I drank more there than I have in years. I watched ducks waddle around a hotel lobby. Graceland disappointed me more than I can say. Barbecue in Memphis is fantastic.

Next stop, University of Alabama. This is the first school that accepted Prep. This is the school that Joe Namath quarterbacked for. We were both excited.

As soon as we rolled into 'Bama, she looked around and said, "Not so much." Not so much? Did I mention that the greatest quarterback in modern time roamed this campus? Not so much? Damn.

On to Auburn. Which she liked. A lot. Not as much as Ole Miss, but she is worried about the distance and the route. (Did I mention there is no direct, interstate route from Atlanta to Oxford, Mississippi? You should have been there for that conversation in Birmingham.) So, our thousand mile road trip could have been taken care of in an afternoon - at least I think it could have. It could have today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

And there's still a few more options on the table.

Road Trip, People.

Not in this order because I'm better than this. Sort of. And believe me, I'm exhausted.

More Rumblings Heard 'Round the Building

We had a flood around these parts not long ago, and this is what happened to one of our schools. Conditions were so bad, people couldn't get out of their neighborhoods. Homes were destroyed, roads washed away, electricity was out for days.

School was cancelled on the Tuesday after this disaster - take a good look at this building, people. It didn't take long for the flood waters to fill this place up. Teachers lost everything. Knowing me, I would have lost my damned car keys. However, being one of the lucky ones, I didn't teach in this building.
The Wednesday after this disaster, we were called in for a teacher workday. Mind you, roads were still out, people were still homeless and there were still those who had no power. But, "if conditions warrant safe travel, get your smarmy selves to work." Well, thanks Superintendent Dumbass, who took that raise and then decided to decrease our salaries 2%! We reported for duty!

Today we heard that we were going to be furloughed for that Tuesday or we were going to have to take a personal day - the act of God Tuesday- conditions were so bad that the GOVERNOR said that people should not be out! The county has days built into the calendar for crappy days like this? Does this now mean that for every snow/hurricane/ice day, I'm gonna have to call in a personal day? What were the flooded teachers supposed to do? My own husband didn't go to work that day... what the hell is this superintendent and his board think?

If the school board lets this stand, they are all going down in the 2010 elections. Mark my words. The teachers are ready for a fight.

Heard Around the Building

"You should just be glad you've got a job." I'm glad I've got a job, but I'm neither a mule nor a slave. Back the hell off.
"Is it Thanksgiving, yet?" Hell, no, but we're counting the days.
"You need to sign up for your observation - it's getting late." On who's calendar? Last year, I got observed when I taught fractions in about late November/early December. The year before, I was teaching freaking immigration which falls in about January, people. Next year, just come the first week of school. That should solve a whole multitude of problems.
"Lesson plans should include standards, essential questions, and how you are going to address inclusion students, IEP students, average students, and gifted students. Every class, every day." You might as well have us writing individual lesson plans for every child in the room.

I have to tell you that we are at DEFCOM 5. The teachers in our building are getting ready to blow. One more requirement, one more stupid comment, one more meeting and we are finished.

You guys who aren't teachers probably think that we are living the life of Reilly. We aren't. We are being pushed, shoved, poked and prodded by the powers that be. If one more person who doesn't have a clue opens his big mouth to tell me what to do, I may become BBK - bitch be krazy. And I'm telling you now, I'm (we're) not far from it.